Children of Charles Bonzo and Catharine Goehring
Notes for Charles and Catharine:
CHARLES J. BONZO was born 1807 in Butler County, Pa., and died November 12, 1890 in the Brush Creek area, near Unionville, Beaver County, Pa.. He married CATHARINE GOEHRING June 14, 1837, daughter of CHARLES GOEHRING and ELIZABETH HARTZELL. She was born December 25, 1820 in Butler County, Pa., and died September 24, 1899 in the Brush Creek area, near Unionville, Beaver County, Pa..
CENSUS: 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880
1880 US Census---"Charles could not read or write English"
Charles was born at Brush Creek in 1807. He married Catharine Goehring, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Hartzell Goehring. Charles was an extensive land owner, said to have owned 1200 acres of highly cultivated property along Brush Creek in New Sewickley Township, Beaver County, Pa. His father's original farm was part of this property. Charles died on Nov. 12,, 1890 and is buried at Zelienople cemetery (English Lutheran) in Zelienople, Butler County, Pa., along with his wife who died in 1899.
1860 US Census---Charles and Catharine's real estate was valued at $12,600 and their personal property was valued at $2,050.
'History of Beaver County' (Warner, 1888, pg.16)---"...he settled in New Sewickley Township, becoming a prosperous farmer and extensive land owner, his farm consisting of between 1,000 and 1,200 acres...."
Charles and Catharine are buried at Zelienople Cemetery (English Lutheran) in Zelienople, Jackson township, Butler county, Pa. Charles' marker reads: 'Charles Bonzo died November 12, 1890 in his 84th year, Gone to rest.' Catharine's marker reads: 'Catharine 1820 - 1899 At rest'. The markers of Catharine's parents and several other Goehring family members are just a few feet away."
'History of Beaver County' (Warner, 1888, pg. 750)---"...he is a Republican."
From the 'Beaver county Argus' of April, 1879:
"Quite a Curiosity---In the summer of 1818, 4 youths named Bonzo, residing in New Sewickley township, this county, while at work in a field one day, came across a common turtle, or mud turtle, and forthwith proceeded, after the usual custom to inscribe their respective names upon its horny shell, after which they set it at liberty again. The circumstance, during the lapse of the sixty years since past, had, we have no doubt, been almost if not quite forgotten until one day last week, when the identical {sic} turtle, bearing upon its back the names of JOHN, LOUIS, HENRY AND CHARLES BONZO, was discovered upon the farm of the latter named gentleman in the above township, about half a mile from the scene of its first discovery in 1818. The gentlemen whose names it has been so continually bearing aloft for more than half a century past, with the exception of the first named , whose death occurred not long since, are still living, at advanced ages, in the township above referred to, and, after the natural curiosity was duly inspected by themselves as well as by different members of the Bonzo families and others, it was again set at liberty near the place of its last discovery, from where, should it continue to travel at the traditional rate of speed, it may be discovered in the next century a mile or so distant, assiduously perpetuating the name of BONZO."
One Researcher comments: " 'HENRY' is surely an error. the fourth child must have been the very young GEORGE."
Both Warner and the 1876 Caldwell Atlas of Beaver County claim that Charles was born in Butler County.
Peter L. Bonzo, b. after 1860, d. before 1869, who [is] not in 1860 Census. A "son" died in 1869 according to Jordan's History of Beaver Co., [1914].
This photo of Charles is from a wallet-sized postcard and was contributed by Dollie Hoppe, who reserves all rights.
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