Quentin Vennis Harold Manson was born on 20 Jun 1913 in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas. His father was Otis Manson (1871-1950) and his mother was Bettie Sanford (1872-1955). Quentin was the youngest of eight children born to Otis and Bettie.

In 1930, Quentin left Rockdale for the Texas Gulf Coast where he met and married Jessie Beatrice Bowie. They lived first in Rockport, Aransas County, and then in Houston, where Quentin worked as a longshoreman. They had one son, Harold V. Manson in 1932. In 1934, Jessie gave birth to twins, a girl and boy, both of whom died within days of birth.

Quentin and Jessie were divorced in 1940. In 1943, Quentin entered the Army and was assigned to the U.S. Army Band at Camp Wallace, Galveston County, Texas. Quentin played the clarinet, the xylophone and otehr percussion instruments.

While at Camp Wallace, Quentin married Janice Felder. She contracted tuberculosis soon thereafter and was confined to the Texas State Sanitorium in Kerrville. She died there in 1945.

Following World War II, Quentin moved to Los Angeles and became part of the famous Central Avenue jazz scene, performing wiith the best-known musicians of the post-war era. He married or lived with Mary France Heard, who also came from Milam County, Texas.

Quentin Manson