Exploring Benjamin Waite’s Gravesite in Brecksville

If you travel on Brecksville Rd (also known as Route 21) a lot, you’ve probably driven past Benjamin Waite’s gravesite dozens of times and never realized that it was there.

Finding the Gravesite

This single grave site sits slightly north of the Squire Rich Museum in land that belongs to the Cleveland Metroparks. Since stopping on Brecksville Rd and turning your flashers on will only lead to a pileup of cars behind you, you’re better off pulling off onto the park’s maintenance road slightly to the north and approaching the burial site via the sidewalk.

To get there, look for the large boulder. You’ll notice that there’s a small path leading up a slight hill amongst the flowers and other vegetation closer to the road.

Path to Benjamin Waite's gravesite, Brecksville, Ohio

Once you get to the top of the hill, you won’t be able to miss Benjamin Waite’s gravesite. The single headstone is surrounded by a brick paved area and a bench, for sitting and contemplating life or something.

Benjamin Waite gravesite, Brecksville, Ohio.

The gravestone itself is fairly simple. It has Benjamin Waite’s name on it, as well as the fact that he served as a Private during the Revolutionary War. He was a part of Mosley’s Massachusetts Regiment, and died on February 5, 1814, right here in Brecksville, Ohio.

Who Was Benjamin Waite?

How did he end up here? Benjamin Waite was born in Massachusetts in December 8, 1759 to Benjamin and Bathsheba Waite. After he mustered out of the army, he and his wife, Zilpha, moved around the Northeast a bit before deciding to migrate to what was is now Ohio in 1812. The city of Brecksville was founded in 1811, so the area had settlers in it when they arrived.

By that point, his son Walter, and a family friend, Lemuel Bourn, already owned land in Brecksville, as well as two log cabins. Once Benjamin and the rest of his family arrived, they selected some land and built a cabin of their very own. However, he never really got to enjoy his new property, as he died in 1814 at the age of 54.

Several of his younger children stayed in the area and are buried in Brecksville Cemetery. As far as grave markers go, his original headstone was found in a nearby stream. It was inscribed with “Benjamin Wait died Feb. 5, 1814 aged 54 years,” and spent some time as a door stone before being displayed at one of the city’s Home Days celebrations. Unfortunately, it’s been lost over the years. It’s okay though, he has a nice, new stone, and a grand place to be buried, as long as you know where to look.

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