George Atmon Bonner (1923 - 1937)

Died 18 Mar 1937 at age 13 in New London, Rusk, Texas, United States

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Biography

11 year old Oneita and her 13 year old brother George, were killed in the New London school explosion. Daughter of George Laster Bonner & Mary Vera Gaines. Sibling: Jim.

FIVE VICTIMS OF NEW LONDON BLAST BROUGHT CORSICANA

..."The bodies of Oneta Bonner and a smaller brother, who were killed in the New London school explosion, children of Mr. and Mrs. George Bonner, former residents of Eureka, were reported en route here Friday afternoon for burial. Funeral arrangements have not been announced but burial will probably be held some time Saturday."

Double Services. Double funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock from the chapel of the Corley Funeral Home for Onida, age 11 and George Amon Bonner, aged 13 years, daughter and son of Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Bonner of Overton, former Navarro countians, school building explosion victims. The rites were conducted by Leslie G. Thomas, Church of Christ minister. Interment was in the Prairie Point cemetery.

Surviving are the parents, a brother, Jimmie Ray Bonner, Overton; grandmother, Ms. Minnie Lee Bonner, and a grandfather, J. O. Gaines, both of Eureka.

The above five funerals were directed by the Corley Funeral Home.

The New London School explosion occurred on March 18, 1937, when a natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroying the London School of New London, Texas, a community in Rusk County previously known as "London". The disaster killed more than 295 students and teachers. As of 2017, the event is the third deadliest disaster in the history of Texas, after the 1900 Galveston hurricane and the 1947 Texas City disaster.

London School did not publish a yearbook in 1937, instead substituting a memorial book that recognized all of the students and teachers who had died during the disaster.

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11774457/george-atmon-bonner

• 1930 US census

• Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982

• Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000

• https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/367568?page=3#sr-13698618

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_London_School_explosion

• http://nlsd.net/Cenotaph.htm

• https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/artifacts/1936-london-school-yearbook

• http://nlsd.net/Names/Names05.htm

• https://www.athensreview.com/news/local_news/hcpac-play-remembers-the-new-london-school-explosion/article_f1476844-fa19-11e6-886a-8b24d050ea5f.html

• https://txnavarr.genealogyvillage.com/obituaries/pg90494.htm