Bennett Family of Bennettsville

Bennettsville Creek Named After One of First Settlers

 

Caleb Bennett made one of the first settlements within the present limits of the town of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] in the summer of 1786.

 

Caleb, who came in company with his brothers, Phineas, Silas and Reuben, was from Pownal, Vt.  He settled on what is now the south east corner of the cemetery in the village of Bennettsville, which derives its name from him.

 

Phineas Bennett settled on the river one and one-half miles below Caleb's home, in Afton.  In 1880, this Bennett farm was owned and occupied by Samuel Corbin according to an old history.  Phineas was the first supervisor of the town of Bainbridge in 1791.

 

Silas Bennett established is home at Crookerville, opposite Unadilla, where he built a grist mill.

 

To quote the history:  "In 1798 Caleb and Reuben built the first grist mills at Bennettsville on the stream which bears their name. Reuben moved to Ithaca a few years later and was eventually joined by his brother, Phineas.

 

"Caleb was survived by eight children, four boys and four girls, Anna, the oldest daughter, married Thomas Cornwell and settled in Afton.

 

"The oldest son, Phineas, married Sophia Chandler.  She was the daughter of Henry Chandler, one of the early settler of Coventry.  They settled in Bennettsville, where he built the house later occupied by the families of George Slater and Adelbert Winsor.

 

"Abel, twin brother to Phineas, married Flavilla Hoag and lived in Bennettsville.

 

"Naby, the second daughter, married Jeremiah Thurber.

 

"Hannah also continued to reside in Bennettsville after marrying Charles S. Merrit..

 

"Eunice died in childhood.

 

"Prudence, who married Enos Goodman, made her home in Bennettsville.

 

"Arnold married Nancy Forbes and moved to Bainbridge.  They had three children, Elizabeth, Leroy and Clarissa.

 

"Hiram, the youngest son, married Gratie Chandler and continued to live in Bennettsville."

 

The old  history of Chenango county from which we quote gives the lineage of this early Bennett family up to 1873.  We have not been able to find out if any of the Bennetts living in this area now are direct descendants of the early settler, but if they are, it would be interesting to know.