Sept. 28, 2008-Nancy Manning and Tyre Harbin

On August 31, 2008, I wrote about Marjamin Manning and his family. Since then I have obtained additional information about some of his children. Today I will write about Nancy Minerva Manning (1840-1919) and her husband Tyre Harbin (1826-1898). They were married August 25, 1861 in Dawson county, Georgia. Like the Manning family, the Harbin family was from York, South Carolina. Before Tyre and Nancy were married, Tyre embarked on an interesting adventure.

Tyre and his brothers, John and Balaam, went to California during the Gold Rush. There is a great deal written about the Gold Rush and very easy to find on the internet. It began in 1848 and those traveling to California were called the "49 ers". It isn't exactly clear when Tyre and his brothers went to California, but it is noted by a genealogy researcher in the Grogan D Digest, V97 #39, that they stayed for nine years. They can be seen on the 1860 census in Nevada City, California. It was interesting to look at the 1860 Nevada City census. Most of the residents were young men between the ages of 25-35. Many countries around the globe were noted as their country of origin. Very few women and children were on that particular census.

People traveling to the Gold Rush could go by land in wagon trains and have the risk of Indian attacks. Many settlers chose the overland route and those with more money and resources went by sea. Some left the Eastern US and many other countries traveling around Cape Horn and on to California. There was no Panama Canal at that time and Cape Horn was the route if they wanted a complete ocean voyage. Those who wanted to get to California faster would go through Panama. They would arrive in Panama on the Atlantic side and then take canoes and mules for a weeks trek through the jungle. Then once on the Pacific side, they would wait for a ship to San Francisco. The Grogan Digest stated that Tyre and his brothers traveled through Panama and Cuba.

Normally the route from Georgia to Panama would be to depart from New Orleans. It isn't clear why the Harbin brothers went through Cuba coming or going to the Gold Rush. They may have entered Cuba going in both directions. We know they were in California in 1860 and that Tyre and Nancy married in 1861, if they stayed in California for nine years it may have been about 1852 that they left Georgia for California. In the early 1850's there was an epidemic of Yellow Fever in the United States. In 1853, over 8,000 people in New Orleans died from Yellow Fever. The route through Cuba would have been to avoid the infestation that existed in New Orleans. They were really adventurous.

I read at Wikipedia.org that the ordinary prospectors could have daily gold finds worth 10-15 times the daily wage they would earn on the East Coast. A person working 6 months in the gold fields could find gold equivalent to 6 years wages back home. That's a very good reason to go. After nine years, Tyre could have saved a great deal of money.

Upon his return to Georgia he married Nancy Minerva Manning and they started their family.

Their son, John William Harbin was born September 27, 1862. Their marriage date was recorded as August 25, 1861. From here the dates get a bit confusing. In 1864 their son Samuel Megaman was born and in 1865, a third son Nathanial James was born. In the meantime, military records show that Tyre enlisted in the CSA on July 14, 1863 and was paroled from the military May 12, 1865. He was noted to have been a 1st Lieutenant in the 11th Battalion, Co. C of the Georgia Infantry, the State Guards. After Tyre was discharged from the military, Nancy and Tyre had the rest of their children.

Barbara G. - 1867
Benjamin Mercer - March 27, 1869
Tyre Balaam - April 30, 1871
Nancy Caroline - September 29, 1872
Milinda Elander - April 26, 1874
Martha Ann -September 21, 1876
Hiram Andrew - June 19, 1878
Hanery Lee - May 3, 1882

Tyre Harbin died October 7, 1898 and is buried at the Old Tate Cemetery in Pickens, Georgia. In 1900 the first US census year after Tyre died, Nancy was living in Pickens county, Georgia, noted to be widowed and with her children: Eler (Milinda Elander), Hiram, Henry L. and three boarders. Hiram is noted to be a carpenter, Henry is a marble polisher. The area of Pickens county in which they lived was at the N.E. end of the marble quarry area. In the household right next door is Nancy's son, John W. and his family. In 1910, Nancy was in Pickens county and living with her son, John W. and his family and her daughter Ella (Milinda Elander).
Nancy Manning died January 15, 1919 and is also buried at the Old Tate Cemetery. I came across an interesting story about their son Hiram, which I will write another time.