Abraham Bennett, minister of United Brethren Church, Westfield; was born in Meade Co. Ky., Nov. 15, 1828; after remaining at home until the age of 18, he started out in life for himself, flat-boating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers for some five or six years; in the year 1852, he commenced traveling in the ministry of the United Brethren Church, having from his youth been connected with that Church; in the same year, leaving his family in Kentucky, he traveled circuit for some six years in Indiana, when, having returned to Kentucky, was engaged in missionary work through that State for three successive years; having sold his farm, he moved his family to Harrison Co., Ind., in what is widely known as the ” Rippidan Valley,” and continued traveling circuit up to the fall of 1864, when he moved to Hutton Tp., Coles Co., and settled upon his present farm when it was a dense wood; at first, before the establishment of a circuit in Hutton. Tp., Mr. Bennett engaged in missionary work until it became a circuit, when he filled the position of a local minister, and was greatly instrumental in building the ” West Liberty Chapel ” of the U. B. Church, and also ” Weaver Chapel ” on the edge of ” Park Prairie.” He married Miss Martha Jane Chism (daughter of John Chism, of Meade Co., Ky.), on July -1, 1850; she was born Jan. 5, 1831; they had eight children, four boys, three living – John J., James Hand, David S.; one died-George W.; and four girls, two dying-Laura A. and Martha J., and two died-Mary E. and Purva C.
