Notes for the family of Benjamin Franklin Bennett 
            (from the Pioneer History of Roosevelt County, submitted by Avelyn Bennett Richards)

Benjamin Franklin Bennett  was born 28 Jan 1884, Dallas Co, MO, died 17 Oct 1973, Portales, NM. 
married November 1904 Buffalo, MO to 
Lettie Mae BRUNDRIDGE   born 06 Feb 1886 Dallas Co, MO, died 03 Nov 1962, Portales, NM 

Children: 

Barnard James Bennett m. Ruth McCLINTOCK 

Revis General Bennett m. Louise OWENS 

Bessie Avelyn BENNETT m. Robert Lecil RICHARDS 

Laura Ellen Bennett m. William Harvey KING 

Benjamin Franklin Bennett's grandfathers, Bennett and Stanford, were both
in the War between the States and both served from Dallas Co, MO.  His wife's,
Lettie Brundridge, grandfather Evans, served in this war, also from Dallas Co, Mo. 

Bennett went to school at March, MO, then attended college one semester at
Springfield, MO.  He quit college on account of his hearing and met Lettie while 
attending a singing.  After a courtship of two years, they were married and started 
farming at March, MO.  After the death of Lettie's mother and two sisters, they 
came west for Lettie's health.  They came by train with two horses, a wagon, 
and enough lumber to build a 1 room house.  They lived in the covered wagon 
until the house was built.  They had to get their water from the Boykin Lake, 
just east of Dora.  One day Lettie had just gotten the barrels of water and was 
on her way home when some cattlemen, who didn't want settlers there, blew up 
the well with dynamite.  Then they had to go six miles for water at the well at Rogers. 
Bennett later got a drill and put in a 110 ft well on his place, and had plenty of water.  
People around him hauled their water from his well. 

Bennett worked in Portales part-time.  He hauled brick to help build the old 
courthouse and 'The Traveler's Inn' for 25 cents per day.  Later he bought 
twenty acres of irrigated land west of Portales.  He started the first telephone
system in the community of Dora.  He served on the school board and helped 
consolidate some of the small schools, namely Minco and Oklahoma.  Bennett
owned the first school bus at Dora, which was a truck with home built seats, 
or benches.  The truck was covered with bows and a wagon sheet.  He was 
always interested in better education.