The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-06-02
THE BoNYTHoN FAMILY.
An Interesting Paper by Dr.. Q. E. Banks


AT the meeting OF the Maine Historical So.
ciety in this city an interesting paper on the
Bonython family, was read, from the pen of
DIR. 9. e. Banks, U. s. II. s., formerly Of
Portland, which relates to mary Portland fam
lilies. The following abstract will no doubt To
read with interest:
The name of Bonython is one of the most
ancient and aristocratic in the county OF Corn
wall, England. Its antiquity is shown in the
records, which tell us that they we're possessed
of the Boynthon Manor continuously from the
14th century to the beginning OF the loth CEN
fury, and the several positions Of the family ia
certified by their intermaTriage with the lead
ing families OF Cornwall for four centuries,
Simeon dc Boniton, In the middle OF the 18th
century, royal messenger to Ireland, was the
founder OF the family, and tho BonSthons Of
Bonython were conspicuous figures In the pc.
litical agitation Of the period which culminat-
ed 10 the stormy days OF the Stuart dynasty
A full description OF the Bonython Manor and
the pedigree ofthe family follows IN the paper
Richard, fourth OF the name, second son OF
John, third of the name, was baptized at st.
Columns Major, April Sd, $780, II is possible
he was the Richard Bonython, Comptroller Of
the Summaries Of Cornwall and Devonshire,
1904, and keeper of the gaol at Lostwithal,
1908. lie came to Saco in 1851, bringing
patent dated Feb. -, 1929, for a largo tract OF
land four miles by eight, upon the east side of
the Saco Of which liberty OF seizln was grant,
cd June 2S, 1881. He probably emigrated be-
cause he was not Ia the direct line OF success
sion to the Bonython estates. That he was
soldier is confirmed by the fact Of his title OF
Capt. Bonython, as well as by letter from
Richard Vines TO John Winthrop, Jan. %,
1890. His military rank gay him an authori-
tative position among the early settlers, and he
was undoubtedly local magistrate under
Richard Vines, before the arrival, In 1886, of
Deputy Governor William Gorges. The new
deputy organized the first court at Capt. Bony-
thon's house, March 25, 1886, and Capt. Bony-
thon was appointed one OF the first Provincial
Commissioners, and under the first charter, in
1910, appointed councillor to Deputy Governor
Gorges He was a man highly respected,
against whom not scrap Of anything impugn-
ing his moral or political character was brought
and there is even positive evidence that he did
not allow his own son 20 escape the rigors OF
the law. He expressed himself strongly
against Pafson Jenner's 'ehurchway; ir
troubled him 10 hear the mother church ques-
toned for her inpuritH@ on every occasion.
Capt Bonython died about 1900
John, his SOD, born before 1920 was his
fathers Counterpart, living life Of debauch-
cry and 0utlawry for twenty years of his ex-
istence. The first court held at his fathers
house, shows him the father OF an illegtimate
child, and his excuses developed to such de-
gree IN 1645, that threatening to kill and slay
any person that should lay hands on him, . the
court, at which his father sat, adjndged him
"outlowed and Incapable Of any OF his males
ty' laws, and proclaimed him rebel" After
Massachusetts assumed control Of Maine in
1902, no refused to submit TO her government
aud carried his guerrilla warfare so far that
the court set price on his head TO the person
who would bring him to Boston alive or dead
This had the desired effect. He submitted In
l608, and behaved himself subsequently, His
offences were not political, for he quarreled
with his brother-in-law, Richard Foxwell in
1906, aud tore down his house, for which he
had to pay rnundly. In 1910 he was sued for
libel by Rev. Richard Gibson, because Bony-
thon had called him "a base priest, base
knaye, and base fellow and court gave the
plaintiff verdict of &C. Is, J, and costs of lbs
cd IN 1866, however, Bonython had so far
recovered the confidence Of his fellow citizens
he was placed on the trial jury. At the out
break OF the Indian hostilities in Maine. 1875
his house was burned in September OF that
year, and, with bis family. he fled to Marble
heal far safety. There, Feb. IL, 1876 in his
last sickness he made his will. from which We
learn the names OF his wife aud children. This
date may be taken as the time OF his decease,
but thoagh dead, his fame viii live In Whitti-
er's 'Mogg Megone," and in an epitaph still
preserved, which sums ep his life in expressive
rhyme.
Here lies Bonython the Sycamore of saco
lie hYed rogue and died knaTe, and went to
BY his wife Agnes he had issue, John,
Elinor, Gayrigan, Thomas and Winnifred.
Elinor married Church veil, inherited her ia
theirs procliyities, was examined Sept. 90
1861, on charge OF bastardy aud. being con-
ylcted, was stood in white sheet in pablo
meeting bat her father paid the alternate Of
e5 fine.
This closes the record OF a family OF gentle
blood who came 10 the Province Of Maine to
aid IA the perpetuation OF the feudal seigno-
ries Of Old England. With the aristocratic
scion Of Bonython Manor vera associated the
almost royal Champernowna owning kinship
to the Plsntaganets aud Couftenays OF Eng
land, and the Montgomerys of France; the
gentle Joscelyn OF the knighily house of Kent;
the noble Cammock related 10 the powerful
Earl OF Warwick, snd Godfrey who bore
the arms Of the renowned Godfrey Of Bouillon
the ctivalrous knight OF Jerusalem All these
men were the associates OF Richard Bonython
but no one today bears the name OF Bonython,
Champernowne, Joscelyn, Cammock, or
Godfrey in the State which thsy helped to
found. The fate Of the Bonython family in
America bears a striking resemblance 10 the
tragic end Of the elder line in England for
the line OF Richard, the Emigrant, tapers eff
miserably in the profligate Sycamore OF
Saco,' Tor we hear no more of his sons
descendants. In the female line, however,
through the Cummings match, the beloved
poet Longfelow traces collateral descent,
and from the same alliance. the families of
Bragdon, Banks and Others deduce their
pedigree. while from the Foxwell marriage
several other Maine families can be traced.