Albert Wagner Bonham

Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1917 in West Virginia and was generally complied with by 1925, so there is no birth certificate for Albert. However, there is both birth and death information on Albert's headstone (see picture under Memories) and ample corroboration elsewhere in the sources attached below to confirm that Albert was born 6 August 1874 and that his full name was Albert Wagner Bonham. He was the son of Jasper A. Bonham and Harriet Guthrie. Both of his parents were from West Virginia and Albert was the middle of seven children, including 6 boys and one girl. The first record we find Albert in was the 1880 census, where we find Albert with his family living in Charleston, West Virginia: Jasper BonhamSelfM36West Virginia, United States Harriet BonhamWifeF36West Virginia, United States William BonhamSonM12West Virginia, United States Albert Bonham SonM10 (this would give him an estimated birth year of 1870, so something is not quite right here. This age is closer to brother Amos. Probably should be Amos.) Add Bonham SonM5 (This should probably have been Albert. Right age for Albert.) Solomon BonhamSonM3 (Name should be Silas) Franklin BonhamSonM1 (Name should be Flavius) From this record we find that Albert was born in West Virginia to parents (also born in West Virginia) Jasper and Harriet Bonham. His father is a farmer and there is a 'tick mark' in the column that says "cannot write." Albert is listed as one of 5 sons living at home in 1880. According to a life story written by Albert's brother Flavius, in the spring of 1893 Albert's family came in contact with two Mormon Elders, Andrew Holdaway from Provo, Utah and David Layton from Layton, Utah. Jasper, Harriet, and Albert joined the church in 1893. (His missionary record attached below indicates he was baptized by George S. Barker.) Albert's original baptismal date can be found under the Ordinances tab. In September, 1895, the LDS church was burned down by a group. Conference on October 5th and 6th was not delayed, however. Enough lumber from the saw mill was brought for seats and, according to Flavius, "in a short time we had them placed in a shady beech grove on a hillside. The opening song was “Onward Christian Soldiers”. In November of that same year, Albert and his Uncle John and family left for Ogden, Utah. Eventually both of Albert's parents, plus Flavius, Silas, and Tryphena all came to Utah, at least for a time. The 1890 census was destroyed, but we pick Albert up again in 1900. He is living as a boarder in Clinton with Martha Hadlock, who was a widow, and her four children. Martha was married to her first husband, Israel Hadlock, and pregnant with her sixth child when a "strong East wind" blew over the entire end of their Ogden house, causing the chimney to collapse and killing Israel and hurting Martha badly. She still gave birth to a healthy child. Not long after the 1900 census was taken, Albert married Martha, who was somewhat younger than he was, and he became an instant step-father to Chauncey, Ruby, Walter, and James. Martha had given birth to two other children who died as infants. Martha was already 35 and so she had just 3 more children with Albert. This young family must have lived for at least a short time in Vale, Oregon, as Mabel indicates she was born there in 1903. Between the birth of his two sons, Albert served a two year mission to the Southern States, which must have been a real sacrifice for his wife and young family. His missionary record below also indicates he served a mission in 1910 to the Western States, set apart by Heber J. Grant. This may have been an "at home" mission, as he appears in the 1910 census in Clinton with his wife and family. His draft card from World War I 1918 is attached below, showing his residence as Hooper and his occupation as farmer. It shows a good sample of his signature. He was 44 at the time and was not called up to fight, thank goodness. The 1920 census is attached below, where Albert can be seen living in Clinton with his wife Martha and the three children they had together. His occupation is listed as farmer. In 1929 Albert's mother Harriet died in Ogden. Her husband and Albert's father Jasper also died just a few years later. The 1930 census is also attached below, where Albert can be seen living next door to his son Bond. He is still living in Clinton in the 1940 census. Martha died in 1945 at the age of 78. A short obituary for Martha is attached below. Albert was about 71 years old when his first wife died. After Martha's death, Albert remarried, this time Marion Alice Warner in 1947. Marion had been baptized into the LDS church in 1945, and was 37 years old when she married Albert, and younger than all of his children. They had one child together, born when Albert was about 74 years old. The obituary for Marion indicates that they were married in the St. George Temple. His obituary indicates that he had moved to Pomona, California in 1945. Their only child was born there. They also lived for a short time in Sunset, Utah in 1955, after which they moved to Provo in 1959 where Albert died 22 August, 1959. His address on his death certificate is gien as 1153 N 850 W in Provo. Albert Jr. and Alvin served missions in Samoa and Hawaii.