Colonel John Mann
John Mann Jr. was a farmer and distiller. He served as a Colonel in the Ohio Militia during the War of 1812. John lived in Miami County, Ohio from 1798 to 1828, and died in Shelby County in May of 1833.
John was born to Susannah Price Mann and John Mann about 1767 on Sinking Creek in the New River area of Virginia (now West Virginia).
Like most young men of the day, he participated in the Virginia Militia. At the time of his departure from Virginia to Ohio, he served as a Sergeant in Virginia’s militia.
John Mann had served under Simon Kenton when the Ohio Militia was formed. He and a friend, Alexander Ewing both rose in Ohio Militia rank simultaneously.
A timeline of Colonel Mann’s life is found below…
1767- John Mann Jr. is born to John and Susannah Mann.
1791- John Mann Sr. gives his consent for John Jr. to marry Fanny Williams.
1791- Isaac is born to John Jr. and Fanny.
1793- John marries Barbara Williams, Fanny's cousin. We assume Fanny died, possibly in childbirth.
1797- John and Barbara's daughter, Francis is born in Virginia. John comes to Ohio with George Williams to locate a claim and plant corn for John's father-in-law, Michael Williams. They locate a claim on Mad River near Dayton. After this task is completed, they return to Virginia with plans to bring their families back.
1798- The families return in Autumn. They lose their land claim to squatters. French traders established a business and huts on their land. They live near Dayton for a year, then move to Honey Creek in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio.
1799- Sergeant John Mann is listed in Virginia Militia records as "having removed to the Miami's." John has now established himself as an early settler of Elizabeth Township, in Miami County, Ohio.
1803- By April, John’s parents, John Sr. and Susannah, are living here with them, and have they put their 500 acre farm in Virginia up for sale. John's sister, Elizabeth Battrell and her husband John, also come to live with them.
1804- John and Barbara return to Virginia to manage the sales of their families' lands. While they are in Virginia, their son Charles is born.
1805- In December, John Mann Sr. enters land in Cincinnati. The plot was Range 10, Township 2, Section 25, Part section 307.20 acres. His residence at time of entry is listed as Montgomery County, Ohio (now Miami County, Elizabeth Township).
1805- The land entry for John Mann Jr. was Range 9, Township 1. Section 6, Part section: North 1/2 and the South 1/2 fraction 216.16 acres. His residence at time of entry is listed as Montgomery County, Ohio (now Miami County, Bethel Township).
1806- John Mann becomes an Ensign in the Ohio Militia under General James Findlay. Later that year, he is promoted to the rank of Captain.
1808- John Mann and his brother-in-law, John Battrell, are appointed guardians of John and Molly Mann, children of George and Betsy Moyer Mann Harman. (Probate Court Case #15.) This George Mann was John Mann’s brother. The children stay originally with the Battrells, but when they moved west into Indiana, the children stayed with John and Barbara Mann.
1809- John Mann is serving as a Major in the Montgomery County, Ohio Militia.
1811- John Mann is serving as a Major for the 2nd Regiment, 5th Brigade, 1st Division of the Ohio Militia.
1811- In autumn, John Mann and Alexander Ewing scout for Harrison near Prophetstown, Indiana. Sometime after their return to Ohio, both are promoted to the rank of Colonel for “acts of valor”. John becomes Colonel over the Miami County Militia.
1812- At the outset of the war , Colonel Mann establishes several independent rifle companies to patrol the frontier. Fortifications are established or re-established at Covington, Fort Loramie, Greenville, Piqua, Sidney, St. Marys, and Staunton. The locations of these structures were previously areas used by General Anthony Wayne with the exception Fort Mann in Sidney, and the Fort at Staunton.
Staunton was Miami County's seat at this time, and Fort Mann in Sidney was on or near a trail following the Miami River. This fort secured the path to Colonel Johnston's headquarters at Upper Piqua and was eventually used as a supply post for the Defiance, Ohio area.
In 1812, Colonel Mann is federalized leads the Advanced Guard for General Tupper's Detachment. He and his men scout the area around the Maumee River.
1813, Miami County became part of the Fifth Division. Colonel Mann becomes a Regimental Officer. There is little surviving information concerning the Fifth Division. The Fifth Division was commanded by General Benjamin Whiteman. Colonel Mann later leads mounted Dragoons from Miami County to to provide relief for Fort Meigs.
1814- When he resigned his commission, John Mann was the Colonel over the Second Regiment of the Fifth Division. There is little surviving information concerning the Fifth Division and specifically, it’s Second Regiment. The Fifth Division was commanded by General Benjamin Whiteman. Both Mann and Whiteman had served under Simon Kenton when the Ohio Militia was formed. Whiteman and Kenton are famous for Indian warfare. Early members of the Mann's, and their kindred Ballard, and Williams families also had some notoriety for Indian warfare on the frontier.
1826- George Mann, John and Barbara's son, dies leaving his widow, Margaret Pearson Mann, to raise their children Abel and Ruth.
1828- John Mann Jr. and Barbara Mann sell their farm in Miami County, Ohio and move to Loramie Township, in Shelby County, Ohio.
1831- Barbara, John's second wife dies.
1832- John Mann Jr. marries Rachael Berry.
1833- John Mann Jr. dies in the latter part of May. (John and Barbara’s son, Isaac, donated land for a cemetery and church in Oran after his brother George's death. It is likely that he, John, Barbara, and Rachel Mann are buried there in near John and Barbara's son, Isaac.)
1833- The Executors notice of Col. John Mann's death was placed in the Piqua Gazette, dated 13 July.
1833- After his death, his youngest daughter, Cynthia Ann, is born to his widow Rachel.
1833- Probate Court, Shelby County, Ohio. Estate package A78 is filed for John Mann. These records show no mention of his deceased son George. All other children are mentioned.
1834- The Estate Executor of Col. John Mann's estate files suit against John's widow, Rachel Berry Mann, seeking land to be sold to satisfy debts. The land she inherited is improperly identified and it is not discovered until after Rachel's death.
1835- Ruth and Abel Mann file suit against John and Barbara's youngest son, Charles. Charles had been entrusted by John Mann with provision for their father's share of inheritance.
1851- On April 1, John's widow Rachel dies.
1853- Eleazar Hathaway, the executor of John Mann's estate, petitions the Common Pleas Court to obtain a signature from Cynthia Mann, Rachel's sole heir, to clear the deed to the improperly identified land. At this time, Cynthia is living in Mahaska County, Iowa.
1853- John's eldest daughter, Frances Mann Skillen, sues John Mann's estate for $1000, claiming she provided domestic duties such as cooking, cleaning, laundry and shopping between the time her mother Barbara died and the time he remarried Rachel, and that John stated he would pay her.