The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-26
COLONEL EDWARD
D. BENNETT DIED
LAST NIGHT
Wideiy-knOwn Railroad Man of
Many Years Service
NATIVE OF MIDDLEBURY
Former Superintendent Of Benning-
ton and Rutland Road and Local
Agent at Time of Death

Col. Edward ID. Bennett, one of the
widely-known railroad men of Yer
mont, died at his home on Main street
at 1895 Thursday night. He had
been in poor health for many months
but his final illness was of short dur
alton Death was due to compiled
ton OF diseases.
Edward Dewey Bennett was born
in Middlebury December 6, 1843, the
son of Daniel ]. and Martha Dewey
Bennett and was therefore in the
6Sth year of his age. He prepared
for college in the public schools OF
his native town, but never entered
higher institution. When young
man, he taught school for brief
periods in Middlebury and in Upton,
~ Y, but the years of his manhood
were devoted exclusively to the rail
road business. While employed as
foreman of a construction gang for
the Western Union Telegraph com
pany in 1868, he acquired a knowledge
of telegraphy and was later placed
in charge of the Troy and Boston
railroad Office at Lansingburgh, N. Y.
He was also station agent for time
at Wallingford. Nearly so years ago
he came to Bennington, where he
was employed as operator and in
1885 was made superintendent of the
Bennington and Rutland railroad, sue
ceeding f. C. White, with Offices in
this village. The duties of train dis
patcher and auditor OF freight and
passenger accounts of what is now
the Chatham division of the Rutland
railroad also devolyed upon him He
was also superintendent of the Leb-
anon Springs railroad for period of
/ 10 years while the company was in
| the hands of receivers.
At the time the Bennington and
/ Rutland road was absorbed by the
! Rutland system, Colonel Bennett was
transferred to Rutland as assistant
to the president, Percival w. Gle
ment, and for nearly year was yir-
tually acting president of the system
| During this period, an affection of the
heart developed and through the ad-
vice of specialists he resigned to be-
come station agent at Bennington
the position he held at the time of his
death.
Colonel Bennett was twice married.
/ His first wife was Elizabeth, daughter
OF John and Sophronia Hurd Cush-
man, who died August 16, 1897. His
second wife, who survives, and to
whom he was married June II, 1908,
was Mrs. Caroline II. Madison of
Bennington. There are three sur
viving children by the first marriage,
Edward Cushman Bennett, Judge of
the Bennington probate district.
Charles Henry Bennett of the faculty
of the Boston conservatory of music,
and Miss Elizabeth Bennett of New
York.
A railroad official has little time
that he can call his own, but not
withstanding the numerous and COM
plicated duties of his position.
Colonel Bennett during his loag md
active life in Bennington always man.
Tested a conscientious interest in the
affairs of the community. He served
several terms on the board of trus-
tees of the Bennington graded school
and In 1892 was president of that or
ganization. He was a member of the
Bennington Battle Monument and
Historical society and was one of the
committee of fifty who served at the
time of the dedication of the battle
monument He had long been a mem.
Der of the society of the Bennington
Second Congregational church, has
been a deacon of the organization
and superintendent of the Sunday
school. He was a charter member OF
the local Y. Nj. C. A. and was for
three years member OF the state
executive board He was a member
of Mount Anthony lodge, +. and A. NJ
and was master of the lodge from
1892 to 1894.
Colonel Bennett was a lifelong re
publican but the duties Of his posi-
ton were too manifold to permit OF
an active participation in politics, OF
the acceptance OF public office. He
was member of the staff of Gov
William p Dillingham;, receiving the
appointment In 1883 with the rank
OF colonel.
The death of Colonel Bennett
makes a break in the citizenship Of
Bennington that will be difficult to re
pair. Gifted by nature with a mine
OF broad comprehension and with {
knowledge of affairs and detail nc
quired by his many years In posi-
I ton of large responsibility he had de
, veloped into a type of manhood
which wherever found always makes
, itself felt in the uplift, the RIGHTLY
ing and the general good Of the com
munity. He was especially consci
entious In the performance OF IN,
work that devolved upon him and 1
was undoubtedly the rigorous attention
which he gave to Il at times. wher
his physical condition was not equa
to the task, that FASTENED his end
His family relations were particular