TOWN OF COHOCTON. 



251 



DAVID S. WAIT. 



MRS. DAVID S. WAIT. 



DAYID S. WAIT 

 was born in the town of Coliocton, on the farm where he 

 now resides, Sept. 15, 1825. His father, Duty Wait, a 

 native of West Greenwich, Kent Co., R. I., was born 

 March 21, 1785, and married Hannah Wells, of Peters- 

 burgh, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., Jan. 29, 1807. She was 

 born June 12, 1790. They resided in the town of Peters- 

 burgh for seven years, and removed to this county, settling 

 in the town of Cohocton, July 4, 1814, on one hundred 

 and four acres of land, to which Mr. David S. Wait has 

 made additions, and now owns some six hundred acres. 



Mr. Wait, Sr., was one of the pioneers of the Conhocton 

 Valley, was a farmer during the remainder of his life, and 

 cleared off the greater part of his land. He was a man of 

 strict integrity of character, upright in all his business re- 

 lations, quite active as a member of the Democratic party, 

 for several years was assessor of the town, and was respected 

 by all who knew him. He died Feb. 25, 1855. His wife 

 died April 16, 1858. 



Their children were five sons and seven daughters, of 

 whom the subject of this narrative was the third son. He 

 received a good education in the common school and Frank- 

 lin Academy, and assisted his father on the farm during his 

 minority. At the age of twenty he became a teacher, and 

 for five terms was a successful instructor. 



He learned surveying in a mathematical school at Bath, 

 taught by a cadet of West Point, and from the age of 

 twenty-three to thirty-three was on the farm with his father, 

 and did considerable surveying, which he continues until 

 the present time. In 1859 he married Mary, daughter of 

 Adin and Nancy (Kenyon) Parmenter, of Wayland. She 

 was born Feb. 17, 1831 ; is a lady of rare intelligence, and 

 was a successful teacher of common and select schools for 

 sixteen terms. 



Mr. Wait is known as a thrifty, enterprising agriculturist 

 of the town, and to his farming interest he has added, 

 within the last two years, milling, which he carries on at 

 Blood's Station. He has ever been an unswerving member 

 of the Democratic party, and, although not solicitous of 

 political preferment, has held some positions of trust in the 

 town, preferring the quiet and independence of a business 

 life. He is interested in local matters of improvement, and 

 gives his support for every object tending to educate the 

 rising generation, and for two years ofiiciated as superintend- 

 ent of common schools. His correct habits, integrity in 

 business, conscientious regard for the right, and open, free 

 representation of any matter with which he is connected, 

 are patent to all who know him. Their children are Eva, 

 Guy, Letta, Grant, Seraph, David S., Ammorilla, and 

 Ernest Duty. 



