Family Stories

Well over 50 matches have been found between our Manary/Menarys and a group of Manerys who originated in Maryland, USA. Our connection is uncertain but the strength of the matches equal that of the McNary group. It seems the family, whose name was originally spent Mannery, came from England.

It appears the main family line in North America started out in Maryland.  In 1675, John Mannery appeared on a passenger list as a servant of Nicholas Sewell, arriving from England to Cecil County, Maryland. John may have been about 25, tentatively placing his birth as about 1650. The tobacco trade was thriving in Maryland, which had an ideal climate for this industry. Using indentured servants for cultivation was common in early Maryland. After his indenture was completed, John Mannery likely established a tobacco farm of his own.

He may be the father of a John Mannery who was mentioned in a Calendar of Wills in Cecil County, 1732. John Mannery was listed as the husband of Hannah Green, although they apparently were both deceased. Bequests were given to John and Hannah’s sons, John and Thomas. Calculating approximate dates suggests that John may have been born about 1680.

The son of John and Hannah, John, was probably born in the 1710s. Records exist of several court transactions for a John Mannery about that age who was definitely involved in the tobacco trade. John sued a neighbour and was sued in turn; the fines were all paid in tobacco.

From that point on, a minefield of facts from unknown sources have been randomly assigned  to the next generation of Mannerys.  However, a John Mannery born about 1747 has fairly consistent information. He had moved from Cecil County to nearby Charles County, and married Sarah Tubman. The line continues through their son Richard Mannery, who was said to have married a woman named Mary. Various trees give her the surname of Shagnasha and Tubman, but the most accepted surname appears to be Edwards. They had a family of four or five children and later moved to Georgia.

Their oldest son, Edward Manery, married Elizabeth Upshaw, and it is from this family that most of the Mannery/Manerys are descended. Edward and his siblings spread out to Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Virginia, and other southern states, and are numerous in America today. Further intensive research is needed to ascertain what our DNA connections to them mean.