Sanders, Wait H.

SANDERS

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 9/4/2008 at 21:24:57

Wait H. Sanders

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.139, Knox Twp.)
Wait H. Sanders, farmer, P. O. Avoca, born in New York State in 1810, living there until a young man, when he emigrated to Michigan; living there for twenty-six years, he move to this State, setting in Davenport, in 1854, remaining there for sixteen years, when he removed to Avoca. He was raised on a farm, but followed mechanical pursuits from 1836 until he came here, in August, 1870, settling in Avoca, though buying a farm one and half miles northeast of Avoca at the same time; lived in Avoca four years, but followed farming and the improvement of his land. He built the City Hotel of Davenport, the Post Office Block in the same town, besides many other large buildings. Subject never served an apprenticeship or attended a mechanical school, but taught himself the mechanical arts. The first year he worked at the trade, his boss thought he was a regular mechanic, and put him in as foreman of a gang of hands, he had such a thorough knowledge of the business. Subject was married, at Ypsilanti, Mich., about 1844, to Miss Sarah J. Wakeman, of New York City. He has four sons and one daughter living. Three of the sons are at home, and his daughter is now Mrs. Scott Williams, of Hancock, Iowa. There is only one son married. Mrs. Sanders died in June, 1879. When subject came to this township, his farm was all open, and no improvements thereon whatever, but now is finely improved, and contains 280 acres, 200 of which are under cultivation. It is also well stocked with a fine lot of high-grade cattle, as well as horses. There are also ten acres of grove and orchard. He has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for forty years, andone of the charter members of Lodge No. 10, Michigan. The first year of his residence in Avoca, he built the German store of G. Diederich, the original bank building, the residence of Frank Watterman, lumberman, also the present residence of M. Sieffert, of the firm of Sieffert & Weise, lumber merchants. Besides these he built several other smaller houses.