MARY BENNETT, second wife of G. W. Shields, was born Dec. 19, 1860, at the Bennett home on Soldier Creek, 14 miles southwest of Holton, Kans. She was the second child of George W. and Elizabeth Pauline Nichols Bennett, her father being a native of Ohio and her mother of Switzerland County, near Florence, Ind. She was born and reared on the farm where her parents settled in a one-room log cabin in 1857. Her father lived on that farm 64 years, and her mother lived there 66 years, until their deaths in 1920 and 1923, respectively. Mary Bennett was educated at the Soldier Valley District School. She married G. W. Shields Dec. 11, 1883 and was the mother of his five younger children, one of whom died in infancy. She died at the Shields home in Holton, Kans., July 22, 1927, having lived her entire 67 years in Jackson County. She is buried in the Holton Cemetery.

From "Three Kansas Pioneer Families: Stalker-Shields-Martin" by John A. Shields, privately published in a limited edition of 200 copies, May, 1949.

MARY BENNETT was born in Jackson County, Kansas, Dec. 21, 1860. On Dec. 11, 1883, she became the second wife of Garrott William Shields, who was born in Washington County, Ind., Feb. 1, 1851. Their original residence was on a 560-acre farm in Adrian Township, Jackson County, Kans., seven miles southwest of her birthplace. In 1904 they moved to Holton, Kans., where she lived until her death, July 22, 1927. She was buried in Holton cemetery. They had five children, one dying in infancy.

From "The Bennett Book," by John A. Shields, privately published April 16, 1956, reprinted in September, 2021.

CHILDREN:

1) John Arthur (or Arthen) Shields b. 1884

2) Infant Son Shields b./d. 1886

3) Jesse William Shields b. 1887

4) Elsie Elizabeth Shields b. 1890

5) Earl Raymond Shields b. 1905

STEP-CHILDREN (from Garrott's first marriage to Fannie Parthenia Stalker):

1) Dora Theodocia Shields b. 1876

2) Estella May Shields b. 1878

3) Effie Felicia Shields b. 1880

PARENTS: Elizabeth Pauline Nichols b. 13 JUL 1839 York Twp., Switzerland Co., IN; d. 11 FEB 1923 Grant Twp., Jackson Co., KS; m. 30 AUG 1857 Leavenworth Co., KS; George Washington Bennett Sr. b. 12 OCT 1829 Xenia, Greene Co., OH; d. 27 FEB 1920 Grant Twp., Jackson Co., KS. Both buried: Olive Hill Cemetery, Jackson Co., KS.

SIBLINGS:

1) William Ryston Bennett b. 1858

2) Mary Bennett b. 1860 [SELF]

3) Hannah Catherine Bennett b. 1863

4) Hiram Wakefield Bennett b. 1865

5) George Washington Bennett Jr. b. 1867

6) Lucy Amanda Bennett b. 1870

7) Kansas Elizabeth Bennett b. 1872

8) Alfred Emerson Bennett b. 1875

9) Thomas Leonard Bennett b. 1878

10) Agnes May Bennett b. 1881

11) Garrett Lovell Bennett b. 1884

MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: Nancy Wiley m. William H Nichols

PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: Hannah Myers m. Hiram Bennett