Bonner Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's how the marker at Bonner Cemetery tells it, and I'll do my best to give it the weight it deserves. Two brothers, born in South Carolina, made their way to Texas in the early 1850s and put down roots in Freestone County. What they built out here wasn't just a life.

It was a legacy that's still in the ground. Now the elder of the two, William Bonner, was born in 1783, and before he was anything else, he was a waggoner. A man who moved things from one place to another.

Not much formal schooling, no financial help to speak of. But the marker makes a point of noting his shrewd judgment, his unusual energy, his humor, and his common sense. Those were his tools, and he used them.

He piloted his Texas land investments into a fortune. He had served in the War of 1812, and in 1816 he married Ann Lee Joel. Together they had eleven children, and seven of those children chose to stay right here in this part of Texas.

William was a staunch Presbyterian, and he lived, the marker tells us, until 1877. His brother John Bonner was born in 1794, and John was a physician, one of three physicians among the five Bonner brothers. Five brothers, and three of them became doctors.

John had a particular reputation: he was a person of great intelligence who scorned sham and ignorance. His wife Eliza, born a Williams, came with him, and together they had nine children. Seven of those nine followed them to Freestone County.

John Bonner lived until 1879. Now this cemetery was established in 1867 as a final resting place for William and John and their descendants. And the descendants came.

Five generations of Bonners are interred here, teachers and doctors, lawyers, merchants, and farmers. For over a century, the marker says, the family has figured prominently in the development of Freestone County. A waggoner with common sense and no financial help built all of that.

And Freestone County is still living in the long shadow of what those two South Carolina brothers planted here.

What the marker says

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 massed 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.