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..

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

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[1] Words in italic are corrections or additions added to the original, presumably by the author.