Dr. John Bonner

• General Notes
  • Not in 1850 Williamson County Texas Census.
    -------------------
    Dr. John Bonner received his medical education at the Willington
    School and the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced medicine for a
    time in Alabama but preferred the life of a planter; he was known for
    his race horses and had his own track. He joined his brother William
    Bonner in making the trip to Texas in the early 1850s. The entire
    family were staunch Associate Reformed Presbyterians. Eliza Feribry
    Williams descended from the Whitfields, Bryans, and Smiths of Maryland
    and Virginia.
    ===================================================================
    He was supposably so rich before the civil war that he could walk from
    his house to the road on a carpet of silver coins.
    ===================================================================
    His slaves built the "Bonner Tank" (ie. a pond) that was used for the
    Bonner family reunions in the past for a while.
    ===================================================================
      "William Bonner came to Freestone County in 1854 with his brother,
    Dr. John Bonner.  They settled east of Stewards Mill in an area known
    as Bonnerville.  The Bonners helped establish Harmony Church at
    Stewards Mill, and were leaders of the Presbyterian church.  They
    helped build many of the early roads through Freestone County and
    established schools for their children.
       John Bonner had been a doctor, but gave that up to look after his
    huge plantation, which covered thousands of acres of land.  He only
    practiced medicine when someone needed medical care on his plantation.
       The Bonners brought with them culture, courtesy, and the
    hospitality of the Old South.  One of their favorite times was the
    Bonner Picnic held on July 4.  William Bonner fought in the War of
    1812 with Andrew Jackson at the famous battle of New Orleans, so
    family and friends met on the 4th of July to celebrate American
    independence,  In 1857, the 4th of July celebration was held at Cook's
    Springs near Fairfield.  M. M. Bonham read the Declaration of
    Independence; then there was a speech, a delicious barbeque dinner,
    and a dance at the home of Andrew S. Bonner."  -  long quote from
    "Queen of the Trinity Star" a book written by Barbara Fryer Price.
    Published by Eakin Press in Austin, TX in 1997.
    
    ===================================================================
    Book - Biographical Sketches from Limestone, Freestone, and Leon
    Counties, Texas.  Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1893.  p.
    107-108.
    
    "DR. J. I. BONNER.  This most excellent gentleman and highly respected
    citizen is a physician and surgeon of Fairfield, Freestone County,
    Texas, and is a member of one of the largest, oldest and wealthiest
    families in the state.
       He is the son of DR. JOHN BONNER.  The latter was born in Abbeville
    District, South Carolina, in 1794, where he was reared and educated.
    He had a thorough collegiate course and graduated with great credit.
    Among his classmates were General Longstreet, afterward of Confederate
    fame; Judge Lipscomb, afterward of the Supreme Court of Texas; A. P.
    Bagby, afterward governor of Alabama and other less distinguished, but
    very worthy men.  He read medicine under the celebrated Dr. Waddell of
    South Carolina and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.
       Dr. Bonner began his practice in St. Stephens County, Alabama, in
    1817, and was in practice there and in Claiborne and Dallas Counties
    of that State until 1850 when he came to Texas.  He first settled in
    Williamson County where he bought a large tract of land about seven
    miles north of the newly-created county seat of Fairfield, lying on
    Cottonwood Creek, and opened an extensive plantation, owning a large
    number of negroes.  His time was entirely occupied with agricultural
    pursuits and he never practiced his profession after coming to this
    state, except among his relatives and close friends.  From 1853 until
    the outbreak of the War he managed his large plantation, but he lost
    most of his property, especially his negroes and personal property, in
    the War.  He then divided the land among his children and lived in
    retirement, dying at the home of his son, our subject, in 1879, in his
    eighty-fifth year.  He ranked well as a physician and enjoyed a good
    practice.  He was a cultured gentleman, largely imbued with those
    aristocratic views which were prevalent in that portion of the country
    at his time of life.  Late in life he joined the Presbyterian Church,
    in which he had been reared, and lived consistently the rest of his
    life within its teaching.
       Our subject's mother was ELIZA F. WILLIAMS.  She was born in
    Fayettesville, North Carolina, but her parents moved to Clairborne
    County, Alabama, where she met and married Dr. JOHN BONNER.  She died
    in Freestone County some years before her husband. JOHN and ELIZA
    BONNER had nine children, seven of whom became grown, the eldest being
    the subject of this sketch.  Of the others:  JOHN L., is a farmer of
    Freestone County; ANDREW died in 1865 from disease contracted in the
    Confederate Army; OLIVER A. and IRVIN H. are farmers and stockmen of
    Freestone County; ELIZA, the eldest daughter, died unmarried; and
    ARABELLA is now the wife of W. H. McCRERY of Freestone County."
    =======================================
    From: "Bonnie Mitchell" <rsbdcmdn@frontiernet.net>
    Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004
    
    Eric,
        Mike Bonner forwarded your letter to me. I am sending you what I
    have from Dallas County , AL, 1850 Census.  I believe that the
    biographical sketch in the Texas book is in error. John Bonner married
    Eliza F. Williams in Claiborne, Alabama, on Oct. 25, 1825. Claiborne
    is in Monroe County. The Bonners settled in Monroe County when they
    first came to Alabama. I don't believe that Dr. John Bonner was in
    Claiborne County or St. Stephens County.  The land patents I've seen
    for this area were from Cahaba district and St. Stephens district, not
    county. I think that's where the error lies.
    We were always told that James Bonner settled at Burnt Corn, Alabama.
    That was an error. I had wondered how in the world his body was
    brought the distance from Burnt Corn to Hamburg for burial. As it
    turns out, the Bonners' land was just over the Wilcox County line
    (near McWilliams, AL). I have read that the main post office on the
    Old Federal Road was Burnt Corn and that's why all that area was
    dubbed Burnt Corn, even though where the Bonners lived was not near
    the town of Burnt Corn.
    So, I think you'll find Dr. John Bonner in Monroe, Wilcox, and Dallas
    counties.
    Hope this helps.
    
    Died at his son's (Dr. James Isaac Bonner's) house.  Death attributed
    to broken thigh bone from fall with other complications.
    
    Read medicine under Dr. Moses Waddell, (1770-1840).
    
    From www.famousamericans.net/moseswaddell/
      "Dr. Moses Waddell was a Presbyterian clergyman who established a
    classical school in Willington, SC in 1804.  Among his pupils was Hugh
    S. Legare, John C. Calhoun, and James L. Petgri.  Dr. Waddell was
    president of U. of Georgia. from 1819-1829.  As an instructor of
    youth, Dr. Waddell was one of the most popular and successful men of
    his day."
    
    1860 Federal Census - Freestone Co. - Vicinity of Fairfield - 13 July
    1860
    
    p.37
    253/258
    
    John Bonner          66 M Farmer 5000  30300  N. Carolina
    Eliza F.                  54 F                               N.
    Carolina
    Oliver A.                21 M Farm Hand               Alabama
    Eliza J.                  19 F                               Alabama
    Irvin H.                  19 M                               Alabama
    A. W.                     14 F                               Alabama
    
    From: "Bonnie Mitchell" <rsbdcmdn@frontiernet.net>
    
    Dallas County, AL 1850 census:
    Household 388:
    John Bonner            56M   Physician        6500        SC
    E.F.                          44F
          NC
    J.I.                           21M   Physician
    AL
    J.L.                          19M   Farmer
    AL
    S.E.                         17F
          AL
    A.S.                         14M
         AL
    O.A.                         12M
         AL
    E.J.                          10F
          AL
    I.H.                             7M
          AL
    A.W.                           4F
         AL
    Sam'l Williams         56   Farmer                             NC
    (possibly Eliza Feribry
    
                      Williams' brother)
    
    1870 Census for Freestone Co., TX
    Roll: M593-1586, pg. 17, Image 34  - done on 7/19/1870
    
    [Note - census taker seems to sometimes put household numbers on 2nd
    line]
    
    78/79  Bonner, I. H. [Irvin Hale] 34 M W Farmer  [blank] 150 AL.
        Bonner, John 76 M W Farmer 9000 [blank] SC.
        -, Elizabeth 64 F W Keeps House SC.
        -, Eliza 25 F W [blank] 100 AL.  [Eliza Burks?] [Eliza Jane Bonner?]
        -, Oliver  32 M W Farmer [blank] 200 AL.
    
    Fearing his wife had tuberculosis, he moved with her to Williamson
    CO., TX about 1850.
    Son Andrew was in Blue Hill, Williamson Co., TX. according to Jan 8,
    1852 letter by his mother Eliza F. Bonner.
    =================================================================
    http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Etxpost/williamson.html
    POSTMASTERS & POST OFFICES OF
    WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS
    1849 - 1930
    
    BLUE HILL (Williamson)
    Rice, Jas. O., 12 Nov 1849
    Discontinued 10 Apr 1857
    
    Book - Records of Wilcox County Alabama.  by Marilyn Davis Barefield
    in 1988.  Will Book I.  Nov. 1826 - June 1844.  p. 59.
    
    "Page 353.  JOSEPH H. BONNER was appointed guardian of JANE P., SAMUEL
    A., and SARAH E. BONNER, minor heirs of SAMUEL BONNER, deceased.
    Sec[urity]:  WILLIAM BONNER, JAMES ROBINSON, WILLIAM L. YOUNG, and
    JOHN BONNER.  Proven 21 May 1844."
    
    Book - Records of Wilcox County Alabama.  by Marilyn Davis Barefield
    in 1988.  Will Book I.  Nov. 1826 - June 1844.  p. 69.
    
    "Page 153.  JOHN BONNER was appointed Administrator of Estate of
    SAMUEL PRESSLY, deceased.  JOHN & WILLIAM BONNER & SOLOMON SMITH.
    4/18/1842."
    
    =================================================
    Photocopies of actual records loaned by Mike Bonner believed
    photocopied by Carol McGee:
    
    Freestone County, TX
    Timeframe - Start in July going to Sept 20th, 1860.
    Note - The number of slaves "in house" is usually counted at end of
    enumeration of slaves for that particular slave owner.
    
    John Bonner  [Dr. John Bonner]
         48 slaves of whom:
                  14 slave houses
        45 Black, 3 Mulattos (76 yr old female, 14 yr old female, 52 yr old
    female)
        01 blind
        22 male, 26 female
    =================================================
    
    Letter to his son Andrew on 21 Apr. 1852 says near Portland, Dallas
    Co., AL.
    
    Mentioned in Dr. Samuel Bonner's will as Executor.
    
    Freestone Frontiers  (Volume 2, May 1982, Number 2)
    pg. 28.
    
    The 22th of 188 for jury duty in the Freestone County - County Court -
    David H. Love, Chief Justice.  Dated Feb 2, 1855.
    
    22.  John Bonner
    
    Moved in 1854 to Freestone County, Texas based on one of his son, John
    Laird Bonner's obits.