SCIOTO COUNTY OHIO 
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File contributed & permission given for use in the Ohio Biographies Project 
by LYNN BYLER <lbyler111@direcway.com>
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from the Portsmouth Times

Second is My Great great, grandfather John Bonzo. He was born in Beaver county, Pa June 5, 1838  At the age of 8 years old he came to Portsmouth with his parents and located in Madison Township, where he still lived till his death in March 1915.  He owned a fine farm, and was one on the most prosperous farmers in the county.  He had a twin sister who lived in Carter county, Ky.
the boat on which his parents came to Portsmouth from the Keystone state was fired by wood and a number of days was consumed in the trip.

When he arrived her the present city was nothing but a village, Chillicothe street being the only street.  For eighteen miles out to where he lived, there was nothing but dense wilderness.  There was one hotel in Portsmouth, the Legler House, one wholesale whiskey house and, a store foundry..  There was nothing but dirt roads.  The whole Scioto Valley was dense wooded.

Mr. Bonzo's father came from Switzerland, France, and was four months on the was to this country.  

There is an entire web site on the Bonzo Family at, http://bonzofamily.com/index.html