Willard Johnson Bennett, son of Nelson Bennett and Polly Johnson, was born in Erie County, Pennsylvania on April 13, 1856. He came to Antelope County about 1877 with his sister, Ella and her husband, Henry Weatherby. Willard was hired by Samuel Lee to drill water wells. He married Margaret May Lee on December 6, 1888, daughter of Samuel and Harriet Dexter Lee. They made their home east of Neligh for the next 53 years. Willard died on October 19, 1928. Margaret continued to live on the farm for the next 14 years and then moved to Casper, Wyoming to live with her daughters. She died there on September 24, 1953.
They were the
parents of five children: Laura Beatrice
was an honor student who won many awards before marrying Philip Reutzel in
1913. They had two children, Iva
Viola and Donald Wayne. Iva married Homer Kester. Donald married Carolyn ?. Nelson Lee Bennett attended Gates Academy and worked on the farm, then
went to Wyoming followed by working for his uncle in Seattle,
Washington. He married Nona Moore in
1925 and later worked for Boeing Aircraft. Their sons: Vernon Wayne and
Dale Eugene. Wilson Sellery Bennett was
born January 3, 1898. Hope Carmel
Bennett taught school for many years and married George Kaltenbach in
1927. They had two children, Lois and
John. Alice Ruth Bennett was their
last child.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007