BONFIELD, Thomas 1830 - 1903

BONFIELD, HARRIS, HARRISON

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 9/11/2011 at 12:13:10

"The Fairfield Weekly Ledger"
Wednesday, August 26, 1903
Page 6, Column 5

He Was an Old Time Merchant.

Thomas BONFIELD died at his home in this city Saturday night, after a protracted illness. Mr. BONFIELD was one of the pioneer dry goods merchants of Fairfield, and his business career in this city extended from 1858 to 1893. He had served a regular apprenticeship in his native country, and it is said that he never had a superior as a judge of fabrics in this community. He was born at Neenah (sic - Nenagh), County Tipperary, Ireland, 1830. He came to the United States in 1856 and entered the dry goods trade at Burlington. In 1858, about the time of the completion of the B. & M. railway to this city, he started a branch store here and his residence in Fairfield had been continnous (sic - continuous) since that year. In 1864 he erected the three story brick building which stands at the southeast corner of the square and occupied it till 1871. Mr. BONFIELD was married to Margaret HARRIS (sic - HARRISON) at Burlington in 1860, and the wife and six children survive him -- Margaret, Katherine, Elizabeth, George and Nellie in this city and Thomas of Galesburg, Ill. Mr. BONFIELD was a man of genial manner and kindly impulses. Among the older residents of the community he had many friends who sympathized with him in his illness and will regret his death. The body was buried in this city yesterday morning, Rev. A. M. Nodler conducting funeral services at St. Mary's Catholic church.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, in Lot Old.P.302. Margaret died in 1925 and is buried with him.