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William Bennett |
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William Bennett, farmer, section 14, Evart Township, was born Oct. 14, 1833,
in Steuben Co., N.Y. and is the son of
Thomas and Angeline (Jamison) Bennett. The former was born April 5, 1810, in
Steuben County. In 1869 he came to
Michigan and is now a resident on section 28, Evart Township. The mother of
William was born June 14, 1809, and died
Feb. 9, 1865, in Steuben County.
In the maternal line of descent Mr. Bennett is of Scotch lineage. His father
came of Dutch ancestry. He was reared on
a farm in his native county and during his majority remained under his
father's control. On reaching the period of his
legal freedom he went to Oconto Co., Wis., and engaged as foreman for the
lumber firm of Eldridge & Balcom, with whom he
continued a year. At the end of that time he returned to the county where he
was born, and again engaged for a time in
agricultural pursuits. He went back to the employment of Eldredge & Balcom in
the Badger State, and after a service of
six months he went to Butler Co., Iowa. He bought a farm which he owned three
years. Meanwhile he went to Pike's Peak,
there interesting himself in mining. He came back to Iowa, sold his farm, and
in May, 1868, came to this State and
settled near Georgetown, Ottawa County, on Grand River, for two years, then
one year in New York State, then for a time
on Grand River agin; and finally came to the township of Evart, where he
bought the farm he now owns. In the fall he
went again to the State of New York, and during the winter which succeeded he
managed a lumber camp in Pennsylvania. In
the spring of 1869 he returned to Osceola County and engaged as foreman in the
lumber interests of Edward Cole, for whom
he operated three years. In 1872 he came to this township and commenced
lumbering for Wright & Grove, and continued one
year in their employment, his family meanwhile residing on the farm on which
there were no improvements except a log
house. He has now 30 acres under the plow and a good frame house and barn.
Mr. Bennett is a Democrat in political conviction and action. He has acted
through four terms as Sipervisor, has been
School Director since he came here, and has served one year as Highway
Commissioner. He was married Dec. 14, 1858, to
Frances A. Benaway, and they are the parents of seven children: Thomas was
born Oct. 1, 1859; Alonzo, June 16, 1861;
Elliot L., May 4, 1864; William, April 8, 1866; Carrie, Feb. 1, 1869; Jennie,
June 23, 1871; Mortimer, April 23, 1873.
Mrs. Bennett is the daughter of Thomas and Lettia (Brewer) Benaway. The
former was born Jan. 9, 1813, in Dutchess Co.,
N.Y.; the latter April 15, 1809, in New Brunswick, N.J. They had five
children: Esther A. and Morgan M. are living;
Andrew and Sarah A. are deceased. Mrs. Bennett was born Feb. 9, 1838, in
Steuben Co., N.Y. Mr. Bennett has two
brothers - Benjamin R. and John J. Thomas is deceased. Mary A., Addie and
Permelia are his surviving sisters. Nancy,
Eliza and Sarah are not living.
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