Here's what the Aug. 29, 1984, issue of the Mitchell Tribune had to say.
"The first of the communities formed south of White River in what is now
Lawrence County was Bono. Bono was laid out on April 4, 1816, and the
original plat was recorded at Paoli. It contained 143 lots and was laid out
by Marston G. Clark, William Hoggatt and Joseph Kitchell.
"The first merchant in the small river town was probably William Holland,
who began a business in 1818. The people who settled in the area were
referred to as 'Down East Yankee Folks.'
"The Holland store wasn't much of a store and Holland moved on to play an
important role in another small town further north, Leesville. A man named
Martin was the proprietor of the next store and later went into partnership
with John Kelly. Martin soon disappeared and Kelly kept the store open.
"From 1828-1838, Kelly and a man named Charles Miller ran the store until
they sold out to Green and Brother. Others who had begun businesses during
the 10-year span were: Thomas Lemon, James Batman, and James Seck, James W.
Prow went into partnership with Batman for several years. Asher Wilcox was
an important early merchant, and Ephriam Brock and Uriah Dilly were
extensive traders at the store. Albert Johnson and John Shade, Thomas W.
Stevens and Gabriel Harvey were other early merchants in the town.
"John Lindsey began a hattery in Bono in 1830. He specialized in fur hats.
After his death, his brother-in-law carried on the business and was
succeeded by Jacob Drinkhouse and Prow. The shop was abandoned some time in
the 1840s. Alonzo Taylor and Batman ran tanning yards, with Batman doing the
greater amount of work. He was succeeded by the Spooner brothers and then
the Huston brothers.
"A man named Albert ran an ashery for a number of years and Adam Davis
operated a linseed oil mill. In the late 1820s, John Nunnamker opened a
pottery shop. Felix Rawlings and Franklin Whisenan were later owners of the
pottery shop. Whisenan was also a cabinet maker.
"Walker Kelso was probably the first doctor to locate at Bono, but he was
soon followed by James Montgomery. Other doctors who followed were: Dr.
Hicks, Williamson, D. Dunn, Dr. Manuel, Hugh Montgomery, Henry Molott, E.P.
Gibson, and I.J. Hopper.
"John Hammersley's float mill, located on two flat boats on White River, was
the first mill to be built in Bono. James Oldham built the second mill
sometime in the 1850s. The mill had two sets of buhrs, one for wheat and one
for corn. After a few years of operation, it was turned into a sawmill.
The post office was established in approximately 1820, and the first
postmaster was probably Patrick Callan. Mary Miller held the office of
postmaster from the 1860s until the 1880s.
"The death of Bono as a thriving community, like with most ohter small
communities of the 1800s, was the locating of the railroads. When the
Louisville, New Albany and Salem (Monon) line routed to the west, much of
the trade that had come through Bono, because of its proximity to the river,
went to towns along the railroad."