Notwithstanding all the
advancement that has been and yet shall be made in
all other domains of human enterprise, it is certain
that the great industries of agriculture and
stock-growing, most closely allied with the earth
itself, must ever figure as the basis of prosperity
and progress along both material and civic lines.
Thus that man may well be considered fortunate who
stands exemplar of progressive enterprise in
connection with these all-important phases of
industrial activity, and such an alert, vigorous and
successful man is Sam Bennington, who has won
precedence as one of the representative
agriculturists and stockraisers of his native county,
where he is associated with his brother William in
the ownership and operation of one of the finely
improved and extensive landed estates of Clayton
county, the same being specially well known by reason
of its prestige in the production of the best grades
of live stock, and the brothers having gained high
reputation for the energy, discrimination and
advanced policies which they have effectively brought
to bear in connection with their operations.
Sam Bennington was born on a
farm in section 36, Sperry township, this county, and
the date of his nativity was August 29, 1872. He is a
son of Samuel and Esther (Bidwell) Bennington, both
of whom were born in England — representatives
of sterling old families of the "right little
isle." Samuel Bennington was reared and educated
in his native land and his entire active career was
one of close and favored association with the great
fundamental industry of agriculture. He was a young
man when he came to the United States and in 1856 he
numbered himself among the pioneer settlers of
Clayton county, Iowa, where he obtained land and,
with characteristic energy and circumspection,
instituted the development of a farm, in Sperry
township. He was a man of strong and upright
character, was possessed of much business acumen, and
through his well ordered endeavors he achieved a
large and worthy measure of success. He gained
assured place as one of the influential
agriculturists and valued citizens of Clayton county
at the time of his death, which occurred March 3,
1906; he was the owner of a valuable landed estate of
nine hundred acres. His devoted wife passed to the
life eternal on the 7th of April, 1880, and
concerning their children the following brief data
are entered: Charles is now a resident of Rago,
Kingman county, Kansas; Annie is the wife of Thomas
Butcher, of Lawrence, Van Buren county, Michigan;
Esther is the wife of Edward W. Griffith, of Marion,
Lynn county, Iowa; William and Sam are, as previously
noted, associated in successful operations as
prominent farmers and stock-growers of Clayton
county.
He whose name initiates this
article is indebted to the public schools of his
native county for his early educational discipline,
and he became actively associated with the work and
management of the home farm, in connection with which
he gained broad and exact knowledge of all details of
practical and scientific agriculture and
stock-raising and proved a valued coadjutor of his
honored father until the latter's death. He and his
older brother, William, now own a valuable landed
estate of seven hundred and seventy acres, in
Highland and Sperry townships, and he occupies on the
same the old homestead residence of his parents.
The Bennington Brothers give
special attention to and have achieved marked success
in the raising of the best grades of Shorthorn
cattle, Shire horses and Shropshire sheep. The
permanent improvements on the extensive farmstead are
of the best order, including a large and attractive
house, excellent bams, and minor buildings, and the
equipment throughout is of the most advanced type,
indicative of the progressiveness and thrift that
make the model farmer.
William Bennington, who is a
bachelor, occupies a house of his own, and this
building likewise adds to the attractions of the fine
fraternal domain, which is one of the admirable rural
estates of this section of Iowa. The brothers pay
unequivocal allegiance to the cause of the Republican
party and are loyal and public-spirited citizens who
command the high regard of the people of their native
county. Sam Bennington is affiliated with the camp of
the Woodmen of the World at Volga, which city
constitutes his postoffice address and from which he
receives service on rural mail route No. 2.
On the 22d of December,
1903, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Bennington
to Miss Clara Chapman, who likewise was born and
reared in Clayton county and whose parents, Engel and
Mary (Jellings) Chapman, both now deceased, were born
in England. Mr. and Mrs. Bennington have no children.
source: History of
Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical
Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price,
Vol. II; pg. 34-36
-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall
