George W. Bennett, Rapides Parish, Louisiana 
Submitted by: Gaytha Carver Thompson 

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Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana Nashville and 
Chicago, The Southern Publishing Company 1890    

GEORGE W. BENNETT 
Merchant, Bennettville, La.  
This prominent business man was born in Rapides Parish, La., on his present plantation, 
on February 22, 1851, and is the son of Ezra and Sarah P. (Eldred) Bennett. The father 
was born in New York State, was reared and educated there, and when a young man emigrated 
to Louisiana, where he taught school for some time. He then moved to Cheneyville, and 
here his death occurred. Of his seven children three sons were in the Confederate Army, 
and one son, H. L., was killed by the bursting of a cannon in Alexandria. George W. 
Bennett, the youngest of the above mentioned family, and one sister, are the only ones 
now living. The father died in 1878, at the age of sixty five years, and the mother 
received her final summons in 1868, when fifty six years of age. Grand father Bennett 
was reared and educated in York State, while Grandfather Eldred was born in North Carolina 
and was a pioneer of Rapides Parish. The latter cleared the plantation on which our subject 
now resides, and which was then covered with canebrake. He died here at the age of seventy 
years. Although the parents of George W. were early settlers of Rapides, at the time that 
he required and education they could ill afford to educate him, and the principal part of 
his schooling was obtained by his own efforts. He started out for himself in 1871, on a 
very limited capital, and in an old shanty, but his good business qualities were soon 
recognized, and he soon had a good trade. His honest and upright treatment of his customers 
inspired all with confidence in him. He now has not only one of the largest, but also one 
of the safest enterprises in the country. He has a large trade among his tenants, and by 
an original scheme, furnishes checks to them all with which to buy goods, charging each 
person with checks and accepting them as money. The checks are valued just as coin, and 
are virtually plantation money. His system is so perfect he dispenses with at least one 
bookkeeper by its use. He has erected a spacious store building, and does an annual business 
of over $30,000, carrying an average stock of $8,000. He also has a fine residence and all 
the conveniences to make life pleasant and agreeable. Mr. Bennett received very little 
assistance from his parents, financially, but he has bought the old homestead and is now 
occupying it. There stands in the front yard of his old residence a mammoth pecan tree, 
the nut from which it grew having been planted by Mr. Bennett's mother in years past.  
Mr. Bennett is now the owner of over 1,600 acres of land. He bought a large tract round 
Cheneyville depot, which he has blocked out in small farms and lots and sold to good 
advantage both to himself and to the buyer. The town is call Theoda, after his wife.  
He stands int he front rank as a good business man of Rapides Parish.  

He was married in 1875 to Miss Theoda Tower, a native of Chrystal Springs, Miss, and to 
them have been born the following children: Annie M., Lena M., Emma P., Myrtle T., Fred W. 
and Virginia M.