WARE COUNTY  GA  Biography  JOHN W. BENNETT

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Barbara Winge barbarawinge@yahoo.com

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/ware/bios/bennett2.txt

JOHN W. BENNETT

Solicitor John W. Bennett was born in Wayne County,
September 15th, 1865. His father is John T. and his
mother Rebecca Jane. His maternal ancestor was the
daughter of Sherod Akins, a farmer; his parental ancestor
was the son of Braxton Sherod Bennett, of Wayne County,
also a farmer. Mr. Bennett's father is now living, being
in his seventy-second year, and one of the most honored
citizens of Wayne County, Ga. Mr. Bennett's early
education was derived from the common school near his
home in Wayne County. 

He afterwards attended a high school in Liberty County,
and later took a literary and law course at the
University of Georgia, entering the University in 1886,
and graduating in the law class in 1889. He commenced the
practice of law at Jesup under the firm name of Lyons &
Bennett., but in a short time the firm dissolved and he
continued the practice of law there until he moved to
Waycross in February, 1897. Mr. Bennett's political
career has been very successful. In August after he began
to practice law in July, 1889, he was appointed Solicitor
of the County Court of Wayne County, which position he
held until, 1892, when he resigned to go to the
Legislature from that county, and was again re-elected to
the Legislature in 1894, serving four years as a member
from Wayne. He was the first lawyer to represent that
county in the lower house of the Legislature since the
Civil War, with the exception of the present member elect
from Wayne, and the only man who ever succeeded himself
in the Legislature from Wayne during the last forty
years. 

In 1896 he was elected Solicitor General of the Brunswick
Judicial Circuit, being twice since re-elected without
opposition, and still serving in that office. He is often
spoken of as the logical successor to Hon. W. G. Brantley
in Congress, from the Eleventh Congressional District
when that distinguished gentleman shall be properly
promoted by his people to some higher position. Mr.
Bennett is a Past Grand Master of the State of Georgia of
the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows the highest honor that can
be bestowed upon a member of the order to the state. He
attended the last meeting of the Sovereign Grand Lodge at
Toronto, Canada, and will attend the next Soverign Grand
Lodge which meets at St. Paul, Minn., next September. He
is also a Past Chancellor in the Knights of Pythias, and
a Master Mason. He owns a handsome home at 22 Williams
Street, Waycross, Ga., where he and his estimable family
take pleasure in entertaining their numerous friends and
acquaintances. Mr. Bennett takes a very active interest
in the educational affairs of the state. He is a member
of the Board of Trustees of the University of Georgia,
and a member of the Board of Education of the city of
Waycross.

In December 1899, he married Miss Gertrude Price of
Liberty County, a daughter of Rev. Lewis and Sarah Price.
He has three children, one girl and two boys, Juanita,
Earnest Knotz and John W.

Mr. Bennett takes an active interest in all matters
pertaining to the upbuilding of his town and section and
regards South Georgia as the favored portion of our
state. He is regarded as one of the strongest prosecuting
attorneys this section has ever had, and has been very
vigilant in his duties as such officer, and it is said
that he can hold the position as long as he wants it
without opposition.
Ref: INDUSTRIAL EDITION OF THE WAYCROSS EVENING HERALD, Waycross, Georgia, June 1907, p. 56.

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