I29836: Nancy Ann (14 Jul 1821

Notes

The family name of Bonner is of Norman-French origin with the original Bonners arriving in Britain during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. There have been numerous spellings of the name: in France as Bonheur (meaning good hour) and Bonnaire (meaning good manners) all of which have the key "good". Other spellings of the surname include Bona, Bonar, Booner, Bonney, Bonher and Boner. Many of these latter spellings probably have resulted from the inability to write and hence spelled by the recorder from the way it sounded with the additional difficulties in interpretation of handwriting. Today the name Bonner is common in France, Germany, England and Northern Ireland as well as in America and the British Dominions.

The Bonners were a prominent family in England with Quentin de Riddell an ancestor of the noble house of Buchanan-Riddell. Quentin first bore the ensign of Bonner from whom descended the noted Bishop Edmund Bonner. There are numerous documents in England during the reign of Henry VIII where Riddell is written in the body and Bonnaire (Bonner) in the margin. Riddell and Bonner families bear the same coat-of-arms usually meaning that the younger family (Bonner) descended from the older.

The Bonners arrived early in America with immigrants appearing in Boston in 1678. Captain John Bonner, the son of John Bonner of London, settled in Cambridge and later moved back to Boston where he died. His tombstone in the Old Granary Burying Ground in Boston bears the description of the Bonner coat-of-arms:
"Quarterly gules and sable, a cross pattee quarterly ermine and ox. On a chief of the last a demirose streaming rays between two pelicans vulning themselves of the first. Crest - a talbot's head argent, collared azure. Studded edged and ringed or. Motto: Semper Fidelis"

John had several children to include Jane (d. 1686), Johan (d. 1687), Mary (1668-1699), Jane (b 1691, named after her sister that had died, returned to London), John (b. 1693 returned to London), Sarah (d. 1721) and Thomas born in Cambridge 1695 and buried in South Carolina where he died in 1719.

There are several other Bonners appearing in America in the 1600's to include Thomas (1638), Henry, and Richard. Very few Bonners appear on the ship list after the Revolutionary War most of whom are emigrants from countries other than England. All of the families in the United States by this name are perhaps distantly related with the possible exception of the Pennsylvania branch who appear to be of German origin. Before the Revolution, the Bonner name was found in all of the American colonies except New York (NY was devoid of Bonners even as late as 1790).

Most of the Bonners living in the Carolinas and Georgia in 1790 seem to have migrated from the older colonies of Virginia and Maryland. Thomas, James and William Bonner came from Chesapeake to North Carolina with Thomas settled on Bonner Hill, William probably Chowan, and James founded the town of Washington. Several migrations of Bonners to California are known. Among the shady Bonners, William Bonney, the outlaw known as "Billy the Kid", may be a Bonner.

James C. Bonner author of "The Migration Pattern of the descendents of Thomas Bonner, a Family History" did not continue the ancestry of Thomas Bonner born c1744. His book is very poorly documented but does paint for us a picture of the BONNER family. He did not know at this time which of the early Bonners our Thomas who was born in about 1744 from South Carolina descended from. "He is sure to have brothers possibly John Bonner who also served in the Revolutionary War from the Carolinas who mentions his brother Thomas in his pension application." [I'm still not sure who this John Bonner is as by this time there are several Thomas Bonners to chose from].

Judy Cardwell, myself, Cecil Bonner, William L. Harvey and many other researchers have been working to retrieve the records of North Carolina to determine our Bonner Heritage. Judy Cardwell in particular made tremendous strides in collecting and transcribing countless wills and land records. Data presented here are preliminary findings of our work with this family. During the course of our investigations, John Wesley Curry published a book The Bonners of Chowan County - to our hearts delight the majority of our conclusions match his even though they were performed independently.

New Bonner Book!
Title: The Descendants of Thomas Bonner (1690) & Thomas Bonner (1744)
Author: Cecil L. Bonner
Author's comments: This book is about the descendants of these two families that I believe strongly are related. It contains approx. 5565 names of people that are descended from these two gentlemen and over 4,000 families. The book weighs between 7 & 8 lbs. and contains approx. 1370 pages! It also contains a lot of Bonner History and a lot of information on some of these ancestors. The book is $70.00 if ordered and check received before 15 July, 1999 and $75.00 if ordered after that date. Price includes postage and handling.

You may send your pre-paid order to:
Cecil L. Bonner
1571 Mac Davis Rd.
Columbus, Ms. 39702
Phone: 662-327-3317
E-mail [email protected]

Cousin Cecil has traveled the U.S. and interviewed hundreds of BONNER descendants gleaning information and stories of our kinfolk. We have long awaited his completion of this book and delighted he is able to record this and make it available for us to cherish. Be sure to order your copy!

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My Southern Family

Nancy Ann

14 Jul 1821 - 30 Oct 1890

ID Number: I29836

Sources

William ALLEN

ABT 1850 - ____

ID Number: I14298

Sources

Elizabeth ALSTON

ABT 1740 - ____

ID Number: I104322

Sources

(RESEARCH QUERY) BONNER

____ - ____

ID Number: I1313

Notes

Sources

John Buxton CARR

30 Aug 1862 - ____

ID Number: I81731

Sources

Mary CLENDENNON

ABT 1770 - ____

ID Number: I37073

Sources

Avarilla DUDLEY

ABT 1696 - 1779

ID Number: I3683

Notes

Sources

Angeline GOODMAN

ABT 1850 - ____

ID Number: I77815

Sources

ROBERT KNOLLYS

ABT 1435 - ____

ID Number: I85052

Sources

James W.F. MACRAE

ABT 1800 - ____

ID Number: I33752

Sources

Thomas G. REILY

1848 - ____

ID Number: I10977

Sources

Lt. Nathaniel TYLER

ABT 1770 - BEF 1793

ID Number: I46356

Notes

Sources

Lewis WAUGH

1762 - 1808

ID Number: I62277

Notes

Sources

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