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William "Tap" Bennett papers

William "Tap" Bennett papers

Descriptive Summary

Title: William "Tap" Bennett papers
Creator: Bennett, W. Tapley, 1891-1982
Inclusive Dates: 1920-1979
Language(s): English
Extent: 2.7 Linear Feet 3 document boxes, 1 half box, 1 oversized box, 1 oversized folder
Collection Number: ms2086
Repository: Hargrett Library

Collection Description

Historical Note

William Tapley "Tap" Bennett, Sr. (1891-1982) was a leader in the successful effort to modernize and diversify Georgia farming. A 1913 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Agriculture, Bennett made a career of practical innovation. As a county extension agent in Spalding County and associate of the Central of Georgia Railway, he started Georgia's first 4-H club, first 4-H camp, and helped expand poultry production. His greatest contribution was in the area of livestock production, where he helped free the region from the cotton economy by promoting and facilitating cattle farming. He loaned bulls to new stock breeders, introduced parasite control methods, began the seeding of permanent pastures, helped operate dairies, and put on Georgia's first cattle shows in Macon, Albany and Savannah. President Roosevelt, having heard of Bennett's work, hired him to run his model farm at Warm Springs. Bennett moved on to a post as supervisor of the Pine Mountain Valley Project, a New Deal Community based on diversified farming. Here he established the state's first assembly-line poultry processing plant. In 1944, Bennett returned to Central of Georgia as Director of Agricultural Development. He retired not long after suffering a stroke in 1959, but continued to work as Livestock Director of the Southeastern Fair. In addition to many other honors, Bennett was Progressive Farmer Magazine's Man of the Year in 1955, and elected to the College of Agriculture hall of fame in 1977. His son, William Tapley Bennett, Jr., was U.S. Ambassador to NATO.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of photographs, correspondence, clippings, plaques and miscellaneous items. A typed copy of a speech by Tap Bennett is also included in the collection. Most of the correspondence is limited to "get well" greetings and reponses to invitations to a testimonial dinner. The collection contains only a few examples of Bennett's writing. The many photographs and newspaper clippings chronicle Bennett's high level of involvement in modern agriculture in Georgia.


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

William "Tap" Bennett papers, ms2086. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.


Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Agriculture -- Georgia.
Bennett, W. Tapley, 1891-1982 -- Photographs
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Livestock improvement -- Georgia.
Plaques (flat objects)
Plaques, plaquettes.
Speeches (documents)
University of Georgia -- Alumni and alumnae

Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 
boxfolder
11Biographical Information
 
12Biographical Information - fragments
(Fragments)
 
13-10Correspondence, 1915-1976
 
111Printed Articles, Statements
 
112Speeches
 
113Interview (Pine Mountain Valley)
 
114Pine Mountain Valley Newspapaper
 
115Awards, Certificates
 
boxfolder
21Photos-Tap Bennett, Sr. alone
 
22Photos-Tap Bennett, Sr. with small group
 
23Photos-Tap Bennett, Sr. with large group
 
24Photos-Tap Bennett, Sr. with livestock
 
25Photos-Tap Bennett, Sr. with Tap Bennett, Jr.
 
26Photos-Tap Bennett, Sr. with public figures
 
27Photos-people
 
28Photos-people with livestock
 
29Photos-farm animals
 
210Photos-miscellaneous
 
box
5Oversize Photographs, Plaques, and Scrapbook
 
oversized_folder
1BPhoto collage posters (2)
 
boxfolder
31Clippings-Profiles
 
32Clippings-Obituaries
 
33Clippings-Announcements
 
34Clippings-Honors
 
35Clippings-Livestock Shows
 
36Clippings-Pine Mountain Valley
 
37Clippings-Spalding Cotton Club
 
38Clippings-Illness
 
39Clippings-Tap Bennett, Jr.
 
310Clippings-Miscellaneous-Bennett mentioned
 
311Clippings-Miscellaneous-Bennett not mentioned
 
312Printed Material-Little White House
 
313Programs-Stock Shows
 
314Programs-Miscellaneous
 
315Pamphlets
 
316Magazines-Agriculture
 
317Magazines
 
boxfolder
41Rosters
 
42Family-general
 
43Agriculture-general
 
44Miscellaneous