Manila Evaline McTimmonds was born with a twin brother, Dewey Hassett, on January 3, 1898, shortly before General Dewey took the town of Manila in the Philippines on May 1, 1898. Their father, Tracy McTimmonds, saw the headlines in the newspaper and said to their mother, "Sarah, I know what we will call the twins: Dewey and Manila". The twins were 4 months old when they were finally named. Later Manila changed the spelling to Manilla Evelyn, and went by that through-out her life. Her grandmother's name was Evaline and she always disliked it, so she told Manilla to change it to Evelyn.

The Spanish-American War of 1898
Conflict between the US and Spain, fought in Cuba and the Philippines over Spanish possessions in the Americas. Spurred by US interests in Spanish-controlled Cuba, Cuban nationalists' desire for independence, stories of Spanish atrocities, and, more immediately, the sinking of the US battleship Maine in Havana's harbor, the US demanded withdrawal of Spain from Cuba and planned to blockade all Spanish ports. Spain retaliated with a declaration of war. The few battles involved took place in Cuba and the Philippines. Admiral George Dewey took Manila in the Philippines, and the Spanish fleet under Admiral Pascual Cervera was defeated while fleeing Santiago de Cuba's harbor. US forces, by scaling the hills surrounding Santiago with the aid of Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, were able to take the city. The war was in effect ended, and peace negotiations began, resulting in independence for Cuba and cession of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the US. The US, in turn, paid Spain $20 million. The treaty, signed in Paris, signaled the end of Spanish possessions in the Americas.
Source: Webster's Family Encyclopedia

The Battle of Manila Bay
On a Saturday afternoon when the Secretary of War was absent from his post, his energetic young Assistant Secretary, Theodore Roosevelt, cabled Commodore George Dewey, Commander of the U.S.Asiatic Squadron : "Proceed at once to the Philippine Islands. Commence operations at once against the Spanish Fleet". Dewey asked himself: "What would Farragut, his old Admiral, do? Attack!" His victory at Manila Bay was complete; in one day's action (May 1, 1898) all the Spanish ships were sunk or destroyed, and the shore batteries silenced. In taking the Philippines, the United States embarked upon a course of foreseen responsibilities and consequences.
Source: College Dictionary, Battleship Maine
Farragut: "Damn the torpedos - Full speed ahead!
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From the Hassett Family Tree as created and maintained by the late Ruth Hassett Murphy (Find-A-Grave Memorial # 77857400), the family historian.