My Genealogy Hound

HERMAN C. MANSKER, a thrifty and energetic agriculturist of Randolph County, is making his home in township 8, range 6. He is a native of this county, and was born on the place he now occupies, two and a-half miles west of Rockwood, August 30, 1863. His parents, Samuel and Nancy (Nelson) Mansker, were both natives of Kentucky, the former was born December 16, 1795, and died January 9, 1884. Grandfather John Mansker was a nephew of Jasper, a wealthy and prominent citizen of Tennessee, living near Nashville. The grandfather married Margaret Robinson and afterward settled on Bear Gap Creek, a few miles from Louisville, Ky. He served under Generals St. Clair and Wayne against the Indians.

The father of our subject was the third child and the eldest son of his parents’ family and was born near Louisville about four years before his fathers’ removal to Tennessee. In 1804 the family removed to Ste. Genevieve (now Perry) County, Mo. In 1807 they came to Illinois and located at Liberty Island, opposite Rockwood. This continued to be their home for about five years, when a final move was made to section 10, township 8, range 6. To the small original purchase was added adjacent property until the estate aggregated at one time two thousand acres. The rising of the river obliged him to move his residence further from the stream, and in 1844 he built the home where his widow and son now live.

The mother of our subject is a daughter of Basil and Elizabeth (Chattan) Nelson, natives of Virginia, who moved to Kentucky in an early day. When Nancy was but a small child her parents moved to Illinois, locating in Marion County, where she grew to womanhood. In Randolph County she met and married Samuel Mansker, and they became the parents of five children, four of whom yet survive. They are: Ann Eliza, the wife of Stephen Kirk; Nelson C., who resides with his mother; Elveretta, the wife of John Woods, of this township; and Herman C., our subject. By three previous marriages Samuel Mansker became the father of seventeen children.

February 1, 1889, the subject of this sketch married Mary C., daughter of Stephen Kinnison, a native of Missouri. Unto them have been born four children, all of whom are living and residing at home, Lottie, Genevieve May, Raymond and Bernard C. Mr. Mansker is the possessor of a splendid tract of land comprising four hundred and twenty-five acres of hill and bottom land, on which are raised large quantities of wheat, besides the various other grains. He is a Trustee of Schools of his township, and politically votes the Democratic ticket in national affairs, but in local elections chooses to cast his ballot for the man and not the party.