Wapello County IA Archives Biographies.....Bennett, W. H. 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 14, 2015, 11:51 am

Source: See Below
Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher

W. H. BENNETT.
Agricultural interests in Wapello county find a worthy representative in W. H.
Bennett, who is living on section 20, Richland township. At different times
other pursuits have occupied his time and attention, and he is to some extent
now living retired, although he still owns and supervises his farm of sixty
acres. He is a son of De Witt and Sarah (Nunemaker) Bennett, the former a native
of Vermont and the latter of Ohio. They were married in the Buckeye state and
came to Iowa about 1848, casting in their lot with the pioneer settlers of
Wapello county. Something of the frontier condition of the district is indicated
in the fact that Mr. Bennett was able to enter land from the government and
secured a tract in Richland township just north of the farm upon which W. H.
Bennett now resides. His place comprised one hundred and twenty acres, a part of
which is still in possession of the family. He at once began the development of
the place, upon which not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made, and
continued to cultivate his land until his death, which occurred in 1861. His
wife long survived him, passing away in 1909 at the age of eighty-four years. In
their family were nine children: Margaret, who married F. L. McNair, but both
are now deceased; Catharine, who is the widow of J. M. McNair, a brother of F.
L. McNair, and now makes her home in Montana; Jane, who became the wife of M. E.
S. Rubel, but is now deceased; Charles P., living in Eddyville; Melissa, also a
resident of Eddyville; W. H., of this review; Eliza, the wife of George W.
Thompson of Ottumwa; Lucy, the deceased wife of J. S. Chandler; and George J.,
who is located on a part of the old homestead in Richland township.

W. H. Bennett has spent his entire life in Wapello county and for three years
was a resident of Ottumwa. He started out to earn his own living when a youth of
fourteen and took up the confectionery and bakery business, which he learned in
Fairfield, Iowa. He followed that pursuit through the summer months for several
years. He afterward became connected with coal mining, operating a local mine.
He built two different homes in Ottumwa for himself and for three years worked
for the Wapello Coal Company in conducting a store. His business activities
have, on the whole, been crowned with success, and he is the owner of sixty
acres of rich and productive land, situated on section 20, Richland township. He
rents his land and is now living practically retired. He does not have very good
health, so he takes life easy, his former industry and careful management having
brought to him capital sufficient to enable him to do this. He has made
judicious investments in other lines of business and is now the vice president
of the Chillicothe Savings Bank, of which he has been a director since its
organization and vice president almost as long.

In December, 1873, Mr. Bennett was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Brown, a
native of this county and a daughter of Thomas Brown of Kirkville. She died in
1877, leaving a daughter, Blanche, the wife of H. E. Pope of St. Louis,
Missouri. In 1883 Mr. Bennett wedded Mattie E. Shepherd, who was born in
Harrison county, Ohio, August 4, 1859, and came to Iowa with her parents,
William and Elizabeth Shepherd. Her father is now deceased, but the mother
resides with her children. In his political views Mr. Bennett has always been a
republican since old enough to vote, and he has held a number of township
offices, including that of trustee. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons
and exemplifies in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft, to the teachings
of which he has ever been loyal.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY IOWA
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME II
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914


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