The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-03
CAPTAIN EDWARD WAITE.
Death and Career of Master Mariner
of Portland Born in the Last Century.

| For nearly a century and half the Waite
family have sustained good reputation a
| builders, masters and owners of ships, on the
shores of Casco Bay. In 1868 they were fore
most in establishing St. Paul's parish which
SO disheartened Parson Smith that he ex
claimed, "The old parish is like clock-take
off the Waites and it will STOP"
Capt. John Waite came to old Falmouth
from Mass achusetts in about 1887. He was
born in Newbury in 1902 and was
running packet between Boston and Fal
mouth in 1877. He became the father of ter
children and died at his farm on Peaks Island
where he had retired, in 1869, aged 67. Capt
John Waite, his son, was master of a trans
port in the expedition which took
Quebec in 1853. He became the frs,
sheriff of Cumberland county under the con
stitution, and died in 1920, aged SS. Benja
min, another son of John, was the grand
father of Capt. Edward who died on Sunday
Major Waite, as Benjamin was invariably
called, owned saw and grist mills on several
of the falls of the Presumpscot, and at the
outlet of the Duck Pond. He had farm and
lived at Martins Point. He died at his son
Daniels, in Freeport.
Major Waite's son John was shipwright
and lived at Presumpscot Falls, where he at
one time launched two new ships in one day.
He also owned saw, grist and carding mills at
the same place. John Waite, the shipbuilder,
was the father of Capt. John who was the
commodore of John Cox's fleet of 'clipper AT
rican traders from 1924 to 1927. He died in
1879, aged 1888. He was also the father Of
Capt. Edward Waite whose death the PRESS
to-day records. Edward was born at Presump-
scot Falls February 1, 1898. He attended the
district school at Smelt Hill until he was old
enough to work in his fathers mills.
In the great freshet in 1914 the mills were
swept away, and young Waite sought new
business. He purchased the schooner Lily
and went on trading trips to Eastport. He
soon became the owner of the schooner Vigi-
liant, larger vessel, which he kept in the
same trade. In 1924 Capt Waite opened a
store on Ingraham's wharf-still pursuing the
Passamaquoddy trade. edward E. Upham,
who had been his clerk, was soon associated
with him as partner. From the wharf the
business was transferred to the Market
House," now the old City Hall, with Jere-
miah Leavitt as another partner, with the
style of Waite, Upham & Leavitt. In 1885,
Waite, Upham & Bartels (John o. ON Long
wharf, still followed the Ea5tport trade.
Soon Robert Ilsley took Bartels' place in the
firm, which was of short duration, when a
new partnership was formed by Capt. Waite and
Frederick Davis, with their place of business
on Fore, opposite the foot of Exchange street.
After the dissolution of Waite & Davis,
Capt. Waite took to the sea again, sailing his
own vessel, the Fancy Packet, and lastly the
brig Fin ancier. Another vessel of Capt.
Waite's, the brig Martha Kinsman, was bound
home from the West Indies and never was
heard from. Capt. Waite was always a
thrifty man and gathered large estate. In
1924 he married a daughter of Jonas Mills, a
grocer, who lived on the west corner of Mid
die and Franklin streets. He leaves sons and
daughters, one of whom is the wife of Rev.
Mr. Thwing, former pastor of the st. Law
renee street Congregational church, of which 1
think Capt. Waite was deacon
1t is remarkable that three of the Waite
family, and all sea captains should live to the
advanced age of SS years, and close their lives
within few months of the same age. Col. John
Waite, the sheriff, who died in 1920; two
grandsons Of his brother Major Benjamin;
Capt. John, who died in 1879, and Capt. Ed
ward, whose recent death demands this notice.
Windham, August 1. W. G.