THE "BONNIWELL" SETTLEMENT IN MEQUON --
When we first settled in the town of Mequon in the winter of 1840-41, we found fourso-called settlements in the same, namely the Opitz, the Altenburg, the Pommeranianand the Bonniwell. The last comprised the first comers in the town, who settled ina body near Peter TURCK's saw mill on the Pigeon creek in the north-western portionof the town. There were a few scattering settlers on the river and at Port Washingtonbefore the arrival of the BONNIWELL's, but the Port Washington settlers soon abandonedthe place and the few houses remained vacant up to the year 1842-43 when Col. TEALLwith his son-in-law, Watrous, Wooster HARRISON, Solon JOHNSON and others returnedto take possession again of the abandoned houses in the place.

The Bonniwell settlement consisted of seven brothers by that name, Wm. T., George,Charles, James, Henry, Walter and Alfred with their mother and one sister, the lattermarried to Mr. MOSS. Of all those first settlers none are left at the old placesexcept Charles and Alfred BONNIWELL, so that the name of the settlement is fast passinginto oblivion. The first election in Washington County after its organization washeld at the house of Wm. T. BONNIWELL, who was then elected clerk of the board ofcounty commissioners.

We might fill columns of the early history of these Mequon settlements, but fearthat it might not be interesting to the present generation in the county nor to othersof the readers of the NEWS.

Our being reminded of the Bonniwell settlement was occasioned by a very pleasantvisit we had from our former old neighbor Charles BONNIWELL, who yet resides on theold place he selected in the year 1837 and who will be 80 years old next September.Charley is yet strong and vigorous and likely to live twenty years more to judgefrom his appearance. While talking together of old times, we put the question tohim whether he did not think that his relations would have done at least as wellby remaining like him on their old places, he readily said, "yes, I am prettysure of it; I have been visiting some of those who moved away, but I would not exchangemy farm for a much larger one any where I have been, and I was glad when I got homeagain."