William Bonsall 1854-1931

BONSALL, BARNES

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/17/2018 at 14:59:08

3 December 1931 - West Branch Times

William Thorne Bonsall was born in Salem, Ohio, March 29, 1854, and passed from our family circle November 20, 1931.

When he was eight years old the family moved to a farm three miles north of What Cheer, Iowa, and the deceased grew into manhood there with his brother, Richard, who preceded him to the Homeland seven years ago and his brother Louis, of Pasadena, Calif., lately of Spokane, Washington, and a sister, Eva, who, with the widow Anna E. Bonsall, survives at their Pasadena home.

The family belonged to the Conservative Friends and the children were reared in the simple and conscientious atmosphere of such a home.

On May 27, 1881, he was united in marriage to Anna E. Barnes of West Branch, Iowa, and a few months later they joined the Methodist church at that place.

During recent months Mr. Bonsall had not felt quite as well as usual but on Friday evening, November 20, 1931, he attended, in company with his wife and sister, a most enjoyable church sociable at the Holliston Ave. Methodist church of Pasadena, of which he was a member. After returning home he admitted that he felt a slight congestion in his chest and went to bed. Mrs. Bonsall was only a few steps away in the adjoining room. Presently she entered the bedroom and found that her beloved husband had slipped quietly away without a sound or a sign of departure.

The old friends in Iowa who may read these lines will know how fine a character Mr. Bonsall possessed. Simplicity, sincerity, and loyalty qualified him to hold offices which rendered valued service both in Iowa and in Pasadena.

Mr. Bonsall served as postmaster at West Branch, Iowa, in two different periods of time for nearly seven years in all. At What Cheer, Iowa, he was cashier of the First National Bank for twenty-four years and held office in church and fraternity.

Our family circle has sustained many losses before this one, but the empty chair will be no less regretted during the coming holidays and future years. His fine social senses will always be an inspiration to me, his wife's niece.

The following verse has been a favorite with Mrs. Bonsall for many years and it also expresses an oft-spoken wish of her husband: "Oh, to be ready when death shall come. Already to hasten home with no flitting shadows to fling a gloom o'er heaven's bright portals or earth's dark tomb, but sweetly and gently to pass away from earth's dim twilight into bright day."--Ada Barnes Giddings.

Funeral services were largely attended by old friends and neighbors and church friends and were held in Memory Chapel at 100 N. Hill Ave. Nov. 24th at 2 o'clock, Rev. Alfred Hughes, pastor of the deceased, conducting the services.