Saint Joseph County MI Archives Biographies.....Wait, Hon. Jonathan G. November 22, 1811 - 
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Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 March 18, 2007, 9:04 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers 

HON. JONATHAN G. WAIT, a prominent resident of the city of Sturgis, same to 
this region during its Territorial days, in 1834.  He was then a young man 
twenty-three years of age, having been born in Livingston County, N.Y., Nov 
22, 1811.  Nature endowed him with fine capabilities and a resolute will, and 
from the foot of the ladder in life he has arisen to an enviable position 
among his fellowmen.

Josiah and Ann (Graham) Wait, the parents of our subject, were both natives od 
the town of Alstead, N.H., whence they removed after their marriage to the 
vicinity of Ovid, in Livingston County, N. Y.  Later they changed their 
residence to Perry, Lake Co., Ohio, where they lived a number of years, and 
then removed to PaPorte County, Ind.

The patronymic of our subject has been sprelled in several different fashions, 
namely:  Waite, Wayte, Wayght, Waight, Wait, Waitt, Watt, Weight and Waict.  
It has been traced back as far as 1075, to William the Conqueror, who gave the 
earldom, city and castle of Norway to Ralph D. Waiet, who was the son of an 
Englishman by a Welsh woman, and who married Emma, a cousin of the Conqueror.  
Among their descendants were Richard, John and Thomas, who were among the 
earliest settlers of New England.  Thomas was the father of Josiah and the 
grandfather of our subject, Jonathan G. Wait.

Reared upon the farm and educated in the common schools, our subject at the 
age of seventeen, being a bright and ambitious youth, commenced teaching in 
the district school which occupation he followed at intervals for several 
years.  After a brief sojourn upon his first visit to this State he went back 
to Ohio, but returned the following year and located on Sturgis prairie, where 
he commenced to till the soil and bild up a homestead.  He has since occupied 
the land which he secured, and has village property where he erected four 
houses the first year, and about 100 since, owning twelve business houses in 
Sturgis at this time.  He soon began the manufacture of boots and shoes, and 
at the same time carrie don a cabinet and chair manufactury, giving employment 
to ten or fifteen hands.  This was before the days of machinery, and this 
buseiness was conducted a period fo fifteen years.  Subsequently Mr. Wait 
became interested in the manufacture of lumber, and in 1850 was in the employ 
of the Michigan Southern Railroad Company, not only in procurring the right of 
way for the projected road, but taking heavy contracts in the building of 
fences and depots.

The enterprise and energy of Mr. Wait obtained due recognition by the people 
of this county, and in the fall of 1850 he was chosen by the Whigs as their 
representative in the General Assembly.  He served during the administration 
of Gov. Barry, at which time occured the great contest between the Michigan 
Central & Michigan Southern Railroads, the latter coming out victorious.  In 
1857 Mr. Wait helped to organize the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad Company, 
being elected a Director thereof, a position which he has held to the present 
time.   During that year he superintended the grading and bridging of twelve 
miles of this road.  In 1860 he was elected to the State Senate, serving 
satisfactorily, and re-elected two successive terms, during which time he had 
charge of many important matters, including the bills for the extension of the 
time for constructing the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railway.  This was then 
considered a very important project, especially to the people of Sherman, Burr 
Oak, Fawn River and Sturgis Townships.  Previous to this Mr. Wait has served 
as Township Clerk, Supervisor, and Justice of the Peace many years.  In fact 
his whole life has been largely devoted to public duties, in the discharge of 
which he has acquited himself in a conscientious and praiseworthy manner.

Mr. Wait when nearly twenty-eight years of age was wedded, Oct. 20, 1839, to 
Miss Susan S., daughter of George and Mary (Hershey) Buck.  This lady was born 
in Erie County, Pa., emigrated to Michigan during the days of its earliest 
settlement, in 1828.  The father was a farmer by occupation, and built up a 
good homestead from the wilderness of Sturgis Township, this county.  Their 
family consisted of seven children, three of whom are living.

To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born the following 
children:  William H., April 25, 1842; Daniel G., March 24, 1844; George, June 
18, 1846; Mary E., Sept. 28, 1847; Thaddeus P., Dc. 28, 1849; Arthur H., April 
2, 1851; Jay G., Aug. 1, 1854; Jessie, Oct 14, 1856; Frank W., Dec. 22, 1858; 
Lee E., July 22, 1861, and Henry.  Thaddeus adopted the profession of law, 
entering upon the practice of his profession at Sturgis; he died in California.

Mr. Wait was reared in the doctrines of the Baptist Church.  Politically, he 
votes the straight Republican ticket, and energetically supports the 
principles of his party.  He established the Sturgis Journal in 1860, and 
continued to run the same until 1875.  Mr. Wait is, and has been for a number 
of years, very extensively engaged in the mercantile business, and kept four 
peddling wagons on the road for several years.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed from the Portrait & Biographical Album of St. Joseph Co. Chapman 
Brothers 1889

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