Caleb Prew Bennett was an American soldier and politician who served as the 29th Governor of Delaware.
Background
Caleb Bennett was born on November 11, 1758, in Kennett township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. His father was Joseph Bennett, a respectable Chester County farmer who came from English stock, and his mother was Elizabeth Prew Wiley, a widow, who was the daughter of Caleb Prew, for whom the son was named. When young Caleb was three years of age, the father moved to Wilmington and engaged in sailing vessels to and from the Bahamas.
Education
The education of Caleb was limited, as at fifteen years of age, at the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, he enlisted as a private.
Career
Presumably owing to his youth, Bennett reached the rank of first lieutenant only. He was at Brandywine and at Germantown and rendered heroic service in the disastrous Southern campaign in the 1780's under Generals Greene and Gates when the Delaware Regiment was so badly cut to pieces and lost so many of its officers that Bennett was next in rank to the commanding officer, at the close of the battle of the Cowpens. The story of the war, "all of which he saw and part of which he was" is modestly told, but is convincing of the fact that, youth as he was, he served with bravery and efficiency. At the surrender at Yorktown, he was in command of one of the batteries, and in close touch with Washington. At the close of the struggle the Delaware Regiment was disbanded and Bennett was honorably discharged and resumed his residence in the city of Wilmington, Delaware. He was then but twenty-three years of age.
For some years Bennett conducted the public ferry that crossed the Christiana River, in that city, on the Kings Road, leading from Philadelphia to New Castle, and engaged with his father in the shipping trade. He then resided in Pennsylvania for ten years or more and moved to New Castle, Delaware, and for a time was an innkeeper at that place. He was an active member of the Delaware Society of the Cincinnati. In 1813 he was appointed major of artillery in the Delaware militia and during the War of 1812 was in command of the port of New Castle. In 1807 he was elected, by the Levy Court, treasurer of New Castle County, Delaware, and by successive elections, from year to year, continued in that office for a period of twenty-six years.
In the state campaign of 1832, Bennett was the nominee of the Jackson Democrats for the office of governor. His opponent was Arnold Naudain. Bennett received a total vote of 4, 220, Naudain a total of 4, 166 - giving a majority of 54 votes to Bennett. The latter was the first Democrat elected governor of the state. His administration started under happy auspices. His inaugural address showed his loyalty to Andrew Jackson, emphatically announcing unflinching adherence to the Union and the Constitution and strongly condemning the nullification doctrine at that time rife in South Carolina. Unfortunately his administration was of short duration. He was inaugurated governor on January 15, 1833, and died at his home in Wilmington on May 9, 1836. He was interred in the graveyard adjoining the Friends Meeting House at the corner of Fourth and West Sts. , in Wilmington.
Achievements
Membership
Caleb Bennett was a member of the Democratic party, the Delaware Society of the Cincinnati, the Wilmington Friends Meeting.
Personality
Notwithstanding his Jacksonian Democracy, and being a Quaker to boot, to the end of his life he wore ruffled shirts, white kid breeches, and a velvet coat with brass buttons. He also powdered his hair and wore a queue.
Connections
On April 5, 1792, Caleb Bennett was married at Tinicum Island, near Philadelphia, to Catherine Britton, daughter of Richard Britton of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. They had thirteen children: Samuel Britton, Elizabeth, Caroline, Mary Ann, Henry Lisle, Livina, Joseph Eves, Susan, Charles Webb, William, Catherine, Edin R. , and Boadicea.