History of Hamilton County Ohio
Portraits, (with biography), of Mr. and Mrs. M. S. Bonnell
between pages 316 & 317
transcribed by Karen Klaene

Marcus Seneca BONNELL, a prosperous farmer, occupying a beautiful residence on the dividing line between Harrison and Crosby townships, five miles northeast from Harrison and two miles northwest from New Haven, is a grandson of Aaron BONNELL who came to the Miami country in 1805, with his brothers Benjamin and Paul, and his married sisters, Rhoda and Abigail - a strong delegation for one family at one time. They were all children of Benjamin and Rachel BONNELL, who came from England and settled in New Jersey, where their family was reared. The father was drowned in the East river, near New York, with ten others. November 10, 1798, on a boat crossing from the city to Brooklyn, upon which a number of casks of rum rolled to one side and overturned the frail vessel, with the terrible results above noted. He was then seventy-five years old. His wife survived him until 1812, when she departed this life, in the eighty-fifth year of her age. Aaron, the seventh child and fifth son, was born March 4, 1759, it is believed in Essex county, New Jersey. He was a brother-in-law to Judge Othniel LOOKER, the distinguished pioneer who settled near Harrison in 1801; they having married twin sisters - Judge LOOKER, Pamelia, and Mr. BONNELL, Rachel CLARK. They had six children - two daughters and four sons, of whom the father of the subject of our sketch was one - Clark BONNELL, born November 18, 1790, in New Jersey. His father, Aaron, was the only one of the BONNELL colony who settled in Harrison (formerly Crosby) township, the others stopping in the neighborhood of Carthage and taking farms there. Aaron entered the northwest quarter of section eighteen, due north of the subsequent site of Harrison village, in the valley of the Whitewater. improved the place, and remained there until his death. During his lifetime he drew a pension as an artificer for the Government during the war of the Revolution. His wife also died upon the old place near Harrison. Some time before the death of his parents. Clark BONNELL, who bad learned, in part, the trade of a shoemaker in New York State, before the removal of the family to the west, was married to Miss Elsey WYKOFF of a family residing near Harrison, on the Indiana side and removed to the village, where he pursued his trade for many years and then removed to a country neighborhood in Ross township, Butler county, five miles from Hamilton, where he continued to follow his business. Remaining here about five years, he removed to New London, Butler county, where he lost his wife by death. She was born February 7, 1794, and died in September, 1835. Her husband died in Cincinnati in 1864, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Their children numbered nine, of whom Marcus Seneca was the third, and the oldest son. He was born upon the old place near Harrison. m a cabin where his father was then residing, November 8, 1816. He had some schooling in the poor "subscription schools" of that day, which he attended for brief periods as the pressing labors of the farm and workshop would allow and in due time learned his father's trade, beginning to help in a small way when he was but nine years of age. He did not take kindly to the business, as it was too confining, and he was strongly predisposed to farm life; so he did little at shoemaking after he was fifteen years of age. For about eight years he served as a farm hand at various places in Hamilton and Butler counties, by the month or year, and for the next two years worked Judge ANDERSON's farm in Butler county,' "on shares." Then for two years he similarly farmed the old place near Harrison, which had become the possession of his grandmother. He also managed it a similar term for the purchasers of the farm after her death - Messrs. George ARNOLD and Peter RIFFNER. The latter was father of Martha R., who became the wife of Mr. BONNELL December 8, 1842. He was now residing on a rented farm on the other side of the Whitewater, in the edge of Indiana, where he remained a year and removed to the FROST farm, on LEE's creek, in the north part of the township. This he occupied, on five-year leases, for the period of fifteen years, and so successfully that he was enabled to purchase the one-hundred-and-forty acre tract upon which he now lives, in 1856, two years before his last lease expired. To this he removed at the expiration of his lease. and here he has since resided, adding one hundred and fourteen acres to his original purchase, and making a farm of such high excellence and reputation that the award of the premium offered in 1880. by the Hamilton County Agricultural society, for "the best farm of forty or more acres, in the general plan of buildings, fields, fences. and the skill shown in drainage and general cultivation of the several kinds of crops, in care of stock. implements, and tools, etc.," was made to Mr. BONNELL, after careful inspection of his place by a committee of the society. He has, among other improvements. as many as twenty-two and one-fourth miles of under-draining. In 1860 he built the fine residence in which he now lives. and which appears to advantage in our illustration of his premises. He has devoted himself to his business, taking little interest in politics and holding no public offices. He has been for many years a member of the lodge of Odd Fellows of Harrison.

Mrs. Martha Riley BONNELL was the third daughter of Peter and Elizabeth RIFFNER, and was born February 11, 1815, at the old home near Harrison village. She is still surviving, in a hale and happy age.

Their children have been:

Elizabeth Isabel, born September 23, 1843; married John S. BOWLES of Harrison township, December 22, 1866, a farmer, who went to South America in 1874 and is believed to be dead. She now resides with her parents.

Clark Marion, born March 18, 1845; married Sarah BUTTS September 11, 1872; died January 21, 1880.

Peter RIFFNER, born April 20, 1847, died May 22, 1874.

William Riffner, born March 30, 1849, married Miss Jennie COOK December 5, 1870; lives in Henry county, Indiana, a carpenter.

Stephen Easton. born June 21, 1851; died May 6, 1875.

Elsey Alice, born May 5, 1853; married William BUTTS, a farmer of Crosby township. February 29, 1872; died March 26. 1873.

Emma Angeline, born March 21, 1855; died September 10, 1855.