Sarah Elizabeth "Bettie" Bonner, daughter of Oliver Young Bonner & Sallie Hope Robinson, was born in Bonnerville, Freestone Co., Texas on January 8, 1887. Named for her father's mother, she never married and was called Auntie by her nieces and nephews. Pauline recalled, "Auntie had one of the two front bedrooms because it was cool in summer. In the winter she slept in another room close to the chimney. If it was really cold, she slept in one of the two big beds in Grandpa's & Grandma's bedroom." Pauline also remembered being allowed to go upstairs and play with Auntie's dolls. Bettie worked for Tom in his store in Fairfield riding back and forth each day when Ol drove into town to carpenter with Homer McAdams. After her father's death, she and her mother moved to Fairfield. Her brothers contributed to build a house at 432 West Main, next door to Joel & Clara Bonner and across the street from Offie and Maggie Bonner. Bettie continued to live there after her mother's death. She rented out a bedroom in the house as well as the garage apartment in the back yard. Many of those renting from her were nieces, nephews, or cousins. However, Wanda Willard Smith recalled rooming with Bettie in 1941 but taking her meals next door with Clara and Joel. She also continued to work in Tom's store. Tuck recounted that one day two strangers entered the store and each asked for help. As Bettie moved to help one man at one side of the store, Tom and the other man moved away from them and toward the other side. After Laura, working at the desk in the rear and unseen by the strangers, stood up and asked if she could help, the men quickly left. Only then did they realize it was a potential robbery. In addition to her rental income and her salary at the store, Bettie also had farming and cattle interests which Jim Billie oversaw. John remembered, "She was a large lady. Us grandkids imposed on her after she moved up here [Fairfield]. They'd go up there and eat dinner [lunch] with her from school. I've been up there and eat with her a many a day." She joined the Order of the Eastern Star and belonged to the Presbyterian Church. As the only girl to survive infancy, with eight brothers she must have led a charmed life. The sidesaddle Bettie rode is in the Freestone County Museum, donated by Lulabel. Harry Glenn remembered the following story. One day John L. was plowing and Cousin Willie Bonner rode up. Cousin Willie told John L. to tell Bettie to quit tying up the party telephone line and said, "she talked too much." Even though Cousin Willie was an elder, John L. pulled him off his horse to whip him. He had criticized "our sister" and nobody could do that. Cousin Willie apologized. Not only was she the "adored sister," Bettie was a beloved aunt, and all her nieces and nephews had fond memories of her. Many of them spent as much time with her as possible because they enjoyed it. Lillian Fay recalled, "I could always count on having three desserts when I went to Auntie's." She must have enjoyed her nieces and nephews as much as they enjoyed her. After their marriage, Carolyn Robinson & Everett Whatley, Jr. rented a room from her. On October 10, 1943 they found her slumped at the kitchen table. She died of an apparent heart attack. Albert remembered that "Auntie was out at our house [in Bonnerville] the Sunday afternoon before she died. Her brothers buried her beside her parents in the Bonner Cemetery. Then the family met to divide the possessions in the house; the daughters-in-law did the dividing by putting the items in piles and straws were drawn. Bettie's portion of the land, the Prairie Field, was sold to her brothers Oliver and Tom. It lay just north of her father's birthplace.
Newspaper clipping - probably from Fairfield Recorder. Should be soon after her death in Oct 10, 1943. Obtained from Lena Fay Bonner.
"Miss Bettie Bonner
Dies Suddenly
At Home Here
Miss Bettie Bonner, aged 56, died suddenly at her home in Fairfield Sunday afternoon about 5:45. She had been to Stewards Mill, and returning was eating an evening meal when stricken. Her death was not discovered until the following morning, although roomers were living in the house with her, and they thought nothing strange about not hearing or seeing her, as it was her custom to go to church or visit relatives in the evening.
Burial was in the Bonner cemetery north of Stewards Mill Monday evening, at 6 o'clock under direction of Burleson Funeral Home after religious services by the Rev. Frank McElroy.
Miss Bonner was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. O. Y. Bonner, an old pioneer family of the County and she was born and reared in the Stewards Mill community. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Eastern Star.
Near surviving relatives are seven brothers: Paul Bonner, Stewards Mill; Tom Bonner, Fairfield; John L. Bonner, Streetman; Joel Bonner, Fairfield; Hunter Bonner, Fairfield; Oliver Bonner, Bonnersville [sic]; and Sneed Bonner, Franklin."
Newspaper clipping - probably from Fairfield Recorder. Should be soon after her death in Oct 10, 1943. Obtained from Lena Fay Bonner.
"Miss Bettie Bonner
Dies Suddenly
At Home Here
Miss Bettie Bonner, aged 56, died suddenly at her home in Fairfield Sunday afternoon about 5:45. She had been to Stewards Mill, and returning was eating an evening meal when stricken. Her death was not discovered until the following morning, although roomers were living in the house with her, and they thought nothing strange about not hearing or seeing her, as it was her custom to go to church or visit relatives in the evening.
Burial was in the Bonner cemetery north of Stewards Mill Monday evening, at 6 o'clock under direction of Burleson Funeral Home after religious services by the Rev. Frank McElroy.
Miss Bonner was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. O. Y. Bonner, an old pioneer family of the County and she was born and reared in the Stewards Mill community. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Eastern Star.
Near surviving relatives are seven brothers: Paul Bonner, Stewards Mill; Tom Bonner, Fairfield; John L. Bonner, Streetman; Joel Bonner, Fairfield; Hunter Bonner, Fairfield; Oliver Bonner, Bonnersville [sic]; and Sneed Bonner, Franklin."
Sarah Elizabeth "Bettie" Bonner, daughter of Oliver Young Bonner & Sallie Hope Robinson, was born in Bonnerville, Freestone Co., Texas on January 8, 1887. Named for her father's mother, she never married and was called Auntie by her nieces and nephews. Pauline recalled, "Auntie had one of the two front bedrooms because it was cool in summer. In the winter she slept in another room close to the chimney. If it was really cold, she slept in one of the two big beds in Grandpa's & Grandma's bedroom." Pauline also remembered being allowed to go upstairs and play with Auntie's dolls. Bettie worked for Tom in his store in Fairfield riding back and forth each day when Ol drove into town to carpenter with Homer McAdams. After her father's death, she and her mother moved to Fairfield. Her brothers contributed to build a house at 432 West Main, next door to Joel & Clara Bonner and across the street from Offie and Maggie Bonner. Bettie continued to live there after her mother's death. She rented out a bedroom in the house as well as the garage apartment in the back yard. Many of those renting from her were nieces, nephews, or cousins. However, Wanda Willard Smith recalled rooming with Bettie in 1941 but taking her meals next door with Clara and Joel. She also continued to work in Tom's store. Tuck recounted that one day two strangers entered the store and each asked for help. As Bettie moved to help one man at one side of the store, Tom and the other man moved away from them and toward the other side. After Laura, working at the desk in the rear and unseen by the strangers, stood up and asked if she could help, the men quickly left. Only then did they realize it was a potential robbery. In addition to her rental income and her salary at the store, Bettie also had farming and cattle interests which Jim Billie oversaw. John remembered, "She was a large lady. Us grandkids imposed on her after she moved up here [Fairfield]. They'd go up there and eat dinner [lunch] with her from school. I've been up there and eat with her a many a day." She joined the Order of the Eastern Star and belonged to the Presbyterian Church. As the only girl to survive infancy, with eight brothers she must have led a charmed life. The sidesaddle Bettie rode is in the Freestone County Museum, donated by Lulabel. Harry Glenn remembered the following story. One day John L. was plowing and Cousin Willie Bonner rode up. Cousin Willie told John L. to tell Bettie to quit tying up the party telephone line and said, "she talked too much." Even though Cousin Willie was an elder, John L. pulled him off his horse to whip him. He had criticized "our sister" and nobody could do that. Cousin Willie apologized. Not only was she the "adored sister," Bettie was a beloved aunt, and all her nieces and nephews had fond memories of her. Many of them spent as much time with her as possible because they enjoyed it. Lillian Fay recalled, "I could always count on having three desserts when I went to Auntie's." She must have enjoyed her nieces and nephews as much as they enjoyed her. After their marriage, Carolyn Robinson & Everett Whatley, Jr. rented a room from her. On October 10, 1943 they found her slumped at the kitchen table. She died of an apparent heart attack. Albert remembered that "Auntie was out at our house [in Bonnerville] the Sunday afternoon before she died. Her brothers buried her beside her parents in the Bonner Cemetery. Then the family met to divide the possessions in the house; the daughters-in-law did the dividing by putting the items in piles and straws were drawn. Bettie's portion of the land, the Prairie Field, was sold to her brothers Oliver and Tom. It lay just north of her father's birthplace.
Newspaper clipping - probably from Fairfield Recorder. Should be soon after her death in Oct 10, 1943. Obtained from Lena Fay Bonner.
"Miss Bettie Bonner
Dies Suddenly
At Home Here
Miss Bettie Bonner, aged 56, died suddenly at her home in Fairfield Sunday afternoon about 5:45. She had been to Stewards Mill, and returning was eating an evening meal when stricken. Her death was not discovered until the following morning, although roomers were living in the house with her, and they thought nothing strange about not hearing or seeing her, as it was her custom to go to church or visit relatives in the evening.
Burial was in the Bonner cemetery north of Stewards Mill Monday evening, at 6 o'clock under direction of Burleson Funeral Home after religious services by the Rev. Frank McElroy.
Miss Bonner was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. O. Y. Bonner, an old pioneer family of the County and she was born and reared in the Stewards Mill community. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Eastern Star.
Near surviving relatives are seven brothers: Paul Bonner, Stewards Mill; Tom Bonner, Fairfield; John L. Bonner, Streetman; Joel Bonner, Fairfield; Hunter Bonner, Fairfield; Oliver Bonner, Bonnersville [sic]; and Sneed Bonner, Franklin."
Newspaper clipping - probably from Fairfield Recorder. Should be soon after her death in Oct 10, 1943. Obtained from Lena Fay Bonner.
"Miss Bettie Bonner
Dies Suddenly
At Home Here
Miss Bettie Bonner, aged 56, died suddenly at her home in Fairfield Sunday afternoon about 5:45. She had been to Stewards Mill, and returning was eating an evening meal when stricken. Her death was not discovered until the following morning, although roomers were living in the house with her, and they thought nothing strange about not hearing or seeing her, as it was her custom to go to church or visit relatives in the evening.
Burial was in the Bonner cemetery north of Stewards Mill Monday evening, at 6 o'clock under direction of Burleson Funeral Home after religious services by the Rev. Frank McElroy.
Miss Bonner was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. O. Y. Bonner, an old pioneer family of the County and she was born and reared in the Stewards Mill community. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Eastern Star.
Near surviving relatives are seven brothers: Paul Bonner, Stewards Mill; Tom Bonner, Fairfield; John L. Bonner, Streetman; Joel Bonner, Fairfield; Hunter Bonner, Fairfield; Oliver Bonner, Bonnersville [sic]; and Sneed Bonner, Franklin."
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