Beckham County, OK - Obits: Rubus E. Bennett, 1918
20 Aug 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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BENNETT, RUFUS E.
(14 Feb 1918, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Rufus E. Bennett was born in Shelfville (sic), Indiana, June 17th, 1837. 
He was the third child and eldest son of Elmer and Lucy Bennett, who had
moved from Fairton, New Jersey, to Indiana about one year previous.
In the spring of 1838 the family moved to the "Black Hawk Purchase" which
was later organized into the Territory and later into the state of Iowa. 
Their first home was near Burlington, which then consisted of a steamboat
landing and two or three small log cabins on the bank of the Mississippi
river.  Their new home stood by the trail used by the Great Chief Black
Hawk in his travels to and fro between the various bands of his tribe.  A
deep and sincere friendship grew up between Elmer Bennett and the renowned
Indian warrior, who always stopped for a long friendly talk and visit each
time he passed that way.  The family continued to lived near Burlington
for nearly six years, until 1844 when they moved to a quarter section of
unimproved land near Crawfordsville, Washington County.  Here the subject
of this sketch grew to manhood, receiving his education in the village
school.  He worked at the usual task of farmer boys of the time and
locality, especially at breaking prairie with a five yoke team of oxen.
During the winter of 1856-57, in his twentieth year, he was converted to
Christ during a great revival meeting.  He soon after united with the
church and ever after remained most constant in the faith to his last
moment.  He took great interest in the anti-slavery movement, then at its
height.  He was a devoted follower of Lincoln for whom he cast his first
vote in 1860.  When the Civil War began he first enlisted in a cavalry
company, but this organization was never called into the service and soon
disbanded.  The next year, 1862 he enlisted in Company I, 25th Iowa
Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, 15th Army Corps. He served in the first
disastrous attack at Chickashaw Bayou, against the defense of Vicksburg. 
Next he took part in the capture of Arkansas Post.  With the opening of
the spring campaign of 1863, he had a share in the various raids and
expeditions into the Deer Creek and Black river valleys and eastward about
Jackson, which resulted in the isolation of Vicksburg, and made possible
the seige and capture of that historic stronghold.  He served all through
the forty eight days of continuous fighting by when the city was taken,
including the bloody and useless charge on May 22 and all the toil of
digging trenches and fighting from them which followed.  After the capture
of the city he was given a short furlough home to take back his captain,
who was very sick.  He soon rejoined his regiment and went on the long
forced march into East Tennessee to the relief of Chattanooga, which was
then menaced by the confederates under Bragg.  He took part in the battle
of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge and in the subsequent movement
clearing that region of the enemy.  He spent the winter with his regiment
in camp at Woodville, Alabama, and in the spring of 1864, took part in the
movement toward Atlanta, so far as Ringold (sic), Georgia.  The day
following the battle at that place he was hurt in a train accident caused
by some misunderstand-ing of signals.  The train was started as the men
were climbing on board and several were hurt.  He had and (sic) ankle
badly crushed and was sent back to the hospital at Chattanooga.  When he
was again able for duty he was ordered to serve as a hospital nurse and
continued in this line of duty until the end of the war.  He was in the
hospital of Chattanooga and Nashville most of the time, later was sent to
Wilmington, North Carolina, and from there to Portsmouth Grove, Rhode
Island.  Here he was mustered out and honorably discharged.
He visited friends and relatives in Massachusetts and New Jersey,
returning to Crawfordsville, in the autumn of 1865 and returned to his
former occupation of farming.
On Thanksgiving Day, November 15th, 1866, he was married to Miss Mary
Moore of Crawfordsville.  They soon after bought a quarter section of land
five miles southwest of Crawfordsville near Wayne, upon which they moved
in the spring of 1871.  To their union were born three children, of whom
one son and a daughter died in infancy.
They continued to reside on this place until 1894, when on account of
failing health they moved to Harris County, Texas.  Here they remained
nearly seven years going to Yukon, Oklahoma in the spring of 1901.  Here
they lived one summer and in October moved to Elk City, where they bought
a farm three miles southwest of town on which they lived nearly nine
years.  In the spring of 1910 they moved to Eugene, Oregon, and lived
there four and one-half years, and moved to Newkirk, Oklahoma, in October
1914.
He had suffered from kidney and bladder disease for many years and spent
the early summer of 1917 at Hot Springs, Arkansas in search of relief from
that trouble.  He was so much improved that he resolved to spend the
present winter there.  So after visiting the Vicksburg reunion in October,
he with his wife returned to the Spring.  He was much better but secumbed
(sic) to death on January 29.
He was a constant worker in the church and Sunday School --- place where
he made his home.  He labored faithfully as teacher and superintendent
until age and disease obliged him to desist.  His earnest words of
teaching and prayer will be remembered by many people whom he led to the
Savior.
He is survived by his wife Mary F. Bennett and one son, Howard Bennett, of
Newkirk, also one brother, Frank L. Bennett of Trackville, Kansas, and one
sister, Mrs. Caroline Bergh, Dolores, Colorado.  Three sisters have
preceeded him to the House of Many Mansions.  A Friend.