Family history:
Walter Pollard Bennett was born Jan 12, 1866 near Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., MO, the fifth child of Abraham and Isabell, and probably had a typical rural childhood filled with work for the family and others, activities in the Bethel Baptist Church north of Seneca, MO, and some family play. On July 4, 1886 in Seneca, Newton Co., MO he married Martha "Mattie" Gallemore, when he was about 20 and she under 18. Their first children were born in Missouri, but by the birth of George DeWitt Bennett, they had moved to Chelsea, Indian Territory, probably to seek work. Their young child, Mike, was fatally burned about 1892 in a tragic accident when the handle of a teakettle came off as it was being carried from the stove, and scalding water poured on the child sitting below. Mike's birth date, death date, and place of burial are unknown. Martha and Walter moved back to Missouri and were divorced at some time between 1894 and 1898. Martha married again, perhaps about 1896, to John H. Price, and had two more children, Mike and John, Jr. Walter married Laura Emma Mitchell December 25, 1898, probably in Seneca, MO. In 1901 they migrated to Indian Territory/Oklahoma where their nine children were born. George and Luther were raised by their mother, Martha, while they were young, then they moved to Oklahoma to live with Walter's second family. After the divorce, Walter's oldest child, Nellie, was raised by his parents, Abraham and Isabell Bennett, in Missouri, then later joined the rest of his family in Oklahoma.
A few months before "surplus" Wichita and Caddo Indian Territory land claims were to be opened by lottery on August 6, 1901, Walter P. Bennett and his neighbors Enoch DeWeese, and Abendigo Gentry traveled to the area, looked it over, and registered for the lottery. Since not everyone was expected to succeed in drawing a valid claim, the three men agreed that if only two of them drew land, they would each deed to the third person 40 acres in exchange for his labor in improving their homesteads. When the drawing occurred, Walter drew a blank lot and thus planned to work for 80 acres according to their agreement. On November 4, 1901, Laura, Walter, and his younger brother William and his bride Leona were part of a small wagon train that left Seneca to develop the land claims. Soon after arriving, Enoch DeWeese learned that his allotted land was actually located a mile west of the place he had been shown, was disappointed in its hilly and rocky appearance, and did not want to settle on it. He offered it to either of the Bennett brothers, and William bought it for two cows he had left in Missouri, the equivalent value of the $65 that DeWeese had invested thus far. Eventually, after the homesteads were "proved up" and the deeds became valid, Abendigo Gentry and William A. Bennett each deeded 40 acres to Walter, honoring the original agreement. The 40 acres from the Gentry land was the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 14. William allowed Walter to choose the location, and he chose the southeast 40 of William's 160 acres, actually the best land of the quarter section. Walter and Laura built a house on the southeast corner of this property and raised their family there. The two families thus lived about a quarter of a mile apart and remained very close socially as well as geographically. They worked and played together over the years. Laura and Leona helped each other during pregnancies and childbirths as well as during hardships. Walter's and William's families shared in taking care of their father, Abraham, from the time he moved to Oklahoma in 1913 until his death in 1922. Abraham lived in William's home, but walked across the field to visit Walter's home for several hours each day, helping tend the younger children.
Walter and Laura participated in community affairs. They helped build the Bethel Baptist Church that most of the Bennetts attended. They took an active interest in education, helped support the local Eureka School, and shared in hauling the children home in severe weather. Walter was on the local school board for years and was an active member of Farmer's Union. Although Walter lacked much formal education, he told his children that he taught himself by reading the Kansas City Star and Capper's Farmer late at night by kerosene lantern after putting in a hard day of work. Although the main family income was farming, Walter hauled freight and did other jobs to supplement the family income.
Eventually, when they needed more land to farm, Walter and William each bought 80 acres of the southeast quarter of section 35, which is north of the highway 152 (formerly highway 41) and adjacent to William's land. Walter also bought a 160 acre farm [the northwest quarter of section 12], a mill on main street in Carnegie, and a house there, but did not move his family into town. The house was rented and eventually partly burned. William bought the salvaged lumber from the house and the failed mill to build more barns on his farm. About the same time, the disastrous economy of the Great Depression caused Walter to have trouble making mortgage payments, and he sold his 80 acres of section 35 to William. As the Depression deepened, Walter could not meet the bank payments, and William bought most of the properties in the Sheriff's bankruptcy sale. Walter had to go on welfare, but continued to live on and farm the 40 acres that had now returned to William. In 1934 one of Walter's daughters, Nora, married Walter Aaron, and William sold those 40 acres to Aaron for what he had paid for it plus what Walter owed him for harvesting his wheat. Walter and his family continued to live on the property as long as he was able, and the land is still owned by Aaron's heirs.
Laura died in 1945 at age 74. Walter moved to a small place in Crescent, OK, where his daughter Ruby taught school. Eventually he had to enter a nursing home for his final days. He died June 11, 1962 at age 96, and is buried beside Laura in Alfalfa Cemetery in plot SE-R 10.
[The above family history is excerpted from my book, Family History of William Alford and Leona Houk Bennett, 2005, by Lowell S. Adams. All rights reserved.]
_____________
Funeral services for Walter Pollard Bennett, Crescent, Okla., a retired farmer who formerly lived in the Alfalfa community, were held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Alfalfa Baptist church with Rev. Alvin Baker, pastor, officiating. Interment was in the Alfalfa cemetery.
Bennett, 96, fell and broke his hip five weeks ago and died Monday in a Guthrie hospital.
The son of Abraham and Isabel Bennett, he was born January 12, 1866, in Stoddard County, Missouri. He was married to Martha Galimore in 1886 in Missouri. Four children were born to them.
On December 25, 1898, he was married to Laura Mitchell in Seneca, Mo., and in 1901 moved to Oklahoma, settling on a farm near Alfalfa. Nine children were born to this union. He remained on the farm until his wife died in 1945, then moved to Crescent. Two children preceded him in death.
He had been a member of the Presbyterian church since 1910.
He is survived by four sons, Luther Bennett, Hanford, Calif., George Bennett of Maud, Okla., and Homer and Mike of Carnegie; seven daughters, Mrs. Nellie Stephens and Mrs. Irene Rhodes, Carnegie, Mrs. Mildred Hudgins, Oklahoma City, Mrs. Opal Snelgrove, Tulsa, Mrs. Edna Bowerman and Mrs. Nora Aaron, Receda, Calif., and Mrs. Ruby Jech, Crescent; one brother, W. A. Bennett, Carnegie; 34 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and other relatives.
Pallbearers for the services were Charles and Paul Reid, Thurman Whitley, Ed White, Bill Stephens and Hewlett Fullerton.
Walter Pollard Bennett was born Jan 12, 1866 near Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., MO, the fifth child of Abraham and Isabell, and probably had a typical rural childhood filled with work for the family and others, activities in the Bethel Baptist Church north of Seneca, MO, and some family play. On July 4, 1886 in Seneca, Newton Co., MO he married Martha "Mattie" Gallemore, when he was about 20 and she under 18. Their first children were born in Missouri, but by the birth of George DeWitt Bennett, they had moved to Chelsea, Indian Territory, probably to seek work. Their young child, Mike, was fatally burned about 1892 in a tragic accident when the handle of a teakettle came off as it was being carried from the stove, and scalding water poured on the child sitting below. Mike's birth date, death date, and place of burial are unknown. Martha and Walter moved back to Missouri and were divorced at some time between 1894 and 1898. Martha married again, perhaps about 1896, to John H. Price, and had two more children, Mike and John, Jr. Walter married Laura Emma Mitchell December 25, 1898, probably in Seneca, MO. In 1901 they migrated to Indian Territory/Oklahoma where their nine children were born. George and Luther were raised by their mother, Martha, while they were young, then they moved to Oklahoma to live with Walter's second family. After the divorce, Walter's oldest child, Nellie, was raised by his parents, Abraham and Isabell Bennett, in Missouri, then later joined the rest of his family in Oklahoma.
A few months before "surplus" Wichita and Caddo Indian Territory land claims were to be opened by lottery on August 6, 1901, Walter P. Bennett and his neighbors Enoch DeWeese, and Abendigo Gentry traveled to the area, looked it over, and registered for the lottery. Since not everyone was expected to succeed in drawing a valid claim, the three men agreed that if only two of them drew land, they would each deed to the third person 40 acres in exchange for his labor in improving their homesteads. When the drawing occurred, Walter drew a blank lot and thus planned to work for 80 acres according to their agreement. On November 4, 1901, Laura, Walter, and his younger brother William and his bride Leona were part of a small wagon train that left Seneca to develop the land claims. Soon after arriving, Enoch DeWeese learned that his allotted land was actually located a mile west of the place he had been shown, was disappointed in its hilly and rocky appearance, and did not want to settle on it. He offered it to either of the Bennett brothers, and William bought it for two cows he had left in Missouri, the equivalent value of the $65 that DeWeese had invested thus far. Eventually, after the homesteads were "proved up" and the deeds became valid, Abendigo Gentry and William A. Bennett each deeded 40 acres to Walter, honoring the original agreement. The 40 acres from the Gentry land was the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 14. William allowed Walter to choose the location, and he chose the southeast 40 of William's 160 acres, actually the best land of the quarter section. Walter and Laura built a house on the southeast corner of this property and raised their family there. The two families thus lived about a quarter of a mile apart and remained very close socially as well as geographically. They worked and played together over the years. Laura and Leona helped each other during pregnancies and childbirths as well as during hardships. Walter's and William's families shared in taking care of their father, Abraham, from the time he moved to Oklahoma in 1913 until his death in 1922. Abraham lived in William's home, but walked across the field to visit Walter's home for several hours each day, helping tend the younger children.
Walter and Laura participated in community affairs. They helped build the Bethel Baptist Church that most of the Bennetts attended. They took an active interest in education, helped support the local Eureka School, and shared in hauling the children home in severe weather. Walter was on the local school board for years and was an active member of Farmer's Union. Although Walter lacked much formal education, he told his children that he taught himself by reading the Kansas City Star and Capper's Farmer late at night by kerosene lantern after putting in a hard day of work. Although the main family income was farming, Walter hauled freight and did other jobs to supplement the family income.
Eventually, when they needed more land to farm, Walter and William each bought 80 acres of the southeast quarter of section 35, which is north of the highway 152 (formerly highway 41) and adjacent to William's land. Walter also bought a 160 acre farm [the northwest quarter of section 12], a mill on main street in Carnegie, and a house there, but did not move his family into town. The house was rented and eventually partly burned. William bought the salvaged lumber from the house and the failed mill to build more barns on his farm. About the same time, the disastrous economy of the Great Depression caused Walter to have trouble making mortgage payments, and he sold his 80 acres of section 35 to William. As the Depression deepened, Walter could not meet the bank payments, and William bought most of the properties in the Sheriff's bankruptcy sale. Walter had to go on welfare, but continued to live on and farm the 40 acres that had now returned to William. In 1934 one of Walter's daughters, Nora, married Walter Aaron, and William sold those 40 acres to Aaron for what he had paid for it plus what Walter owed him for harvesting his wheat. Walter and his family continued to live on the property as long as he was able, and the land is still owned by Aaron's heirs.
Laura died in 1945 at age 74. Walter moved to a small place in Crescent, OK, where his daughter Ruby taught school. Eventually he had to enter a nursing home for his final days. He died June 11, 1962 at age 96, and is buried beside Laura in Alfalfa Cemetery in plot SE-R 10.
[The above family history is excerpted from my book, Family History of William Alford and Leona Houk Bennett, 2005, by Lowell S. Adams. All rights reserved.]
_____________
Funeral services for Walter Pollard Bennett, Crescent, Okla., a retired farmer who formerly lived in the Alfalfa community, were held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Alfalfa Baptist church with Rev. Alvin Baker, pastor, officiating. Interment was in the Alfalfa cemetery.
Bennett, 96, fell and broke his hip five weeks ago and died Monday in a Guthrie hospital.
The son of Abraham and Isabel Bennett, he was born January 12, 1866, in Stoddard County, Missouri. He was married to Martha Galimore in 1886 in Missouri. Four children were born to them.
On December 25, 1898, he was married to Laura Mitchell in Seneca, Mo., and in 1901 moved to Oklahoma, settling on a farm near Alfalfa. Nine children were born to this union. He remained on the farm until his wife died in 1945, then moved to Crescent. Two children preceded him in death.
He had been a member of the Presbyterian church since 1910.
He is survived by four sons, Luther Bennett, Hanford, Calif., George Bennett of Maud, Okla., and Homer and Mike of Carnegie; seven daughters, Mrs. Nellie Stephens and Mrs. Irene Rhodes, Carnegie, Mrs. Mildred Hudgins, Oklahoma City, Mrs. Opal Snelgrove, Tulsa, Mrs. Edna Bowerman and Mrs. Nora Aaron, Receda, Calif., and Mrs. Ruby Jech, Crescent; one brother, W. A. Bennett, Carnegie; 34 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and other relatives.
Pallbearers for the services were Charles and Paul Reid, Thurman Whitley, Ed White, Bill Stephens and Hewlett Fullerton.
Family history:
Walter Pollard Bennett was born Jan 12, 1866 near Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., MO, the fifth child of Abraham and Isabell, and probably had a typical rural childhood filled with work for the family and others, activities in the Bethel Baptist Church north of Seneca, MO, and some family play. On July 4, 1886 in Seneca, Newton Co., MO he married Martha "Mattie" Gallemore, when he was about 20 and she under 18. Their first children were born in Missouri, but by the birth of George DeWitt Bennett, they had moved to Chelsea, Indian Territory, probably to seek work. Their young child, Mike, was fatally burned about 1892 in a tragic accident when the handle of a teakettle came off as it was being carried from the stove, and scalding water poured on the child sitting below. Mike's birth date, death date, and place of burial are unknown. Martha and Walter moved back to Missouri and were divorced at some time between 1894 and 1898. Martha married again, perhaps about 1896, to John H. Price, and had two more children, Mike and John, Jr. Walter married Laura Emma Mitchell December 25, 1898, probably in Seneca, MO. In 1901 they migrated to Indian Territory/Oklahoma where their nine children were born. George and Luther were raised by their mother, Martha, while they were young, then they moved to Oklahoma to live with Walter's second family. After the divorce, Walter's oldest child, Nellie, was raised by his parents, Abraham and Isabell Bennett, in Missouri, then later joined the rest of his family in Oklahoma.
A few months before "surplus" Wichita and Caddo Indian Territory land claims were to be opened by lottery on August 6, 1901, Walter P. Bennett and his neighbors Enoch DeWeese, and Abendigo Gentry traveled to the area, looked it over, and registered for the lottery. Since not everyone was expected to succeed in drawing a valid claim, the three men agreed that if only two of them drew land, they would each deed to the third person 40 acres in exchange for his labor in improving their homesteads. When the drawing occurred, Walter drew a blank lot and thus planned to work for 80 acres according to their agreement. On November 4, 1901, Laura, Walter, and his younger brother William and his bride Leona were part of a small wagon train that left Seneca to develop the land claims. Soon after arriving, Enoch DeWeese learned that his allotted land was actually located a mile west of the place he had been shown, was disappointed in its hilly and rocky appearance, and did not want to settle on it. He offered it to either of the Bennett brothers, and William bought it for two cows he had left in Missouri, the equivalent value of the $65 that DeWeese had invested thus far. Eventually, after the homesteads were "proved up" and the deeds became valid, Abendigo Gentry and William A. Bennett each deeded 40 acres to Walter, honoring the original agreement. The 40 acres from the Gentry land was the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 14. William allowed Walter to choose the location, and he chose the southeast 40 of William's 160 acres, actually the best land of the quarter section. Walter and Laura built a house on the southeast corner of this property and raised their family there. The two families thus lived about a quarter of a mile apart and remained very close socially as well as geographically. They worked and played together over the years. Laura and Leona helped each other during pregnancies and childbirths as well as during hardships. Walter's and William's families shared in taking care of their father, Abraham, from the time he moved to Oklahoma in 1913 until his death in 1922. Abraham lived in William's home, but walked across the field to visit Walter's home for several hours each day, helping tend the younger children.
Walter and Laura participated in community affairs. They helped build the Bethel Baptist Church that most of the Bennetts attended. They took an active interest in education, helped support the local Eureka School, and shared in hauling the children home in severe weather. Walter was on the local school board for years and was an active member of Farmer's Union. Although Walter lacked much formal education, he told his children that he taught himself by reading the Kansas City Star and Capper's Farmer late at night by kerosene lantern after putting in a hard day of work. Although the main family income was farming, Walter hauled freight and did other jobs to supplement the family income.
Eventually, when they needed more land to farm, Walter and William each bought 80 acres of the southeast quarter of section 35, which is north of the highway 152 (formerly highway 41) and adjacent to William's land. Walter also bought a 160 acre farm [the northwest quarter of section 12], a mill on main street in Carnegie, and a house there, but did not move his family into town. The house was rented and eventually partly burned. William bought the salvaged lumber from the house and the failed mill to build more barns on his farm. About the same time, the disastrous economy of the Great Depression caused Walter to have trouble making mortgage payments, and he sold his 80 acres of section 35 to William. As the Depression deepened, Walter could not meet the bank payments, and William bought most of the properties in the Sheriff's bankruptcy sale. Walter had to go on welfare, but continued to live on and farm the 40 acres that had now returned to William. In 1934 one of Walter's daughters, Nora, married Walter Aaron, and William sold those 40 acres to Aaron for what he had paid for it plus what Walter owed him for harvesting his wheat. Walter and his family continued to live on the property as long as he was able, and the land is still owned by Aaron's heirs.
Laura died in 1945 at age 74. Walter moved to a small place in Crescent, OK, where his daughter Ruby taught school. Eventually he had to enter a nursing home for his final days. He died June 11, 1962 at age 96, and is buried beside Laura in Alfalfa Cemetery in plot SE-R 10.
[The above family history is excerpted from my book, Family History of William Alford and Leona Houk Bennett, 2005, by Lowell S. Adams. All rights reserved.]
_____________
Funeral services for Walter Pollard Bennett, Crescent, Okla., a retired farmer who formerly lived in the Alfalfa community, were held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Alfalfa Baptist church with Rev. Alvin Baker, pastor, officiating. Interment was in the Alfalfa cemetery.
Bennett, 96, fell and broke his hip five weeks ago and died Monday in a Guthrie hospital.
The son of Abraham and Isabel Bennett, he was born January 12, 1866, in Stoddard County, Missouri. He was married to Martha Galimore in 1886 in Missouri. Four children were born to them.
On December 25, 1898, he was married to Laura Mitchell in Seneca, Mo., and in 1901 moved to Oklahoma, settling on a farm near Alfalfa. Nine children were born to this union. He remained on the farm until his wife died in 1945, then moved to Crescent. Two children preceded him in death.
He had been a member of the Presbyterian church since 1910.
He is survived by four sons, Luther Bennett, Hanford, Calif., George Bennett of Maud, Okla., and Homer and Mike of Carnegie; seven daughters, Mrs. Nellie Stephens and Mrs. Irene Rhodes, Carnegie, Mrs. Mildred Hudgins, Oklahoma City, Mrs. Opal Snelgrove, Tulsa, Mrs. Edna Bowerman and Mrs. Nora Aaron, Receda, Calif., and Mrs. Ruby Jech, Crescent; one brother, W. A. Bennett, Carnegie; 34 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and other relatives.
Pallbearers for the services were Charles and Paul Reid, Thurman Whitley, Ed White, Bill Stephens and Hewlett Fullerton.
Walter Pollard Bennett was born Jan 12, 1866 near Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., MO, the fifth child of Abraham and Isabell, and probably had a typical rural childhood filled with work for the family and others, activities in the Bethel Baptist Church north of Seneca, MO, and some family play. On July 4, 1886 in Seneca, Newton Co., MO he married Martha "Mattie" Gallemore, when he was about 20 and she under 18. Their first children were born in Missouri, but by the birth of George DeWitt Bennett, they had moved to Chelsea, Indian Territory, probably to seek work. Their young child, Mike, was fatally burned about 1892 in a tragic accident when the handle of a teakettle came off as it was being carried from the stove, and scalding water poured on the child sitting below. Mike's birth date, death date, and place of burial are unknown. Martha and Walter moved back to Missouri and were divorced at some time between 1894 and 1898. Martha married again, perhaps about 1896, to John H. Price, and had two more children, Mike and John, Jr. Walter married Laura Emma Mitchell December 25, 1898, probably in Seneca, MO. In 1901 they migrated to Indian Territory/Oklahoma where their nine children were born. George and Luther were raised by their mother, Martha, while they were young, then they moved to Oklahoma to live with Walter's second family. After the divorce, Walter's oldest child, Nellie, was raised by his parents, Abraham and Isabell Bennett, in Missouri, then later joined the rest of his family in Oklahoma.
A few months before "surplus" Wichita and Caddo Indian Territory land claims were to be opened by lottery on August 6, 1901, Walter P. Bennett and his neighbors Enoch DeWeese, and Abendigo Gentry traveled to the area, looked it over, and registered for the lottery. Since not everyone was expected to succeed in drawing a valid claim, the three men agreed that if only two of them drew land, they would each deed to the third person 40 acres in exchange for his labor in improving their homesteads. When the drawing occurred, Walter drew a blank lot and thus planned to work for 80 acres according to their agreement. On November 4, 1901, Laura, Walter, and his younger brother William and his bride Leona were part of a small wagon train that left Seneca to develop the land claims. Soon after arriving, Enoch DeWeese learned that his allotted land was actually located a mile west of the place he had been shown, was disappointed in its hilly and rocky appearance, and did not want to settle on it. He offered it to either of the Bennett brothers, and William bought it for two cows he had left in Missouri, the equivalent value of the $65 that DeWeese had invested thus far. Eventually, after the homesteads were "proved up" and the deeds became valid, Abendigo Gentry and William A. Bennett each deeded 40 acres to Walter, honoring the original agreement. The 40 acres from the Gentry land was the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 14. William allowed Walter to choose the location, and he chose the southeast 40 of William's 160 acres, actually the best land of the quarter section. Walter and Laura built a house on the southeast corner of this property and raised their family there. The two families thus lived about a quarter of a mile apart and remained very close socially as well as geographically. They worked and played together over the years. Laura and Leona helped each other during pregnancies and childbirths as well as during hardships. Walter's and William's families shared in taking care of their father, Abraham, from the time he moved to Oklahoma in 1913 until his death in 1922. Abraham lived in William's home, but walked across the field to visit Walter's home for several hours each day, helping tend the younger children.
Walter and Laura participated in community affairs. They helped build the Bethel Baptist Church that most of the Bennetts attended. They took an active interest in education, helped support the local Eureka School, and shared in hauling the children home in severe weather. Walter was on the local school board for years and was an active member of Farmer's Union. Although Walter lacked much formal education, he told his children that he taught himself by reading the Kansas City Star and Capper's Farmer late at night by kerosene lantern after putting in a hard day of work. Although the main family income was farming, Walter hauled freight and did other jobs to supplement the family income.
Eventually, when they needed more land to farm, Walter and William each bought 80 acres of the southeast quarter of section 35, which is north of the highway 152 (formerly highway 41) and adjacent to William's land. Walter also bought a 160 acre farm [the northwest quarter of section 12], a mill on main street in Carnegie, and a house there, but did not move his family into town. The house was rented and eventually partly burned. William bought the salvaged lumber from the house and the failed mill to build more barns on his farm. About the same time, the disastrous economy of the Great Depression caused Walter to have trouble making mortgage payments, and he sold his 80 acres of section 35 to William. As the Depression deepened, Walter could not meet the bank payments, and William bought most of the properties in the Sheriff's bankruptcy sale. Walter had to go on welfare, but continued to live on and farm the 40 acres that had now returned to William. In 1934 one of Walter's daughters, Nora, married Walter Aaron, and William sold those 40 acres to Aaron for what he had paid for it plus what Walter owed him for harvesting his wheat. Walter and his family continued to live on the property as long as he was able, and the land is still owned by Aaron's heirs.
Laura died in 1945 at age 74. Walter moved to a small place in Crescent, OK, where his daughter Ruby taught school. Eventually he had to enter a nursing home for his final days. He died June 11, 1962 at age 96, and is buried beside Laura in Alfalfa Cemetery in plot SE-R 10.
[The above family history is excerpted from my book, Family History of William Alford and Leona Houk Bennett, 2005, by Lowell S. Adams. All rights reserved.]
_____________
Funeral services for Walter Pollard Bennett, Crescent, Okla., a retired farmer who formerly lived in the Alfalfa community, were held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Alfalfa Baptist church with Rev. Alvin Baker, pastor, officiating. Interment was in the Alfalfa cemetery.
Bennett, 96, fell and broke his hip five weeks ago and died Monday in a Guthrie hospital.
The son of Abraham and Isabel Bennett, he was born January 12, 1866, in Stoddard County, Missouri. He was married to Martha Galimore in 1886 in Missouri. Four children were born to them.
On December 25, 1898, he was married to Laura Mitchell in Seneca, Mo., and in 1901 moved to Oklahoma, settling on a farm near Alfalfa. Nine children were born to this union. He remained on the farm until his wife died in 1945, then moved to Crescent. Two children preceded him in death.
He had been a member of the Presbyterian church since 1910.
He is survived by four sons, Luther Bennett, Hanford, Calif., George Bennett of Maud, Okla., and Homer and Mike of Carnegie; seven daughters, Mrs. Nellie Stephens and Mrs. Irene Rhodes, Carnegie, Mrs. Mildred Hudgins, Oklahoma City, Mrs. Opal Snelgrove, Tulsa, Mrs. Edna Bowerman and Mrs. Nora Aaron, Receda, Calif., and Mrs. Ruby Jech, Crescent; one brother, W. A. Bennett, Carnegie; 34 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and other relatives.
Pallbearers for the services were Charles and Paul Reid, Thurman Whitley, Ed White, Bill Stephens and Hewlett Fullerton.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
