The Portland daily press., 1879-01-13
Capt. John Waite.

This aged gentleman, who died on Thursday,
aged SO years, was descendant of the old
Waite family of Massachusetts,. In the diary
of Judge Samuel Sewall of Boston, just pub
lished-under the date Dec. 8, 1856, is this en-
try, "Our neighbor, Gamaliel Wait, ate his
breakfast well and went into his tenants
house, and there died extreme suddenly. He
was 81 years old and yet strong and
hearty. Dec. II Father Wait bured-magis-
trates and ministers had gloves" Gamaliel
Waite was the ancestor of Capt. John, the first
of the name who came to Falmouth. He was
the SOD of Jonadah Waite of Newbury, where he
was BORN in 1902. HeIsailed packet between
Falmouth and Boston in 1877. Capt John
Wate's house was on Fore, below India street.
He was selectman of the town four years and
died at bis farm on Peaks Island, in 1869,
aged 67. He had ten children, one of whom
was Col. John Waite, the first sheriff of Gum.
bsrland county, under the constitution. 9th
ets OF the sons were prominent men of the
town. The first John was the great GRANDPA
Their Of the subject of this notice, through his
son Benjamin, and grandson John, who lived
near Presumpscot falls, where he whose death
TENDER, 1890.
His first voyage at sea was made while
boy, in the brig Bstsey. His first voyage as
mate was in the brig Fair American, Captain
VIM. York, to Newcastle, England, in 1915.
Previous to that he had been during the war,
stationed with Capt. Charles Knights compa.
ny, at Staples Point, for the protection of the
shipping, which had been hauled up for safety
at the mouth.of Presumpscot river.
Capt Waite's first voyage as master was in
the schooner Reporter, belonging to John Cox
of Portland, to the coast of Africa in 1924.
Mr. Cox owned number of small clipper YES
sells, which were employed as African traders.
Their outward bound cargces usually consisted
OF lumber, provisions, soap, candles and New
England rum. Their first port was Madeira,
selling what they could there and replacing it
with wine for Portland, and then sailed for the
African coast. At Goree and Port Praya they
got hides and goat skins, at Cape Mepsurado
they got logwood, gold dust aud elephants
teeth, Il recollect some of mOnstrous size land
ed at Long wharf from these vessels,) salt at
Cape Verde Islands was the last resort. After
ore voyage in the Reporter, Capt. Waite made
two voyages in the brig John of the same fleet,
to Africa The John was afterwards MADE
into full rugged ship, with all the ''sky scrap
ers' of New York liner with light sails of all
shapes, and yet she was of only $50 tons. On
one of these voyages in the john, Capt. Waite
was washed overheard from the wheel ia
storm, and was saved by the blight of rope,
thrown to him by one of his crew. Can't.
Waite was master of new schooner, the
Romp, which was capsized in gale beyond
Georges Bank, when he cut away the masts.
ri9hted the vessel and worked her back to port
under Jurymasts, where she was remasted and
rugged into brig, and the Captain made the
voyage to Africa without dischargiug the
cargo. Capt. Waite has since been part owner
and master of several vessels. H was once
shlpwrecked in the brig Emiline, on the Portu-
guese island of st. Michaels. He was one of
the first TO bring anthracite coal from Phila-
delpbis. AT first it was brought in molasses
hogsheads with other freight The schooner
Delaware, owned By himself, his brother Ed
ward Waite, aud Edward E. Upham, was the
first vessel built in Maine for collier-this
was in about 1882. His last voyage was made
10 the brig Martha Kinsman, in 1856. He was
nine years harbo, master of the city, and final
ly lost all his hard earnings 10 the great fire of
1866. Capt. Waite passed half century of his
life as mariner-32 years of which he was
master.
OF this worlds goods, at bis death, he had
not an abundance; but he was rich in the es-
TEEN OF his business associates, and of all those
with whom he came in contact in the various
relations of long and active life. WIG.