Herman Manzke was born in Butzke, Germany, on December 1, 1889. He had three brothers and two sisters. One sister, Bertha Manzke Sommerfeldt, came to Canada in 1905. Herman was a farm boy, but in his teens, went to Berlin and was head waiter in one of the large hotels, and later on a passenger train.

In 1912, he had saved enough money to come to Canada. He left Hamburg, Germany, on May 3, 1912, and arrived in Quebec on May 18. He didn't let his sister, who was living in Taylorville at that time, know that he was coming. It was quite a surprise to his brother-in-law Ferdinand Sommerfeldt, who had come to Cardston for repairs, to find him there. He stayed with them until August 11, 1913, working at odd jobs and learning the language.

He homesteaded in Del Bonita in 1913, he also had a pre-emption. While proving up on his homestead he worked on the road and other jobs.

By 1918 he owned seven horses, nine cows, fourteen chickens, one wagon, one disc, two harrows, one mower, one plow, four sets of harness, and a saddle, and had one thousand nine hundred and fourteen dollars in the bank.

In 1923 he sent to Germany for Franziska Niederlag and daughter. Herman and Franziska were married in July. When the harvest was finished that fall, he built two rooms onto his bachelor shack. In 1928 they adopted a son. He was a year old.