Background
Born on a farm near Camillus, New York, Bennett was the son of James B. and Sarah Olmstead Bennett and attended the common schools and the local academy in Onondaga.
Born on a farm near Camillus, New York, Bennett was the son of James B. and Sarah Olmstead Bennett and attended the common schools and the local academy in Onondaga.
Bennett engaged in agricultural pursuits and later moved to Syracuse. From there he extended his business to New York City. In 1853, Bennett moved to Buffalo, where he built and operated several grain elevators.
As a Republican, Bennett was elected to the forty-first United States Congress, as a United States Representative for the thirtieth district of New York, holding office from March 4, 1869 to March 3, 1871.
After declining to run for renomination in 1870, Bennett resumed his former business pursuits in Buffalo, New New York Bennett died in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, on November 6, 1894 (age 83 years, 187 days).
He is interred at Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, New New York
A member of the New York State Senate, Bennett was State Senator for the (31st District) in the 89th New York State Legislature in 1866 and the 90th New York State Legislature in 1867.