Upshur County, West Virginia          Biography of OKIE O. BENNETT, M. D.

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 433-434
Upshur

OKIE O. BENNETT, M. D., is an able physician and sur-
geon who is honoring his native state of West Virginia by
his faithful stewardship in his chosen profession as well
as by his sterling characteristics as a citizen. He is one
of the representative practitioners in Upshur County, with
residence and professional headquarters at Buckhannon, the
county seat.

Doctor Bennett was born on the parental homestead farm
in Nicholas County, this state, and the date of his nativity
was August 1, 1871. He is a son of Jacob H. and Fran-
cenia J. (Nicholas) Bennett, both likewise natives of
Nicholas County, where they were reared and educated,
where their marriage was solemnized and where Jacob H.
Bennett became a prosperous farmer as the owner of a
valuable landed estate of 230 acres. His father purchased
in an early day a tract of 1,000 acres in Nicholas County
and eventually divided this property among his children.
Jacob H. Bennett and his wife reside at Hinkelville, Up-
shur County, and both are zealous members of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church.  Mr. Bennett is a republican in
politics. Of the two sons Doctor Bennett of this review
is the younger, and the elder, Dr. E. C. Bennett, a grad-
uate of the Eclectic Medical College in the City of Atlanta,
Georgia, is now engaged in the successful practice of
medicine at Richwood, Nicholas County, West Virginia.

Dr. Orie 0. Bennett as a boy and youth assisted in the
work of the home farm, and in the meanwhile duly availed
himself of the advantages of the local schools. Later he
continued his studies in Shelton College, besides having
for a time been a student in the West Virginia State Nor-
mal School at Athens and for part of a session was a student
at the Willamuth University, Salem, Oregon. For three
years he was successfully engaged in teaching in the schools
of his native state and for an equal period thereafter he
followed the same vocation in the State of Washington.
Upon his return from the Pacific Coast he finally entered
the Southern Medical College in the City of Atlanta, Geor-
gia, and later he completed his technical course in Barnes
Medical College in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, from
which he received his degree of Doctor of Medicine. For
twenty-three and one-half years thereafter Doctor Bennett
was actively engaged in general practice in Webster Coun-
ty, West Virginia, where he controlled a large and repre-
sentative practice and was a citizen of prominence and
influence in his community.  Since resigning his practice
in that county the doctor has maintained his home and
been established in successful practice in the City of
Buckhannon. He is a stockholder in the Buckhannon Build-
ing and Loan Association and also in the Metal Products
Corporation at Fairmont, this state. He is a republican
in politics and is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.

On November 24, 1898, Doctor Bennett wedded Miss
M. E. Duke, of Webster County, and they have two chil-
dren: Mabel is a graduate of the Buckhannon High School
and also of the West Virginia Wesleyan College; and Way-
man, who is fourteen years of age (1922), is attending the
high school at Buckhannon.