Schaller Bennett

Schaller Bennett was born December 25th, 1897 in Issaquah, Washington to Charles William Bennett (1871-1943) and Anne Elizabeth Schaller (1875-1955). His father worked as a logger, which was a popular industry in the area. The oldest of three kids, Bennett had a brother, Elwell "Bennie" Lentz (1899-1978), and a sister, Meta K. Castleberry. Bennett grew up in the Lake Sammamish area, about 20 miles east of Seattle. Bennett spent his childhood fishing and riding horses. After graduating Issaquah High School in 1917 (in a senior class of only four students), Bennett followed in his father's footsteps and entered into the logging industry, while also working as a rancher at Valley View Ranch. When he was in his late teens, his family moved to Ellensburg, Washington in 1918.
==Rodeo career==
A life-long horse rider, Bennett began his career in the Ellensburg Rodeo in bronc riding, a competitive event in which riders attempt to stay on the back of a bucking horse for the longest period of time. Throughout his career, Bennett competed across the state. He won the Kittitas County Bronc Riding Championship twice, in both 1927 and 1931.. In 1938, Bennett was injured while competing in a bulldogging event. After his injury, he retired from competing, although he remained a strong supporter and rodeo volunteer for the rest of his life. Bennett was also known as a respected teacher, training with many young cowboys over the years. In 2003, Bennett was posthumously inducted into the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame.
==Personal life==
Bennett was married twice. On May 15th, 1925, when he was 27-years-old, Bennett married his first wife, 23-year old Lula Bertha Peterson. Shortly after their marriage, they started a ranch in the Umtanum Ridge area in Kittitas County, before moving east into the Parke Creek district. On July 10th, 1947, Lula died at 45. On December 7th, 1963, when he was 65-years-old, Bennett married his second wife, 56-year old Mary Alice Dodge. Bennett did not have any biological children of his own, but became a step-father to Mary's five children from her first marriage. On January 30th 1973, Mary died from a heart attack. Bennett remained single for the rest of his life.
==Later life==
Known as "one of the last real cowboys", Bennett continued ranching and raising horses well into his mid-80's. As a member of the First Creek Cattlemen's Association, he annually herded wild horses in Spring Gulch and the Wenatchee National Forest area. Around the first snowfall, usually in October, he joined the other cattlemen in an annual round-up, before hunkering down for winter. Despite dealing with arthritis and other health issues, Bennett maintained his herds and 80-acre ranch with only the help of his herding dogs. Despite having many different dogs over the years, he always called them Sam or Bob. When asked about when he stop riding horses, he famously answered, "I'll herd cattle until I can't get on my horse anymore."
In addition to his cowboy activities, Bennett was a member of his local Moose and Eagles lodges. 
==Death==
Bennett died on February 28th, 1983 at the age of 85, following a long illness. He is interred in the Independent Order of the Oddfellows (I.O.O.F) cemetery in Ellensburg, Washington. He shares a grave stone with both of his wives. 
Category:1897 births
Category:People from Issaquah, Washington
Category:Cowboys