John Waite

As printed in 1888

OHN WAITE, a farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 14, Flint River Township, Des Moines Co.. Iowa, was born in Ontario County, N. Y., May 24, 1810, and is a son of John and Abigail (Cranston) AVaite, also natives of that State. Seven children were born to them, but only three are now living: Our subject, Samuel, and Mary, widow of Thorne Smith, and now a resident of Portland, Mich. The father of these children died at the home of our subject, in Portage County, Ohio.

John Waite received his education in his native county, and there followed various occupations until eighteen j'ears of age, when he learned the cooper's trade, which vocation he followed for about thirty-ears. About the year 1830 he removed to Ravenna, Portage Co., Ohio, there carrying on the cooper's business, and remaining until 1867. In the meantime, in that city, he was united in marriage with Miss Martha A. Clark, who was born in Tallmadge, Portage Ctiunty, Feb. 1, 1819, and is a daughter of Ephraim and Alia Amelia (Sperry) Clark, the former a native of Massachusetts, and the latter of Connecticut. Her parents emigrated to Ohio about the year 1796, at a time when the Stale was very thinly settled, following a trail which was marked by the blazing of trees.

Mr. and Mrs. Waite have been the parents of three children, born in Portage County, Ohio: Amelia, who died when three years old; John L., now manager and chief editor of the Burlington Hawkeye; Mary Ella became the wife of John M. Eads, and after his death wedded Randall M. Hartzell, a farmer of Chautauqua County, Kan. On their arrival in Des Moines County, Mr. and Mrs. Waite took up their residence in Burlington, where he embarked in the grocery business, which he carried on for a year, then formed a partnership with John P. Leebrick, and later, in connection with a Mr. Lockwood, engaged as a commission merchant. In 1870 he removed to the farm on section 14, Flint River Township, consisting of eighty acres of tine land, with many good improvements, and here he has since made his home. Mr. and Mrs. Waite have, for almost a half-century, been active and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Waite has held various minor offices of his township, in which he is one of the leading citizens. He takes his stand strongly in favor of the temperance movement, and the enforcement of prohibition laws, and is an ardent Republican in politics.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Des Moines County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county .. (1888). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.