the bonham family
Larry Layden's story page includes some memories of Marion Bonham and pictures of the Methodist Church Junior Choir, one from the 1950s and one from a 1982 reunion:
a photo with two bonhams, dwight & marion, uncle & nephew
Dwight Bonham (1917-1984) was the son of Guy & Beatta Bonham, both of whom are buried in the Table Rock Cemetery. Dwight graduated from Table Rock in 1935; he had a sister, Shirley, who graduated in 1938. Dwight's uncle Marion (1918-2009) was a year younger than him and also graduated in 1935. (Marion was the brother of Dwight's father Guy; Marion was born 23 years after Guy.)
Two of these little boys are Bonhams -- Dwight (Tweeter) and Marion. The names of all: Marvin Horton, Charles Norris, Delmar Covault, Dwight “Tweeter” Bonham, Howard Bedea, Leonard Mertes, Junior Muscheites, Marion Bonham, Harold Kubick, and Lavon Heuke. The dog was Junior’s dog Towser. This photo is Photo 1866 and was shared by Historical Society member Terry Korrell, a Muscheites descendant.
A September 4, 1929 news article about the band winning first place lists the band members (not correlated with the picture): Dwight Bonham, Virginia Cotton, Bernice Barnard, Marjorie Horton, Evelyn Kalina, Evelyn Kalina, Bernice Johnson, Floreine Vrtiska, Frances Hruska, Elsie Hanna, Helen Wopata, Wanetta Oilmor, Josephine Hylton, Lorna Kalina, Lawrence Kalina, Hallena Horton, Frank Hruska, Charles Duder, Glenn Binder, Howard Binder, Harland Keiser, Arthur Irwin, Howard Bedea, Lavon Houke, Wayne Covault, Joel Wright, Leonard Mertes, Charles Norris, Marion Bonham, Junior Mascheites, Loriane Harlow, Loriane Hunzeker, Arnold Zelenka, Charles Hanna, Harold Hastings, Phillip Rabstenjek, John Wm. Tomek, Lester Krofta, Arlie Goodenkauf, Richard Covault, Howard Harris, James Hinda, Cyril Pardue, and Lawrence Stehlik
the class of 1935 -- dwight & marion bonham's graduating class
This is Photo 81, the Class of 1935; it is a photo of a photo; we have the original, but will need a larger scanner to get a better copy.
The photos are difficult to sort out, but Dwight is in the top row of 3, in the middle. Marion is two to the right after that.
The photos are difficult to sort out, but Dwight is in the top row of 3, in the middle. Marion is two to the right after that.
Top row: Fred Muscheites DWIGHT BONHAM, Charles Hastings, Joseph Tomek.
2nd row: Bernice Barnard, L. Charles Harlow, Velma McCourtney, Russell Jones. 3rd row: Professor H. G. Patterson, MARION BONHAM, Zethel Phillips.
4th row: Grace Mary Hunzeker, Philip Rabstejnek, Bernice Johnson, Harold Craig;
5th row: Edwin Fritch, Harold Kubick, Edward Miller, and Howard Bedea.
history of the class of 1935 by dwight bonham
Class histories were traditional and Dwight Bonham took on the considerable task of writing the one for the Class of 1935. He would have read it as part of the commencement exercises. The intelligent good humor shows through what might otherwise have become a dry reading of names.
the bonhams and the
state bank of table rock
The State Bank of Table Rock was founded in 1885, and in 1893 built the building that it still occupies, at the southwest corner of the Square. In 1918, the Bonham family stepped in as owners, remaining for 40 years, through the local farm depression of the 1920s (long before the stock market crash), the Great Depression, World War 2, the Korean Wa.... Guy Bonham was the man at the window of the home town bank.
guy bonham (1895-1958), at the state bank of table rock
Photo 154, Guy Bonham at the State Bank of Table Rock, on the right. With him is Lawrence Duder.
who's who in nebraska, 1940:
Who’s Who in Nebraska, transcribed at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/OLLibrary/who1940/co/pawnee.htm
BONHAM, GUY FURMAN: Bank Cashier; b Wilsonville, Neb Dec 23, 1895; s of Clarence Bonham-Mae Treat; ed Hastings HS 1914; Hastings Bus Coll; U of N 1915; m Beatta Bigelow June 7, 1916 Hastings; s Dwight D; d Shirley M; 1915-19 oprd Grain Elevator & pur livestock, Ayr; 1919- cash State Bank of Table Rock; city clk 20 years; mgr Table Rock band 1929-34; Pawnee Co Bankers Assn, past pres; Comml Club; AF&AM, past master & treas; IOOF, past noble grand; MWA, clk 20 years; Meth Ch, treas; Rep; hobbies, fishing, hunting; off State Bank of Table Rock; res Table Rock.
BONHAM, GUY FURMAN: Bank Cashier; b Wilsonville, Neb Dec 23, 1895; s of Clarence Bonham-Mae Treat; ed Hastings HS 1914; Hastings Bus Coll; U of N 1915; m Beatta Bigelow June 7, 1916 Hastings; s Dwight D; d Shirley M; 1915-19 oprd Grain Elevator & pur livestock, Ayr; 1919- cash State Bank of Table Rock; city clk 20 years; mgr Table Rock band 1929-34; Pawnee Co Bankers Assn, past pres; Comml Club; AF&AM, past master & treas; IOOF, past noble grand; MWA, clk 20 years; Meth Ch, treas; Rep; hobbies, fishing, hunting; off State Bank of Table Rock; res Table Rock.
the bonham family picks their successor
In 1958, following the death of Guy Bonham, who was president and did the hands-on management of the bank, the Bonham family decided to sell. The Bonhams did not rush in this process. A Table Rock Argus article reported that they “desired to have the bank go into the hands of a man who would become part of the community.”
In the meantime, Bob Stillinger, who grew up in Columbus, Ne., having been a Navy Pilot veteran, and then graduated from the University of Nebraska was in the banking business in a small town in northwest Nebraska. He had always dreamed of owning a small town bank. In a 2015 interview by Sharla Sitzman, Ethelann Stillinger of Table Rock (Bob’s widow) told of Bob’s dream and recalled that there were few such banks available. Then Bob heard that the Bonham’s were looking for just the right owner for the State Bank of Table Rock. He came to Table Rock, loved what he saw when he met with the Bonham’s, they felt he was what the community needed. They sold their controlling interest in the bank to Bob who was 34 years old at the time. He moved his wife and six-week-old daughter Roberta Sue (Bobbie) to town. Asked how she liked Table Rock at the beginning, Ethelann said, “It felt like where we should be.” Guy Bonham probably said as much in 1918.
In the meantime, Bob Stillinger, who grew up in Columbus, Ne., having been a Navy Pilot veteran, and then graduated from the University of Nebraska was in the banking business in a small town in northwest Nebraska. He had always dreamed of owning a small town bank. In a 2015 interview by Sharla Sitzman, Ethelann Stillinger of Table Rock (Bob’s widow) told of Bob’s dream and recalled that there were few such banks available. Then Bob heard that the Bonham’s were looking for just the right owner for the State Bank of Table Rock. He came to Table Rock, loved what he saw when he met with the Bonham’s, they felt he was what the community needed. They sold their controlling interest in the bank to Bob who was 34 years old at the time. He moved his wife and six-week-old daughter Roberta Sue (Bobbie) to town. Asked how she liked Table Rock at the beginning, Ethelann said, “It felt like where we should be.” Guy Bonham probably said as much in 1918.
music
Marion & Guy Bonham were given a gift of appreciation for directing the music program during WW2 when the teachers were off fighting. Photo 792.
the methodist youth choir conducted by marion bonham
This 1953 photo was taken at a television station where the choir (which had been gotten together in about 1950) did a live broadcast. The students who are still with us well remember that big event! Photo 35.
In 1982, some of the grown-up members of the choir gave a memorial performance for Marion, as reported in the November 11, 1982 Pawnee Republican:
