Bonham Dairy

Bonhams Dairy

See larger photo HERE

Bonhams Dairy began their retail milk business in 1924.  They were located on Kanawha Two Mile (Sissonville Rd) but their official address was Guthrie.  They were in the big curve just outside of town, and for many years a large Billboard  with a cow's head was locally famous.

Bonham Dairy


Bonhams Dairy Sign

Bonham Dairy

Bonham Dairy


John Tandy Bonham was the son of founder A.T. Bonham

Bonham Dairy





Bonham Dairy






And while we're out this way, here's a little history as told by Mrs George Jenkins  to the Charleston Gazette 1927


MRS. GEORGE JENKINS TELLS STORY OF GUTHRIE-CARPENTER

Community Constructed First Log School House and Churches in 1855;
Charleston Was Then Day’s Journey Away


A community from which its inhabitants have seldom cared to roam since the first pioneers settled there is the Guthrie-Carpenter community, Union district, Kanawha county, on the Sissonville road a few miles north of Charleston. Mrs. George W. Jenkins, who traces her ancestry as well as that of most of the citizens of the section back to the first settlers, has prepared the following history of the community:

“The first settlers in the Guthrie-Carpenter community came early in the 19th century, building their cabins in the wilderness and enduring hardships of which we of the 20th century have no conception. They cooked by the open fire, their cabins were lighted by tallow candles which they ‘dipped’ themselves; materials for clothing and for bed clothes, as well as the garments themselves were made by hand; the shoe cobblers came annually and made shoes for the whole family; furniture and farming implements also were handmade.

“Today the Guthrie-Carpenter community has gas fires, gas and electric lights, hard roads, graded schools, telephones, radios and automobiles. In those days going to Charleston was a day’s journey; today the city is 20 or 30 minutes distant.

“The first school house was built in 1855 near the present home of Jarrett Casdorph. This was a log building heated by wood fires, the teachers and pupils cutting the wood. School was in session three months of each year.

THE FIRST CHURCH


“A building of the old Aultz estate was used for a church, people going for miles on foot to worship there. Later churches were built. Among the first was a log church near the present site of the Wesley chapel. Bethel church was also built by the pioneers and the log church stood until within the past 15 years when it was torn down and a modern frame building erected in its place.

“Other early churches were the Primitive Baptist church near what is now Bonham school, and Thompson chapel. Later, as the community became more thickly settled, Tupper’s Valley church, Morgan chapel and Bias chapel were built.

“Among the earliest settles in the community were John and Henson-Guthrie, brothers who made their homes and cleared farms near what is now Guthrie post office. Three of the children of John Guthrie – Grant, Stephen and Virginia – now reside on the original farm. Another son, Dr. Alexander Guthrie, is now in the West.

“Azariah Casdorph was another early settler. Among his grand-children now living in the community are Henry, Smith, Joe, Lawrence, Ira, John, Daniel and Willis Casdorph; Hascom and David Young; Mrs. Robert Bonham and Mrs. Melton Coffman. One of Aariah Casdorph’s sons, Harrison, was killed in the Shenandoah Valley in 1863.

“John Casdorph, brother of Azariah, came to the Guthrie-Carpenter section about the same time. Jarrett Casdorph and Mrs. Lucinda Pugh are his children. Eight grand-children, Mrs. N. M. Patton, Grover and Kemp Pugh, Mrs. J. G. Carpenter, Mrs. Leonard Thaxton, Calvin and Lafayette Guthrie and Mrs. Joseph Lilly live near the old homestead.

THE BONHAMS

“William H. Bonham came from Lawrence county, O., in 1842. A son, T. G. Bonham, and a daughter, Mrs. Jarrett Casdorph, reared their families in the community. Another son, P. L. Bonham, followed his parents to Kanawha county. Both sons were soldiers in the Union army. T. G. Bonham for many years a missionary Baptist minister.

“Mathias Young came with his family from Greenbrier county and settled where George Dueley now lives. His sons were Robert, Williams, Thomas and Henry. Robert and Henry, both ministers of the Gospel, reared their families in the community. Children of Henry Young who now reside here are Herbert Young and Mrs. Emmett Jonkins. U. G. Young, successful real estate man, and James Young, mechanic, other sons, are living in Charleston.

“Children of Robert Young who made their homes in the community were Mrs. T. G. Bonah Bonham, Mrs. Frank Aultz and Mrs. James Shepherd. Peter Young, a son and early resident, was considered one of the most learned school teachers in this section of the state in the early 60s. He is now a retired merchant living at Charleston. Robert Bonham, Albert Bonham, George Denley, Mrs. Gordon Young, Mrs. David Young, Robert Aultz and Mrs. Will Good, all of whom are residents of the community, are grandchildren of Robert Young.
“Josiah Tate, another old settler, is remembered by the presence now of Mrs. Joseph McCutcheon, Marion, William and Adam Tate and Mrs. Minerva Gaylor and a number of grandchildren.”

Thomas Jenkins came with his wife and nine children to Two-Mile from Eastern Virginia in the early 40’s. Three children were born after their arrival here. Three sons, Thomas, Rosser and G. W. Jenkins served with the Seventh West Virginia cavalry in the Civil war. J. S. Jenkins was a Methodist minister for 70 years. Alex, Charles, Joseph, Emmett, Elsie, Walter and George W. Jenkins and Joseph Guthrie are grandchildren, as are Mrs. W. B. Young and Mrs. Ellen Good.
“Charles Fore, whose father settled on Tupper’s creek, has lived in the community for 50 years. His sons, Lightburn and Oscar, also live here.


THE FIELDERS

“Dr. F. G. Fielder was another old settler. He lived where his grandson, Thomas Fielder, now resides. He had three sons, William, Robert, and Z. T. Fielder. Margaret, daughter of F. G. Fielder, married James Whittington. She lived in this community until recently. She now lives at Charleston.

“William Whittington settled on what was later known as Whittington’s divide, which separates the waters of Two-Mile and Tupper’s creeks. He had one son, James, and one daughter, Puss. The former married Margaret Fielder. Two sons, Owen and Ladd, live on the Whittington farm. The other son, Elvin, lives in Charleston and the daughter, Julia, married Smith Casdorph. Puss Whittington married Jessie Whittington. Among their children who still live in the community are Fred, Lisbon and Black Whittington. The grandchildren are Lem, James, Sullivan, Lawrence and Ben Whittington and Mrs. Lucy Young.

“Samuel Humphreys settled near what is now known as Humphrey’s Lane. He had four daughters, one of whom married J. S. Jenkins. Another became Mrs. Stape Hundley.
“Joseph Good moved into the community about 1864 from Jackson county. Three of hs children, Grant and William Good, and Mrs. Mary Jane Wallace, still reside in the community.
“Samuel, Luallen, Wyth and Martin Haynes, four brothers, settled adjoining farms. All were fathers of large families. John and William, sons of Luallen, were Civili war veterans John and another brother, Hoode Haynes, still live in the community. Among the grandchildren are Samuel, Rufus, Dan, Lock, Joe, Arnold, Ben, Jim and William Henry, Mrs. Tandy Casdorph, Mrs. Ad Whittington and Mrs. B. T. Belcher.

THE YOUNGS

“John H. Young built his home where Mrs. Simeon Young now lives. The sons were Boss, Simeon, Lewis and George Young. The grandchildren are Bascom, David, Gordon, William and Haynes Young and Mrs. Joe Jenkins; Mrs. Callie Tate and Mrs. Lock Haynes.
“John McFarland lived on the farm adjoining John H. Young and was a son-in-law of Mrs. Young. Mrs. Louis Thomas, Mrs. Robert Payne and Ice McFarland were his children.
“James Wallace’s house stood where A. B. Wallace’s store now is. A. B. and James and one grandson, Robert Wallace, reside here.

“David Thaxton had a large family. His children reared their children in the community. Among the grand-children are Ab Thaxton, Mrs. Mauder Young, James Monroe, Thaz Thaxton, Rife Thaxton, Perry and Silas Thaxton, Mrs. George Dueley, Mrs. Own Whittington and Mrs. Will Ransom.

“Adam Aultz, an early arrival in the community, was the father of two sons and two daughters. One grandson, Dr. O. L. Aultz, is well known throughout the county. The daughters married John and King Shepherd, brothers. Adam Shepherd and Dr. Shepherd, both of Spring Hill, and King Shepherd of South Charleston are children of John Shepherd.
“Thomas Lane lived where his father, Bobbie Lane, settled. Mr. Lane was a farmer and a soldier and a magistrate. Robert, Ed and John are his sons and Mrs. Richard Glass and Mrs. Wilbur Jenkins and Mrs. James Walker are granddaughters.

“Dr. William Mairs was a pioneer physician in the community. Three sons and one daughter. Joe Brown and Dr. Tom Mairs and Mrs. Ed Layne, are now living. Mrs. Richard Glass and Dr. Atlee Mairs are grandchildren.

“Granville Carpenter was a son-in-law of David Thaxe served for years on the board of education of the district and was largely instrumental in the improvement of the school system. His son, J. G. Carpenter, served in the same capacity for four years after having been justice of the peace two or three terms.

PROMINENT CITIZEN


“In summing up we find that from his community have come doctors, teachers, preachers, nurses and merchants. The doctors are William Mairs, his son, Thomas Mairs, and grandson, Atlee Mairs; Dr. Fielder, Dr. Ben Dueley, Dr. O. L. Aultz, Dr. L. L. Aultz, and Dr. Fred Thaxton.

“Among the teachers are: Peter Young, William Fielder, Peter Silman, Mrs. M. W. Cavender, Mrs. Phil Stalnaker, George Dueley. Ed Young. Owen Whittington, Albert Bonham. George Jenkins, Ira and Lawrence Casdorph and Mrs. Lillian Caldwell. Peter Silman later served as state senator and sheriff of Kanawha county.

“The preachers were: Henry Young, J. S. Jenkins, T. G. Bonham, John Haynes, James Holmes and James Bird. Miss Mollie Casdorph has the distinction of being the only graduate nurse in the community.

“When the first country life conference was held in the community there was hardly a student in high school. Now it takes two buses to carry the high and junior high school students to the district high school at Dunbar. The graded school at Guthrie, known as Bonham school, has also grown from a two-room frame building to a four-room brick building equipped with running water, indoor toilets, electric lights and gas fires. The board of education plans to put an addition to the school at Carpenter, Wallace Heights schools, making it a four-room building.

SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS


“Now, now only have the schools improved, but each year finds home conditions improved. When the first country life conference was held A. T. Bonham’s dairy and the Kanawha Farm dairy, owned by Lloyd D. Smith, were the only Class A Dairies in the community, and though they are still the largest dairies, several new Class A barns with modern equipment have been built. These include the V. C. Tate dairy, the Jenkins dairy, Fielder, Whittington, Ollie Edens, Good, Ransom, Boyd Cunningham, Robert Aultz, and Ira G. Casdorph dairies, and dairy farms owned by Jesse Humphreys and Robert Bonham are now under construction.

“A large pasteurizing plant is to be operated by the Kanawha Farmers’ Dairy company, in nearing completion at a cost of several thousand dollars.
“Several miles of hard road have been made, a number of residences, dairies and poultry houses are lighted by electricity. Three gas lines have been laid by citizens at their own expense, furnishing gas to a large number of families in the community.

“With all of the conveniences and advantages over our forefathers, and having for an example their ideals of good citizenship and Christian living, we ought to be a happy, contented people, and endeavor to live such lives that we may be able to say that we ‘study the Scriptures and apply them, know our neighbors and love them, know our community and serve it, understand our government and act as good citizens, study world problems and help solve them and know God and glorify him.’ We could then appreciate the words of William Cullen Bryant who wrote:
“’So live that when thy summons comes to join the innumerable caravan that moves to the pale realms of shade, where each shall take his chamber in the silent halls of death, thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night, scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.’”

The above article gratefully transcribed by Ginger Hamilton 

Dairy sign courtesy of Ken Davis

SEE INFORMATION ON THE KANAWHA VALLEY DAIRY HERE

n