My Genealogy Hound

Robert A. Bonham, liveryman, notary public and city clerk at Huntington, was born in Anderson County, East Tenn., in 1861, and is a son of Absalom T. and Eliza (McClure) Bonham. When nine years of age he accompanied his parents to this county, where he assisted with the farm work, and in the winters attended the country schools. After becoming twenty years of age he spent one year at Cane Hill College, and two years at Buckner College. He then dealt in cattle some time, after which he taught school several terms. He next went into the drug business with Dr. J. W. McConnell, establishing the first drug store in Huntington, and remained in that business until 1888, since which time he has been in the livery business. He is one of the influential business men of the town, and at the last city election was elected city clerk, having been a notary public since February of this year. He is one of the promising young men of the township, and cast his first presidential vote for Grover Cleveland. His father is also a successful farmer of this township, and was born in East Tennessee in 1825. He is a son of Martin and Orpha (McDaniel) Bonham, who were born in Virginia in 1778 and 1780, respectively. They went from that State to East Tennessee, and had a family of thirteen children, four of whom are living. A. T. Bonham was educated at Clinton and Jacksborough Colleges, in East Tennessee, and in 1851 married our subject’s mother, who was of Irish descent, and a daughter of Alexander and Sarah (Gollaher) McClure. She bore eight children, and died June 18, 881. October 5, 1887, Mr. Bonham married Susan Neal, daughter of Charles H. and Margaret (Johnson) Neal. Mr. Neal was born in South Carolina in 1816, and died October 20, 1886. His wife was born in the same State in 1815, and died January 8, 1879. They lived in South Carolina until removing to Mississippi, and in 1872 went to Tennessee. Mr. Bonham came to this county in 1870, and now has a farm of 300 acres, 150 of which he cultivates. He is a Democrat and a Mason, and belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.