Mary Bennett 1872-1946

As you are reading this, I have to tell you that I have found who Alexander Bennett was after I wrote this post.

This is the proof I needed.

But please don’t look at it because you will spoil the ending. I have searched a lot to ascertain who was that Alexander Bennett who deserted from the Union Army in 1863 and if he was in fact the same Alexandre Benoit who is Teresa’s ancestor.

So please don’t look at that document right now. 

I hope you will bear with me because this is going to be quite a journey into the past to ascertain the true identity of Private Alexander Bennett who enlisted with the 2nd Vermont Infantry. 

If you have looked over this document I posted last week, then you know where I am going to lead you with one of Teresa’s ancestors.

The Civil War.

One of the most tragic war you can even begin to imagine. This is a Website dedicated to the Civil War and this one dedicated to Vermont participation in that war.

Teresa already knows and she has agreed to tell this story on this blog about one of her ancestors, Alexandre Benoit.

He was one of many.  He didn’t run after a week. He did what he did.  Again it’s fact, history. Hiding it won’t change it.   Yes I do know where you’re going with this.  I’ll let you know if I find anything.  

Alexandre Bennett was the father of Anna Bennett. Anna was William E. Austin’s mother who married Bertha Lagasse in 1921. Bertha and William were Elizabeth Austin’s parents.

There will be an epilog to this story and the clue is on that family tree.

Sov

Teresa found my blog Our Ancestors last week, and she has shared what little she knew about Bertha Lagasse who is related to me.

Bertha was my grandfather’s niece. I am wondering if the man beside her is her husband William or just her boyfriend.

Anyway… let’s proceed.

I think I have found all about Anna Benoit… Well almost.

I started looking for her because she was just a name on a card… with no parents.

Just a name…

There was something that made me look more into her past.

On January 2, 1893, in Vergennes, Vermont, Anna Benoit married Laurent Dominque or Austin. In fact, Laurent Dominque was Laurent Ostiguy dit Domingue and his ancestor came from Southern France close to the Spanish border, but that’s another story to tell later if time permits.

So this card got me going…

I had to know more about Anna Benoit and her parents, and also her family, having found quite quickly Laurent’s ancestors. I had a hunch the name Benoit had become Bennett somehow down the road from Canada to Vermont. 

I had to find Anna’s parents which I did. Call it obsession if you want or a dopamine rush.

Anyway, I found Anna Austin in 1967!

Anna’s parents were Alec Bennett and Louise January according to her death certificate. Anna was born on February 14, 1874, in Charlotte, Vermont. She died at the Pomainville Nursing Home in Fair Haven.

But was all this information correct?

Then… I found this.

Bennett, Hannah born on April 13, 1874 in Enosburg.

Was she the same person?

Her mother was Louise, born  in Canada, and her father was Alex Bennett also born in Canada.

So the year was right, but the birthdate was off.

Is she the same Anna Bennett in the death certificate, and is Louise, Louise January?

So I went on searching for more clues starting with Mary Bennett who was Anna’s sister.

This is the 1880 U.S. Census. The Bennett family has grown since 1860. You see what I mean later.

Anna had a sister, Mary J who was 10 (born in 1870). Anna was 6 (born 1874). Mary J. holds the key to our elusive Anna and her mother Louise January.

This next document is dated 1946, and is about Mary King,

Is she Anna’s sister?

It looks that way. Her father who was Alexander Benoit is said to have been born in Hinesburg, and Louise January in Vergennes. Hinesburg is in Vermont, not Canada.

Here is Mary Bennette (sic) again and lo and behold we have found Louise Jonvier.

This Mary is the same person… Mary is said to be 24 thus born in 1870.

Louise Jonvier’s name has popped up.

Mary’s second marriage… May 21, 1902.

Same person… Bora, Mary (Bennett).

Mother Louiza January which is the English equivalent to Janvier.

Mary is 30, born in 1872, thus confirming that Mary King is Mary Bennett and that she was born in 1872.

The 1880 Census was wrong about her age. And I think I know why… Little Hattie born in 1870 died from canker rash in 1876.

So before continuing on with my journey into the past, this question still remains…

Is Alexander Bennett, Anna’s father, the Alexander Bennett who deserted on September 12, 1863 after being in 9 battles with the 2nd Vermont Infantry while he was stationed near New York to guard against riotings?

I think so.

What do you think?