Risden Tyler Bennett | |
|---|---|
 Bennett, photograph byC. M. Bell | |
| 48th United States Congress | |
| In office 1883–1887 | |
| Preceded by | Clement Dowd |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Rowland |
| North Carolina Superior Court | |
| In office 1880–1882 | |
| North Carolina House of Representatives | |
| In office 1872–1874 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1840-06-18)June 18, 1840 |
| Died | July 21, 1913(1913-07-21) (aged 73) |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Education | Davidson College Cumberland University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Profession | Attorney |
Risden Tyler Bennett (June 18, 1840 – July 21, 1913) was aDemocraticU.S. Congressman fromNorth Carolina between 1883 and 1887.[1][2] He was also an attorney and judge.[3]
Bennett was born inWadesboro, North Carolina.[1] He was the twelfth and youngest child of Catherine Harris and Nevil Bennett, a farmer and primitive Baptist minister.[3][4][2] His father died when Bennett was twelve–years–old.[2]
He attended common schools and the Gouldsfork Academy.[1][4] He graduated from the Anson Institute in Wadesboro.[1][4] He enrolled in the sophomore class ofUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when he was sixteen years old, but soon left over hazing and headed West where he saw theRocky Mountains and lived withNative Americans.[4][2] However, his guardian George W. Little required him to come back East.[4]
In 1859, he attendedDavidson College.[4] In the winter of 1858-9, he enrolled in the law school atCumberland University, where he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Psi (St. Anthony Hall).[4][2] He graduated in 1859.[2]
On April 30, 1861, he enlisted in theConfederate Army as a private in the Anson Guards.[1][2] He rose to the rank ofcolonel of the 14th North Carolina on July 5, 1862.[2] He was wounded three times, including at theBattle of Gettysburg in July 1863.[1][4] He was captured atWinchester, Virginia and was a prisoner on parole until February 28, 1864.[2]
Bennett became an attorney at law in the Court of Common Pleas inAnson County, North Carolina in January 1860.[2] After the Civil War, he joined a law practice with JudgeThomas Samuel Ashe.[4] He was also the county solicitor ofAnson County, North Carolina from 1866 and 1867.[1][3]
In 1870, he was nominated for Congress but declined the nomination because of poor health.[2] In 1871, he was elected to theNorth Carolina House of Representatives, serving from 1872 to 1874.[1] He declined to run for reelection.[2] In 1875, he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, serving as chairman of the Judicial Department.[3][2] He was appointed to fill a vacancy on theNorth Carolina Superior Court in 1880, serving for two years until he resigned to serve in Congress.[1][3]
In 1882, he was elected to theUnited States Congress in a unique at-large (statewide) election.[1] He was re-elected in 1884.[1] During his second term, Bennett chaired the committee on expenditures in theDepartment of State.[1] However, he declined to run for reelection.[2]
After leaving Congress, Bennett practiced law inWadesboro, North Carolina.[3][1] He was also an orator and wrote articles for the Charlotte and Wadesboro newspapers.[4]
Bennett married Kate Shepperd on August 26, 1863, while he was at home recovering from his wounds during the Civil War.[3][4][2] They had two sons who died in infancy and three daughters, Mary, Effie, and Kate.[3][4]
Although raised a Baptist, he was baptized by aMethodist chaplain during the Civil War.[4][2] Later in life, he joined theEpiscopal Church.[4][2] He donated a collection of a thousand books to start a library in Wadesboro.[4]
While at the Constitutional Convention in 1875, Bennett suffered fromsciatica and had to be carried to the Capital on a cot daily, as he was unable to sit up.[2]
In 1913, He died at his home in Wadesboro frompneumonia at the age of 73.[3] He is buried in his family cemetery inWadesboro, North Carolina.[1][2]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by District created | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNorth Carolina's at-large congressional district 1883–1885 | Succeeded by District eliminated |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNorth Carolina's 6th congressional district 1885–1887 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
