Salvatore or "Sam" Bonura and his wife Jennie Urcela (or Urslea) immigrated from Sicily in 1904 with at least 5 of their 8 children (Three may have died prior to the family's departure). Of the five sons who grew up in the United States, Frank was the middle child and was about 8 years old when he arrived in Jefferson County, Texas.
He went to school for a while (through 6th grade) and learned to read and write as well as speak in English while his older two brothers worked on the farm with their father, according to the 1910 Census (Justice Precinct 6; ED 90; Pg 23-B, Family 501). Shortly before the outbreak of World War I, he married Bernadette Brands on 26 April 1917. He was 20 years old; she was just 18.
Frank registered for the draft in August 1918. His registration record shows that the young couple were living on College Street in Beaumont, and he was working as a truck driver for the Beaumont Bakery Company. His physical description notes that Frank, at age 22, was of medium height and build with blue eyes and brown hair.
By the 1920 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 95; Pg 4-B; Family 93), Frank and Bernie had an infant daughter, and he ran a small grocery store. A widowed older brother, Joseph, with his two children along with an older cousin were living in the same household. Frank and Bernie's only son, named after Frank's father, was born later that same year.
The family was living by 1921 on Joachimi Street, where they remained until the 1940s. It was into this neighborhood that their youngest child, likely named for Bernie's mother Salvadora, was born in the summer of 1925.
Frank got out of the grocery business but continued working in the food industry, which no doubt kept the family fed, in more ways than one, throughout the Great Depression. By the 1930 Census (Justice Precint 1; ED 45; Pg 53-B; Family 881), he was working as a salesman for a bakery. In 1935, he was a routeman for the Texas Bread Company, but he changed companies and became a salesman for the new Taystee Baking Company in 1937, when it moved to Beaumont from Chicago, IL. He moved up to the position of route supervisor according to the 1940 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 123-35; Pg 16-A; Family 333) but was still renting a home on Joachimi.
As World War II loomed, Frank was required again to register with the draft board. This registration required a more detailed physical description: 5 feet 10 1/2 inches, 180 pounds, blue eyes, black hair and dark complexion. His years of work in a bakery hadn't put much weight on him.
By 1945, with both of the girls married and their son in the military, Frank and Bernie were living alone in a home on Foch Street. He was still working as a route supervisor at Taystee but was soon promoted to Assistant Sales Manager. Their son returned from the military and married in early 1947, by which time Frank and Bernie already had two granddaughters, one by each daughter. The post-war years and the golden decade of the 1950s brought six more grandchildren; although 1955 also brought the death of his brother Joseph in January, followed by his father's death in February.
Frank eventually retired from the bakery, and he and Bernie moved for a while to Woodville, Texas. They returned to Beaumont, though, after a few years. They were living on Concord Road in 1971 and he succumbed at home to a blockage in his coronary arteries. He was survived by his wife Bernie, his oldest brother, all three children and eight grandchildren.
Parents
Salvatore "Sam" Bonura
Jennie Urcela
Siblings
Nick Bonura (abt 1891 Italy - 1984 TX)
Joseph Bonura (1892 Italy - 1955 TX)
James Bonura (1899 Italy - 1963 TX)
Leon Frank Bonura (1804 Italy - 1967 TX)
He went to school for a while (through 6th grade) and learned to read and write as well as speak in English while his older two brothers worked on the farm with their father, according to the 1910 Census (Justice Precinct 6; ED 90; Pg 23-B, Family 501). Shortly before the outbreak of World War I, he married Bernadette Brands on 26 April 1917. He was 20 years old; she was just 18.
Frank registered for the draft in August 1918. His registration record shows that the young couple were living on College Street in Beaumont, and he was working as a truck driver for the Beaumont Bakery Company. His physical description notes that Frank, at age 22, was of medium height and build with blue eyes and brown hair.
By the 1920 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 95; Pg 4-B; Family 93), Frank and Bernie had an infant daughter, and he ran a small grocery store. A widowed older brother, Joseph, with his two children along with an older cousin were living in the same household. Frank and Bernie's only son, named after Frank's father, was born later that same year.
The family was living by 1921 on Joachimi Street, where they remained until the 1940s. It was into this neighborhood that their youngest child, likely named for Bernie's mother Salvadora, was born in the summer of 1925.
Frank got out of the grocery business but continued working in the food industry, which no doubt kept the family fed, in more ways than one, throughout the Great Depression. By the 1930 Census (Justice Precint 1; ED 45; Pg 53-B; Family 881), he was working as a salesman for a bakery. In 1935, he was a routeman for the Texas Bread Company, but he changed companies and became a salesman for the new Taystee Baking Company in 1937, when it moved to Beaumont from Chicago, IL. He moved up to the position of route supervisor according to the 1940 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 123-35; Pg 16-A; Family 333) but was still renting a home on Joachimi.
As World War II loomed, Frank was required again to register with the draft board. This registration required a more detailed physical description: 5 feet 10 1/2 inches, 180 pounds, blue eyes, black hair and dark complexion. His years of work in a bakery hadn't put much weight on him.
By 1945, with both of the girls married and their son in the military, Frank and Bernie were living alone in a home on Foch Street. He was still working as a route supervisor at Taystee but was soon promoted to Assistant Sales Manager. Their son returned from the military and married in early 1947, by which time Frank and Bernie already had two granddaughters, one by each daughter. The post-war years and the golden decade of the 1950s brought six more grandchildren; although 1955 also brought the death of his brother Joseph in January, followed by his father's death in February.
Frank eventually retired from the bakery, and he and Bernie moved for a while to Woodville, Texas. They returned to Beaumont, though, after a few years. They were living on Concord Road in 1971 and he succumbed at home to a blockage in his coronary arteries. He was survived by his wife Bernie, his oldest brother, all three children and eight grandchildren.
Parents
Salvatore "Sam" Bonura
Jennie Urcela
Siblings
Nick Bonura (abt 1891 Italy - 1984 TX)
Joseph Bonura (1892 Italy - 1955 TX)
James Bonura (1899 Italy - 1963 TX)
Leon Frank Bonura (1804 Italy - 1967 TX)
Salvatore or "Sam" Bonura and his wife Jennie Urcela (or Urslea) immigrated from Sicily in 1904 with at least 5 of their 8 children (Three may have died prior to the family's departure). Of the five sons who grew up in the United States, Frank was the middle child and was about 8 years old when he arrived in Jefferson County, Texas.
He went to school for a while (through 6th grade) and learned to read and write as well as speak in English while his older two brothers worked on the farm with their father, according to the 1910 Census (Justice Precinct 6; ED 90; Pg 23-B, Family 501). Shortly before the outbreak of World War I, he married Bernadette Brands on 26 April 1917. He was 20 years old; she was just 18.
Frank registered for the draft in August 1918. His registration record shows that the young couple were living on College Street in Beaumont, and he was working as a truck driver for the Beaumont Bakery Company. His physical description notes that Frank, at age 22, was of medium height and build with blue eyes and brown hair.
By the 1920 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 95; Pg 4-B; Family 93), Frank and Bernie had an infant daughter, and he ran a small grocery store. A widowed older brother, Joseph, with his two children along with an older cousin were living in the same household. Frank and Bernie's only son, named after Frank's father, was born later that same year.
The family was living by 1921 on Joachimi Street, where they remained until the 1940s. It was into this neighborhood that their youngest child, likely named for Bernie's mother Salvadora, was born in the summer of 1925.
Frank got out of the grocery business but continued working in the food industry, which no doubt kept the family fed, in more ways than one, throughout the Great Depression. By the 1930 Census (Justice Precint 1; ED 45; Pg 53-B; Family 881), he was working as a salesman for a bakery. In 1935, he was a routeman for the Texas Bread Company, but he changed companies and became a salesman for the new Taystee Baking Company in 1937, when it moved to Beaumont from Chicago, IL. He moved up to the position of route supervisor according to the 1940 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 123-35; Pg 16-A; Family 333) but was still renting a home on Joachimi.
As World War II loomed, Frank was required again to register with the draft board. This registration required a more detailed physical description: 5 feet 10 1/2 inches, 180 pounds, blue eyes, black hair and dark complexion. His years of work in a bakery hadn't put much weight on him.
By 1945, with both of the girls married and their son in the military, Frank and Bernie were living alone in a home on Foch Street. He was still working as a route supervisor at Taystee but was soon promoted to Assistant Sales Manager. Their son returned from the military and married in early 1947, by which time Frank and Bernie already had two granddaughters, one by each daughter. The post-war years and the golden decade of the 1950s brought six more grandchildren; although 1955 also brought the death of his brother Joseph in January, followed by his father's death in February.
Frank eventually retired from the bakery, and he and Bernie moved for a while to Woodville, Texas. They returned to Beaumont, though, after a few years. They were living on Concord Road in 1971 and he succumbed at home to a blockage in his coronary arteries. He was survived by his wife Bernie, his oldest brother, all three children and eight grandchildren.
Parents
Salvatore "Sam" Bonura
Jennie Urcela
Siblings
Nick Bonura (abt 1891 Italy - 1984 TX)
Joseph Bonura (1892 Italy - 1955 TX)
James Bonura (1899 Italy - 1963 TX)
Leon Frank Bonura (1804 Italy - 1967 TX)
He went to school for a while (through 6th grade) and learned to read and write as well as speak in English while his older two brothers worked on the farm with their father, according to the 1910 Census (Justice Precinct 6; ED 90; Pg 23-B, Family 501). Shortly before the outbreak of World War I, he married Bernadette Brands on 26 April 1917. He was 20 years old; she was just 18.
Frank registered for the draft in August 1918. His registration record shows that the young couple were living on College Street in Beaumont, and he was working as a truck driver for the Beaumont Bakery Company. His physical description notes that Frank, at age 22, was of medium height and build with blue eyes and brown hair.
By the 1920 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 95; Pg 4-B; Family 93), Frank and Bernie had an infant daughter, and he ran a small grocery store. A widowed older brother, Joseph, with his two children along with an older cousin were living in the same household. Frank and Bernie's only son, named after Frank's father, was born later that same year.
The family was living by 1921 on Joachimi Street, where they remained until the 1940s. It was into this neighborhood that their youngest child, likely named for Bernie's mother Salvadora, was born in the summer of 1925.
Frank got out of the grocery business but continued working in the food industry, which no doubt kept the family fed, in more ways than one, throughout the Great Depression. By the 1930 Census (Justice Precint 1; ED 45; Pg 53-B; Family 881), he was working as a salesman for a bakery. In 1935, he was a routeman for the Texas Bread Company, but he changed companies and became a salesman for the new Taystee Baking Company in 1937, when it moved to Beaumont from Chicago, IL. He moved up to the position of route supervisor according to the 1940 Census (Beaumont Ward 3; ED 123-35; Pg 16-A; Family 333) but was still renting a home on Joachimi.
As World War II loomed, Frank was required again to register with the draft board. This registration required a more detailed physical description: 5 feet 10 1/2 inches, 180 pounds, blue eyes, black hair and dark complexion. His years of work in a bakery hadn't put much weight on him.
By 1945, with both of the girls married and their son in the military, Frank and Bernie were living alone in a home on Foch Street. He was still working as a route supervisor at Taystee but was soon promoted to Assistant Sales Manager. Their son returned from the military and married in early 1947, by which time Frank and Bernie already had two granddaughters, one by each daughter. The post-war years and the golden decade of the 1950s brought six more grandchildren; although 1955 also brought the death of his brother Joseph in January, followed by his father's death in February.
Frank eventually retired from the bakery, and he and Bernie moved for a while to Woodville, Texas. They returned to Beaumont, though, after a few years. They were living on Concord Road in 1971 and he succumbed at home to a blockage in his coronary arteries. He was survived by his wife Bernie, his oldest brother, all three children and eight grandchildren.
Parents
Salvatore "Sam" Bonura
Jennie Urcela
Siblings
Nick Bonura (abt 1891 Italy - 1984 TX)
Joseph Bonura (1892 Italy - 1955 TX)
James Bonura (1899 Italy - 1963 TX)
Leon Frank Bonura (1804 Italy - 1967 TX)
Family Members
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