Surname Saturday – Bennett

John T. Bennett and Martha Lucinda Gamble

John T. Bennett was born on 7 Feb 1831 in South Carolina, the son of Lewis H. Bennett and his wife, Teresa (maiden name unknown). The family was in Darlington County, South Carolina in 1830 and had moved to Troup County, Georgia by 1840.

Martha Lucinda Gamble was born about 1830 in South Carolina, probably Laurens County. She was the 6th of 10 children born to David Gamble and Anna Finney. The family moved from Laurens County to Heard County, Georgia, between 1830 and 1840.

Even though the Bennett and Gamble families lived in separate counties, they lived near each other. John’s family lived in north western Troup County, just a few miles south of the Heard County line and the area where Martha’s family lived. The exact date and location of John and Martha’s wedding is unknown, but it was probably about 1851 and most likely in Heard County. They were both listed with their parents in the 1850 census and their first child was born in 1852. By 1860 they were living in Heard County with four children.

John enlisted in Company I of the 41st Georgia Infantry of the Confederate Army on 4 Aug 1862 in Franklin (Heard County), Georgia. He was captured near Nashville, Tennessee on 16 Dec 1864 and was held as a prisoner of war at the Military Prison in Louisville, Kentucky and at Camp Chase, Ohio. He was released on 12 Jun 1865 after taking the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. Confederate records describe John as 5’7″ with blue eyes, light hair and fair complexion. His residence in 1865 was Randolph County, Alabama, which borders both Heard and Troup Counties.

John and Martha had nine children born between 1852 and 1870. In 1870 and 1880 the family was living in Randolph County. In 1900 John was living with their daughter, Mollie, and her children in neighboring Chambers County, Alabama. Martha was not listed with them, so she probably died sometime between 1880 and 1900. John was still living with Mollie and her children in 1910, but they had moved to Morgan County, Alabama north of Birmingham. There is some question about the date of John’s death. The date on his headstone is 15 Mar 1910 but he was listed in the 1910 census, which was taken a month later on April 15th. John was buried in Welcome Baptist Church Cemetery, Cullman County, Alabama, which is just a few miles from their home in Morgan County.

John and Martha’s children:
Nancy Jane was born 27 Jul 1852 in Heard County. She married Joseph Smith Lanier, son of William Washington Lanier and Charlotte Jackson about 1869. They had at least 12 children (maybe 14) but only 10 survived childhood. Nancy Jane died on 12 Oct 1926 in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. She was buried in Hillview Cemetery, LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia without a marker.

Justian E. “Joe” was born about 1854 in Georgia, probably Heard County. He was listed in census records with his parents in 1860 and 1870, but nothing further is known about him.

Thomas was born about 1856 in Georgia, probably Heard County. He was listed in census records with his parents in 1860, 1870 and 1880 but nothing further is known about him.

Sarah Ann “Sallie” was born about 1858 in Georgia, probably Heard County. She was listed in census records with her parents in 1860, 1870 and 1880 but nothing further is known about her.

Teresa was born about 1860 in Alabama. She was listed in the 1870 census with her parents, but nothing further is known about her.

Mary “Mollie” and Martha “Mattie” were twins born on 15 Feb 1863 in Georgia (possibly Alabama). Mollie married Warren Hester and had three children. Mattie never married and lived with Mollie most of her life except for a time around 1900 when she lived with their sister, Nancy Jane. Mollie died on 15 Mar 1933 in Joppa, Morgan County, Alabama and was buried in Welcome Baptist Church Cemetery next to her father. Mattie died on 26 Jan 1952 in Joppa and was also buried in Welcome Baptist Church Cemetery.

John “Jack” was born about 1868 in Alabama. He was listed in census records with his parents in 1870 and 1880 but nothing further is known about him.

Robert was born about 1870 in Alabama. He was listed in census records with his parents in 1870 and 1880 and was probably the Robert Bennett who married a woman named Ida and moved from Randolph County to Cullman County between 1900 and 1910. That Robert was born on 19 Dec 1869 in Randolph County and died on 13 Nov 1949 in Morgan County, but his death certificate lists his father as Alley Bennett.

John and Martha were my 2nd great-grandparents through their daughter, Nancy Jane.