New Page 1

Family Group

Husband

John Waite

  Born: 9 JUN 1804 - Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, England
  Marr: 8 NOV 1827 - Heyford, Northampton, Northamptonshire, England
  Died: 10 JAN 1892 - Watertown, Jefferson Co., NY
Father: Richard Waite
Mother: Charlotte Bland
Other Spouses:

Wife

Sarah Masters

Born: 11 JAN 1806 - Heyford, Northampton, Northamptonshire, England
Died: 30 JAN 1888 - Adams, Jefferson Co., NY
Father: Joseph Masters
Mother: Rebecca Rogers
Other Spouses:

Children

1. George W Waite

  Born: 21 FEB 1837 - NY
  Marr: 1867 - Anna Beyerle
  Died: 11 DEC 1879 - Adams, Jefferson Co., NY

2. Sarah E Waite

  Born: 13 OCT 1841 - Adams, Jefferson Co., NY
  Marr: 1879 - Philoren C Jennings
  Died: 9 JUL 1925 - 324 Jay St., Watertown, Jefferson Co., NY

3. Eliza A Waite

  Born: ABT 1841 - NY
  Marr: 1860 - Charles Moore
  Died: -

4. Levi John Waite

  Born: 13 APR 1843 - Adams, Jefferson Co., NY
  Marr: 1870 - Etta Mary Clark
  Died: ABT APR 1913 -

5. Joseph L Waite

Born: ABT FEB 1849 - NY
Died: 9 JAN 1904 - Watertown, Jefferson Co., NY

The leader of the choir was usually selected from among the best tenor singers. His place was at the head of the line in the front seat of the gallery, just over the preacher’s head. Another position that was much sought after and considered of great distinction and honor was that of leading lady singer; she was usually the best, or one of the best, treble singers, and choir troubles were quite apt to come up when deciding upon this leading soprano. It gave her a right to a place in the front line of the gallery seats next to the chorister, and she was looked upon with envy, not to say jealousy and malice, by all the other ladies in the gallery and very many in the congregation below. Bitter personal feuds that lasted for a lifetime came from the fierce competition for these positions.

Sometimes there would spring up rival factions, and each one would have its choice for chorister. These disputes were generally settled before the rupture was open and disgraceful, but occasionally the trouble resulted in an open split in the choir and the election of two choristers. Then there was trouble indeed, and it was not confined to the choir alone, but was taken up and participated in by the whole congregation.

I remember one occasion when two choristers jumped for the head of the line at the opening of the services, like two rival chairmen at a political convention, and came to a clinch in the gallery, just over the minister’s head. One was Mr. William Fassett, a well-known, popular gentleman of the town, and the other Mr. John Waite, a man of standing and character, but having just enough John Bull in his make-up to allow nobody to usurp what he thought to be his rights. Fassett was the stronger of the two, and in the clinch was about to drop Waite over the gallery railing onto the head of the minister in the pulpit below. Waite was not prepared for this, and rather give up his place in the gallery than to be landed in the pulpit with the preacher, so cried out, “Be’ave! Mr. Fassett, be’ave!” Mr. Fassett did “be’ave,” but Brother Waite had to take a back seat thereafter.

The Masonic Order that started in 1806 but disbanded in 1827 because of Anti-Masonic sentiment, started again in 1851 and had a large building erected. In this era of much building Rufus P. White had a large brick slate roofed malt house erected by the railroad and started a malting business in 1855. This had a capacity of 80,000 bushels and two drying kilns. Waite and Kenyon bought in 1877. A. D. Stanley raised hops and increased acreage from 5 1/2 acres to 17 acres for the malting business.