Freestone County, Texas Communities Bonnerville by Eric Bonner Wood Bonnerville was a rural community located just northeast of Stewards Mill in the northern part of Freestone county. Bonnerville was located at the modern intersection of County Road 126 and FM 833 near Cottonwood Creek. It was referred to as Bonnerville due to many of the Bonner descendant residents that stayed around the family lands. The family lands extended west towards the large Tehuacana Creek and southward down the smaller Cottonwood Creek. Bonnerville was primarily only lands of the descendants of Dr. John Bonner. The Bonner ancestors were William Bonner (who moved at age 70), his younger brother Dr. John Bonner, and his son-in-law James Robinson. Both brothers and their families had moved from their plantations in Wilcox County, Alabama to establish a life in Freestone County, Texas about 1853. Dr. John Bonner was the first to leave and lived for a couple years in Blue Hill in Williamson County before moving to Freestone County. The son-in-law James Robinson would later be sheriff of Freestone County finishing James Bonner Roger's term in July 13, 1872 after the James Rogers was ambushed and killed in hot pursuit of horse thieves until sometime in 1875. Bonnerville had a family cotton gin, grist mill, a sugar cane mill, a school, a pond (referred to as a "tank" in Texas) where the family reunions and picnics were held, a number of cemeteries and a number of houses. The school was called Burnet's Chapel school that doubled as a polling place when elections occurred. The only cemetery at Bonnerville was an Africian American cemetery called "Old Anglin". Cemeteries in the area were Bonner cemetery is the Anglo cemetery and two Africian American cemeteries, Oak Grove and Rhode Island. Bonnerville never got large enough to warrant a post office, getting its mail from nearby Stewards Mill when Stewards Mill had a post office between 1894 and 1914. Bonnerville residents went to Stewards Mill to shop at either the Watson or Whitaker general stores. In 1859, the Bonners and friends persuaded William's second son Rev. Thomas Joell Bonner to come to Texas. Thomas organized a Psalm Singing Church at County Line School House on the Freestone-Navarro county line. Residents from Bonnerville attended church there. From this congregation, grew Harmony, Richland, and Ebenezer churches. Harmony Church was the first Associate Reformed Presbyterian church in Texas. When Harmony Church was formed in 1876, the residents went to Stewards Mill community to worship. Eleven (11) registered voters that cast ballots at Burnet's Chapel school building in 1894. Eight (8) registered voters cast ballots in the primary and secondary elections of 1896. Ten (10) voted in the primary and seven (7) in the run offs of 1898. Non-Bonner residents of the area were David and Permelia Folk who arrived in 1872; their son Joseph Warren and Molly (Nobles) Folk who arrived 1894. Joseph was a farmer, made syrup, had a well auger and syrup mill. William Wesley and Ella (Folk) Jones farmed cotton and corn. James Peyton and Elizabeth (Massey) Vaughan lived in the area. Thomas Jefferson and Elizabeth (Bryant) Ward lived in the area. Tom McAdams raised his large family there. Burnet's Chapel School was not listed in a list of Freestone schools 1891 by Judge Anderson. So I assume that the school started afterwards. In 1898, twenty-six (26) students and their teacher had their picture taken. Two years later in 1900, twenty-eight (28) pupils were photographed. Burnet's Chapel school continued at at least until 1925, but probably not much afterwards. The most complete list of student's names was in 1900 with the following: Anna Phillips, teacher Bonner: Betty, John L., Millen, Paul, Tom, Wirt Brown: Allen, Berta, Etta, Joe [?] Folk/Folke: Maggie, Mamie Jones: Jo Anna, Leila, Wesley, Willie McAdams: Roy, Walter, Willie McIlveen: Albert Powell: Coral, Jewell, Maurice Vaughn: Ella, Frank, Grace Ward: A. C. "Buck", Jessie Later Mamie Folk Richardson would teach at Burnett's Chapel school as well as other schools. Burnett's Chapel school eventually closed and that there was a school at Bonnerville located between Wirt Bonner's home and the Irvin H. Bonner homeplace. This school closed in the 1930s and students went to Fairfield. When World War I approached, Bonnerville supported the war effort by purchasing war bonds. In a letter by Bettie Bonner to her brother Joel Bonner written on May 4th, 1919 she writes: "..Oliver and I went to church this evening. Judge Robertson & Watt Parker came out there working on the Victory Liberty Loan. Steward Mill district had to make up $4000. They made it, and Burnett Chapel (our) district had to make $1000 so we made it. ..." $1000 would have been a tremendous sum in 1919 for a small rural area of farmers and ranchers. After the 1920s this community just vanished as its residents moved into Fairfield or Stewards Mill.