Margaret Bonnar and Henry David Pond, New Brunswick Canada

Margaret Bonnar was the daughter of James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers. Margaret Bonnar was born 24 May 1843 in New Brunswick Canada. She was the 7th child of James and Margaret Bonnar. Margaret Bonnar married Henry David Pond who was a neighbor of the Bonnar family. The Bonnars lived on lot#31 and Henry David Pond lived just four lots south and one lot west of them. His lot was listed as lot G East. The following information gives a little history of the Pond family. The source is the book, " And the River Rolled On...Two Hundred Years on the Nashwaak", published by Nashwaak Bicentennial Association in 1984 and found on page 50.

"Henry Pond born 1833, son of John and Naomi (Estey) Pond, was granted Lot G East, containing 40 acres, in 1898. This property adjoined the property that was granted to his brother Albert in 1892. It was located at the north side of the Upper Durham Road, and the two properties ran from the Sweeney Road to the Good Road.

Henry Pond married Margaret Bonnar, daughter of James and Margaret Bonnar, also residents of Upper Durham. Henry and Margaret had fifteen children. They built a large two-story house and lived in Upper Durham all their lives. Henry died January 18, 1922 and his wife Margaret died March 5, 1923. Their daughter Eva, who was never married, lived here after her parents deaths. She died in 1959 at the age of 93.

Hedley Pond, son of Henry and Margaret, lived on the Bolster Brook Road. He purchased part of Lot 11 from the Fowler family. Hedley married Gertrude MacElwain. They had three children. Hedley Pond served overseas during the first World War. Their son Gerald was killed in action during the second World War. Hedley Pond died June 18, 1956 and his wife Gertrude died July 18, 1965. They are buried in the Upper Durham United Church Cemetery. The old house where Hedley and his family lived was destroyed by fire and no one lives on this property at present. "

Children of Margaret Bonnar and Henry David Pond

Edward G. Pond was born in 1861. I haven't found anything about Edward. The fact that Margaret and Henry named another son Edward, suggests that this first child may have died at an early age.

Amanda Pond was born 12 April 1865. She married John Wesley McConnell and they had one child, Stella May McConnell. Stella was born 6 Nov 1885 and her mother Amanda died 0n 19 Nov 1885. Stella May McConnell married Herbert Alonzo Estey in 1906 and they had four children: Lawrence Herbert, Greta May, Roy Everett and a son Clair Mullen

Albert Edward Pond was born 20 April 1863. He married Agnes McArthur 20 Sept 1893 and they had five children: Agnes Evelyn, Beatrice Amanda, Leigh Clinton, Roy Edward and Mildred Margaret. Roy Edward Pond married Lulu Ellis in October 1930. On the 1901 York NB census, Albert Edward and his family are household # 127 and his parents Henry and Margaret Pond are household #129. I came across a Boarder Crossing record for Leigh Clinton Pond in 1917. He was immigrating at Detroit, Michigan with his destination Adams county, Wisconsin. He stated he was a Fireman for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad.

Eva Hannah Pond was born in 1866. As mentioned in the article above, Eva Pond remained on the Pond property and died there at age 93 in 1959. Eva is buried at the Upper Durham Cemetery.


Emma Pond was born in 1870 and she died in 1921. She married Caleb C. Estey on 10 June 1896. They had six children: Nelson, Lulu, Blanche, Marion, Harry and Cedric Estey.


Henry Allen Pond was born in 1871. Henry appears on the 1901 and 1911 census with his parents Margaret and Henry. In 1911, Henry Allen Pond is 38 years old. I found no marriage record for Henry Allen. He is buried at the Lower Durham Cemetery where his parents are buried.

Lemuel Hovey Pond was born in 1872. Lemuel died at age 27 on 4 June 1899. I found the name Lemuel Hovey to be unusual and looked back through the Pond family to see if another relative might have had that name. It was a bit confusing, but I found that Henry David Pond's aunt, Mary Eva Pond married a man named Moses Hovey. Mary Eva and Moses Hovey had a son named Lemuel Hovey. I am assuming that's where Margaret and Henry Pond got the name for their son. You have to believe there was a close relationship or family history that goes with their relative Lemuel Hovey. Lemuel Hovey Pond is buried at the Lower Durham Cemetery.

Frederick G. Pond was born in 1876. Frederick married Dora Estey

Mary Maude Pond was born on 6 July 1879. (Great grandfather Thomas Henry Bonner named one of his children, Mary Maude Bonner. ) Mary Maude married Samuel Johnston and they had five children: Samuel, Freda, Margaret, James and Inez Johnston.

Ella May Pond was born in 1881.

Alexander Pond was born in 1881. Young Alexander was 3 months old on the 1881 census and does not appear on any subsequent census.

Hedley Raymond Pond was born in 1882. He is the son mentioned in the above reference about the Ponds. He married Helen Gertrude McElwain. Hedley served in WWI with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Regiment #152620. On his induction paperwork, he mentions that his nearest relative is his mother, "Maggie" Pond. His mother Margaret is also referred to as "Maggie" on the 1901 York NB census. Hedley and Gertrude had three children: Gerald, Jean Elizabeth and Evelyn Gertrude Pond.

Gerald Randolph Pond born in 1920 was killed in WWII on August 10, 1944. Gerald was a Pilot Officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Gerald married Audrey Isobel MacBean on September 20, 1943, only about one year before Gerald died. Gerald and Audrey had one son. After Gerald's death, Audrey remarried to George Reeleder in 1950. Sadly, Audrey recently passed away on 10 March 2011 in Fredericton, NB. She was survived by the son that she and Gerald had, their son's children and his grandchildren. Additionally, she was survived by children from her second marriage.

Hedley Pond, his wife Gertrude and their son Gerald Randolph Pond are buried at the Upper Durham Cemetery. The military records of Gerald Pond suggest he was buried at Sofia War Cemetery in Bulgaria, but he is not listed on that cemetery's burial list. WWII burials at Sofia are said to be men who were shot down over Bulgaria near the end of the war. Perhaps Gerald is listed on a memorial at Sofia War Cemetery.

Roy Pond was born in 1883.

Lillian Pond was born in 1886. Lillian married Roy Charles Bird on 6 Oct 1910 in British Columbia, Canada. Roy Bird was from Birdton, NB. Birdton was settled in 1824 by members of the Bird family who were from Ireland.

Margaret Bonnar Pond and Henry David Pond are buried at the Lower Durham Cemetery, as are their children, Henry Allen Pond and Lemuel Hovey Pond. You can search the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick by surname to find the location of their burial. Another good source of information that I utilized in preparing this blog post is the site:
http://automatedgenealogy.com/ The site offers several New Brunswick census. You can compare your ancestor and family as they appear on the 1901 census with the 1911 census.

I know I will continue to gather information about the family of Margaret Bonnar and Henry David Pond and their children. In fact, yesterday I requested a copy of the death certificate of Margaret Bonnar Pond from the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. There is some chance that it will name her parents James and Margaret Bonnar and the location in Ireland from which they immigrated. So, the search continues for Bonnars.

(Addendum: May 14, 2011- I received the birth certificate of Margaret Bonnar Pond. It verifies that her parents were James Bonnar and Margaret Chambers rather than Chalmers who were born in Ireland. She was 78 when she died and the informant on the certificate was Eva Pond, daughter. Margaret died after having surgery for an inguinal hernia.)

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

St. Patrick's Day is this Thursday and I wanted to get an early start on a Happy St. Patrick's Day blog post. I have always loved St. Patrick's Day, but this year it has a different meaning to me. After obtaining the Civil War Pension File of Great Grandfather Thomas Henry Bonner just in December, it confirmed that Thomas Bonnar was indeed Irish. Both of his parents James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers were born in Ireland. They immigrated to New Brunswick, Canada in 1835. I have just begun the search to learn where James Bonnar's home was in Ireland. After talking with an experienced genealogist specializing in Irish genealogy, I am looking at Donegal. I have found some Bonnars in Moville, but need to research the records to see what can confirm that Great great grandfather, James Bonnar was from Moville. If you know any Irish Bonnars, please let me know.

When I was a small child, my Father, Henry Bonner, would frequently quiz me on what I knew about my nationalities. He would say, "Now, tell me, what nationalities are you?" Of course, I knew what I was suppose to say. I would smile, bend down and touch my knees, then throw my hands in the air and say, "I'm Indian, French and Irish". It was really fun and he was proud of me when I did that. The Indian and French origins I knew, but the Irish I didn't know and guess I was too young to ask. Probably from that little quiz, I have always remembered Irish things. Like in grade school, we always celebrated St. Patrick's Day. The nuns must have all been Irish. We did what we called "The Irish Jig". A fun dance of jumping, hopping, criss-crossing your legs and lots of clapping. I remember that my Godmother was Kathleen O'Connor and her daughter was Suzanne O'Connor. One of my good friends in grade school was Sharon Fitzpatrick. Then in college at the University of Oklahoma, there was a local spot known as O'Connell's Irish Pub where you could get lunch and a beer.

All those things seem minor now compared to knowing that I really am of Irish descent. Watched a PBS show last evening about Irish music. It was called "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling". All those songs also had a different meaning. Today I went to my bookshelves and found my favorite book. It is called Angela's Ashes by Frank McCort. Published in 1996 and winner of the Pultizer Prize in 1997, it is about Mr. McCort's life as a child of an immigrant Irish family and the hardships his family endured.

So, today just a few days before St. Patrick's Day, my eyes are smiling. Here's a link to a vintage video of the song, "Irish Eyes Are Smiling" for you to enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIsduCQ7ByE

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.

Ann Bonnar and James Good- New Brunswick, Canada

Ann Bonnar was the fourth child of James Bonnar and Margaret Chalmers. Ann Bonnar was born in 1838 in York, New Brunswick. Ann Bonnar married James Good. Ann and James Good were neighbors. Ann lived on lot #31 and James lived on lot #34 in Upper Durham. On the 1851 census, James Good is shown living with his wife Ann on lot #34. James is 27 years old and Ann is 23 years old. James Good was born in Ireland as were his parents Thomas and Ann Good. Thomas and Ann Good lived on lot #33. The Good Road runs along the western edge of lots #31, 33 and 34, even to present time.

Ann and James Good had six children: Isabell born in 1861, Maggie born in 1863, Annie born in 1865, Eliza born in 1866, Thomas Lankford born in 1867 and James E. born in 1870. It has been difficult finding information about all of the children of Ann Bonnar and James Good. James Good died in 1871, just shortly after his son James E. was born. Ann Bonnar Good remarried to John Clarke in 1871.

Ann and John Clarke had four children. The Clarke children were: George Clarke born in 1874, Johnnie Albert Clarke born in 1877, Charles Clarke born in 1879 and Cora May Clark born in 1882. So, all together Ann Bonnar Good Clarke had ten children.

On the 1881 census in York, New Brunswick, Ann and John Clarke are living with all ten children in the household. On the 1891 census, only Annie Clarke and her sons Albert age 15 and Charles age 12 are in the household. In 1901, Annie Clark, son Charles age 21 and Joseph Clarke are in the household in New Brunswick. Joseph Clarke was the brother of Ann's husband John. It appears that John Clarke died between 1881 and 1891. In 1910, Ann Good is living with her son James E. Good and his family in Malden, MA. In 1911, Annie Clark is living in New Brunswick with her son Charles and his wife Louise.

I didn't find information about Annie Good and Eliza Good related to marriage records or death records. They do appear on the 1881 census among the ten children of John and Ann Clarke. After sorting and searching, I believe that Isabell Good married Sewell Richardson 13 Oct 1886 in Fryburg, ME. Sewell Richardson was born 28 July 1857 and Isabell Good was born 1 May 1861. Isabell and Sewell had three children that I have been able to identify. Clarence Lewis Richardson was born 28 July 1889 in New Brunswick. Clarence married Eliza Cowperthwaite on 18 Sept 1912 in New Brunswick. Clarence died in 1977 and Eliza died in 1958. They are buried at St. Peters Anglican Cemetery in Durham, New Brunswick.
Byron Sewell Richardson was born in 1897. Byron married Thelma Delong on 6 June 1926 in York New Brunswick. The third child of Isabell and Sewell Richardson was Dorothea Isabell Richardson. Dorothea was born 6 Sept 1899 in Marysville, New Brunswick.

Thomas Lankford Good was born 7 Feb 1867. He married Charlotte May McKenzie on 19 Oct 1900. Charlotte McKenzie was born 2 March 1879. Thomas Lankford Good signed the Delayed Birth Certificate of Cora May Clarke 30 June 1945. He was attesting to her birth date and that she was his step sister and knew her correct birth date. Also on Cora May's birth certificate, her father John Clarke's occupation was noted to be a tanner. Thomas Lankford Good died 9 Jan 1949 in New Brunswick.

Margaret Jane (Maggie) Good married Henry McSorley on 10 Aug 1914. Henry was a widower. Henry died in 1930. There is no other information I could find about Margaret Jane except an unverifiable death date. There were two Margaret McSorley death records on file with the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. One indicated that Margaret died in 1921 and the other showed her death as 1924.

James E. Good was born in 1870 in New Brunswick. He married Mabel Murry on 21 June 1894 in New Brunswick. James and Mabel had three children, Leroy born in 1896, Florence L. born in 1898 and Percy born in 1904. Mabel Good died before 1910 and James E. Good married Celeste E. Atkinson. Celeste was born 20 Oct 1889 in Nova Scotia. James and Celeste had one daughter, Marion Good.


There are census records on file for the James E. Good family. In 1900, James and Mabel were living in Malden, MA with their children Leroy C. and Florence. In 1910, Mabel is not on the census. James is living in Malden MA with his children Roy C., Florence and Percy. His mother Ann Good, age 60, is living with them. James married Celeste Atkinson around 1912. On the 1920 census in Malden, MA, James does not appear. His wife Celeste Good is living with his children Florence and Percy, their daughter Marion and a sister and cousin of Celeste's.

In 1930, Celeste Good is living with Florence, her step daughter, and Marion her daughter in Malden, MA. I haven't yet tracked census records for Leroy Good and I found an interesting one for Percy Good. In 1930, Percy Good, age 26 and born in 1904 in MA, is listed as a patient at the Danvers State Hospital.


It appears that Mabel Good died before 1910 and James Good died between 1910 and 1920. Celeste Good died 2 May 1962 in Malden, MA. Florence L. Good, who never married, died in Jan. 1993 in Barnstead, NH. Florence was 95 years old. Marion Good Henderson died 27 Sept 2010. Marion was 98 years old. Marion had married Elliot Henderson who died in 1986 in NH. I have found no death records for Leroy or Percy Good.

Among the Clarke children, Cora May Clarke who was born in 1882 married Mr. Dorian. She was widowed and later married Henry Lehr on 25 June 1930. Henry was 62 and Cora May was 39. There are two versions of her marriage certificate, on one she is Cora Dorian and on the other she is Cora Clarke. On both certificates, her parents are John Clarke and Ann Bonnar.

Charles Clarke married Louise. They are seen on the 1911 New Brunswick census with his mother Annie Clarke living with them.

I found a marriage certificate for George Clark and Floella Murdock on 5 June 1905 in York, New Brunswick. I was able to track them through the 1930 census in Maine. George and Flora had 12 children. Because the birthdate for this George was different by about six years, I am still trying to determine if this was George Clarke, the son of John Clarke and Ann Bonnar. Several things make me think it is. One is that on the 1910 census in Kennebec, ME, George and his wife and three children are listed. Also listed is George's father John Clarke, age 71. This John Clarke indicates he was married, but no wife is listed. Another issue is that George Clarke named his first son Percy and his step brother James E. Good named a son Percy. For now, I will not atttribute this George Clarke family to John Clarke and Ann Bonnar. I will keep searching.

I found no records for Johnnie or Albert Clarke that seemed to match for this family. I feel like I am leaving several things a bit vague for the children of John Clarke and Ann Bonnar. Just don't know where else to look right now. I welcome all suggestions and clues.

Celebrating Mother's Day on March 1, 2011

Happy Birthday Kristin

Kristin

I know Mother's Day is in May, but today I'm celebrating Mother's Day. Today is my daughter's birthday. She was born in 1968. While reflecting on her birthday, I just couldn't help but think of the other Mothers on the Maternal side of her family. The picture above is a picture of my daughter, Kristin, when she was about three months old.




Next is a picture of me, her Mother about the time Kristin was born.

Sharon

Then, there is my Mother, Naomi. She is Kristin's Maternal Grandmother.

Naomi

Following Naomi, is Mary Harris. Mary was Kristin's Maternal Great Grandmother.

Mary

Following Mary, is Mattie Hurst Alexander. She was Kristin's Maternal Great Great Grandmother.

Mattie

Except for Mattie Hurst Alexander, all the Mothers pictured had the pleasure and honor of holding and cuddling Kristin as she was growing up. Great Grandmother Mary lived to age 100, so she got to wish Kristin many Happy Birthdays.

Prayers in the US Senate

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.

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.)