101 years ago, on January 14, 1924, C.C. Manuel was born to James Patrick Henry Manuel and Mattie (Arrant) Manuel in their home in Gerty, Oklahoma. For his first years of school he attended Gerty and Round Prairie. Then sadly his mother, Mattie, fell very ill and his dad was not able to keep him so his uncle and aunt, Dan and Jennie Manuel of Black Rock, took him in. He then went to school there at Black Rock and graduated from the 8th grade.

Mr. Manuel married Louiza Knighten when he was just 17 and Louiza was 16. C.C. said Lou’s daddy, Clark Knighten, wouldn’t let her date but she could sit by C.C. at church. There weren’t a lot of fences back then, so when there was a revival and sometimes a brush arbor revival going on C.C. would walk from Gerty, cutting across the cow trails and pastures, to the church service where Lou was watching and waiting for him. Just so he could sit by his girlfriend!

They were married in Allen by Rev. Perry Blue. Seven babies were born to the couple with six surviving: Joyce, Kenneth, Leona, Jimmy, Beverly and Melvin. They celebrated 75 years before she passed away. C.C. spent many hours daily