Charles Fletcher Bennett

• Born: 5 Jul 1814, Leominster MA
• Marriage: Mrs. Rebecca Bennett
• Died: abt 1870, Louisville KY

  General notes:

Silversmith and jeweler

  Events in his life were:

• He worked from 1843 to 1852 as a silversmith and jeweler in Louisville KY in the shop of Henry Fletcher ⁵

• Letter Eliza Bennett in Philadelphia
  Private Collection
  
  

  Louisville August 12th 1844 My dear Sister          I received your kind letter in due time and feel very much obliged to you for the interest you take in the welfare of my dear little Mary. I have taken your proposition into consideration and after much reflection I think that such an arrangement as you speak of can not be made at present, the expense would be too great for you to come here to take charge of her. I could not get you good comfortable board for less than four dollars per week, besides washing and other expenses, which would probably make it six or seven. I have been paying three dollars for the babys board and washing, but I have made a different arrangement with her and shall now pay but two dollars. She has not been doing well and I have been very much afraid that she would not get along, but I have now placed her with a Lady who has lost her own child, to nurse and I hope she will do better, she weighed a week ago when I made the change, seven and a half pounds, which is a half a pound less than when she was born; poor thing, she has had a hard time since she came into the world, but she looks better now and I trust that she may be yet spared to be a comfort to me. The Lady that has charge of her now is young and healthy and her first child, she lives with her mother, who has had a good deal of experience with children, they are from Boston and real Yankees, and I think will do well by her, she will keep her as long as she requires nursing. I should like very — page two — if she could be where some of her relations could take charge of her but I can not think of parting with her, and I suppose there would small chance for me to find any thing to do in Philad by which I could make a certain living, and I think taking all things into consideration it will be best for me to stay where I am. I hope however that I shall be able to pay you a visit during the winter or spring, but I do not know.          Please give my love to Mrs Eplee and tell her that Iif our lives are spared she shall see the baby some time, she must not neglect of write to me about the name, I suppose she will have an opportunity to send by Mr. Marshall on his return. I requested him to call and see Mrs E and hope he has found time to do so.          If you go to Leominster you must give my love to Sidney and Sarah and Kelly, and to aunts Newhall, aunt Betsy and Mary Ann and all the rest of my friends there. I should like to see them once more but I do not that I ever shall in this world. Give my love to all in Philada                                 Your affectionate Brother             Chas F. Bennett You must write to me if you go to Leominster – it is a long time since I have heard any thing from there

• He was a partner from 1852 to 1866 with Henry Fletcher in Louisville KY as FLETCHER & BENNETT, listed in the 1859 city directory at 163 Main Street.
  ⁵

• Alternate Mark for FLETCHER & BENNETT

• He appeared on the 1860 census taken at Louisville KY, listed as a jeweler, living in the home of Henry Fletcher

• Letter to Jacob Bennett
  Private Collection
  
  

  Louisville June 30th 1854 Dear Brother          I received your letter this morning and was glad to hear from you. I have for some days been thinking of writing to you about James' being dissatisfied and wishing to go home. We have about come to the same conclusion that you have, that it will be best for him to go home. I regret this very much as he could be of great use to us, and I have no doubt that it would be very much to his own advantage to stay if he was willing to do so and make himself useful. I know that he will regret it hereafter, it is such an opportunity as may not again offer. I suppose the great reason for his wanting to go home now is to be there on the Forth of July. The Boys have been constantly writing to him urging him to come home and be with them on that day and offering to send him money to pay his expenses and it has kept him in a perfect fever to be off. As far as Comfort and happiness are concerned I see no reason why he should not be both comfortable and happy, he boards in one of the best houses in the City, the same that Uncle Henry boards in now and has for several years and where I now board. We pay for his board the same as Uncle Henry pays and he sits at the same table, -- he sleeps in the same room that I slept in for years. Uncle Henry also sleeps in the store, as is the custom here, and I do not see that he has any thing to make him unhappy, and to judge by the way he can talk, laugh, sing and play with the boys and girls I should say he was as happy as any one could be. The only thing he has to complain of is that he is required to be in at or about ten o'clock at night as Uncle Henry goes to bed at that time. I do not believe he could complain of the work he is put to -- his duties and chores are near to half what was expected of me when I was put out to trade. As to his being bitten by the dog it was only a very slight scratch on the finger, not enough to draw blood and there is not the least danger from it. I had a talk with him yesterday about going home and he was anxious to be off right away so as to be there on the forth but I told him he would have to wait until I had written to you upon the subject. I do not suppose that there would be the least danger in sending him home by himself, he is smart enough to go any where, so I will wait to hear from you and then if he still wishes to go and you wish to have him I will get him a through ticket and send him off. Please remember me to all the family and tell them James looks as fat and hardy as ever. Your Affectionate Brother                                 C. F. Bennett

• He worked from circa 1866 to 1870 as a jeweler in Louisville KY continuing, after the death of Henry Fletcher, under the name FLETCHER & BENNETT. ⁵

• Schematic map of the Fletcher & Bennett family business connections.
  Red lines indicate formal partnerships; green lines informal dealings. Click an individual to go to their page.
  
  

Charles married Mrs. Rebecca Bennett.