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Obit For Mary Louisa (Patton) Bennett
Headline WHEATON'S OLDEST RESIDENT PASSES AWAY
Text Mary L. Patton was born in Harden County, Illinois, November 27, 1833 and departed this life September 20, 1929, here in Wheaton at the home of her son, J. E. Bennett. She was 95 years, 9 months and 23 days old. Grandma Bennett, as everyone called her was the oldest person in this community to our knowledge, and possibly the oldest person in South West Mo.

She was united in marriage to Joseph C. Bennett at the age of 16. To this union 6 children were born, four of whom have preceded her in death. The two living are, J. E. Bennett and S. P. Bennett of Alluwe, Okla.

When she was 18 years old she and her husband moved to Missouri and settled in the Rocky Comfort community and since that time, 77 years ago, she has been a resident of this community.

Her husband joined the Confederate Army at the beginning of the Civil War and was captured and held prisoner at Little Rock Arkansas. Just before the war was over, Mrs. Bennett received a letter from him stating he would soon come home to his faithful wife and small children. Mrs. Bennett spent many days and nights watching and waiting for her loved one to come home. Mr. Bennett never came home and from that time on she never heard a word from him. It is thought that he was killed by Bushwhackers while making his way back home.

She was converted in early life and was united with the Methodist Church South of which body she lived a consistent member until death.

Funeral services were conducted Saturday at Muncie Chapel by Rev. J. S. McQueen. Interment was made in the Muncie Cemetery under the direction of Pogue’s Undertaking Company.
Research Note: The tombstone in Muncie Cemetery has her name as Bennett, Mary Louisa (Patton) and the birth year as 1834. I could not find Alluwe, Oklahoma on the map.
Newspaper or Funeral Home Wheaton Journal
Date September 26, 1929
Death Cert Link Death Certificate
Resource State Historical Society of MO
Submitted by Don Warner - Deceased