The Bennett family is a remarkable example of legacy and history, with members living in Fayette County since 1823 when William Bennett III first settled there after marrying Lavinia Brumbelow. From their progeny, only one of their nine children survived Chamealous Evans, who soon built the famous Bennett’s Mill in 1837 along Hwy 54 between Fayetteville and Peachtree City.
The Bennett family has a proud and rich history, with roots tracing back to the 1500s in England. William Bennett III was born in 1791 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and at the age of 18, he left his home state to settle in North Georgia where he married, only for his wife to pass away in childbirth. Eventually, William settled in Jackson County, Georgia where he met and married Lavinia Brumbelow. These two are the progenitors of six generations of Bennett’s that have lived in Fayette County since 1823 – just two years after it was created.
William and “Viney” had one son, Chamealous Evans Bennett, born in 1817. The family made the two-week wagon trip from Jackson County to Fayette County, eventually settling on 76 acres of land behind where the Oddo family now lives. William was a wise investor in the land, by 1850 he owned 2,500 acres, and his son, “Cam”, owned over 700 acres. Cam went on to marry Emily Chappelle Strickland in 1839 and they were the parents of nine children.
William is most remembered for his investment in Bennett’s Mill, built in 1837 on Hwy 54 between Fayetteville and Peachtree City on Whitewater Creek. This facility was a popular mill for milling corn and wheat, as well as a community center for picnics and socials, and a baptismal site. At its peak, the mill produced 80 bushels of wheat and corn a day and was valued at $6,000. It was operated by one water wheel, equivalent to 48 horsepower. After ceasing to be a mill owned by the Bennetts in the 1930s, it was recently expanded and made into a restaurant in the past 15 years.
William’s legacy also continues in the form of his house in Fayetteville, which has been continuously occupied by his descendants for 7 generations.
In 1853, Cam Bennett moved in and later willed it to his Graham granddaughters. The house was also home to Philip Fitzgerald’s children, the great-grandfather of acclaimed author Margaret Mitchell. In the late 1850s, this house was situated just down the street from the present City Hall, which was originally built in 1855 as the Fayetteville Academy. It is remarkable that Jeanne Brewer, a great-granddaughter of William, still lives in the house today. Despite a cyclone in 1892 that knocked off the second floor and tragically killed 11-year-old Sallie Kate Graham, the house was rebuilt as a single story and has retained its original character.
This house is a testament to the proud legacy of the Bennett and Graham families. For over two centuries, their descendants have served Fayette County in various capacities, including surveyor, Superior Court clerk, store owner, lawyer, pharmacist, an Atlanta City Court judge, vice president of Coca-Cola, and a governor of Georgia. Furthermore, members of these families have served in the American Revolution, conducted the Cherokee Indians west, and participated in the War Between the States, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. It is no wonder that this house stands today as a symbol of the great contributions of the Bennett and Graham families to Fayette County and beyond.
The Bennett family is an exemplary model for facing the difficulty that comes with moving and starting a new life. Their hard work and perseverance have led William and Lavinia Bennett to establish a prosperous family line – generations of Bennetts having made their home in Fayette County since 1823. As forefathers of the land and entrepreneurs, they set up family businesses that weaved into the community and will continue to be remembered for years to come. They held an ongoing commitment and dedication to flourish, ensuring their lasting legacy and leaving their own stories for the future generations of the Bennett family.
