Stephen O. Bennett | |
|---|---|
| Member of theWisconsin Senate from the17th district | |
| In office January 6, 1851 – January 3, 1853 | |
| Preceded by | Victor Willard |
| Succeeded by | Ezra Miller |
| Member of theWisconsin State Assembly from theRacine 2nd district | |
| In office January 7, 1850 – January 6, 1851 | |
| Preceded by | James DeNoon Reymert |
| Succeeded by | Peter Van Vliet |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1807 Milton, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 24, 1886(1886-05-24) (aged 78–79) |
| Resting place | Mountain Home Cemetery,Kalamazoo, Michigan |
| Political party | |
Stephen Osander Bennett (1807 – May 24, 1886) was anAmerican merchant, farmer, andFree Soil politician. He was an early settler atRaymond, Wisconsin, and representedRacine County in theWisconsin State Senate (1851–1852) andAssembly (1850).[1]
Bennett was born in 1807 inMilton, New York. He moved in his youth toNew Haven, Connecticut, in preparation for college, but his eyesight made that impractical. Instead, he became a merchant, first inAlbany, New York, and later inNew York City. In 1832 he moved toOhio, and, in 1840, settled on a farm in theWisconsin Territory. He was one of the first settlers inRaymond, inRacine County.[2] He declared himself bankrupt in 1843.[3]
He was elected as aFreesoiler or "Free Soil Democrat" delegate to the First (1846) WisconsinConstitutional Convention, serving on the committee on amendments to the constitution. He was elected to the Assembly from Racine County for the1850 session (succeedingJames DeNoon Reymert, another Free Soiler), and to theWisconsin State Senate for1851 and1852 sessions, succeeding fellow Free SoilerVictor Willard. He was succeeded in the Assembly byPeter Van Vliet ofCaledonia.
The Senate was expanded and redistricted in 1853, and Bennett was succeeded in what was now the7th Senate district byDemocratJohn W. Cary.[4] In later years he joined theRepublican Party.
In 1853 he was elected president of the Racine County Agricultural Society.[5]
In 1859, he sold his farm and moved toKalamazoo, Michigan, where he resumed his prior occupation as a merchant. He died suddenly on May 24, 1886, while on a business trip toChicago.[6]
| Wisconsin State Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theWisconsin State Assemblyfrom theRacine 2nd district January 7, 1850 – January 6, 1851 | Succeeded by |
| Wisconsin Senate | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theWisconsin Senatefrom the17th district January 6, 1851 – January 3, 1853 | Succeeded by |