James Manly was an American Indian man of an unknown tribal origin. Born in Edenton, North Carolina sometime before 1764, Manly moved to Craven County and lived within the vicinity of Broad Creek. Sometime prior to December 1782 he was abducted from his home and sold into slavery to Levi Dawson, but he later won back his freedom by petitioning the local county court. Manly continued to live in Craven County for some time and was listed as a free person of color living alone on the 1790 Craven County census. He later may have moved to nearby Beaufort County, where there is a free person of color named James Manly listed on the 1800 census, but no further records have been located.