Jeremiah Wait/Waite

Jeremiah Wait/Waite, middle initial maybe W. Jeremiah was a cooper like Gardner and Harvey. At 22 years old he enlisted in the Army and from his enlistment papers I learned that he was born in Cicero, New York around 1825. He was 5’ 7” tall, gray eyes, brown hair with a ruddy complexion. He enlisted on July 9, 1847 in Troy, New York by Captain Roland for a period of 5 years. He received and ordinary discharge on August 5, 1848 at Ft. Columbus, New York as a private. I believe he may have fought in the Mexican War, 1846-1848

He enlisted on August 22, 1864 in Auburn for a 1 year period during the Civil War. He mustered out on July 13, 1865 in Syracuse, New York. On this enlistment form he is still a cooper, born in Cicero, New York, 5’ 7”, brown hair, but he now has blue eyes and a light complexion. It also says he was 42 when he enlisted which would make him born in 1822. During the Civil War he was in the 3rd LA Batty B Light Artillery Battery New York.

Jeremiah married Bestey who may have been married twice before. On the 1850 census they are living in Williamstown, New York. It appears Bestey was married to a Babe and a Huff, because there are 2 children living with them. Harriet Babe and Alfred Huff. Also living with them is Phebe and Russel Wait. Jeremiah’s mother and younger brother.

Can’t find them in 1860 census.

I find them in Seneca Falls on the 1870 census. A call to the Seneca Falls Historical Society, I learned that he own a house and Wall Street which is now under the

 Van Cleef Lake. This info is from the 1874 directory.

They lived in Seneca Falls by June of 1863 when Jeremiah as subjected to military duty. He is listed as a cooper and 39 years old. This would make his birth year 1824.