Benjamin Waite

Abt 1640 -

• Name	Benjamin Waite  [1]
  Birth	Abt 1640  [2]
  Gender	Male
  Death	Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts   [1]
  Person ID	I20650	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Family	Martha Leonard,   b. 15 May 1649, Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	8 Jun 1670	Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
  	". . .the epitome of courage and selflessness. . ." By Meredith Boissy Donatello My favorite ancestors are Benjamin Waite and his wife Martha Leonard Waite. Benjamin, "The Hero of the Connecticut Valley," was a courageous, loving, and capable man. When his wife and three daughters were taken captive during the Hatfield Indian Raid of September 19, 1677, Benjamin did not sit idly by but was determined to set his wife and children free or share their fate. He and another man faced the hostile French and Indians and pursued them until he returned with his family to Hatfield. During her captivity Martha gave birth to her fourth daughter, Canada Waite. Martha Leonard Waite, like her husband Benjamin, was extraordinarily courageous. She made a three hundred mile forced march to Canada while pregnant and managed to keep her three small children alive. This feat is so extraordinary because the Indians killed those captives, especially women and children, who could not keep up. This family is and was the epitome of courage and selflessness that is embedded in the American Spirit. Source: http://www.newenglandancestors.org/ Detail link, no longer valid? Source: http://www.newenglandancestors.org/education/articles/NEXUS_eNews/76_p_659_677.asp
  Children	1. Mary Waite,   b. 25 Feb 1671, Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown   2. Martha Waite,   b. 23 Jan 1672, Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown   3. Sarah Waite,   b. Abt 1675, Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown   4. Canada Waite,   b. 22 Jan 1677, Canada d. Abt 1749 (Age 71 years)   5. John Waite,   b. 17 Jan 1679, Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown   6. Joseph Waite,   b. Jul 1682, Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown   7. Jeremiah Waite,   b. 24 Sep 1684, Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown   8. Joseph Waite,   b. 11 Nov 1688, Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F7370	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Nov 2008

  
  

• Event Map

  Death - - Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts Marriage - 8 Jun 1670 - Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S293] Albury, James (james_albury@hotmail.com) "Ancestors of James Henry Albury, Jr.."; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=:603723 ; Ver. Sat Aug 25 14:41:40 2001. [S313] Graves, Dave (dave@graveshq.us) "Graves Family" http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=swamprat52 ; Ver. 2007-05-28 17:07:08.