Robert William Bennett was born Aug 9, 1908 at 1113 Jefferson St, Savannah, Georgia, as son and only child of Robert E Bennett (1884-1913) and Leora Rebecca (Joyner) Bennett Ellison (1891-1959). Robert was named for his grandfather, Robert William Bennett, and was called "Bob". He had dark wavy or curly hair with a small white birthmark of hair on the top back of his head.
On October 6, 1913, his father, age 29, died in an accidental fall from a scaffolding when Bob was only 5 years old. His mother's second marriage was to Charles "Charlie" H. Ellison (1895-1972) sometime between 1914 and 1919 (a).
In Jan. 1920 at age 11, he lived with stepfather Charles H Ellison (b), age 23, a ship fitter for Terry Ship Yard and mother, housewife Leora Ellison, age 26, in a rental house in Chatham County, Georgia.
In May 1930, Bob Bennett, age 21, was a roofing company truck driver and lived with his stepfather Charles H Ellison, roofing company manager, age 33, and mother, housewife Leora Ellison age 35, in Chatham County, Georgia. It appears that Bob worked for the same company that his stepfather worked.
On April 19, 1931, Robert W. "Bob" Bennett married Ernestine Bland (1914-2005) in Ridgeland, Jasper County, S.C. Their marriage license states that he was age 22 and Ernestine was 18. Interestingly, she was actually one day short of her 17th birthday on April 20th. They had one daughter, Betty Jane Bennett born on Saturday, March 19, 1932. They divorced on Nov 1, 1933 in Savannah, Chatham County, GA. Bob or Ernestine were not known or verified to have any more children after their divorce.
Bob joined the merchant marines, the year unverified but his social security # was issued in Calif. before 1951. He traveled the world to places like China, Japan and other places as a chef on the ship. He lived in different places including San Francisco, California. When his mother, Leora, moved to California, he would stay with her when he was in port. Bob said that his mother was the single most influential person in his life, according to his relative Edgar Gay. Leora Bennett Ellison died in May 1959 in San Francisco, CA. After retiring as a merchant marine, he move to Reno, Nevada.
In 1981, apparently planning ahead, Bob purchased a cemetery plot in Savannah, GA, while living in Reno, NV, according to cemetery records. This was during the time in June 1981 that cousin Maude Mutter from Tybee Island, GA, had visited him in Nevada. Eventually, he moved back to the Savannah area in Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, and appears to live there alone near the Mutter family.
On Wednesday, July 24, 1991 (c), Robert "Bob" William Bennett, age 82, died of congestive heart failure due to renal and myocardial insufficiency and arterial sclerotic heart disease at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah, GA. He had two cousins, Mrs. Charles L. (Maude) Mutter of Tybee Island and Henry Douglas of Coronado, Calif. Maude Mutter set up funeral arrangements for cremation with Lester L. Hayman Funeral Home. The graveside service was at 2 p.m. on July 25th at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens cemetery with his grave marker in the Old Rugged Cross Section, Lot 120-A, Space 3.
Footnotes: (a) On 6-6-2011, relative Sandra Correia commented that her Aunt Pauline remembered that Bob's father, Robert E Bennett, died from a fall from a scaffolding when Bob Bennett was a little child. To help with Bob's development, his mother, Leora, had him spend a few years at the Bethesda Boys Home in Savannah before she married Charlie Ellison. When they married, Bob moved in with them. He and his stepfather, Charlie, got along like a real father and son.
(b) Relative Sandra Correia said, "The upside of the Leora and Bob Bennett Story is in Charlie (stepfather). Bob finally had a father and a real home. When I was little....Bob would come visit us from Reno...he would bring us some candy...some chips from Reno....we thought they were a huge deal. He would have dinner with us and hang out...he really was a nice old guy and we loved him very much." (Later she added another comment) "I spoke with my mother...she told me something interesting...she remembers Charlie when she was very little (circa 1932). And she said he had a car with a rumble seat and she used to ride in it. She said Bob was very handsome and looked just like his mom, Leora... and he and my Grandmother Elma (Abbott Ulmer) and her cousin Maud (Mutter) were very close....So, there it is, Bob was raised by his stepfather Charlie Ellison."
(c) The day he died inscribed on his grave marker, the 25th, is incorrect, Death Certificate and Savannah Morning News, Thursday, July 25, 1991 confirms he died on Wed., July 24th.
References: 1908 Birth Certificate Record Copy Amended in 1968 (added full name); Daughter Betty Bennett Semple and Photo Collection; U.S. Census documents; Savannah Public Library; Marriage License Certificate & Death Certificate documents; Relative Sandra Correia
Bio arranged by family researcher and grandson, Jim Semple, Jr., contributor # 47523168, subject to additions and corrections.
On October 6, 1913, his father, age 29, died in an accidental fall from a scaffolding when Bob was only 5 years old. His mother's second marriage was to Charles "Charlie" H. Ellison (1895-1972) sometime between 1914 and 1919 (a).
In Jan. 1920 at age 11, he lived with stepfather Charles H Ellison (b), age 23, a ship fitter for Terry Ship Yard and mother, housewife Leora Ellison, age 26, in a rental house in Chatham County, Georgia.
In May 1930, Bob Bennett, age 21, was a roofing company truck driver and lived with his stepfather Charles H Ellison, roofing company manager, age 33, and mother, housewife Leora Ellison age 35, in Chatham County, Georgia. It appears that Bob worked for the same company that his stepfather worked.
On April 19, 1931, Robert W. "Bob" Bennett married Ernestine Bland (1914-2005) in Ridgeland, Jasper County, S.C. Their marriage license states that he was age 22 and Ernestine was 18. Interestingly, she was actually one day short of her 17th birthday on April 20th. They had one daughter, Betty Jane Bennett born on Saturday, March 19, 1932. They divorced on Nov 1, 1933 in Savannah, Chatham County, GA. Bob or Ernestine were not known or verified to have any more children after their divorce.
Bob joined the merchant marines, the year unverified but his social security # was issued in Calif. before 1951. He traveled the world to places like China, Japan and other places as a chef on the ship. He lived in different places including San Francisco, California. When his mother, Leora, moved to California, he would stay with her when he was in port. Bob said that his mother was the single most influential person in his life, according to his relative Edgar Gay. Leora Bennett Ellison died in May 1959 in San Francisco, CA. After retiring as a merchant marine, he move to Reno, Nevada.
In 1981, apparently planning ahead, Bob purchased a cemetery plot in Savannah, GA, while living in Reno, NV, according to cemetery records. This was during the time in June 1981 that cousin Maude Mutter from Tybee Island, GA, had visited him in Nevada. Eventually, he moved back to the Savannah area in Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, and appears to live there alone near the Mutter family.
On Wednesday, July 24, 1991 (c), Robert "Bob" William Bennett, age 82, died of congestive heart failure due to renal and myocardial insufficiency and arterial sclerotic heart disease at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah, GA. He had two cousins, Mrs. Charles L. (Maude) Mutter of Tybee Island and Henry Douglas of Coronado, Calif. Maude Mutter set up funeral arrangements for cremation with Lester L. Hayman Funeral Home. The graveside service was at 2 p.m. on July 25th at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens cemetery with his grave marker in the Old Rugged Cross Section, Lot 120-A, Space 3.
Footnotes: (a) On 6-6-2011, relative Sandra Correia commented that her Aunt Pauline remembered that Bob's father, Robert E Bennett, died from a fall from a scaffolding when Bob Bennett was a little child. To help with Bob's development, his mother, Leora, had him spend a few years at the Bethesda Boys Home in Savannah before she married Charlie Ellison. When they married, Bob moved in with them. He and his stepfather, Charlie, got along like a real father and son.
(b) Relative Sandra Correia said, "The upside of the Leora and Bob Bennett Story is in Charlie (stepfather). Bob finally had a father and a real home. When I was little....Bob would come visit us from Reno...he would bring us some candy...some chips from Reno....we thought they were a huge deal. He would have dinner with us and hang out...he really was a nice old guy and we loved him very much." (Later she added another comment) "I spoke with my mother...she told me something interesting...she remembers Charlie when she was very little (circa 1932). And she said he had a car with a rumble seat and she used to ride in it. She said Bob was very handsome and looked just like his mom, Leora... and he and my Grandmother Elma (Abbott Ulmer) and her cousin Maud (Mutter) were very close....So, there it is, Bob was raised by his stepfather Charlie Ellison."
(c) The day he died inscribed on his grave marker, the 25th, is incorrect, Death Certificate and Savannah Morning News, Thursday, July 25, 1991 confirms he died on Wed., July 24th.
References: 1908 Birth Certificate Record Copy Amended in 1968 (added full name); Daughter Betty Bennett Semple and Photo Collection; U.S. Census documents; Savannah Public Library; Marriage License Certificate & Death Certificate documents; Relative Sandra Correia
Bio arranged by family researcher and grandson, Jim Semple, Jr., contributor # 47523168, subject to additions and corrections.
Robert William Bennett was born Aug 9, 1908 at 1113 Jefferson St, Savannah, Georgia, as son and only child of Robert E Bennett (1884-1913) and Leora Rebecca (Joyner) Bennett Ellison (1891-1959). Robert was named for his grandfather, Robert William Bennett, and was called "Bob". He had dark wavy or curly hair with a small white birthmark of hair on the top back of his head.
On October 6, 1913, his father, age 29, died in an accidental fall from a scaffolding when Bob was only 5 years old. His mother's second marriage was to Charles "Charlie" H. Ellison (1895-1972) sometime between 1914 and 1919 (a).
In Jan. 1920 at age 11, he lived with stepfather Charles H Ellison (b), age 23, a ship fitter for Terry Ship Yard and mother, housewife Leora Ellison, age 26, in a rental house in Chatham County, Georgia.
In May 1930, Bob Bennett, age 21, was a roofing company truck driver and lived with his stepfather Charles H Ellison, roofing company manager, age 33, and mother, housewife Leora Ellison age 35, in Chatham County, Georgia. It appears that Bob worked for the same company that his stepfather worked.
On April 19, 1931, Robert W. "Bob" Bennett married Ernestine Bland (1914-2005) in Ridgeland, Jasper County, S.C. Their marriage license states that he was age 22 and Ernestine was 18. Interestingly, she was actually one day short of her 17th birthday on April 20th. They had one daughter, Betty Jane Bennett born on Saturday, March 19, 1932. They divorced on Nov 1, 1933 in Savannah, Chatham County, GA. Bob or Ernestine were not known or verified to have any more children after their divorce.
Bob joined the merchant marines, the year unverified but his social security # was issued in Calif. before 1951. He traveled the world to places like China, Japan and other places as a chef on the ship. He lived in different places including San Francisco, California. When his mother, Leora, moved to California, he would stay with her when he was in port. Bob said that his mother was the single most influential person in his life, according to his relative Edgar Gay. Leora Bennett Ellison died in May 1959 in San Francisco, CA. After retiring as a merchant marine, he move to Reno, Nevada.
In 1981, apparently planning ahead, Bob purchased a cemetery plot in Savannah, GA, while living in Reno, NV, according to cemetery records. This was during the time in June 1981 that cousin Maude Mutter from Tybee Island, GA, had visited him in Nevada. Eventually, he moved back to the Savannah area in Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, and appears to live there alone near the Mutter family.
On Wednesday, July 24, 1991 (c), Robert "Bob" William Bennett, age 82, died of congestive heart failure due to renal and myocardial insufficiency and arterial sclerotic heart disease at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah, GA. He had two cousins, Mrs. Charles L. (Maude) Mutter of Tybee Island and Henry Douglas of Coronado, Calif. Maude Mutter set up funeral arrangements for cremation with Lester L. Hayman Funeral Home. The graveside service was at 2 p.m. on July 25th at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens cemetery with his grave marker in the Old Rugged Cross Section, Lot 120-A, Space 3.
Footnotes: (a) On 6-6-2011, relative Sandra Correia commented that her Aunt Pauline remembered that Bob's father, Robert E Bennett, died from a fall from a scaffolding when Bob Bennett was a little child. To help with Bob's development, his mother, Leora, had him spend a few years at the Bethesda Boys Home in Savannah before she married Charlie Ellison. When they married, Bob moved in with them. He and his stepfather, Charlie, got along like a real father and son.
(b) Relative Sandra Correia said, "The upside of the Leora and Bob Bennett Story is in Charlie (stepfather). Bob finally had a father and a real home. When I was little....Bob would come visit us from Reno...he would bring us some candy...some chips from Reno....we thought they were a huge deal. He would have dinner with us and hang out...he really was a nice old guy and we loved him very much." (Later she added another comment) "I spoke with my mother...she told me something interesting...she remembers Charlie when she was very little (circa 1932). And she said he had a car with a rumble seat and she used to ride in it. She said Bob was very handsome and looked just like his mom, Leora... and he and my Grandmother Elma (Abbott Ulmer) and her cousin Maud (Mutter) were very close....So, there it is, Bob was raised by his stepfather Charlie Ellison."
(c) The day he died inscribed on his grave marker, the 25th, is incorrect, Death Certificate and Savannah Morning News, Thursday, July 25, 1991 confirms he died on Wed., July 24th.
References: 1908 Birth Certificate Record Copy Amended in 1968 (added full name); Daughter Betty Bennett Semple and Photo Collection; U.S. Census documents; Savannah Public Library; Marriage License Certificate & Death Certificate documents; Relative Sandra Correia
Bio arranged by family researcher and grandson, Jim Semple, Jr., contributor # 47523168, subject to additions and corrections.
On October 6, 1913, his father, age 29, died in an accidental fall from a scaffolding when Bob was only 5 years old. His mother's second marriage was to Charles "Charlie" H. Ellison (1895-1972) sometime between 1914 and 1919 (a).
In Jan. 1920 at age 11, he lived with stepfather Charles H Ellison (b), age 23, a ship fitter for Terry Ship Yard and mother, housewife Leora Ellison, age 26, in a rental house in Chatham County, Georgia.
In May 1930, Bob Bennett, age 21, was a roofing company truck driver and lived with his stepfather Charles H Ellison, roofing company manager, age 33, and mother, housewife Leora Ellison age 35, in Chatham County, Georgia. It appears that Bob worked for the same company that his stepfather worked.
On April 19, 1931, Robert W. "Bob" Bennett married Ernestine Bland (1914-2005) in Ridgeland, Jasper County, S.C. Their marriage license states that he was age 22 and Ernestine was 18. Interestingly, she was actually one day short of her 17th birthday on April 20th. They had one daughter, Betty Jane Bennett born on Saturday, March 19, 1932. They divorced on Nov 1, 1933 in Savannah, Chatham County, GA. Bob or Ernestine were not known or verified to have any more children after their divorce.
Bob joined the merchant marines, the year unverified but his social security # was issued in Calif. before 1951. He traveled the world to places like China, Japan and other places as a chef on the ship. He lived in different places including San Francisco, California. When his mother, Leora, moved to California, he would stay with her when he was in port. Bob said that his mother was the single most influential person in his life, according to his relative Edgar Gay. Leora Bennett Ellison died in May 1959 in San Francisco, CA. After retiring as a merchant marine, he move to Reno, Nevada.
In 1981, apparently planning ahead, Bob purchased a cemetery plot in Savannah, GA, while living in Reno, NV, according to cemetery records. This was during the time in June 1981 that cousin Maude Mutter from Tybee Island, GA, had visited him in Nevada. Eventually, he moved back to the Savannah area in Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, and appears to live there alone near the Mutter family.
On Wednesday, July 24, 1991 (c), Robert "Bob" William Bennett, age 82, died of congestive heart failure due to renal and myocardial insufficiency and arterial sclerotic heart disease at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah, GA. He had two cousins, Mrs. Charles L. (Maude) Mutter of Tybee Island and Henry Douglas of Coronado, Calif. Maude Mutter set up funeral arrangements for cremation with Lester L. Hayman Funeral Home. The graveside service was at 2 p.m. on July 25th at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens cemetery with his grave marker in the Old Rugged Cross Section, Lot 120-A, Space 3.
Footnotes: (a) On 6-6-2011, relative Sandra Correia commented that her Aunt Pauline remembered that Bob's father, Robert E Bennett, died from a fall from a scaffolding when Bob Bennett was a little child. To help with Bob's development, his mother, Leora, had him spend a few years at the Bethesda Boys Home in Savannah before she married Charlie Ellison. When they married, Bob moved in with them. He and his stepfather, Charlie, got along like a real father and son.
(b) Relative Sandra Correia said, "The upside of the Leora and Bob Bennett Story is in Charlie (stepfather). Bob finally had a father and a real home. When I was little....Bob would come visit us from Reno...he would bring us some candy...some chips from Reno....we thought they were a huge deal. He would have dinner with us and hang out...he really was a nice old guy and we loved him very much." (Later she added another comment) "I spoke with my mother...she told me something interesting...she remembers Charlie when she was very little (circa 1932). And she said he had a car with a rumble seat and she used to ride in it. She said Bob was very handsome and looked just like his mom, Leora... and he and my Grandmother Elma (Abbott Ulmer) and her cousin Maud (Mutter) were very close....So, there it is, Bob was raised by his stepfather Charlie Ellison."
(c) The day he died inscribed on his grave marker, the 25th, is incorrect, Death Certificate and Savannah Morning News, Thursday, July 25, 1991 confirms he died on Wed., July 24th.
References: 1908 Birth Certificate Record Copy Amended in 1968 (added full name); Daughter Betty Bennett Semple and Photo Collection; U.S. Census documents; Savannah Public Library; Marriage License Certificate & Death Certificate documents; Relative Sandra Correia
Bio arranged by family researcher and grandson, Jim Semple, Jr., contributor # 47523168, subject to additions and corrections.
Inscription
The 25th date died on his grave marker is incorrect, Death Certificate and Savannah Morning News, Thursday, July 25, 1991 confirms he died on Wed, July 24th.
Gravesite Details
Special thanks to Ally to fulfill request for photo of grave marker and posting on 3/20/2014
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