BONAR, JESSE LEE

BONAR, TRUEMAN, STEWART, BARKER, VAN SCYOC, LUSK

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 5/24/2004 at 13:35:01

Biography reproduced from page 88 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

For seventeen years Jesse Lee Bonar has been well known as a leading lawyer of Algona. His success in practice is based upon comprehensive knowledge of the law, careful preparation of cases and correct application of legal principles to the points in litigation. He recognized at the outset that he was entering a profession in which advancement must depend upon individual merit and as the years have passed he has given practical demonstration of his ability to cope with the intricate problems of the law. He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, October 24, 1865, a son of Jackson and Eveline (Trueman) Bonar. The family is of Scotch origin, although William Bonar was born in the north of Ireland in 1722. He was the founder of the family in America, coming to this country in 1740, with his two brothers John and Bernard. The last named settled in South Carolina and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war under General Marion. After the close of hostilities and the establishment of American independence he took up his abode in the southern part of Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he remained until his death. John Bonar removed to Kentucky and nothing more was ever learned of him. The third brother, William Bonar, settled in Roanoke, Virginia, at which time he was a youth of seventeen years. He afterward removed to Havre de Grace, on the bay, northeast of Baltimore. Subsequently he established his home in the northern part of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in connection with his youngest son, Mathew, and there he died. His eldest son, James, was born in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1759. He married a Miss Stewart and they had two children. After her demise he married a Mrs. Barker, who by her first husband had two children, and the children of the second marriage were seven in number. Following his second marriage James Bonar returned to the old homestead near Moundsville, West Virginia, in 1810, purchasing the property on the 30th of November of that year, on which date he became the owner of one hundred acres, for which he paid two hundred dollars. Following the death of his second wife he married Nancy Van Scyoc on the 30th of December, 1813, and they became the parents of eight children, the sixth of whom was Jackson Bonar, who was born in Marshall county, West Virginia, April 7, 1821. He became a farmer and stock-raiser of that state but in 1874 left his old home for Iowa, settling near Nevinville, where he resided until his death, which occurred March 17, 1904, when he was eighty-three years of age. He was married on the 4th of October, 1860 to Miss Eveline Trueman, of Moundsville, West Virginia, who is still living, her home being at Long Beach, California. In their family were six sons: George Nelson, residing near Creston, Iowa; Trueman, who did in infancy; James Robert, a resident of Fargo, Oklahoma; Jesse Lee; Jackson, who died in infancy; and Charles Abel, of Long Beach, California. The spirit of patriotism has been strongly manifest in the family, for William Bonar, his sons James and Bernard and his brother Dave all served in the Revolutionary war, James being with the army for one hundred days.

Jesse L. Bonar pursued his preparatory course in Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and then entered the University of Iowa, from which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in the class of 1893. Having determined upon the practice of law as a life work, he began reading with that end in view and won his LL. B. degree upon graduation, in 1894, from the law department of the State University of Iowa. The same year he was admitted to practice and on the 12th of January, 1895, he came to Algona, where he has since followed his profession. His course at the bar has been characterized by continuous advancement. The zeal with which he has devoted his energies to his chosen profession, the careful regard evinced for the interests of his clients and his unrelaxing attention to all the details of his cases have bought him a large business and made him very successful in its conduct. His arguments have elicited warm commendation from bench and bar and he is recognized as an able writer, while his briefs show wide research, careful thought and the best and strongest reasons which can be urged for his contention. For eight years he has filled the office of city attorney, although his service has not been consecutive.

On the 30th of June, 1906, Mr. Bonar was married, in Algona, to Miss Florence Lusk, a daughter of T. A. Lusk, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Two years later he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died July 24, 1908, leaving an infant son, Howard, who was then but two days old and who died at the age of seven months. Mr. Bonar is well known in various club and fraternal relations. He belongs to the Phi Delta Phi, a fraternity of the University of Iowa. He also holds membership with Algona Lodge, No. 174, K. P., in which he has passed through all of the chairs and has three times been a delegate to the grand lodge. He is also a member of Prudence Lodge, No. 205, F. & A. M., of the Skat Club and of the Commercial Club. His interests are wide and varied and he keeps in touch with the trend of modern thought and progress, being conversant with the leading questions and issues of the day whether relating to local, state or national affairs.