This history of the Waite Farm is unattributed but is probably by Argie Waite Strippe. The original paper is very faded and will neither photograph nor scan. The photograph and the history are in the collections of the Whately Historical Society.
The information about Benjamin Waite, "The Hero of the Connecticut Valley", is readily found in many places in books and on the Internet. This paper is of interest not because of Benjamin but because of the specific details about previous buildings on the site and the specific materials used in building the present house. The Waite House is located at the intersection of Webber Road, Strippe Road and Mountain Laurel Road in West Whately..
The information about Benjamin Waite, "The Hero of the Connecticut Valley", is readily found in many places in books and on the Internet. This paper is of interest not because of Benjamin but because of the specific details about previous buildings on the site and the specific materials used in building the present house. The Waite House is located at the intersection of Webber Road, Strippe Road and Mountain Laurel Road in West Whately..
No 1. February 1905
A History of this, “The Waite
Farm” West Whately Mass[1]
Benjamin Waite the “Indian
Scout” and called the Hero of the Connecticut Valley was our own first
ancestor. He had several children, his
son’s were John and Jeremiah. Jeremiah
had a son Nathan, and he and his son Jeremiah bought this farm about
1781, of Capt. Church and sister of Hatfield ,
Mass.
There
was at that time a small frame house: in
1776 that house was taken down and a larger one built. Many of the old boards were being used in building the second house which
stood upon nearly the same (lines)
foundations as the first. The second
house was taken down in May 1904, being one hundred and eight years old
(108). It was in a fairly good state of
preservation, although the large chimney was considered unsafe and much work
would be necessary (to be done) if the house were remodeled, to make it in good
condition; therefore this present house was built. It stands nearly on the same lines but
everything from foundations to finish is new. A large heavy stone wall cellar replaces the
small one (which was under only two rooms.
The stones for the cellar were blasted and brought from the Laurel Mountain
west of the house. The lumber grew on
the woodlot on the mountain west of the
house and in the edge of Conway
owned and cut by Willis Waite, the present owner of the farm. The slate for the roof came from Vermont by carload.
The carpenter and builder of this house was Charles Field, son of
Frank and grandson of Paul W. Field of West Whately. The first old boards, which were used
on houses No 1 and No 2 are also used on this house.
Since
the farm was first purchased in 1781 or 1783 it has never been sold, but has
been handed down by will from father
to Son, until the present time. First
Nathan, then Jeremiah, then Nathan, then John Bement Waite born August 5, 1812
and died April 16, 1888, age 74 and eight months. He married Celia Ford, daughter of John Ford manufacturer of woolen cloth at and of Cummington ,
Mass. She was born October 28, 1819; they had eight children, Alfred, Eugene, John,
Edward, Adelaide
C, Arthur (died young), Willis Ford, M Madora, Francis and Anna L.
The farm was willed by John Bement to his wife Celia Ford and at her decease to their son
Willis A., the present owner and
builder of this house.
He
was born March 21, 1850 and married Sept. 17, 1879 [to] Marianna Brewer
daughter of Amos Brewer of Sheffield ,
Mass. She was born March 18, 1857. They have two children Clifford Earl born
November 3, 1882 who is unmarried and
lives with his parents at the present time, and
Argie Lena born November 14, 1884. She
married William G. Stripp, October 13, 1902, and at present they live with her
father.
Six
generations have lived upon this farm up to the present time and here is hoping
it will remain in the Waite name until six generations more come and go. Many acres have been added to the farm by
both Willis and his father since the original purchase in 1781.
Further account pertaining to family,
house and locations can be found in Crafts History of Town of Whately , Mass.
This
is a transcription of a paper owned by the Whately Historical Society and
catalogued 1999.157.001