Biography of Wilson Manus, Sebastian Co, AR

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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Wilson Manus, a successful agriculturist, and the son of Jesse Manus, was born
in Hawkins County, Tenn.,  March 15, 1842. The father was also a native of
Tennessee, was reared and married in Tennessee; was a farmer  by occupation,
and a Democrat in politics. He was married twice, and became the father of
children by both  wives. Wilson Manus was but three years old when both of his
parents died, and he has no remembrance of his  parents, brothers or sisters.
After the death of his father he was bound out to a man by the name of Debord,
with  whom he staid but a short time, when an uncle by marriage took him and
kept him until the breaking out of the  late war. In 1857 he was brought to
Scott County, Ark., and in 1862 he was conscripted in the Confederate  army,
and served until the fall of 1863, being under seven different captains. With
the idea firm in his mind that  he was serving a wrong cause, he determined to
escape as soon as possible. In September, 1863, he went to Fort  Smith and
enlisted in Company C, Second Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, United States Army.
Soon after he was  transferred to Company F, of the same command, and received
an honorable discharge August 8, 1865. He  participated in the battle of Saline
River, Prairie Grove. A considerable portion of the time he was detailed on
scouting service, and in a skirmish near Clarksville, Ark., April 11, 1865, he
was wounded in the left thigh and  hip, the ball passing clear through and
crippling him for life. As a partial compensation he gets a pension. After  the
war he returned to Sebastian County, where, in 1867, he married Miss Julia
Anthony, a native of Scott  County, and the daughter of Finis Anthony. Nine
children were the fruits of this union: Abraham L., Mary E.,  Henry W., Daniel
G., Tennessee J., Archidelphia A., Eva J. L., Audus L. B. and an infant
(deceased). Mr.  Manus was a Democrat until the war, and since that time he has
been a Republican. After marriage he settled  upon the farm where he now lives,
and where he is engaged in successfully tilling the soil, although he followed
merchandising for a short time in connection with his farming interests. He
owns 200 acres of land, ninety  under cultivation, has been a resident of this
county for twenty-one years, and is an honorable man and a good  citizen. He is
a member of the Masonic fraternity, is also a member of the G. A. R., and he
and wife are  members of the Free Will Baptist Church. He received very little
schooling, and was not able to read or write  until about four years ago. He is
deeply interested in the education of his children.