---My grandfather, Harris Watson Manzer, changed the spelling from Manzer to Manser when trying to find work around WWI.
When he married, under the new spelling, his descendants surname became Manser.
According to information from contacts in Switzerland all MANZER'S are from a small Celtic{ remanents of prior invasions} village in Switzerland called MAN;
a citizen of MAN was called a MANZER. This village is now a part of the town of APPENZELL and the local graveyards are full of MANZER'S and/or MANSER'S. This area may have been incorporated at times in the shifting boundaries of the PALINTINE area of the germanic speaking peoples of Europe.
It is probable that the early MANZER'S left this area for Holland and/or England when Queen Ann offered sanctuary from the religious persecutions{ Lutherians and Quakers} and wars that were going on in the Palintine area in the early 16 century. Prior to 1635, some Manzers went to England. On May 2, 1635 JAMES MANZER, born 1608, sailed to the Barbados from England on the ship "Alexander".
From the original list of PERSONS OF QUALITY: "Register of the names of all ye Passinger wch Passed from ye Port of London for on whole yeare Endinge at Xpmas 1635:
JAMES MANZER 27." Information from the N.B. Archives said that "Family Legend" says that he fought in the Battle of Jamaica and for his services was given the right to use the family Coat of Arms.
COAT OF ARMS " Argent, a tower gules, porticulled or on a mount of three hills sable", In terms of heraldry the BLAZON OF ARMS reads MANZER; The CREST is the TOWER. From " The Genealogy of the MANZER family" compiled by R. Wendell Manzer In 1760 when Britain raised the taxes in Jamaica and Barbados, the Manzers sailed to Long Island, N.Y. to a place that they called "Jamaica".
In 1778 the Manzer property was located near what is now the Long Island end of Brooklyn Bridge. ABRAHAM MANZER (1796-1870) was from Vermont and maintained in his writings that his fathers' family were three brothers who settled
in New York(When it belonged to the Dutch). His Fathers name was Martin.One brother settled in Northwestern Vermont on Lake Champlain {now Swanton, Franklin County, Vermont}. It is believed that the Father of BARNET, JOHN and CHRISTOPHER was a JAMES MANZER.
DANIEL and MARTIN MANZER are believed to be cousins:
MARTIN married ELIZABETH {ELIZA} SMITH {born March 19 1768, died May 5 1836 in Swanton, Vermont}:
One son LAWRENCE { born March 15, 1789; It is believed that he died in Swanton, Vermont; He had 4 sons: ISAAC, LEONARD SMITH, MARTIN and ABRAHAM}; Believed that he had several daughters, as the name MANZER appears as a Christian name in Families, in New Brunswick; which are not descendents of Barnet or John. MARTIN'S Land Grant was in Washademoak Queens county N.B. One Descendent of MARTIN, ARTHUR MANZER, Kingston N.B., married JANE BILLOP BLACK and had a daughter JULIA D. who married Dec 11, 1888 RICHARD DAVID WILSON.
DANIEL married NANCY DAVIS, they went to Stanstead Quebec in 1801 then back to the U.S:
Their children were: LOIS [born Sept 7 1799]; JOHN [born July 2 1802]; Source: http://genforum.genealogy.com/manzer/messages/67.html
According to a Genealogy of The MANZER Family Compiled by R. Wendell Manzer The Manzer family is of Germanic origin, probably from Southern Germany. In terms of heraldry the Blazon of Arms reads: "MANZER" Arms: Argent, a tower gules,
porticulled or, on a mount of three hills sable. Crest: the tower. The first one to have this coat of arms was of royalty or near royalty. Sometime before 1635 one or more of the Manzer family went to England. On May 2, 1635 James Manzer, born 1608, sailed from England to the Barbados on the Alexander.
He took part in the battle of Jamaica and family legend says he was given the right to use the family coat of arms for his part in the battle. In 1760 (+/-) when Britain raised the taxes in Barbados and Jamaica, he, along with many others, moved to Long Island to a place they named Jamaica. In 1778 the Manzer property was located near what is now the Long Island end of the Brooklyn Bridge. On July 5,1778 five descendents of James Manzer joined the DeLancey Brigade, 2nd Batallion. They were Christopher, Barnet, Martin, Daniel and John.
Christopher and Barnet later became Sergeants. All were single at this time except Barnet who was married to Mary Lester.
The 2nd Battalion, was formed for the purpose of defending the property on Long Island. When it was transferred to Georgia, the Manzer boys transferred to the 3rd
and continued their part of the war on Long Island. However, at the end of the war they went back to the 2nd and
came with the 2nd to New Brunswick as United Empire Loyalists in 1783, with the exception of Daniel, who went to Stanstead in 1801.
He married Nancy Davis. family: Lois Sept. 7, 1799- , John- July 2,1802 - , Daniel - Aug. 7,1804 - , Ruth - Mar.14, 1806 -, Horace - Mar.20,1808 - , Nancy - Aug.8,1811 - , Valerie - May 27, 1814. The New Brunswick Manzers stayed in St. John for a time, Barnet and Mary living on four acres bounded by what are now known as Waterloo and Golding Streets. Eventually they went on to their lots in Queens County, Christopher and Barnet to Waterboro, Martin to Washademoak and John to Wickham. Barnet later moved to Gagetown and later still to Briggs Corner near Chipman.