An essay written in 1952 by Elizabeth Joslin, principal of the old Waitsfield High School
In part one of this story, it became clear that the founder of Waitsfield, General Benjamin Wait, might as well have been Superman. At 18 he served in the French and Indian War, was captured by Native Americans, and lived through a gauntlet line up. Wait then became a prisoner of the French and was sent to France. Afterwards he somehow became the responsibility of the British and made it back to America, though it’s unclear how. By the age of 25 he had fought in 40 battles.
Here is more from Mrs. Joslin’s essay:
“The Reverend P. B. Fisk recorded an incident which shows that Wait, even in his later years, was still a man of action. His son, a middle-aged man, who had been bitten by a rabid dog refused to consult a doctor because he felt that he could not spare the time from his farm work to make the trip to Woodstock. The father becoming very anxious about his son, appeared on horseback, and with another horse saddled, at his son's house, without previous notice, and said, 'Young man! mount this horse and go to Woodstock with me! Here is a man to take care of your farm,' indicating the man who came with him. The son obeyed without argument and was rescued.
“Apparently the urge to push on to new frontiers was strong in his sons as it was in many who pioneered the state of Vermont. Even before their father’s death at least two had moved westward. By 1868 it was stated that only one of his descendants, a granddaughter, and then her children and grandchildren remained in the town he had founded.”
Betty’s comments in her essay then veer off to more general observations about the inhabitants of Waitsfield. “Like others of their kind, the early settlers of Waitsfield must have been at times a hard drinking group of men. Indeed, as early as 1795 it was discovered that the original survey of the town was far from accurate. According to the account of one of the groups who made the survey, the error was caused by the fact that at one point when the small jug which they carried with them was empty, they made too much haste to get back to the reinforcement in the large jug. The sketchiness of some of the early records of the town has been attributed to the custom of allowing frequent 15-minute recesses in the meetings during which the members might fortify themselves with toddy.
“Raisings, of course, were always accompanied by a good deal of drinking. By 1821 an accident occurred at such an affair and aroused the people; a man died as the result of a fall while intoxicated. At the funeral the minister preached a strong sermon on the evils of liquor. Shortly after, a deacon did succeed, though with difficulty, in persuading his neighbors to raise his barn without the usual strengthening by liquor. The agitation for teetotalism continued, and in 1828 the first temperance society was formed. The townspeople have remained mainly prohibitionist in their views.
“The feeling that was rising in the state against slavery was reflected in Waitsfield. In 1837 a meeting was called for the purpose of adopting a resolution advocating equal rights for all men and opposing the admission of Texas as a slave holding state.
“At an early date the settlers of Waitsfield set about providing schools in the various sections of the town just as was the common practice throughout Vermont. As might be expected, Benjamin Wait served on the committee which first investigated the matter. In the charter of the town a certain amount of land was set aside for the school, and the rent of that still goes toward the support of the school. Following the pattern permitted by act of the state legislature in 1870, the town in the following year gave up the separate districts and brought all the schools into the single town system.
“The following comment by the Reverend Fisk reflects a situation which I suspect may have been common in the state:
‘There have been too many instances of rebellion among scholars, and dismissal of teachers who lacked muscle; and in a proportion with the frequency of these things, a lower grade of scholarship in all the schools.’
“In religious beliefs the people were so homogeneous that for many years the Congregational Church was the only religious organization in the town; furthermore, until 1843 it was supported by taxing all except the few who signed statements that they disagreed with the beliefs of the majority. The first Congregational Church was erected in 1807; the next church to be built was the Methodist in 1833. Also, during the 1850s were formed Universalist and Baptist societies. One historian intimates that the excitement of Millerism had something to do with the breakup of this last group. In the 1850s Episcopal and Wesleyan groups were formed. For many years now only one church, the Federated, has been maintained in the town.
“Waitsfield experienced the widespread anti-Masonic movement, for the original lodge, chartered in 1817, was dissolved in 1834. It was not until 33 years later that a new Masonic organization was formed.
“From this town, which seems to me to be in many ways typical of the state, has come a fair share of people important in the world. In his book, Vermonters, Dorman B. E. Kent lists 11 men.”
Betty stopped her essay right there, leaving me hanging and wanting to know which 11 men of Waitsfield became prominent in the larger world. I managed to acquire a copy of Mr. Dorman’s book published in 1937 from a collector and got help from the Vermont Historical Society to identify the men and what they managed to accomplish. The listings begin with the year they were born:
1816. Henry Mower Rice. Congressman and Senator from Minnesota, United States Indian Commissioner.
1819. Chauncey Smith. One time the foremost patent lawyer in New England. Author and editor of legal works.
1819. Edmund Rice. A soldier in the Mexican War. Railroad president, mayor of St. Paul and Congressman from Minnesota.
1830.Roswell G. Horr. Congressman from Michigan.
1858. Arthur B. Bisbee. Chief medical examiner National Life Insurance Co. From 1890-1934 he was vice-president of the company.
1858. Arthur Charles Jackson. Traveler, lecturer, president of the Illinois Good Roads Association and of the International Good Roads and Automobile Association.
1861. Charles Winfield Waterman. Attorney, railroad counsel and United States Senator from Colorado, 1927-1933.
1869. James Addison Babbitt. Laryngologist, educator and author.
1871. Matt Bushnell Jones. Lawyer and author. President New England Telephone and Telegraph Co.
1872. Edward H. Jones. Vermont Commissioner of Agriculture.
1877. Charles Eden Carroll. Clergyman, educator and author.
This is an impressive list from such a tiny town. General Benjamin Franklin Wait was not listed as he was born long before 1816, which is the first entry. He died on June 28, 1822 in Waitsfield, Vermont at the age of 86.
Reach out to Mehuron with information and story ideas. She is also available to discuss efforts being made to repair the historic Wait House. Email her at
