Peter Bennett 1895-1955

Photo from the Saginaw News 27 Feb 1952

Peter Bennett was born 3 Jan 1895 in Isabella county, Michigan, the son of David Bennett and Betsy Smith. He was their second child; older brother John was born 20 Mar 1893 and died 10 Apr 1893.

Sister Delia was born 30 Jul 1897

1900 Federal Census - Nottawa, Isabella, Michigan

Bennett, David, born Aug 1867, age 32, married 6 years, farmer

Betsy, wife, born Mar 1878, age 22, married 6 years, 4 children born, 2 children living

Peter, son, born Jan 1895, age 5

Delia, daughter, born Jul 1897, age 2

Sister Helen was born 28 Aug 1900

Sister Dolly was said to be born in Apr 1904 [from her death certificate]

Brother James was born 29 Dec 1907

Brother Charles was said to be born 24 Aug 1910, but was 8 months old on the 1910 census

1910 Federal Census - Deerfield township, Isabella, Michigan, taken 5 May 1910

Smith, William, head, 75, widowed, farmer on general farm

Jel-----, daughter, 30, divorced, servant at lumber camp

Julia, daughter, 28, widowed, housekeeper for private family

Adam, son, 27, laborer at odd jobs

Louisa, daughter, 19, not occupation

Bennett, David, son-in-law, 43, married 18 years. laborer at odd jobs

Betsy, daughter, 38, married 18 years, 6 children born, 6 children living, 

Peter, grandson, 15

Delia, granddaughter, 12

Ellen, granddaughter, 10

Dottie, granddaughter, 7

James, grandson, 4

Charles, grandson, 8 months. 

Sister Clara was born 3 Aug 1912

Photo taken between Aug 1912 and Aug 1913

Jim, David holding Charles, Betsey holding Clara, Peter

Front - Helen, Dolly, Delia.

Daughter Florence was born 8 Mar 1913

Peter was married on 10 Aug 1913 in Deerfield, Isabella, Michigan to Alice Fronsway, daughter of Levi Fronsway and Lucy Jacobs

Sister Dolly died 10 Apr 1913 at the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School. Cause of death was measles.

Isabella County Enterprise - 18 Apr 1913

Sister Louise was born 1914

Daughter Tillie was born 23 Jul 1915

Sister Delia married 28 Oct 1915 in Mt. Pleasant to Lee Martin Otto.

Daughter Tillie died 16 Oct 1916 of bronco pneumonia

Brother Stanley was born 8 Aug 1916

On 5 Jun 1917, Peter registered for the draft. He gave his birth as 3 Jan 1895, occupation as ditcher, employer as Arthur Yager. He was married and had two children. Peter was described as medium height and weight, dark eyes and dark hair. 

Son Lawrence was born 2 Apr 1919

Sister Helen was married on 12 Nov 1919 in Mt. Pleasant to James H. Peters, son of Henry Peters and Martha Thomas.

1920 Federal Census - Nottawa township, Isabella, Michigan

Bennett, Peter, head, 25, farm laborer on father's farm

Alice, wife, 24

Florence, daughter, 5

Lawrence, son, 9 months

Grandfather, Peter Bennett, died 17 Jul 1920 in Mount Pleasant. 

From the Isabella County Enterprise - 23 Jul 1920

Sister Delia was married 23 Jan 1921 to Walter Chippeway.

Daughter Blanche was born 14 Oct 1923. 

Son Lawrence died 7 Dec 1923 in Nottawa township, Isabella, Michigan. Cause of death was obstruction of bowels.

Daughter Blanche died 22 Apr 1924. Cause of death was pneumonia.

Brother James died 11 Jan 1925. Cause of death was tuberculosis.

Son Gerald Lee was born 31 Jan 1926. Sadly he died on 21 Jul 1926. Cause of death was malnutrition.

Son Russell was born 6 May 1927.

Daughter Georginia Helen was born 11 Jan 1929

Brother Charles, 20,  was married on 29 Mar 1930 to Rose Peters, 18, daughter of Joe Peters and Betsy Chatfield. 

1930 Federal Census - Isabella township, Isabella, Michigan

Bennett, David, 68, first married at 26, laborer at odd jobs

Besty, wife, 52, first married at 16

Peter, son, 35, first married at 19, laborer at odd jobs

Alice, daughter-in-law, 35, first married at 18

Florence, granddaughter, 16

Russell P., grandson, 2 year, 10 months

Georgeana, granddaughter, 1 year, 2 months

Charles, 20, first married at 20, laborer at odd jobs

Rose, daughter-in-law, 18, first married at 18

Daughter Florence was married on 2 Jan 1932 in Mount Pleasant, Isabella, Michigan, to Tooley Pelcher.

The Saginaw Daily News - 30 Jan 1932

Son Robert was born in 1933

Son Ronald Raymond was born 8 Sep 1935

Daughter Florence died 5 Dec 1935

Father David died 9 Sep 1936 in Nottawa township. Parents were given as Peter Bennett and Priscilla Ashquab. Cause of death was tuberculosis of lungs.

Sister Delia died 28 Feb 1940

1940 Federal Census - Chippewa township, Isabella, Michigan

Bennett, Peter, head, 45, laborer, WPA

    Alice, wife, 44

    Russell P., son, 12

    Georiana H., daughter, 11

    Robert, son, 7

    Ronald, son, 5

Pelcher, Josephine, granddaughter, 7

Pelcher, Ellarine, granddaughter, 5

Peter registered for the world war II draft (date not give) in Isabella. He gives his birth as 3 Jan 1895 in Nottawa township. Peter was described as 5'8" tall, 195 pounds, brown eyes, black hair, dark complextion. 

Daughter Georgina was married on 1 Apr 1948 in Mt. Pleasant to William Harry Sanders

Son Russell was married on 11 Sep 1948 in Mt. Pleasant to Elizabeth Marie Judson, daughter of Edward Judson and Lucille Anderson.

1950 Federal Census - Chippewa township, Isabella, Michigan

Bennett, Peter, head, 57, common laborer on farm

    Alice, wife, 54, laborer on poor farm

    Robert R., son, 17, laborer on farm

    Ronald, son, 14

Sanders, Georgann, daughter, 21

    Harvey, grandson, 3

    Elsie A., granddaughter, 1

    Trudy J., grandson, born Jan 1950

Pelcher, Josephine, granddaughter, 17

    Elarine, granddaughter, 15

The Saginaw News 11 Feb 1952

The Saginaw Newsd 27 Feb 1952

Bay City Times 27 Feb 1952

    MT. PLEASANT -- Long years ago, claims Chippewa Indian Peter Bennett, the U. S. government gave his ancestors the right to trap as they pleased in this section of Michigan.

    But the old agreement apparently is lost, and as a result Bennett is in jail.

    The 56-year-old Indian was arrested serveral weeks ago for failing to have tags with his name on the traps he set.

    He claimed such tags were not necessary for him, because of the treaty. But Municipal Judge James Ryan told him he would have to go to jail for 10 days or pay $19.50 in fines. Bennett, said he would do neither and declined to make an appeal.

    The time for appeal ran out Feb. 23, and Bennett was arrested again yesterday. This time he was jailed.

    Bennett said he made enough money from basket-making and trapping to pay the fine, but he was sticking to his principles.

Peter died 25 Jan 1955 and was buried in Woodland Cemetery, Rosebush, Isabella, Michigan. 

Lansing State Journal 28 Jan 1955

Indian Dies; Once Defied State Law

(Special to The State Journal)

    MT. PLEASANT, Jan. 28---Peter Bennett, 60, a member of the Chippewa tribe, died unexpectedly following a heart attack at his R. 4 home Tuesday evening. Born Jan. 3, 1895 in Isabella county, he was a life-long resident.

    Bennett was remembered in the Isabella area for his defiance of state game laws two years aog. In what was billed as a text case, Bennett pleaded innocent to a minor infraction of the trapping law---faliure to attach an identification tag to his traps.

    He, and tribe members, based his defense on old Indian treaties claiming they gave Indians certain hunting and fishing rights, regardless of conservation statutes.

    Municipal Judge James E. Ryan, who tried the case, ruled that in order to accept the rights of American citizens, Indians must also comply with the laws. Bennett cose a brief jail term in preference to paying a fine.

    Funeral services were held Friday at the North Branch Indian Methodist church with burial in Rosebush cemetery. Surviving are the widow, Alice; a daughter, Mrs. Georgina Sanders; three sons, Russell, Robert and Ronald, all of Mt. Pleasant; two brothers, Charles of Grand Rapids and STanley of Mt. Pleasant; and two sisters, Mrs. Helen Peters of Mt. Pleasant and Mrs. Clarea Nahgahgwon of Oscoda.

Wife Alice died 17 Aug 1978 at Alma, Gratiot, Michigan and was buried in Woodland Cemetery, Rosebush, Isabella, Michigan. 

Copyright (c) 2024 Vicki Wilson