Posted By Norman Gasbarro on March 17, 2017
Daniel McManaman is named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a veteran of the Civil War who served as a Private and who was a member of the Heilner Post, joining after its organization.
One difficulty in finding him in the records is that his surname is found with many different spellings, including McManamy, McMeneman, McMannaman, McMenemann, etc.
According to the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card (shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives), Daniel McManamy, enrolled on 18 February 1864 at Pottsville in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company F, as a Private, and was mustered into service at that place on the same day. At enrollment, he claimed to be 20 years old (born about 1844), born in Schuylkill County, then residing in Pottsville, and working as a miner. He stood 5 foot 7 inches tall, had brown hair, a medium complexion, and gray eyes. His service lasted until 23 August 1865, when he was honorably mustered out with his company.
According to the Pension Index Card found at Ancestry.com, Daniel McManaman applied for a pension on 4 March 1892, which he received and collected until his death. His widow, Alice McMannaman applied on 31 January 1931, but was not awarded benefits.
An additional piece of information on Daniel McManaman is found on the Pension Index Card from Fold3 – that he died on 17 December 1930 at Mt. Carmel, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.
In searching the Mt. Carmel Item, which is available from Newspapers.com (1929 and 1931 are available, not 1930), an obituary from 5 February 1931 was found for Mrs. Alice McManaman, who died the evening before. The mention of her husband, who predeceased her, was found in the second paragraph:
DIES AT THE AGE OF 81
Mrs. Alice McManaman, Died At Ten O’clock Last Night
Mrs. Alice McManaman, 81, one of the community’s oldest and most highly respected residents, died from infirmities of age at 10:00 o’clock last night, at her home, 206 South Locust Street.
The prominent octogenarian passed away exactly seven weeks after the death of her husband, Daniel McMananman [sic], prominent Civil War veteran.
Mrs. McManaman was born in Ireland, a daughter of the late Hugh O’Neill and Mary [Kelly] O’Neill, and came to this country when an infant, her parents settling in Short Mountain, Schuylkill County [sic].
From Short Mountain, the family moved to Wiconisco, Dauphin County. Mrs. McManaman came to Mount Carmel in 1887.
She was in excellent health until six years ago. A stroke of apoplexy weakened her and her condition rapidly declined since then.
To survive, she leaves the following sons and daughters: Mrs. Julia Murray, Brooklyn; Mrs. Mary Breslin, at home; Mrs. John Whalen, Mt. Carmel; James McManaman, Brooklyn; Mrs. Joseph Yeager, Brooklyn; Frances McManaman, Dooleyville; and Mrs. John Coval, Brooklyn.
One brother, Hugh O’Neill, Brooklyn; 32 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren also survive.
The funeral will be held Monday morning with services in the Church of Our Lady at 8:30 o’clock. Burial will be made in St. Mary’s Cemetery at Beaverdale.
The two locations from the Lykens Valley area noted in the obituary are: Short Mountain and Wiconisco.
Daniel McManemy was located in the Wiconisco Township census of 1850. He was living with his parents, Neal McManemy, age 39, a shoemaker, born in Ireland, and Judith McManemy, age 42, born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. One younger brother, James McManemy, was named, age 0.
In 1860, the family was living in Reilly Township, Schuylkill County, where the father, Con McNamana, age 51 was working as a shoemaker,and mother Judy McNamana, indicated she was born in Nova Scotia. Daniel McNamana, age 14, was working as a shoemaker, and the younger brother, James McNamana, age 10, was also still in the household.
In 1870, Daniel McNammany, age 24, is living in Porter Township, Schuylkill County, and working as a miner. His wife, Alice McNammany, age 21, was keeping house. One child appears in this census, Julia McNammany, age 2, at home.
In 1880, the family was living in Wiconisco Township, where Daniel McManamen, age 34 was working as a coal miner; Alice McManamen, age 30, was keeping house; daughter Julia McManamen, age 12, attending school; daughter Mary McManamen, age 10, attending school’ daughter Alice McManamen, age 7, reported as having measles; son James McManamen, age 5; daughter Rose Ann McManamen, age 3; and son Frances McManamen, age 5/12 (born December). Note: In tracing the genealogies of some of the children, Lykens is given as their birthplace.
According to Alice’s obituary (above), the family moved from Wiconisco to Mt. Carmel in 1887.
In 1890, Daniel McManmamy, was living in Mt. Carmel, and reported his Civil War service with the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
In 1900, Daniel McManiman, head of family, age 52, was living in Mt. Carmel, and working as a coal miner. Although he stated that he was born in Pennsylvania, he also stated that he arrived 50 years prior and was a “naturalized” citizen. It is not known at this time why he didn’t consider himself a natural born citizen. Another unexplained piece of information is the number of years that he and Alice were married – given as only 9 in the census – while Alice McManiman, age 49, born in Ireland, indicated that she bore 9 children, 8 of whom were still alive at the time of the census. Children in the household for the 1900 census were: James L. McManiman, age 25, a laborer; Rose McManiman, age 22, a dress maker; Francis J. McManiman, age 20, a laborer; Daniel McManiman, age 17, a laborer; and Catherine McManiman, age 14, at school.
A death certificate has been located for Daniel McManemy, who died on 17 December 1930, at Mt. Carmel, of complications of old age. The father’s name is given as Cornelius McManemy (the “Neal” in the 1850 census is an abbreviation) and the mother’s name is given as Julia Burke, with her birthplace given as Ireland (most likely the same person as the 1850 census). The informant was Mrs. John Whalen, who is named in the obituary as a daughter.
Finally, the Findagrave Memorial pictures two grave markers, each with a different spelling. The birth and death dates for Daniel are noted as 23 June 1844 and 17 December 1930. Both Daniel and Alice are buried at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Mt. Carmel.
While some of the information in the above records is conflicting with other information, it is clear that the Daniel McManaman who is named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument is the same person who is named in the other records given here and that there is a definite connection with the Lykens-Wiconisco Township area. Further research still needs to be done on his Civil War service – which possibly can be found in the pension file not consulted for this blog post.
Also, it should be noted that this veteran definitely has a connection to Porter Township/Tower City (1870 census), and is not named on the veterans’ memorial in that community.
Additional information is requested from readers who can either add comments to this post or send the information via e-mail.
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Tags: Lykens Borough, Porter Township, Reilly Township, Short Mountain, Tower City, Wiconisco, Wiconisco Township, Women
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