John B. Bennett

John Bonifas Bennett (January 10, 1904 – August 9, 1964) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

Bennett was born in Garden, Michigan, attended the public schools there, and graduated from Watersmeet High School. He graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1925 and took a post-graduate course at the University of Chicago Law School in 1926.

He was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1925 and to the Michigan bar in 1926. He practiced law in Ontonagon, Michigan, from 1926 through 1942. He was prosecuting attorney of Ontonagon County from 1929 to 1934 and the deputy commissioner of the Michigan Department of Labor and Industry from 1935 to 1937.

Bennett was unsuccessful in his first two attempts for a seat in the United States House of Representatives, losing in 1938 and 1940 to incumbent Democrat Frank E. Hook. In 1942 Bennett defeated Hook and was elected as a Republican from Michigan's 12th congressional district to the 78th Congress, serving from January 3, 1943, to January 3, 1945.

In 1944 Bennett lost the election to Hook, but defeated Hook again in 1946 for election to the 80th Congress. He was subsequently re-elected to the eight succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1947, until his death from cancer in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in August 1964.

In Congress, Bennett was a moderate Republican who initially opposed civil rights bills, but he finally voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 shortly before his death at age 60.

He is interred in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland.

References

• John B. Bennett at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• The Political Graveyard

External links

• John B. Bennett at Find a Grave

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Frank Hook	United States Representative for the 12th Congressional District of Michigan 1943 – 1945	Succeeded by Frank Hook
Preceded by Frank Hook	United States Representative for the 12th Congressional District of Michigan 1947 – 1964	Succeeded by James G. O'Hara