Year: 1924
Type: article
Abstract: IN ONE OF HIS Letters, the great Roman orator wrote Lucceius, the historian, "The thought of being spoken of by future ages makes me snatch at what seems to be a hope of immortality."Veiled in these words are the haunting fear of being forgotten and the inspiring hope of being remembered after the journey shall have ended not without dust and heat.Cicero's experience was not unique.The desire to survive life's final day and to live on in the lives of kindred spirits is thought of as well-nigh universal.It incites to altruistic service and to the incidental attainment of high repute.So when one who has moved among us passes into the common night, having achieved a name which through years to come shall "still flit among the mouths of men," we cease our daily toil and assume to appraise his deeds and to take thought of his stature.Such is our instant office.We are bidden to pause that we may contribute our share of honor to the memory of one who in an hour that was epochal turned from his chosen life-work to the novel experience of instructing young men in the basic principles of the law and the native duties of the patriotic citizen.It is highly fitting that his achievements should be reviewed in the building which bears his name and that its walls should be adorned with the portrait, which, by the grace of his family, it is my high privilege to present to the Law Department of the University.This distinguished lawyer and teacher was Dr. John Manning.He was born at Edenton, N. C., July 30, 1830, and died at Chapel Hill, N. C., February 12, 1899.His grandfather, Joseph Manning, was the first of the family to settle in North Carolina.In 1803, he left the old plantation, known as the Manning Manor, near Norfolk, Virginia, and moved first to Currituck County and thence to Edenton, where he embarked in the business of a merchant.He reared a large family, some of his sons attaining positions of responsibility and honor.Among these were Thomas C. Manning, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana and Minister to Mexico; Dr.Joseph F. Manning, a physician of Louisiana; David A. Manning, who after his graduation from West Point, became an officer in the Seminole War; William H. Manning, Representative in the House of Commons from Gates County; and John Manning, Sr., who from the place of midshipman in the United States Navy rose to the rank of Commander and who at the beginning of the civil war withdrew from the Federal service and afterwards received the appointment of Commander in the Navy of the Confederate States.He died in 1872.In 1829, John Manning, Sr., married Tamar Haughton Leary, a member of one of the oldest families of Chowan County.Their only children were John
Author: William James Adams
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2735628658