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Title
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Bennett, Hedley
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extracted text
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HEDLEY BENNETT
(1888 - 1969)
Hedley Bennett was born November 27, 1888 in ·St . Dennis, Cornwell, England, the s on of
Daniel and Emma Jane Bennett. Daniel was an accredited local preacher and Hedley followed
in his foot steps , being placed on trial as a local · preacher at age 18 in 1906 in St.
Dennis: He took the local preacher's written examination and was fully accredited in St.
Columb Circuit Bible Christian Church after oral examination at Carne Hill, St. Dennis in
1907 .
He served as a l ocal preacher while working in - t he kaolin clay pits. In 1912 he
decided to emigrate to the United States of America to work in the copper mines in the
Michigan Keweenaw Peninsula where many Cornish men were already wor king . He purchased a
ticket on the wonderful; new, unsinkable Titanic, but his large travel trunk with all his
worldly possessions inside had not arrived in Southampton and he turned in his ticket and
waited for the trunk to catch up with him before booking on the next ship . He arrived in
New York City in April 1912. His journey to Michigan entailed several railr oad lines. New
York to New Jersey to Buffalo, NY to Penn Haven Junction on the Lehigh Vall ey Rail Road.
He t raveled through Canada from Hqmilton to London to Sarnia and into Port Huron . He then
went via Lapeer, Lansing and South Bend to Chicago on the Grand Trunk Rail Road where he
transferred to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St . Paul Rail Road with only minutes to spare
between stations . It was a three hour lay-over on the schedule, but i t was on to Green Bay
with no pause for f ood or drink.
As he journeyed north from Green Bay, Wisconsin he
described the "wild country" ' saying good-bye to any large scale c;ultivation of land and
seeing only patches of cleared larid as they traveled through miles and miles of trees.
Occasi onally the remnants of an old lumber camp or the evidence of a forest fire could be
seen . From Iron Mountain, Michigan he journeyed on the Copper Range Rail Road and evidence
of mining activity came in to view.
Arriving in Houghton at noon on April 29th allowed
time for lnnch in a Chinese "Cook Sh~p" before proceeding by train to Painesdale .
He
described this l eg of the journey as . the slowest of s l ow rides, as the "stiff" grade made
heavy work for the engine . As he passed Tr-imountain and South Range depots he watched for
a familiar face but it was not until arriving in Painesdale that he felt he was among
friends again.
The first treat on arrival was a hot cup of "English" tea . . They had
traveled from New York to Houghton with nothing hot to drink . He s ettled in to a local
boarding house and was soon working in the mines.
His physical self was in Michigan but he. left his heart behind .in St. Dennis where his
fiance Mary Grace Bunt was t eaching in the primary school . The pl an was for him to work
and save enough money to send to her f or · passage to the United States, thinking this vrould
take about a year. After six months of working in the copper mines in Painesdale Hedley
decided that was not what he wanted to do the rest of his \vorki ng life .
The mine
conditions were unacceptable for long term employment.
He applied and was accepted at
Northwestern University in Illinois, going on to Garrett Bible Institute, graduating in
1918.
To supplement his meager savings for tuition and daily bread he served a~ a supply
pastor to several congregations.
In 1914 he was appointed supply pastor to Engadine,
Michigan . He would tell his family of how he r~e his bicycle on the railroad tracks out
to various stops along the line where baptisms, weddings and funerals were conducted.
Being a yonng single man he was assured of a dinner invitation from several mothers where
unmarried daughters lived. He was glad to be able to honestly say he was already "si;Dken
for".
The trips out from Engadine often meant he would be r eturning late at night afte r
dark on railroad tracks that ran through dense woods right up to the edge of the tracks and
he admitted to being quite frightened at times when the wolves could be heard howling in
the woods. Until I was a young adult , I believed he rode a bicycle on a single rail with
wonderful acrobatic skill, only to learn that he had a "railroad attachment" - available
from Sears Roebuck for $8.50, which consisted of three braces between the bicycle and an
adjustable steel wheel which fit on the opposite track of the bicycle track, holding t he
bicycle in place . This was the only means of trans};X)rtation he could afford and often the
only kind available.
I~ SeJ;;1~r~~L of 1917 he was .admitted on trial to the Detroit Conference of The
Method1.st /Churd; and served charges ln Turner and Twining .
At last he had saved enough
money to send to England for Mary Grace who had been teaching school and hand sewing her
wedding dress and filling h er hope chest. But once her ticket money was received she had
to find someone acceptable as a travel companion , as single young women did not travel
unescorted.
- 2 -
A suitable couple known to her family was to come to the United States by boat and Mary
Grace Bunt left Cornwell to arrive in Montreal, Canada in October of 1919. Her escorts saw
that she got on the train in Montreal and she journeyed to Port Huron, MichigaTI. Hedley
met her at the train station and after collecting her trunk he took her to the parsonage of
the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Port Huron where sh~ changed from travel clothes
into her \vedding finery from her t runk, and they were rrarried by the Rev . D. Stanley Shaw . a
friend of Hedley's on October 25, 1919. When asked why she didn't wait and look him over
after seven long years of separation, she replied she only had a one-way ticket .
Hedley was ordained a Deacon in 1919 and an Elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church
Detroit Conference in September of 1920 .
They served charges together in Vanderbilt,
Bently, Troy and Big Beaver, Perry, Unionville and 0\veridale, Oxforq, Crystal Falls,
Ironwood, Flint Bristol and Diamond, Milford and Vernon. They raised five children in many
parsonages - some lovely pl~ces and a few barely adequate. He early on became a jack-ofall trades in the fixing-up and repair of living quarters . Raising five children in The
Great Depression of the 1920's and 1930' s on a preacher's salary was difficult at best .
Sometimes the only cash in the house was what was in the offering plate on Sunday, but we
as children never felt poor or went hungry. Farm produce - vegetables - a chicken - would
often be l eft on the porch, and at Christmas time treats of fruit and candy and my first
doll with real hair were l eft for us to find on our return home after Christmas Eve.
services . OUr parsonage life · was a happy time .
Both Hedley and Mary Grace were born ru1d. raised in Cornwell, England - an area where
people were t rading their tin and clay with far away countries in 1400 B.C . long before the
rest of England .was engaged in any similar enterprise . Driving winds and raging seas· on
north and south coasts forged a fierce independence and stubborn pride into the Cornish
peopl es. The teachings of Methodism found fertile ground in these no-nonsense , tell-itlike- it-is people and their sense of community and dependence on each other made sharing
their faith and preaching came naturall y . Hedley always acknowl edged his indebtitness to
his home Chapel in St . Dennis and to his first appointment at age 18 as a local preacher
to Talskiddy where a hearth- side visit to a Mother Pearce found him kneeling by her chair
as she placed her hands upon his head and b l essed the boy that was to preach at chapel that
evening.
Hedley died at the age of 81 after living on Providence Street in Flint, Michigan for
several years , saying he had lived by the grace of Providence all his life.
How rich our memories are Bere1a Grace Bennett Fenwick - daughter
1/JIJ/17
MARY GRACE BENNETT, 88, w ife of
the late Rev . Hed ley Bennett and a
member of the Flint Atherton United
M ethodi st Church, died on December
28. She was born in Cornwall , England ,
February 8, 1888, and is survived by three
daughters: Mrs . Marguerite Bennett of
Flint, Mrs. Charles Fenwick of Kalamazoo, and Mrs. Russell Starr of Owosso;
two sons: Maurice of Ironwood and
Samuel of Mt . Clemen s; 10 grandchi ldren ; three great-grand chi ldren; and three
sisters in England. Rev. Donald W. j oiner
officiated at the service, assisted by Rev.
James M . Thompson. Interment was in
Greenwood Cemetery , Vernon.
MINISTERIAL BIOGRAPHICAL BLA~~
DETROIT METHODIST CONFERENCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Date. At}EU 3 .1950
.
Bennett
Name :
Hedl.ey
(i!'irst.)
(Last)
(Micidle )
St Dennis. CornwaD.. England
(Place)
Birth: November 27th.l888
(Date)
Personal Appearance: -T,~S~f~t~·~S~i~n~-~~1~3~5~---------Gr-r~ay~,------B_lr.u~e~~------(Height)
(Weight)
(Hair)
(Eyes )
Famil y Background:
, 1. Father •s Name in Full Daniel Bennett
~==~=-~--~~------------------------------------
. Date of Birth
APril 18th. 1866
--~~---------------
Nationality
English.
--~---~~~~---------
·P l~"e
Cornwall. England
Occupati on
Laborer
-~~~~------------
Exten:4 of Education ___::G::.:r~arnmar~:!!::.=::.__~S..:::c~h~o..:::o~l:....._____________________________
Death; Date
Feb.l5th.l939
2. Mother •s Maiden Na111e
tNIII#
Date of Birth
/-
Extent of
Death;
J.
Ma~riage
of Parents ; Date .
Brothers and Sist ers
Name
****
St Dennis.
Address
Maur ice Bennett. St. Demnis .
•
L_ _
6.
Cornwall. England
Grammar School
Feb. 27th.l937
4. Pl aces of Residence
S.
Pl.ace
English
Educatio~
Date
--
Emma Jane Brokenshire
1868
National ity
Pl ace ---=C~o=-rn~wall~==..!·~Eng~;:...;;~a~n~d~---
Place
· Cornwall. England
Place
*****
Cornwall.
England.
Present Occupation
Cornwall. England,
Distinguished Services for Which Members of Family Are Known
Hoisting engineer.
Personal History:
1.
Education:
School s and Degrees _ _. .G
: ;~r:..!:a~d=.:e::..._:S
=-c.:....h_o.::......:...o=-1-=i.::.:n:...__=
Eng=.::s!..::l:=a:=n:..:d=.:•::..__-::--=-----
Seveni
years Ni ght school
Diploma
Garrett Biblical Institute. 1917
2.
Noteworthy Experienc es of c;1~~~h.aod an~Youth .: - - - - - - - - - - -- -- -
3.
Marriage : Date -~O~c~t!l:p!.!:b!.!:e~r:..........!2~5:!..t!ot!h
~~l.9~1
....91i!-____ Place ·
Port Huron. Mich.
4. ti~ ' s Mri~n ~~: ~M~a~r~y~G~r~acc~e~B~,J~nut~·~·----------------
Education
5.
Grade school, and night schoolin England
Children.;
(Name)
(Date of Birt h)
-
Maur.ice John Bennett.
May 6th.l923
Marg uerite F.Bennett.
November 29th . l 920
Samuel J .Bennett
Jan.24th.l925 ...
Bertha G. Bennett
Mary: Louise Bennett
December 30th.·l 929
April 18th.l932
· (Oceupa-tiGn)
General bus·iness.
H~h
School
teach~
u-eneral Motors
pow~r
Nurse (student)
High School student.
6.
Careers , Positions , Offices , etc ; of ChildFen. _ .._.._. ___________________
7.
Religious Experience and Church ~York Before En~ering Ministryo - - - - - - -
.
House
Local preacher in Bible Christian(Methodist) Chureh at. 1? r · - -
.
'
Came to Michigan in 1912; with local preacher's license in th~
I!iethC?d~ st Church~
Wakefield Methodist Church •
3. Call Painesdal.e
to the Chrlstlan Mimstry ~
'
Rev. Wm. Marvin's appeal f or pastors in U.P.tO\vns , at a Quarterly
Conference ,led me to consult the pastor W.E~~ajth,and. t .hen accept
.
Aan
.
an~pintment
as
s
uno
l
y.
na~tor,
to
Engadine
Circuit
1n
Sept.l914.
w1th
9. Jl.dmlt'teu on 'rrl aT and Ortti.:-'na.~~ · John ~y?tant as D.S. Entered Garrett in
Fall of 1915.
on trial . (Yfuse'fflt..l917.
Det!~fe'tfeyonference. Court s t.Fl int. •
'
n
Owosso.
·Deacon's orders, Sept.l919 .
Elders orders,.&gr§duated from course ·of study. Sept 1920.
1
10 .
Offices Held in the Church :
Corrunittee on Memoirs.•
ll.
Assist Statistici1Ul 7 c...siiist .Treas.
Appointments Served with Dates .
1~14.
Engadine. l915.School.SY.dent
al~~::;:~ ig~~ ~~:;;;~~~ ~;;:y;~~~5!1b!e~~:ntley;
1~32 Oxford· 1~35 Crys.t u
F&J.la; 1.940 Ironwood.Firat;
1946. Brist~l ,Flint; 1~42 Mil:ford •
.. 12.
13.
Public Offices :
14.
Favorite Recreations, Hobbi es, etc ;
15.
Author of What
Trout :fishine·.
Hiking.
Books and Publications? :
Kiwanas
F,& A . M.;
Clubs and Fraternal Organizations :
REV. AND MRS. HEDLEY BENNE'IT
REV. HEDLEY BENNET!' 81, of Flint
of Flint will observe their golden wedding retired member of the Detroit Conference'
- - - - - - - - -anniversary October 25. Mr. Bennett is a - died D ec. 2 at Genesee Memorial Hospital:
retired member of the Detroit Conference Born in Cornwall, England, Nov. 27, 1888,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and a celebration is not planned because- he became a resident of the Upper Peninof his health. The congregation of the su la in 1912 and worked in the copper
17. A:.:::;n:!!.y_ :A.:.d::d= =i:...:t:...:i:...:o:...:n;.::.a:...:l= -_I_n....;f_o.;_r.;_rn
_ <Vanderbilt Church knew with the singing and the iron mines. He attended Garrett
of "There Shall Be Showers of Blessings" - Theological Seminary, 1915-17, and was
on October 19, 1919, that their pastor was received on trial in the Detroit Conference
soon to leave for London, Ontario, to claim in 1917, and to full membership in 1919.
his long-awaited bride whose arrival from
Charges served by Mr. Bennett were
Cornwall, England, had been delayed by Turner and Twining; Vanderbilt; Bentley;
Troy and Big Beaver; Perry; Unionville
World War I. This had been the signal
promised by their pastor to their frequent
and Owendale; Oxford; Crystal Falls; Ironinquiries as to the date of her arrival. On
wood: First and Grace; Flint: Bristol and
October 25, 1919, Rev. Hedley Bennett and
Dimond; Milford; and Vernon. He retired
If the Subj e ct of this Ske ·Mary Grace Bunt were united in marriage
in 1956, lived at. ~nnon for seven years
at the Port Huron Methodist parsonage- and had been restdu~g in Flint fo r the past
by Dr. D. Stanley Shaw. Together they
six years. He rnarned Mary Grace Bunt
Date of Death _ _ _ _ _ _ _ served churches at Vanderbilt, Bentley - of Cornwall in 191.9 who survives as do
Troy and Big Beaver , Berry, Unionvill~
three daughters, Mtss Marguerite Bennett
- Place of Burial
and Owendale, Oxford, Crystal Falls, Ironof Flint, Mrs. Charles Fenwick of Kala- - - - --wood First and Grace, Flint Bristol and - mazoo, and Mrs. Russell Starr of Owosso;
Officiating Ministers
Dimond, Milford and Highland, Vernon
two sons, Maurice of Ironwood and
.::.::.::.:::.=.::.::~::.::.:;e._:..::::::..:.::.::...-- and Venice. With many memories of-Samuel of Detroit; ten grandchildren; a
fri ends and experiences, they retired in
sister-in-law Mrs. Maurice. Bennett of
1956 and ma~e their home at ::lfl41 ProviCornwall, England, and two rueces. Funeral
dence St., F hnt, 48503. They have three
rvices were held at the Brown Funeral
Additional Biographical Ex daughters, Mrs. Russell Starr, Owosso,
~orne Flint, with Dr. Leslie Williams, Rev.
:.:::=:..:.::.::.:.:..:::::.-=::.::.::::.;,_ .:;_...:.....;..:::,::._:::.:Mrs. Charles F enwick, Kalamazoo, and ~Merlo~ Stevens and Rev. Emil Haering
Marguente at home; two sons, Maurice,
officiating. Burial was at_ (gG;.:eenwood
Cemetery, Vernon. /;2- fff
'1
Ironw?od, and Samuel, Hat:per ,.,Woods;
and rune grandchildren. /0 - 9 ~ & 'f
16.
•
Military Record :
Bennett, Hedley