Capturing history on film

Richard Copeland - HISTORY BUFF

David H. Bennett was the premier photographer of Logansport history from the early 1900s to the 1950s. He recorded many of the events that created the city as it gradually settled into the 20th century.

Mr. Bennett was born in Clyde, Ohio, on Oct. 27, 1875 or 1874. He grew up in the countryside in Seneca County, Ohio. David began his photography career in Findlay, Ohio, at age 18. The Spanish American War cut short his apprenticeship. David enlisted in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company 1 and served from June 23, 1898, to May 24, 1899.  

After the war, he came to Monticello and opened his photography establishment. David left Monticello for Kankakee, Ill., for a few years before moving to Logansport in 1906. While in Monticello, he met and married Jennie W. Gill, of Washington, on June 3, 1901. They had one child, Helen Bennett Addy, who died Dec. 15, 1930.

After arriving in Logansport, David went into the photography business with C.W. Graves who died Dec. 10, 1941.

David became very active in the Spanish American War Veterans Organization. He served as adjutant secretary-treasurer of the local organization, David S. Bender Camp. He served in this capacity for 18 years. He then served as Indiana State Commander and the Cass County Commander.

The local political scene was particularly important to Mr. Bennett. He served on the Logansport City Council for 14 years. He also belonged to the Logansport Apollo Lodge (a part of Free Masonry), department quartermaster of the United States War Veterans for two years, the Modern Woodmen of the World and the Liberty Sportsmen League. Mayor Leland Smith appointed David as manager of Logansport Veterans Housing for three years.

The only fires in Logansport that David Bennett missed photographing during his life as a photographer was the Broadway Theater Fire of 1924, and the Angle Hotel Fire of 1916. David was able to record the results of the Angle Hotel fire after returning home.

Mr. Bennett reported in an interview of 1951, that he kept all of the images of his photography of Logansport in his files.

Some of his most interesting pictures were of the dead in their coffins. At one time many of the immigrants wanted pictures to send home and for keepsakes of their loved ones. Just by accident, Mr. Bennett was in Logansport in 1903 when Mayor McKee made a speech at the laying of the cornerstone for St. Joseph Hospital. 

Some of his most famous pictures were of the horrible ice and flood of 1912 and 1913. Many of them were reproduced on postcards that are still in many local homes. Some of these pictures can be seen at the Cass County Historical Society Museum.

• Richard B. Copeland is a Cass County historian and may be reached at ptnews@pharostribune.com. The material for this article came from the files of the Cass County Historical Society and local newspapers.

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