Joseph Alonza Bennett and Catherine E "Kate" Hawkins
Husband Joseph Alonza Bennett [2942] 1
Born: 5 Apr 1867 - Maryland, United States 1 Christened: Died: 14 Oct 1944 - Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, United States Buried: - Clarksburg United Methodist Church Cemetery, Clarksburg, Montgomery, Maryland, United States 1 FamilySearch ID: 2SH9-TW5 Find A Grave ID: 90332839Marriage: 1891 - Montgomery, Maryland, United States 2Events
• Event: Washington Evening Star, 17 Feb 1898. GIVES UP HIS CHILD
Father Driven by insecurity to Relinquish Car of his son.
A man about thirty-five years old, carrying an infant in his arms and a big bottle of milk in his pocket, attracted the attention of passengers on the train from the Metropolitan branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad this morning. The man was Joseph Bennett, a farm laborer, who lives near Clarksburg, Montgomery county, who came to this city for the purpose of making some provision for the care of his infant son. A few minutes after the train arrived here he appeared in the office of Sanitary Officer Frank.
The stranger was closely questioned by the sanitary officer. He was asked if he expected the people of Washington to care for a Maryland child and also why he had not gone to Baltimore, a city in his own state. A friend who accompanied Bennett pleaded ignorance of such matters for him.
"He really didn't know what to do," said his friend, "and he came here because of the advice of neighbors."
Officer Wilson of the Humane Society, who deals with such cases, heard the conversation, and he, too, objected to having the infant become a charge upon the District.
But there was a sadder side to the story, and when this was heard, the officer could not refuse the request. The child had been born in the Montevue Asylum at Frederick, four months ago, the father said, and he had been required to take the infant from the institution. He had hired a woman to act as housekeeper and take care of the child, but she had taken to drink and he was left alone to care for the baby. This he could not do and go out to work at the same time, and as a last resort he had come here and was willing to relinquish all claim to the boy. This he found necessary, because he had received a letter from the asylum authorities informing him that his wife's mind wa still unimproved. He could get no hope that she would ever recover, and for reasons already stated he signed away all claim to the child.
Officer Wilson placed the infant in the Washington Foundling Hospital.• His obituary was published in the Frederick News-Post on 16 Oct 1944. JOSEPH BENNETT
Joseph Bennett, a retired resident of Gaithersburg, died Saturdayat the Frederick City Hospital, aged 77 years. He had been sick for some time and a patient at the hospital a few days. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Minnie M. Bennett; four sons, Harry J. and Lewis Bennett, Chicago; Marshall W., Boyds, and Harold, with the AAF in England; three daughters, Mrs. Edith Etchison and Mrs. Ella Hawkins, Rockville, and Mrs. Marjorie Dillihay, Boyds, and a sister, Mrs. Addie Ward, Barnesville. The body is at the funeral home in Laytonsville. Services Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock in the Clarksburg church with Rev. Carl G. Newell and Rev. Thomas Morgan officiating. Interment in the church cemetery. Roy W. Barber, funeral director.
Wife Catherine E "Kate" Hawkins [3457] 1
Born: 6 Nov 1871 - Clarksburg, Montgomery, Maryland, United States Christened: Died: 21 Oct 1906 - Clarksburg, Montgomery, Maryland, United States Buried: - Monocacy Cemetery, Beallsville, Montgomery Co, MD FamilySearch ID: LDQJ-6FH Find A Grave ID: 63385485Events
• Her obituary was published in The News (Frederick MD) on 25 Oct 1906. Mrs. Catherine Bennett, wife of John [Joseph] A. Bennett, of Clarksburg, died at Montevue Hospital Tuesday after several years' illness there. She was a daughter of John T. Hawkins, a prominent farmer of Boyds, Montgomery County.
Children
1 F Edith May Bennett [17394]
Born: 25 May 1892 - Clarksburg, Montgomery, Maryland, United States Christened: Died: 10 Nov 1971 - Bethesda, Montgomery, Maryland, United States Buried: - Clarksburg United Methodist Church Cemetery, Clarksburg, Montgomery, Maryland, United States FamilySearch ID: LKY7-WXT Find A Grave ID: 31760771
2 M Harry J Bennett [17396]
Born: Nov 1894 - Clarksburg, Montgomery, Maryland, United States Christened: Died: Buried: FamilySearch ID: L2CC-9S6
3 M James Lewis Bennett [17397]
Born: 1898 - Montgomery, Maryland, United States Christened: Died: 21 Feb 1967 - Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States Buried: 23 Feb 1967 - Worth, Cook Co, IL FamilySearch ID: LYPV-9K3
Burial Notes: Wife - Catherine E "Kate" Hawkins
Row B, Lot 33, Site 12
1 Kathleen Dillehay (http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:923173&id=I42757716).
2
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 20 Nov 2025), entry for Catherine E "Kate" Hawkins, person ID LDQJ-6FH.
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