Henry Bennett, 2nd

OHIO, HERKIMER COUNTY, NY

A while ago I decided to research the Bennett family of Ohio, NY, as they are one of the earliest settlers of our town. In the end I did not find enough information to piece together all of the Bennett families in the 1850 census together into one big family (although I am sure that they are all related). However, I did find enough to put together a family biography for this immediate family group. If any Bennett family researchers would like to add to or dispute the facts that I present here, I'd love to hear from you, but I am not related to this family myself. - Lisa K. Slaski.

Descendants of Henry Bennett, 2nd

1.  Henry Bennett "2nd" was born about 1812 and died 1 Mar 1879 (68 yrs). He is buried in Bull Hill cemetery, town of Ohio, Herkimer County, NY. He married first Lovina [last name unknown]. She was born about 1818 and died 9 Nov 1846. She's buried in Bull Hill cemetery, town of Ohio, Herkimer county, NY. He married second Caroline [last name unknown]. She was born about 1820 and still living in the town of Ohio, Herkimer County, NY in the 1880 census.

It is likely that this Henry Bennett is either the child of Capt. Henry Bennett of the town of Ohio or a child of Joshua Bennett also of the town of Ohio and that Capt. Henry Bennett and Joshua Bennett are brothers, both sons of the senior Henry Bennett who appeared in the 1810 census for Herkimer county. One researcher on the World Family Tree places this Henry Bennett, 2nd, as the son of Joshua (see http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, database cbrennan then look up Bennett, Joshua who was born in 1783) and establishes an ancestry back into colonial MA.

Henry and Lovina had the following children:

1.1.  Melissa Bennett, born about 1837. According to the World Family Tree submitted by Paula Pitts:

Melissa Bennett married Edmund Comstock and had a child Eliza Comstock who married Warren Hodge. This was the Eliza Hodge, niece of Ashal who provided an affidavit to her aunt Emma, wife of Ashal, when she was applying for pension benifits. There are more details of some of the descendants of this Melissa and her siblings in the referenced World Family Tree.

1.2.  George Bennett, born about 1839. He served in the 152nd NY Inf.

Military Service Record:

Enlisted as a Wagoner on 09 August 1862 at the age of 23

Enlisted in Company B, 152nd Infantry Regiment New York on 14 October 1862.

Mustered out Company B, 152nd Infantry Regiment New York on 13 July 1865 in Washington, DC

He moved to Colorado where he's found in the 1900 census in West Glenwood, Garfield county (now part of Glenwood Springs).

1.3.  Ashal Bennett was born 3 Aug 1843 and died 20 Oct 1911. Ashal served in the Civil War in the 34th NY Inf..

Military Service Record:

Enlisted as a Private on 01 May 1861 at the age of 19

Enlisted in Company C, 34th Infantry Regiment New York on 15 June 1861.

Mustered out Company C, 34th Infantry Regiment New York on 30 June 1863 in Albany, NY

Ashal married about 1863 to Anna Ashley who died 3 Feb 1867 (according to his pension papers). About 1868 he moved to MN. He later moved to Colorado from about 1887 to 1892 probably residing near his brother George who is found living in West Glenwood, Garfield county, Co, in 1900 (now part of Glenwood Springs). Then moving back to MN where he was to found Bennettville and was postmaster starting in 1898. His death certificate on file with his pension papers gives his parents names as Henry and Lovina Bennett. Other information from the pension files include:

A copy of a letter dated 19 Nov 1911 from Eliza Hodge addressed "Dear Aunt". It is a letter written to Ashal's widow Emma. Eliza was acknowledging receipt of a letter from Emma that told of Ashal's death. In it Eliza stated "he is the last of mother's brothers". Eliza stated it was especially sad to hear of her uncle's death since her own father had "passed away the 20th of Oct".

The pension record also contains an "affidavit" dated 27 Dec. 1911 signed by Eliza Hodge, address of Gray, N.Y.,where she tells of Ashal Bennett being her uncle. The widow Emma had applied for a pension and this was the reason for the affidavit. Eliza said he married Anna Ashley "about the year 1863" and they "lived neighbor to my parents until her death which was February 3rd, 1867". She said Ashal then moved west and after a few years returned for a visit.

There is an affidavit dated 27 Dec. 1911 from Elisha P. Comstock residing in the town of Ohio; mailing address Gray. He said he had known Ashal from childhood. He had attended school with him, they enlisted in the 34th Regiment together. He also said Ashal married Anna Ashley "about the year 1863" and that the couple lived "next door to me" until Anna's death. He had attended the funeral, said there were no children by that marriage. He also said Ashal had gone west and "a few years after he came east on a visit and he was then married again".

For more information regarding Ashal read "Ashal Bennett - The Man for Whom Bennettville was Named". This article is a section of a book written by Leslie F. Coleman. It is well documented and provides a lot of interesting information and details about Ashal's life. There is also an introduction on this page which provides some additional information that Leslie provided to me during our discussion of the Bennett family.

1.4.  Varnum Bennett, born about 1846 (it's possible that he should be listed among the children of Henry and his second wife Caroline).

None of the above children are found with Henry in the 1860 census.

Henry and Caroline had the following children:
1.5.  Emma Bennett, born about 1848.
1.6.  Varnum Bennett, born about 1850.
1.7.  Kate Bennett, born about 1852.
1.8.  Mary Bennett, born about 1854 (not found with Henry in the 1870 census).
1.9.  Henry Bennett (3rd), born about 1857 (not found with Henry in the 1870 census).

Back to Herkimer/Montgomery Counties GenWeb

Back to New York State GenWeb

Back to USGenWeb