The proprietor of one of the fine sheep ranches of southern Idaho, Richard H. Bennett maintains his residence in Mountain Home and from that point superintends his extensive business interests, in which he is meeting with good success. He is truly a self-made man, for he came to America empty-handed and through his own labors has worked his way steadily upward. He was born in England, March 19, 1850, a son of James and Jane (Sanders) Bennett, also natives of that country. In 1868, at the age of eighteen years, he severed the ties which bound him to his native country, and crossed the Atlantic to begin life in the New World as an employee in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. He received for his services two dollars and a half per day, and thus he gained a start in life. He continued his residence in the east until 1871, when he came to Idaho, and has since been identified with the interests of this state.
In 1878 Mr. Bennett married Miss Flora Anna Benney, a native of England, who had come to the United States in 1859. Her father is John Benney; now a resident of Missouri, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett took up their abode in Silver City, Idaho, where our subject engaged in mining for several years. He located the Stormy Hill mine, afterward sold it, and his last connection with the mining interests of that locality was in the Golden Chariot mine. On leaving Silver City he went to Castle Creek, Owyhee County, where he secured a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and for a short time was engaged in the cattle business, after which he sold his stock. He is now the owner of an excellent ranch of two hundred acres near Mountain Home, on which he raises hay for his sheep, feeding as high as one hundred and fifty tons of hay annually. For his first flock of sheep he paid three thousand dollars. For eighteen years he has been engaged in the business, and at times has owned as high as six thousand head. His income from the sheep industry in one single season was nine thousand dollars, receiving nineteen and a half cents per pound for the wool. He raises principally Merino sheep, which he finds are well adapted for the climatic and forage conditions of southern Idaho. He is accounted one of the leading and most successful sheep-raisers of this part of the state, and his opinions on such mat-ters are received as authority.
Mr. Bennett is also the owner of a ten-acre block of ground in Mountain Home, and has thereon erected a very pleasant dwelling, in which he and his family reside. They have seven children, namely: Joseph S., Richard H., Lillie E., Frederick W., Flora E., Elmer J. and James Gordon. The parents were reared in the Methodist faith, but now attend the Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Bennett is a Republican, and in the Odd Fellows lodge he has passed all the chairs. He is a worthy, reliable citizen, a progressive and enterprising business man, and having been the architect of his own fortunes is deserving of great credit for his success.