Cloud-Ottawa County KS Archives Biographies..... BONHA, Kitty Mary January 12, 1860 - July 10, 1972 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bill BOGGESS http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00024.html#0005917 February 20, 2010, 5:33 am Source: Ancestry.com (20 Jan 09) Author: dhauff78 Kitty Mary (aka, Mary R) Bonham Harvey Known to many as "Aunt Kitty" or "Mother Harvey". She was born in Ohio at the dawn of the Civil War. Her father, Aaron Bonham, died when Kitty was small. Her mother later married Reverend Horace Bushnell. Kitty always referred to him as "Father" with great affection. While studying music at Western Female Seminary in Oxford, Ohio, a physician advised her to forego her final year because of poor health. She moved to Minneapolis, Kansas, with her parents in the late 1870s where Reverend Bushnell served the Presbyterian church for several years (one church member and choir member was George Washington Carver). Kitty married William "Will" Harvey [triplet], a Minneapolis attorney, in 1879. They later moved to Oklahoma where he served as a judge. They had one son, Fred, who was a physician in Minneapolis. A daughter who died in infancy was also born to Kitty and Will. Will Harvey died in Oklahoma of malaria at the turn-of-the-century and Kitty and Fred returned to Minneapolis. Kitty was interested in young people; loved music and had a beautiful soprano voice and played the piano. She busied herself with reading and crocheting. At age 96, she wrote the memoirs of her life. A portion was published in "The Chronicles of Oklahoma" in 1957. In 1969, "The Wichita Eagle" carried a story on this remarkable lady. A copy was sent to Dr. William Spencer, president of the school that was called Western College for Women. In his search of Kitty's school records, Dr. Spencer discovered that Kitty had left the school in the spring of 1878, her junior year, due to ill health. "We were dumbfounded," Dr. Spencer said. "I have never heard of a thing like this happening anywhere, but Aunt Kitty is proof that it can". Her story was read to all the students, and the board of trustees authorized the issuance of a diploma. "It is little enough to do for a former student who has played an active part in the building of this nation. And we like to think at least some measure of it is due to our school. Naturally, Aunt Kitty won't have to come back here to complete her studies. I rather think there are things she could teach us." Around 90 persons watched as her degree was presented to her at age 109 on November 21, 1969. She responded by saying, "Thank you, thank you, I don't know what else to say. I'm so proud of that." On July 10, 1972, Aunt Kitty came to the end of life's journey at age 112 1/2. She outlived her husband by nearly 72 years and she outlived her son by more than a decade. Kitty was loved by many. Additional Comments: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Birth: in Ohio ~ ~ Death in Kansas On the 1910 Federal census, Kitty indicates that she is widowed and that she has had two children, one of which is still living. She is living with her son, Dr. Frederick Harvey. Father: Aaron Elijah Bonham b: ABT 1835 in Elizabethtown, Hamilton County, Ohio Mother: Portia Nerissa Olmstead b: SEP 1833 in West Meredith, Delaware County, New York Marriage: William L. (triplet) Harvey b: 5 NOV 1846 in Walton, Hants County, Nova Scotia, Canada Married: 6 MAY 1879 in Minneapolis, Ottawa County, Kansas Known Children Frederick E. Harvey b: 2 NOV 1881 in Minneapolis, Ottawa County, Kansas File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/cloud/bios/bonha164bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb