WILLIAM BENNET
William Bennet was born in Elm Grove Township, Tazewell County, May 5. 1829, and obtained his education in the public schools. He remained on his father’s farm until twenty-four years old, when he moved to Little Mackinaw Township, there purchasing 120 acres of the northeast quarter of Section 19, to which tract he has since added forty acres. He has successfully followed the occupation of farming and stockraising. In politics Mr. Bennet has been prominently identified with the Democratic party. He served as Town Supervisor for four years, was Assessor eight years, Justice of the Peace nine years, Highway Commissioner for a time, and has held a number of minor offices. He is a member of Masonic Lodge No. 622, Hopedale.
The marriage of Mr. Bennet and Miss Angelin Kimler was celebrated in Knox County, Ill., September , 1854, and to them were born eleven children, of whom seven survive: Emerson Luther, who married Miss Mary Gillam: Emma Jane, now the wife of U. S. Gunter: Maggie, who married William Tanner: James Sanford; Mary E., the wife of John Hodson: Guy C.; and Bertha, now Mrs. Fred Waltmier.
Mrs. Bennet was born in Montgomery County. Ind., December 6. 1828, the daughter of Evan and Love (Walker) Kimler, both her parents being natives of West Virginia, where they were married, later moving to Montgomery County, Ind. There Mr. Kimler followed the trade of a blacksmith and also engaged in farming. In 1850 he moved to Illinois and settled in Eugene, Knox County, where he resided at the time of his death.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Bennet were Timothy and Elizabeth (Noblit) Bennet, both natives of Kentucky. The maternal grandfather was William Manker, who was born in Germany. Timothy Bennet came to Clinton County, Ohio, where he resided on his farm until his death. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, in which he served about two years.
The parents of the subject of this sketch were Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Manker) Bennet, the mother being a native of Highland County, Ohio, where she was born in 1804, her death occurring in 1864. Nathaniel Bennet was born in Kentucky, on February 1. 1799, and came with his parents to Clinton County, Ohio. In 1828 he removed to Elm Grove Township, Ill., where he lived a short time, and then came to Hopedale Township, which he helped organize, and where he remained until his death, May 28, 1870. During his life he was engaged in farming in the northwest corner of the township.
Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Tazewell County - page 977