Mannen Clements (CSA)

Son of Emanuel Clements & Martha Hardin Clements. Wife Molly Ann Robinson. Emanuel Clements was also known as Manning, Mannen & Mannin. Emanuel was killed at the Senate Sallon in Ballinger, Runnels county Texas by City Marshall Joe Townsend on March 29, 1887. He became a candidate for Sheriff for the new county of Runnels, just prior to him being killed. Emanuel was one of John Wesley Hardin's closest friends and cousin. He was involved in the Taylor-Sutton feud, on the Taylor side.

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/jcs03

Emmanuel "Mannen" Clements, Sr. (1845 -1887) - A rancher, outlaw, and gunfighter, Mannen Clements headed up a violent and ruthless Clements family in McCulloch County, Texas. Mannen and his brothers, John Gibson "Gip," James and Joseph were brought up on a cattle ranch south of Smiley, Texas in Gonzales County, Texas.

In 1871, John Wesley Hardin, a cousin of the Clements visited their ranch and participated in a cattle drive to Kansas with Mannen and James Clements. During the drive, Mannen killed brothers Adolph and Joseph Shadden, who had disputed his authority just as the herd crossed the Red River into Indian Territory. He was later jailed in Kansas by Bill Hickok but was released at the request of John Wesley Hardin, who had become friends with Hickok.

In October, 1872, Mannen helped Hardin to escape from a jail in Gonzales County, Texas jail by slipping him a file, then pulling him between the jagged bars by a lariat.

In the years that followed, Mannen, along with brothers Joe, Jim, and Gip participated in the Taylor-Sutton Feud, along with their cousin, Hardin. In 1877 Clements found himself in jail in Austin, Texas along with Hardin, Bill Taylor, Johnny Ringo, and members of the Sam Bass gang.

After John Wesley Hardin was sent to prison, Mannen was one of the few people that ever visited him while he was there. He also helped Hardin's wife Jane and their children.

By 1880 Clements was suspected of rustling, and he had accumulated vast horse and cattle herds on his McCulloch County Ranch. About two years later, Clements hired none other than Killin' Jim Miller to work on his ranch. While there, Miller became good friends with Emmanuel's son, Emmanuel "Mannie" Clements, Jr., as well as Mannen's daughter, Sallie. Miller and Mannie Clements would later find themselves embroiled in the Frazer-Miller Feud in Pecos, Texas.

Despite his past, Mannen Clements ran for sheriff of newly formed Runnels County in early 1877 in a campaign that was hotly contested. On March 29, 1887, Mannen was shot and killed in the Senate Saloon by Ballinger City Marshal Joseph Townsend. Not long afterward, Townsend, riding home at night, was swept from the saddle by a shotgun fired out of the dark. The ambusher was never identified, but Jim Miller was widely suspected. Though Townsend survived, he lost an arm.

Source: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-gunfighterlist-c.html

When Mannen Clements was jailed for the killing of two of Clements' cowboys, his cousin John Wesley Hardin made arrangements with Hickok for Mannen to escape. Later in his hotel Hardin killed a man for snoring, and fled Abilene, fearing arrest by Hickok. Some say that the snoring man was in the adjacent room, and the greatly irritated Hardin simply fired through the wall.

Mannen is the spelling used by his parents in the family Bible, though he was often called "Manning" in many records. He was raised on the family farm in Texas.

He enlisted in Co. B of the First Texas Volunteer Cavalry, CSA, on October 2, 1862 at the age of 17. The First Texas Volunteer Cavalry merged with the regular Texas Confederate Troops in March, 1864.

His name appears on the list of persons in Gonzales Co. TX who had registered to vote on August 5, 1867.

Mannen's name appears in several incidents between 1868 and 1870 in Gonzales Co. TX where he was charged with several minor counts of assault and battery and theft, but none of them amounted to any convictions.

Other incidents that led to various charges against Mannen were (1)the killing of two trail hands on a cattle drive to Abeline, KSin1870, (2) the shooting of Peyton "Pate" Patterson in Gonzales Co. TX in 1872, (3) several charges for theft of cattle in Gonzales Co. TX in1874-1876, and (4) numerous gambling charges in Gonzales Co., all of which led to Mannen leaving Gonzales Co. TX about 1876.

In 1880 Mannen was living in McCulloch Co. TX and he expanded his ranch into San Saba Co. TX in 1883. He was regarded by his neighbor as "a good man who was pretty tough, but a fine old feller."

In 1887 he was making plans to run for Sheriff of McCullough Co. TX. However, his death in Ballinger, Runnels Co. TX on March 29, 1887,closed the chapter on the life of this colorful man.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization to which Mannen belonged as early as1883, had his body shipped home where Brady Lodge Number 257 conducted the funeral service. He was buried in the Cox Cemetery not far from his ranch near Brady, McCulloch Co. TX.

His original tombstone was crudely lettered to read: "In Memory of M.Clements, Born Feb. 26, 1845, Died Mar. 29, 1887, Gone But Not Forgotten." It was replaced in 1995 by a modern stone that reads:"Mannen Clements, Feb. 26, 1845, Mar. 29, 1887, Border's Texas Cavalry, C.S.A."

Source: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db...

The April 2, 1887, edition of The Ballinger Eagle reported Emanuel Manning Clements II was killed in a gunfight at the Alamo saloon in Ballinger, Runnels Co., Tex.:

"Manning Clements Killed. A pistol shot was heard near night Tuesday afternoon in the Alamo saloon on 7th street, and it was soon learned that the ever-present six-shooter had got in its deadly work on Manning Clements, a stockman of McCulloch county, who has been in Ballinger several weeks shipping stock. Clements was a first cousin to John Wesley Hardin, and like the noted John Wesley had spent more than one man to his long home. For the last several years had led a quieter life than in his younger days, having married and settled down. The evidence taken at the inquest by Judge Hargrove Tuesday night and Wednesday morning discloses substantially the following facts: Deputy Sheriff Joe Townsend, Sheriff Formwalt and Manning Clements were in the Alamo saloon. The two latter had been drinking, and Formwalt had fired off his pistol in Hamilton and Conner's saloon a short while before. Townsend was endeavoring to secure his pistol. Formwalt was drawing his pistol, and Townsend had seized it, when Clements with an oath ordered him to stop, and was leveling a pistol which he had in the meantime drawn, on Townsend. Retaining his hold upon Formwalt's pistol, Townsend instantly fired, the ball entering about an inch above Clement's left eye, ranging backward and upward. Clements fell to the floor in a sitting posture and immediately expired. His pistol was in his hand at full cock after he died, showing in all probability Townsend only escaped death by depriving Clements of his life. The Odd Fellows, of which society he was a member took charge of the body and prepared it for interment and expressed it to the home of the dead man. He leaves a wife, one daughter and son" (Vol. 5, No. 31 Whole No. 239). Emmanuel “Mannen” Clements, Sr. – A Bad Texas Hombre

Emmanuel “Mannen” Clements, Sr. was a rancher, outlaw, and gunfighter, who headed up the violent and ruthless Clements family in McCulloch County, Texas.

Mannen and his brothers, John Gibson “Gip,” James and Joseph were brought up on a cattle ranch south of Smiley, Texas in Gonzales County, Texas. In 1871, John Wesley Hardin, a cousin of the Clements, visited their ranch and participated in a cattle drive to Kansas with Mannen and James Clements. During the drive, Mannen killed brothers Adolph and Joseph Shadden, who had disputed his authority just as the herd crossed the Red River into Indian Territory. He was later jailed in Kansas by Bill Hickok but was released at the request of John Wesley Hardin, who had become friends with Hickok.

In October 1872, Mannen helped Hardin to escape from a jail in Gonzales County, Texas jail by slipping him a file, then pulling him between the jagged bars by a lariat. In the years that followed, Mannen, along with brothers Joe, Jim, and Gip participated in the Taylor-Sutton Feud, along with their cousin, Hardin. In 1877 Clements found himself in jail in Austin, Texas along with Hardin, Bill Taylor, Johnny Ringo, and members of the Sam Bass gang. After John Wesley Hardin was sent to prison, Mannen was one of the few people that ever visited him while he was there. He also helped Hardin’s wife, Jane, and their children.

Jim Miller, infamous killer

By 1880 Clements was suspected of cattle rustling, and he had accumulated vast horse and cattle herds on his McCulloch County Ranch. About two years later, Clements hired none other than Killin’ Jim Miller to work on his ranch. While there, Miller became good friends with Emmanuel’s son, Emmanuel “Mannie” Clements, Jr., as well as Mannen’s daughter, Sallie. Miller and Mannie Clements would later find themselves embroiled in the Frazer-Miller Feud in Pecos, Texas.

In spite of his past, Mannen Clements ran for sheriff of newly formed Runnels County in early 1877 in a campaign that was hotly contested. Despite his efforts, he lost. On March 29, 1887, Mannen was shot and killed in the Senate Saloon by Ballinger City Marshal, Joseph Townsend. Not long afterward, Townsend was riding home one night when he was swept from the saddle by a shotgun fired out of the dark. The ambusher was never identified, but Jim Miller was widely suspected. Though Townsend survived, he lost an arm.

By Kathy Weiser-Alexander, updated February 2020.