Yoakum County Genealogy

Bennett, Texas (Yoakum County).

Note: All map locations are approximate.

Bennett was a ranch community six miles northeast of Denver City in Yoakum County. It developed as an oilfield-supply center after the discovery of oil in 1936. At that time there was a church in Bennett, but the post office was in Denver City. In 1948 Bennett had a school and a few businesses, but by 1964 the town no longer appeared on maps.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Vertical Files, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin. Yoakum County Historical Commission, Yoakum County (Dallas: Taylor, 1985).

Handbook of Texas Online, "BENNETT, TX (YOAKUM COUNTY)"

A historical marker with some information on Bennett ranch reads:

Discovery Well in the Wasson Field. L.P. and Ruth Bennett moved to Yoakum County in 1916 to take over the ranching operation they had inherited from Ruth's father Dr. J.R. Smith of Munday. In 1927 they leased part of the ranch to the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company for the drilling of exploratory oil wells.

By the mid-1930s the Bennett's cattle business was declining as a result of the economic depression and a severe area drought. They were in danger of losing their property through foreclosure when oil was discovered on the ranch. The find was made on October 10, 1935 at the Ruth Bennett No. 1-678 (6 mi. NE), a well supervised by Fort Worth wildcatter Red Davidson and crews of the Honolulu Oil Company. With the discovery, the Bennetts were able to pay all claims against their land.

Increased drilling activity in the area created a “boom town” atmosphere and led to the founding of Denver City (6 mi. S) in 1939. Petroleum remains the major industry in Yoakum County, a national leader in the production of crude oil.

In 1964 Gene H. Bennett, the youngest son of L.P. and Ruth Bennett, donated this portion of the Bennett Ranch to the county for use as a park. Erected 1981 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1229.)