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Tuesday, January 22, 2019

52 Ancestors 2019 – 4 – I'd Like to Meet – George Washington Bond




This week's theme is “I'd like to meet.” I looked at the birthday calendar and chose “Uncle George.” His birthday probably was not during this week, but I am unsure which day in January it was, so decided he would be my subject.

George Washington Bond was my 2nd gt-grandfather, Solomon Bond's older brother. They were less than 2 years apart in age, so I expect they spent time together.

George was born on the frontier, in northern Kentucky, just 201 years ago in 1818, the son of John and Sarah (Chastain) Bond. While he was still quite young, in about 1822, the family moved to Indiana and then in less than 10 years, about 1829, they moved again to Illinois. It was there on 1 March 1838 that he married his 1st cousin, Elizabeth Stillwell. I wonder if they were warned that there might be a problem with marriage to such a close relative.

By 1840 George and Elizabeth and many of their relatives were living in Iowa Territory. As there were 2 males aged between 20 and 29 in the household, I expect that George's older brother William was living with them there in Jefferson County. After the Baptist Church of Knoxville in Marion County was organized in 1845, Elder G. W. Bond was one of the first ministers there. Uncle George and his family were living in Iowa when it became a state in 1846. In 1847 his younger brother, James, traveled with his wife and family as a missionary to the Oregon country where he was accidentally killed in 1849.

When they took the census in 1850 in Marion County Iowa, Uncle George listed his occupation as Missionary Baptist preacher. I would have liked to hear one of his sermons. George and Elizabeth had 5 living children at that census. Two of these children, Ben Frank and Sarah, were marked as deaf & dumb. It was probably in the next year that George's grandfather, Solomon Bond, died as his will was recorded in 1851 in neighboring Mahaska County.

But one of my favorite things about Uncle George happened in 1853. He and Elizabeth and their 5 children, as well as George's parents and many, many other relatives, including my 2nd gt-grandparents, traveled over the Oregon Trail to the Willamette Valley of the Oregon Territory. I am especially thankful that Uncle George kept a journal of that trip, writing one line per day, He used many geographical references, so I was able to follow their journey on a map.

Along with his parents, 2 brothers and 4 sisters, the family took advantage of the Oregon Donation Land Claim act and received land in Oregon. George settled in Lane County in the Eugene-Springfield area, about 20 miles from my present location. The Baptist Annals of Oregon (pg 19) tells about George:
In 1856, one of the missionaries, Rev. G. W. Bond, was aided to buy a horse, as he had previously been compelled to travel on foot, often, in the winter, wading long distances in water from three or four inches to a foot in depth on the sloppy prairies to his appointments. He would pull off his shoes and socks, wade through, redress his feet, and march on, singing his favorite songs; and this on a salary of from $50 to $100 a year!”
He continued preaching for the Baptist church and was the pastor in Eugene from 1858 to 1868. It was a little over 10 years later, that he died from heart trouble 9 January 1880 and was buried at the Pioneer Cemetery in Eugene. His obituary from the Eugene City Guard 17 January 1880 included this: “Elder Bond was a man of spotless character, and unquestioned integrity. By his virtues he commanded the respect of all.” There was another obituary published in the State Journal in Eugene on the same date and it gave tribute to him also: “As a christian he was honored and beloved by his brethren and respected by the entire community. His religion was something more than a profession of his life; it was a fact in his whole life.

Uncle George Bond truly was someone that I would have liked to meet.

There is a page about Uncle George on my personal genealogy website:

It also includes a link to my transcription of the journal entries of the trip to Oregon.


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