El Dorado
County
Biographies
MARCUS
P. BENNETT
MARCUS
P. BENNETT.--The history of the bench and bar of northern California contains
no more creditable record than that of the late Judge Marcus P. Bennett, who,
as lawyer, jurist and citizen, left a deep impress on the community in which he
lived. An able and trust-worthy
attorney, a judge whose decisions were never reversed by higher courts and a
citizen of the highest ideals, he was an honor to his section of the state and
commanded the respect of the people to an unusual degree. He was born at Peabody, Essex county,
Massachusetts, on the 22nd of July, 1854, and received liberal education
training, having attended Chauncey Hall, in Boston, and Harvard University,
from which he was graduated in 1876. In
July of that year, following the advice of Horace Greeley, he came west,
locating in Placerville, Eldorado county, where he took up the study of
law. On June 22, 1878, he was admitted
to practice in the courts of California, and in the following year was granted
the same right in the supreme court. In
1887 he became a member of the bar of the United States circuit court of the
ninth district. In 1886 he was elected
district attorney of Eldorado county, in
which office he served three terms.
During that period he prosecuted the famous Cowell case, the outcome of
which was the hanging of three murderers.
Judge Bennett also brought suit against the owners of toll roads and
succeeded, after a strenuous legal fight, in having them opened to the free use
of the public. In 1891 he was elected to
the bench of the superior court of Eldorado county, serving until 1904, when he
retired with the reputation of being one of the ablest and fairest judges who
had ever occupied that position in this state.
He resumed the private practice of law, in which he was very successful,
continuing his professional work until his death, which occurred January 14,
1925.
In 1881 Judge Bennett was united in
marriage to Miss Mary Anderson, whose father, J.M. Anderson, was a former
sheriff of Eldorado county and well known throughout this section of the
state. Judge Bennett and his wife
presented to Placerville the Marcus P. Bennett, Jr., park, in memory of their
son, who had died at the age of three years.
To Judge and Mrs. Bennett were born the following children besides the
son referred to: Helen, the wife of P.W.
King; Juliet, the wife of R. G. Risser; Edith, the wife of Max Baer; Georgie,
the wife of F. B. Herbert; and Gladys, the wife of Major E. W. Kelly. There are also seven grandchildren. Mrs. Bennett, who still resides in the
beautiful family home in Placerville, takes an active interest in the civic
affairs of her community and is well known in local club circles.
Judge Bennett was an ardent supporter
of the republican party and was a member of the Eldorado County Bar
Association, the California State Bar Association and the American Bar
Association. He established the first
circulating library in this district, and though a busy man professionally, he
gave freely of his time and efforts to the advancement of the community
interests and was never lacking in his support of those things which made for
the good of society. He was kindly and
cordial in manner, easily made friends and throughout this section of the state
was held in the highest measure of esteem.
Transcribed by
Rhonda Ruick O'Brien.
Source: Wooldridge, J.W. Major History of the Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 200-203. Pioneer Historical
Publ. Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Rhonda
Ruick O'Brien.
Golden Nugget Library's El Dorado County Biographies