Charles E. Bennett (politician)
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Charles Edward Bennett (December 2, 1910 – September 6, 2003) was an American politician serving as a member of the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
from
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
from 1949 to 1993. He was a
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
who resided in
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
. He is the longest-serving member of either house of Congress in Florida's history.


Early years

He was born in
Canton, New York Canton is an incorporated Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in St. Lawrence County, New York, St. Lawrence County, New York (state), New York. The population was 11,638 at the time of the 2020 census. The town contains two Administr ...
and moved to Florida by the end of his childhood. He graduated from high school in
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
. Bennett was an
Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Sc ...
and received the
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA) is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It is awarded to an Eagle Scout for distinguished service in his profession and to his community for a period of at least 25 years aft ...
from the
Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
. In the history of the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
, he is the only person to have served both as editor of the student newspaper (''
The Independent Florida Alligator ''The Independent Florida Alligator'' is the daily student newspaper of the University of Florida. ''The Alligator'' is one of the largest student-run newspapers in the United States, with a daily circulation of 35,000 and readership of more tha ...
''), and president of the student body. As editor of the Alligator, he wrote editorial in favor of isolation and against the nation becoming involved in foreign wars. Bennett earned his bachelor's degree in 1932, then enrolled in the Law School. After graduating with a
Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
in 1934, he practiced law in Jacksonville and was elected to the Florida state legislature in 1941. He resigned in March 1942 to join the United States Army and served with distinction in
New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...
as a guerrilla fighter during the
Japanese occupation of the Philippines The Japanese occupation of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Pananakop ng mga Japones sa Filipinas''; ja, 日本のフィリピン占領, Nihon no Firipin Senryō) occurred between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the ...
. While overseas, he contracted
polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
which left his legs paralyzed for the remainder of his life. He went through 16 months of rehabilitation at a military hospital in Arkansas, then utilized leg braces, canes or crutches to walk. He received the
Philippine Legion of Honor The Philippine Legion of Honor ( fil, Lehiyong Pandangal ng Pilipinas; es, Legion de Honor Filipino) was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. The Philippine Legion of Honor was patterne ...
and the Gold Cross. In the U.S., he was awarded the
Bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
and
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
s and was discharged as a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in 1947. He married wife Dorothy Jean in 1953 and they had four children: Lucinda (Cindy), Charles Junior (who died in 1977 from a drug overdose), James and Bruce.


Political career

After the war, he was elected to Congress from what was then the 2nd District. He was re-elected 21 more times from this Jacksonville-based district, which was renumbered as the 3rd District in 1967. He rarely faced serious opposition, even as Jacksonville fell under increasing
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 ...
influence. For instance, in 1972 he won 82 percent of the vote against a nominal Republican challenger (one of only six times the Republicans even put up a challenger against him) even as
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
carried the district by over 70 percent of the vote. In 1951, he began proposing a code of ethics for government employees, nicknamed ''The Ten Commandments''. After the Sherman Adams affair, the document was adopted as the first code of ethics for government service in 1958. In 1955, he sponsored the bill that added the words
In God We Trust "In God We Trust" (also rendered as "In God we trust") is the United States national motto, official motto of the United States and of the U.S. state of Florida. It was adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1956, replacing ("Out of many, one"), whic ...
to the nation's currency. He signed the 1956
Southern Manifesto The Declaration of Constitutional Principles (known informally as the Southern Manifesto) was a document written in February and March 1956, during the 84th United States Congress, in opposition to racial integration of public places. The manife ...
, and voted against the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,
1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...
,
1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...
, and 1968, but voted in favor of the
Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...
. To prove to his constituents that his handicap did not interfere with his serving in Congress, he amassed the record for the longest unbroken string of recorded roll call votes without being absent when the roll was called.
Florida Times-Union, September 9, 2003, "CHARLES E. BENNETT: A noble life"
Each year, he returned his veteran's disability pension and Social Security (United States), Social Security checks to the U. S. Treasury to reduce the
national debt A country's gross government debt (also called public debt, or sovereign debt) is the financial liabilities of the government sector. Changes in government debt over time reflect primarily borrowing due to past government deficits. A deficit oc ...
. Leftover campaign funds were given to the
National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
. According to ''
The Almanac of American Politics ''The Almanac of American Politics'' is a reference work published biennially by Columbia Books & Information Services. It aims to provide a detailed look at the politics of the United States through an approach of profiling individual leaders and ...
1980'', "He opposes unofficial office accounts, outside income for members and congressional pay raises, which led one colleague to call him 'a bit too pious.' " However, his staunch ethical stance appeared to be too much for his colleagues in the House of Representatives, who nicknamed him, "Mr. Clean".
Arlington National Cemetery, Biography-Charles E. Bennett
Although he was responsible for the establishment of the first temporary committee on ethics in the House, he was not named to the first formal ethics committee when it was formed. Not surprisingly, given the large defense presence in the Jacksonville area, Bennett was somewhat hawkish on defense policy. He was in line to become chairman of the
House Armed Services Committee The U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee or HASC, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is responsible for funding and oversight of the Department of Defe ...
in 1985, one of the most powerful panels in the body; he had served on that committee for virtually all of his House career. However, he was defeated for the post by
Les Aspin Leslie Aspin Jr. (July 21, 1938 – May 21, 1995) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district from 1971 to 1993 and as the 18th United States Secretary of Defens ...
. While Aspin had far less seniority than Bennett, his views on defense policy were more in line with the rest of the Democratic Caucus. Bennett was set to run for a 23rd term in 1992 in the newly renumbered 4th District against Jacksonville City Council president
Tillie Fowler Tillie Kidd Fowler (December 23, 1942 – March 2, 2005) was an American lawyer and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from Florida's 4th congressional district from 1993 to 2001. Her father and brother served as s ...
, his strongest Republican opponent in decades. However, he abruptly ended his bid for reelection when his wife became ill in the spring of 1992. Fowler went on to win in November. At the time of his retirement, he was the second longest-serving member of the House (behind only fellow Democrat
Jamie Whitten Jamie Lloyd Whitten (April 18, 1910September 9, 1995) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who represented the Deep South state of Mississippi in the United States House of Representatives from 1941 to 1995. He was at the ...
). He is still the longest-serving member of either house of Congress in Florida's history. Proving just how Republican this district had become, the Democrats have only fielded a candidate in the district five times since Bennett's retirement, and none of them have cleared the 35 percent mark.


Election Results

Florida's 3rd congressional district Florida's 3rd congressional district is an electoral district of the United States House of Representatives located in Florida. It presently comprises a large section of northern Florida, including the entire counties of Alachua, Clay, Putnam, ...
, 1980: * Charles E. Bennett (D) - 104,672 (77.07%) * Harry Radcliffe (R) - 31,208 (23.0%) Florida's 3rd congressional district, 1982: * Charles E. Bennett (D) - 73,802 (84.1%) * George Grimsley (R) - 13,972 (15.9%) Florida's 3rd congressional district, 1990: * Charles E. Bennett (D) - 84,280 (72.7%) * Rod Sullivan (R) - 31,727 (27.3%)


History

Charles Bennett was a historical scholar who researched and wrote nine books about the history of north Florida, including ''General MacGregor: Hero or Rogue'' about
Gregor MacGregor General Gregor MacGregor (24 December 1786 – 4 December 1845) was a Scottish soldier, adventurer, and confidence trickster who attempted from 1821 to 1837 to draw British and French investors and settlers to "Poyais", a fictional Central Am ...
, ''Laudonniere & Fort Caroline'', ''Three Voyages'' and ''Twelve on the River St. Johns''. The Fort Caroline National Memorial and the
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is a U.S. National Preserve in Jacksonville, Florida. It comprises of wetlands, waterways, and other habitats in northeastern Duval County. Managed by the National Park Service in cooperation with th ...
were both created through his efforts.
University of Florida Scholarships & Fellowships, Charles E. and Dorothy J. Bennett Fund
He is the only person to receive the
Jacksonville Historical Society Jacksonville Historical Society (JHS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Jacksonville, Florida, begun by 231 charter members on May 3, 1929 at the Carling Hotel.Lisska, Emily: Jax Historical Society website, Journal-Charles E. Bennett, "Charles E. Bennett's special reverence for Florida leaves a treasure trove of written history and historic landmarks" The ''Charles E. and Dorothy J. Bennett Fund'' was established in 2008 at the University of Florida to encourage research and publication of Florida history.


Death and legacy

Bennett suffered a heart attack and a stroke in 2002, after which he used a wheelchair. His health steadily declined, and he died in Jacksonville in 2003 at age 92. His ashes were interred at
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
.Kerr, Jessie-Lynn
"A Look Back: Longtime congressman fondly remembered on 100th birthday"
Florida Times-Union, December 13, 2010
The Charles E. Bennett Federal Building at 400 West Bay Street in Jacksonville is named after him as is the Charles E. Bennett Elementary School in
Green Cove Springs, Florida Green Cove Springs is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 6,908. The city is named after the portio ...
. The bridge over the
Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following th ...
on Jacksonville's Wonderwood Connector was dedicated on August 27, 2004 as the ''Charles E. Bennett Memorial Bridge''. A life-size cast bronze statue of Bennett was installed on a granite base in a shady corner of
Hemming Plaza James Weldon Johnson Park is a public park in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Originally a village green, it was the first and is the oldest park in the city. History Beginnings The area was established as a public square in 1857 by Isaiah Har ...
in Jacksonville on April 23, 2004.Kerr, Jessie-Lynne
"Life-size likeness of Bennett comes to Hemming Plaza"
Florida Times-Union, April 16, 2004


Publications

* ''General MacGregor: Hero or Rogue'' , River City Press 2001 * ''Laudonniere & Fort Caroline'' , University of Alabama Press, 2001 * ''Three Voyages'' , University of Alabama Press, 2001 * ''Twelve on the River St. Johns'' , University Press of Florida 1989 * ''A Quest for Glory: Major General Robert Howe and the American Revolution'' , University of North Carolina Press 1991 * ''The Life of Charles Brockden Brown 1814'' , Scholars Facsimiles & Reprint 1999 * ''Florida's "French" Revolution, 1793-1795'' University Press of Florida 1982 * ''Settlement of Florida'' University of Florida Press 1968


References


External links



* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Charles E. 1910 births 2003 deaths United States Army personnel of World War II Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Politicians from Jacksonville, Florida University of Florida alumni Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Gold Cross (Philippines) Recipients of the Philippine Legion of Honor People from Canton, New York 20th-century American politicians United States Army officers Military personnel from Florida Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law alumni