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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Poinsett County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Elijah Bennett, farmer and stock raiser, Buffalo Lick, Ark. All his life Mr. Bennett has followed, with substantial success, the occupation to which he was reared and in which he is now engaged—farming — and is recognized as one of the prominent tillers of the soil in Greenfield Township. He is the fourth in a family of ten children born to Thomas and Martha (Rollins) Bennett, natives of Alabama. Thomas Bennett was a farmer, and in this occupation continued all his life. He came to Craighead County in 1867, settled near Jonesboro, and bought a tract of partly improved land, where he remained until his death, in 1882. His excellent wife stills survives him, and resides in Craighead County. Elijah Bennett was born in Russell County, Ala., in 1839, and, naturally perhaps, early exhibited taste for farm life, which was cultivated on a tract of land in Alabama. He received his education in the district schools of Calhoun County, and in 1861 was married, in Chambers County of that State, to Miss Celia Smith, a native of Alabama. Her death occurred in 1873, and she left four children: J. F., W. W., Lutie (now Mrs. Smith) and Robert. In 1861, the same year of his marriage, Mr. Bennett enlisted in Capt. Earl’s Company Second Alabama Cavalry, and entered the service at Montgomery, Ala., in Ferguson’s Brigade. He was on skirmish duty most of the time, but was in the battle of Atlanta, Ga. He was paroled at Augusta, Ga., in 1865, after which he returned to Alabama, and in 1869 emigrated to Poinsett County, where he purchased a timber tract of 160 acres. He at once commenced to improve forty acres, and is now one of the representative farmers of the county. He raises considerable stock, horses, cattle, hogs, etc., and makes a success of this. He was married again in 1874, to Delia Goodlow, a native of Harrisburg, Ark., and her death occurred in 1876. Mr. Bennett’s third marriage took place in Craighead County, in 1879, to Miss Martha Wimpey, a native of Floyd County, Ga. Her father moved to Craighead County, Ark., when she was quite young. Eight children were born to this union: Lydia, Thomas, John, Isabella, Jennie, Ella, Elsie and R. Zella. Mr. Bennett, though not an office-seeker, takes an active part in politics, and votes with the Democratic party. He also takes great interest in school matters, and has been a member of the school board. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and is a substantial supporter of all public enterprises. Mrs. Bennett is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 70 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Poinsett County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Poinsett County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Poinsett County, Arkansas family biographies here: Poinsett County, Arkansas Biographies

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