Old Family Album

[Two portraits: Eliza (Mangold) Bonney on left, James Bonney on right. Both are probably from Cartes de Visite and date to the 1860s. The portrait of Eliza is almost idenitical the carte de visite portrait handed down by her sister Susan Mangold and in this collection. It shows Eliza wearing the same jewlery.]

One more turning in The Tribune's old family album shows these two who were among South Bend's best known residents in earlier days. James Bonney was one of South Bend's leading photographers. At one time he had a gallery on the third floor of the Coonley building still standing at the southwest corner of Washington avenue and Michigan street. After leaving that location he had galleries at several other points before retiring. He was born Nov. 7, 1831, in Walton [probably Watton], England, and came to America in 1838, settling in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri. He died in Lawrence, Kan., April 18, 1910, was buried there. Mr. Bonney was known for his excellent photographs and his unusally long beard, much longer than shown in this very old picture. Mrs. Bonney was a church worker and an excellent woman, tall and stately. She was born Dec. 25, 1827, in Harrisburg, Pa., died in Muncie, Ind., Aug 11 1912, and was buried beside her husband in Lawrence.

From a clipping from The South Bend Tribune, date unkown, located in the Art/Photography holdings of the Saint Joseph County Public Library.