Bonham, Texas -- The buildings surrounding downtown Bonham hold countless stories, memories and secrets within their walls. One such story was just discovered, thanks to a recent visitor to the Fannin County Museum of History. Helen Jonas, of Chicago, recently made a trip to Texas to learn more about her ancestors who lived here, specifically her great-grandfather Nicholas Jonas.
Nicholas Jonas moved to Bonham, Texas in 1912 and started working as the Proprietor of the Texas Candy Kitchen which was located on the north side of the downtown square, where the Moore Photography studio is located now.
According to an article in the Bonham News from February 3, 1914, Nicholas decided to make the long journey back to Corfu, Greece to visit his family. A later article in the Bonham Daily Favorite from April 3, 1914 explains that when Nicholas returned home to his family, his mother decided it was time for him to get married and had already chosen his future wife, a neighbor named Irene.
The couple returned to Bonham in April of 1914 along with Nicholas’s niece Mary Jonas, nephew Nick Martzoukos, and friend Christ Walker. The family continued to manage the Candy Kitchen and then Nicholas and Irene gave birth to their first child in 1916.
Unfortunately, tragedy would strike the family over the next few years as the Jonas’ lost their next two children, both at just 4 months old. These children were buried at Willow Wild Cemetery and have a shared stone. These hardships and the struggles of owning the candy store led the family to eventually pass the store on to new owners in 1925 and move back to their hometown in Greece. Life would improve for the family and Nicholas and Irene gave birth to four more children after making the move.
Stories such as this give us just a small glimpse into the lives of the countless families who have called Bonham home and helped to contribute to its amazing 175-year history. The Fannin County Museum of History is honored to be able to help tell these stories and continue preserving our local history.
Below is a photo of the author, Kathleen Morrow, and Helen during her recent visit.
