Freestone County, Texas
History


Bonner Cemetery Historical Marker




The "Fairfield Recorder" newspaper - Thrusday, October 15, 1970 edition
pg #4.

Historical Marker Erected Today At Bonner Cemetery

An offical Texas historical Marker for Bonner Cemetery wil be erected on Oct.
15, it has been announced by Uel L. Davis, Jr. of Wortham, acting chairman of
the Freestone County Historical Survey Committee.

The marker will be placed at 3.3 miles north of Stewards Mill, interestion of
FM 833 and FM 2547, Fairfield.  Dedication plans will be announed soon.

Made of cast aluminum with Swedish steel effect, the marker measures 27 by 42
inches and is sponsored by the descendants of William Bonner and Dr. John
Bonner.  The inscription reads:

Bonner Cemetery, established in 1867 as a final resting place for William
Bonner, Dr. John Bonner, and their descendants.  The two brothers, natives of
South Carolina, came to Texas in the early 1850s, settling in Freestone County.
Here they amassed thousands of acres of land which they developed into great
cotton plantations.

Patriarch of the Texas Bonners was William Bonner (1783-1877), who started his
career as a waggoner. With a modest education and no financial help, he piloted
his Texas land investments into a fortune.

A veteran of the War of 1812, he married Ann Lee Joel in 1816.  Of their eleven
children, seven chose to live in this area.  William Bonner was a staunch
Presbyterian who was known for his shrewd judgment, unusual energy, humor, and
common sense.

John Bonner (1794-1879) was one of three physicians among the five Bonner
brothers.  A person of great intelligence, he scorned sham and ignorance.  He
and his wife Eliza (Williams) had nine children, seven of whom moved to
Freestone County with them.  

Among the five generations of Bonners interred here are teachers, doctors,
lawyers, merchants, and farmers.  For over a century the family has figured
prominently in the development of Freestone County."

The marking of local historic sites and landmarks is part of the Texas State
Historical Survey Committee's program of preservation activities.  These
include archeological investigations, small museum consulation, and
administering the National Historic Preservation Act in Texas.  AS of 1970, the
committee has erected more than 5,000 official markers.

The name and location of the next edition of the Guide to Offical Texas
Historical Markers, in order to stimulate tourist travel in this area, to
arouse interest in historical tours, and to acquaint people of this locate with
their unique heritage.