Edward Lee Manier has been a lifelong resident of Eagleville. Most people remember him as the Manager of Eagleville Co-Op for over 37 years. He is also known in Eagleville for his dedication and activity in the Eagleville United Methodist church for the past 52 years. The Manier’s are among the oldest families that have been residing in Eagleville since the early 1800’s.

Edward Lee was born November 9, 1929; just eighteen days after the stock market crashed. This was known as the “Great Depression” years and times were hard, jobs were few and money was scarce. He was born in Jacksonville, Alabama where his mother and father were both teachers at the State College. The State of Alabama went bankrupt and could not afford to pay the teachers, so his parents packed up all their belongings and moved back to Eagleville on his Grandmother’s farm. At age three, he still remembers that long journey to Eagleville, wedged in the car between pots and pans and all of their belongings.

His Grandmother had a big farmhouse on North Lane where they all lived. His parents had three other children, plus Edward, which pretty much filled up the whole house. He remembers his parents owning a Dodge car that had to stay parked in a shed for three to five years in the early thirties. They had no money to buy gas, so they traveled by horse and buggy when they needed to go to town.

Growing up, he remembers the biggest events in Eagleville as when the “Traveling Medicine Shows” came to town, entertaining and selling their medicines. When the Traveling Circus came to town was another cause for excitement. They set up big tents and had elephants, zebras and camels and it was a fun-filled and fascinating. He also remembers the Goat Man. He was a man who came through town every three or four years with three or four goats pulling him in an old wagon, with lots of other goats surrounding them.

Edward’s childhood was filled with adventures and he loved the great outdoors. He spent many days riding bikes, fishing and swimming. Nighttime was for frog gigging, star gazing and camping on the creek bank with neighborhood friends, eating meals of fried hog jowl, eggs and hot water cornbread.

When he was twelve years old, he raised peanuts and melons to sell at a roadside stand he made. He had many customers around that would frequent his stand. He also grew popcorn to sell at the Eagleville Basketball games.

Edward Lee lived “Down in the Swamps” until he was fourteen years old and then they moved to the “Cedars” on Mt Vernon Road. In 1946, he became a partner with his dad starting a Grade A Dairy and did this for 22 years. He milked 35 cows a day, getting up at 4:00 am every morning. They also raised hogs and sheep and farmed the land. He continued the Dairy Farm with his dad until 1968, then switched over to beef cattle.

He attended Eagleville School and graduated in 1947 with 14 others in his class. He served as the President of the Eagleville Senior Boys 4-H club involved with beef, cattle and sheep projects. During the second World War, Edward Lee’s father was a school teacher at Eagleville and was also a School Bus Driver, delivering 25 children. Edward Lee substituted driving the bus many times even before he was 15 years old. He rebuilt the bus motor when he was 14 years old and continued to use it for six more years.

In the 1950’s, he and his father operated a henhouse with 1,000 laying hens. His father went to Nashville and peddled the eggs door-to-door, house-to-house for .60 a dozen. Working with the chickens was time consuming but profitable and they did this for 12 to 15 years.

After graduating from high school, he attended college at MTSU. Tuition was $35 a quarter and you could get a college degree for around $1,000. In 1952, he married Marie Smith and they had three children, Glen, Jerry and Lisa. He built his home on Mt Vernon Rd, using rock on the outside that he had gathered from all over the farm. He still resides in the same house today and has over 150 acres of land. Edward Lee helped to organize the Eagleville Co-op in 1956, serving as manager the first 37 years. He worked there a total of 43 years and enjoyed every day of it.

1998 was one of the greatest moments in his life. His first grandchild, David, was born to son Jerry and wife Susie. Life took on a whole new meaning. He retired from the Co-op and spent most of his days teaching and playing games with his grandson. He was like a “kid with a new toy”. Three years later, in 2001, his first granddaughter, Danielle, arrived and stole Papa’s heart. We’re not sure which one has him wrapped around their little finger the most! He enjoys reading to them and spent most of the summer helping them to earn the Library award for reading over 450 books. He also enjoys woodworking and building. He and son Jerry are in the process of building a cabin in the woods.

Edward Lee has been an active member in the Eagleville United Methodist Church for over 52 years. He is a Sunday school teacher and has served in many capacities at the church. He recently served on a committee to help build a parsonage for the new pastor.

His Preacher, Trey Lambert had this to say: “The world is such a busy place. So busy that most of us try to keep up, and in the process we forget others. This is not so with Edward Lee Manier. “ He recalls a time when Mr. Ed and Mr. Crick were finishing up some projects on the new Parsonage and a tornado watch was in effect. Pastor Trey’s wife Brandi is not a fan of tornados and was anxious to say the least. The men continued working trying to finish the job so the new preacher could move in. After some time, Trey missed Mr. Ed and turned to find him with a comforting hand patting his wife’s shoulder. He was trying to reassure her there was nothing to worry about. We were busy, but Ed was not so busy that he couldn’t be an instrument of grace and comfort to someone who needed reassuring. Pastor Trey says: “When the history books are written, the writers will probably be in a scramble amid the chaos. The world is a busy place, you know. Someone might not get around to saying it, so I want to say it now: Edward Lee Manier is one of the best human beings that you will ever meet. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity.”

He has just celebrated his 75^th birthday. He feels his greatest strength is God’s blessings and you can see this in the attitude he portrays. He is a man of integrity and honor and I feel blessed that the Lord has put him into all of our lives.

God Bless You, Edward Lee Manier