The Whitaker Boys ~ Sibling Saturday

(Top row) Frank, John, Artie (Front row) Joe, Harry, Lyman

I have heard my husband speak of a photograph of his Whitaker great-grandfather and brothers that he saw as a child; one that reminded him of the James Gang. Definitely a child's perspective. Not a whiff of a rumor of outlaw behavior in this crew of merchants, farmers and bankers. Still, his eyes lit up when he saw this photo again in Grandma Bonnel's photo album, some 50 years after first seeing it. 

The boys are the sons (there were daughters, too) of Henry L. Whitaker and Harriet Merriam. The cardboard frame is stamped "M. W. Rudolph, ATCHISON, KANSAS" and the names are handwritten on the frame. Artie (Arthur S. Whitaker or Stephen A. Whitaker), standing at the right, was the youngest brother, born in 1876. Lyman, seated in front on the right, was the eldest brother, born in 1858. I estimate the date of the photograph to be in the very late 19th or first decade of the 20th century. 

The Great-Greats: Grandma who?

Harriet (or Irene) Merriam Whitaker. 1837 - 1910

The most exciting part of seeing Grandma Bonnel's photo album last month was seeing photographs of four of my husband's great-great grandparents for the first time. The album included images of her parents and Whitaker in-laws. We now have faces for seven of his sixteen great-great grandparents.

This photograph is believed to be of Grandma Bonnel's mother-in-law. It is captioned "Irene Whitaker (Joe's mother). This caption, however, conflicts will all other known information about the wife of Henry L. Whitaker including the marriage license, grave marker and all census references. She is consistently referred to as Harriet or Harriet E. Merriam. I do not know who wrote the caption, but have to assume it was not Grandma Bonnel, who would have presumably known her mother-in-law well enough to be clear on her name. Perhaps Irene was a nickname? Or perhaps whoever wrote the captions was simply wrong. While the Bonnel family captions have been consistently accurate when compared to other sources, there are errors in at least two of the Whitaker family captions. Given that Eva Bonnel Whitaker had separated from or divorced her husband, whoever wrote the captions may have had less familiarity with the Whitaker side of the family.

The image is of a young woman in what appears to my untrained eye Civil War era clothing. 

The Great-Greats: Henry Lyman Whitaker

Henry L. Whitaker, 1838 - 1902

The most exciting part of seeing Grandma Bonnel's photo album last month was seeing photographs of four of my husband's great-great grandparents for the first time. The album included images of her parents and Whitaker in-laws. We now have faces for seven of his sixteen great-great grandparents.

This photograph is of a very young Henry Lyman Whitaker, Grandma Bonnel's father-in-law. On the back, in addition to a handwritten caption identifying him, is a fading stamp reading "A. R. TREAT, Photographer, ATCHISON, KANSAS, ____ Street". I cannot make out the street name.

I am quite taken with Grandpa Henry's curls and expressive eyes, traits I see in his descendents today.

The Great-Greats: Mary Catherine Shouse Bonnel

Mollie Bonnel (Mary Catherine Shouse), 1841-1903

The most exciting part of seeing Grandma Bonnel's photo album last month was seeing photographs of four of my husband's great-great grandparents for the first time. The album included images of her parents and Whitaker in-laws. We now have faces for seven of his sixteen great-great grandparents.

This photograph of Eva Bonnel's mother is in need of digital restoration. Sorely in need of digital restoration! Fortunately her face is clear, but the background needs to be cleaned up and the fingerprints removed. She appears to be in her late thirties or forties, which would date the image to the late 1870s or 1880s. The caption on the back of the portrait gives her name as Mollie Bonnel, which is the first time I have seen her referred to by a nickname. 

Taking Aim

From the Library of Congress

I have been on Geneablogger auto-pilot for many, many months. Years, even.

But the lovely sharing of her grandmother's photo album by my husband's aunt last month, inspired me to at least pay it forward and share the family photos she let me copy. Grandma Bonnel's photo album is slowly going public. Simple posts. Not much research involved, but it has gotten me back into devoting some time to family history. And doing some very light blog reading. I miss having the time to devote an hour, often more, to reading and examining what other Geneabloggers are producing.

Those posts I have read provoked deep, deep thoughts while editing and shooting Grandma Bonnel's photos into the world. Contemplating my navel, as my father calls it. James Tanner had me in a bit of a snit with his post Time Constraints. Frankly, I agree with most of his points. But Tanner, who seems to operate as a blogger provocateur, did prompt a defensive reaction with his call to action,

"Let's jointly craft museum quality research rather than throw-away, disposable research that will have to be redone in the future by someone else (like me)."

Whatever I am doing here, it ain't museum quality research. I don't have as much constrained time, nor am I as disciplined, as he. And I regret that. That knowledge prompts my educational wish-list (another contemplating my navel blog post). Much of which falls by the wayside when those darling living folks I am related to worm their way back into my consciousness.

An aside to ward off howls from my kin. I adore my family and am blessed to be closely connected to many of them. They are not in any way burdensome. But my brain has a limited capacity. When I am enjoying them, I am not researching, scanning or producing anything worth preserving. Beyond memories.

Saturday I read a post by one of my Hungarian researcher blogger buddies, Zen & the Art of Genealogical Maintenance. Magda took a hard look at her own work and came to three conclusions.

"1 ) Less is more
 2 ) Don't be a genealogical hoarder
 3) Keep it simple."

I'll never be a minimalist anything. But her second and third conclusions resonated with me. And reminded me of why I began blogging and why I returned. I love research. I've done some pretty good bits over the years and am proud of them. But my genealogical mission is not research.

My mission is examining, culling and then sharing the thousands of photographs, letters, documents and earlier research that I have inherited. I have made no attempt to truly research each family. I have had hundreds of families handed down to me. Others will have to do that. I am sharing the research I have been given, after validating it as best I can using online resources. I am scanning and sharing photographs and documents that do not appear to be available elsewhere. That's it. Someone else will have to take the material and turn it into genealogical art. I hope they do. I just want to get it out "there".

Ready. Aim. Fire.

The Great-Greats: Charles F. Bonnel

Charles F. Bonnel, 1833 - 1919

The most exciting part of seeing Grandma Bonnel's photo album last month was seeing photographs of four of my husband's great-great grandparents for the first time. The album included images of her parents and Whitaker in-laws. We now have faces for seven of his sixteen great-great grandparents.

This photograph of her father, Charles Bonnel, is undated, but appears to have been taken fairly late in his long life. It is the clearest of the photographs and in the best condition. A treasure! 

High School Class ~ Almost Wordless Wednesday

Mary Whitaker's high school class.
Whitaker is standing in the front row on the right.

Grandma Bonnel's photo album includes this picture of her daughter's high school graduating class. Mary Whitaker was born in 1901. The family story is that she graduated high school at 16 and moved to Wyoming to teach on the Wind River Indian Reservation. That would date this photograph at about 1917. The clothing seems winterish, so I doubt this was an actual May or June graduation photograph, but the caption on the back does indicate it is her graduating class. I have not confirmed her graduation date, nor the name of her high school near Effingham, KS, but by 1920 she was enumerated in Fremont County, WY as a 19 year old teacher in a rural school. 

Sources

Whitaker, Eva Bonnel. Bonnel Photo Album. c. 1885 - 1960. Privately held by granddaughter of E. B. Whitaker, McCook, NE. 1994. The album was examined and photographed May 24, 2013 and permission was given to publish photographs.  

1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Wyoming, Fremont, Election District 8, enumeration district (ED) 57, p. 5B, dwelling 103, family 114, Mary Whiteaker; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 Jun 2013); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T625, roll 2026.

Bonnel Family ~ Tombstone Tuesday

Last summer I visited the rural Noffsinger Cemetery (as in cows across the dirt road) in Atchison County, KS where my husband's Bonnel great-great grandparents are buried. Their grave is marked with a modern stone that obviously replaced the early 20th c. stone or stones. Next to the modern stone are four old and mostly illegible stones that are likely marking the graves of the four children whose names are engraved on the side of the modern Bonnel grave marker.

Bonnel graves in Noffsinger Cemetery near Effingham, Atchison, KS.

BONNEL
Charles F. Bonnel
1833 - 1919
His Wife
Mary C. Shouse
1841 - 1903

William F.
1866 - 1866
Margaret C.
1863 - 1872
Thomas B.
1880 - 1880
Myrtle E.
1886 - 1893
Children of C.F. & M.C. Bonnel

Eva Bonnel Whitaker ~ Funeral Card Friday

Grandma Bonnel's funeral card was slipped into her album after her death. She had moved to Benkelman from Atchison County, KS to be cared for by her daughter.

Sources

Whitaker, Eva Bonnel. Bonnel Photo Album. c. 1885 - 1960. Privately held by granddaughter of E. B. Whitaker, McCook, NE. 1994.

The album was examined and photographed May 24, 2013 and permission was given to publish photographs.  

One More Bonnel Sibling - Wordless Wednesday

The last photograph of Grandma Bonnel's sisters and brothers is of her younger sister Katie and husband John W. Henry. 

Sources

Whitaker, Eva Bonnel. Bonnel Photo Album. c. 1885 - 1960. Privately held by granddaughter of E. B. Whitaker, McCook, NE. 1994.

The album was examined and photographed May 24, 2013 and permission was given to publish photographs.  

Big (brother) Ben Bonnel

My apologies. I couldn't resist a little alliteration. Grandma Bonnel's photo album included two superb photographs of her eldest brother Ben and his family. Benjamin Edward Bonnel (1862-1926) was the second of Charles and Mollie Bonnel's 16 children. He was born in Platte County, MO, but the family moved soon after his birth to Atchison County, KS. He married Mary Catherine Best in 1885 and had eight children.

This first photo appears to have been taken while Ben and his wife Kate were traveling. Ben is holding an umbrella, Kate is seated in a cart hitched to an elegant looking goat. Both are garbed in summer dress. I am guessing the photograph was taken in the early 20th c., before the first World War. I have no idea where they might be. Any suggestions?

Ben Bonnel, oldest son of Charles Bonnel, and wife, Kate.

The second photo is a four generation portrait of Kate Best Bonnel, her daughter, Grace, mother Malinda Bricker Best and an unidentified granddaughter. The photograph had to have been taken before Malinda Best's death in 1917. 

Ben Bonnel's family. (clockwise from top left) Daughter Grace, wife Kate, wife's mother, granddaughter

Sources

Whitaker, Eva Bonnel. Bonnel Photo Album. c. 1885 - 1960. Privately held by granddaughter of E. B. Whitaker, McCook, NE. 1994.

The album was examined and photographed May 24, 2013 and permission was given to publish photographs.  

Sheffield Ingalls, History of Atchison County, Kansas (Lawrence, KS: Standard Publishing Company, 1916), 380. Biographical sketch of Aaron S. Best.

Clingan School, Atchison County, KS - Wordless Wednesday

More from Grandma Bonnel's photo album - 

No one is identified in this undated photograph labeled Clinghan School. A Google search points out an historical Clingan School southeast of Effingham, and near to the Bonnel's home. The young dark haired woman sitting the the middle may be Eva Bonnel. 

Is this Eva?

 She certainly bears a strong resemblance to this portrait of Eva Bonnel Whitaker.

Joe Whitaker and Eva Bonnel Whitaker

Sources
Whitaker, Eva Bonnel. Bonnel Photo Album. c. 1885 - 1960. Privately held by granddaughter of E. B. Whitaker, McCook, NE. 1994.

The Bonnel Siblings

These two undated photographs of seven Bonnel brothers and sisters are from Grandma Bonnel's (Eva Whitaker) photo album. The names are written on the back of both photographs (blessings be on she who wrote those captions). Henry died in 1951, so the photos were most likely taken in the late 1940s or 1950 and most likely at the Atchison County, KS home of one of the siblings. Laura and Josie had moved to Southern California and must have been home visiting. Looking at the clothing they are wearing it is possible the occasion was the funeral of Kate Henry's husband, John, who is reported to have died in September, 1946.

Henry Bonnel, Eva Whitaker, Kate Henry, Laura Butler, Ida Beech, Josie Pittman and John Bonnel

Eva Whitaker, Josie Pittman, Henry Bonnel, Ida Beech, John Bonnel, Laura Butler and Kate Henry

One more Bonnel sister was still alive at the time, the eldest, Mary Ettie Bonnel Freeland. She died in 1952 and is buried in Kingman County, KS.

Sources
Whitaker, Eva Bonnel. Bonnel Photo Album. c. 1885 - 1960. Privately held by granddaughter of E. B. Whitaker, McCook, NE. 1994.

The Bonnel Homeplace

Bonnel Family, undated

This tintype is one of the images in Grandma Bonnel's Photo Album. It is labeled "Bonnel Family" and is presumably the parents, and some of the brothers and sisters of Eva Bonnel Whitaker. The family moved to Kansas from Platte County, Missouri around the time of the Civil War, settling near Effingham in Atchison County.

In the 1900 census Charles and Mary Catherine (Mollie) Bonnel had their four youngest surviving children living at home, Charles (aged 22), John (aged 20), Henry (aged 18) and Laura (aged 16). The same children are the only ones shown in the household in the 1895 Kansas State Census. The 1900 Census states that Mary C. Bonnel bore 16 children, 12 of whom survived. My research indicates there were eight surviving daughters and four surviving sons. The four who died as children and are buried with their parents at Noffsinger Cemetery in Atchison County.

Though undated, I believe the photo was taken about 1894 at the family home. Only one young girl appears in the tintype. Their youngest daughter Myrtle died in 1893, so I am assuming Laura, born about 1884, is the girl and that the picture was taken after Myrtle's death. By 1895 their oldest son and seven older daughters were all married, leaving only the four children named in the 1895 census at home. The older girls in the picture are probably daughters Josie (born about 1874) and Kate (born in 1876) who married in late 1894 or 1895.

Sources
Whitaker, Eva Bonnel. Bonnel Photo Album. c. 1885 - 1960. Privately held by granddaughter of E. B. Whitaker, McCook, NE. 1994.

"United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MMT9-Z3X : accessed 31 May 2013), Mary ? Bonnel in entry for C F Bonnel, 1900.

Blue Skyways, Kansas GenWeb, "1895 Census Atchison County," database, The KSGenWeb Project (http://www.skyways.org/genweb/ : accessed 30 May 2013), Bonnell, C. household 164; citing Center Township census, page 22.