Individual Details
Luke Bonney
(1774 - 1819)
Prentice F. Bonney is mentioned in the Journal of the Senate of the United States of America, 1789-1873
WEDNESDAY, January 6, 1841 (page 84):
"Mr. Benton presented the petition of Prentice F. Bonney, praying to be allowed the bounty land due to his father at the time of his death, on account of his services in the late war; which was referred to the Committee of Claims."
The following day, THURSDAY, January 7, 1841 (page 85), Luke Bonney is mentioned:
"On motion by Mr. Hubbard,
Ordered, That the Committee of Claims be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of the heir of Luke Bonney."
Page 283 (in the index) makes it clear that the petition discharged is that of Prentice Bonney:
"Bonney, Prentice F., petition of, referred - - - 84
committee discharged - - - - 88"
Apparently, Luke Bonney is the father of of Prentice, and Prentice tried to get a land grant based on his father's service in the War of 1812.
A Luke Bonney is to be found in New York census with a son who would be about the right age, but difficult to confirm it is our Luke Bonney.
Year: 1810; Census Place: Bath, Steuben, New York; Roll: 37; Page: 374; Image: 47.00.
Luke Bonney 1 - - 1 - 2 - - 1 - - -
(1 white male under 10, 1 white male 25-44, 2 white females under 10, and 1 white female 25-44)
According to various sources (Landmarks of Steuben County, New York on Ancestry.com), Luke was one of the earliest settlers of Thurston, New York, with a small hamlet, Bonny Hill, named for him.
wikipedia.com entry for Thurston, New York says: "Bonny Hill -- A hamlet in the northwest part of the town. It was the site of the first settlement and was named after early landowner Luke Bonny."
Also, http://www.westny.com/steuben/thurston.htm says: "The Town of Thurston is located in the center of Steuben County and was formed on February 28, 1844. Thurston was named for William Thurston, a principal landowner in the area. Luke Bonny and William Smith established the first settlement on Bonny Hill. Edwin Merchant purchased land, which became known as Merchantville. In the late 1800's the name Merchantville was changed to Thurston, creating the small Village ofThurston within the township of Thurston. About 3 miles from the Village of Thurston is the other major hamlet, Risingville named after Nobel Rising an early settler and first postmaster."
A personal family tree on Ancestry.com actually has there being two Luke Bonney's, father and son, and the younger being born 5 Oct 1774 - Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts. However, I don't know where they got that information. According to this source, Luke's children were George (b. about 1809), Charles (b. about 1812), Arma (b. 1814), Caroline (b. about 1815), and Josiah (b. 14 FEB 1817). No Prentiss. Of course, that only accounts for at most 1 of the 3 children on the 1810 census. Also, the published biography of George A. Bonney says he was born in 1810, so I don't think we can be sure he was even on the 1810 census.
Now, here's where it gets interesting. We know from George's biography that Luke died and George moved to Illinois with mother and step father. Also, George moved to southeast Missouri around 1851 and returned a couple years later after an illness. Why southeast Missouri? Maybe because there were Bonneys there, maybe even his older brother. Of course, Prentiss lived in southeast Missouri, AND right about the time George went back to Illinois was when Prentiss decided to try his luck in the Gold Rush. So, the evidence is sketchy, but I think Prentiss is part of this Luke Bonney family.
The Family Data Collection on Ancestry.com gives birthdate for Luke as 23 Mar 1774. The other date mentioned in some other databases (5 Oct 1774) evidently comes from Mayflower Families Through 5 Generations Page: 20{2}:5. Both say he was born in Hardwick, MA.
WEDNESDAY, January 6, 1841 (page 84):
"Mr. Benton presented the petition of Prentice F. Bonney, praying to be allowed the bounty land due to his father at the time of his death, on account of his services in the late war; which was referred to the Committee of Claims."
The following day, THURSDAY, January 7, 1841 (page 85), Luke Bonney is mentioned:
"On motion by Mr. Hubbard,
Ordered, That the Committee of Claims be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of the heir of Luke Bonney."
Page 283 (in the index) makes it clear that the petition discharged is that of Prentice Bonney:
"Bonney, Prentice F., petition of, referred - - - 84
committee discharged - - - - 88"
Apparently, Luke Bonney is the father of of Prentice, and Prentice tried to get a land grant based on his father's service in the War of 1812.
A Luke Bonney is to be found in New York census with a son who would be about the right age, but difficult to confirm it is our Luke Bonney.
Year: 1810; Census Place: Bath, Steuben, New York; Roll: 37; Page: 374; Image: 47.00.
Luke Bonney 1 - - 1 - 2 - - 1 - - -
(1 white male under 10, 1 white male 25-44, 2 white females under 10, and 1 white female 25-44)
According to various sources (Landmarks of Steuben County, New York on Ancestry.com), Luke was one of the earliest settlers of Thurston, New York, with a small hamlet, Bonny Hill, named for him.
wikipedia.com entry for Thurston, New York says: "Bonny Hill -- A hamlet in the northwest part of the town. It was the site of the first settlement and was named after early landowner Luke Bonny."
Also, http://www.westny.com/steuben/thurston.htm says: "The Town of Thurston is located in the center of Steuben County and was formed on February 28, 1844. Thurston was named for William Thurston, a principal landowner in the area. Luke Bonny and William Smith established the first settlement on Bonny Hill. Edwin Merchant purchased land, which became known as Merchantville. In the late 1800's the name Merchantville was changed to Thurston, creating the small Village ofThurston within the township of Thurston. About 3 miles from the Village of Thurston is the other major hamlet, Risingville named after Nobel Rising an early settler and first postmaster."
A personal family tree on Ancestry.com actually has there being two Luke Bonney's, father and son, and the younger being born 5 Oct 1774 - Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts. However, I don't know where they got that information. According to this source, Luke's children were George (b. about 1809), Charles (b. about 1812), Arma (b. 1814), Caroline (b. about 1815), and Josiah (b. 14 FEB 1817). No Prentiss. Of course, that only accounts for at most 1 of the 3 children on the 1810 census. Also, the published biography of George A. Bonney says he was born in 1810, so I don't think we can be sure he was even on the 1810 census.
Now, here's where it gets interesting. We know from George's biography that Luke died and George moved to Illinois with mother and step father. Also, George moved to southeast Missouri around 1851 and returned a couple years later after an illness. Why southeast Missouri? Maybe because there were Bonneys there, maybe even his older brother. Of course, Prentiss lived in southeast Missouri, AND right about the time George went back to Illinois was when Prentiss decided to try his luck in the Gold Rush. So, the evidence is sketchy, but I think Prentiss is part of this Luke Bonney family.
The Family Data Collection on Ancestry.com gives birthdate for Luke as 23 Mar 1774. The other date mentioned in some other databases (5 Oct 1774) evidently comes from Mayflower Families Through 5 Generations Page: 20{2}:5. Both say he was born in Hardwick, MA.
Events
| Birth | 1774 | Hardwick, Worchester, Massachusetts |  | ||
| Marriage | Est 1795 | Eunice Hinman | |||
| Death | 1819 | |
Families
| Spouse | Eunice Hinman (1779 - ) |
| Child | Prentiss Franklin Bonney (1805 - 1853) |
| Child | George A. Bonney (1810 - ) |
| Child | Charles Bonney (1812 - ) |
| Child | Arma Bonney (1814 - 1855) |
| Child | Caroline Bonney (1815 - ) |
| Child | Josiah Hinman Bonney (1817 - 1887) |
| Father | Luke Bonney (1752 - ) |
| Mother | Mercy Thomas (1752 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Bonney (1776 - ) |
| Sibling | Benjamin Bonney (1777 - ) |
| Sibling | Abigail Bonney (1779 - ) |
| Sibling | Lewis Bonney (1781 - ) |
| Sibling | Amos Bonney (1783 - ) |
| Sibling | Jonathan Bonney (1787 - ) |
| Sibling | Josiah Sears Bonney (1789 - ) |
| Sibling | Sophia Bonney (1795 - ) |
Endnotes
1. International Genealogical Index - North America internet: http://familysearch.org, An official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. International Genealogical Index - North America internet: http://familysearch.org, An official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.