William Jacob Maness II ^{1 2 3 4}

   Other names for William were Billy Manes, William Jacob Manes II, William Manis and William Manus Jr.

  Research Notes:

Served in the Revolutionary War on the side of the Americans.

From Ancestry of Paul Bailey Maness (author Dennis Manness) - http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=pbmaness&id=I6515 :

He "migrated to NC about 1765 by wagon train, which stopped at the site of Smyrna Methodist Church north of Robbinson Grassy Creek. He settled near Bear Creek, in what was then Cumberland County, and owned 200 acres of land near Carter's Mill- April 27th, 1767. By May 4th, 1769 owned another 100 acres in what is now Robbins. He later bought more land, owning a total of about 600 acres. His occupation was = Farmer. He enlisted on July 28, 1775 as a private, First Battallion of the North Carolina Line( Col. Thomas Clark's Battallion), part of the Continental Army. This was a dangerous move , as most of the populationof Moore County were Scots, who were loyal to the British King.He was one of only about a half dozen local men who volunteered to fight for the American cause. He appears to have fought in northern campaigns and in the guerilla fighting that continued until 1783. Military records show his last pay period to include Feb. 1, 1785, which would indicate that he was one of the few men who stayed on "in readiness" as a peacekeeper. The 1790 Census shows him to have six sons and seven or eight daughters. Some of these children may have been adopted or the children of other family members. After the war, William served as Township Constable. He died in 1832 at the age of 94, and is buried north of Robbins off the Robbins-High Falls Rd. in the Maness Family Cemetary near Pleasant Hill Church (Moore County, NC)" Source: James Peterson.

"... I will tell you that the senior William MANESS first appeared in the Moore County area comes from ABSTRACTS OF MINUTES OF THE COURT OF PLEAS AND QUARTER SESSIONS OF CUMBERLAND CO., NC, Oct. 1755-Jan. 1779. On page 175, "May 21, 1765, Wm. MANUS (sic) is appointed constable in Capt. Cheney's District." This William is believed to have been William Jr. Also on the only surviving Tax List for Cumberland County for the period 1754-1776 is for the year 1767. On this list appeared William MINUS (Maness) and William MINUS Jr. We also find another mention of a William MANESS, Sr. was in a Land Grant from the Governor of NC in the year 1772. 100 acres of land was granted to Simeon Hart on Bear Creek in Moore County, adjoining the 100 acres grant to William MANESS..etc. A later 1783 tax list for Cumberland County, also contains a William MINUS Sr. William MINUS Jr. Wm Maness did not leave a will, but his administration of his estate was granted to Wm. MANIS (sic). Assumed to be Wm. Jr. a Geo. Glascock was his security, in the amt. of 50 pounds. These two Maness' came from Pensylvania to NC in the mid 1760's." Source: Juanita Kesler

"*Oath prescribed by Act of Assembly passed at Newbern, May 10th 1777, entitled an Act for the Security of the State. *The Highlander's Oath: I, do swear and as I shall answer to God at the great day of Judgment, I have not, nor shall have in my possession any gun, pistol or arm whatsoever, and never use tartan plaid of any other part of the Highland garb; and if I do so may I be cursed in my undertakings, family and property; may I never see my wife and children, father, mother, or relation; may I be killed in battle as a coward and lie without Christian burial, in a strange land, far from the graves of my forefathers and kindred. May all this come across me if I break my oath. 1778 - The following were listed as signing the Oath of Allegiance to the State: George Eason, Robert Gilles, Gilbert Eccles, George Meek, Adam Stewart and Charles Leitch. 1778 - The following took the Oath in July Court: James Burnside, Archibald Simson, Sion Horn, Duncan Buie, Alex. Spiers, John White, Phillip Raiford and Arch. Henry. 1779 - The following took the Oath in January Court: James Emmet, Cornelious Lofton, George McKay and Daniel Monroe. 1779? - The following took the Oath in July Court: Silvanus Wilson, Philemon Hodges, William Thomson, Thomas Kees, William Lee, Bartholomew Dunn, William Dunn, William Manus, John McIntire, Samuel Campbell, Duncan McNeill, James Cooper, Jacob Matthews and Arch. Curry. At April Court [year?] Angus McDugal took the Oath." Source: Bill Mele

"During the Revolution he served with Col. Thomas Clark's 1st NC Battalion, having enlisted 7/28/1773. Records show that he served through most, or all, of the Revolution. Army accounts indicate that he was paid 9/1/1784 and 1785." Source: Charles "Ken" Maness
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From findagrave.com -

Maness Cemetery
Also buried:
Garner Maness 1806-1863
Katie Maness 1814-1890
Issac Maness 1810-1841
Betsy Maness 1812-1875
Emma Maness 1846-1895
Henry Maness 1828-1830
Noah Maness 1860-1861

  Birth Notes:

May have been born in Kildonan, Isle of Arran, Scotland or in Kildonan, Highland, Scotland.
Other sources have Pennsylvania or Bedfored County, Virginia. Hwever, either of these is unlinkely since he is recorded as emigrating on the shop "Hope's End" between 1747 and 1749.

A William Nathan Maness was born in Pennsylvania about 1738 (info from Sons of the American Revolution application).

  Burial Notes:

The Maness Family Cemetery is near Pleasant Hill Church, Moore County, North Carolina, north of Robbins off the Robbins-High Falls Road.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Emigrated: from Scotland to Pennsylvania, Between 1747 and 1749. on the ship "Hope's End" with his father, William Maness I.

• Residence, 1749, Pennsylvania, (United States).

• Occupation: Farmer. From Descendants of John Maness:
"William Maness was a farmer, as were most of the early settlers. The term 'farmer' did not mean exactly the same then as it does now. He cleared some of the virgin forest, hunted, fished, and almost entirely lived off the land."

• Moved, Abt 1755, North Carolina, (United States). probably with his father.

• Residence, 1759, Hemp, Cumberland (Robbins, Moore), North Carolina, (United States).

• Moved: to Bear Creek in Cumberland County, North Carolina, Abt 1765. by wagon train

• Land: 200 acres near Carter's Mill, Cumberland County, North Carolina, 27 Apr 1767.

• Land: 100 acres in what is now the town of Robbins, North Carolina, 4 May 1769, Cumberland, (Moore), North Carolina, (United States).

• Land grant: to Simeon Hart of 100 acres adjoining land of William Maness, 1772, Bear Creek, Cumberland [Moore], North Carolina, (United States). by the Governor of North Carolina

• Enlisted: as a private in the Continental Army, 28 Jul 1775, Cumberland, (Moore), North Carolina, (United States). First Battallion of the North Carolina Line under Col. Thomas Clark. One of only a half dozen local men who volunteered to fight for the American cause.
May have been 28 Jul 1773.

• Served: n the Continental Army during and after the Revolutionary War, 28 Jul 1775-1 Feb 1785. Was in the First Battallion of the North Carolina Line under Col. Thomas Clark. Was "in readiness" status as a peacekeeper after the war.

• Constable: of Township, Abt 1783.

• Tax List, 1783, Wake (Moore), North Carolina, United States.

• Census, 1790. 6 sons, 8 daughters

• Land: additional 100 acres, 15 Dec 1802.

William married Keziah Brooks. (Keziah Brooks was born about 1740 in Moore, North Carolina, (United States), died in 1832 in Moore, North Carolina, United States and was buried in Maness Family Cemetery, Robbins, Moore, North Carolina, United States.)