| Notes |
- Foster Axon Bonnett and his family
Foster Axon Bonnett was born in Lowndes County, Alabama on November 11, 1838. He was the son of Shadrach Daniel Baltzegar Bonnett and Martha Missouri Long Bonnett.
In the fall of 1847 his family moved to Neshoba County, Mississippi for a short period of time and then moved to Itawamba County in December of 1848.
Civil War
At the age of 23, Foster enlisted to fight for the Confederacy on November 14, 1861. He signed up with Company A, 4th Battalion, Mississippi Cavalry, C.S.A. (which later became Company C, 8th (Wade's) Confederate Cavalry). Enlisting at Columbus, Mississippi at the rank of corporal, he participated in several battles, the Battle of Brice's Cross Roads, under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, and was in the great battle at Shiloh, or Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennessee River in Hardin County, Tennessee. At the battle of Shiloh, he witnessed the fatal wounding of the commanding officer of the Confederate Army, General Albert Sidney Johnston, on April 6, 1862. During this battle Foster “narrowly escaped death as eleven bullets pierced the blanket that was around his body and his horse was shot dead from under him”. On April 16, 1862 Foster was reduced to the rank of private. He was captured by Union Forces at Shelbyville, Tennessee on June 27, 1863. Foster was held as a prisoner of war for almost two years at several camps. Among those were prison camps located in Franklin, Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, Camp Chase in Ohio, and finally Ft. Delaware, Delaware. At Ft. Delaware he became a student and specialized in classic literature and higher mathematics. At war’s end at Ft. Delaware, Foster signed an Oath of Allegiance to the United States on June 11, 1865. After doing so he returned home. His Oath of Allegiance describes him as having light complexion, dark hair, blue eyes, and a height of 5 ft. 7 inches .
First Marriage
Immediately after returning home to Itawamba County, Foster married what must have been his lady in waiting, Sarah Catherine McDonald. They were married on the 25th of July 1865 .
Sarah Catherine McDonald was born on November 8, 1845 in Lauderdale County Alabama.
While in Saltillo, Foster & Sarah had at least three children. They were, Della, born June 1866, daughter, Sidney Horatio, son, born July 2, 1868 and Thomas Fletcher, son, born Feb. 4, 1870.
Lee County was created from half of Itawamba County in 1866.
Foster was a planter and had 1000 acres of land near Saltillo . However, Mississippi Civil War Reconstruction Era pressures, high land taxes, and lack of labor to work the plantations forced Foster's family to move to Texas in search of a new l life. Traveling with Sarah's brother, James Henry McDonald they left Mississippi on October 17, 1870. Traveling for 30 days in a wagon drawn by oxen, they arrived at Elmo, Texas in Kaufman Co. There they joined Sarah's mother and father, Mary Rea (Polly) Beaver McDonald and Thomas McDonald (both buried in Elmo Cemetery), who had already moved to Texas in 1869.
In 1874, Foster built what was said to be the “first truly tenantable house" located in Elmo. This house was later converted into a dry goods and grocery store .
While in Texas, Foster and Sarah had at least 6 more children, 3 of which appeared on the census roles of 1880. They were: Dorintha Bela, daughter, born May 17, 1872, Lelia, daughter, born 1874, (Mary) Emma ,daughter, born June 6, 1875, Mahalee ,daughter, born sometime in late 1880 or 1881, Rosa, daughter, born July 1, 1880, and Lonnie Axon, son, born April 1884.
Tragedy
The F.A.Bonnett Family certainly was not spared their share of sorrows. One month short of her 6th birthday Mary Emma died on May 5, 1881 and is buried in Elmo Cemetery. Six years later, in the summer of 1887 Sarah Bonnett gave birth to Salliie Bonnett. Because of birth complications, Sallie lived only five days and was survived by her mother by only eight days when Sarah McDonald Bonnett died at the age of 41. Both mother and daughter are buried side-by-side at Elmo Cemetery near Mary Emma.
Second Marriage
After the death of his first wife, Foster Bonnett remarried. His second wife was a lady by the name of Mary J. Owens . They were married on December 6, 1891. Together they had only one child, a daughter, Blanche Bonnett, who was born November 12, 1894. Horrifically, Mary burned to death from an explosion or an accident with a coal oil lamp .
Third Marriage
Foster remarried yet again to Ella Euphemia BEAVERS FORD ENGLISH (found last name on website). on May 20, 1906 . They moved to Kleburg in Dallas County in 1907 and lived there until Foster Axon died of arsenic poison complicated with hypertrophy of the heart on June 10, 1918 . Foster is buried at Elmo cemetery near his first wife and daughters. A Confederate monument marks his grave.
Ella Bonnett died in her daughter's home (Linda Harper) at 4006 Tella St. Dallas Texas on October 5, 1929 .
Foster Bonnett’s Children summary is:
1st Marriage Sarah Catherine McDonald m. July 25, 1865
Della Bonnett born at Guntown, Lee Co., Mississippi July 1866
Sidney Horatio Bonnett born at Guntown, Lee Co., Mississippi July 2, 1868
Thomas Fletcher Bonnett born at Guntown, Lee Co., Mississippi Feb. 4, 1870
Dorintha Bela Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas May 17, 1872
Martha Lela Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas July 29, 1874
Marie Emma Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas June 6, 1875
died at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas May 5, 1881
Rosa Ella Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas July 1, 1880
Mahalee Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas 1881
Lonnie Axon Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas April 1884
Sallie Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas July 14, 1887
died at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas July 19, 1887
2nd Marriage: Mary J. Owens m. December 6, 1891
Blanche Bonnett born at Elmo, Kaufman Co., Texas Nov. 12, 1894
3rd Marriage: Ella Euphemia BEAVERS FORD ENGLISH on. May 20, 1906.
No Issue to this marriage
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