Aaron E. Waite

Aaron Waite (sometimes spelled "Wait") was born on December 26, 1813, in Franklin County, Massachusetts, where he was raised by his grandfather and an uncle.[1][2] His father had died as a soldier in the War of 1812.[3] At the age of 14 he became an apprentice broom maker, working for four years until also enrolling in school for two years.[2] Waite then moved to New York at the age of 20.[1]

Once there he taught as an assistant teacher on Long Island at Flatbush in Erasmus Hall.[2] Waite then returned to Massachusetts before moving west in 1837 and settled in Michigan.[1][2] He settled in Centreville where he studied law under judge Columbia Lancaster and was admitted to the bar in 1842.[2] Later he became the military secretary for governor John S. Barry of Michigan.[2]

In 1847, Waite headed to the Oregon Country in a wagon train of 40 wagons.[1] This included Judge Lancaster and Lancaster's family.[3] Once in Oregon he set up a law practice in Oregon City, Oregon, and worked on the Oregon Spectator newspaper.[1] Waite then fought in the Cayuse War before leaving for the gold fields of California in 1849, only to return within a few years.[3]

Upon returning he was elected as a commissioner to audit the claims from the Cayuse War.[3] Then in 1852 he served in the Oregon Territory House of Representatives.[4] Following an absence from the legislature he returned as a member of the upper chamber Council in 1857 and 1858 serving as a Democrat.[5]

In 1858 he ran and was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court.[6] Prior to this the judges were appointed by the U.S. President as Oregon was still a territory. Wait's term began in 1859 and he served on the state's highest court until resigning on May 1, 1862.[6] During that same time he served as the chief justice of the court.[6]

In July 1867, Waite was elected mayor by the Portland city council following the death of Thomas J. Holmes, who had died the morning after his election.[7] Waite declined the nomination due to ill health and J. A. Chapman was elected instead.[8][9]

Waite married twice and had a total of six children, of which both of his wives and four of the children died before him.[3] After serving on the court he retired to his 600-acre (2.4 km²) farm that was located in Clackamas County.[1] In 1891 he moved to Portland, Oregon, with most of his time in retirement spent managing his land holdings in the Pacific Northwest.[2] Aaron E. Waite died on his farm near Canby on December 12, 1898, at the age of 84.[2]