Herbert Allen Bennett
1840 - 1915

Herbert was born January 31, 1840 in Mendon, Massachusetts. He was the first child for his parents Russel Bennett Jr. and Roba Minerva Farnsworth. They were married in 1836. Herbert was born 3 1/2 years after they were married. Four years later they had another son George and eleven years after George's birth they had their third son Albert Tyler Bennett. He went by the name of A.T. Bennett as an adult.

Herbert's father died died May 15, 1860 of consumption (tuberculosis) at the age of 46 years, 11 months. He made his will on January 14, 1860 during his illness. Herbert received five dollars or two hundred dollars in todays money. Roba received a third of his estate of 60 acres of land in Mendon including his home and 30 acres in Milford, Massachusetts. The remaining two thirds of this land went to his two sons George and Albert and their heirs.

During the 1860s the Civil War occurred. Herbert joined the Company B 25th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry on September 13, 1861 in Worcester. He had turned 21 in January 1861. He is described as 5 ft 5½ in. tall, dark hair, blue eyes and a light complexion.

The regiment was organized during September and Ocotober of that year so Herbert joined during that time. He served for a little over 3 years. He mustered out on October 20, 1864. That was the date original members whose terms expired were mustered out. The Civil War offically ended the year after Herbert mustered out.

Herbert was honorably discharged at Worcester Massachusetts on October 20, 1864. However, he was feeling so poorly that day, the Captain got a pass so he could go home a few hours before the regiment disbanded.

After his return he did some work on his farm and the Davenport farm, was an attendant at the Insane Hosptial in Worcestor, Massachusetts, and worked as a machinist.

About seven months after he returned home, he married Josephine Southwick on May 17, 1865. Josephine was from Northbridge which is very near Mendon where Herbert lived. A little over 9 months they welcomed their first child a boy, Freddie. The following year their daughter was born. She was named after Herbert's mother. The daughter's name was Minerva Farnsworth Bennett. Herbert's mother's maiden name was Roba Minerva Farnsworth.

Herbert always complained about medical problems he contributed to the Civil War. He said he could not do physical labor and work on the family farm. He is listed as a machinist on his first child's birth record and he is a farmer on his daughter's birth record.

In May 1868 Herbert is appointed guardian of his 13 year old brother Albert. It is Herbert's job to manage the property that Albert inherited from their father. Also on this day in court, Roba files documents to "prove" the will of her late husband. This means that she is going to carry out the requirements in the will. It is eight years after Russell died. This probably means the land and property will be sold and divided according to the will. The following summer the entire family moves to Iowa.

In court in 1868 their neighbor Charles Aldrich Davenport signs these documents to place sureties in case either Herbert or Roba did not fullfill their obligations. Herbert also signs that his mother will carry out the will and Roba signs that Herbert will be a responsible guardian. If either of them defaults on their legal obligations the other will pay the penalty along with Charles Davenport.

In the summer of 1869 Herbert moved his entire family - wife, children, mother and brothers, to Iowa. He thought the change in climate would improve his health. According to his son Fred, he believed "that the wild, free life of the frontier was conducive to better results in the rearing of a family than the environmnets found in the New England state." Along the trip out to Iowa, Josephine gave birth to another son. He was born in Clinton, Iowa, and given the name of Clinton Southwick Bennett.

In the fall of 1874 he and Josephine returned to Mendon, Massachusetts for about three months. He worked on the Davenport farm and stayed with the family. Josephine cheated on Herbert and Herbert returned to Iowa and filed for divorce. The divorce was granted on November 2, 1876. Herbert got custody of the three children.

Herbert's second wife was Georgie Etta Hazen. Georgie had been married before to Charles A. Strong. Georgie and Charles met and married in Hartford, Vermont, on July 4, 1874. They were together until June 1875. In 1876 Charles went out to California. He had told Georgie and his brother he was going to California to find gold. In October 1877 Georgie filed for divorce saying that Charles was guilty of intolerable severity to her. At the time Charles was looking for gold probably in the Black Hills of South Dakota. There was a gold rush going on there at this time.

In January 1878 a death notice was published in a Vermont newspaper for Charles A. Strong stating the he died in Black Hills, California, on November 4, 1877. There is a place called Black Hills in California so he could have died there but the gold rush was going on in Black Hills, South Dakota. No record of his death can be found. He would have been 24 years old when he died.

Herbert and Georgie were married on November 25, 1879 in Norwood (town of Potsdam), St. Lawrence Co., New York. How did they meet when Herbert lived in Iowa and Georgie lived in Vermont? Also, why were they married in New York?

Herbert was 39 years old and his bride was 25. They did not have any children. After the marriage Herbert and Georgie lived with her parents in Vermont. Herbert left his children in Iowa to be raised by his mother.

In the 1880 census Herbert and Georgie are living with her parents. Her father is listed as at home retired, her mother is keeping house, Herbert is at home and Georgie is a farm laborer. They are living in Hartford, Windsor County, Vermont.

In his pension file, Herbert lists where he had been living in the 1880s. Below is a table with the years and where he was living.

Date	Place
25 Nov 1879	Married Georgie Etta Hazen at Norwood (town of Potsdam), St. Lawrence Co., New York.
1880 - Mar 1881	Hartford, Windsor Co., Vermont.
Mar 1881 - Feb 1882	Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Feb 1882	Gave up farming and took up peddling — the point at which he says he stopped being able to work steadily.
Feb 1882 - Apr 1884	Hartford, Vermont.
1 Jan - 5 Apr 1884	"Went west to try a change of climate" — Templeton, Carroll Co., Iowa. Sick all winter and did nothing until July.
Apr 1884 - Oct 1886	West Randolph, Vermont.
Oct 1886 - Feb 1887	Windsor, Vermont.
Feb - Aug 1887	Barre, Vermont.
Aug 1887 - 1915	South Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont — his home for the rest of his life.

 

Georgie's father, John Hazen, died at his home in Hartford, Vermont, on January 13, 1891. Her mother died on January 2, 1905 at Georgie's home in South Royalton, Vermont.

In the 1890 Veteran's Census, Herbert is living in South Royalton, Windsor County, Vermont. Since his father-in-law died at his home in Hartford, Vermont, in 1891, it appears Herbert moved to his own house in South Royalton by 1890.

A newspaper clipping from 1891 mentions that Herbert Bennett had completed extensive repairs on his home under the South Royalton News notes.

Herbert Bennett's house Railroad Street, South Royalton, Windsor County, Vermont

Back of photo of Herbert Bennett's house

In the 1900 census Herbert is listed as a pensioner. Living with him are is wife and mother-in-law.

In the 1910 census it states that Herbert owns his home and there is no mortgage. It is a house and not a farm. It is located on Railroad Street, South Royalton, Windsor County, Vermont. His occupation is listed as own income.

In 1894, there is a newspaper clipping about someone moving into the tenement in Herbert Bennett's house. His income comes from rent and his pension.

On Wednesday, October 23, 1895, Herbert had two shots penetrate his leg. He was out hunting and a gun from a party member unintentioanlly discharged.

In the first week of January 1896 Herbert went hunting and trapping in the Adirondacks for several weeks with a friend. The Adirondacks are located in northeastern New York State.

In 1889 Herbert was in the woods with some other men hunting rabbits and partridges in South Royalton. One of the men's gun discharged by the hammer catching in the brush and the bullet struck another man's leg. The man who was shot had his leg amputated between the ankle joint and the knee.

In 1906 Herbert traveled to Mendon, Massachusetts for a reunion of the company in which he served during the Civil War. The reunion was held in Lake Nipmuc park in Mendon. It is a freshwater lake encompassing over 85 arces. At that time the park featured boat rides, a theatre, a dance hall, and band concerts. Today you can swim and launch canoes and kayaks on the lake.

Reunions for his regiment were held yearly since 1866.

Lake Nipmuc Entrance 1909

Herbert died on February 28, 1915 at 9:30 a.m. at South Royalton, Vermont. Cause of death was cancer of the superior maxilla (upper jaw), with meningitis one month after an operation as a contributing cause.

Mentioned in his obituary, Herbert was a member of the Orville Bixby Post. This was a Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) post for veterans of the Civil War.

Georgie died June 18, 1927 in South Royalton, Vermont of a cerebral hemorhage. Herbert and Georgie are buried together at West Hartford Cemetery, Windsor County, Vermont. This is the same cemetery where Georgie's parents are buried.

Pedigree Chart

Sources

Ancestry.com, 1880 United States Federal Census, Census Place: Hartford, Windsor, Vermont; Roll: 1350; Page: 113a; Enumeration District: 253, Vermont, Windsor, Hartford, 253, image 37 of 60, John B. Hazen head

Civil War pension file of Herbert A. Bennett, Private, Co. B, 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Invalid certificate no. 435,627; widow's certificate no. 793,373. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Worcester Telegram, Worcester, Massachusetts, Wednesday, June 20, 1906, page 7, Civll War reunion.

"Massachusetts, Worcester County, Probate Files, 1731-1925," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G989-9759?cc=2102083&wc=9BXN-3TP%3A1055512501%2C1055529101 : 21 May 2014), Worcester > Case no 5099-5142, Bennett, Orin MC-Benson, Benjamin L, 1731-1881 > image 171 of 589; Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Boston, Russell Bennett Jr case 5111

"Worcester, Massachusetts, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-F7YW-V?view=explore : Jul 30, 2026), image 392 of 583; . Image Group Number: 007704674, Herbert Bennett appointed guardian of brother Albert

Ancestry.com. 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census, Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War; Series Number: M123; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Record Group Number: 15; Census Year: 1890, Vermont, Windsor, Royalton, image 5 of 6, Herbert A Bennett

Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census, Census Place: Royalton, Windsor, Vermont; Roll: 1696; Page: 14; Enumeration District: 0283, Vermont, Windsor, Royalton, District 0283, image 27 of 30, Herbert A Bennett head

Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census, Census Place: Royalton, Windsor, Vermont; Roll: T624_1618; Page: 4b; Enumeration District: 0284; FHL microfilm: 1375631, Vermont, Windsor, Royalton, District 0284, image 6 of 36, Herbert A Bennett head

Baldwin, compiled by Thomas W. Vital Records of Mendon, to the Year 1859. Boston, Mass.: n.p., 1920, page 30

Bennett, Herbert A, private, Company B 25th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry, application no. 659383 and 1043150, certificate no. 435627 and 793373, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Burlington Weekly Free Press Burlington, Vermont Thu, Jun 28, 1906 ·Page 12, Herbert Bennett attends reunion in Mendon, Massachusetts

FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74730834/herbert-allen-bennett, Herbert Allen Bennett

FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75075173/john-brownell-hazen, John Brownell Hazen

Hazen, John B. death, Ancestry.com, Vermont, U.S., Vital Records, 1720 - 1908, 1871 and Later, Haven-Heath, image 3246 of 4670

Hazen, John death, The Landmark, White River Junction, Vermont, Friday, January 23, 1891,·page 8.

Hazen, Mary death, South Royalton Notes, The Herald and News, West Randolph, Vermont, Thursday, Jan 5, 1905,·page 7.

Herald and News, West Randolph, Vermont, South Royalton Notes, Thursday Oct 24, 1895, page 7, Herbert Bennett shot

SundayTelegram, Worcester, Massachusetts, Sunday, May 28, 1905 page 24, Veterans Together

The Burlington Free Press Burlington, Vermont, South Royalton section, Wednesday, January 29, 1896 page 6, Herbert Bennet returns from the Adirondacks

The Herald and News, West Randolph, Vermont, South Royalton Notes, Thursday Dec 26, 1889·Page 4, hunting accident

The Herald and News, West Randolph, Vermont, South Royalton Notes, Thursday July 16, 189,Page 5, Herbert Bennet completes repairs on his home

The Herald and News, West Randolph, Vermont, Thursday June 14, 1894·Page 5, Herbert Bennett's tenement

The Landmark, White River Junction, Vermont, Friday, Jan 10, 1896 ·Page, Herbert Bennett left for the Adirondacks

Vermont Deaths and Burials, 1871 - 1965, Family Search, indexing project (batch) numberL 101223-1, system origin: Vermont-EASy, source film number: 2079780., Georgietta Bennett

Vermont Journal, Windsor, Vermont, Saturday, January 05, 1878, Charles A Strong death

Vermont Standard, Woodstock, Vermont, Thursday, October 04, 1877 page 3, Georgietta Strong files for divorce