CENTRE LINES

The BENNETT Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on Bennett. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

There are no books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte that apparently deal in part with the Bennett family.

There are 19 first-name entries for Bennet and Bennett in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are several mentions of the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' Bennett neighbors in 1890:

CURTIN Township:

Carrie M.--Roland

FERGUSON Township:

Alexander, 58, laborer--State College Sarah D. William H., 32, laborer--State College Ellen M. Frank B. 10 Lillie M. Anna M. Harry R. 2 George A. 1

PATTON Township:

Abram L., 25, machinist--Benore Sarah

POTTER Township:

Charles Bennet, 46, laborer

PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Annie E. Bennet--10th St. M. L. Bennet, 35 Samuel Bennet, 35, laborer--10th St. Elizabeth

SPRING Township:

William 9--Bellefonte

UNION Township:

Benjamin, 64, laborer--Fleming Margaret Jane Nancy Maneta Emma Clara B. John 1 Irvin 25, laborer--Wingate Mary A. William P., 50, laborer--Fleming Mary J. William S. 18 Harry E. 14

WORTH Township:

___, 37, laborer--Port Matilda Nancy Alensa T. Bertha J. Luella B. Mary M. Colonel D. 4 Mabel (NOTE: Carol reported in Jan. 2001 that the name of the head of this household is Henry.) Charles 11--Port Matilda Thomas, 61, retired--Port Matilda Mary Gertrude William, 29, farmer--Port Matilda Elana E. Walter 3 Allison 2