The first record of James and Frances Bonner shows them as registered at St. Anne's Parish of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1846. Connie Culp, a fellow Bonner researcher, had asked the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center (PAHRC) for information on the James Bonner family. The Archdiocese researched the records for St. Anne's for the years 1846 - 1873. The Church had this family group living in St. Anne's Parish from Cornelius' birth through Joseph's birth, or 1854 through 1868.

The Church was able to find the records of birth and baptism for 7 children born to James and Frances. It should be noted that Frances reported in the 1900 and 1910 census that she gave birth to 9 children. I see no reason to doubt that Frances was correct in her statements to the Census takers. The other two children are believed to be Grace and Sarah. Sarah's death certificate has been located and her documentation relating to this family is reasonably strong. In the second enumeration of the 1870 census we find the family living back on Monmouth Street in November of 1870. During the first enumeration, according to her death certificate, Sarah would have been born when the family was living in West Philadelphia for that brief period in 1870. Therefore, we will have to locate her birth information in the records of a church other than St. Anne's.

Grace is listed in the second enumeration of the family in 1870. She appears to be the oldest of all the Bonner children. With an age of 20 in November 1870 she would likely have been born in 1850. Her death certificate indicates that she was born in 1870, which does not seem to be possible. Therefore, we are left with an extra child of James and Frances-- Richard.

Richard's paper trail is a bit more elusive. However, the circumstantial evidence points to him as being a part of the extended family. In 2001, both Neil Bonner and Al Bonner, confirmed descendents of John F. Bonner and Richard Bonner, respectively, had a Y-chromosome DNA test performed to see if they shared a common ancestor. The results came back positive that proved that a common ancestor existed. What it does not tell us is if James Bonner was the common ancestor or if it was the father or grandfather of James Bonner. However, given the other supporting evidence, it seems highly probable that Richard was the nephew of James and Frances Bonner.

St. Anne's Parish, founded in 1845, covers the area around Monmouth St. in Philadelphia. The family belonged to this parish. In 1882, the Nativity B.V.M. church was built in the neighborhood to help serve the growing Catholic population. The address of St. Anne's was Memphis St. and Lehigh Ave. The address for Nativity B.V.M. is Belgrade and Allegheny Ave. These two churches are located very near to one another. PAHRC searched the baptismal journals of these churches.

The church also checked out St. Michael's for the years 1847 through 1861 and All Saints from 1876-1896 for both marriages and births just in case. Nothing was found. St. Michaels is at 2nd and Jefferson, founded in 1833. All Saints is at 46th and Thompson, founded 1860.

What is curious is that according to the Church, the family lived in the neighborhood of St. Anne's during the years 1854 - 1868. The city directories do not list James on Monmouth Street during this period. However, James did purchase the property on Monmouth Street on 27 August 1868 from a widow named Sarah R. Belt. The sales price was 1 dollar. Every 1 April and 1 October, James Bonner (or his heirs) was to pay $25 to Sarah R. Belt (or her heirs). The terms recorded on the deed were "forever". The house was on Monmouth Street bordered by Birch Street and Edgemont Street, on the northeast side of the street.

There is a James Bonner living at Salmon & Emory in 1856 and 1857 so perhaps that is the man described in these notes. We find the family in the 1870 Census living on the other side of town--in West Philadelphia, which was called Ward 24 at the time. This is very interesting in that James had purchased a home on Monmouth Street in 1868 and in the 1870 they are listed as living in Ward 24, which is across the city in West Philadelphia. However, this is an error in the census. Despite the fact that they are listed on the rolls of Ward 24, District 81, they really were living in Ward 25, District 81. In November of 1870 the Census Bureau must have discovered that they lost the Ward 25 books and went back to the neighborhood to enumerate it a second time.

According to the Philadelphia City Directories, the James and Frances family lived at 1128 Monmouth Street from 1870 - 1875. The directories then show the family living at 1126 Monmouth Street from 1877 - 1885. Then from 1886 - 1910 we know that they were living at the address 2707 Monmouth Street. It's very likely that 2707 Monmouth was the very same house as 1126 & 1128 Monmouth Street. According to the Philadelphia City Archives, a massive renumbering project occurred in the Kensington neighborhood in the early 1880's by the Board of Revision and Taxes.

James and Frances' son Edward purchased a family grave in New Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia. The lot can hold up to 12 bodies. There are currently 9 people buried in this plot. The first was a Grace Weathenspoon [sic] buried in 1895, followed by William Weatherspoon in January 1900. This Grace is the daughter of James and Frances. She married William Wotherspoon. There is another plot in the New Cathedral Cemetery where Annie Wotherspoon is the lot holder. In that lot there are buried two infant Wotherspoons as well as Sarah and James Bonner, both children of James and Frances.

In October of 1900, Joseph was buried in the plot. Two years later the patriarch of the family, James Bonner died and was buried on April 12, 1902. It was not until 11 years later that James' wife, Frances joined her husband in death on May 22, 1913. As of this writing there are 3 Bonner children of James and Frances that we do not know the date and place of death. Those children are: Cornelius, Mary and Frances (Fannie).


The following are chronological ordered notes of the James Bonner family. Some information is repeated from above but it may be easier to follow by year.

According to my research, there are a few possibilities regarding James Bonner’s immigration to the United States. As more ship manifest records become digitized we may be able to find out the truth of his passage.

The best analysis based on his age and origins, places him on the ship John Ravenel which arrived at the Castle Garden immigration center in, what is today known as Battery Park, Manhattan, New York. The ship arrived on 1 April 1848 from Liverpool. The manifest lists a James Bonner, age 30, laborer whose origin was Ireland. This is a perfect match with our estimated 1818 birth year and a match with his occupation.

The other less likely alternatives could place him on one of two ships, both of which arrived in 1850. First is the arrival in Philadelphia on 18 May 1850, on-board the Bark Envoy that embarking from Londonderry, Ireland. On the ships manifest James was listed as 26 years old which places his year of birth around 1823-1824 which is a bit later than our 1818 to 1820 estimate. Another James Bonner arrived on 8 March 1850 on the Bark Creole. This James Bonner was listed as age 20, which perhaps puts him a little too young to fit in with the census evidence. Later research has shown that Grace Bonner was born about 1850. Therefore, James likely did not emigrate in either of these two ships as there is no listing of a Frances Bonner on these ships. Therefore, the most likely scenario is that he emigrated on the John Ravenel in 1848.

The standard fare from Londonderry to Philadelphia at that time started at 4 pounds, which was approximately $20 US. This was for steerage passage.

There was a James and Hugh Bonner (brothers?) that immigrated together on the Ship Susquehanna, which debarked from Liverpool and arrived in Philadelphia on 14 July 1848. There were 208 passengers listed. I once thought it possible that this was the Hugh that married Catherine and lived on Ann Street. However, the 1850 Census reports that Hugh and Catherine had 3 children born in Pennsylvania before 1848. Therefore, this Hugh probably was not the Hugh that immigrated on the Ship Susquehanna.

From 1850 to 1868, James and Frances had 9 children all born in Philadelphia.

The 1870 Census for James and Frances indicates that they were living in Ward 24, which is West Philadelphia, across the Schuylkill River. As stated previously, this is a mistake with the Census; they actually were living on Monmouth Street in Ward 25. There was a child named, Patrick Sweeney or Locney (unclear) age 9 living with the family in 1870. I looked hard but could not locate James and Fanny in the 1860 Census. (There was a James Bonner in the William Penn hospital in the 1860 census so it is possible that he may have been a patient during the enumeration.) The family was enumerated on 30 June 1870, in Ward 24 (really 25). Daughter Grace and Sarah were both not counted in the census for some reason.

The 1870 Census has James Boner age 50, working as a "Coal Wheeler". The value of his home was listed as $1,500 and he had $500 in personal assets. Frances age 48, Cornelius age 15 in school, Edward age 13 in school, John age 10 in school, James age 6, Joseph age 1. Also living in the household was a male named, Patrick Locney (? unclear spelling) age 9 in school.

The 1880 Census, City of Philadelphia, E.D. #524, Sheet 27: has James Boner living at 1126 Monmouth St. James, age 62; Francis, wife, age 55; Edward age 22; Fannie age 25; John, age 18; James, age 15; Joseph, age 10.

The 1890 Philadelphia city directory shows a James Bonner (laborer) living at 2707 Monmouth St., as well as a James Jr.

The 1900 Census lists James living at the same residence with his wife, sons James, Joseph, and daughter Fannie. It lists James being born in June 1830, which obviously puts him 5 years younger than reported during the census of 1880. It says that he and his wife had been married for 40 years. However, Cornelius was born 46 years earlier. It is more likely that they were married some time in 1853 or 1852. The census further states that James and Fannie were naturalized citizens and immigrated in 1858. This cannot be correct based on their children's ages and places of birth (Pennsylvania). My guess is that they came over around 1848 thru 1853 as part of the "Famine Irish" in that great Irish exodus to escape starvation. The 1900 Census lists James and Fannie as unable to read and write. This census shows that he owned the house that they lived in while most of their neighbors were renters. In 1910 it showed that all of the neighbors were renters except the Bonner's.

There were at least five Bonner families that lived in the Richmond area of Philadelphia from around 1850 thru 1890. There were of course, James and Frances of Monmouth Street. There was Hugh and Catherine C. who lived on Ann Street. James P. also lived on Ann and was the son of Hugh and Catherine, and the co-owner of Bonner & Hanlin Livery of 6 Columbia Ave in 1890. There was John and Bridget Bonner of Salmon Street who were the sponsors of Frances in 1858. There was also the Dennis and Mary that lived on Ann Street and they have been previously mentioned. Dennis and Mary's son, Dennis Jr. and his wife Mariah also lived on Ann Street and in the general neighborhood. Finally, there was a James and Mary who lived in Ward 19 (presumably Richmond area) and was identified in the 1860 and 1870 census along with their 8 children.

As you can see, there were very many Bonners' in this neighborhood of Philadelphia during this 40-year period. I find it entirely possible if not downright probable that either the elder Bonner men were cousins or brothers. All of them mentioned above had emigrated from Ireland. If Irish history is any indication, most Bonner's (or Boner as it was also spelt) came from County Donegal. I hope that, someday we may be able to find Irish records that record Bonner men from Donegal heading towards Philadelphia.

• Note: The archivist of the Archdiocesan Historical Research Center in Philadelphia could not find any marriage record for them. They most likely were married somewhere else.

1. Grace Bonner b: ABT 1850 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2. Sarah Bonner b: ABT 5 MAR 1852 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
3. Cornelius Bonner b: 20 MAY 1854 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4. Edward J. Bonner b: 6 MAY 1856 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Frances Bonner b: 18 FEB 1858 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6. Richard Joseph Bonner b: ABT 1859 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. John F. Bonner b: 6 MAY 1860 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
8. Mary Bonner b: 23 NOV 1862 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
9. James Bonner b: 1 MAR 1865 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10. Joseph Bonner b: 1 NOV 1868 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1. Title: Research Results of the James & Fannie Bonner Family, Richmond Neighborhood of Philadelpha, PA
   Author: Archdiocesan Historical Research Center, Philadelphia, PA
   Note: Letter to Connie Culp, from the AHRC based on the research of a Church archivist on the baptisimal registers of churches in the Richmond section of Philadelphia.
   Repository:
   Media: Church Record
   Text: Info forwarded from Connie Culp. James and Frances are listed as the mother of 7 children from the archives of St. Anne's Church. That is the parish covering 1126 Monmouth St. It was founded in 1846.
2. Title: 1880 Census, City of Philadelphia. E.D. 524, Sheet 27
   Repository:
   Note: NARA, Washington, DC
   Media: Census
3. Title: 1870 Census, City of Philadelphia, PA, Ward 24 (actually 25)
   Note: The Census Bureau made a mistake and recorded this enumeration as Ward 24. In truth this roll is really Ward 25. In November 1870 the Bureau went back to this area of Ward 25 to do a second enumeration.
   Repository:
   Note: NARA, Washington, DC
   Media: Census
   Page: E.D. 81, Page 620
   Text: Lists age as 50
4. Title: 1870 United States Federal Census
   Note: Ninth Census of the United States, 1870, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1870
   Repository:
   Note: www.ancestry.com
   Media: Ancestry.com
   Text: Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census. [database on-line] Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003-. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1870 U.S. Federal Decennial Census.1870 United States Federal Census. [database online] Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003. Original data: Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1870 Federal Population Census. M593, 1,761 rolls; part of Minnesota T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Philadelphia Ward 25 Dist 81 (2nd Enum), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, post office , roll 1440, page 458, image 222.
5. Title: New Cathedral Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA; Burial Registers
   Repository:
   Note: 2nd and Butler, Philadelphia, PA
   Media: Church Record
   Page: Section E, Range 7, Lot 41
   Text: Listed as James Bonner age 59, interment 12 April 1902, grave 2/E. Buried with Frances Bonner and 7 others.
6. Title: Certificate of Death, James Bonner, 08 April 1902
   Author: City of Philadelphia
   Note: Died 08 April 1902 of Chronic Bronchitus. Age 59, married, living at 2707 Monmouth St., Philadelphia, PA.
   Repository:
   Media: Civil Registry
   Text: James Bonner age 59, married, cause of death: chronic bronchitus, laborer from Ireland. Living at 2707 Monmouth St., Philadelphia. Buried 12 April 1902 in New Cathedral Cemetery by John A. Fitzpatrick, undertaker of 2570 Frankford Ave.
7. Title: Philadelphia City Directory
   Page: 1895 Gopsills, p. 193
8. Title: 1870 Census, City of Philadelphia, PA, Ward 24 (actually 25)
   Note: The Census Bureau made a mistake and recorded this enumeration as Ward 24. In truth this roll is really Ward 25. In November 1870 the Bureau went back to this area of Ward 25 to do a second enumeration.
   Repository:
   Note: NARA, Washington, DC
   Media: Census
   Page: E.D. 81, Page 620
9. Title: Philadelphia City Directory Database, 1850 - 1890
   Author: Neil R. Bonner with Al Bonner and Connie Culp
   Repository:
   Media: Electronic
10. Title: Philadelphia Deed Book, JTO 166, entry for James Boner, 27 August 1868
    Repository:
    Media: Microfilm
    Page: 463-468
11. Title: New Cathedral Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA; Burial Registers
    Repository:
    Note: 2nd and Butler, Philadelphia, PA
    Media: Church Record