George J. Bonds was
born in 1832 in Tennessee. He was the
son of Drewery Knight Bonds and Sarah Goodrich.
By 1837, George’s family had moved to Pope County, Arkansas, and he was
raised there.
In 1850, George and his mother were living in Pope County,
Arkansas. They were listed in the
household of his brother, Robert, and his wife and children.
George married Celia Herrin on August 24, 1851 in Pope County,
Arkansas. He was 19 years old and she
was 21 years. Celia was born around 1830
in Tennessee, the daughter of Beverly Herrin and Eleanor Logue.
George and Celia had eight children:
William Henry Bonds born
November 15, 1852
Warren Bonds born
1854
Thomas Knight Bonds born
September 15, 1856
Sarah Frances Bonds born
February 22, 1858
George Bonds born April 1860
Mary E. "Mollie" Bonds born
March 4, 1862
David Bonds born
1864
Jack Bonds born
1866
In 1860, George and Celia and their children were living in
Dover, Pope County, Arkansas. George was
a clergyman at that time.
Reverend George J. Bonds served a short time in the Civil War. On February 22, 1862, he enlisted as a
Private in the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, at Dover, Arkansas. Two months later, he was appointed as chaplain
at Little Rock, Arkansas. He was
relieved of duty on May 25, 1862. The
following is a short summary of the 3rd Arkansas Regiment:
“This
company was raised in Pope County, Arkansas, and enrolled in Confederate
service on February 22, 1862, at Dover, Arkansas, as Co. E, Williamson’s
Battalion Arkansas Infantry. When Williamson’s battalion was broken up in
May 1862, the company was transferred to the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry. The
company was disbanded on January 1, 1863, and its members distributed to Co. I,
3rd Arkansas Cavalry, and Co. F, 1st Battalion Arkansas Cavalry.”
Celia Herrin Bonds died in 1868 in Arkansas City, Arkansas
County, Arkansas. She was 38 years old
at her death.
George remarried a year after the death of his wife. He married Mary Ann Weimer on July 14, 1869
in Johnson County, Arkansas. Mary Ann
was a widow with four children, ages 5 to 11 years. Tragically, George died just four months
later.
Reverend George J. Bonds died on November 12, 1869 in Johnson
County, Arkansas. He was 37 years old at
his death.
Notes for George J. Bonds
Birth: Census records
1850 US Census: “George J Parrish,” Year: 1850;
Census Place: Pope, Arkansas; Roll: M432_29; Page: 249A;
Image: 264. Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal
Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations,
Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
1860 US Census: “George L Bonds,” Year: 1860;
Census Place: Dover, Pope, Arkansas; Roll: M653_48;
Page: 768; Image: 238; Family History Library Film: 803048. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States
Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com
Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
Marriage to Celia: Ancestry.com. Arkansas,
County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Marriage to Mary Ann: Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp.. Arkansas Marriages, 1851-1900 [database
on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001.
Civil War Involvement: “1st Company E. 3rd
Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, Confederate States of America,” (http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/3cavE.html)
accessed 25 March 2015
Death: Johnson
County, Arkansas Probate Records, (http://www.ark-ives.com/documenting/in-remembrance/default.aspx) accessed on 24
March 2015
Notes for Celia Herrin
Birth: Marriage record
Death: There are many trees on Ancestry.com that list
Celia’s death in 1863, while also listing the birth of her two youngest children
in 1864 and 1866. I am going to assume
that since the two children do in fact exist, her death date is wrong. I have listed 1868 as her death date, since
it corresponds with the births of her children, and it makes sense that someone
could have mistaken 1868 for 1863.
