DEATH OF COL. EDGAR BENNETT

Col. Edgar Bennett August 18, 1892 Breckinridge County KyArchives Obituaries

Breckinridge News; 8/24/1892

DEATH OF COL. EDGAR BENNETT

Mr. Edgar Bennett, one of the wealthiest and best known farmers in our county, died at his beautiful residence, Summer Seat, last Friday morning at 8 o'clock.  His illness was only of three weeks' duration and death resulted from inflammation of the stomach and bowels.

Mr. Bennett was about fifty years of age and had always enjoyed the best of health.  He had an excellent constitution and up to three weeks ago looked as if he had many years before him.

His death will be a great loss to the section in which he lived, as few men possess the enterprise and business sagacity that he exhibited.  He was a valuable man to his community and to the people among whom he moved, always taking an active interest in all matters of a public character that came up.

Mr. Bennett began life as a poor country boy, but by diligent application worked himself up to a position of prominence in his county.

Early in life he exhibited rare mechanical skill, and was considered one of the best workmen in his line in the county.  The Courthouse at Hardinsburg was built under Mr. Bennett's supervision.  This work brought him into prominent notice, and later he superintended the erection of the Hartford, Ky. jail, and also constructed several bridges in this and adjoining counties.  He was for several years employed by the King Bridge Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, and did a great deal of valuable work for them.

When the Texas railroad was first talked of, Mr. Bennett took an active part in working up an interest in that enterprise and it was through his influence that the road was finally located along the Dry Valley route, instead of going along the river near Brandenburg as was at first anticipated.

The present town of Irvington was planned and laid out by Mr. Bennett in connection with some other gentlemen, and he owned large interests there.  He rendered much assistance in securing the L. H. & W. railroad, a branch of the Texas, at Irvington, which runs through his farm.  A few months ago he opened a rock quarry at Summer Seat and at the time of his death was working some forty or fifty hands in that business.

Besides all of these business connections, Mr. Bennett owned and superintended one of the finest farms in the county.  Summer Seat was purchased by him in 1878.  The whole farm consists of more than four hundred acres.  All the buildings on it were by him, and are models of neatness and comfort.

Mr. Bennett had a host of friends not only in his county, but elsewhere, wherever he was known, and his death will be deplored by all.  He was justly considered one of our leading citizens, and was also the true type of the hospitable Kentucky gentleman.