W.B. BONNIFIELD b:1827

BONNIFIELD, INNSKEEP, HORMEL, SIMMONS, NEAR, GILLASPY, HAW, SAX, HUTCHENSON

Posted By: Mary E. Lanigan::VOLUNTEER (email)
Date: 8/17/2002 at 17:26:35

Biographies 1901
Selby Publishing Company

W.B. BONNIFIELD, a gentleman exceedingly popular in the circles of finance in this section of the state of Iowa, whose portrait is shown in the sketch; is President of the Ottumwa National Bank. He has been in this city for over 40 years.

Mr. BONNIFIELD was born in Randolph County, Virginia; February 23, 1827 and moved with his parents to Jefferson County Iowa in the spring of 1837; where they settled on a farm nine miles east of Fairfield, Iowa. There both his parents died in the spring of 1841, leaving a large family of children.

He remained on the farm until 1847; attending school in the winter months; in the log school house (which had greased paper windows in the place of glass windows) and he worked on the farm through the summer months.

In 1847, he and two younger brothers went to the Iowa Weslyn University at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and remained there one and a half years.From there they went to Pennsylvania in 1849 and attended Allegheny College.At that early date, there was no means of public conveyance from Iowa to Meadville, Pennsylvania; except by boat on the Mississippi and and Ohio Rivers to Pittsburg and thence by canal to Meadville.As Cholera prevailed on these rivers in that year, three brothers chose to tramp across the prairies of Illinois and Ohio to Chicago and carried their baggage ; getting an occasional ride in a farm wagon for pay or through the sympathy of farmers.At this time, there was just one railroad; the Michigan Southern; by which transportation east from Chicago could be secured, and as the fare was more expensive than by water, these three sore-feeted boys took a steamer on the lakes of ERIE, 40 miles from Alleghany College.After remaining in college for two and a half years, he was found so depleted to such extent that something had to be done.

Therefore; W.B. BONNIFIELD went to Kentucky and taught school for a term of five months. He remeined in Kentucky for two years. He now got Gold Fever and went to California by ox teams in 1843 in the company of his four brothers.He followed mining and stock raising in Northern California until 1860 and thus removed to Ottumwa, Iowa.He engaged in public Banking in Ottumwa, in October 06, 1861 with his two brothers,under the firm name of BONNIFIELD Brothers, and continued thus until October 1863.He organized the First National Bank in Ottumwa, with a capital of $60,000.00.He was the cashier of the bank and George GILLASPY was the first president.

Mr. BONNIFIELD was joined in marriage with Aliceda INNSKEEP on October 28, 1862.She was a native of Hillsboro, Ohio, and they have reared three children; Mary B.(HORMEL)of Cedar Rapids, Lizzie B.(SIMMONS) of Ottumwa, Iowa; and William B. JR' assistant cashier at the First National Bank of Ottumwa. William B. JR BONNIFIELD married Lizzett NEAR of Racine, Wisconsin.

In 1870, Mr. Bonnifield built a residence at the corner of Jefferson and Second Street of Ottumwa.
He has for many years, been a member of the Masonic Fraternity of the Methodist Episcopal church.

In 1898, the the Union Trust and Savings Bank was founded. The present directors are; W.B. BONNIFELD (President) Martin HUTCHENSON (Head cashier) George HAW; J.B. SAX; and W.B. BONNIFIELD JR.

It has been apparent that Mr. BONNIFIELD attained his present position through his own efforts and without the aid of any circumstances in his favor. In earlier life; he worked on his parents farm in Jefferson County Iowa; near Fairfield,and he was adventurist in his pursuits and met with no great fortune there.

*Sounds like a great person to have known. Mr. BONNIFIELD was born as West Benton Bonnified on 2-23-1826 and died August 1908. (Ottumwa City Cemetery book #2)His wife Alcinda is also buried in Ottumwa City Cemetery. She was born 9-30-1833 and died 5-22-1919. (Lot 62-63 /2)

Also buried in Ottumwa City Cemetery is: Ellen M. (died at age 36 12-12-1867) BONNIFIELD and Frank BONNIFIELD (died 12-16-1860) no age given.

1870 Census has W.B. BONNIFIELD and his wife listed with their children Lizzie, and Mary. There was also another Bonnifield family in Ottumwa during 1870. ANN,BRITTIN,ELLIS,Patrick and Philo F.BONNIFIELD.