Representative Charles Goodwin Bennett

Charles Goodwin Bennett (December 11, 1863 – May 25, 1914) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a Republican Representative from New York in the United States Congress from 1895 to 1899. Over the course of two terms in the House of Representatives, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history and represented the interests of his constituents in New York’s fifth congressional district.

Bennett was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 11, 1863, the son of George C. Bennett. He was educated in the public schools of Brooklyn and graduated from Brooklyn High School. He went on to study law at New York Law School, from which he graduated in 1882. That same year he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Brooklyn, establishing himself professionally in his native city.

Before attaining national office, Bennett became active in Republican politics in New York. He first sought a seat in Congress as a candidate for election to the Fifty-third Congress in 1892 but was unsuccessful. Undeterred, he continued his political involvement and legal practice, building the experience and connections that would support his subsequent election to federal office.

Elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Congresses, Bennett served as a U.S. Representative for New York’s fifth district from March 4, 1895, to March 4, 1899. During these two terms in the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process at the national level, aligning with the Republican Party during a period marked by debates over economic policy, tariffs, and America’s expanding role on the world stage. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Fifty-sixth Congress in 1898, which brought his House service to a close at the end of his second term.

Following his tenure in the House, Bennett continued his public service in a key administrative role in the legislative branch. He was elected Secretary of the United States Senate and held that office from January 29, 1900, to March 4, 1913, when a successor was chosen. As Secretary of the Senate, he was responsible for overseeing the Senate’s administrative operations, records, and legislative documentation, playing an important behind-the-scenes role in the functioning of the upper chamber during the early twentieth century.

In his personal life, Bennett married Marie Louise Floyd-Smith; she died in 1913. After her death, he married Marguerite Tennan in 1914. Following the end of his service as Secretary of the Senate in 1913, Bennett returned to Brooklyn. He ended active business pursuits and lived in retirement there for the remainder of his life.

Charles Goodwin Bennett died in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, on May 25, 1914, at the age of 50. He was interred at The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.