Standing at 5,334 feet, Bonelli Peak dominates the southwest corner of Gold Butte National Monument. The mountain is named for a man with a remarkable journey. He is a man that has known joys, sorrows, adventures, and hardships. It would be correct to say his life was extraordinary.

He was born Daniel Johann Bommeli in a small village near Zurich, Switzerland on 25 Feb 1836. His parents owned and operated a small weaving business. The family converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in 1854. He changed his name to Bonelli to symbolize the start of his new life and dedicated service to his new church. He began teaching his faith in Switzerland and was successful in at least 40 conversions to the LDS Church in 1855.

In 1857, his parents sold their business and home. Along with three younger siblings, they immigrated to Salt Lake City, UT where they establish a new spinning and weaving business. Daniel and two older siblings remained in Switzerland with the promise that they would join their parents soon. In 1858, Daniel moved to England to continue his missionary service as a traveling Elder. In 1859, his two older siblings left for the United States and six months later was joined by Daniel. During his journey across the Atlantic he met Ann Haigh, the daughter of an English family also in the LDS Church heading to Salt Lake City. Daniel arrived in Salt Lake City in Sep 1860.

He worked as a secretary for the LDS Church and it seems he was well known to church leaders. A year later, he was called to lead a group of 29 Swiss LDS families, around 90 people, to Santa Clara, UT. Daniel married Ann just before their trip on 25 Oct 1861. To this day the annual Swiss Days Festival held in September can trace its roots to this migration of Swiss pioneers.

In mid-January 1862, just months after their arrival, Santa Clara was hit by a devastating flood that destroyed many houses, orchards, gardens and the old fort. He was the senior Elder of Santa Clara and wrote numerous letters to the leaders of the LDS Church including Apostle George Smith, the namesake of St. George, UT. There were several differences of opinions between Daniel and the new Bishop, Edward Bunker, the namesake of Bunkerville, NV. Daniel often wrote freely of his concerns and reasons and, some believe this was the genesis of his eventual estrangement with the LDS Church. In 1863. Daniel and Ann welcomed their first child, a girl. Their joy turned to sorrow as she died in 1864.

In January of 1865, the LDS church called upon a small group of pioneers to create a settlement at Millersburg, present day Beaver Dam. Daniel and Ann were among them and worked hard to get settled and planted hundreds of fruit trees and grapes. In December of the same year, another devastating flood washed away all that Daniel and Ann had worked for. Shortly afterwards, Daniel and Ann moved to St. Thomas, built a strong house, started a garden, planted fruit trees and grapes, and began their lives anew, again.

A government survey was conducted in 1870 to determine the location of the Utah/Nevada boundary. It was found that the numerous villages along the Muddy River, including St. Thomas, rested in Nevada. The State of Nevada sought the back taxes from the residents. Many of the residents were not happy living along the Muddy River anyways. So their decision to move back to Utah was an easy one. Almost every family chose to leave. The Bonelli family chose to stay. By now they had two sons and one daughter. Later in life he was quoted as saying “I never left the church, the church left me.” He was no longer active in the LDS Church, but he maintained his faith. In time, new families and other pioneers began resettling the Muddy River Valley.

Besides his farming interests, Daniel saw the potential for mining and commerce. In January of 1873, he and several others created the St. Thomas Mining District. He and his partners started a salt mining company located a few miles south of St. Thomas. It provided salt that was vital to the silver mining industry all over the southwest. He also understood the need for a ferry and other transportation services. Bringing supplies in and taking ore, including his salt, out. By 1880, he was the owner and operator of the ferry service near the confluence of the Virgin and Colorado Rivers. The cluster of families living there became the village of Rioville and Daniel became its postmaster.

His prosperity allowed him to build a nine-room stone house at Rioville. Its cost was $9,600. And yet again, he planted his vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and grapes totaling 320 acres. He employed young men from the Muddy and Virgin Valleys, drifters, and natives, housing them in a log cabin bunkhouse. His business ventures expanded to ranching as well. He even served on the Nevada Board of Agriculture. He traveled to the Colombian Worlds Exposition in Chicago to showcase his salts, mica, and fruit grown on his farm.

In his final years, his businesses began declining with the changing times. There were numerous law suits and water rights conflicts that affected him. On December 20th, 1903, he died of a stroke while visiting one of his sons. Daniel and Ann had seven children total with two dying during infancy and another two as young adults. Ann left Rioville and moved in with one of her sons in Kingman, AZ. Ann died on March 19th, 1911.

Per his wishes, Daniel was originally buried near his home in Rioville. His remains were later moved and reinterred next to Ann in Kingman. His houses in Rioville and St. Thomas were all submerged with the rising waters of Lake Mead. The few tributes to mark his place in our local history include Bonelli Peak, Bonelli Bay and, Bonelli Landing along the southern shore of Lake Mead and a half dozen streets in several nearby towns and cities to include Overton NV, and Kingman, AZ.