Van Swearengen Bennett (March 15, 1836 – August 24, 1914) was an American lumberman, Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer.

They settled in the town of Medina, in Dane County, where Bennett completed his education.

In the Fall of 1853, the seventeen year old Bennett walked across the state of Wisconsin, from Jefferson County to La Crosse, where he purchased a section of government land to establish a homestead in Vernon County, Wisconsin.

[1] At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Bennett enlisted with a company of volunteers for service in the Union Army.

[3] That spring, the captain of Company I, Hartwell Turner, resigned, and Bennett was promoted to replace him.

[2] With the 12th Wisconsin Infantry, Bennett participated in many of the important campaigns of the western theater of the war, including Vicksburg, the Meridian expedition, and Atlanta.

[5] Bennett died after suffering a severe kick from his horse on the morning of August 23, 1914.

[5] Aside from his business and political interests, Bennett was active in Freemasonry and was a high officer in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.