“ Our family came from Europe and the Bennett name specifically originated from the term‘ Bend-It’ which represented the family’ s profession of being blacksmiths serving farmers in small villages in the countryside of England,” began Kelvin Bennett, a sixth-generation farmer.“ Coincidently, or purposely, this connection to agriculture and doing things with our hands is still represented in our family today.”

The Bennett family migrated to America and settled in North Carolina in 1808. Fastforward to 1868 when Dolphus Henderson Bennett, Kelvin’ s great-grandfather, was born to John Henry and wife Martha.

Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Arkansas and began farming in Clarksville. In the 1880s, they moved again to a 40-acre farm near Vaughn, 20 acres of which is the current farm that was just recognized as an Arkansas Century Farm.

During this time, the family operated a blacksmith shop, apple and peach orchards, livestock and pastures. Dolphus married Mattie and together they had three children, Noel( Kelvin’ s grandfather), Harold and Anna. The children were born and raised on the farm which they officially bought in 1911. This was the start of continuous Bennett family ownership in Benton County.

The 40-acre farm was originally homesteaded from the U. S. government to a Jackson family in 1869, whereafter it was bought and sold a few times until Dolphus and Mattia bought it in 1911. Kelvin’ s parents still have the original 1869 title and all the title paperwork of purchase transactions.

By all accounts, times were tough for Dolphus and his family during those years enduring World War I, the loss of his wife in childbirth and life in rural Arkansas running a farm with three young kids. But they persevered and laid the foundation for multi-generations of Bennett family living in Northwest Arkansas and working in agriculture on the farm.

While life in those times could be challenging, it also produced some great

stories that have been passed down by the Bennett family through the years.

“ One long, passed down story is that the blacksmith shop on the farm was once visited by part of the Frank and Jesse James’ gang, although they did not know who they were at the time,” Kelvin said.“ The visitors exchanged horses and then continued their escape from law officials. The law officers in pursuit followed a few hours later and informed the Bennetts that they had just serviced the infamous James Gang.”

Another story involved Dolphus taking his three children on a buggy ride to a doctor in Bentonville to have their tonsils removed, all in same day. He then drove them back that afternoon on the buggy.

In addition to farming, Grandpa Joel, like his father Dolphus who served on the Mason Valley School Board, was also very active in the community. He served multiple years on the Benton County Farmers Coop Board, was a lifelong faithful member of Cave Springs Church of Christ and served on the Coffelt Cemetery Board, the local cemetery a half-mile from the farm where the Bennett family members are buried, going back to first-generation Henry John Bennett, born in 1808.

Noel, like his father, faced several challenges including the Great Depression, World War II, and his wife Dorothy experiencing a significant ankle injury which resulted in her walking with a cane for the rest of her life. Kelvin’ s grandfather died of natural causes on the same farm he was born on.

“ In 1938, when grandpa built the

farmhouse that my dad was born in, he couldn’ t find lumber in Northwest Arkansas, so he had to haul the lumber up from sawmills near Clarksville,” Kelvin noted.

Kelvin’ s father, Noel Eugene( Gene) Bennett, was an only child, born in 1943 during World War II. He was raised on the farm and helped his parents on the farm up until he went to college at the University of Arkansas.

“ When dad went to college, grandpa sold the dairy herd and converted to beef cows,” Kelvin said.“ The beef cow calf and hay operations have been the primary farming activities from dad’ s college days through today.”

When Gene married Irma Jean Evans from Highfill, they bought another 40 acres, which combined with the 130 acres they inherited from Kelvin’ s grandfather formed the 190-acre cattle / hay farm that they still own to this day.

“ The first and original tractor on the farm was a 1950’ s Ford 8N and the first heavy farm truck was a 1968 Chevrolet,” Kelvin said.

Photos by Spencer Tirey

“ Both are still on the farm today. We even have the original bill of sale for the tractor.”

Carrying on the family tradition, Kelvin’ s parents are also very involved in the Northwest Arkansas community. They are active lifelong members of Highfill Baptist Church, served in multiple school