Hull, Lindley M., compiler and editor. "A History of Central Washington, Including the Famous Wenatchee, Entiat, Chelan and the Columbia Valleys." Spokane: Press of Shaw & Borden Co., 1929. p. 415. JAMES C. BONAR the second settler on the Entiat, April, 1887. The father of J. C. Bonar was a Virginia Irishman. while his mother was of French descent, and they pioneered in Noble County, Ohio, where Mr. Bonar was born May 7, 1829. He married Miss Loretta Walker of Whitley County, Indiana. In 1857, they settled at Forest City, Iowa, and their children were born there. After he had made several trips to Minnesota, the family moved there in 1880, and lived as pioneers. Mr. Bonar began to make trips to Washington Territory, and located there in 1887, but at that time the family was not ready to settle among the Indians. Mr. Bonnar kept a memorandum book many years, which has been of great value as data for history of Entiat and vicinity. It tallies with all the events the settlers have accounted for, and as it explains pioneer life quite fully, we give it in Mr. Bonar's own words, omitting personal affairs or items not relating to local history. His children still have this memorandum book, the record of which was begun when Mr. Bonar was 58 years of age. It opens as follows: 1887, March 30, left Ellensburg on foot and alone. 31, over the mountains. April 1, up the Columbia. 2, crossed the Wenatchee. 3, crossed the Entiat. 4, Lake Chelan. 5, crossed Methow. 6, the Okanogan. 9, back to Chelan, stayed with M. S. Dudley, I 0, stayed at Eli C. Fishers.* 11, took claim on the Entiat, reached Wenatchee. 12, at Kings, on the Colocken. 13, arrived at Ellensburg. 24, over the mountains, had bought white pony and supplies. 25, crossed Wenatchee. 26, arrived at my claim. 27, laid foundation for house and made garden. 29, severe earthquake shock early, continues all day. 30, went up to Detwilers----earth tremblers. *At this place, Lewis and John Detwiler were building a rowboat. They told him about the Entiat Valley. After leaving them he spied an old battered boat that Dr. Smith caught as it was drifting down the Columbia. He found a stick and with it paddled across the river, landing below the mouth of the Entiat. He walked up the river and located his claim (the Keystone ranch) and then went on to Wenatchee that same day. May 1, I can hear and feel the jar of the earthquake nearly every hour. Chopping logs for house, planting corn and clearing for ditch. 10, hauled house logs. 11, went to Wenatchee for flour and potatoes. 15, raising house logs for three days, and fighting fire. 25, surveying claims for others. 27, after ten days work put water on garden from ditch. First ditch used. 28, worked for Detwiler. June 1, killed a deer. 2, went to Badger postoffice and got trunk. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 rains. 9, planted peach seeds. 11, to Wenatchee. 12, graining deer skin. 17, finish putting chimney on my house. 23, did not get the bear I shot at. 27, helped Hessy raise house. 30, picking sarvis berries these days. July 2, Start for Puget Sound by rail from Ellensburg. Return September I 8. September 21, went to Smith's store at Orondo. 30, put fish net in river. October 3, to Badger postoffice. 10, went up to Entiat Falls with partner Robinson. Killed nice bear. Then fried the meat for oil. Made fish trap. Killed three pheasants. 15, went to Smith's store at Orondo. 16, Indian agent visited me. Grubbing sagebrush four days. November 7, have worked two weeks for Burch at Wentachee. 11, helped L. Detwiler break horses. Killed six grouse. Grubbing brush again, two days. 19, to Wenatchee, back next day. 21, took up the little traps I had set for marten, found a weasel foot in each. 22, to Smiths, and bought a reflector, to help cook before a fire place. 26, lay my floor. Mend moccasins. December 3, began my foot bridge. 1888 January 1, took dinner with neighbor Gray. Snow two feet deep. 4, began cutting logs for new house (20x20). 8, 19 below zero. 9, in the house keeping fire warm. 10 to 15, making canoe, cut my leg on 13th. 15, 22 below zero. Have visitors. 19, making hand sled two days, then two days making house logs. Snow 42 inches deep. 27, fix ropes across river. 28, George Gray visits me. Rains two days. February 1, went to Orondo. 5, George Gray and Erickson visiting me. Hunting in the mountains. 10, chopping trees for shakes (shingles) for L. Detwiler. Then two days hunting and packing in venison, then hewing logs. Got my canoe up and got my ferry across the Entiat. March 1, caught a beaver. 20, sowed wheat. 24, at Orondo. Then made a hunting trip up river with Adams. No luck. April 3, planted onions and peanuts. Then three days hunting trip, and setting traps. Killed three goats. 8, get ditch level of L. Detwiler and work two weeks on a higher ditch. 1 1, caught two beaver. 15, have two visitors. I 6, fall in river. Take nine-day trip to Ellensburg. May 1, work on mill dam for Cannon and Harris. 17, got ditch around first hill. 22, Gray got back. 24, Assessor came. 31, went up to Grays and Adams. June 18, to Waterville and back. Then tanning goat skins and picking thimble berries. 27, work on road. 29, speared salmon. 30, road work. Get salmon. Kill grouse. July 1, lost the day of the week. 8th to 20th very hot. 105 to 110 in shade. 24, went up to Erickson's. 25, Rickman stayed overnight with me. 26, five men here today. 28, chop wood for steamboat. August 1, went to see steamboat on its first trip. 2, went to Gray's Adams' and Erickson's. 3, Hewing logs. 4, killed a 25-pound salmon. 6, just learned how to catch trout. 7, caught 30 trout. 12, visiting Mr. Cannon. 14, Siwash attempted to build on my claim. 17, finished hauling house logs. Downed the Indian house. 23, helped Hicks make claim. 31, went to Orondo and Wenatchee. September 4, at work on my house. 1 2, bought five windows at Orondo, at $1.70 each. 21, Gray starts for England. 26, to October 26, at the home of Mr. Cannon, exhausted with my house building having raised every log of that two-story house on a 20x20 foundation. Found in Rev. T. J. Cannon a friend of no ordinary kind, for which he will ever be greatly esteemed. November 1, Dr. Mead has taken a claim just above mine. 2, caught a little beaver. 6, put up rafters. 6 and 7, burning lime rock. 21, got fruit trees at Orondo. 26, got stove for $35. 29, Eddie Cannon died. December 14, up to 25-mile Creek on a ten-day hunting trip with T. J. Cannon and Frank Mowery. Got three deer altogether. 27, I eat in my new house. 1889 January 6, Kerosene oil 60c per gallon at Orondo. 9, hunting on Muddy Creek. 4 deer, ten inches of snow. T. J. and W. F. Cannon killed two deer upper Entiat. February 2, caught Indians hauling off my rails. Cut poles for Cannon for three days. 1 4, caught a beaver. Drying venison. 2 1, caught 3 beaver, one fisher, one mink. March 4, tried to go to top of Tyee mountain. 6, R. H. Redman stayed over night with me. 10, Asron Shontz came. I 1, work on boat for Cannon. April 2, go to Wenatchee via Orondo. Get I 00 peach trees. 4, Mrs. Shontz and her two boys arrive. 4, planting peach trees. 8 and 9, caught one beaver up river. 21, started up river to see what makes cannonading noise----if geyser or what. Rained and I returned. May 14. Dr. Mead and wife arrived. 17, plowing for Dr. Mead. 18, went to Orondo with Strummel. 22, Dr. Mead and wife came to see me. 26, Cannon and ladies came to see me. 29, put up road notices. June 10, helped Wm. Cannon cross lumber over river. 11, killed 35 white salmon. 13, helped Robert Cannon cross lumber. 16, sold my claim (the Keystone) to Eph. Finch, brother-in-law of T. J. Cannon. 27, start for B. C. via Ellensburg. July I4, carried my trunk to new claim opposite Orondo. 19, raising mill at Cannons. 21, shot at bear, did not get him. 26, fight fire on mountain. August 9, rafted new lumber for new claim. 18, preaching by T. J. Cannon. 23, went up river to help survey Navarre road to Entiat. 28-29-30-31, I acted as axman, cutting trees or brush that obscured the sight on road survey, by Ole Rudd, from Entiat to Quartz Creek, W. F. Cannon, Ed. Adams, and Eph Finch assisting. September 9 to 14, work for Dr. Mead building log house. Adams and Erickson helping. 15, preaching at Orondo by Cannon. 29, Preston and I went up nearby mountain, got six grouse. October 14, finishing my house. Constant stream of Indians from hop picking. November 2, built stable for Adams, $1.50 per day. 9, today 1055 fat cattle passing down. 14, 260 cows and stock cattle go up. December 3, Howe stayed over night with me (supposed to have been Ansel Howe). 19, drunken Indian fired two shots into my house. 25, Mrs. Austin Vaughn died. Place across Columbia below Brays. In the spring of 1890 J. C. Bonar went east to Minnesota and Indiana. Returning in the autumn, he turned over his claim opposite Orondo to W. D. Spencer, who had been keeping hotel at Orondo. Mr. Bonar then bought the place at the mouth of the Entiat, owned by Mrs. Mary Cannon, wife of Robert Cannon, drowned in previous May. His son, J. W. Bonar arrived from Minnesota in November, 1890, walking from Coulee City. Mr. Bonar moved his house down close to the Columbia, and planted cherries, apricots, grapes, peach plums, silver prunes, and etc., for family use, while he planted pears and apple trees for a commercial orchard. Unfortunately many of the trees were not true to name. J. C. Bonar was a great lover of pioneer life, and could readily see where it would be best to locate roads, bridges, towns, etc. He was very enthusiastic over the future of Entiat, and loved to hunt and fish in its vicinity. On September 27, 1892, while his son was away from home, Mr. Bonar went to drive stock out of his garden and fell dead of heart trouble. His was the first white person's grave in the valley. He was buried a short distance southwest of the present High School building. But his remains are .now in the Entiat cemetery. The following mountain streams were named by Mr. Bonar: Roaring Creek, Mad River, Muddy Creek, Quartz Creek, Potato Creek, and Tyee Creek. On May 1, 1888, Mr. Bonar began construction work on the dam for the saw mill of T. J. Cannon. ******************* Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in June 2009 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.