Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-03-06
BrattlebOrO's Centenarian.
MISS snNnA BENNETT.
who viii Attain Her Tooth Birthday
Next Monday.

0
Next Monday
IL seems almost incredible that we have
one living in our midst who was born less
than a week after the admission Of Yer
mont 10 the Union, who has lived under
the administration Of every president Of
the United States, who was woman over
| 20 years of age when the second war was
waged with Great Britain, and who took an
active part in life before the invention OF
the steamboat, or before there had been
thought of railroads. Reference is had TO
Miss Senea Bennett, whose Tooth birth
day on Monday next will be quietly oh
served by an informal reception TO her in
innate friends.
Miss Bennett was born in Dummerston,
on the farm on Wickopee hill now occupied
by George Bennett She was the daughter
of Stephen and Ruth Feloss Bennett, both
of whom were born in Mansfield, Conn
but who came here at an early age with
their parents, who were among the pioneer
settlers. Her grandfather family lived
near what is now the Roadway farm on the
road leading TO Newfane. Her father set
tied on the present farm of George Ben
nett, and cleared up the forest 10 make for
himself a home. II was here that Miss
Senea Bennett and her brother and three
sisters were born. This brother was Orrin
I.athrop Bennett, and he was the father Of
George Bennett, the present occupant Of
the farm, which, as it appears, has been in
the Bennett family for upwards Of cen
tury. Orrin Benefits other children were
o l. +. Bennett now well-kuOwn resi-
dent Of Dummerstou, Stephen Bennett Of
New York, Henry, who died in New York,
and two daughters
Miss Benefits father and mother moved
from the present George Bennett farm back
to near the Redway place, where they
lived up to the time Of their death, after
which Miss Senea and her sister Miss
Almira, had the house built on Green street
which has since been Miss Seneas home
This was nearly A. years ago, and at that
time there were only two or three houses
on the street Miss Bennett remembers
that the Hyde house and the residence of
s. S Hunt we're then built. During these
years Miss Bennett has left the place once
only for any length of time "a years ago,
when she aud her sister spent the larger
part Of one year in New York state aud
Michigan. For 20 years she has not been
away from her home. Miss Benefits edu
cation was obtained in the public schools,
but she has been a great reader and acquir-
ed more than the ordinary fund Of knowl
edge.
Her hundred summers sit lightly aud her
mental faculties are clear and active. To
day she is as bright, cheerful and entertain
ing person TO meet as anyone in town 20
years her junior Her eyesight is still quite
good, and her only trouble in reading is
that the strength of her eyes varies &C
cOrding as she is rested or tired She is
somewhat deaf, but not enough 10 cause Sc
rious inconvenience She is conversant
with all local events, and takes an active
interest in them This week she was eager
to learn the details Of the town meeting
and 10 know about the operation Of the
Australian ballot system. She enjoys the
society of her friends and recognizes all
the neghboring residents Of the street as
they pass by Aunt Senea as she is
generally known, has for several years
found great pleasure in collecting material
for her scrap books, Of which she has more
than dozen. These books contain great
variety Of matter, local, general and pie |
toTial. in all Of which she is Interested /
She says she began this collection after she |
was 80 Up 10 that time she engaged &c
lively in work, and being obliged TO give up
her wOrF she found the scrap-books pleas I
ant diversion.
Miss BENEFITS memory is good and she I
recalls without hesitation any event Of the |
past in which she was interested She is /
sharp in her ability at computation, and |
one day this week stated in All instant the |
amount of three sums Of money which she /
was to pay out Her sense of the humor- |
Gus is by no means dull, and when told that /
Aunt Betsey Gray of Dorset would cele- |
brate her Tooth birthday Tuesday, said she |
thought they ought to get together. and as
her own birthday came first. the other |
woman should visit her, and then return |
home 70 celebrate She did not consider |
it worth while to publish much about her |
self in the papers, for she had never done |
anything especially important There were |
many things Of more interest to read about |
than herself she had lots of good reading |
in her scrap-books.
Miss Bennett comes of a sturdy aud long /
lived family. Her father, mother, brother |
and two sisters lived to be upwards Of 80, |
and her other sister died at the age of 20. |
Probably what conduced to this longevity |
we're habits of diligence and abstemiousness. |
Miss Bennett saws she can hardly realize |
she is so old 1t does not seem that she has |
lived more than two-thirds AS long as she |
has. Hers is not a clouded old age,
But an old age serene and bright
And lovely as Lapland night
And with all her brightness, cheerfulness,
intelligence and ready wit, she is wonder |
full old lady, and one whom it is a genuine .
delight to meet visit to her is an occa-
sion long to be remembered