Maximilian Ferdinand Bonzano
BornMarch 22, 1821
Ebingen, Kingdom of Württemberg (now Germany)
DiedMay 23, 1894
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, U.S.
Other namesMaximillian Bonzano,
Max Bonzano,
M.F. Bonzano
Occupation(s)Government official, politician, physician
Political partyRepublican party

Maximilian Ferdinand Bonzano (March 22, 1821—May 23, 1894), was a German-born American government official, politician, and physician in Louisiana.[1][2][3] He chaired the committee on emancipation in Louisiana during the American Civil War. Bonzano was elected to the U.S. Congress representing the first district of New Orleans in 1864, but was not allowed to take his seat.[4] He was morally opposed to slavery, and was part of the Republican party.[4][5] He also used the names Maximillian Bonzano,[6] Max Bonzano,[5] and M.F. Bonzano.

Early life and family

Bonzano was born on March 22, 1821, in Ebingen, Kingdom of Württemberg (now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany).[6][5] He completed some of his education in Germany. In 1835, he emigrated from Germany to the United States with some members of his family, eventually settling in New Orleans, Louisiana after briefly living in Texas.[7][5]

He was the younger brother of Hubert Bonzano (1826–1891), a public official and co-owner alongside John Armstrong of Oak Alley Plantation in St. James Parish, Louisiana (which was a sugar and pecan plantation).[8][9] Both Hubert and Maximilian were described as having Union Army sympathies.[8] Another brother was Adolphus Bonzano (1830–1913), a civil engineer with the Phoenixville Bridge Works in Philadelphia.[2]

Career

His first occupation in New Orleans was as a "roller boy" at a printshop called William McKean and Co., and through this experience he helped publish the first issue of The Picayune newspaper in 1835, working alongside journalists Francis Asbury Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall.[7] He learned the English language while working at the printshop.[7] He left his printshop role in order to apprentice at a pharmacy under Curlius Riddel, where he studied chemistry and pharmacy.[7][10] In 1843, he became a student resident of Charity Hospital.[7] He remained at the hospital until 1848.[7]

In 1846, Bonzano survived the sinking of the New York steamship that was carrying passengers and bullion from Galveston to New Orleans.[11][12]

In 1848, Bonzano was appointed by President James K. Polk to the New Orleans Mint as a melter and refiner.[2] During the American Civil War, Bonzano moved up north until the capture of New Orleans in June 1862.[7] He took charge of the closed New Orleans Mint upon his return, on recommendation.[7] During the war the 12th Maine Infantry Regiment had occupied the building.[7] Upon receipt of Bonzano's report, new minting equipment was sent to New Orleans. The building was refurbished and put back into active minting service by 1879, producing mainly silver coinage, including the famed Morgan silver dollar from 1879 to 1904.[13]

During the war Bonzano felt a stronger sense of national allegiance and duty, and started to occupy other government leadership roles.[7] In June 1862, the first Union meeting was held in New Orleans at Lyceum Hall (later used as New Orleans City Hall), and Bonzano was in attendance.[7] He was elected as president and chairman of the Louisiana Union sympathizers during this first meeting; which happened to also be the first meeting of its kind in any of the Southern states.[7]

The emancipation proclamation in September 1862 was signed by President Abraham Lincoln, effectively freeing enslaved Black people in the South.[7] In August 1863, President Lincoln ordered Nathaniel P. Banks to oversee the creation of a new state constitution, and in December he granted Banks wide-ranging authority to create a new civilian government.[14][15] An emancipation convention with delegates was formed by Banks in order navigate the intricate social and economic problems in Louisiana's Reconstruction era.[7] Edward Henry Durell was the president of Bank's convention, and Bonzano served as a delegate and chairman alongside Rufus K. Howell and Christian Roselius.[7]

From these leadership experiences, Bonzano was chosen in 1864 as a member of the 38th United States Congress representing the first district of New Orleans.[7][16] The House of Representatives chairman from Massachusetts, Henry L. Dawes was in agreement but Bonzano was not able to take his official seat after an assault by Alexander Pope Field and his penknife of Hon. William D. Kelley of Pennsylvania.[7][17] The news of this event with political violence was nationwide.[7]

Shortly thereafter President Lincoln appointed Bonzano as the commissioner of tax for Louisiana, a position he kept only briefly. In 1868, Bonzano turned down an offer by President Ulysses S. Grant to become one of Louisiana's collectors of internal revenue.[7]

In 1872, Bonzano chaired the Louisiana Republican electoral college.[7] He was appointed by President Grant as the surveyor general from 1873 to 1874.[2] From 1874 until 1883, Bonzano worked at the mint, starting as the superintendent and later as a coiner, melter and refiner.[2] He ran for Louisiana State Treasurer in 1883, and was defeated.

Death

He died on May 23, 1894, at his home the Hermitage plantation in St. Bernard Parish.[2] The same Hermitage plantation in St. Bernard Parish had served as the camp headquarters for Gen. Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans (1815).[10]

According to his obituary, Bonzano always remained a bachelor and did not have any children.[2]

His nephew (the son of Adolphus Bonzano) had his same name. Maximilian Ferdinand Bonzano (1858–1920) married Mary Church Geary of Philadelphia in 1880, she was the daughter of the late Gen. John White Geary (1819–1873).[18][19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana: Embracing an Authentic and Comprehensive Account of the Chief Events in the History of the State, a Special Sketch of Every Parish and a Record of the Lives of Many of the Most Worthy and Illustrious Families and Individuals ... Goodspeed publishing Company. 1892. pp. 303–306.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dr. M. F. Bonzano:A Remarkable Character in Louisiana History Passes Away". The Times-Picayune. 1894-05-24. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-12-30 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ McCrary, Peyton (2015-03-08). Abraham Lincoln and Reconstruction: The Louisiana Experiment. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1-4008-7019-6.
  4. 1 2 "Abraham Lincoln papers: From Nathaniel P. Banks to Abraham Lincoln, September 6, 1864" (PDF). Library of Congress. September 6, 1864. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Mehrländer, Andrea (2011). The Germans of Charleston, Richmond and New Orleans During the Civil War Period, 1850-1870: A Study and Research Compendium. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 266–267. ISBN 978-3-11-023688-0.
  6. 1 2 Winter, Douglas (December 30, 2006). "Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint: 1839-1909". Zyrus Press. p. 20 – via Google Books.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Men Of Mark". The Times-Picayune. 1889-11-10. p. 11. Retrieved 2023-12-30 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 "Death of Hubert Bonzano". The Times-Picayune. 1891-02-01. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-12-30 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ McWilliams, James (2013-10-01). The Pecan: A History of America's Native Nut. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-75391-4.
  10. 1 2 Merrill, Ellen C. (2014-11-30). "Maximilian Ferdinand Bonzano". Germans of Louisiana. Pelican Publishing. p. 348. ISBN 978-1-4556-0484-5.
  11. ↑ "The 1881 O Morgan Dollar, Mint Personnel". 1881o.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  12. ↑ "19th Century Steamships". Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Archived from the original on August 29, 2019. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  13. ↑ Lambousy, Greg (March 2003). "The Mint At New Orleans". The Numismatist. p. 43.
  14. ↑ Dawson, Joseph (1994). Army Generals and Reconstruction: Louisiana 1862–1877. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-8071-1960-0. OCLC 31399333.
  15. ↑ Tunnell, Ted (1984). Crucible of Reconstruction: War, Radicalism and Race in Louisiana; 1862–1877. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-8071-1803-0.
  16. ↑ "The Election". The Daily True Delta. 1864-09-04. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-01-10 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Congressional". Weekly National Intelligencer. 1864-01-28. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-01-10 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ The Stulls of "Millsborough": A Genealogical History of John Stull "The Miller", Pioneer of Western Maryland. C.H. Bailey. 2000. p. 591.
  19. ↑ "Obituary for Mary Church Geary Bonzano". The Morning Call. 1940-03-30. p. 16. Retrieved 2024-01-09 – via Newspapers.com.
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