Since starting research on great grandfather Thomas Henry Bonner, I have written to several National Archives to request information pertinent to him. First I requested his Civil War Pension application from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. They searched and said they didn't have it, but that the Veterans Adminstration in D.C. had it and I should write to them. I wrote to them and they responded that they didn't have it but the VA Regional Office in Baltimore had it and they had forwarded my request to Baltimore. That was June 21. July 21, I called the Regional Office and no one knew anything. I obtained the name of the person in charge and called him on August 19, no answer. Today, August 23, I called him again to find out the status of my request. He was very sympathetic and as we talked he emailed the facility with the record and asked that they call me with an update. They haven't called today, yet.
I also wrote to the Provencial Archives of New Brunswick Canada requesting copies of land patents for James Bonner, Thomas Bonner and Robert Bonner. Today, August 23, I looked at my calendar to see how long it had been since my request and it was four weeks. When I went to the mail box, there was a large envelope from the Provencial Archives. Inside the envelope were copies of the five land patents I had requested. All but one were fairly simple and straight forward showing land purchases in the exact location in New Brunswick where the Bonners lived. However, one of the ones for James Bonner was clearly written in a beautiful handwriting and it tells of James, the father of great grandfather Thomas, trying to obtain land from the Province of New Brunswick in 1841. He didn't have any money, but was willing to work the land in hopes of receiving some money when the Province put a road through the property. The most amazing thing about the document is that his request was approved on August 23, 1841.
Here I am today on August 23, 2010 reading about his land purchase on August 23, 1841. Coincidence? I don't think so. I have transcribed the document and will post it with this blog for all to read.
Transcription
1841 Land Patent for James Bonner
St. Mary’s Parish, York, New Brunswick, Canada
To His Excellency Sir William McBean, George Colebrooke KH Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of New Brunswick
The Petition of James Bonner of the Parish of Saint Mary in the County of York
Humbly Herewith:
That he is a British Subject born in Ireland a married man with six children, who lately emigrated to this Province. Petitioner does not own any land and is desirous of obtaining one hundred acres for immediate settlement and cultivation and he therefore prays for the lot No. 7 on the South Side of the East and West line of Deputy Allan McLean late survey, South East Side of the Nashwaak River. Petitioner begs leave respectfully to State that he does not own any land, and is unable to pay for the lot now applied for at present, and understanding that there is a road to be made through the intended settlement, he humbly prays that a portion of making the same may be given to him at what may be considered a fair valuation to enable him to pay the purchase money for his land. The land now applied for is in its wilderness state no improvements having been made thereon.
And as in duty bound, Petitioner
Will ever pray
James his x mark Bonner
Fredericton
19th August 1841
Information on the back of the document
James Bonner
Land Applic.
No deposit paid
Aug 23, 1841
So, there you go. I don't think I will soon forget August 23.
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