Born near Bloomingburg, Fayette County, Ohio, October 9, 1833. Mr. Bennett moved to Illinois in 1849 with his parents, who settled in Fulton County, and to Washington, Iowa, in 1855. He attended Howe’s Academy, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and Washington College, Iowa. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859 and commenced practice in Washington, Iowa. During the Civil War he served in the Union Army as a commissioned officer from July 1861 to August 1865, and was assigned to the Seventh and Nineteenth Regiments of Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Bennett returned to Washington, Iowa and was elected a member of the State house of representatives 1865-1867, served in the State senate 1867-1871, and was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of the Territory of Dakota on February 24, 1875, and served until August 23, 1878, when he resigned, having been nominated for Congress. He was elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1879-March 3, 1881). Mr. Bennett was not a candidate for reelection in 1880 to the Forty-seventh Congress so he resumed the practice of law in Deadwood, S. Dakota. He was elected judge of the probate court of Lawrence County and served three terms.

Born near Bloomingburg, Fayette County, Ohio, October 9, 1833. Mr. Bennett moved to Illinois in 1849 with his parents, who settled in Fulton County, and to Washington, Iowa, in 1855. He attended Howe’s Academy, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and Washington College, Iowa. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859 and commenced practice in Washington, Iowa. During the Civil War he served in the Union Army as a commissioned officer from July 1861 to August 1865, and was assigned to the Seventh and Nineteenth Regiments of Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Bennett returned to Washington, Iowa and was elected a member of the State house of representatives 1865-1867, served in the State senate 1867-1871, and was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of the Territory of Dakota on February 24, 1875, and served until August 23, 1878, when he resigned, having been nominated for Congress. He was elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1879-March 3, 1881). Mr. Bennett was not a candidate for reelection in 1880 to the Forty-seventh Congress so he resumed the practice of law in Deadwood, S. Dakota. He was elected judge of the probate court of Lawrence County and served three terms.

Born near Bloomingburg, Fayette County, Ohio, October 9, 1833. Mr. Bennett moved to Illinois in 1849 with his parents, who settled in Fulton County, and to Washington, Iowa, in 1855. He attended Howe’s Academy, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and Washington College, Iowa. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859 and commenced practice in Washington, Iowa. During the Civil War he served in the Union Army as a commissioned officer from July 1861 to August 1865, and was assigned to the Seventh and Nineteenth Regiments of Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Bennett returned to Washington, Iowa and was elected a member of the State house of representatives 1865-1867, served in the State senate 1867-1871, and was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of the Territory of Dakota on February 24, 1875, and served until August 23, 1878, when he resigned, having been nominated for Congress. He was elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1879-March 3, 1881). Mr. Bennett was not a candidate for reelection in 1880 to the Forty-seventh Congress so he resumed the practice of law in Deadwood, S. Dakota. He was elected judge of the probate court of Lawrence County and served three terms.