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B. S. Bennett
B. S. Bennett, carpenter, was born in Illinois in 1840; his father, Mr. B. C. Bennett, having removed there from Pennsylvania in 1838, but returning again in 1846 settled in Bucks County, where the subject of this sketch acquired the trade of a carpenter, making a cruise of three years in that capacity to European waters on board the United States sloop of war "Jamestown."
Immediately upon his return to his native land in 1861, he enlisted for three months in the Twenty-second Regiment, 22nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. On the expiration of his term he immediately re-enlisted, this time as Corporal in Company K One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, 104th Regiment. Was mustered out in 1864, but again enlisted for the third time and remained in the One Hundred and Fourth till the close of the war when he held the rank of Sergeant.
Mr. Bennett was in eleven pitched battles to say nothing of skirmishes; was wounded severely in the right side and left shoulder at the battle of Fairoaks, but such was his indomitable pluck that he refused to go into hospital, and was shortly afterwards again bearing arms and assisted, while yet suffering from his wounds, in repelling Longstreet's attack upon Casey's Division, on which occasion he was detailed as sharpshooter; had six balls through his clothing and saw his company reduced from fifty-nine to twenty-four men, nearly all of the latter being wounded.
At the close of the war he returned to Pennsylvania and resumed his trade; and in 1878 took up 160 acres of land in Kansas, finally locating in Topeka in 1881. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and also of Lincoln Post, G. A. R.
Source: History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas, Chicago, IL; 1883