BIOGRAPHY: James B. McMANAMY, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 276-7
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JAMES B. McMANAMY is a son of William and Sarah (Gray) McManamy, and was born in 
White township, this county, on November 15, 1856.
     His grandfather was James McManamy, who was a native of the north of 
Ireland, and a worthy representative of that wonderful Scotch-Irish race which 
has given so many distinguished names to American history. Seeking to better his 
condition, and secure better privileges than were obtainable in his native 
country, he emigrated to America when a young man. He first located in Lancaster 
county, Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1831, then removed to Ohio, where 
he lost his wife and helpmate, and his home was broken up. His later years were 
spent with his son, the father of the subject of this record, and he died in 
January, 1868, at the age of sixty-seven years. His religious affiliations were 
always with the Presbyterian church. His marriage resulted in the birth of three 
sons--John, William, and James.
     William McManamy, father, was born in Ohio in October, 1831, and came to 
Cambria county on March 17, 1856, and purchased a small farm in White township, 
and has lived there ever since, engaged in farming and lumbering. Prior to 
locating in White township, he had followed canal boating, chiefly on the 
Juniata canal. He commenced his career on the canal when but a boy, and by his 
fidelity to every trust reposed in him was promoted from time to time until he 
was made captain of a boat. The line of boats of which he had charge ran from 
Hollidaysburg to Philadelphia, by way of Havre de Grace, Maryland.
     He married Sarah Gray, a daughter of William Gray, of White township, and 
to this marriage were born four sons and five daughters, as follows: James B., 
subject; Alice, wife of James Dunn, of Fallen Timber, this county; Cordelia, 
wife of George Brown, of Dysart, this county; Sarah, widow of Cyrus Holland; 
Howard, a sawyer and lumberman, of the State of Michigan; John, a railroad 
engineer, who is located at Grand Rapids, Michigan; Minnie, the wife of George 
Van Scoyoc, a farmer of near Glasgow, this county; Frank, also an engineer, 
living at Grand Rapids.
     James B. McManamy was reared on the farm of his father, attending the 
common schools until sixteen years of age, when he engaged in lumbering in this 
county for four years. In 1878 he went to Michigan, and followed the same line 
of business for a period of nine years, a part of the time as foreman. In 1887 
he returned to the county of his birth, and as he had previously learned the 
trade of a carpenter, and shown his ability as a skilled workman, he soon 
secured the position of boss carpenter for the Clearfield & Cresson Coal 
company, at Frugality, a position he has held to the present time. In addition 
to the above he has been engaged in the grocery business, and in 1894 was 
appointed post-master at Van Ormer.
     Fraternally he is a member of Champion Castle, No. 415, Knights of the 
Golden Eagle, at Van Ormer, and of Van Ormer Grange, No. 1127, Patrons of 
Husbandry.
     December 31, 1878, Mr. McManamy and Maggie, daughter of John H. Kantner, of 
Altoona, were united in marriage, and to this union three children, Clyde C., 
Rex K., and Paul L., deceased, have been born.
     Michael Kantner, the grandfather of Mrs. McManamy, was a native of Germany, 
whence he emigrated at an early day to within two miles of Altoona, whence be 
cleared up a farm, upon which he lived the remainder of his life. He was a 
member of the Lutheran church, and a good, substantial, and highly-respected 
citizen of that community. He married Susanna Hartzel, of Blair county, and 
their union resulted in the birth of four sons: Michael, John H., Jacob, and 
Henry, who lost his life in the Civil War. John H. Kantner, her father, was born 
in 1822 on the Blair county homestead, and died in Altoona in March of 1873. He 
was a carpenter by trade, and followed it as an avocation all his life. He 
enlisted in the Civil War in company A, Two Hundred and Fifth regiment, 
Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, during the last year of the war, and took part 
in a number of hotly-contested engagements. He was twice married. His first 
marriage was with Susan Nelson, and resulted in the birth of but one child, a 
son, David T., who is now proprietor of a cigar store in Altoona.
     His second marriage was with Miss Emily Jane Caldwell, and was blessed in 
the birth of three sons and four daughters: William G., a carpenter of Altoona; 
Maggie, wife of subject; Anna D., wife of John N. Miles, of West Middlesex, 
Mercer county; Robert C., deceased; Martha, Henry B., a druggist of Altoona, and 
Sarah H., wife of John A. McGonagle, of Ironton, Ohio.
     Mrs. McManamy secured a good, liberal education in the public schools of 
Altoona, and for seven years, two of them in Blair county, and five of them in 
Cambria county, was successfully engaged in the profession of teaching.