Claudia M. (Clauff) Bonham, 8 North 55 West
In 1880 Whiteside County, Illinois, George Clauff is farming, 46, with Eliza 40, Sarah 18, Jennie 11, Charley 8, and "Claud" 6.
("Mrs. James] Finley] Mackey died at her home here Monday morning at 1:30 o'clock. Funeral services were held from the Methodist Episcopal church Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Proctor. Interment at Guss cemetery.
Jennie Eva Clauff, daughter of George Abram Clauff and Eliza Susannah Burch, was born July 8, 1868 in Whiteside Co., Illinois and died Oct. 26, 1914 in Gravity, Taylor Co., Iowa. She married James Finley Mackey June 22, 1886 at Mount Ayr, Ringgold Co., Iowa.")
"Fred Henry Bonham was born 14 Dec 1868 in Clark Co, Iowa, and died 10 Mar 1943 in Britt, Hancock, Iowa. He married Claudia May Clauff Jun 1891 in Marshalltown, Marshall, Iowa. She was born 04 Jun 1874 in Whiteside, Illinois, and died 26 Aug 1968 in Sterling, Logan, Colorado.
Fred was a farm hand and RR Station Agent. Fred, who resides at Beaconstifle, IA and was a telegrapher.
Children of Fred Bonham and Claudia Clauff are:
i. Leah Lois Bonham, born 09 Mar 1892 in Norwich, Page, Iowa; died 14 Sep 1980 in Sterling, Logan, Colorado.
ii. Earl Royce Bonham, born 22 Jan 1895 in Gravity, Taylor, Iowa; died 06 Dec 1982 in Tuscon, Pima, Arizona. "
"My ggrandfather George Abram CLUFF/CLAUFF b Dec 22, 1833 in NY or NJ is my brick wall. My grandfather said there was never any contact, that he knew of, with his father's family - visits or letters. George did not talk much about his growing up years. He grew up in a big house on the shore of the Hudson Bay and was an educated man. George A CLAUFF was a wagon master for freight trains to Denver CO in the 1850's. No one has ever done any research on him because it was said that he changed his name when he married Eliza Susannah BURCH in Whiteside Co IL. Their marriage license is signed CLUFF. The family is listed in one census as CLOUGH. Always they have been known as CLAUFF. He changed the spelling - not his name. "
"George A. Cluff left home and went west at a young age. Oral family history is that he was a wagon master and led freight trains along the Platte River to Denver CO in the early 1850‘s - true. As wagon master he had told his men not to shoot at the Indians. When the Indians came up to the wagon train he would give them trinkets and food. The story goes that one of the men on the train got frightened and shot and killed one of the Indians. George left that man behind for Indian Justice. He told the crew that if he didn’t the Indians would attack the train and kill them all.
George came to Fulton, Whiteside Co IL, by boat, on the Mississippi River, with several Indian men. He married Eliza Susannah Burch in 1855 in Whiteside Co IL. They farmed in Garden Plains twp, Whiteside Co IL. In the late 1870’s they moved to Ringgold Co IA where George and Eliza run a hotel/cafe"
"In Central City, Colorado, Nov. 6th, 1860, WILLIAM CLUFF, formerly of Eastern Kansas."
"My grandfather's sister married a James Watkins in 1875 in Whiteside Co IL. Her name was Mary Elizabeth Clauff. Aunt Mollie and Uncle Jim Watkins moved to Ringgold Co IA and then to Osceola NE. The family of James Watkins, his parents and his siblings are listed in a census of Garden Plains township, Whiteside Co IL. I believe Jim and Mollie Watkins and their family are listed in the 1880 Whiteside Co IL census.
"His first daughter was Mary Elizabeth "Molly" (mother's name?) and second daughter Johanna Margaret - after his mother-in-law. A third daughter was Sarah Rebecca. His first son was George Ira. George after his father? as Ira was his father-in-law's name. A second son was Charles Edward."
There were 2 sons of James Watkins that stayed around Osceola NE. One lived in Grand Island, Hall Co NE. Several men went to the Willard or Sterling CO area with their sister's families.
Reta Kleve"
Claudia M. Clauff, 18, born in Illinois to George A. Clauff and Eliza S. Burch, married Fred H. Bonham on July 26, 1891 in Page County, Iowa.
In 1900 Claudia, born June 1874 in Illinois, is with Fred 31 in Ringgold County, Iowa, Leah 8, and Earl R. 5. Her mother Eliza C. Clauff 72, widowed, is with them.
In 1910 Leah Bonham is in Ringgold County, 18, with Frederic H. 42 and Claudia M. 35. Earl is 15.
Claudia M. Bonham proved up two quarters in sections 28 and 29, 8N 55W in 1919.
Earl R. BOnham registered for WWI in Willard, Colorado, born January 22, 1895 in Gravity, Iowa. He said he was single, supporting his mother and grand-mother.
June 1920 "Earl Bonham and family and Mrs. Bonham of Willard and Miss Shaw of Sterling were Sunday dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Northey."
Earl R. Bonham proved up two quarters in section 29, 8N 55W in 1920.
Earl was farming in Logan County in 1920, 25, with Jennie D. 20, Bernita L. 1, Darrell R. newborn, and his mother Claudie 47.
Claudia is in Willard, Logan County in 1940, 65, with a John Gazdik, 27, lodger, teaching high school.
When her brother Charles Clauff died in 1947 in Central City, Nebraska " Survivors are his wife; five children, John Clauff, Omaha NE; Mrs. Rynold Butt, Central City NE.; Mrs. C.E. Davis, Fullerton, NE.; Mrs. Frank Major, Genoa, NE.; and Marvin Clauff, Central City, NE.; one sister, Mrs. Claudia Bonham, Willard, CO; 12 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. "
Fred H. Bonham 1868-1943 is buried in Union County, Iowa # 17450701, Claudia May (Cluff) Bonham 1874-1968 buried in Sterling.
Claudia's mother Eliza Susannah (Burch) Clauff 1837-1917 is buried in Ringgold County, # 11051804, dying in Willard, Colorado.
Johanna M. (Clauff) Cosselman 1860-1944 is also buried in Sterling, # 54968565, with Charles 1850-1935.
LEAH
Earnest Manning, 22, son of Nathaniel Mannina and Sadie Miller, and Leah L. Bonham, 19, born at Norwick, Iowa, to Ted H. BOnham and Claudie Cluff, married in Ringggold County Iowa on January 3, 1911.
EARL
Earl R. BOnham, 22, married Jennie Linder on June 25, 1917 in Greeley, Colorado.
Earl was farming in Logan County in 1920, 25, with Jennie D. 20, Bernita L. 1, Darrell R. newborn, and his mother Claudie 47.
In 1940 Logan County, Earl R. is 45, Jennie D. 41, Darrel 20, Dorothy M. 18, and E. Wayne 16.
Earl Royce Bonham, Leah's brother 1895-1982, spouse Jennie Dorothy Bonham.
Darrel R. Bonham and Beatrice Jane Hunker married in Logan County on April 18, 1948.
Darrel Royce Bonham 1919-2013 is buried in Sterling, with Beatrice June Bonham.
"Beatrice Jane Bonham, 79, of Ster1ing, died March 6, 2004, in Sterling. Visitation is March 10 from 10 am, to 7p.m. at Tennant Funeral Home. Funeral services are March 11 at 10:30 a.m., also at the funeral home, with Rev. Steve Schorr officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery.
Mrs. Bonham was born Jan. 27, 1925, in Sterling to Walter and Christina (Bettger) Hunker.
She attended Lincoln grade school, the junior high school and graduated from Logan County High School in 1942. She went on to nursing school at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver where she received her nursing degree.
She moved to Vancouver, Wash., to work at the Veterans Hospital. She later worked in
Portland, Ore., and San Francisco before returning to Sterling, where she worked at St. Benedict Hospital, and then at Logan County Hospital for 10 years.
She married Darrel Bonham on April 18, 1948, at First Presbyterian Church in Sterling. They lived on a ranch in Willard, then moved to Tuscon, Ariz., and lived there for 21 years. They then returned to Sterling.
Mrs. Bonham was a member of the Presbyterian .Church, and the nursing associations of Colorado and Washington.
She is survived by husband Darrel, Sterling; sister Mildred Fritzler and husband Ted, Sterling; brother Melvin Hunker and wife Shirley, Minnesota; brother-in-law ‘Wayne Bonham; aunts Isabel Foxhoven and Minnie Miller; and numerous nieces and nephews."