Pells Manny was a pioneer manufacturer of Stephenson County. His work and fame and the services of his inventive genius was too great to be confined to one county, and the world over his name stands far, towards the head of the list of early inventors and manufacturers of reapers.

It is said that he got his idea of the Manny reaper from reading a description of a machine used by the Gauls over 350 years ago. His first machine was one which cut off the heads of the grain. After much experimenting, he produced the Manny reaper which soon supplanted the header. The new invention struck the rocky roads encountered by most inventions. It required time and labor and over $20,000 to perfect the machine so that it would work successfully.

This was accomplished in 1852 and in 1853. Mr. Manny's son, J.N. Manny, began the manufacture of reapers in Rockford. In 1856 the Mannys established a factory in Freeport. The company found a great demand for its product and the annual output soon rose to several thousands. In 1857 the Freeport factory run by Mr. Manny manufactured reapers, hay presses, and the Manny Subsoil Plow. The Freeport booklet (Boss & Burrought's) 1857, says that the Manny Company had enough orders ahead that year to make it necessary to employ from 250 to 400 men. It was believed that this company alone would increase the population of Freeport 1,200 to 2,000.

Some background of Pells Manny

Born 17 August 1802 Amsterdam, Montgomery Co NY
Died 12 September 1883 Freeport, Stephenson Co IL. Burial Waddams Grove
Married Sarah Swart 16 February 1825 St. George Episcopal Church Schenectady, NY
She was born 25 March 1804 in NY the daughter of Josiah J. & Elizabeth (DeGraff) Swart. She died 24 September 1854 in IL
Children are:
John Henry Manny 28 November 1825
Josiah Manny 8 September 1827 in Amsterdam, Montgomery Co, NY
Eliza Manny 27 November 1829 in Amsterdam, Montgomery Co, NY
Rebecca Ann Manny 2 May 1832 in Amsterdam, Montgomery Co, NY
Gabriel Manny 2 June 1835 in Amsterdam, Montgomery Co, NY
He married the second time on 23 August 1860 to Magdalene A. Marselus (7 September 1816 - 20 December 1873)

Copyright Christine Walters Genealogy Trails © 2001-2006