THE "BONNIWELL" SETTLEMENT IN MEQUON --
When we first settled in the town of Mequon in the winter of 1840-41, we found four so-called settlements in the same, namely the Opitz, the Altenburg, the Pommeranian and the Bonniwell. The last comprised the first comers in the town, who settled in a body near Peter TURCK's saw mill on the Pigeon creek in the north-western portion of the town. There were a few scattering settlers on the river and at Port Washington before the arrival of the BONNIWELL's, but the Port Washington settlers soon abandoned the place and the few houses remained vacant up to the year 1842-43 when Col. TEALL with his son-in-law, Watrous, Wooster HARRISON, Solon JOHNSON and others returned to 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 latter married to Mr. MOSS. Of all those first settlers none are left at the old places except Charles and Alfred BONNIWELL, so that the name of the settlement is fast passing into oblivion. The first election in Washington County after its organization was held at the house of Wm. T. BONNIWELL, who was then elected clerk of the board of county commissioners.

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

Our being reminded of the Bonniwell settlement was occasioned by a very pleasant visit we had from our former old neighbor Charles BONNIWELL, who yet resides on the old 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 judge from his appearance. While talking together of old times, we put the question to him whether he did not think that his relations would have done at least as well by remaining like him on their old places, he readily said, "yes, I am pretty sure of it; I have been visiting some of those who moved away, but I would not exchange my farm for a much larger one any where I have been, and I was glad when I got home again."