Charles Henry Bonner was born in Northborough to William Bonner and Sarah Jane McManniman, both of whom emigrated from Ireland ca. 1840 most likely from what is now Bangor, Down, Northern Ireland, UK.
He married Bridget Theresa Nolan on 11 August 1878 in Marlboro. They had one son who is also buried here, William Henry Bonner, b. 16 Oct 1886. (Not 1887) Late in life, two years before he died, Henry married his second wife, Margaret Madden (1863-1944).
He was known by his middle name (Henry) and was a driver for the Marlborough Fire Department for much his adult life. See http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~historyofmarlborough/1920page.htm#1920 for a photo of Henry driving the Marlboro horse-drawn fire truck for which he was famous.
The same site notes, "On August 22, 1922, the Department was saddened by the death of C. Henry Bonner. [...] Oddly, his death came behind the wheel of the motorized ladder truck which replaced his old horse drawn one. It was his first time behind the wheel of this truck." I'm in the process of verifying that statement, but it is rather poignant.
[Update 19 Oct 2014: Henry's death certificate does, indeed read as follows:
Cause of Death: Natural causes, Dropped dead while answering fire alarm.]
Henry's older brothers, James F. (Memorial #87973094) and George Charles (Memorial #92892220) are both buried in the area. They served in the Civil War, along with several older brothers I haven't yet located. One (Alexander) served in the Confederate Army, since he was living in Virginia at the time.
Henry was too young to serve in the Civil War. Although his stone claims birth in 1857, vital records and other reliable documents prove he was actually born 2 December 1850, making him only 14 by the end of the war.
Henry was named for his older brother, Charles Henry Miller Bonner, who died as a child on 12 October of 1850 (at 2Y 9M 8D).
He married Bridget Theresa Nolan on 11 August 1878 in Marlboro. They had one son who is also buried here, William Henry Bonner, b. 16 Oct 1886. (Not 1887) Late in life, two years before he died, Henry married his second wife, Margaret Madden (1863-1944).
He was known by his middle name (Henry) and was a driver for the Marlborough Fire Department for much his adult life. See http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~historyofmarlborough/1920page.htm#1920 for a photo of Henry driving the Marlboro horse-drawn fire truck for which he was famous.
The same site notes, "On August 22, 1922, the Department was saddened by the death of C. Henry Bonner. [...] Oddly, his death came behind the wheel of the motorized ladder truck which replaced his old horse drawn one. It was his first time behind the wheel of this truck." I'm in the process of verifying that statement, but it is rather poignant.
[Update 19 Oct 2014: Henry's death certificate does, indeed read as follows:
Cause of Death: Natural causes, Dropped dead while answering fire alarm.]
Henry's older brothers, James F. (Memorial #87973094) and George Charles (Memorial #92892220) are both buried in the area. They served in the Civil War, along with several older brothers I haven't yet located. One (Alexander) served in the Confederate Army, since he was living in Virginia at the time.
Henry was too young to serve in the Civil War. Although his stone claims birth in 1857, vital records and other reliable documents prove he was actually born 2 December 1850, making him only 14 by the end of the war.
Henry was named for his older brother, Charles Henry Miller Bonner, who died as a child on 12 October of 1850 (at 2Y 9M 8D).
Charles Henry Bonner was born in Northborough to William Bonner and Sarah Jane McManniman, both of whom emigrated from Ireland ca. 1840 most likely from what is now Bangor, Down, Northern Ireland, UK.
He married Bridget Theresa Nolan on 11 August 1878 in Marlboro. They had one son who is also buried here, William Henry Bonner, b. 16 Oct 1886. (Not 1887) Late in life, two years before he died, Henry married his second wife, Margaret Madden (1863-1944).
He was known by his middle name (Henry) and was a driver for the Marlborough Fire Department for much his adult life. See http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~historyofmarlborough/1920page.htm#1920 for a photo of Henry driving the Marlboro horse-drawn fire truck for which he was famous.
The same site notes, "On August 22, 1922, the Department was saddened by the death of C. Henry Bonner. [...] Oddly, his death came behind the wheel of the motorized ladder truck which replaced his old horse drawn one. It was his first time behind the wheel of this truck." I'm in the process of verifying that statement, but it is rather poignant.
[Update 19 Oct 2014: Henry's death certificate does, indeed read as follows:
Cause of Death: Natural causes, Dropped dead while answering fire alarm.]
Henry's older brothers, James F. (Memorial #87973094) and George Charles (Memorial #92892220) are both buried in the area. They served in the Civil War, along with several older brothers I haven't yet located. One (Alexander) served in the Confederate Army, since he was living in Virginia at the time.
Henry was too young to serve in the Civil War. Although his stone claims birth in 1857, vital records and other reliable documents prove he was actually born 2 December 1850, making him only 14 by the end of the war.
Henry was named for his older brother, Charles Henry Miller Bonner, who died as a child on 12 October of 1850 (at 2Y 9M 8D).
He married Bridget Theresa Nolan on 11 August 1878 in Marlboro. They had one son who is also buried here, William Henry Bonner, b. 16 Oct 1886. (Not 1887) Late in life, two years before he died, Henry married his second wife, Margaret Madden (1863-1944).
He was known by his middle name (Henry) and was a driver for the Marlborough Fire Department for much his adult life. See http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~historyofmarlborough/1920page.htm#1920 for a photo of Henry driving the Marlboro horse-drawn fire truck for which he was famous.
The same site notes, "On August 22, 1922, the Department was saddened by the death of C. Henry Bonner. [...] Oddly, his death came behind the wheel of the motorized ladder truck which replaced his old horse drawn one. It was his first time behind the wheel of this truck." I'm in the process of verifying that statement, but it is rather poignant.
[Update 19 Oct 2014: Henry's death certificate does, indeed read as follows:
Cause of Death: Natural causes, Dropped dead while answering fire alarm.]
Henry's older brothers, James F. (Memorial #87973094) and George Charles (Memorial #92892220) are both buried in the area. They served in the Civil War, along with several older brothers I haven't yet located. One (Alexander) served in the Confederate Army, since he was living in Virginia at the time.
Henry was too young to serve in the Civil War. Although his stone claims birth in 1857, vital records and other reliable documents prove he was actually born 2 December 1850, making him only 14 by the end of the war.
Henry was named for his older brother, Charles Henry Miller Bonner, who died as a child on 12 October of 1850 (at 2Y 9M 8D).
Inscription
C. HENRY BONNER
1857-1922
his wife
Bridget T.
1851-1917
WILLIAM H. 1887-1921
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