Rev. Thomas Joell Bonner

• General Notes
  • http://members.tripod.com/~BethelARP/bethel.html
    For over one hundred forty years, Bethel Church has been ministering
    to the needs of the people of eastern Wilcox County, Alabama. Founded
    in 1856 by settlers who relocated to Oak Hill, Bethel Church continues
    a tradition of Associate Reformed Presbyterian influence on this area
    which dates to the 1820's. The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
    is the oldest Presbyterian denomination in America.
    
    BETHEL'S BACKGROUND
    In the 1820's, settlers (mainly the Bonner, Dale, Jones, and McBryde
    families) moved from Abbeville County, South Carolina, to Wilcox
    County, Alabama. These people had been members of the Cedar Springs
    and Long Cane Associate Reformed Presbyterian Churches. They
    established a congregation in eastern Wilcox County, Alabama. This
    church was briefly known as Pine Barren Church and Prairie Creek
    Church but was mostly known as Lebanon Church. Its first pastor was
    Dr. James Patterson Pressly. He resigned in 1840 to become professor
    at Erskine College. The next pastor was Rev. Joseph McCreary. Rev.
    McCreary was returning from the 1844 meeting of the General Synod of
    the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church when the Lucy Walker, the
    steamboat he was on, exploded on the Ohio River. He died two days
    later. The last pastor of Lebanon was Dr. John Miller, who was one of
    the first students of Erskine College.
    In 1856, a yellow fever epidemic struck the Hamburg community where
    most members of Lebanon lived. They moved to Oak Hill to get away from
    the lowlands. Because of the distance from Oak Hill to Lebanon, the
    Lebanon Church was disbanded and Bethel Church was formed at Oak Hill.
    Rev. John Miller became the first pastor of Bethel. An attractive
    church along classical lines was constructed and dedicated in 1857.
    Bethel entertained Synod for the first time in 1861. After the War
    Between the States, Rev. Miller resigned his pastorate to become
    headmaster of the Wilcox Female Institute in Camden. Rev. William
    Moffatt Grier became pastor of Bethel. He resigned his pastorate in
    1871 to become president of Erskine College. Rev. Miller returned to
    Bethel and served until his death in 1878.
    In May 1879, Rev. Hugh McMaster Henry became pastor of Bethel Church.
    He continued to serve the church until his death on November 2, 1933.
    His pastorate at Bethel of 54 years and 7 months is the longest
    pastorate in the history of the ARP Synod.
    In 1895, a larger church building was erected adjacent to the old
    building. The cornerstone of the old church can be seen in the parking
    lot of the present church. The new sanctuary was dedicated on November
    9, 1895. Built in the Victorian style, it has been a landmark of
    Wilcox County for many years.
    Bethel Church has hosted Synod three times (1861, 1880, and 1931), and
    has hosted the Synodical Union twice (1933 and 1952). Four of Synod's
    moderators and a president of the Synodical Union have been from
    Bethel. Four foreign missionaries - William Bonner, James G. Dale,
    Flora Harper Halliday, and Ann Woodson Prime - have all been members
    of Bethel Church.
    Bethel also has very close ties to Erskine College. Thomas Joel
    Bonner, a member of the Lebanon Church, was one of the first students
    at Erskine. Two members of the first graduating class of the Due West
    Woman's College (Evelyn Jones and Dannie Jones) were members of
    Bethel. Over the last one hundred forty years Bethel has sent
    seventy-three of her young people to Erskine.
    ======================================================
    http://www.rootsweb.com/~txfreest/Families/GrpSheets/BonnerThomasJoel1
    2.htm
    "Thomas Joel Bonner attended Miami University in Ohio and graduated
    from Erskine College in SC in 1843. He was licensed to preach by the
    Alabama Presbytery in 1846. He moved to TX in 1859 and organized the
    County Line Presbyterian Church. The congregations of Harmony,
    Richland, and Ebenezer grew out of that church. "
    ======================================================
    Fairfield Recorder Obits (Sept 26, 1890-Sept 20, 1895) by Ann
    Farnsworth, 2003
    
    p. 18 -
    "May 15, 1891
    
    Killed
    Two small Negro children were accidently killed in the northern part
    of the county last Saturday night.  The facts as near as we could get
    them are:  Saturday night around 10 o'clock as Tom Bonner, and two
    Negro women and the two children that live on Mr. Bonner's place, were
    returning from Corsicana on Mr. Bonner's wagon, the team became
    frightened and run the wagon off the bridge falling a distance of
    about 20 feet killing both the children.  Mr. Bonner and one of the
    women were considerely bruised up though not seriously hurt."
    ======================================================
    
    Thomas Joell Bonner's Family Bible
    
    Died at son's home (Walter Bonner)
    =================================
    
    Source - "The Fairfield Recorder Obits (Sept 26, 1890-Sept 20, 1895)"
    Transcribed by Ann Farnsworth.  Fairfield Genealogical Society,
    copyright 2003.
    
    p. 80
    
    "June 21, 1895
    
    Death of Rev. T. J. Bonner
    Died June 13th, 1895 at the residence of his son, Walter Bonner, in
    Wortham, Texas, Rev. T. J. Bonner, aged about 74 years, 6 months.
    
    The deceased was a well known resident of this county having moved to
    Freestone in 1859.  He was born in Alabama Dec. 22nd, 1820 [sic].   He
    was educated at Erskine College of South Carolina where he graduated.
    He engaged in ministerial work at the age of 21 as a minister of the
    Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.  During the first year of his
    ministry he traveled in Alabama and Georgia after which he settled in
    Wilcox County, Alabama, near Camden.  There he followed the avocation
    of preaching and farming until 1859 when he moved to this county,
    settling near the town of Bonner (then called Woodland) where he lived
    continuously until many years after the war.
        In 1884 he was elected County Treasurer of this county and served
    efficiently for two years.  He lived  in Fairfield until July 1891
    when he moved to Palestine, where he resided until about the first of
    May, when he moved to Wortham and being quite feeble in health made
    his residence with son, Mr. Walter Bonner.
    
    Thus after going several milestone in life beyond the alloted "three
    score and ten" the deceased passed away and went to receive the
    rewards of a Christian life spent here on earth.  He reared five
    children, three sons and two daughters all of whom he lived to see
    grown and become members of church.
    
    He had many friends and relatives in the county and had the esteem and
    friendship of all that knew him.
    
    He was a man of quiet, pleasant disposition, socialable and friendly
    with all; and his everyday walk in life showed that he was a patient
    humble Christian.  After a long eventful life with many changing
    scenes, he now sleeps the short sleep of death, compared to the great
    eternity to come; and on the glorious resurrection morn, he will live
    forever with all the saved through Christ.
    
    His remains were interred in the Wortham Cemetery.  "
    
    Baptised by Rev. James Lowry.
    
    http://members.tripod.com/~BethelARP/bethel.html
    
    Thomas Joel Bonner, a member of the Lebanon Church, was one of the
    first students at Erskine.
    ==============================================================
    http://www.euphemian.org/alumnidata.html#1840
    
    Listed as a member of the Euphemian Literary Society at Erskine
    University.
    1840 Bonner, Thomas Joel
    
    After the failure of his health he moved from his old home on
    Tehuacana Creek to Fairfield, where he remained for some time.  Then
    he moved to Palestine where some of his children were living, but as
    the end of his days drew near he was seized with a longing to return
    to Freestone County.  To gratify this wish his children moved him to
    his son's, W. B. Bonner, at Wortham, Freestone County where he
    remained until his death.
    
    Wilcox County, Alabama - 1850 Federal Census       (File 4 of 5)
    
    This is the 1850 federal census for Wilcox County, Alabama.
    
    KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS:
    LN=Line Number      FN=Family Number
    VAL=Value of Real Estate Owned     MRD=Married within last year
    SCH=Attended school within last year
    R/W=Adults who cannot read and write
    AFFLICTIN=Whether deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or
    convict
    
    
    The 1850 Census
    
    STATE:     AL      COUNTY: Wilcox
    REFERENCE:
    ======================================================================
    ===PAGE  LN     FM   LASTNAME            FIRST NAME AND INI.  AGE  SX
    CLR       OCCU.            VLU    BORN   MRD  SCH  DDB AFFLICTION
    REMARKS
    ======================================================================
    === 773    9    599  BONNER              Thomas                26    M
                                     AL
    773    10   599  BONNER              Amanda                22    F
                                  SC
    773    11   599  BONNER              Anne                   5    F
                                  AL
    773    12   599  BONNER              William                2    M
                                  AL
    773    13   599  POSEY               Margaret              18    F
                                 SC
    
    =================================================
    1850 Census for Wilcox Co., AL.
    Roll: M432_16, pg. 385, done on 11/8/1850 by A. Duff
    
    599/599  Thomas Bonner 26 M  [no listed job or $] AL.
        Amanda 22 F SC.
        Annie 5 F AL.
        William 2 M AL.
        Margaret Posey 18 F SC.
    
    ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/freestone/census/1870index.txt
    
    Index -
    Surname,Given Name,Age,Sex,Race,BirthPlace, County, Locality, Page
    BONNER,THOMAS J,45,M,W,AL, FREESTONE, FAIRFIELD P.O.,46
    
    Household:
    
    Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation
    Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
    Thos J BONNER   Self   M   Male   W   57   AL   Clerk In Store   SC
    SC
    Amanda H BONNER   Wife   M   Female   W   57   SC   Keeping House
    SC   SC
    Walter BONNER   Son   S   Male   W   24   AL   Farm Laborer   AL   SC
    
    Carrie BONNER   Dau   S   Female   W   21   AL   School Teacher   AL
    SC
    James W BONNER   Son   S   Male   W   17   TX   Form Laborer   AL
    SC
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ----------
    Source Information:
      Census Place District 55, Freestone, Texas
      Family History Library Film   1255304
      NA Film Number   T9-1304
      Page Number   557A
    
    1860 Federal Census of Freestone County  - July 11, 1860, Fairfield
    Post Office
    p. 25
    168 170  Thos J. Bonner 37 m Ass. Ref. Prcher AL
                               H. A. 38  f                          SC
                         Euphemia 15 f                           AL
                            Edward 11 m                          AL
                          Harriette  9  f                           AL
                       Margarette  7  f                           AL
                             Walter  5  m                         AL
                           Caroline  2 f                           AL
    
    1830 US Census - Wilcox County, AL. - p. 178a - Line 16
    
    William Bonner [Sr.] -
    Free White Males:
        2 5-10 yrs. old  [Rev. Thomas Joell Bonner age 8, William Bonner, Jr.
    age 10],
        1 40-50 [William Bonner, Sr. age 47 in 1830]
    
    Free White Females:
        1 under 5 yrs. old [Sarah "Sallie" Bonner age 4]
        1 5-10 yrs. old [Margaret "Peggy" Bonner age 5]
        2 10-15 yrs. old [Elizabeth Ann Bonner age 13, Mary Bonner age 12]
        1 30-40 [Ann Lee Joell age 35 in 1830]
    
    Slaves:  40
    
    1870 Census for Freestone Co., TX
    Roll: M593-1586, pg. 46, Image 93  - done on 8/14/1870
    
    173/173  Bonner, Thomas J. 45 M W Minister 6,000 2,000 AL.
        -, Hattie A. 44 F W  AL.
        -, Wm. E. 22 M W AL.
        -, Hattie M. 18 F W AL.
        -, Margaret P. 16 F W AL.
        -, Walkin 14 M W AL.
        -, Carrie C. 13 F W AL.
        -, James 9 M W TX.
    
    See Freestone County Book Vol I, p. 152
    
    http://www.rootsweb.com/~txnavarr/religion/westminister_presbyterian_c
    hurch_corsicana/brief_history.htm
    
    A Brief History of the Presbyterian Church
    in Corsicana and Navarro County
    by John H. Sullivan
    Originally published in "The Navarro County Scroll", 1960
    Reprinted with permission of the Navarro County Historical Society
    Photo 1998 by Dale McCary; Link to Dale's: Photos From Home
    
    
    "As stated above, many of the character members of the Corsicana A. R.
    P. Church had lived at Eureka, where an Associate Reformed
    Presbyterian Church had been organized in 1876 by the Rev. William
    Little Patterson.  Immediately after the Civil War, Rev. T. J. Bonner
    had gone to the community of  Fairfield - Stewards Mill and held
    services for members of the Associate Reformed Church in that
    locality.  It was to this point that Rev. W. L. Patterson came from
    Georgia, under the direction of the church headquarters.  Rev
    Patterson served the church at Eureka, known then as the Richland
    congregation, as pastor for more than twenty years.  He served that
    community as a man of God for more than fifty years.  He was human,
    but with a touch of the Divine, for he too 'Went about doing good'.
    The original church built in 1876, part of the material being brought
    from Houston, was located some two miles below the business point of
    Eureka.  This building was torn down in 1924 and the location moved to
    the business center of Eureka and was dedicated as "Patterson Memorial
    Presbyterian Church, U. S."."
    
    Source - "The Fairfield Recorder Obits Sept 25, 1885-Sept 19, 1890"
    Transcribed by Ann Farnsworth.  Fairfield Geneological Society,
    copyright 2003.  p. 126. Dec 23, 1887.
    
    =================================================
    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.
    
    T. J. Bonner  [Thomas Joell Bonner]
        30 slaves of whom:
                 unknown house slaves (looks like 5 in house, but is
    rather small.  Could be tick mark.)
                 1 blind, dumb or idiot
                 13 men, 17 female
                 27 black, 3 Mulatto (37 yr old male, 12? yr. old male, ?)
    
    =================================================
    
    The Centennial History of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
    (1803-1903), prepared and published by the Synod, Presses of Walker,
    Evans, & Cogswell Co. in Charleston, SC. in 1905, reprinted in 1982:
    
    Mentioned in the Texas Presbytery on pg. 35-36.
    Biography and picture appears on pg. 62-63.
    Mentioned in the biography of William Little Patterson on pg. 275.
    Mentioned in the biography of James Little Young, Jr. on pg. 397.
    Mentioned in the congregation sketch of County Line, Freestone Co.,
    TX. on pg. 457.
    Mentioned in the congregation sketch of Harmony, Freestone Co., TX. on
    pg. 484.
    Mentioned in the congregation sketch of Richland, Navarro Co., TX. on
    pg. 561.
    
    Freestone Frontiers  (Volume 5, May 1985, Number 2)
    pg. 4.
    
    The last of 24 for the first week drawn for jury duty in William
    Cotten (District Court Clerk) and A. G. Anderson (County Court Clerk)
    and W. T. Watson (County Justice of the Peace) at the spring term of
    the District Court of 1868.  Dated January 18, 1868.
    
    24.  T. J. Bonner
    
    Record Book of Harmony Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church,
    Stewards Mill, Freestone County, Texas:
    
    Tribute of Respect
    
    "At a congregational meeting of Harmony Church September 11, 1896, the
    following resolutions were adopted and requested to be published in
    the A. R. Presbyterian:
    
    We your committee appointed to draw up suitable resolutions in
    reference to the memory of Rev. T. J. Bonner would recommend the
    following, viz:
    
    Since as a congregation we have never made any public record of the
    death of Rev. T. J. Bonner, which occurred on the 13th of June, 1895,
    and whereas he was practically the pastor of this church from its
    first organization until he was disabled by failing health, resolved
    
    1.  That in appreciation of his name and merit, a space in our book of
    records be kept sacred to his memory.
    
    2. That in this space be recorded the following sketch of his life and
    work, viz:
    
    Rev. T. J. Bonner was born in Alabama on the 22nd of Dec. 1822 and
    died in Freestone Co., Texas on June 13, 1895.
    
    The subject of this sketch was educated at Miami College, Ohio, was
    married to Miss Amanda Posey.  Studied for the ministry in the
    Associate Reformed Seminary in Due West, S.C. in 1842 and 43,  He
    afterwards missionated in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama for several
    years.
    
    In 1859 he moved to Freestone Co., Texas where his father and uncle
    had settled.  Immediately he began to preach as opportunity offered in
    private homes, school houses, and court houses.  He soon became known,
    loved and respected for his great goodness of character and devotion
    to the Gospel of Christ.
    
    In the course of a few years he gathered around him a few members of
    the A. R. P. church and in 1865, organized a church which was known as
    County Line church.  This was the first A. R. P. church in Texas.
    There being no A. R. Presbytery in Texas and sinceRev. H. Mosely had
    assisted him bery much and had influenced several G. A. Presbyterians
    to join in the organization, the church put herself under the care of
    the Central Presbytery of Texas of the G. A. P.  Under this Presbytery
    they remained and worked in harmony until 1876, when the old County
    Line Church divided and formed Harmony and Richland.  Rev. T. J.
    Bonner continued to supply Harmony as long as his health would permit.
    
    After the failure of his health he moved from his old home on
    Tehuacana Creek to Fairfield, the county seat, where he remained for
    some time.  Then he moved to Palestine where some of his children were
    living, but as the end of his days drew near he was seized with a
    longing to return to Freestone County where most of his life work was
    done.  To gratify this wish his children moved him to his son's, W. B.
    Bonner, at Wortham, Freestone County where he remained until his
    death.
    
    He was truly an Israelite in whom was no guile.  Like Moses, he was
    meek, humble, modest, seeking no notoriety.  Like Paul, he was
    faithful in doing his Master's work, preaching the Gospel in season
    and out of season, often in ill health, enduring the winter's cold and
    the summer's heat to meet his appointments.  We believe like Paul he
    could say "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,
    henceforth there is laid up for me a crown which the Lord the
    Righteous Judge will give."