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Bennett E. Rhinehart
Born November 27, 1868 |
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Bennett E. Rhinehart, for twelve years an attorney at the Anamosa bar, enjoying during this period a constantly increasing clientage, was born at Waynesburg, Greene county, Pennsylvania, on the 27th of November, 1868. His parents were Bennett and Catherine Rhinehart. The father was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1833 and died in 1908, having passed the seventy-fifth milestone on life's journey. He was a farmer by occupation and came to Iowa on the 10th of February, 1869, settling first in Taylor county, where he secured a tract of land, making it his home during the greater part of his remain ing days. He became prosperous as the years went by and retired about ten years prior to his death, which occurred while he was on a visit to his children in Walter, Oklahoma. He held membership in the Christian church and his life was in consistent harmony with its teachings. Politically he was a strong republican giving unfaltering allegiance to the principles of the party. Fraternally he was connected with the Odd Fellows and also with the Grand Army of the Republic. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting in his native county as a member of Company K, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with which he served for about a year. He took part in the battle of Stone River and for about a year was ill in the military hospital at Nashville, Tennessee, after which he was honorably discharged. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Catherine Leonard, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, on Christmas day of 1842 and is now living in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is a consistent member of the Christian church and was a most devoted mother to her family, which numbered ten children.
Bennett E. Rhinehart, the sixth in order of birth, pursued his education in the schools of Bedford, Iowa, and after attending the district schools was graduated from the high school of that place with the class of 1891. Immediately afterward he took up the study of law under private instruction, thus continuing his review for a year, after which he began to work in order to secure money that would enable him to pursue a law course. He then entered the Iowa College of Law at Des Moines and graduated in May, 1896, with the degree of B. L. He then took the examination before the supreme court on the 13th of May, of that year, and was admitted to practice at the Iowa bar. His early experience was that of the average farm boy, who is deprived of all but the actual necessities. He worked for nine months each year on the farm and attended school in the winter. He was ambitious, however, and, determining to follow a professional career, pursued his plans for becoming a member of the bar, as previously stated. Following his admission he at once began practice in Anamosa on the 1st of January, 1897. He continued alone until 1900, when he formed a partnership with Charles J. Cash under the firm style of Cash & Rhinehart, and they practiced together until 1908, when M. W. Herrick joined them under the style of Herrick, Cash & Rhinehart. Their progress in a professional way has been extremely flattering. This is recognized as one of the strongest law firms of the county, their clientage being of a most extensive and important, character. In 1904 Mr. Rhinehart was elected city attorney of Anamosa and is now serving for the third term in that position, his reelections being evidence of his ability and the confidence imposed in him by the public. He was also justice of the peace from the 1st of January, 1897, until January 1, 1901. Aside from all professional connections he is known in financial circles as one of the stockholders of the Citizens Savings Bank.
On the 1st of March, 1894, Mr. Rhinehart was united in marriage to Miss Julia Florence Feehan, who was born in Onslow, Jones county, November :27, 1871, a daughter of John and Julia Feehan, who came to this county about 1852, making the journey with John Russell from Ohio, Mr. Feehan was a brother of Mrs. Margaret (Feehan) Russell, the wife of John Russell. Mrs. Rhinehart pursued her education in the schools of Anamosa and for a time engaged in teaching in the country schools. The household is a most hospitable one, and both Mr. and Mrs. Rhinehart are numbered among the valued members of the Baptist church. Mr. Rhinehart belongs to Anamosa Lodge, No. 46, A.P.&A.M.; Mount Sinai Chapter, No. 66, R.A.M.; Mount Olivet Commandery, No. 36, K.T., of which he is a past eminent commander, and El Kahir temple of the Mystic Shrine and the Eastern Star. He is likewise connected with Sumner Lodge, No. 92, K.P., of which he is a past chancellor, has been a member of the Pythian grand lodge and served on the committee on judiciary, which committee recodified the grand statutes during the year 1909. He was reappointed on the committee for another year. Mr. Rhinehart is likewise connected with the Mystic Workers and with the Jones County Bar Association. His political allegiance has always been given to the republican party, and he has never wavered in his support thereof, for he believes that its principles are most conducive to good government. Endowed by nature with strong intellectual force and developing his talents by the prompting of a laudable ambition, he is making steady progress in the profession which he has chosen as his life work.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 188. |
 From Souvenir of Anamosa, published by The Anamosa Journal, 1907. Submitted by Jim Christianson. | ||
© Copyright 1997-2013, The Art Department, © Copyright 2014-2020, Richard Harrison.
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