Thursday, April 26, 2012

Elizabeth Hammond Bennett

Elizabeth Hammond Bennett (as well as her husband William H. Bennett) have been somewhat difficult to document accurately. I've seen documents that place Elizabeth's birth anywhere between 1841 to 1849, and William's birth typically about 1852-1854, Census figures from 1870 show an eight year discrepancy in their ages (Elizabeth 25, William 17) and if accurate makes 1845 her birth year.

In the 1870 Census, Elizabeth in not shown in the household of Elijah Hammond, which is consistent with her  1869 marriage.

However, the 1900 Census, which indicates only Samuel at home, has her birth recorded as August 1843. Samuel's is listed as November 1876, which is accurate compared to other known data. Since the census was taken June 1 - 21, 1900, this is prior to Samuel and Hattie's marriage on 8/15/1900.

WPA Death Index contains an entry

142Bennett, Elizabeth, Died 1933, age 92 years.BK-6
 Pin Hook Cemetery, Syria, Indiana. 

Doing the math, this reference would be 1841.

In the cemetery book at Syria Cemetery,

BENNETT, Elizabeth b. 31 Aug. 1843 d. 26 Nov. 1933 Wife of William; Daughter of Elizabeth Hammond Bennett. It is also noted in the cemetery book that, although she is buried there, there is no stone.

In the 1850 census, Elizabeth is listed as age "1" on June 1, 1850 (enumerated July 29, 1850). If August is considered her birth month, then 1848 is her birth year. If they were giving approximate age, the 1849 could be the year.

Mary is listed as age 7, which might be an 1843 birth. Pure speculation: is this maybe our Elizabeth, perhaps "Mary Elizabeth"? Makes some of the math work. And one of her daughters is Mary Elizabeth Bennett.

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