 William "Tap" Bennett papers
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteWilliam 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 ContentThe 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 InformationPreferred CitationWilliam "Tap" Bennett papers, ms2086. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||