Obituary: Rock County, Wisconsin: Hannah BENNETT

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Submitted by Ruth Ann Montgomery, <rmontgomery@cishome.com> February 2007

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OBITUARY

Hannah M. Pettigrew Bennett

The funeral of Mrs. Bennett, which took place at the Pettigrew home on
Sunday, March 12, called together a large gathering of people representing
the families who had been prominent in local affairs for the past fifty
years.

The death of Mrs. Bennett occurred at her Chicago residence, Friday
morning, March 10, 1911. She had been in delicate health for some time, and
last autumn, in company with her daughter and son-in-law, she went to
Florida for the winter. Feeling she was getting no stronger she desired to
return to Chicago, arriving only the Monday previous to her death.

When the news reached this city it brought sadness to a wide circle of
friends, as they felt one of Evansville's best known and most beloved of
women had gone. 

The deceased was born at Rutland, Vermont, October 1, 1836. She was the
eldest of the nine children born to Andrew and Hannah Sawtell Pettigrew.

In September, 1858, the family moved to Union, Wisconsin, leaving the
eldest daughter to complete her education at the Fairfax boarding school.
Upon finishing her course she came on to Cincinnati, where she resided two
years with an aunt before coming to Wisconsin.

In the year 1860, the family moved to Evansville, erecting their residence
on Church street.

On the third day of September, 1861, Miss Hannah Pettigrew and Isaac M.
Bennett were united in marriage. Their home was at the corner of First and
Main streets in the beautiful colonial mansion still know to all the old
residents as the Bennett house.

Here Mrs. Bennett found awaitng her motherly care four little sons. Here
she lived and worked a marvel of versatility and industry--a lesson in
thrift and cheerful helpfulness. She helped to mould many of the future
destinies of the community, and as she wrought she welded her life so
closely to the lives of others that time has never broken the bonds.

She was active in the organization of St. John's parish, and it was largely
due to the constructiove ability of the Bennett family that the church
enjoyed its decade of growth and prosperity. Mrs. Bennett was not narrow in
her benevolences. This was before the days of the professional nurse and
for many years her gentle and skilled hand was at the bedside of the sick
and dying irrespective of creed or position.

Her home was ever an educational center. There for many years the ladies
reading club met and it was due to her efforts that the Stewart courses in
drawing and painting were given.

The Bennett house radiated hospitality. No place could young people go for
such delightful social evenings and always feel sure of finding the genial
hostess ready to introduce some helpful and delightrful diversion. In this
house were born her three children, two of whom died in infancy.

In September, 1883, the family, consisting then of Mr and Mrs. Bennett and
only daughter Annie, moved to Chicago. Since that time they have paid their
old home frequent visits so that their friends have never felt they had
lost interest in Evansville's welfare.

She is survived by her daugher, Mrs. C. F. White of Chicago, a sister, Miss
Alma Pettigrew, of this city, and two brothers, Senator R. F. Pettigrew,
and Harlan Pettigrew, and three sisters, Mrs. Henrietta Dunning, Mrs.
Elizabeth Beebe and Miss Belle Pettigrew, all of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Myriads of flowers filled the home, tributes of appreciative friends to a
character strong, serene and sympathetic.

The impressive service was read by Archdeacon Willmann, assisted by Mrs. J.
C. Lees organist. Among those here from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. C. F.
White and Miss Ella Abeel of Chicago, Senator R. F. Pettigrew of Sioux
Falls, Hon. I. W. Bennett, Fort Collins, Colorado. Mrs. Charles R. Van Hise
and Mr. Edwin Bennett of Madison.

March 23, 1911, Evansville REview, p. 1, col. 3, Evansville, Wisconsin