Title:

Autobiography and Reminiscence of Robert Hazlet Bennett, Fruitvale, 1901.

[Institutional Records Digitization Project: Reminiscences of Early Pioneers: 1900-1904]

Creator/Contributor:

Bennett, Robert Hazlet, 1826-1904, creator

Autobiographies and Reminiscences of California Pioneers, p.23-25, Vol. 1. This is a typed transcript, bound into a volume, of the member's autobiographical reminiscence created as an institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers. The original handwritten version exists in the member's Biographical File. This reminiscence includes a reference to a photograph of the member in a set of bound volumes. It appears that the photographs in this set were dispersed throughout the regular photography collection, but the photographs referenced in the related materials may or may not be these same photographs. This reminiscence covers Bennett's childhood and family history as well as his business history. The account offers some geographic information on the locations of Bennett's various businesses. Bennett claims that his hardware business was the first in San Francisco. The years discussed in this reminiscence are from 1849 to 1898.

Date:

1901 (issued)

Subject:

Bennett, Robert Hazlet -- 1826-1904

Pioneers -- California -- Biography

Shipping -- California -- San Francisco -- History

Voyages to the Pacific Coast

California, Northern -- Biography

California, Northern -- History -- 19th century.

California -- Commerce -- History

Available also in the original handwritten form in the member's Biographical File, and online

Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader

Autobiography & Reminiscence of Robert Hazlet Bennett, Fruitvale, 1901. The Society of California Pioneers

Robert Hazlet Bennett was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 26th, 1826 and left Baltimore for California on January 26th, 1849, on the ship "Jane Parker", stopping ten days at Rio de Janeiro, ten days at Callao and Lima, Peru and arriving in S.F. on July 21st, 1849. Bennett joined Washington L. Kirby of Baltimore in 1849, in the firm "Bennett & Kirby", a general store. Burned out by the two first great fires of S.F. they relocated and went into the hardware business. The third S.F. fire burned them out again in June 1851 and their business closed. With Thomas I. Lamb of Baltimore, in 1851, Bennett took the Schooner "James B. Lippincott" with provisions to Sacramento where he joined the Auction and Commission House of Reed, Green & Co. In 1853 he joined with Washington L. Kirby and went into the Flour, Grain, and Produce business, occupying the store-ship "Steiglitz", under the firm name of R.H. Bennett & Co. In 1860 Bennett and Kirby were owners of the "Entaw Flour Mills", shipping much of the first cargo of wheat being to England from S.F. They also opened the navigation of the Salinas River into Monterey Bay. R.H. Bennett also shipped flour and merchandise to Central America and Panama, importing coffee, cocoa, cedar, and other woods. An active member of the Vigilance Committee of 1855, and was in business in Seattle from 1892 to 1898. Bennett married Matilda Denny Norris in Baltimore, January 1851 amd had a son, Robert H. Bennett Jr. and daughter, Susan E., wife of Nicholas A. Acker

Type:

Autobiographies.

[3] p. ; 35 x 21 cm.

English

\LowResSCANS\Volume01\ARBennett,R01.jpg3,

Origin:

California

Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader.

Collection:

The Society of California Pioneers collection of autobiographies and reminiscences of early pioneers