My Genealogy Hound

T. W. BONSER, of Lake township, Phelps county, Nebr., was born in Illinois in 1849. His father, W. T. Bonser, was born in England in 1800. He was a farmer by vocation, and on coming to America settled in Schuyler county, Ill., where he passed the remainder of his days. He was an active member of the Union Baptist church, and in politics was a democrat. In 1834 he married Emeline Stephens, a native of Indiana, born in 1813, and also a member of the Union Baptist church. Thirteen children were born to this marriage, namely — Mrs. Keziah Rawson, in Illinois; William, in Phelps county, Nebr.; Mrs. Eliza Sugget, in Wyoming Territory; John, in Illinois; Nancy Jane; James (deceased); T. W. Milborne; Henry; an infant that died unnamed; Edward; another infant that died unnamed, and Marion.

T. W. Bonser was reared a farmer and was educated in his native county, which he left at the age of twenty-eight, in 1878, and came to Nebraska, settling in Phelps county, on section 25, township 5, range 17 west. When he began his business life, at the age of twenty-one, he had nothing in the way of wealth; when he came to Nebraska he had a team of mules, a wagon and two hundred dollars in cash at present he is the owner of two hundred and seventy-five acres of good farming land, well stocked and improved and clear of all incumbrance, all earned by hard work and good management.

In 1878 Mr. Bonser married Miss Nancy E. Strong, a native of Illinois and born in 1859. She has borne two children, Everett, in 1884, and Cora, in 1888. Mr. Bonser is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics is a democrat.