Brigham Street

Brigham Street 22 - Elizabeth Bonnemort

ELIZABETH BONNEMORT. 151 T his is the story of a woman whose life was full of adventure, variety, and financial success. Her optimism, courage, and deter­mination brought her as a young girl alone across an ocean to live in a strange land; there those same qualities enabled her ultimately to become a part of the life and society of the grandest boulevard between Denver and San Francisco. Elizabeth Dunlop Ferguson Bonnemort was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on December 26, 1846, to Irish parents, Mary Matilda Tyrrell and Robert Dunlop, a shoemaker from County Down. Mary Dunlop gave birth to fifteen children, but only five were still living when the Dunlop family, who had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, decided to emigrate to Zion, the new home of the Mormon people. Robert and Mary were baptized in the River Clyde in 1850, but it was not until 1863 that they could make plans to come to America. Robert preceded the family to the Salt Lake Valley. Two years later, Mary Dunlop and her four daughters prepared to sail from Liverpool. Robbie, the only liv­ing son, had by this time become a member of the Queen's Guard and would not be sailing with them. At the Liverpool landing Mary heard rumors that the Belle Wood, the ship on which they were to sail, was not seaworthy. She decided against boarding. Seven- Elizabeth Bonnemort teen- year- old Elizabeth, undaunted and strong- willed, insisted on taking her chances; so she said goodbye to her mother and sisters and made her way up the gangplank. The ship did arrive safely in New York harbor but did not make it back to England. Elizabeth traveled by train as far as the railhead in Nebraska where she found wagon passage to Salt Lake City. Her father met the wagon tram as it pulled into the citv and took Elizabeth to a small adobe 152 house in the west part of town. There she settled down to keeping house for her father while awaiting the arrival of her mother and sisters. Robert Dunlop soon introduced her to the man who was planning to take Elizabeth as his wife. Her new life was not ex­actly what the young girl had expected, and then to find that she was to marry a man much older than herself, a man already equipped with at least one wife, was something she was not about to do. Eliza­beth made up her mind to leave. The people with whom she had driven over the plains had settled at Fairfield near old Camp Floyd, forty- five miles south­west of Salt Lake City, and she was welcomed into their household. Elizabeth never saw her father again. He soon left for Nebraska to meet his wife and other daughters, but before their arrival he contracted a serious illness and died. When her mother and sisters arrived in the valley, they went to Fairfield to be near Elizabeth who by that time had found work with the people who ran the telegraph station. At this station she met James Corey Ferguson, a telegrapher for the government. Elizabeth was twenty- two when she and Jim went to Salt Lake City to be married in the Valley House, a popular hotel or inn located southwest of Temple Square. Soon after­ward they took up a homestead at Deep Creek, later known by its Indian name Ibapah, on the western border of Utah in Tooele County. Jim ran the telegraph office there until it ceased operation in 1883. During that time he bought land adjacent to their homestead until he had accumulated over eight hundred acres. He had also been purchasing sheep from California, which proved to be a profitable in­vestment. The Fergusons raised four daughters on the Deep Creek ranch: Tillie, Lillie, Daisy, and Corey. Elizabeth used all her womanly talents to make a comfortable home and surrounded her daughters with whatever advantages she could. She sewed pretty clothes for the girls. She taught them to read and write. As time went on they were each given a fine guitar which Jim taught them to play. The chords blending with those of their father carried out over the silence of the night as the family joined in singing familiar ballads. Eliza­beth was sensitive to the more cultural aspects of life, often composing poetry that expressed her inner feelings, but she also knew hard work. In addition to her household duties, she learned to help her husband with the sheep. One day in July 1883 Jim went into a nearby can­yon to obtain wood. He cut his foot severely with an axe but managed to get back to the ranch. Elizabeth knew he had to have medical help. Although she fran­tically drove a team of horses to Salt Lake City, blood 153 poisoning had set in and Jim's foot had to be ampu­tated. He did not recover from the trauma and was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Elizabeth returned to the ranch alone. The same characteristics of determination and strong will that had prompted her to sail alone from Liverpool, to­gether with an unusual business ability, enabled her, with little help, to operate the ranch successfully. Three years later she married a cattleman by the name of Edward Bonnemort. The combination of the Ferguson sheep, the Bonnemort cattle, and the joint acreage made a highly successful venture. The Bon-nemorts continued to live at the ranch house, which they equipped with handsome Victorian furniture, fine rugs, draperies, and kerosene ceiling lamps with colored bowls and crystal prisms. Since there was no public hall, Saturday night dances were held in their large living room which was cleared of furniture and The ranch house at Ibapah. The white dresses and potted plants are evidence of Elizabeth's striving to make the best of any situation. 154 rugs. The entertainments drew the ranchers from miles around. The girls were enrolled at Saint Mary's Academy in Salt Lake City where they boarded during the school year. Elizabeth longed to be with them and Edward Bonnemort, right, and his brother John were Tooele County cattle ranchers. was torn between her loyalty to Mr. B., as she affectionately called her husband, and her desire to give the girls the advantages to be found only in the city. Finally, in 1889, the Bonnemorts decided to move to Salt Lake, at the same time continuing to operate the ranch in Tooele County. They built a home on Brigham Street at Eighth East. Over the years the home became a center for social events. Visitors spoke of the comfortable and hospitable feel­ing engendered by the Bonnemorts and the treasures of fine art that filled the home, including a set of ornately hand- carved Oriental furniture. Elizabeth allowed these handsome pieces to be exhibited at the Saint Louis World's Fair. The home was typical of the high Victorian era: heavily flowered wallpapers, oriental rugs, and expensive uphol­steries. The rooms were overly draped and overly pillowed. Nevertheless, it was stylish and somehow reflected the woman who put it all together. The gardener and his wife lived in a small house at the rear of the property. He kept the flower gardens in perfect condition, and Elizabeth was generous in presenting her friends with bouquets when they came to call. The sidewalk parking was planted with roses, and special light posts were installed. The " dripping lights" glowing above the roses created a unique effect. 155 Elizabeth poses with the hand- carved Oriental furniture that she displayed at the Saint Louis World's Fair. 156 Edward Bonnemort died in 1902 of Rocky Moun­tain, or tick, fever and Elizabeth was left once more to manage her affairs alone. Fortunately, she was a woman of extraordinary abilities. Her name was fre­quently mentioned in both the business and social sections of the newspapers. She often traveled to Washington, D. C., or other parts of the country for conventions or livestock business. An earnest ad­vocate of organization among sheep and catde growers she became an active worker in both state and na­tional organizations. Because of her prominence in the National Wool Growers Association she became known as the Sheep Queen of Utah. At one time she was delegated to represent the Western Wool Growers Association in Washington where she testi­fied before Congress and was entertained at the White House. She also managed the family real estate business. Elizabeth loved art, music, the theatre, and enter­taining. Friends and guests at her lavish entertainments included governors, senators, prominent business­men, and artists. Her great interest in art led to her appointment as a member of the Fine Arts Commis­sion, a position she held until the time of her death. She was also on the committee for the inaugural reception and ball tendered for Gov. William Spry. Wherever she went a cheerful and gay spirit ever animated her, making her a favorite. Mrs. Bonnemort died on May 15, 1914, of a sudden attack of uremic poisoning. Her funeral was held in her Brigham Street home, the Very Reverend S. R. Colladay, dean of Saint Mark's Cathedral, officiating. The honorary pallbearers included some of the state's most prominent citizens. She was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery between her two husbands, James Corey Ferguson and Edward Bonnemort. & ELIZABETH BONNEMORT 776 East South Temple Built ca. 1889 Architect: unknown Owners: Elizabeth and Edward Bonnemort Demolished 1929 158