Discover Bonnerville: A Historical Overview of the Rural Community in Freestone County
Published: August 26, 2004
Bonnerville is a small rural community located off Farm Road 833 about eight miles north of Fairfield in northern Freestone County. The area was settled by brothers William Bonner and Dr. John Bonner in the early 1850s, when they migrated with their families from Alabama to Freestone County. The Bonners owned extensive property between Cottonwood and Tehuacana creeks in the region north and east of the town of Steward's Mill. This territory became known as Bonnerville, and eventually the Bonners constructed a cotton gin and gristmill to serve their large plantations. Bonner Cemetery, about two miles northwest of the community, was established in 1867. From the late 1800s until the early 1920s Bonnerville had a school. The settlement continued to be a rural agricultural community throughout the twentieth century, and nearby Steward's Mill served as the area post office. Bonner Cemetery received a Texas historical marker in 1970. No population figures were available in 2000, and the community consisted of widely scattered residences and ranches.
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The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.
Laurie E. Jasinski, “Bonnerville, TX,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed March 09, 2026, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/bonnerville-tx.
Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
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HRBBM
- August 26, 2004
