Hiram Pitt Bennet (September 2, 1826 – November 11, 1914) was a Congressional delegate from the
Territory of Colorado and
Colorado Secretary of State
The secretary of state of Colorado is the secretary of state of the state of Colorado in the United States. The office is one of five elected constitutional offices in the state. The current secretary of state is Democrat Jena Griswold.
Structur ...
Biography
Bennet was born in
Carthage, Maine
Carthage is a town in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 509 at the 2020 census.
History
First known as Plantation No. 4, Abbott's Purchase, it was part of a large tract of land bought in 1815 by Jacob Abbott of Wilton, N ...
, and moved to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Richland County in 1831. He attended public and private schools in Ohio. Bennet attended the
Ohio Wesleyan University in
Delaware, Ohio
Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County, Ohio, United States. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio ...
, before taking a teaching job in northwestern Missouri in 1850. He studied law and was
admitted to the bar
An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in 1851, practicing in western Iowa and later in
Glenwood, Iowa
Glenwood is a city in, and the county seat of, Mills County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,073 in the 2020 census, a decline from 5,358 in 2000.
History
Located in a hollow of the Loess Hills on the east side of the Missouri River, ...
. He served as judge of the circuit court of Iowa in 1852.
Bennet moved to the
Nebraska Territory
The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska. The Nebrask ...
in 1854, settled in
Nebraska City, and continued the practice of law. He unsuccessfully contested in 1855 as a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
the election of
Bird B. Chapman to the
Thirty-fourth Congress. He served as member of the Territorial council in 1856, and as member of the Territorial House of Representatives in 1858, where he served as speaker. Bennet moved to
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
in 1859 and continued the practice of law.
Career
Upon the admission of the Territory to representation, Bennet was elected as a
Conservative Republican, a Delegate to the
Thirty-seventh Congress. He was the first Territorial Representative for Colorado in 1862.
He was reelected to the
Thirty-eighth Congress and served from August 19, 1861, to March 3, 1865. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1864. Bennet played an important role in obtaining statehood for Colorado, introducing the first bill on statehood in 1863.
Bennet served as
Secretary of State of Colorado in 1867. He was appointed postmaster of
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, on March 26, 1869, and served until May 27, 1874, when a successor was appointed. Bennet served as a member of the first State senate in 1876. He was appointed "State Agent" in 1888, and served until 1895, recovering lands belonging to the State of Colorado which had been wrongfully disposed of.
Death and legacy
Bennet retired in 1899 and resided in
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, until his death, November 11, 1914. He is interred in
Riverside Cemetery.
The town of
Bennett, Colorado
The Town of Bennett is a Statutory Town located in Adams and Arapahoe counties, Colorado, United States. The town population was 2,862 at the 2020 United States Census with 2,443 residing in Adams County and 419 residing in Arapahoe County. B ...
was named for Bennet.
References
External links
The State of Colorado: The History of Bennett - A Proud Heritage*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennet, Hiram Pitt
1826 births
1914 deaths
Members of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature
Republican Party Colorado state senators
Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Colorado Territory
Secretaries of State of Colorado
People from Franklin County, Maine
People from Richland County, Ohio
People from Glenwood, Iowa
19th-century American politicians
People from Nebraska City, Nebraska