Ransom Bennett

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03fc8c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="id280.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sinclair Oil"><B><IMG SRC="0410b120.png" border=0 width="11" height="18" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B>   </B><A HREF="id264.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Old Ottawa Hamlin House"><B><IMG SRC="0420b120.png" border=0 width="11" height="18" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B>     </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="18" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="18"><B>  </B><A HREF="id176.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ottawa Business"><B><IMG SRC="04312120.png" border=0 width="18" height="18" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="77" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 30 WIDTH="71"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="30" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="71" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Thanks to Jim Corcoran and Morgan Williams for providing articles from </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>The Ottawa Herald</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm#ranson_bennett_dies" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><B>Ranson Bennett Dies</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm#ransom_bennett_article" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><B>Ransom Bennett Article</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm#ransom_bennett_obituary" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><B>Ransom Bennett Obituary</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm#bennett_heritage" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><B>Bennett heritage</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm#the_greater_good_article" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><B>The Greater Good Article</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm#county_coal_miners_in_1900_on_bennett" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><I><B>County Coal Miners in 1900 </B></I></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id238.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cayot Dry Goods Store"><B>Cayot Dry Goods Store</B></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=94 BGCOLOR="#FF3300" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0403c5e1dvmwlb.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Ottawa High School Class of '57</B></FONT><B>     |    </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ottawa High School Class of 57"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="christmas_on_main_street.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Main Street">Main Street</A>   |   <A HREF="franklin_co_courthouse.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Franklin Co Courthouse">Franklin Co Courthouse</A>   |   <A HREF="kfo_radio.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Radio ">Radio </A>   |   <A HREF="ogg_s.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Oggs West End Grocery">Ogg's West End Grocery</A>   |   <A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mom Blackies">Mom & Blackie's</A>   |   <A HREF="id201.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hoods DariTreat">Hood's Dari-Treat</A>   |   <A HREF="id197.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dunkins Dutchmaid">Dunkin's Dutchmaid</A>   |   <A HREF="id171.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="East Side Grocery">East Side Grocery</A>   |   <A HREF="id238.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cayot Dry Goods Store">Cayot Dry Goods Store</A>   |   <A HREF="id246.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Douglas Maytag Co.">Douglas Maytag Co.</A>   |   <A HREF="id277.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Union Oil">Union Oil</A>   |   <A HREF="id280.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sinclair Oil">Sinclair Oil</A>   |   <B>Ransom Bennett</B>   |   <A HREF="id264.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Old Ottawa Hamlin House">Old Ottawa Hamlin House</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=386 width="100%" colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Ransom Bennett</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Ransom Bennett Memorial</B></I></div> <bR> <div> All of you of course knew about Bennett's Creamery, the People's National Bank, and the Bennett family. The two institutions and the Bennett family have been an intregal and important part of Ottawa for a long, long time.</div> <bR> <div> We thought you would be interested in this notice about the death of one of Ottawa's long time leading citizens, Ransom Bennett.  We know many of you knew Rans personally. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>OHS Class of 1957 Alumni Committee</B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <I><B> <A NAME="ranson_bennett_dies"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I><I><B>Ranson Bennett Dies</B></I></div> <bR> <div> By Andy Gassaway</div> <div> Ottawa Herald Staff</div> <div> <I><B>The Ottawa Herald</B></I></div> <div> Ottawa, Kansas</div> <div> Thursday, January 30, 2003</div> <bR> <div> Ottawa businessman F. Ransom Bennett, Jr. died this morning at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. He was 70 years old.</div> <bR> <div> Bennett was involved with a variety of business endeavors in Ottawa, including serving as director of Peoples National Bank for 35 years.</div> <bR> <div> "We are all trying to suport each other at the bank this morning." Peoples Bank President Dale Dieterich said. "It's  a pretty emotional day for everyone here now because of their close relationship with Rans.</div> <bR> <div> "Everyone who works here always relied on him for direction and good, common sense banking and friendship. Rans Bennett has been a mentor to almost everyone who's worked here over the years. His loss will be felt by the entire community."</div> <bR> <div> Bennett began his education at Eugene Field Elementary and graduated from Ottawa High School. He subsequently attended the University of Kansas, where he pledged Beta Theta Pi fraternity.</div> <bR> <div> His college career was interrupted in 1944 by World War II. He served in the South Pacific as a Navy Lieutenant on a mine sweeper in 1945 and 1946. Upon returning, he finished his business degree at KU and married his wife, Beverly, at the university's Danforth Chapel just three months after it opened.</div> <bR> <div> He later managed his grandfather's business, the Bennett Creamery, which remained in operation until 1990. Bennett became a director of the bank in 1949.</div> <bR> <div> "The only thing I've got to say is that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been in the music business 62 years ago," said Walter Butler, who ran Butler's Music Store in Ottawa until the age of 80.</div> <bR> <div> Butler said in 1956, Bennett helped him secure a loan to buy the store and all its inventory when its original owner gave up the business. </div> <bR> <div> "He was that way," Butler said. "He benefited people and never said much, but he did a lot. He's one of my closest friends."</div> <bR> <div> In 1971, the bank came under the partial ownership of Wint Winter, who is chairman of the board and holding company while Bennett continued as president.</div> <bR> <div> "Ransom Bennett was a wonderful person to work with," Winter said. "He was always looking for a way to help and be of service to someone else."</div> <bR> <div> Bennett also served on the Ottawa University Board of Trustees Executive Committee eventually being named a life-time member.  He served on the Ottawa Industrial Development Board in 1947 for 28 years, and was named president in 1974 and 1975.</div> <bR> <div> Services for Bennett have been scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday in the O.U. chapel.</div> <bR> <div> Dieterich said both Ottawa Peoples National Bank locations would be closed from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><I><B>Back to Top</B></I></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <I><B> <A NAME="ransom_bennett_article"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I><I><B>Ransom Bennett Article</B></I></div> <div> By Andy Gassaway</div> <div> Ottawa Herald Staff</div> <div> <I><B>The Ottawa Herald</B></I></div> <div> Ottawa, Kansas</div> <div> Thursday, January 30, 2003</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="547a9be0.jpg" border=0 width="681" height="702" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><I><B>Back to Top</B></I></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <A NAME="ransom_bennett_obituary"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <I><B>Ransom Bennett Obituary</B></I></div> <div> By Andy Gassaway</div> <div> Ottawa Herald Staff</div> <div> <I><B>The Ottawa Herald</B></I></div> <div> Ottawa, Kansas</div> <div> Thursday, January 31, 2003</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="548a5660.jpg" border=0 width="421" height="1126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <A HREF="id233_m.htm" TITLE="Ransom Bennett"><I><B>Back to Top</B></I></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B> <A NAME="bennett_heritage"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I><I><B>Bennett Name Continues Heritage</B></I></div> <div> <B>By MARY VERNON </B></div> <div> <I>Special to The Herald </I></div> <bR> <div> Having a hospital named after your grandfather would leave tough shoes to fill.  But not for Ransom Bennett Jr. He's managed to make quite a name for himself in Ottawa as well. </div> <bR> <div> After excelling in high school, where he ran track and served as basketball team captain, Bennett moved on to college at the University of Kansas.  There, he pledged the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, enjoyed six different intramural sports and several championships to go along with them.  However, Bennett's life hasn't completely revolved around athletics. </div> <bR> <div> In 1944, Bennett's college career was interrupted by World War II, and he was sent to Mine Warfare School in Yorktown, Va. From there, he served in the South Pacific as a lieutenant for the Navy on a mine sweeper in 1945-46. When he returned, he married his high school sweetheart, Beverly, at KU's Danforth Chapel, just three months after it opened. </div> <bR> <div> "We've been married nearly 53 years," Bennett said. </div> <bR> <div> Later on, Bennett managed his grandfather's business, the Bennett Creamery. His family sold the business to Mid America Dairymen in 1968.  The business served several of the Dairy Queen chains in Kansas and western Missouri, supplying them with ice cream, butter, powdered eggs, ice milk mix and condensed milk.  It remained in operation until 1990. </div> <div> Bennett also has served as a trustee for Ottawa University for 44 years -- chairman for 10 of those -- and is currently the chairman of Peoples National Bank in Ottawa.  He has run the bank for the last 28 years. </div> <bR> <div> Not only does Bennett serve on the business side of Ottawa; he also is interested in preserving its history as well. </div> <bR> <div> "I help the Franklin County Historical Society with historical issues and facts. I am helping to develop an exhibit of the Bennett Creamery and two other early day industries in our newly remodeled historical museum." </div> <bR> <div> Success seems to run in the Bennett family. His only daughter represents World Book as a director and consultant in Rhode Island.  Bennett's second oldest son is an administrator for a law firm in Washington, D.C.; his youngest son is a lawyer studying for his master's degree in computer programming in Denver.  His oldest son, however, has been physically handicapped since birth and remains close by in Overland Park. </div> <bR> <div> Bennett maintains that he never had such high expectations of himself, just a competitive spirit.  His role models were both of his grandfathers and his father, Ransom Bennett, Sr. He does admire one other individual, however. </div> <bR> <div> "I admire Michael Jordan today for his ability and the way he handles his celebrity status," he said. </div> <bR> <div> His family has made Bennett almost a household name in Ottawa, and Bennett has carried on that tradition.  He takes great pride in his hometown and the ties he has there. </div> <bR> <div> "Many of our friends were classmates in elementary through high school. We have so many close friends.  Our roots are so deep here." </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Reference: Ottawa Herald:  </I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><A HREF="http://wire.dailynews.net/ottawa/2000/bennett.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://wire.dailynews.net/ottawa/2000/be"><I><U>http://wire.dailynews.net/ottawa/2000/bennett.html</U></I></A></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <I><B> <A NAME="the_greater_good_article"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I><I><B>Ransom Bennett Article in </B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#009900" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>The Greater Good</B></I></FONT><B> </B><I><B>Website</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="55f09340.png" border=0 width="265" height="52" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="56044190.png" border=0 width="580" height="25" ALT="Ransom Bennett" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="5625a870.jpg" border=0 width="90" height="135" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">"I don't need any more credit.  I've had more credit than anyone deserves in a lifetime."</div> <bR> <div> So says the low-key Ransom Bennett as he reflects over his last nearly 80 years.  The Ottawa native wanted to be a lawyer but ended up taking over the family business, the Bennett Creamery Company (the major employer in town).  He came home from WWII, married a childhood friend, Beverly Stucker, and even-tually ended up as CEO and Chairman of People's National Bank and Trust, all in Ottawa.</div> <bR> <div> Bennett may gain his philanthropic tendencies by heritage.  His father was a trustee for over 40 years at the hospital named after him, the Ransom Memorial Hospital, and Bennett has been an executive and now life trustee at Ottawa University for 48 years, longer than any other person, where both his father and wife attended.  He laughs and says they, like the bank, won't let him really retire.  In a letter submitted to the local high school for the coveted inclusion on their Wall of Honor, his three nominators in a joint letter said that his leadership has been critical to Ottawa University's success through very difficult times in the past.</div> <bR> <div> He downplays the money he's given to organizations such as the United Way (which he originated in Ottawa), the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, assorted historical projects, and much more. Saying he doesn't consider himself an outstanding philanthropist, but more of a manager for his contributions of time and knowledge, he can solve problems others are having difficulty with due to his ability to "give advice and experience without interfering”.</div> <bR> <div> John Neal, president of Ottawa University, said: "Nothing happens in Ottawa and Franklin County without Rans Bennett."</div> <bR> <div> Perhaps most telling about Bennett is his comment on a recent Ottawa trustee form, which asks, "what programs or projects are of most interest to you, as a trustee or financial supporter”.  His answer is succinct: "Anything that needs consideration”.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Reference: The Greater Good: </I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><A HREF="http://www.ingramsonline.com/december_2002/localheroes3.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ingramsonline.com/december_20"><I><U>http://www.ingramsonline.com/december_2002/localheroes3.html</U></I></A></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="county_coal_miners_in_1900_on_bennett"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>County Coal Miners in 1900 on Bennett Farm</B></div> <div> From <I>The Ottawa Herald,  </I>March 8, 2004</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><IMG SRC="6464d230.jpg" border=0 width="845" height="803" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Article contributed by Jim Corcoran</B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>