Madison Bennett Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1182, 1183 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				MADISON BENNETT

	Madison Bennett, one of the well known and successful 
agriculturists of Valley Springs township, Minnehaha county, has there 
carried on farming continuously during the past forty-one years, owning 
the northeast quarter of section 30. His birth occurred in Meigs 
county, Ohio, on the 26th of August, 1851, his parents being Jesse and 
Angeline (Hill) Bennett, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. 
They were taken to Ohio as children by their respective parents and 
were married in that state, locating on a farm in Meigs county. In 1856 
Jesse Bennett started for Wisconsin with his family by boat, but he 
fell a victim to the cholera scourge of that year and was taken off 
board at Galena, Illinois, where his death occurred. His widow 
subsequently located at Monroe, Wisconsin, and later gave her hand in 
marriage to Joseph Clark, with whom she came to South Dakota in 1876, 
settling on a homestead in Valley Springs township, Minnehaha county. 
The mother of our subject passed away in 1910, at which time she was 
residing with one of her daughters in Decorah, Iowa. 

	Madison Bennett was reared at home and acquired a limited 
education as a pupil in the common schools. In June, 1872, when about 
twenty-one years of age, he preempted a quarter section of land in Rock 
county, Minnesota, which adjoins Minnehaha county, South Dakota. He 
spent the winter of 1873 in the latter county and in March, 1874, 
homesteaded his present place, comprising the northeast quarter of 
section 30, Valley Springs township, on which he has remained 
continuously throughout the intervening forty-one years. In his 
undertakings as an agriculturist he has won a gratifying and well 
merited measure of success that well entitles him to representation 
among the prosperous and enterprising citizens of the community. 

	In 1878 Mr. Bennett was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Louisa 
McMackin, her father being Samuel McMackin of Valley Springs township, 
who came to this state from Iowa in 1874. To Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have 
been born six children, as follows: Albert Eugene, who follows farming 
in Split Rock township, Minnehaha county; Etta May, the wife of E. A. 
Trumbull, of Sioux Falls; Asa D., who operates the home farm; Verna, 
who gave her hand in marriage to Goodman Gulseth, of Rowena, South 
Dakota; and Florence alla Gertrude, both at home. 

	Mr. Bennett gives his political allegiance to the republican 
party and ably served for several years as a member of the township 
board. He has also been treasurer of the school board for many years, 
the cause of education ever finding in him a stalwart champion. 
Fraternally he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, the 
Modern Brotherhood of America and Valley Springs Lodge of the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife is a devoted and consistent 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church. They enjoy an extensive and 
favorable acquaintance in their home community and the hospitality of 
the best homes is cordially extended to them.