Edward Bonnar and Louisa Hines-New Brunswick, Canada

Edward Bonnar was born in 1842 in York, New Brunswick. He was the son of James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers and the brother of my great grandfather, Thomas Henry Bonnar. Like Thomas Bonnar, Edward Bonnar enlisted in the US Army in Maine in 1861. Edward was in the Maine 7th Infantry Regiment, Company I. The 7th Maine was on the battlefields until October 1862 when they returned to Maine to recruit more troops. They stayed in Maine until 23 Jan 1863. Before departing with his fellow soldiers, Edward married Louisa Hines on 17 Jan 1863. Records show that Edward Bonnar deserted the 7th Maine on 7 April 1863. In 1867 Edward applied and was awarded a military pension for his service with the 7th Maine. I found it interesting to learn that pensions were awarded for service whether the soldier fulfilled his duty or even if he deserted.

In 1870, Edward and Louisa Bonnar are living in Danforth, ME with her parents, William Hines age 74 and his wife Hepzibah age 63. Edward and Louisa have two children, Willie age 3 and a child listed as "no name", female, age 1. As it turns out, Willie was William Edward Bonnar and the unnamed child was Cora Bonnar. In 1880, Edward and Louisa remained in Danforth and have four children in their household. The children are William age 13, Cora age 11, Beverly age 9 (son), and Gertrude age 4. Additionally, Louisa's mother Hepzibah Hines age 73 is also living in their household.

In 1900, Edward and Louisa have remained in Danforth, ME. Edward is 56 and the record indicates that he immigrated to Maine in 1861. That was the year he enlisted in the military. Louisa in 51. Their children in the household include Fred A. age 14 and Cristilla age 9. Also in the home was Orrin Larrabee, age 40, a servant. The census record in 1900 shows that Edward and Louisa had been married 36 years, gave birth to 8 children and had 4 children still living. In 1910, still in Danforth ME and Edward is 68, Louisa is 62, daughter Cristilla is 21, their son Fred is 24, and his wife Myrtle is 26, grandson Edward is 10 months old.

In 1920, Edward is widowed as Louisa died 10 April 1916. Edward is 78 and he is the head of household that included Fred, who is also widowed, and Fred's children, Edward A. age 10, Milo age 6, and Claude age 2. Fred's wife Myrtle Nelson Bonnar died 11 June 1919. Fred's mother in law, Elizabeth Nelson age 78 is also living in the household. They have remained in Danforth, ME. I could find no census record for Edward Bonnar in 1930, but found his son Fred with his three children Edward, Milo and Claud in Danforth, ME.

Among the children of Edward and Louisa Bonnar was William Edward Bonnar. William was born in 1867. He married Cora E. Hamilton 21 April 1888 in Danforth, ME. Census records for 1920 show William E. Bonnar, age 52, a railroad foreman living in Penobscot, Bangor, Maine with his wife Cora E. age 48 and his daughter Lena, age 30. In 1930, in Bangor ME, William Bonnar is age 63, works in railroad construction and lives with his wife Cora and their daughter Lena Saunders and her husband Frank A. Saunders. Lena is 41 and Frank Saunders is 44.

Fred A. Bonnar was born Frederick Alonzo Bonnar 14 April 1886 in Danforth, ME to Edward and Louisa Bonnar. Fred married Myrtle Nelson and they had three sons, Edward, Milo and Claude. Myrtle died in 1919. Their son, Edward Artemus Bonnar was born 9 July 1909 in Danforth and he married Dorothy Curran on 18 April 1935. Edward died 1 Sept 1993 and is buried at Houlton, Aroostook, ME. Edward is buried at the Maple Cemetery in Danforth. Milo A. Bonnar was born 26 Sept 1913 and died 21 May 1999 in Ashland, Aroostook, ME. Milo married Abbie Randall on 19 Aug 1933. According to city directories, Milo and Abbie lived at 1020 Frenchville Rd. in Ashland, ME. Claude Bonnar was born 9 Sept 1918 and he died 3 Feb 1988 in Danforth ME. Frederick Alonzo Bonnar died 15 Aug 1968 and he is buried at the Hilltop Cemetery in Danforth, ME.

Christella Bonnar was born in 1889 in Danforth ME. She married Everett Lee on 12 Aug 1910 in Danforth ME. Christella and her son Paul G. Lee appear on a 1920 census. Paul was born in 1913. Christella, listed on her death certificate as, Estella Lee, died 16 Sept 1920. She had pernicious anemia. Her husband Everett remarried to Alice and in 1930, Christella's son Paul is living with Everett and Alice. Everett Lee died 1 Aug 1966 in Hancock ME.

The other children of Edward and Louisa Bonnar were Cora, Beverly and Gertrude. I found nothing for a male child named Beverly or Bevely Bonnar. There is a marriage record for Gertrude A. Bonnar who married Mark T. Butterfield on 24 Dec 1882. I'm just not sure it was the correct Gertrude. Also found a marriage record for Cora B. Bonnar who married John C. Speed on 12 Nov 1884. Again, I'm not sure it was the correct person.

In obtaining the pension file of great grandfather, Thomas Henry Bonner, I obtained transcripts of interviews that pension examiners completed with Edward Bonnar and Louisa Bonnar. After the death of great grandfather, the pension board was trying to determine the eligibility of great grandmother Edna Bonner to receive Thomas Bonner's Civil War Pension. Below is an overview of the comments made by Edward and Louisa made about Thomas Bonner.

June 27, 1904-Danforth, ME
Edward Bonner (brother of Thomas), age was 62, occupation was farmer and city was Danforth. He identified himself as the brother of Thomas Bonner who served in the 6th Battery, Light Artillery and that he had no other service after his discharge. Thomas returned to Fredericton after his discharge and stayed about 2 months and then came to Danforth where he stayed about two years. From Danforth he went to Augusta ME where he lived about one year and then he went to Texas where a new rail road was being built. Edward said that three or four years ago (1900), Thomas came to Portland, ME and sent him a telegram asking if his mother was living. He intended to come home and see her if she was. Edward replied and told Thomas that his mother was dead and so Thomas didn’t come to Danforth, ME. He said Thomas never corresponded with his folks in New Brunswick much and they would write to him to ask if he had heard from Tom. Edward said Thomas was not married when he lived in Danforth, but that when he went to Augusta he thought he might have married and his wife died.

June 27, 1904-Danforth, ME
Louisa Bonner, wife of Edward, age 56, occupation housewife. She and Edward married in 1863. She stated that Thomas was her husband’s brother. She said she knew Thomas before he went into the Army and that she use to hear from him while he was in the Army. After the war, Thomas came to Danforth and from there he went to Augusta. From Augusta he went off to work on some new railroad. She said she could not tell where he lived after Augusta until he turned up in Louisiana. She supposed he was dead. He wrote to her after he was married in LA, but then they didn’t hear from him until he telegrammed asking if his mother was living.

Louisa said Thomas was not married while in Danforth and repeated several times that he was a “young fellow”. She saw him often while he was in Danforth as she did his washings for him. She knew he had married in Augusta because his wife wrote to her telling her they had married and that he had gone off to work on a railroad. Not long after getting the letter from his wife, his wife’s father wrote them that Thomas’ wife had died. She knew the wife’s maiden name was Phillips and she thought her given name was Georgia. She stated that Thomas “was very odd”.

June 28, 1904-Danforth, ME
Louisa Bonner- This interview with Louisa consisted of 9 specific questions regarding Thomas and his marriage after he left Danforth. In summary, she responded that she did not know exactly where he went in Augusta ME or what his business was there. She stated, “he said he was going to get out of this place and see what he could do”. She knew he went to Augusta only after receiving the letter from his wife. She wasn’t sure if the letter from the wife came from Augusta or Farmington, ME. She was sure the woman’s father’s last name was Phillips and that his letter came from Farmington. She said she never heard again from the Phillips family after Thomas’ wife died.

June 29, 1904-Danforth, ME
The examiner sent a letter to Louisa Bonner asking her if Thomas’ name was Thomas Bonner or Henry Bonner. Also he asked if Thomas’ wife’s last name was Crocker or Phillips. She responded that his name was Thomas Henry and that his wife’s last name was Phillips.

The testimony given by Edward and Louisa Bonnar was an important piece of evidence contained in the pension file that allowed great grandmother and her five children to receive a pension.

I do not know the burial place of Edward or Louisa, but assume it is in Danforth, ME. In defense of Edward's desertion from his Civil War unit, I have learned that many thousands of soldiers deserted. The soldiers were young, the conditions were extreme and some just were not able to tolerate the situations in which they were placed.