The Maney name is said to be of French origin.  Francis Many lived in France sometime in the early 1600's.  His son, Jacques, came to America.  His brothers came with him and they settled in New York.  Jacques' son James moved to North Carolina.  He lived near Washington, North Carolina.  The time period in which James lived indicated that he may be Martin Maney's grandfather. With more research, I hope to find the missing link to Martin's missing family.

    Martin Maney is the ancestor of all of the western North Carolina Maneys. Martin was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and an Indian fighter. He was born in 1748.  No records can be found concerning his parents or place of birth.  Martin was a resident of Washington, North Carolina, (now Tennessee) when he enlisted in the service of the United Colonies at the Long Island of the Holston on December 4, 1775.  When he applied for pension in 1818, he stated that he was in the company of Captain James Knox in the Eighth Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel Muhlenberg.  He testified that he was in the battle of White Plains, Germantown, and Monmouth, and that he was discharged at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

     In 1779, Martin reenlisted for three more years.  This time he served in the Ninth Virginia Regiment.  Even after his term was over, he was called upon several times to take part in frontier Indian skirmishes and to scout.  Maney also served under Lt. Colonel Burges Ball.

     In September of 1781, Martin married Keziah Vann.  They were married near Jonesboro, Washington County, east Tennessee.  Martin was still in the army when he married Keziah Vann.  Maney was in a company cavalry stationed at Campbell's Station on big Limestone Creek.  In 1782, he was drafted back into the army.  He served under Captain James Wilson and Colonel John Sevier to go against the Indians and the Tories at the Tennessee River.  He returned home three months later.
     Sometime between 1790 and 1796, Martin Maney moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina. In 1796, his family was well settled in Buncombe County.  In 1810, Martin was listed as the head of the family, but in 1820, Martin's oldest son was listed as the head of the family.  On March 16, 1821, records show that at sixty-nine, Martin was blind.  Keziah was fifty-six.

     On April 15, 1830, Martin Maney died.  In 1832, the Maney residence was in Buncombe County, but in 1833, part of Buncombe was formed into Yancey County.  The Maney's land was part of Buncombe that formed Yancey.  One December 10, 1849, Keziah Maney died.  Keziah is said to have been one-half Cherokee Indian.

     Children of Martin and Keziah Maney:  Nancy Maney - October 24, 1783; John Maney - February 11, 1785; Martin Maney, Jr. - October 28, 1786; William Maney - June 6, 1795; Elizabeth Maney - March 22, 1798.

     John J. Maney was born on February 11, 1785.  John took over the job as head of his family in 1820.  He was seventeen.  He married Mary "Polly" Metcalf.  As far as records show, they had only one child, Jackson Maney. John died in 1875.  (Buried in Maney Cemetery, Barnardsville, N.C.).

     Jackson Maney was born in 1814.  He married Elizabeth Carson, (Elizabeth, called Betsy, daughter of Margaret Dillingham, grand-daughter of Absalom Dillingham).  Jack bought the old Pierce Roberts' House when the Roberts moved to Georgia.  The house was nearly a hundred years old then.  According to an old letter, Jack Maney enlisted in the Confederate Army, it is not known whether he saw action in battle.  Jackson died on February 6, 1910.  Buried in Maney Cemetery, Barnardsville. 

Children of Jackson and Elizabeth:

     James H. Maney - January 19, 1840; William R. Maney - 1842; Margaret Ann Maney - unknown; Mary E. "Polly" Maney - Arpil 9, 1846; John W. Maney - September 17, 1848; Barnett N. Maney - Jefferson Maney; Harriet E. Maney - November 25, 1859; Luduska M. Maney - Elbert C. Maney - March 25, 1857.

     James H. Maney was the oldest son of Jackson and Elizabeth Maney.  James was born on January 19, 1840.  James grew up in Barnardsville, and was an early volunteer in the Confederate Army.  Many of his letters are still preserved.  Near the end of the war, James was captured, and held prisoner by the Union Army.  His Oath of Parole, Marriage Certificate, and other important documents are among my grandmother's possessions.

     Shortly after arriving back from the Civil War, James married Hannah Matilda Carter.  They later moved to Yancey County, and then back to Buncombe County.  Their youngest son, Talmadge, was two years old.  They lived on Reems Creek for one year, then they moved back to the Roberts-Maney house in Barnardsville.  In the years that James lived, he grew to be respected, and admired by all.  Several articles were written about him due to his great knowledge.  In the eighty-eight years that James lived, he never bought any food, clothing or shoes.  He provided all of the necessities for his family. He never worked for anyone, and he was very independent.  James died on February 12, 1930.  He and his are buried in the Maney Cemetery in Barnardsville.

     Children of James and Hanah Maney:  Lucius D. Maney - October 27, 1860; Sue E. Maney - February 25, 1869; Daniel E. Maney - May 31, 1871; Hubbert E. Maney - July 26, 1873; Molly L. Maney - May 20, 1876; John A. Maney - August 21, 1879; James Christly Maney - April 30, 1882; Charles Maney - October 29, 1884; Talmadge D. Maney - August 31, 1887.

     Talmadge Dewitt Maney was the youngest child of James H. and Hannah Matilda Maney.  Talmadge was born on August 31, 1887.  He lived eighty-two of his eighty-five years in Barnardsville.  Talmadge loved, and farmed the land of his ancestors.  He and his wife Maggie Tilman Williams lived in the Roberts-Maney house.  Talmadge was Chairman of the Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Committee, and served as a land appraiser for the Blue Ridge Parkway.  He served on the Barnardsville School Committee, and he and Maggie were members of the Barnardsville United Methodist Church.  Talmadge used to tell his visitors, "If you ever wash your feet in Big Ivy you will always come back again."  On March 12, 1973, Talmadge died and he was buried in the Maney Cemetery in Barnardsville.  His wife still lived in the old (200 years old) house.  She is seventy-nine and still very active.  Children of Talmadge and Maggie Maney:

     Recently my family has received four newsletters from the Magny Families Association (there are many spelling variations of the Maney name).  These newsletters have shown me a possible clue to the missing ancestry of Martin Maney.

Source of Publication: Heritage I, article #438, p. 261

SEE: Maney Family Bible Records

MANEY BIBLE RECORD