“Home Site of General Albert Sidney Johnston.” The words on the historical marker catch your eye. This is Bonney, Texas, a tiny town with a fascinating past. Bonney’s story is woven into the tapestry of Texan history, a place where the echoes of the past still resonate.
Named for Charles Bonney, a popular conductor on the Columbia Tap Railroad, Bonney sprang to life in 1873 when the International-Great Northern Railroad took over operations. The town’s post office opened in 1879, and a year later, the first store opened its doors. This small town, with a population of only 75, continued to grow, even establishing its own telegrapher and express agent. It wasn’t until the mid-1950s that the town’s population dwindled to a mere 25.
But the most intriguing part of Bonney’s story is its connection to General Albert Sidney Johnston, a prominent figure in Texas history. Johnston, a Kentucky native, graduated from West Point and later served in the Texas Army. He was a staunch supporter of the Confederacy and tragically lost his life at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. While Bonney may be a tiny town today, its rich past, shaped by the railroad and the legacy of General Albert Sidney Johnston, makes it a place of historical intrigue. Today, you can still visit the site of Johnston’s large plantation called China Grove.