41. James Toy⁵ Bonner (James Taylor⁴, David³, John², ??¹) was born in Chillicothe, Ross Co., Ohio 12 Dec 1847. James died 13 Nov 1920 in Columbus, Nebraska.

He married Ida May Davison 1 Jan 1878. Ida was born in Illinois 7 Mar 1858. Ida was the daughter of Daniel Davison and Harriet Matilda Lyons. Ida died 6 May 1944.

James's occupation: Furniture Store & Undertaking in Osceola, Polk Co., Nebraska, 1876. James made the caskets and Ida trimmed them.

James's occupation: owner in Osceola, Polk Co., Nebraska, 1 May 1884. The building was 16' X 30', two stories with basement. James and IDa were working cream from nearly 100 cows.

He resided in Clear Creek, Nebraska 1900s. Had a farm. They eventually had a water powered mill and James built an octagonal barn. People in the area thought he was crazy but the design made good sense. One could pitch hay down into the center and easily reach a section of cows or the horses. He left the farm in the late 1800s seeking construction work in order to help pay for the farm. He continued to send money home for payments.

Wall Street, Colo, Aug 11 02 Dear folks at home: Well this month is almost half gone this Monday eve and if I write every nite I can perhaps tell you something. I feel a good deal like Hattie I want to go home. But I can't see my way clear yet. You will get enough notices between now and Sept 1st to scare you. There's at least $2 to pay then and I know you have not the money to meet them. I will send you all I can possibly raise. If you can raise any so much the better. There will be $100 to pay Oct. 1st. as this seems to be the only chance to make money I had better star as long as I can. I wish so much we could sell the farm, but then Providence has something better for us. I don't want to sell any of the crop of the farm. If we have a nice lot of hogs we can make more by holding and feeding the crop. How much will you get on the pasture, I had better let Mike had it for $45.

I expect I forgot Saturday was Trues birthday. Iam going to Boulder Saturday and spend Sabbath with Walter and I will see if I can't find something nice for him even if it is late. I wrote the other letter expecting to write some more when I got the money order but Walter was sick and I was talking business with him so I did not have time and I had him get the order and send the letter as it was. I wrote you in a previous letter to pay the interest note and if there was anything left to give it to Kinsman. As you wrote me you expected to pay part of the interest.

I am sorry you are looking so old you must not worry as you told me so often. I want you to look a fresh and blooming as a young girl when I get home. I am glad I am mistaken about Axel. I may be about the tobacco, I saw him take a drink out of a bottle that was passed around. That is all I know. Two preachers sons-in-laws is almost too much don't you think?

They have Sunday School here every Sabbath. Yesterday they had 42 in attendance. The preacher is a young man, preaches in the vening makes the Sabbath school long. In the evening the house is full. You would be surprised at the conduct of the young people - they talk and laugh almost out loud. I don't like the way the preacher does but maybe he knows better than I do, how to draw them. There is not much gospel in them. He is a very good offhand talker. I dont know how long he has been preaching. I went to prayer meeting last Friday. There was a very good attendance. There is one good thing here there is no saloon. I dont see many children but on Sabbath they come out from somewhere.

I think Mrs. Kummer will find the way of the transgressor is hard before she is thru.

I suppose about the first thing I will have to do when I get home is to fix the head race. The banks were washed so badly during the high water that I dont suppose the boys are able to do much toward fixing them.

I took a walk up on the mountain yesterday there are many mines that are not working not enough ore to pay. I would rather have our farm than most of the gold mines. There has been more money put into the ground here than has even been taken out. One of the mines is on top of the peak and there is a nice home there. You can set on the porch and look east for miles down thru the canyon. The range seems to have a fascination for me. I like to get up where I can see the snow covered peaks.

(Tuesday) I have been building stairs almost all day and I am pretty tired. I am not very well today. I am very bilious, have ever since I came here. I must get some wild sage. They say that it is the best thing for that. There are oceans of it here. I wish I could change my boarding place. Things are cooked over too much to suit me. They have enough boarders to set a better table than they do. I guess you are tired of my finding fault with my hash. Maybe if I had a good appetite things would be different. I guess I will quit until I have something to say besides finding fault.

(Wednesday) Well I had a piece of good news today. My wages have been advanced commending tomorrow so I will get $3.50 after this. I believe I will have Walter come home and he and the boys can fix up the pond and the race and anything you see needs to be done. You can shut the water out two days in the week and let them do what they can. That way perhaps you will be able to get more water. I will stay until Oct. 31. I will let him have $25 of my wages, he will be at home and have a good rest. I am afraid if he stays where he is he will not be fit to go back to school. Of course we need the money but after studying the matter over I think this will be the best for us all. I think our business will increase and we must have water to run the mill. Of course if we could sell the farm we could do different but according to your letter of today there seems to be no prospect of doing that. I charged $4 for the season or $1 per month for less than season for horses. Brewer was to cut down the weeds and keep the orchard clean, perhaps he willl deny but I told him very distinctly that I wanted it done. I hope next year we can rent for cash rent. But I suppose our good neighbors will not let us rent at all if they can help it.

This seems to be a good year for babies. I a'el (?) will have to go away back and sit down after that boy. I am going to Boulder Saturday and if Walter will consent, I will have him go home next week. He will not let Brewer back you down I think. Don't let Kinsman bulldoze you in the school board. The law is very plain as to your duties and priveledges and he and Bill cannot run things as they please because you are a woman.

I will send you $20 Saturday in this letter. If you don't need it specially you can pay it to Kinsman. If you can pay $5 on that note at the First National at Columbus pay the interest and renew the balance for 60 days by that time we can likely pay it.

I am glad your flowers are doing so well. I hope we may have a nice lot of them next year.

I don't believe Hattie ought to take the place at Weavers. I would much rather if we can that she and Ernest get rooms and batch. If Bessie can get a good place she might work for her board. But I am afraid that Hattie cannot stand it. But time is short - you can do what you think best under all the circumstances.

We must try and fix up our ice house and put more ice next winter. The children would have thought it was 4th of July if they had been here today. They were breaking up some big rock at th mill and the blasts sounded like cannon. I have been able to get some fine gold ore today. They are not very valuable but they show the ore formation. I have a nice lot of specimens. I may send them home with Walter if he goes.

I think I will like it better here now that Supt. seems to place more confidence in me. If I do say so myself, I know I am better workman than the boss carpenter. He is better o na frame but that is all. I don't expect to be the boss but I will get better work as well as better pay. If I stay here I will know better how to fix our own plant when we get ready.

I feel better today, I got a couple of lemons yesterday are one will eat the other today. I think I will eat one a day for a week and see if they won't cure me. There is a big Elk picnic tomorrow at Mount Alta. I wish I could go but I have only 15 cents so I will have to stay home like a good little boy. I wanted to to the ice cream social but I only had 25 cents and that had to last me 2 weeks so I did without ice cream. You can eat two dishes for me the next time you have any. I have not got my camera yet but I will as soon as I can. I wo't take any pictures Sabbath even if Mr. Rogers did. I didn't take any long tamps just little climbs. The train has just gone up the mountain. It is fascinating to see the train going along like a snake crawl. How are the horses standing this summer. As they don't have any scraping they ought to be in good shape.

(Thursday) I received Hattie's letter today. I began to think Ed's letters took so much time she did not have time to write to me. Axel was right after all 7 is more than 4. That is only 2 apiece but maybe they will make up in size what they lack in nos. I suppose Hattie feels like a Blooded Bondholder now.

If we have a late fall you may have lots of melons yet. Save a lot of them for me. I expect you can get a good young man to help you if I don't come home until Oct. 31. It will be between harvest and corn husking and you can get some for $12 a month for the work will not be hard, that is if you are not able to do it among yourselves. I can make $75 clear if nothing happens by that time. I hope you will make something out of your garden. Garden sass is high here. 25 cents a doz. for corn. There is a good deal of fruit 10 per box for raspberries.

The weather is cold here at night but the days are warm. I have a west room. I keep my window open all the time, by morning a blanket and comfort are very comfortable. The wind blows off the range down the canyon and they get pretty cold by morning.

I must quit and go to supper. I do my own washing. Its does not take long and it saves me about 30c per week. After I come back from Boulder I think I will look around and see if I cannot get in with someone and batch. I have plenty of time. I get up at 5:30 a.m. and commence work 6:50. We quit work at 5:00 p.m. so there is plenty of time to cook but it won't pay alone.

I will quit and finish this Sat. or after I get mother's letter. I have filled lots of paper but have not said much.

(Saturday) I must finish this before breakfast for I will not have time before mail if I don't. This is a beautiful morning. Most of the mornings are fine here. I expect you will see Walter next week. I don't know what he will do but I think he will take my offer I made him. I am going to see him this evening, will come back tomorrow eve.

Breakfast bell has rung so I will close for this time. Goodby, love to all and kisses for yourself and babies.

Your loving hubby and father James T. Bonner He was the first Secretary for the Undertakers Association in Nebraska.

James Toy Bonner and Ida May Davison had the following children:

+ 59 i. Walter Daniel⁶ Bonner was born 27 Oct 1878.

60 ii. Caroline Harriett Bonner was born in Osceola, Polk Co., Nebraska 27 Sep 1880. She married Edward Price. (See Edward Price for the continuation of this line.)

61 iii. Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Bonner was born in Osceola, Polk Co., Nebraska 25 Jan 1883. She married Orlo Adkins. (See Orlo Adkins for the continuation of this line.)

She applied for homestead land in Stratton, Kit Carson Co., Colorado, 1917.

+ 62 iv. Ernest Edward Bonner was born 13 Sep 1885.

+ 63 v. Mahlon Davison Bonner was born 31 Mar 1888.

64 vi. Anna Martha Bonner was born in Osceola, Polk Co., Nebraska 28 Nov 1891. She married Harry Joy Harrold in "The Cedars", Polk Co., Nebraska, 15 Sep 1915. Harry was born in Bee, Seward Co., Nebraska 22 Jan 1889. Harry was the son of ?? Harrold. Harry died 8 Oct 1964 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon. He resided in Kearney, Buffalo Co., Nebraska 1915 - 1936. All the children were born on the farm.

He resided in Salem, Marion Co., Oregon Dec 1936. He resided in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon 1944. (See Harry Joy Harrold for the continuation of this line.)

She resided in Ashland, Oregon 1981. Worked for Montgomery Ward.

+ 65 vii. James Truesdale Bonner was born 9 Aug 1894.

66 viii. Ellen May Bonner was born in Polk County, Nebraska 1 Mar 1897. She married Maurice Ayers in Columbus, Platte Co., Nebraska, 17 Sep 1924. (See Maurice Ayers for the continuation of this line.)

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