I decided to give the Bonnar's of New Brunswick a few days before I wrote more about them. This is the time of year when I go through many of the old books in my collection to remind myself why I bought them and to enjoy revisiting them. Just yesterday, in the very back of my office closet among other old books, I found "Prayers Offered by the Chaplain, Rev. Frederick Brown Harris at the Opening of the Daily Sessions of the Senate of the US During the 87th and 88th Congresses, 1961-1964". I recalled immediately why I purchased the book. The years 1961-1964 were very important to me. I graduated from high school, got married and started college. I was young and impressionable and extremely impressed by President John F. Kennedy. It was of course in 1963 when President Kennedy was killed.
As I went through the book, I looked for the prayers surrounding November 22, 1963, the day he was shot. There was a prayer offered in the morning before news of the shooting was reported. After receiving the news, Rev. Harris offered this, "Our Father, Thou knowest that this sudden, almost unbelievable, news has stunned our minds and hearts as we gaze at a vacant place against the sky, as the President of the Republic goes down like a giant cedar green with boughs goes down, with a great shout upon the hills, and leaves a lonesome place in the sky.........
Hold us, we pray, and the people of America, calm and steady and full of faith for the Republic in this tragic hour of our history........."
The prayers of the next few days were speaking to the loss the Nation felt with the death of President Kennedy. On November 27, 1963 the prayer was refocused, ".....We beseech Thee to strengthen the heart and mind, the hands and lips of our colleague, Lyndon Johnson, as this day to a listening world he sounds the trumpet of his inaugural hope and purpose......"
As I went through the book, I saw a pattern that Rev. Harris offered in his prayers. The first was one of focus. He was asking Senate members to focus for the day on a particular item of significance. Next, he was presenting an upbeat and optimistic approach to thinking. Because he was a man of faith, he was seeking strength for the Senate members from God or whomever each member might reach out to. It was an encouraging and motivating journey I made through the book.
After reading it, I did an internet search for "Prayers in the US Senate". I found many comments, most were negative. There were comments about separation of church and state, comments stating that the legistlative day should not be started with prayer and many comments about having had Hindu prayer in the Senate and other comments about states that have banned prayer in their Senate. Instead of being called "Prayers" perhaps if the message presented by the Chaplain of the Senate was called, "Food for Thought" or the "Thought of the Day" without the reference to God, those who are displeased with the daily focusing of the thoughts of US Senators might find the ritual more acceptable. Then if one wants to offer those words and thoughts to God, they could do that privately.
If you find a copy of this book, I recommend reading it. It was published in September 1964 by th US Government Printing Office and noted as Senate Document No. 104.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Henry Bonnar and Amanda Pond, New Brunswick, Canada
Henry Bonnar was the tenth child of James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers. Henry was born in York, New Brunswick in 1848. I have identified some information about Henry, but I am very curious to learn more. My great grandfather, Thomas Henry Bonnar, was the brother of Henry Bonnar. Thomas was born in 1846 and Henry in 1848. It's interesting that James and Margaret Bonnar would name two sons Henry. Great grandfather, Thomas Henry Bonnar, went by the name of Henry most of his life. My father was also named Henry Bonner, so the Henry's in my family are growing.
Henry Bonnar, tenth child of James and Margaret Bonnar, married Amanda Pond around 1869. They had four children and three of the children can clearly be identified. The children are: Alfred Ernest Bonnar born in August 1869, Henry Bonnar born in 1870, and Robert Douglas Bonnar born in 1873. I came across a reference to Austin Bonnar, son of Henry and Amanda, but I have not been able to find information about Austin except his name mentioned in the obituary of his brother Robert Douglas Bonnar.
Children of Henry Bonnar and Amanda Pond:
Alfred Ernest Bonnar also used the name Ernest Alfred Bonnar. He married Belle Hazelton on 17 Sept 1897 in Rochester, NH. Belle was the daughter of William and Mary Hazelton of Newfield, York, ME. Ernest Alfred was 28 and Belle was 16, according to the marriage certificate. Ernest Alfred listed his occupation as blacksmith.
Ernest Alfred and Belle are found on the 1900 census in Newfield, York, ME. Alfred is listed as Ernest A. Bonnar, age 30, born Aug 1869. Belle is listed as age 15, born in July 1884, which differs from the marriage certificate. Were she 15 in 1900, she would have been 12 years old in 1897. On this 1900 census, Belle's mother Mary Hazelton and her sister Susie Hazelton are living with them. Ernest A. Bonnar's occupation is blacksmith. The record indicates that Ernest A. and Belle Bonnar had been married for 3 years, gave birth to one child and had no living children.
In 1910, Ernest A. and Annie Bell Bonnar are living in Newfield, York, ME and they have four children. The children are Alfred W. age 8, Austin R. age 3, Arline H. age 2 and Kenneth M. age 8 months. Alfred W. was born 4 May 1901 in Newfield, York, ME. Austin R. was born 14 Sept 1906 in Newfield, York, ME. Information for Alfred and Austin was obtained from Maine Birth Records.
Initially, I believed that Ernest A. Bonnar died between 1910 and 1920 because Belle Bonnar remarried. On the 1920 census in York, ME I found Belle H. and Charles J. Burbank with Belle's children, Alfred age 18, Austin R. age 13, Arline age 11, Kenneth M. age 10 and Belle's mother Mary Hazelton age 69. On the census in 1930, Belle and Charles Burbank are living in Portland, ME. Also on the census are children Austin R. age 24, Arline age 22, Kenneth M. age 20, Charles Burbank age 5 and Mary Hazelton age 79.
The information that has made the issue of the death of Ernest A. Bonnar between 1910 and 1920 questionable includes a Naturalization Record of 26 March 1917 in Maine where Ernest Alfred Bonnar listed his residence as Portland ,Maine. Additionally, there is a 1920 census in Portland, Maine where Alfred E. Bonnar who was born around 1870 in Canada was in a residence as a roomer. This Alfred E. Bonnar listed his occupation as blacksmith. Also, in looking back at the 1910 census, Ernest A. Bonnar and Belle are recorded as household #34 and Charles J. Burbank was recorded as household #50. The Bonnars and Mr. Burbank were neighbors. Ernest Alfred Bonnar could have died between 1910 and 1920 as I originally believed or he and Belle may have divorced.
Directories for Portland, Maine indicate that Alfred W. Bonnar (son of Ernest and Belle) and wife Annie S. lived at 21a Pine Street in 1929. Also in 1929, Arlene, Austin R. and Kenneth M. Bonnar lived at 55 Belmont Street in Portland ME. In the 1925 Portland, Maine Directory, Charles Burbank was living at 55 Belmont St. Belmont St. was obviously the Burbank/Bonnar family home in the 1920's.
The Social Security Death Index for Austin R. Bonnar(son of Ernest and Belle) shows that Austin was born 14 Sept 1906 and died 9 July 1993. He is buried at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta, ME. He served as a Corporal in the US Army in WWII. He enlisted 20 July 1942 and was assigned to the Branch Immaterial as a Warrant Officer. Kenneth M. Bonnar's SSDI indicates he was born 29 July 1909 and died 12 April 1984 in Springvale, York, ME. Kenneth enlisted in the US Army 16 Sept 1942 and he too was assigned to the Branch Immaterial as a Warrant Officer. The SSDI for Arline Bonnar showed that she was born 1 Feb. 1908 and died in April 1981 in Portland, ME.
Henry Bonnar was the second son of Henry Bonnar and Amanda Pond. He appears on the 1871 Canadian census in Kings Ward, York, New Brunswick. He is 11 months old. I have found no other census with young Henry listed. However, Henry is listed as a surviving brother of Robert Douglas Bonnar in Robert's obituary in 1933.
The third child of Henry and Amanda Bonnar was Robert Douglas Bonnar. Robert was born 19 Oct 1873 and he married Mary Louisa Greer on 15 April 1891 in York, New Brunswick. They had seven children: Naomi Adeline (Addie), Ernest Havelock, Ada May, Ellen Ida, Howard Douglas, Myrtle Lillian and Harvey. Robert Douglas Bonnar was a Sgt. in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Regiment 2303845. On his military record, he recorded his occupation as Woodman.
Naomi Adeline "Addie" Bonnar was born 12 March 1894 and she died 29 March 1953. Addie married Abram B. Bridges on 8 March 1911. Abram was 47 and Addie was 17 as listed on the marriage certificate. They had six children: Maurice Jonathan born 13 Dec. 1911, Mary Ann born in 1913 and Emerson Abram born 29 May 1914, Sidney Osgood, Vincent Bailey and Elizabeth. Young Emerson Abram died on 16 Feb 1915 in Sunbury, New Brunswick. Cause of death was listed as convulsions on his death certificate. Maurice Jonathan Bridges died 6 April 2002 and Mary Ann Bonnar Fletcher died 21 Feb 2002.
Ernest Havelock Bonnar was born 31 Oct 1897 and he married Laura Loadon Allen 19 May 1920. They have one son Robert Havelock Bonnar born in 1925. In 1948 Robert married Eleanor Jean Seavey.
Ada May Bonnar was born 19 Feb 1899 and she married Emil S. Brooks on 27 March 1917. The next child Ellen Ida, whose birthdate I could not find, married William George Dreher on 4 May 1925.
Howard Douglas Bonnar was born 16 Sept 1902 and he married Bessie Hunter in 1928. Howard and Bessie had a son Robert Vincent Bonnar who married Ruth Finnamore. Myrtle Lillian Bonnar was born 1 March 1913 and died 17 June 1977. Myrtle married Nelson Calhoun in 1935. Other sons were Darrel, Murray, Aubrey and Emerson. The seventh child of Robert and Louisa Bonnar was Harvey Bonnar and he was born in 1915. He married Ruth MacLellan in 1938.
A fourth child of Henry and Amanda Bonnar is Austin Bonnar. The only mention of his name is in the obituary of his brother, Robert Douglas Bonnar. I will continue to look for records of Austin Bonnar.
I came across an obituary of Robert Douglas Bonnar found in The North Shore Leader in January 1933. It is as follows:
Died - Robert Douglas BONNER of Parker Ridge died on 1 January at age 60. He was a son of Henry and Amanda BONNER, born in Durham Bridge. He leaves his wife, formerly Mary Louise GRIER; 4 daughters: Mrs. Abram BRIDGES, of Shetfield, Mrs. E. S. BROOKS, Mrs. William DREHER, of Montreal, and Myrtle, at home; 3 sons: Ernest, of Gagetown, Howard and Harvey, at home; 3 brothers: Henry, Ernest and Austin, of U. S.
Interred at Methodist Cemetery, Parker’s Ridge. - North Shore Leader 13 January 1933
Here is another obituary. This is Belle Hazelton Burbank, wife of Ernest A. Bonnar and then Charles J. Burbank. It appeared in the Portland Maine newspaper, Portland Press Herald on April 30, 1950.
I don't know exactly when Henry and Amanda Bonnar died. In McAlpine's York and Carleton Counties Directory, 1884-1885, on page 22 it reads, "Bonnar, Amanda widow of Henry". As with the other siblings of great grandfather, Thomas Henry Bonner, I will continue to gather information about Henry Bonnar and his wife Amanda. In the next blog entry, I will write about Ann Bonnar and James Good. They should not be confused with James Bonnar and Mary Ann Good.
(Addendum: May 14, 2011- I received the death certificate of Robert Douglas Bonnar and it shows that his parents were Henry Bonnar and Amanda Pond rather than Amanda Horne, as I originally had written. Amanda Pond was the sister of Henry David Pond who married Margaret Bonnar, the sister of Henry Bonnar. The death certificate shows that the wife of Robert Douglas Bonnar was Mary Bonnar (Mary Louise Greer). Robert died of heart disease on Jan. 2, 1933 and was born Oct 19, 1872, according to the death certificate.)
Henry Bonnar, tenth child of James and Margaret Bonnar, married Amanda Pond around 1869. They had four children and three of the children can clearly be identified. The children are: Alfred Ernest Bonnar born in August 1869, Henry Bonnar born in 1870, and Robert Douglas Bonnar born in 1873. I came across a reference to Austin Bonnar, son of Henry and Amanda, but I have not been able to find information about Austin except his name mentioned in the obituary of his brother Robert Douglas Bonnar.
Children of Henry Bonnar and Amanda Pond:
Alfred Ernest Bonnar also used the name Ernest Alfred Bonnar. He married Belle Hazelton on 17 Sept 1897 in Rochester, NH. Belle was the daughter of William and Mary Hazelton of Newfield, York, ME. Ernest Alfred was 28 and Belle was 16, according to the marriage certificate. Ernest Alfred listed his occupation as blacksmith.
Ernest Alfred and Belle are found on the 1900 census in Newfield, York, ME. Alfred is listed as Ernest A. Bonnar, age 30, born Aug 1869. Belle is listed as age 15, born in July 1884, which differs from the marriage certificate. Were she 15 in 1900, she would have been 12 years old in 1897. On this 1900 census, Belle's mother Mary Hazelton and her sister Susie Hazelton are living with them. Ernest A. Bonnar's occupation is blacksmith. The record indicates that Ernest A. and Belle Bonnar had been married for 3 years, gave birth to one child and had no living children.
In 1910, Ernest A. and Annie Bell Bonnar are living in Newfield, York, ME and they have four children. The children are Alfred W. age 8, Austin R. age 3, Arline H. age 2 and Kenneth M. age 8 months. Alfred W. was born 4 May 1901 in Newfield, York, ME. Austin R. was born 14 Sept 1906 in Newfield, York, ME. Information for Alfred and Austin was obtained from Maine Birth Records.
Initially, I believed that Ernest A. Bonnar died between 1910 and 1920 because Belle Bonnar remarried. On the 1920 census in York, ME I found Belle H. and Charles J. Burbank with Belle's children, Alfred age 18, Austin R. age 13, Arline age 11, Kenneth M. age 10 and Belle's mother Mary Hazelton age 69. On the census in 1930, Belle and Charles Burbank are living in Portland, ME. Also on the census are children Austin R. age 24, Arline age 22, Kenneth M. age 20, Charles Burbank age 5 and Mary Hazelton age 79.
The information that has made the issue of the death of Ernest A. Bonnar between 1910 and 1920 questionable includes a Naturalization Record of 26 March 1917 in Maine where Ernest Alfred Bonnar listed his residence as Portland ,Maine. Additionally, there is a 1920 census in Portland, Maine where Alfred E. Bonnar who was born around 1870 in Canada was in a residence as a roomer. This Alfred E. Bonnar listed his occupation as blacksmith. Also, in looking back at the 1910 census, Ernest A. Bonnar and Belle are recorded as household #34 and Charles J. Burbank was recorded as household #50. The Bonnars and Mr. Burbank were neighbors. Ernest Alfred Bonnar could have died between 1910 and 1920 as I originally believed or he and Belle may have divorced.
Directories for Portland, Maine indicate that Alfred W. Bonnar (son of Ernest and Belle) and wife Annie S. lived at 21a Pine Street in 1929. Also in 1929, Arlene, Austin R. and Kenneth M. Bonnar lived at 55 Belmont Street in Portland ME. In the 1925 Portland, Maine Directory, Charles Burbank was living at 55 Belmont St. Belmont St. was obviously the Burbank/Bonnar family home in the 1920's.
The Social Security Death Index for Austin R. Bonnar(son of Ernest and Belle) shows that Austin was born 14 Sept 1906 and died 9 July 1993. He is buried at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta, ME. He served as a Corporal in the US Army in WWII. He enlisted 20 July 1942 and was assigned to the Branch Immaterial as a Warrant Officer. Kenneth M. Bonnar's SSDI indicates he was born 29 July 1909 and died 12 April 1984 in Springvale, York, ME. Kenneth enlisted in the US Army 16 Sept 1942 and he too was assigned to the Branch Immaterial as a Warrant Officer. The SSDI for Arline Bonnar showed that she was born 1 Feb. 1908 and died in April 1981 in Portland, ME.
Henry Bonnar was the second son of Henry Bonnar and Amanda Pond. He appears on the 1871 Canadian census in Kings Ward, York, New Brunswick. He is 11 months old. I have found no other census with young Henry listed. However, Henry is listed as a surviving brother of Robert Douglas Bonnar in Robert's obituary in 1933.
The third child of Henry and Amanda Bonnar was Robert Douglas Bonnar. Robert was born 19 Oct 1873 and he married Mary Louisa Greer on 15 April 1891 in York, New Brunswick. They had seven children: Naomi Adeline (Addie), Ernest Havelock, Ada May, Ellen Ida, Howard Douglas, Myrtle Lillian and Harvey. Robert Douglas Bonnar was a Sgt. in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Regiment 2303845. On his military record, he recorded his occupation as Woodman.
Naomi Adeline "Addie" Bonnar was born 12 March 1894 and she died 29 March 1953. Addie married Abram B. Bridges on 8 March 1911. Abram was 47 and Addie was 17 as listed on the marriage certificate. They had six children: Maurice Jonathan born 13 Dec. 1911, Mary Ann born in 1913 and Emerson Abram born 29 May 1914, Sidney Osgood, Vincent Bailey and Elizabeth. Young Emerson Abram died on 16 Feb 1915 in Sunbury, New Brunswick. Cause of death was listed as convulsions on his death certificate. Maurice Jonathan Bridges died 6 April 2002 and Mary Ann Bonnar Fletcher died 21 Feb 2002.
Ernest Havelock Bonnar was born 31 Oct 1897 and he married Laura Loadon Allen 19 May 1920. They have one son Robert Havelock Bonnar born in 1925. In 1948 Robert married Eleanor Jean Seavey.
Ada May Bonnar was born 19 Feb 1899 and she married Emil S. Brooks on 27 March 1917. The next child Ellen Ida, whose birthdate I could not find, married William George Dreher on 4 May 1925.
Howard Douglas Bonnar was born 16 Sept 1902 and he married Bessie Hunter in 1928. Howard and Bessie had a son Robert Vincent Bonnar who married Ruth Finnamore. Myrtle Lillian Bonnar was born 1 March 1913 and died 17 June 1977. Myrtle married Nelson Calhoun in 1935. Other sons were Darrel, Murray, Aubrey and Emerson. The seventh child of Robert and Louisa Bonnar was Harvey Bonnar and he was born in 1915. He married Ruth MacLellan in 1938.
A fourth child of Henry and Amanda Bonnar is Austin Bonnar. The only mention of his name is in the obituary of his brother, Robert Douglas Bonnar. I will continue to look for records of Austin Bonnar.
I came across an obituary of Robert Douglas Bonnar found in The North Shore Leader in January 1933. It is as follows:
Died - Robert Douglas BONNER of Parker Ridge died on 1 January at age 60. He was a son of Henry and Amanda BONNER, born in Durham Bridge. He leaves his wife, formerly Mary Louise GRIER; 4 daughters: Mrs. Abram BRIDGES, of Shetfield, Mrs. E. S. BROOKS, Mrs. William DREHER, of Montreal, and Myrtle, at home; 3 sons: Ernest, of Gagetown, Howard and Harvey, at home; 3 brothers: Henry, Ernest and Austin, of U. S.
Interred at Methodist Cemetery, Parker’s Ridge. - North Shore Leader 13 January 1933
Here is another obituary. This is Belle Hazelton Burbank, wife of Ernest A. Bonnar and then Charles J. Burbank. It appeared in the Portland Maine newspaper, Portland Press Herald on April 30, 1950.
I don't know exactly when Henry and Amanda Bonnar died. In McAlpine's York and Carleton Counties Directory, 1884-1885, on page 22 it reads, "Bonnar, Amanda widow of Henry". As with the other siblings of great grandfather, Thomas Henry Bonner, I will continue to gather information about Henry Bonnar and his wife Amanda. In the next blog entry, I will write about Ann Bonnar and James Good. They should not be confused with James Bonnar and Mary Ann Good.
(Addendum: May 14, 2011- I received the death certificate of Robert Douglas Bonnar and it shows that his parents were Henry Bonnar and Amanda Pond rather than Amanda Horne, as I originally had written. Amanda Pond was the sister of Henry David Pond who married Margaret Bonnar, the sister of Henry Bonnar. The death certificate shows that the wife of Robert Douglas Bonnar was Mary Bonnar (Mary Louise Greer). Robert died of heart disease on Jan. 2, 1933 and was born Oct 19, 1872, according to the death certificate.)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
James Bonnar and Mary Annie Good, New Brunswick
Today I am writing about another sibling of great grandfather Thomas Bonner. I will tell you what I know about James Bonnar, the third child of James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers. James Bonnar was born in 1836 in New Brunswick, Canada. His two older siblings, William and Matilda were born in Ireland and so were his parents. As I began organizing the information I had about James and his family, I thought I didn't have too much. But as the day went on, I gathered a good deal more information.
I would like to suggest to anyone researching ancestors in New Brunswick, Canada that the Provincial Archives of New Brunwick is an excellent resource. In the section they offer on vital statistics, when you search a name you get all birth, marriage and death records for that person. Today I found more Bonnars that I could ever imagine. I changed the spelling of the name to Bonnar for the search. I used only the surname and the results were amazing. The results of that broad search showed 69 birth records, 50 marriage records and 17 death records. Everyone one of the records were for Bonnars who are descendants of James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers. In addition, there were records under the name Bonner and Bonar. It pays to be flexible in altering the spelling somewhat. You can also search the files and request a soundex for the name you are searching. I didn't use the soundex option. The dates that are complete dates mentioned in todays blog were verified at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick site.
James Bonnar married Mary Annie Good. Mary Annie and James were neighbors. The Bonners lived on lot #31 in Upper Durham and the Good family lived on lot #34. Mary Annie's brother James Good married Annie, the sister of James Bonnar. I don't have a date for the marriage of James Bonner and Mary Annie Good, but here's what I know about their children. They had nine children: John, William, Maggie, Annie, Alice, Lucy, James, Edward and Herbert and all were born in New Brunswick.
Children of James Bonnar and Mary Annie Good:
1. John Bonnar was born in 1862 and he married Louise Smith who was born in 1824. They had four children that I have identified. Alfred James Bonnar was born 11 April 1888. Margaret May Bonnar was born 28 Sept 1890 and she married Lewis Tims in 1908. John Medley Bonnar was born 13 March 1893.
2. William Bonnar was born in 1864 and he married Harriet Amelia Thomas who was born in 1870. It was indicated on one of his children's birth certificates in 1898 that William was a fireman at a mill. They had ten children.
Thomas James Bonnar who was born 17 Jan 1888. He was noted on his marriage license to be a railway worker. Thomas James Bonnar married Florence Jane Phillips in 1910. They had two children, Ethel Lucille Bonnar and Ora Bertram Bonnar. After Florence died, Thomas James Bonnar married Sadie Alberta Bonnar in 1949. Sadie Alberta was the widow of Bertram Roy Bonnar who was the brother of Thomas James Bonnar.
Bertram Roy Bonnar. Bertram was born 17 Jan 1890 and he died 16 Sept 1948. Bertram married Beatrice Webster in 1911. After Beatrice died, Bertram Bonnar married Sadie Alberta Wilkins in 1940. On their 1940 marriage certificate, Bertram is listed as a widower and was age 50 and Sadie Alberta was age 31.
Annie Gertrude Bonnar who was born 26 Dec 1891. Annie Gertrude married Martin Carten in 1910.
Helen May Bonnar who was born in 1894. Helen May married Bert Banks in 1914.
Vera Hazel Bonnar who was born 5 April 1896. Vera married Frank Byers McMinniman.
Mary Emma Bonnar who was born 7 Feb 1898 and she married Joseph Toner.
Harriet Beatrice Bonnar who was born in 1901 and married Gordon Cumming.
William Herbert Bonnar who was born in 1902 and died in 1975.
Irene Eldora Bonnar who was born 31 May 1904.
Josephine Arabella Bonner who was born 23 July 1905.
Eldon Harold Bonnar who was born in 1911 and died in 1970.
(Children of William and Harriet Bonnar edited 14 March 2012)
3. Maggie Bonnar was the third child of James Bonnar and Mary Annie Good. Maggie married Bert Timmons. Nothing more has been found about Maggie.
4. Annie Bonnar was the fourth child of James Bonnar and Mary Annie Good. The only information found on her was her name appeared on the 1881 New Brunswick Census and she was 12 years old. She would have been born about 1869.
5. Alice Bonnar, the fifth child, was born in 1870 and she married James Pickard on 16 July 1892.
6. Lucy Bonnar was the sixth child of James and Mary Annie Bonnar and she was born in 1873. She married James Young.
7. James Robert Bonnar was born 1 Aug 1876 and was the seventh child. James was first married to Elizabeth, last name unknown 5 March 1906. He then married Bessie May Manzer. Bessie was previously married to Edwin Oldenburgh. James Robert Bonnar died 25 Oct 1938. After his death, Bessie May married Andrew Andrews in 1946. James Robert Bonnar served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WWI and was in Regiment #817975.
8. Edward Franklin Bonnar was born 29 Jan 1879 and he died in 1950. Edward served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WWI and was in Regiment #817893. After the war, he married Elizabeth M. Humphrey 21 June 1919.
9. Herbert Bonnar was born 25 July 1883 and he died 15 Oct 1917. Herbert was killed in France during WWI and he is buried there. He served in Regiment #817974 with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Herbert married Jennie Helena Manzer before 1906. They had three children. Alice Beatrice Bonnar who was born 4 Nov 1906 and she married Perley Harkness Lewis on 24 Dec. 1925. Mabel Helena Bonnar was born 27 Oct 1908 and she married Lee Roy Lewis in 1931. Milster Carvell Bonnar was born 29 June 1912 and he married Annie Elizabeth Lewis.
After Herbert died in 1917, his wife Jennie remarried in 1919 to Bliss Alfred Lewis. It's interesting to see all of the Lewis spouses in this family. Annie Lewis who married Milster Carvell Bonnar was the sister of Bliss Alfred Lewis. So, Milster Carvell married his step-aunt. Then Perley Lewis who married Alice Beatrice Bonnar and Lee Roy Lewis who married Mabel Helena Bonnar are brothers. Their father was Silas Lewis. I couldn't find a connection between Silas Lewis and Bliss Alfred Lewis.
All of the names, dates and relationships can get very confusing. I'll just keep working on it. The really good thing about learning all of this genealogy is that I am gaining more kinfolk every day. Just in this blog I have named my great uncle James Bonnar, 9 of his children and 16 of his grandchildren. Then, I must add in Matilda Bonnar Ross and her 8 children from the previous blog. That's 35 Bonnars whom I now know. I didn't even name all of the grandchildren of James and Mary Annie Bonnar or those of Matilda Ross. So, in the next blog I'll introduce you to some more of my newly found relatives.
I would like to suggest to anyone researching ancestors in New Brunswick, Canada that the Provincial Archives of New Brunwick is an excellent resource. In the section they offer on vital statistics, when you search a name you get all birth, marriage and death records for that person. Today I found more Bonnars that I could ever imagine. I changed the spelling of the name to Bonnar for the search. I used only the surname and the results were amazing. The results of that broad search showed 69 birth records, 50 marriage records and 17 death records. Everyone one of the records were for Bonnars who are descendants of James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers. In addition, there were records under the name Bonner and Bonar. It pays to be flexible in altering the spelling somewhat. You can also search the files and request a soundex for the name you are searching. I didn't use the soundex option. The dates that are complete dates mentioned in todays blog were verified at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick site.
James Bonnar married Mary Annie Good. Mary Annie and James were neighbors. The Bonners lived on lot #31 in Upper Durham and the Good family lived on lot #34. Mary Annie's brother James Good married Annie, the sister of James Bonnar. I don't have a date for the marriage of James Bonner and Mary Annie Good, but here's what I know about their children. They had nine children: John, William, Maggie, Annie, Alice, Lucy, James, Edward and Herbert and all were born in New Brunswick.
Children of James Bonnar and Mary Annie Good:
1. John Bonnar was born in 1862 and he married Louise Smith who was born in 1824. They had four children that I have identified. Alfred James Bonnar was born 11 April 1888. Margaret May Bonnar was born 28 Sept 1890 and she married Lewis Tims in 1908. John Medley Bonnar was born 13 March 1893.
2. William Bonnar was born in 1864 and he married Harriet Amelia Thomas who was born in 1870. It was indicated on one of his children's birth certificates in 1898 that William was a fireman at a mill. They had ten children.
Children of William Bonnar and Harriet Thomas
Thomas James Bonnar who was born 17 Jan 1888. He was noted on his marriage license to be a railway worker. Thomas James Bonnar married Florence Jane Phillips in 1910. They had two children, Ethel Lucille Bonnar and Ora Bertram Bonnar. After Florence died, Thomas James Bonnar married Sadie Alberta Bonnar in 1949. Sadie Alberta was the widow of Bertram Roy Bonnar who was the brother of Thomas James Bonnar.
Bertram Roy Bonnar. Bertram was born 17 Jan 1890 and he died 16 Sept 1948. Bertram married Beatrice Webster in 1911. After Beatrice died, Bertram Bonnar married Sadie Alberta Wilkins in 1940. On their 1940 marriage certificate, Bertram is listed as a widower and was age 50 and Sadie Alberta was age 31.
Annie Gertrude Bonnar who was born 26 Dec 1891. Annie Gertrude married Martin Carten in 1910.
Helen May Bonnar who was born in 1894. Helen May married Bert Banks in 1914.
Vera Hazel Bonnar who was born 5 April 1896. Vera married Frank Byers McMinniman.
Mary Emma Bonnar who was born 7 Feb 1898 and she married Joseph Toner.
Harriet Beatrice Bonnar who was born in 1901 and married Gordon Cumming.
William Herbert Bonnar who was born in 1902 and died in 1975.
Irene Eldora Bonnar who was born 31 May 1904.
Josephine Arabella Bonner who was born 23 July 1905.
Eldon Harold Bonnar who was born in 1911 and died in 1970.
(Children of William and Harriet Bonnar edited 14 March 2012)
3. Maggie Bonnar was the third child of James Bonnar and Mary Annie Good. Maggie married Bert Timmons. Nothing more has been found about Maggie.
4. Annie Bonnar was the fourth child of James Bonnar and Mary Annie Good. The only information found on her was her name appeared on the 1881 New Brunswick Census and she was 12 years old. She would have been born about 1869.
5. Alice Bonnar, the fifth child, was born in 1870 and she married James Pickard on 16 July 1892.
6. Lucy Bonnar was the sixth child of James and Mary Annie Bonnar and she was born in 1873. She married James Young.
7. James Robert Bonnar was born 1 Aug 1876 and was the seventh child. James was first married to Elizabeth, last name unknown 5 March 1906. He then married Bessie May Manzer. Bessie was previously married to Edwin Oldenburgh. James Robert Bonnar died 25 Oct 1938. After his death, Bessie May married Andrew Andrews in 1946. James Robert Bonnar served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WWI and was in Regiment #817975.
8. Edward Franklin Bonnar was born 29 Jan 1879 and he died in 1950. Edward served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WWI and was in Regiment #817893. After the war, he married Elizabeth M. Humphrey 21 June 1919.
9. Herbert Bonnar was born 25 July 1883 and he died 15 Oct 1917. Herbert was killed in France during WWI and he is buried there. He served in Regiment #817974 with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Herbert married Jennie Helena Manzer before 1906. They had three children. Alice Beatrice Bonnar who was born 4 Nov 1906 and she married Perley Harkness Lewis on 24 Dec. 1925. Mabel Helena Bonnar was born 27 Oct 1908 and she married Lee Roy Lewis in 1931. Milster Carvell Bonnar was born 29 June 1912 and he married Annie Elizabeth Lewis.
After Herbert died in 1917, his wife Jennie remarried in 1919 to Bliss Alfred Lewis. It's interesting to see all of the Lewis spouses in this family. Annie Lewis who married Milster Carvell Bonnar was the sister of Bliss Alfred Lewis. So, Milster Carvell married his step-aunt. Then Perley Lewis who married Alice Beatrice Bonnar and Lee Roy Lewis who married Mabel Helena Bonnar are brothers. Their father was Silas Lewis. I couldn't find a connection between Silas Lewis and Bliss Alfred Lewis.
All of the names, dates and relationships can get very confusing. I'll just keep working on it. The really good thing about learning all of this genealogy is that I am gaining more kinfolk every day. Just in this blog I have named my great uncle James Bonnar, 9 of his children and 16 of his grandchildren. Then, I must add in Matilda Bonnar Ross and her 8 children from the previous blog. That's 35 Bonnars whom I now know. I didn't even name all of the grandchildren of James and Mary Annie Bonnar or those of Matilda Ross. So, in the next blog I'll introduce you to some more of my newly found relatives.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Matilda Bonnar and David Ross, New Brunswick Canada
As I begin to describe what I know about the siblings of great grandfather Thomas Bonner, I will start with his sister, Matilda Bonnar. Matilda was born in Ireland or perhaps on the voyage from Ireland to New Brunswick. The record from the New Brunswick Genealogical Society's First Families, indicates she was born in 1835. It also indicates that her parents, James and Margaret Bonner arrived in New Brunswick in 1835. Other records where her birth is recorded, such as census records, show her born in 1834 in Ireland and one record indicated Scotland. I have found nothing to suggest she was not born in Ireland or Scotland.
On September 19, 1854, Matilda Bonnar married David C. Ross in New Brunswick. David was born in 1836 in Scotland as indicated on his census records. After their marriage, Matilda and David remained in New Brunswick until about 1865. They appear on the 1861 New Brunswick Census. Three of their children, William, Edward and Margaret Ross, were born in New Brunswick. After leaving New Brunswick, they moved to Nova Scotia where their next four children were born. On the web site of Nova Scotia Vital Records, I found birth records for two of their children. George Henry Ross was born November 17, 1867 in Kemptown, Colchester County, NS. Then on September 7, 1869 a daughter, Matilda Ross was born in Kemptown. I found no birth records for the next two daughters, Ann and Alma Ross, who both appear on future census as having been born in Nova Scotia. The last child for whom I found a birth record was Charles G. Ross who was born August 11, 1874 in Portland, Maine.
On the 1880 Portland, Maine census David and Matilda are living on Clark Street with their children: Edward, Margaret, George, Ann, Alma, and Charles. William, who was born in 1858, may have remained in Nova Scotia and Matilda who was born in 1869 may have died as a young girl. David's occupation is working in a carriage factory.
In 1900 David and Matilda and two children are living in Chelsea, MA. The two children are Mary A. (Ann) age 23 and Charles age 20. The dates don't quite seem to fit the two children. They are living on Ellsworth Street and David is a wheelwright. I have not been able to find a 1910 census for any of the Ross family. However, I came across a 1912 Directory of Chelsea MA that listed "Matilda Ross, widow of David" and also listed Charles G. Ross. Both Matilda and Charles were living at 59 Blossom Street in Chelsea, MA. The Blossom Street address is consistent with Thomas Bonner's Pension File as recorded in 1904 by the examiner who went to Chelsea to interview Matilda Ross. The examiner listed her address as 58 Blossom Street.
Two other official records that I located were for Charles G. Ross. The first one was his World War I Draft Registration in 1917. His name is listed as Charles Grom Ross and his date of birth is August 11, 1874. He lists his next of kin as Mrs. O'Brien, which seemed interesting. Then on the 1920 census in Suffolk, MA, Charles Ross age 45 is a boarder in the home of Mary O'Brien, age 40. Mary was born in Ireland. I tried searching for Mary O'Brien on prior census records and found hundreds of Mary's, all born in Ireland. The 1920 census for Charles Ross is the last record I have been able to locate for any of this Ross family.
The interview of Matilda Ross that was conducted in 1904 by a US Pension Examiner showed a straight forward, clear spoken woman. The examiner asked her many questions about Thomas and his past. Matilda was 11 years older than Thomas. She clearly stated that Thomas ran away from home in 1862 and enlisted in the US Army. She said he was a "wild kind of guy". She told the examiner that she did not see him when he was discharged from the Army in 1865 because she was living in Nova Scotia. She learned about Thomas' whereabouts from her brother Edward Bonnar who lived in Danforth, ME. He gave her Thomas' address in Texas and she wrote him. Edward also told her that Thomas married in 1867 to Georgianna Phillips in Augusta ME. He said Georgianna died in 1868 and never joined Thomas in Texas. Matilda told the examiner that after she wrote to Thomas, he came to visit her around 1900 and he stayed for two weeks. She said Thomas told her he was living in Louisiana and had a wife and small children, but she didn't know any more than that. She also said Thomas had never been in touch with any of his family in New Brunswick, and according to brother Edward he had inquired twice over the years about the welfare of his mother. She had learned about the death of Thomas because his wife Edna Bonner had written to her after he died in 1903. Matilda said that Edna told her she was very poor and had 5 small children. Edna asked Matilda if she could help her. Matilda told her she could not help her.
I will continue to look for more information about the family of Matilda Bonnar and David Ross. I have probably not looked in all the right places for Massachusetts information.
On September 19, 1854, Matilda Bonnar married David C. Ross in New Brunswick. David was born in 1836 in Scotland as indicated on his census records. After their marriage, Matilda and David remained in New Brunswick until about 1865. They appear on the 1861 New Brunswick Census. Three of their children, William, Edward and Margaret Ross, were born in New Brunswick. After leaving New Brunswick, they moved to Nova Scotia where their next four children were born. On the web site of Nova Scotia Vital Records, I found birth records for two of their children. George Henry Ross was born November 17, 1867 in Kemptown, Colchester County, NS. Then on September 7, 1869 a daughter, Matilda Ross was born in Kemptown. I found no birth records for the next two daughters, Ann and Alma Ross, who both appear on future census as having been born in Nova Scotia. The last child for whom I found a birth record was Charles G. Ross who was born August 11, 1874 in Portland, Maine.
On the 1880 Portland, Maine census David and Matilda are living on Clark Street with their children: Edward, Margaret, George, Ann, Alma, and Charles. William, who was born in 1858, may have remained in Nova Scotia and Matilda who was born in 1869 may have died as a young girl. David's occupation is working in a carriage factory.
In 1900 David and Matilda and two children are living in Chelsea, MA. The two children are Mary A. (Ann) age 23 and Charles age 20. The dates don't quite seem to fit the two children. They are living on Ellsworth Street and David is a wheelwright. I have not been able to find a 1910 census for any of the Ross family. However, I came across a 1912 Directory of Chelsea MA that listed "Matilda Ross, widow of David" and also listed Charles G. Ross. Both Matilda and Charles were living at 59 Blossom Street in Chelsea, MA. The Blossom Street address is consistent with Thomas Bonner's Pension File as recorded in 1904 by the examiner who went to Chelsea to interview Matilda Ross. The examiner listed her address as 58 Blossom Street.
Two other official records that I located were for Charles G. Ross. The first one was his World War I Draft Registration in 1917. His name is listed as Charles Grom Ross and his date of birth is August 11, 1874. He lists his next of kin as Mrs. O'Brien, which seemed interesting. Then on the 1920 census in Suffolk, MA, Charles Ross age 45 is a boarder in the home of Mary O'Brien, age 40. Mary was born in Ireland. I tried searching for Mary O'Brien on prior census records and found hundreds of Mary's, all born in Ireland. The 1920 census for Charles Ross is the last record I have been able to locate for any of this Ross family.
The interview of Matilda Ross that was conducted in 1904 by a US Pension Examiner showed a straight forward, clear spoken woman. The examiner asked her many questions about Thomas and his past. Matilda was 11 years older than Thomas. She clearly stated that Thomas ran away from home in 1862 and enlisted in the US Army. She said he was a "wild kind of guy". She told the examiner that she did not see him when he was discharged from the Army in 1865 because she was living in Nova Scotia. She learned about Thomas' whereabouts from her brother Edward Bonnar who lived in Danforth, ME. He gave her Thomas' address in Texas and she wrote him. Edward also told her that Thomas married in 1867 to Georgianna Phillips in Augusta ME. He said Georgianna died in 1868 and never joined Thomas in Texas. Matilda told the examiner that after she wrote to Thomas, he came to visit her around 1900 and he stayed for two weeks. She said Thomas told her he was living in Louisiana and had a wife and small children, but she didn't know any more than that. She also said Thomas had never been in touch with any of his family in New Brunswick, and according to brother Edward he had inquired twice over the years about the welfare of his mother. She had learned about the death of Thomas because his wife Edna Bonner had written to her after he died in 1903. Matilda said that Edna told her she was very poor and had 5 small children. Edna asked Matilda if she could help her. Matilda told her she could not help her.
I will continue to look for more information about the family of Matilda Bonnar and David Ross. I have probably not looked in all the right places for Massachusetts information.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Thomas Bonner's Family of New Brunswick, Canada
The initial information that I gathered about Thomas Bonner and his family came from the New Brunswick Genealogical Society in a special project named First Families of New Brunswick. The link for the index to all of the first families is:
http://www.nbgs.ca/firstfamilies.html
The link for the "B" section where the Bonnars are found is the following:
http://www.nbgs.ca/firstfamilies/FAMILY-B-2006.pdf
I was pleased to find this much information on the first look at New Brunswick records. Here is the Bonner information from First Families.
BONNAR: James Bonnar b. 1806 Ireland: came to NB in 1835 settled at Nashwaak, Saint Mary’s Parish, York County: m: Margaret b. 1807 Ireland
Children:
William Bonnar b. 1832
Matilda Bonnar b. 1835, married 14 Sept 1854 David Ross
James Bonnar Jr. b. 1836
Ann Bonnar b. 1838
Edward Bonnar b. 1840
Isabelle Bonnar b. 1842
Margaret Bonnar b. 1844, m. David Henry Pond
Mary Bonnar b. 1845
Thomas Bonnar b. 1846
Henry Bonnar b. 1848, m. Amanda- settled in Durham, NB and had two children
Robert Bonnar b. 1854, m. 15 Apr 1891 Louisa Greer
Since obtaining the original information about the Bonners from First Families, I have gathered additional information. A very helpful person, who happened to be a professional genealogist, inquired about some Bonner information I have on my family tree at ancestry.com and as we began our email chats, I learned that she has specialized in Irish genealogy for over 30 years. She said that the given names of the children in my Bonner family were very typical of families in Ulster Province in Northern Ireland. She also made some other suggestions that included looking into the Tithe Applotment records for each county in Ulster Province. I have just begun that process to see if I can locate the family of great great grandfather, James Bonner. It will take a while to learn my way around the Irish references and sources. Another great suggestion she made was to focus on the children of James and perhaps find a death certificate that might show exactly where James and Margaret were from. I am looking more closely at the children and have learned very little about some and a good deal more about others. Here's a short overview of the children of James and Margaret Bonner, Thomas' siblings.
I have found something about most of the siblings of Thomas Bonner, except William. Just found an 1851 New Brunswick census which included William and nothing more. There are several William Bonners in the records of the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, but they are much younger than William.
Matilda Bonner married David Ross and they first moved to Nova Scotia and then to Chelsey, MA. I have the names of some of their children. I also found a listing for the Directory of Chesley, MA for 1912 that showed Matilda was widowed and she and her son Charles G. lived at #59 Blossom Street in Chelsea. Matilda and her brother William were born in Ireland. All of the other children were born in New Brunswick. Matilda Bonner Ross was interviewed by the pension examiners in 1904 for information about Thomas Bonner. I will include that later when I tell more about Matilda.
James Bonner Jr. married Mary Ann Good and they remained in New Brunswick. I have also learned about some of his children. On the census in 1861, James Jr. was age 25, married and living with his parents on lot #31 in Upper Durham. His wife is Ann and she is 19.
Ann Bonner married James Good and they had six children. The Bonner family and the Good family were neighbors. The Bonners lived on lot #31 and the Good family lived on lot #34 in Upper Durham. James was born in Ireland. After James Good died in 1871, Ann married John Clarke. After John died, Ann went to Massachusetts for a while and lived with her son, James. The information about the lot numbers came from the book, And The River Rolled On.... Two Hundred Years on the Nashwaak published in 1984 by the Nashwaak Bicentennial Association. The book is a wonderful reference.
Edward Bonner married Louisa Hines. Edward also enlisted in the US Army about the same time that Thomas enlisted in 1862. Edward was in the artillery. Edward and his wife Louisa lived in Danforth, ME. Both Edward and Louisa were also interviewed by pension examiners in 1904 for information about Thomas Bonner. I will review that very interesting information in a later blog posting.
I haven't found information about Isabell, as of this time. Margaret Bonner married Henry David Pond and they stayed in New Brunswick their entire life. They had 15 children. Their property was also near the Bonner family. The original Pond homestead was Lot G East containing 40 acres. Henry Pond and Margaret stayed there and built a large two story house. Their daughter Eva lived there after her parents died in the 1920's. Eva died at age 93 in 1959.
Mary Bonner married John Wesley McConnell. That's all I know about her right now. Henry Bonner married Amanda Horne and they stayed in New Brunswick also.
I found that Robert Bonner (brother of Thomas) did not marry Louisa Greer as stated on the First Families site. Instead it was Robert, a son of Henry Bonner who married Louisa Greer. Robert Bonner, brother of Thomas, stayed in New Brunswick and lived on the original homestead, known as lot #31. He sold the homestead in 1911 to a member of the Estey family.
In the next blog, I will tell you more about several of the siblings of Thomas Bonner. As I have gathered information on these families, rather than just being another search for information, it is truly a search for family. Thomas' siblings were my great aunts and uncles and are now looking much like other aunts and uncles that I have.
(Addendum: May 14, 2011- I received the death certificate of Robert Nelson Bonnar, the son of James Bonnar and Margaret Chambers rather than Chalmers. Robert was born in 1855, was 72 when he died in 1928. The certificate noted that he was the husband of the late Johanna Harris. His daughter, Alwilda Bonnar was the informant. This death certificate clarifies that it was Robert Nelson Bonnar and not Robert Douglas Bonnar who was the son of James and Margaret Bonnar. Now I can go on to write about the family of Robert Nelson Bonnar in another blog entry.)
http://www.nbgs.ca/firstfamilies.html
The link for the "B" section where the Bonnars are found is the following:
http://www.nbgs.ca/firstfamilies/FAMILY-B-2006.pdf
I was pleased to find this much information on the first look at New Brunswick records. Here is the Bonner information from First Families.
BONNAR: James Bonnar b. 1806 Ireland: came to NB in 1835 settled at Nashwaak, Saint Mary’s Parish, York County: m: Margaret b. 1807 Ireland
Children:
William Bonnar b. 1832
Matilda Bonnar b. 1835, married 14 Sept 1854 David Ross
James Bonnar Jr. b. 1836
Ann Bonnar b. 1838
Edward Bonnar b. 1840
Isabelle Bonnar b. 1842
Margaret Bonnar b. 1844, m. David Henry Pond
Mary Bonnar b. 1845
Thomas Bonnar b. 1846
Henry Bonnar b. 1848, m. Amanda- settled in Durham, NB and had two children
Robert Bonnar b. 1854, m. 15 Apr 1891 Louisa Greer
Since obtaining the original information about the Bonners from First Families, I have gathered additional information. A very helpful person, who happened to be a professional genealogist, inquired about some Bonner information I have on my family tree at ancestry.com and as we began our email chats, I learned that she has specialized in Irish genealogy for over 30 years. She said that the given names of the children in my Bonner family were very typical of families in Ulster Province in Northern Ireland. She also made some other suggestions that included looking into the Tithe Applotment records for each county in Ulster Province. I have just begun that process to see if I can locate the family of great great grandfather, James Bonner. It will take a while to learn my way around the Irish references and sources. Another great suggestion she made was to focus on the children of James and perhaps find a death certificate that might show exactly where James and Margaret were from. I am looking more closely at the children and have learned very little about some and a good deal more about others. Here's a short overview of the children of James and Margaret Bonner, Thomas' siblings.
I have found something about most of the siblings of Thomas Bonner, except William. Just found an 1851 New Brunswick census which included William and nothing more. There are several William Bonners in the records of the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, but they are much younger than William.
Matilda Bonner married David Ross and they first moved to Nova Scotia and then to Chelsey, MA. I have the names of some of their children. I also found a listing for the Directory of Chesley, MA for 1912 that showed Matilda was widowed and she and her son Charles G. lived at #59 Blossom Street in Chelsea. Matilda and her brother William were born in Ireland. All of the other children were born in New Brunswick. Matilda Bonner Ross was interviewed by the pension examiners in 1904 for information about Thomas Bonner. I will include that later when I tell more about Matilda.
James Bonner Jr. married Mary Ann Good and they remained in New Brunswick. I have also learned about some of his children. On the census in 1861, James Jr. was age 25, married and living with his parents on lot #31 in Upper Durham. His wife is Ann and she is 19.
Ann Bonner married James Good and they had six children. The Bonner family and the Good family were neighbors. The Bonners lived on lot #31 and the Good family lived on lot #34 in Upper Durham. James was born in Ireland. After James Good died in 1871, Ann married John Clarke. After John died, Ann went to Massachusetts for a while and lived with her son, James. The information about the lot numbers came from the book, And The River Rolled On.... Two Hundred Years on the Nashwaak published in 1984 by the Nashwaak Bicentennial Association. The book is a wonderful reference.
Edward Bonner married Louisa Hines. Edward also enlisted in the US Army about the same time that Thomas enlisted in 1862. Edward was in the artillery. Edward and his wife Louisa lived in Danforth, ME. Both Edward and Louisa were also interviewed by pension examiners in 1904 for information about Thomas Bonner. I will review that very interesting information in a later blog posting.
I haven't found information about Isabell, as of this time. Margaret Bonner married Henry David Pond and they stayed in New Brunswick their entire life. They had 15 children. Their property was also near the Bonner family. The original Pond homestead was Lot G East containing 40 acres. Henry Pond and Margaret stayed there and built a large two story house. Their daughter Eva lived there after her parents died in the 1920's. Eva died at age 93 in 1959.
Mary Bonner married John Wesley McConnell. That's all I know about her right now. Henry Bonner married Amanda Horne and they stayed in New Brunswick also.
I found that Robert Bonner (brother of Thomas) did not marry Louisa Greer as stated on the First Families site. Instead it was Robert, a son of Henry Bonner who married Louisa Greer. Robert Bonner, brother of Thomas, stayed in New Brunswick and lived on the original homestead, known as lot #31. He sold the homestead in 1911 to a member of the Estey family.
In the next blog, I will tell you more about several of the siblings of Thomas Bonner. As I have gathered information on these families, rather than just being another search for information, it is truly a search for family. Thomas' siblings were my great aunts and uncles and are now looking much like other aunts and uncles that I have.
(Addendum: May 14, 2011- I received the death certificate of Robert Nelson Bonnar, the son of James Bonnar and Margaret Chambers rather than Chalmers. Robert was born in 1855, was 72 when he died in 1928. The certificate noted that he was the husband of the late Johanna Harris. His daughter, Alwilda Bonnar was the informant. This death certificate clarifies that it was Robert Nelson Bonnar and not Robert Douglas Bonnar who was the son of James and Margaret Bonnar. Now I can go on to write about the family of Robert Nelson Bonnar in another blog entry.)
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