Capt. Frederick Bonsey Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1077-1078 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				CAPTAIN FREDERICK BONSEY. 

	Captain Frederick Bonsey, of Pierre, South Dakota, carefully 
supervises his invested interests and has contributed in substantial 
measure to the business development and prosperity of the city. A 
native of Maine, he was born in Ellsworth, May 5, 1855, his parents 
being Samuel and Susan (Lords) Bonsey, both of whom were descended from 
old New England families. The first of the Bonsey family came to 
America from Scotland early in the seventeenth century, making 
settlement in Maine and through generations representatives of the name 
have been seafaring men. Samuel Bonsey was a sea captain, devoting his 
entire active life to that vocation. His death occurred in 1896 when he 
had reached the venerable age of eighty-six years. His family numbered 
ten children, all of whom are yet living, excepting Edward, who passed 
away in June, 1915, and the youngest is fifty-four years of age. Two of 
the sons are sea captains. 

	Captain Bonsey of this review attended the common schools until 
his fourteenth year when, following the family precedent, he went to 
sea, shipping before the mast. He sailed out of New York for eight 
years in the West Indies, Windward Islands and South American trade and 
subsequently became captain of the schooner Senator, plying between New 
York city and Maine, remaining there three years. He saw his share of 
excitement and dangers and when in a reminiscent mood relates many 
interesting experiences of those days. In 1883 he resigned his command 
and came west, settling for a short time in Minneapolis, but later in 
the same year removed to Dakota territory. For a time he resided in 
Spink county and later in Sully county, where he took up homestead, 
preemption and tree claims. Later he returned to Spink county and at 
Ashton conducted the Bonsey Hotel for three years. In 1889, soon after 
the capital was established at Pierre, he removed to that city and 
served as the first chef of the Locke Hotel, remaining in that 
connection for three years, when he resigned to engage in the 
restaurant business on his own account. He continued therein with 
growing success for sixteen years, having one of the first chess 
establishments of the city and enjoying a most liberal patronage. In 
1914 he sold that business and then entered into the canning business, 
being one of the organizers and a director of The Hield Canning 
Company, of which he is also manager. Their only line is tomatoes and 
they now have forty thousand tomato plants out which they cultivate 
themselves. This company is one of Pierre's most important commercial 
productive institutions. He is likewise the owner of considerable 
residence property, from which he derives a gratifying annual income. 

	On the 7th of February, 1886, was celebrated the marriage of 
Captain Bonsey and Miss Frances Winter, a daughter of Nicholas and Mary 
Winter, of Boscobel, Wisconsin, and they have two children, Ruth and 
Andrew. Mr. Bonsey exercises his right of franchise in support of the 
men and measures of the republican party. In matters of citizenship he 
is thoroughly progressive, supports all measures of public improvement 
and does everything in his power to advance those interests which are a 
matter of civic virtue and civic pride. His chief sources of recreation 
are hunting and fishing and he has hunted big game in all sections of 
the northwest, bringing off many trophies of the chase. Fraternally he 
is a member of lodge No. 23, A. O. U. W. In his broad and varied 
experiences he has learned much concerning the correct valuations of 
life and has due regard for all those forces which make for the benefit 
and upbuilding of the community and which count as factors in those 
warm friendships which make life worth living.