John W. F. Bennett
Encyclopedia
John W.F. Bennett was an American
civil engineer
and football
player. He played football for the University of Michigan
from 1896 to 1898. As a civil engineer, he supervised the construction of important buildings in New York and London, including the Algonquin Hotel
in New York and the Ritz
and Waldorf Hotel
s in London.
, which was then a sparsely settled suburb of Chicago. Bennett played football at Austin High School
.
. He played for the Michigan Wolverines
football and track teams for three years. He played football at the guard
position in 1896 and at end in 1897 and 1898. He was the captain of the 1898 team
that won the school's first Western Conference
championship with an undefeated, untied record of 10–0. At the time of his election as the Michigan team captain, the Detroit Free Press wrote: "Bennett is a Michigan player through and through, and his rise to his present position of prominence in football circles came by steady, hard work." He graduated from Michigan in 1899 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.
Bennett remained active in University of Michigan affairs in his later years. He was the president of the University of Michigan Club from 1917 to 1918. He also served as president of the "M" Club, the organization of Michigan's varsity letter winners, from 1939 to 1941. In 1943, he was elected president of the Touchdown Club of America.
s in New York and a factory for Bailey Banks and Biddle, jewelers, in Philadelphia
.
From 1904 to 1909, Bennett worked for the Waring-White Building Company of London, England. During this time, he supervised the construction of the Ritz Hotel
, the Waldorf Hotel
, the Morning Post Building, three London Underground
stations, the Liverpool Cotton Exchange and the Lancaster Town Hall.
Bennett returned to New York in 1910 and served as the New York City Deputing and Acting Commissioner of Water Supply. In that position, he advised the city on engineering matters arising out of the water department's $10 million annual budget. From 1914 to 1918, Bennett was a consulting engineer working for the president of the Borough of Bronx.
During World War I
, Bennett served in the United States Army
. He was a major in the Quartermaster Corps and supervised the construction of a supply base in Brooklyn, New York.
After being discharged from the Army, Bennett worked for the American Sugar Refining Company
from 1919 to 1923. He was chairman of the company's engineering consulting board and oversaw the construction of the company's refinery in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1924, Bennett was hired by the engineering and construction firm, Stevens & Wood, Inc. He was a vice president of the company from 1924 to 1930.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played football for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1896 to 1898. As a civil engineer, he supervised the construction of important buildings in New York and London, including the Algonquin Hotel
Algonquin Hotel
The Algonquin Hotel is a historic hotel located at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan . The hotel has been designated as a New York City Historic Landmark....
in New York and the Ritz
Ritz Hotel
The Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
and Waldorf Hotel
Waldorf Hilton
The Waldorf Hotel, now known as the Waldorf Hilton, is a hotel based in The Aldwych, London. It has a history dating back to 1908. It was founded by William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor, part of the Astor family....
s in London.
Early years
Bennett was born in Chicago in approximately1875. His father, John Wesley Bennett (1837–1920), was a lawyer in Chicago who had served as a lieutenant colonel in the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. In 1885, the family moved to Austin, IllinoisAustin, Chicago
Austin, located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the largest of the city's 77 officially defined community areas, followed by Lake View. Its eastern boundary is the Belt Railway located just east of Cicero Avenue. Its northernmost border is the Milwaukee District/West Line...
, which was then a sparsely settled suburb of Chicago. Bennett played football at Austin High School
Austin Community Academy High School
Austin Community Academy High School was a public high school located at 231 N Pine Avenue in the Austin community on the west side of Chicago, Illinois. The school opened in 1890, and was named after Henry W. Austin, a local real estate developer The online newsletter Chicago-Catalyst.org called...
.
University of Michigan
After graduating from high school, Bennett enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He played for the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
football and track teams for three years. He played football at the guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
position in 1896 and at end in 1897 and 1898. He was the captain of the 1898 team
1898 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1898 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1898 college football season. The team, with Gustave Ferbert as head coach, went 10–0 and became the first Michigan football team to win the Western Conference championship. The first great Michigan football...
that won the school's first Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship with an undefeated, untied record of 10–0. At the time of his election as the Michigan team captain, the Detroit Free Press wrote: "Bennett is a Michigan player through and through, and his rise to his present position of prominence in football circles came by steady, hard work." He graduated from Michigan in 1899 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.
Bennett remained active in University of Michigan affairs in his later years. He was the president of the University of Michigan Club from 1917 to 1918. He also served as president of the "M" Club, the organization of Michigan's varsity letter winners, from 1939 to 1941. In 1943, he was elected president of the Touchdown Club of America.
Engineering career
Bennett worked for the Thompson-Starrett Company in New York from 1901 to 1904. During these years, he supervised the construction of the St. Regis and Algonquin HotelAlgonquin Hotel
The Algonquin Hotel is a historic hotel located at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan . The hotel has been designated as a New York City Historic Landmark....
s in New York and a factory for Bailey Banks and Biddle, jewelers, in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
From 1904 to 1909, Bennett worked for the Waring-White Building Company of London, England. During this time, he supervised the construction of the Ritz Hotel
Ritz Hotel
The Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
, the Waldorf Hotel
Waldorf Hilton
The Waldorf Hotel, now known as the Waldorf Hilton, is a hotel based in The Aldwych, London. It has a history dating back to 1908. It was founded by William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor, part of the Astor family....
, the Morning Post Building, three London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
stations, the Liverpool Cotton Exchange and the Lancaster Town Hall.
Bennett returned to New York in 1910 and served as the New York City Deputing and Acting Commissioner of Water Supply. In that position, he advised the city on engineering matters arising out of the water department's $10 million annual budget. From 1914 to 1918, Bennett was a consulting engineer working for the president of the Borough of Bronx.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Bennett served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He was a major in the Quartermaster Corps and supervised the construction of a supply base in Brooklyn, New York.
After being discharged from the Army, Bennett worked for the American Sugar Refining Company
American Sugar Refining Company
The American Sugar Refining Company was the largest American business unit in the sugar refining industry in the early 1900s.-Establishment:...
from 1919 to 1923. He was chairman of the company's engineering consulting board and oversaw the construction of the company's refinery in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1924, Bennett was hired by the engineering and construction firm, Stevens & Wood, Inc. He was a vice president of the company from 1924 to 1930.