John Harmon Charles Bonté Esq. D.D. (1831 - 1896)

Born 21 Feb 1831 in Circleville, Ohio

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 24 Nov 1896 at age 65 in Sacramento at Daughter's home

Problems/Questions Profile managers: George Kewin [send private message] and Thomas Bonte [send private message]

BIOGRAPHY

The Rev John Harmon Charles Bonté D.D. Esq,

John Harmon Charles Bonté (1831–1896) was a lawyer, Episcopal priest, and Secretary of the Board of Regents of the University of California from 1881-1896. He also held the offices of Land Agent, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, and Secretary of the Academic Senate. He was Professor of Legal Ethics at the University's affiliate, Hastings College of the Law. He worked tirelessly for the independence and advancement of the University for 15 crucial years in its early development.

An Obituary from the The Journal of the Forty Seventh Annual convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church Diocese of California, May 18th-20th, 1897:

Reverend JOHN HARMON C. BONTE, D.D. Born in Circleville, Ohio, 
 February 21, 1831.

Received his early education in private schools and the College of Cincinnati. Studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1851; practised three years in Cincinnati. Bishop Mcllvaine directing his thoughts to the ministry, in 1854 entered Bexley Hall (Kenyon College, Ohio ); was ordained Deacon in 1856; in 1857 was ordained Priest, receiving at the same time his degree of A.M. (Kenyon College). Received degree D.D. (Kenyon College) 1880. Kenyon Colloge [1]

His first Parish was at St. John's, [2] in Lancaster, Ohio (100 mikelSE if Cloumbus). It was a missionary outpost of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio [3] [4] . In 1859 he became Rector of St. Paul's, Mt. Vernon, Ohio.

At the breaking out of the Civil war John Bonte resigned his charge and volunteered as Chaplain of Ohio's forty-third Ohio regiment. Ohio's forty-third Ohio regiment participated in the Siege and capture of Island No. 10, Mississippi River as a unit of the Army of the Mississippi under General Pope [5]. John remained with the regiment until his health gave way.

John Bonte took charge of Christ Church, Georgetown, D. C. In 1866. He was then called to the Church of the Evangelists, Oswego, New York. The climate proved too severe. In 1870 he accepted a call to Grace Church, Sacramento, where he remained until 1880, when he was elected Secretary of the Board of Regents of the University of California, also Superintendent of Grounds and Buildings (afterwards Land Agent). In 1887 was appointed Professor of Legal Ethics. All of which positions he held until his death. Entered into rest at Sacramento, 
November 24th, 1896—in the sixty-sixth year of his age.

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 
I have kept the faith."

Also see:

Thomas Bonte's researched article in WikiPedia:

[6]

National Park Service history site on Bonte Peak, 1940 Lassen Volcanic Guidebook:

[7]

Sources

George Bonté Kewin

1. Various Sources

2. An Obituary from the The Journal of the Forty Seventh Annual convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church Diocese of California, May 18th-20th, 1897

Thomas Bonte

1. Various Sources and research