13 Facts About Jesse Bennett

Jesse Bennett married Elizabeth Hogg in 1793 and settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, establishing his practice in a log cabin.

When Elizabeth became pregnant, Jesse Bennett engaged a Dr Humphrey of Staunton, Virginia, to attend Elizabeth at the delivery.

Jesse Bennett assembled a crude operating table from two boards supported by barrels.

Jesse Bennett gave his wife laudanum to make her sleepy and had two enslaved African-American people support her on the table while Elizabeth's sister, Mrs Hawkins, held a tallow candle to light the makeshift operating table.

Jesse Bennett cut his wife's abdomen with a single sweep of his knife and extracted his infant daughter, Maria.

Elizabeth Jesse Bennett lived for thirty-six more years, passing away on April 20,1830.

Maria Jesse Bennett lived until 1870, married twice, and bore six children.

Jesse Bennett refused to publicize the details of the surgery during his life.

Jesse Bennett became active in civic affairs in the newly formed Mason County.

Jesse Bennett was appointed Major of the Mason County Militia in 1804 and represented Mason County in the Virginia Assembly.

Aaron Burr reportedly tried to enlist Jesse Bennett's help with the Burr conspiracy for which Burr was charged with treason.

Jesse Bennett refused to assist Aaron Burr and went on to serve the United States as an Army Surgeon in the War of 1812.

Jesse Bennett was initially interred in the Bennett-Knopp Cemetery in Point Pleasant, West Virginia; his remains, along with those of his wife and a friend, were moved, with their original marker, to that town's Pioneer Cemetery in 1985.