Blackwell, Oklahoma ~ Wordless Wednesday

Another photo from Grandma Bonnel's album. It appears near the front of the album opposite photos of her children (who as far as I know never lived in Oklahoma). One of her brothers did move to Oklahoma, so perhaps he sent this home or they went visiting. 

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. 

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! 

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. 

Mary and Harry Whitaker, Childhood Photos

Grandma Bonnel's photo album includes several photographs of her young children, Harry Allen Whitaker (born 21 Nov 1893) and Mary Irene Whitaker (born 23 May 1901). The first photo is of Harry as a young boy, still with ringlets, posed with his youngest maternal aunt, Laura Bonnel (b. 1884).

Laura Bonnel and Harry Whitaker, c. 1896

Next is a baby picture of Mary, taken in late 1901 or early 1902. She, her brother and Aunt Laura have those big Bonnel eyes. Photos of Laura in old age look so like Mary that we were more than a little confused telling them apart.

Mary Irene Whitaker, c. 1901

Finally Mary posed with Harry about 1903.

Mary and Harry Whitaker, c. 1903

There are no other childhood photos of the two in the album. The next photo of Mary is at her high school graduation. 

Joe & Eva Whitaker of Atchison & Jefferson Counties, KS

The first pictures in my husband's great-grandmother's photo album are of his great-grandmother and her husband.

Joe Whitaker was born 22 Dec. 1866 in Atchison County, KS. He died 25 June 1948 in Nortonville, Jefferson, KS and was buried in Nortonville Cemetery, Nortonville, Jefferson, KS. He was one of nine children born to Henry Lyman Whitaker and Harriet Merriam. 

Eva Bonnel was born 12 Feb. 1869 in Center, Atchison, KS to Charles Frederick Bonnel and Mary Catherine (Mollie) Shouse. She was one of sixteen children. Eva died 27 Feb. 1963 in Benkelman, Dundy, NE and was buried in Benkelman Cemetery, Benkelman, Dundy, NE. 

Joe & Eva Whitaker, undated.

Eva and Joe were married 24 Dec. 1888 in Atchison County, KS. They had two surviving children. Harry Allen Whitaker was born 21 Nov. 1893 in Pardee, Atchison County, KS. Mary Irene Whitaker was born 23 May 1901 in Effingham, Atchison, KS. The couple separated and may have divorced once their children were grown. Though no mention has been made in the family of a legal divorce, Eva was listed in the 1920 census as divorced. Joe has not been found, but their children had moved out and were living independently. In both the 1930 and 1940 census Joe and Eva were listed as widowed and enumerated in separate households in the small town of Nortonville. Both lived on Main Street. 

Eva Whitaker, "Grandma Bonnel"  c. 1960. 

Joe Whitaker with his eldest great-grandchild  in 1943.

Sources

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

"United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MF6F-ZML : accessed 29 May 2013), Eva Whitaker, 1920.

"United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X7QH-91R : accessed 29 May 2013), Eva Whittaker, 1930.

"United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X7QH-9PZ : accessed 29 May 2013), Joe Whittaker, 1930.

"United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VRKC-LP5 : accessed 28 May 2013), Eva Whitaker, Nortonville, Norton Township, Jefferson, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 44-9, sheet 4A, family 85, NARA digital publication T627, roll 1236.

"United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VRKC-B6T : accessed 28 May 2013), Joseph Whitaker, Nortonville, Norton Township, Jefferson, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 44-9, sheet 6B, family 151, NARA digital publication T627, roll 1236.

Westward Ho!

I am temporarily changing directions at Nolichucky Roots. Or expanding my compass. This blog is named for the East Tennessee river my mother's family lived by for generations. I have also written about the Carpatho-Rusyn roots of my father's family and the Tidewater roots of my mother-in-law.

My father-in-law's family has been neglected. Certainly not in research! They have been a fascinating bunch to trace. While the other three lines have strong ties to particular geographic areas, his lines are distinguished by few ties to any location. Over the 19th & 20th centuries they moved. And moved. And moved. I call his family the Westward Roots, for the only constant has been the direction of their migrations. 

Other family members have, however, done good research, and with little new or original to share, and no photographs to illustrate the stories, I set them aside. No more. My husband's aunt recently showed me her grandmother, Eva Bonnel Whitaker's (12 Feb. 1869 -  27 Feb. 1963) photo album. 

Grandma Bonnel's photo album

Eva had photographs of her parents and grandparents, of family businesses, her children, brothers and sisters. I shall be sharing them here with her granddaughter's permission. It is a thrill to be able to do so, and a whole new world. We shall be in Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming.