Chris Bonn
Born: June 13th, 1856
Died: June 23rd, 1918
Obituary
Chris Bonn, former city councilman and at one time a candidate for mayor of Burlington, died yesterday morning at 9 o’clock at Bloomington, Ind., following an illness of two years.
Mr. Bonn was born in Burlington June 13, 1856, and the greater part of his active life was spent in this city. He was the son of Jacob and Mary Thul Bonn and was married to Mary E. Jacoby April 6, 1879, in this city.
For several years he was the proprietor of the Prospect house here, which was located at the present site of the Wagner Hotel on South Main Street. Later he managed a summer garden on North Hill at the intersection of Sunnyside Avenue and Birdie street, and after that a similar resort on Madison avenue. During his career in Burlington he was busily engaged in politics and for several years was a member of the city council, and during his service was the recognized leader of that body. Early in the nineties he was the Democratic nominee for mayor but was defeated by Peter Fawcett, who ran on an independent ticket. He was also one of the pioneer ice dealers of the city.
He conducted amusement parks on North and South hills, where big attractions pleased great crowds. He was always on the lookout for novelties and it is said that he showed the first moving pictures here and had the first machine for that purpose.
Probably no man enjoyed a wider acquaintance than Mr. Bonn did during his life in Burlington. Of robust and handsome appearance, genial in disposition, he was a notable figure in the city’s life. He left Burlington about fifteen years ago and went to St. Louis, where he embarked on the café business, going from there to Kansas City and finally to Bloomington, Ind., where for the past seven years he has operated a popular hotel.
He is survived by his widow, two sons, Chris Bonn, Jr., of Bloomington, Ind., and Ed Bonn for the past eighteen years a sailor in the navy, and one daughter, Mrs. Katie Witzledon, of Chicago. A sister, Mrs. Samuel. B Hunt is a resident of this county. The remains will be brought here tomorrow afternoon.
The funeral will be held from the Underkircher chapel Tuesday afternoon at 2:30, with an interment in Aspen Grove. Services will be in charge of the local Elks Lodge of which the deceased was a charter member. The address will be given by Hon. JE Henley, past exalted ruler of the Bloomington lodge.