Frederick Stewart Manning

*My Hawaiian Rose, 1918
*Golden Sands of Waikiki, 1921
*Bamboo Bay, 1922
*By The Sapphire Sea, 1922
*Hawaiian Night in Dixieland, 1922
*In the Isle of Wicki Wacki Woo, 1923
*Hula Hula Dream Girl, 1924
*Hawaiian Kisses, 1925
*Song of the Islands, 1929
*Luana, 1930
*Reflections of You, 1931

1923 Colorado Springs Gazette article
telling of a $200,000 Manning inheritance
Clipping  courtesy of  the Colorado Springs Gazette

Frederick Stewart Manning was born on August 13, 1874, the son of british born Thomas E. Manning, a cobbler and freemason. His middle name, Stewart, was taken from his mother Jane's maiden name. Frederick was born in Port Huron, Michigan, but he spent much of his childhood in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Tacoma, Washington, before the family relocated to Colorado Springs in 1888 for reasons of his mother's health; Jane M. Manning would pass away in 1892.

In the 1890s Manning worked as a cartoonist on the local newspaper, the Gazette, as well as taught penmanship at a small business school, Guinn Commercial College. He fell in love with a Canadian sweetheart named Hattie Tremell, and they were married on October 4, 1893. They had a son named Lyle Edward the following year (April 21, 1894). The fledgling family relocated to Denver in 1899 where Fred found work producing advertising and magazine art for the Palmer-Ellinghausen Company on 218 S. Tremont.

Sometime after the turn of the century the Manning's moved to Chicago where Fred was successful in gaining commercial assignments, one of which was illustrating a book of poetry entitled Sweethearts Always, by Janet Madison. He also produced cartoons for the Chicago Evening Post and the Chicago Tribune, and began his career in the sheet music trade. Another son, Thomas R. Manning, was born on May 22, 1905.

In 1911 the family moved again, this time to New York City where Frederick's career really took off, creating illustrations for such companies as Coca Cola, Palmolive Soap, and the Union Pacific Railroad. His sheet music design work also increased, and his covers became well known for the beautiful ladies portrayed on them. Manning became a member of the Society of Independent Artists, and participated in their first exhibition, held in April of 1917.

During World War One, both father Fred and son Lyle registered for the draft. It doesn't appear that Fred served, but Lyle may have. Lyle followed in his father's footsteps as an artist, and around this time was working for the famous doctor, James Peter Warbasse, possibly illustrating some of his many books.

In the fall of 1923 Frederick inherited $200,000 from the will of a great-grandfather. They bought a house in Dongan Hills, Staten Island, and Frederick commuted by ferry to his New York studio to work on his designs. In 1929 Manning was commissioned to paint a portrait of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. (which now hangs in the Minnesota Historical Society).

After divorcing Hattie sometime in the 1920s, Frederick married again, to a woman named Josephine. The 1930 census shows Hattie living in Manhattan with their son Thomas, who was working as an assistant vice president for an electric company. Hattie passed away in 1968.

Later in life, Fred phased out the sheet music design, choosing to concentrate on portrait and landscape work, including commissions to paint for the Matawan Public Library, and the Matawan First Methodist Church. He continued to paint until his death at the age of 85 on February 26, 1960 in Matawan, New Jersey.