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History
Eleanor Manchester was born the middle child of a Vermont farming family. Throughout her childhood, were the owners of Evergreen Farms, which was built up to be one of the more successful crop farms in the area. The business was a vital part of the upbringing of the Manchester children. The routines and work ethics established then can still be seen in Eleanor today to this day. Despite Eleanor's mother being a traditional housewife, she was considered educated and well read and thus encouraged her children to be so as well. None of the Manchester children were considered overly brilliant, but they were all instilled with a sense of gritty diligence that has carried them to considerable success in their lives. Eleanor's older brother eventually joined their father in work and by the time she was headed off to college, the family business was already on its way to undergoing changes. The Manchester men began to move away from farming and towards excavating, with plans to turn the the farm property itself into a garden center.
Had Eleanor not gone away for college, she could have easily found work within the family business and certainly her interests in doing so have carried over to her hobbies and interests in modern day. Instead, she was encouraged to attend college with the intent of becoming a teacher. She applied to several colleges, including the University of Vermont, Middlebury College and the University of Connecticut. She chose UCONN for the broader opportunities it would afford her, as well as the chance to travel outside of her home state. She began in the fall of 1967.
Once there, Eleanor blossomed, the small town girl quickly disappearing as she became active on campus, both socially and politically. Early on, she was dubbed a feminist, something she hardly minded as she eagerly joined the movement to further women's rights. Fueled by this energy, Eleanor seriously considered doing something more substantial than teaching, like become a doctor or a lawyer.
But she met Francis Salinger and fell in love, despite most of her efforts to fight it. During the trip to Woodstock in 1969, Francis declared his love for her, which was both thrilling and scary for Eleanor to hear. She was still young and had big dreams for the future and coupled with the feminist movement that had her doubting her affinity to settle down and start a family. Francis Salinger was more than willing to wait. Eleanor graduated in 1971 with a teaching degree and began to teach just outside Storrs, CT.
She remained there until 1973 when she moved to Francis' hometown of Pleasant Port and they began living together (oh the scandal!). He officially proposed to her not long after and in 1975, they were married. She secured a job as a librarian at the public library, a position she greatly enjoyed it because it allowed her to meld her love of books and teaching. It also gave her ample time to spend with her daughters, Carrie and Amy, in their early years.
Socially, her first years in Pleasant Port were mostly spent in the company of her in-laws, as it was hard not to feel like an outsider. She slowly built up her own connections and friendships among neighbors, including LeAnne Cleyburne when she moved to town with her family. She eventually returned to college to get her Master's Degree in Library Science when the girls headed off to school.
Around the time the library moved to its present location in town, Eleanor took the helm as Director. Her politically active nature also had her heavily involved in the PTA and the school board, even long after Carrie and Amy went off to boarding school and college.
In 2006, she and Francis both retired from their jobs and decided to take some time for themselves. Although they initially planned to travel, they have since been sidetracked, spending most of their time in Florida taking care of Francis' ailing mother. While she does enjoy the warmer weather, she is a New England gal at heart and often finds herself missing the area and relishing frequent visits.
This homesickness caused her to jump at the opportunity to "house sit" for Amy in June when she planned a week long visit to see Carrie and Eliza in California. Little did she know that the trip would turn into an entire month of Amy being off backpacking in Asia. She's now trying to convince Francis that they should return permanently once again.
Notable Family
Francis Salinger (Husband)
Carrie Salinger (Daughter)
Amy Salinger (Daughter)
Eliza Salinger (Granddaughter)
Patrick Manchester, Sr. & Eliza Manchester (Parents)
Renee Salinger (Mother-in-Law)
Franklin Salinger (Brother-in-Law)
Helen Salinger (Sister in Law)
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