George S. Taft
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The Taft family of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
has historic origins in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
; its members have served
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
,
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
,
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
,
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, and the United States in various positions such as
U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
(two),
Governor of Ohio A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
,
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,
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
(three),
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...
,
U.S. Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
,
U.S. Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
(two),
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
, and Chief Justice of the United States.


Overview

The first known ancestor of the Taft family is Richard Robert Taft, who died in
County Louth County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of Meath to the south, Monaghan to the west, Armagh to the north and Down to the ...
,
Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland ( ga, label=Classical Irish, an Ríoghacht Éireann; ga, label=Modern Irish, an Ríocht Éireann, ) was a monarchy on the island of Ireland that was a client state of England and then of Great Britain. It existed from ...
in 1700, which is also where his son, Robert Taft Sr., was born circa 1640. Robert Taft Sr. would be the first Taft to migrate to what is now the United States. He married his wife Sarah Simpson, who was born in January 1640 in England, in 1668 in
Braintree, Massachusetts Braintree (), officially the Town of Braintree, is a municipality in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a towBraintree is a city, with a mayor-council government, mayor-council form of government, and i ...
. Robert Taft Sr. began a homestead in what is today
Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. Situated west-northwest of Charing Cross, it is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Uxbrid ...
and then Mendon, circa 1680, and which was where he and his wife died in 1725 and 1726 respectively. His son,
Robert Taft Jr. Robert Alphonso Taft Jr. (February 26, 1917 – December 7, 1993) was an American politician. He was a member of the Taft political family who served as a Republican Congressman from Ohio between 1963 and 1965, as well as between 1967 and 1971 ...
, was a member of the founding Board of Selectmen for the new town of Uxbridge in 1727. A branch of the Massachusetts Taft family descended from Daniel Taft Sr., son of Robert Taft Sr., born at Braintree, 1677–1761, died at Mendon. Daniel, a justice of the peace in Mendon, had a son
Josiah Taft Josiah Taft (April 2, 1709 – September 30, 1756) was a wealthy landowner in Uxbridge, Massachusetts best known as the husband of Lydia Taft, the first woman to vote in America. Early life Josiah was born on April 2, 1709, at Mendon, Province ...
, later of Uxbridge, who died in 1756. This branch of the Taft family claims America's first woman voter,
Lydia Taft Lydia Taft (née Chapin; February 2, 1712November 9, 1778) was the first woman known to legally vote in colonial America. This occurred at a town meeting in the New England town of Uxbridge in Massachusetts Colony, on October 30, 1756. Early lif ...
, and five generations of Massachusetts legislators and public servants beginning with Lydia's husband, Josiah Taft. The Tafts were very prominently represented as soldiers in the Revolutionary War, mostly in the New England states.
Peter Rawson Taft I Peter Rawson Taft (April 14, 1785 – January 1, 1867) was an American politician. He was President William Howard Taft's paternal grandfather. Early life and family Peter was born to Aaron Taft and Rhoda Rawson on April 14, 1785 at Uxbridge in ...
was born in Uxbridge in 1785 and moved to
Townshend, Vermont Townshend is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for the Townshend family, powerful figures in British politics. The population was 1,291 at the 2020 census. History The land grant for Townshend was chartered b ...
circa 1800. He became a Vermont state legislator. He died in
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
,
Hamilton County, Ohio Hamilton County is located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 830,639, making it the third-most populous county in Ohio. The county seat and largest city is Cincinnati. The county i ...
. His son,
Alphonso Taft Alphonso Taft (November 5, 1810 – May 21, 1891) was an American jurist, diplomat, politician, United States Attorney General, Attorney General and United States Secretary of War, Secretary of War under President of the United States, President U ...
, was born in Townshend, Vermont, and attended
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
, where he founded the
Skull and Bones Skull and Bones, also known as The Order, Order 322 or The Brotherhood of Death, is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior class society at the university, Skull and Bone ...
society. He later was
Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
and
Attorney General of the United States The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
and the father of President
William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
.
Elmshade The Bazaleel Taft Jr. House and Law Office are a historic house and law office building at 195 South Main Street in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. On November 7, 1983, they were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The House and Law of ...
in Massachusetts was the site of Taft family reunions such as in 1874.


History

The American Taft family began with Robert Taft Sr. who immigrated to
Braintree, Massachusetts Braintree (), officially the Town of Braintree, is a municipality in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a towBraintree is a city, with a mayor-council government, mayor-council form of government, and i ...
circa, 1675. There was early settlement at
Mendon, Massachusetts Mendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,228 at the 2020 census. Mendon is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, an early center of the industrial revolution in the United ...
circa 1669 and again in 1680 at what was later
Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. Situated west-northwest of Charing Cross, it is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Uxbrid ...
, after the
King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1676 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England coloni ...
ended. Robert's homestead was in western Mendon, in what later became Uxbridge, and his son was on the founding board of selectmen. In 1734, Benjamin Taft started an iron forge, in Uxbridge, where some of the earliest beginnings of America's industrial revolution began. Robert Sr.'s son, Daniel, a
justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
in Mendon had a son
Josiah Taft Josiah Taft (April 2, 1709 – September 30, 1756) was a wealthy landowner in Uxbridge, Massachusetts best known as the husband of Lydia Taft, the first woman to vote in America. Early life Josiah was born on April 2, 1709, at Mendon, Province ...
, later of Uxbridge, who died in 1756. Josiah's widow became "America's first woman voter", Lydia Chapin Taft, when she voted in three Uxbridge town meetings. President George Washington visited
Samuel Taft Samuel Taft (September 23, 1735, at Upton, Worcester County, Province of Massachusetts – August 2, 1816, at Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts) was a Revolutionary War soldier who later hosted his former commander in Chief, Presiden ...
's Tavern in Uxbridge in 1789 on his "inaugural tour" of
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
. President
William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
's grandfather, Peter Rawson Taft I, was born in Uxbridge in 1785. The Hon. Bezaleel Taft Sr., Lydia's son, left a legacy of five generations or more of public service, including at least three generations in the state legislature of Tafts in Massachusetts. Ezra Taft Benson, Sr, a famous
Mormon pioneer The Mormon pioneers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter Day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s until the late-1860s across the United States from the Midwest to the Sa ...
, lived here between 1817–1835, and married his first wife Pamela, of Northbridge, in 1832. This family eventually became an American political dynasty.


The first settler: Robert Taft Sr.

* Robert Taft Sr. ( 1640–1725); The famous Taft family in America developed its roots in Mendon and Uxbridge.
Robert Taft, Sr Robert Taft Sr. (1725) was the first Taft in the United States and the founder of the American Taft family. Early history Robert Taft Sr. was first known to be in Massachusetts in 1675 (or 1678) in Braintree, Massachusetts, Braintree. Another r ...
came to America from Braintree. The original American Taft homestead was in western Mendon, which later became Uxbridge, and was built by Robert Taft Sr., the first immigrant, in 1681. Robert Taft Sr. had built an earlier home in 1669, but it was abandoned due to
King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1676 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England coloni ...
. Robert Taft Sr.'s descendants are a large politically active family with descendants who are prominent in
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, but live throughout the U.S. *
Robert Taft Jr. Robert Alphonso Taft Jr. (February 26, 1917 – December 7, 1993) was an American politician. He was a member of the Taft political family who served as a Republican Congressman from Ohio between 1963 and 1965, as well as between 1967 and 1971 ...
; was born in 1674 to Robert Sr., and Sarah Taft at Braintree. He grew up in the western part of Mendon in what later became Uxbridge. He became a founding member of the Uxbridge Board of Selectmen in 1727. Robert Taft Jr. may have been the first American Taft to hold political office. His descendants included a
Governor of Rhode Island The governor of Rhode Island is the head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, o ...
, Royal Chapin Taft, a
United States senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...
from Ohio,
Kingsley Arter Taft Kingsley Arter Taft (July 19, 1903March 28, 1970) was an American politician and distant relative of Ohio's more famous Taft family. He served as chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and also served briefly as a United States Senator. Kingsley ...
, and a
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...
,
Ezra Taft Benson II Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as the 15th United States Secretary of Agriculture during both President of the United States, presidential term ...
, among others.


America's first woman voter and her descendants

* Lydia Chapin Taft; Noteworthy among early Uxbridge residents was Lydia Chapin Taft, a Mendon native by birth, who voted in three official Uxbridge
town meeting Town meeting is a form of local government in which most or all of the members of a community are eligible to legislate policy and budgets for local government. It is a town- or city-level meeting in which decisions are made, in contrast with ...
s, beginning in 1756. She was the widow of Robert Taft Sr.'s grandson,
Josiah Taft Josiah Taft (April 2, 1709 – September 30, 1756) was a wealthy landowner in Uxbridge, Massachusetts best known as the husband of Lydia Taft, the first woman to vote in America. Early life Josiah was born on April 2, 1709, at Mendon, Province ...
, who had served in the Colonial Legislature. Josiah was the son of Daniel Taft of Mendon. Taft was America's First Woman Voter. This is recognized by the
Massachusetts legislature The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, w ...
. Her first historic vote, a first in
Women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...
, was in favor of appropriating funds for the regiments engaged in the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
. * Hon. Bezaleel Taft Sr., Lydia's son, held the rank of captain in the
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
, and answered the
Battle of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The battles were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, ...
Alarm on April 18, 1775, while Lydia looked on. He went on to become a prominent Massachusetts legislator, and
State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...
. At least 12 soldiers with the surname of Taft served in the Revolutionary War from the town of Uxbridge. Many more Tafts from throughout the former colonies also served in the War of Independence. * Hon. Bezaleel Taft Jr., the son, followed a legislative career in the
Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ...
, the state Senate, and the State Executive Council. *
Elmshade The Bazaleel Taft Jr. House and Law Office are a historic house and law office building at 195 South Main Street in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. On November 7, 1983, they were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The House and Law of ...
- Bezaleel Taft Jr. and five generations of influential Tafts lived in a historic home known as Elmshade which was a gathering place for Taft family reunions, and which is now on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
. Young
William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
and his father,
Alphonso Taft Alphonso Taft (November 5, 1810 – May 21, 1891) was an American jurist, diplomat, politician, United States Attorney General, Attorney General and United States Secretary of War, Secretary of War under President of the United States, President U ...
, Secretary of War and founder of
Skull and Bones Skull and Bones, also known as The Order, Order 322 or The Brotherhood of Death, is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior class society at the university, Skull and Bone ...
at
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
, visited this home on a number of occasions. * George Spring Taft, Bezaleel Jr.'s son, was the county prosecutor, and Secretary to
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
,
George Hoar George Frisbie Hoar (August 29, 1826 – September 30, 1904) was an American attorney and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1877 to 1904. He belonged to an extended family that became politically prominen ...
. George Spring Taft also lived at Elmshade. * The tradition of public service continued for at least five generations in this Massachusetts branch of the Taft family. The "Life of
Alphonso Taft Alphonso Taft (November 5, 1810 – May 21, 1891) was an American jurist, diplomat, politician, United States Attorney General, Attorney General and United States Secretary of War, Secretary of War under President of the United States, President U ...
by Lewis Alexander Leonard", on Google Books, is a particularly rich source of the history of the Taft family origins in Massachusetts. * Other local Tafts Other local Tafts in political service in the Massachusetts legislature included Arthur M. Taft, Arthur Robert Taft, and Zadok Arnold Taft. Royal Chapin Taft, originally from Northbridge, became the Governor of Rhode Island. The number of Tafts in public service across America was extraordinary including New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio, Michigan, Utah, and other states.


A Presidential visit

* First President's visit;
Samuel Taft Samuel Taft (September 23, 1735, at Upton, Worcester County, Province of Massachusetts – August 2, 1816, at Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts) was a Revolutionary War soldier who later hosted his former commander in Chief, Presiden ...
was an
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
soldier, father of 22, an Uxbridge farmer and
tavern A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that h ...
keeper. President
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
stayed at the ''Samuel Taft Tavern'' in November 1789, during the founding father's inaugural trip through New England.
November 8, 1789.
:
Sir:
::
Being informed that you have given my name to one of your sons, and called another after Mrs. Washington's family, and being moreover very much pleased with the modest and innocent looks of your two daughters, Patty and Polly, I do for these reasons send each of these girls a piece of
chintz Chintz () is a woodblock printed, painted, stained or glazed calico textile that originated in Golconda (present day Hyderabad, India) in the 16th century. The cloth is printed with designs featuring flowers and other patterns in different colou ...
; and to Patty, who bears the name of
Mrs. Washington "Mrs. Washington" is a song written and performed by Gigolo Aunts and the title song from their 1993 and 1994 singles. The song also appears on the album, ''Flippin' Out''. The August 1993 7" single (catalog number: SM1 or 7SM1) includes a cover o ...
, and who waited more upon us than Polly did, I send five
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...
, with which she may buy herself any little ornament she may want, or she may dispose of them in any other manner more agreeable to herself. As I do not give these things with a view to having it talked of, or even to its being known, the less there is said about the matter the better you will please me; but, that I may be sure the chintz and money have got safe to hand, let Patty, who I dare say is equal to it, write me a line informing me thereof, directed to 'The
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
at
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
.' I wish you and your family well, and am,
:
etc. Yours,
:
George Washington
::
– Letter to Mr. Samuel Taft, written from
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
on November 8, 1789


Mendon-Uxbridge connections to the Ohio Tafts, Presidential ancestors

President
William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
's grandfather,
Peter Rawson Taft I Peter Rawson Taft (April 14, 1785 – January 1, 1867) was an American politician. He was President William Howard Taft's paternal grandfather. Early life and family Peter was born to Aaron Taft and Rhoda Rawson on April 14, 1785 at Uxbridge in ...
, was born in Uxbridge in 1785 and grew up there. His father Aaron moved to
Townshend, Vermont Townshend is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for the Townshend family, powerful figures in British politics. The population was 1,291 at the 2020 census. History The land grant for Townshend was chartered b ...
, because of the difficult economy, when he was fifteen. The story is told that Peter Rawson walked a cow all the way from Uxbridge to Townshend, a distance of well over 100 miles. The "Aaron Taft house" is now on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
. Peter Rawson Taft I became a
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
legislator and eventually died in Hamilton County,
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
,
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
. Peter Rawson Taft's son,
Alphonso Taft Alphonso Taft (November 5, 1810 – May 21, 1891) was an American jurist, diplomat, politician, United States Attorney General, Attorney General and United States Secretary of War, Secretary of War under President of the United States, President U ...
, founded
Skull and Bones Skull and Bones, also known as The Order, Order 322 or The Brotherhood of Death, is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior class society at the university, Skull and Bone ...
at
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
, served as
U.S. Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
, and his son William Howard became the
U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
. The ancestry of U.S. presidents traces to Uxbridge and Mendon more than once, including both presidents bearing the last name Bush. President Taft, a champion for world peace and the only president to also serve as Chief Justice of the United States, returned to Uxbridge for family reunions. He remarked as he stepped off the train there on April 3, 1905, "Uxbridge,... I think I have more relatives here than in any town in America." Young William Howard Taft had made other trips to Uxbridge, and Bezaleel Taft, Jr.'s home, "Elmshade", in his earlier years. It was at "Elmshade" that young William Howard Taft likely heard his father, Alphonso Taft, proudly deliver an oratory on the Taft family history and the family's roots in Uxbridge, and Mendon, circa 1874. President Taft stayed at the Samuel Taft tavern when he visited Uxbridge, as did George Washington 120 years earlier. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' recorded President Taft's visits to his ancestral homes in Mendon and Uxbridge during his presidency. William Howard Taft, as a young boy, spent a number of summers in the
Blackstone Valley The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major factor in the American Industrial Revolution. It makes up part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and Nation ...
in
Millbury, Massachusetts Millbury, officially the Town of Millbury, is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Located within Blackstone Valley, the population in Millbury was 13,831 at the 2020 United States Census. History Millbury was first settled by Europeans ...
, and even attended schools for at least a term in that nearby town.


A Mormon apostle

Ezra T. Benson Ezra Taft Benson (February 22, 1811 – September 3, 1869) (commonly referred to as Ezra T. Benson to distinguish him from his great-grandson of the same name) was an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of ...
(to distinguish him from his famous great-grandson,
Ezra Taft Benson Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as the 15th United States Secretary of Agriculture during both presidential terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower and a ...
), a Mendon and Uxbridge native, is famous as a key early apostle of the
Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
religion. His own autobiography states that he lived in Uxbridge between 1817–1835, or about 17 years, after his mother, Chloe Taft and father, John Benson, moved to a farm there. Young Ezra married Pamela Andrus, of Northbridge, on January 1, 1832, at Uxbridge. He had moved in with his family in an Uxbridge center Hotel in 1827. He and Pamela lived here in the 1830s, had children, and had a child who died, which is recorded in the Uxbridge Vital Records. He later managed and owned the hotel in Uxbridge Center before investing in a cotton mill at
Holland, Massachusetts Holland is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around the town center comprises the census-desig ...
. He moved to Holland Mass in 1835. He later moved to
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, and became a Mormon apostle. Ezra joined the LDS Church at
Quincy, Illinois Quincy ( ), known as Illinois's "Gem City", is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States, located on the Mississippi River. The 2020 census counted a population of 39,463 in the city itself, down from 40,633 in 2010. ...
in 1840, entered plural marriages, marrying seven more wives after Pamela. He was called to the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
by Brigham Young in 1846, a high post within the LDS Church. He had eight wives and 32 children. He was a Missionary to the
Sandwich Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
, also known as
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. He served as a Representative to the
Utah Territorial Assembly The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 state representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 state senators. There are no term lim ...
. He died in Ogden,
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, in 1869.


Tafts in the Blackstone Valley's industrialization

Benjamin Taft started the first
iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...
in the
Ironstone Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical replacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron ore compound from which iron (Fe) can be smelted commercially. Not to be con ...
section of Uxbridge in 1734 There was good quality "bog iron ore" here. Caleb Handy added a triphammer, and scythes and guns were manufactured here before 1800. The Taft family continued to be instrumental in the early industrialization of the Blackstone Valley including mills built by a 4th generation descendant of Robert Taft I, the son of Deborah Taft,
Daniel Day Daniel Day may refer to: * Daniel Day (manufacturer) (1767–1848), American pioneer in woollen manufacturing * Daniel Day (cricketer) (1807–1887), English cricketer * Dapper Dan (designer) (born 1944), American fashion designer, born Daniel Day ...
in 1810, and his son in law,
Luke Taft Luke Taft (3 June 1783 – 7 April 1863) was an industrial pioneer in the manufacture of woolens in 19th century New England. Family Luke Taft was a fifth-generation descendant of Robert Taft I, of the American Taft family. Robert Taft I had se ...
(1825) and Luke's son,
Moses Taft Moses Taft 2nd (January 16, 1812 – April 2, 1893) was born at Uxbridge, Massachusetts. He was significant as an early American Industrialist and financier in the historic Blackstone Valley, and a member of the famous Taft family. Birth parent ...
in (1852). These woolen mills, some of the first to use power looms, and satinets, ran 24/7 during the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
producing cloth for U.S. military uniforms. The 1814
Rivulet Mill Complex The Rivulet Mill Complex is an historic group of mill buildings located at 60 Rivulet Street, in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, United States. It was originally built by Chandler Taft. Richard Sayles purchased the mill in 1864 and, after repairs, began t ...
was established at North Uxbridge by Chandler Taft. In 1855, 2.5 million yards of cloth was produced in the mills of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is the center of the
Blackstone Valley The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major factor in the American Industrial Revolution. It makes up part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and Nation ...
, the earliest industrialized region in the United States. It is part of the
John H. Chafee John Lester Hubbard Chafee ( ; October 22, 1922 – October 24, 1999) was an American politician and officer in the United States Marine Corps. A member of the Republican Party (United States), he served as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, as ...
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns (400,000 acre ...
.
Samuel Slater Samuel Slater (June 9, 1768 – April 21, 1835) was an early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution" (a phrase coined by Andrew Jackson) and the "Father of the American Factory System". In the ...
, who built his mill in (1790), at
Pawtucket, Rhode Island Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence and East Providence to the south, Central Falls ...
, on the Blackstone River, was credited by President
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
as the father of America's
industrial revolution The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
.


Mayor Henry Chapin: an Uxbridge "Taft" story

In 1864,
Judge Henry Chapin Henry Chapin (May 13, 1811 – October 13, 1878) was a judge, a state legislator, and a three-term mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts. Early life and career Chapin, a native of Upton, Massachusetts, graduated from Brown University in 1835. He ser ...
, a three-term
Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
and
Chief Judge A chief judge (also known as presiding judge, president judge or principal judge) is the highest-ranking or most senior member of a lower court or circuit court with more than one judge. According to the Federal judiciary of the United States, th ...
, quoted a well known Uxbridge story as follows: A stranger came to town, met a new person and said, "Hello Mr. Taft". Mr. Taft said, "How did you know my name?" The stranger replied, "I presumed that you were a Taft, just like the other 12 Tafts I have just met!". This story was repeated in a poem form by Mayor Chapin, at a famous Taft family reunion here, recorded in the Life of Alphonso Taft.


Family tree

Prominent members of the Taft family include: * Robert Taft Sr. (1640–1724), the immigrant


Descendants of Joseph Taft

*Joseph Taft (1680–1747), son of Robert Taft Sr. **Peter Taft (1715–1783) ***Aaron Taft (1743–1808) ****
Peter Rawson Taft I Peter Rawson Taft (April 14, 1785 – January 1, 1867) was an American politician. He was President William Howard Taft's paternal grandfather. Early life and family Peter was born to Aaron Taft and Rhoda Rawson on April 14, 1785 at Uxbridge in ...
(1785–1867), member of the Vermont legislature *****
Alphonso Taft Alphonso Taft (November 5, 1810 – May 21, 1891) was an American jurist, diplomat, politician, United States Attorney General, Attorney General and United States Secretary of War, Secretary of War under President of the United States, President U ...
(1810–1891), U.S. secretary of war (1876), U.S. attorney general (1876–1877); married first to Fanny Phelps, and second to his cousin Louisa Maria Torrey (see below) ****** Charles Phelps Taft I (1843–1929), U.S. representative (1895–1897), publisher (''
The Cincinnati Times-Star ''The Cincinnati Times-Star'' was an afternoon daily newspaper in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, from 1880 to 1958. The Northern Kentucky edition was known as ''The Kentucky Times-Star'', and a Sunday edition was known as ''The Sunday Times-St ...
''),
U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
, owner of the
Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...
from 1905 to 1913 and
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
from 1914 to 1916. Married Anna Sinton, daughter of
David Sinton David Sinton (26 June 1808 – 31 August 1900) was an Irish-born American pig-iron industrialist, born in County Armagh, Ireland, who became one of the wealthiest people in America. Early life Sinton was the son of linen manufacturer John Sinton ...
. ******* Jane Taft, married Albert S. Ingalls, son of
Melville E. Ingalls Melville Ezra Ingalls (1842–1914), commonly abbreviated M. E. Ingalls, was a Massachusetts state legislator who went on to become president of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (the Big Four Railroad). Career Ingalls was ...
********
David Sinton Ingalls David Sinton Ingalls (January 28, 1899 – April 26, 1985) was the US Navy's only flying ace of World War I, with six credited victories; thus he was the first ace in U. S. Navy history. Early life Ingalls was born on January 28, 1899, in Cle ...
(1899–1985), flying ace in World War I, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Aeronautics from 1929–1932, candidate for governor of Ohio (1932). Married Louise Hale Harkness, daughter of
William L. Harkness William Lamon Harkness (August 8, 1858 – May 10, 1919) was an American businessman and inheritor of a large share of Standard Oil. Early life William Lamon Harkness was born in Bellevue, Ohio, the son of Daniel M. Harkness, who was the half-br ...
and granddaughter of
Daniel M. Harkness Daniel M. Harkness (September 26, 1822 – August 5, 1896) was an American merchant and businessman in Ohio. He played a role in the formation of Standard Oil in Ohio. His older half-brother Stephen V. Harkness and younger half-brother Henry M. ...
. ******Peter Rawson Taft II (1846–1889), m. Annie Matilda Hulbert. ******* Hulbert Taft Sr. (1877–1959), publisher, associate editor, and reporter for the ''Cincinnati Times Star''. ********David Gibson Taft (1916–1962), businessman, Vice-Chairman of the board of Taft Broadcasting Company. Served as Executive Vice President of Radio Cincinnati, Taft Broadcasting's predecessor. In 1955 he was made manager of WKRC-TV. WWII served as captain in the US Army and liaison officer for General Joe Stillwell. ******** Hulbert Taft Jr. (1907–1967), broadcaster (
Taft Broadcasting The Taft Broadcasting Company (also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated) was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company was rooted in the Taft family, family of William Howard Taft, the 27th Presid ...
) ********* Dudley S. Taft Sr. (b. 1940), businessman, President and Board Chairman of Taft Broadcasting,
Cinergy Cinergy Corp. ( ) was an energy company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, from 1994 to 2006. Its name is a play on the words "synergy", "energy", and "Cincinnati". History Cinergy was created on October 24, 1994, from the merger of the C ...
, Tribune Co. ********** Dudley S. Taft Jr. (b. 1966),
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
musician, Sweetwater guitarist, Second Coming guitarist,
Dudley Taft Dudley S. Taft (born July 4, 1966, Washington, D.C.) is an American musician. Taft is a blues/rock musician who fronts the Dudley Taft Band and was a songwriting member of Seattle band Sweet Water and member and chief songwriter of Seattle, Wa ...
Band; co-wrote "Unknown Rider" for 1999 film ''
The Sixth Sense ''The Sixth Sense'' is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient (Haley Joel Osment) claims he can see and talk to the dead. Released by ...
'' ********** Thomas Woodall Taft (b. 1969), actor, writer, businessman, founder of Southern Star Interactive. ****** William Howard Taft I (1857–1930), U.S. president (1909–1913), U.S. chief justice (1921–1930), U.S. secretary of war (1904–1908). Married Helen Louise Herron. ******* Robert Alphonso Taft Sr. (1889–1953), U.S. senator from Ohio (1939–1953), three-time unsuccessful Presidential candidate (1940, 1948, 1952). Married Martha Wheaton Bowers, daughter of
Lloyd Wheaton Bowers Lloyd Wheaton Bowers (March 9, 1859 – September 9, 1910) was an American lawyer. Life and career Bowers was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, the son of Samuel Dwight Bowers and Martha Wheaton Dowd. On both sides, his ancestors were Purita ...
. ********
William Howard Taft III William Howard Taft III (August 7, 1915 – February 23, 1991) was an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1953 to 1957, and was a grandson of President William Howard Taft and First Lady Helen Louise "Nellie ...
(1915–1991), ambassador to Ireland *********
William Howard Taft IV William Howard Taft IV (born September 13, 1945) is an attorney who has served in the United States government under several Republican administrations. He is the son of William Howard Taft III and the great-grandson of President William Howard T ...
(b. 1945),
Deputy Secretary of Defense The deputy secretary of defense (acronym: DepSecDef) is a statutory office () and the second-highest-ranking official in the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The deputy secretary is the principal civilian deputy to the se ...
(1984–1989), chief legal adviser to the
U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
(2001–2005). Married Julia Ann Vadala Taft. ********** William Howard Taft V (b. 1978), lawyer, member of the International Commercial Disputes Committee of the
New York City Bar Association The New York City Bar Association (City Bar), founded in 1870, is a voluntary association of lawyers and law students. Since 1896, the organization, formally known as the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, has been headquartered in a ...
. Married Begum Inci Bengu. ******** Robert Alphonso Taft Jr. (1917–1993), U.S. senator from Ohio (1971–1976) ********* Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft III (b. 1942), governor of Ohio (1999–2007) ********Lloyd Bowers Taft (1923–1985), investment banker in Cincinnati ********Horace Dwight Taft (1925–1983), physics professor and dean of faculty at
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
********* John G. Taft (b. 1954), financier and writer ******* Helen Herron Taft Manning (1891–1987), professor of history and college dean, married Frederick Johnson Manning *******
Charles Phelps Taft II Charles Phelps Taft II (September 20, 1897 – June 24, 1983) was a U.S. Republican Party politician and member of the Taft family. From 1955 to 1957, he served as Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. Like other members of his family, Taft was a Republ ...
(1897–1983), Charterite Cincinnati mayor (1955–1957), Cincinnati city council member (1938–1942), Hamilton County, Ohio, prosecutor (1927–1928), candidate for governor of Ohio (1952), candidate for Republican nomination for Ohio governor (1958) ******** Seth Chase Taft (1922–2013), candidate for Ohio Senate (1962); candidate for mayor of Cleveland, Ohio (1967); candidate for Republican nomination for governor of Ohio (1982) ******** Peter Rawson Taft III (b. 1936), United States Assistant Attorney General Department of Justice; married to Diana Todd ******
Henry Waters Taft Henry Waters Taft (May 27, 1859 – August 11, 1945) was an American lawyer and author. He was the son of Alphonso and brother of President William Howard Taft. A renowned antitrust lawyer, he was a name partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Ta ...
(1859–1945), candidate for justice of New York Court of Appeals (1898); New York delegate to Republican National Convention (1920, 1924); named partner at
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP (known as Cadwalader) is a white-shoe law firm, and is New York City's oldest law firm and one of the oldest continuously operating legal practices in the United States. Attorney John Wells founded the practice ...
(from 1919) *******Walbridge Smith Taft (1885–1951), candidate for U.S. representative from New York ******* William Howard Taft II (1887–1952) ******
Horace Dutton Taft Horace Dutton Taft (December 28, 1861 – January 28, 1943) was an American educator, and the founder of The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, United States. Early life He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the younger brother of William Howa ...
(1861–1943), author, founder of
The Taft School The Taft School is a private, coeducational school located in Watertown, Connecticut, United States. It teaches students in 9th through 12th grades and post-graduates. About three-quarters of Taft's roughly 600 students live on the school's ...
in Watertown, Connecticut


Descendants of Robert Taft Jr.

*
Robert Taft Jr. Robert Alphonso Taft Jr. (February 26, 1917 – December 7, 1993) was an American politician. He was a member of the Taft political family who served as a Republican Congressman from Ohio between 1963 and 1965, as well as between 1967 and 1971 ...
(1674–1748), Founding Board of Selectmen, Town of
Uxbridge, Massachusetts Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts first colonized in 1662 and incorporated in 1727. It was originally part of the town of Mendon, MA, Mendon, and named for the Marquess of Anglesey, Earl of Uxbridge. The town is located south ...
**Robert Taft III (1697–1777) *** Robert Taft IV (1724–1787) **** Lovett Taft (1756–1837) ***** Aurin Post Taft (1788–1861) ****** Frederick Lovett Taft I (1811–1869) ******* Newton Archibald Taft (1843–1890) ******** Frederick Lovett Taft II (1870–1913) *********
Kingsley Arter Taft Kingsley Arter Taft (July 19, 1903March 28, 1970) was an American politician and distant relative of Ohio's more famous Taft family. He served as chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and also served briefly as a United States Senator. Kingsley ...
(1903–1970), U.S. senator, chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court **********David Taft, COO of Landec Corp., trustee of
Kenyon College Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio. It was founded in 1824 by Philander Chase. Kenyon College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Kenyon has 1,708 undergraduates enrolled. Its 1,000-acre campus is se ...
********** Sheldon A. Taft, candidate for Ohio Supreme Court judgeship ********* Charles Newton Taft (1904–1980) ********** William Wilson Taft (b. 1932), Ohio state senator *********** William Wilson Taft Jr., musician **
Israel Taft Israel Taft (1699–1753) was the grandson of the U.S. Taft family founder Robert Taft Sr., Robert Taft and father of Revolutionary War soldier Samuel Taft. He was born in Mendon, Massachusetts, Mendon, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, and died a ...
(1699–1753), pioneer ***
Samuel Taft Samuel Taft (September 23, 1735, at Upton, Worcester County, Province of Massachusetts – August 2, 1816, at Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts) was a Revolutionary War soldier who later hosted his former commander in Chief, Presiden ...
(1735–1816), soldier in the Revolutionary War ***
Hannah Taft Hannah or Hanna may refer to: People, biblical figures, and fictional characters * Hannah (name), a female given name of Hebrew origin * Hanna (Arabic name), a family and a male given name of Christian Arab origin * Hanna (Irish surname), a famil ...
****Elias Benjamin ****
Chester Benjamin Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border, English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: Peop ...
****William Benjamin ****
Elijah H. Taft Benjamin Elijah ( ; he, אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My El (deity), God is Yahweh/YHWH"; Greek form: Elias, ''Elías''; syr, ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, ''Elyāe''; Arabic language, Arabic: إلياس or إليا, ''Ilyās'' or ''Ilyā''. ) w ...
****Darius Benjamin ****Hannah Benjamin ****Cyrus Benjamin ****Mary Benjamin ***Jacob Taft **** Jacob Taft, married to his 1st cousin once removed, Mary Taft (see below) ***** Orsmus Taft ****** Royal Chapin Taft (1823–1912),
Governor of Rhode Island The governor of Rhode Island is the head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, o ...
, 1888–1889 **** Eastman Taft, married to his 2nd cousin, Hannah Taft (see below) ***** Chloe Taft ****** Ezra Taft Benson I (1811–1869), Mormon apostle and Representative to the
Utah Territorial Legislature The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 state representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 state senators. There are no term ...
******* George Taft Benson Sr. ******** George Taft Benson Jr. *********
Ezra Taft Benson II Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as the 15th United States Secretary of Agriculture during both President of the United States, presidential term ...
(1899–1994),
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...
, 1953–1961; President of the LDS Church, 1985–94 **********Bonnie Amussen Benson *********** Mark Benson Madsen (b. 1963),
Utah State Senate The Utah State Senate is the upper house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The Utah Senate is composed of 29 elected members representing an equal number of senate districts. Each senate district is ...
, 2005–2017 ********** Mark A. Benson *********** Steve Benson (b. 1954),
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winning cartoonist ***********
Michael T. Benson Michael Taft Benson (born February 28, 1965) is an American academic administrator serving as the president and professor of history at Coastal Carolina University. He previously served as president of Eastern Kentucky University, Southern Uta ...
(b. 1965), President of
Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Kentucky University (Eastern or EKU) is a public university in Richmond, Kentucky. As a regional comprehensive institution, EKU also maintains branch campuses in Corbin, Hazard, Lancaster, and Manchester and offers over 40 online un ...
,
Southern Utah University Southern Utah University (SUU) is a public university in Cedar City, Utah. Founded in 1897 as a normal school, Southern Utah University now graduates over 1,800 students each year with baccalaureate and graduate degrees from its six colleges. ...
, and
Snow College Snow College is a public community college in Ephraim, Utah. It offers certificates and associate degrees in a number of areas, along with bachelor's degrees in music and software engineering and a four-year nursing program. Snow College is part ...
**********
Reed Benson Reed Amussen Benson (January 2, 1928 – August 24, 2016) was an American academic and professor of religion at Brigham Young University who was the national director of public relations for the John Birch Society. During his career, Benson was no ...
(1928–2016), national director of public relations for the John Birch Society *** Huldah Taft **** Chloe Daniel ***** Anna Davenport ****** Samuel Davenport Torrey ******* Louisa Maria Torrey (1827–1907), married to her 4th cousin twice removed, Alphonso Taft (see above) ** John Taft ***Jesse Taft **** Hannah Taft, married to her 2nd cousin, Eastman Taft (see above) *** Mary Taft, married to her 1st cousin once removed, Jacob Taft (see above)


Descendants of Daniel Taft Sr.

* Daniel Taft Sr., Massachusetts General Court, Colonial Legislature ** Daniel Taft Jr. *** Nathan Taft **** Zadok Lovell Taft ***** Don Carlos Taft ****** Lorado Zadoc Taft (1860–1936), sculptor *******
Emily Taft Douglas Emily Taft Douglas (April 10, 1899 – January 28, 1994) was a Democratic Party politician from the U.S. state of Illinois. She served as a U.S. Representative at-large from 1945 until 1947 and was married to U.S. Senator Paul Douglas from ...
(1899–1994), Congresswoman, U.S. representative **
Josiah Taft Josiah Taft (April 2, 1709 – September 30, 1756) was a wealthy landowner in Uxbridge, Massachusetts best known as the husband of Lydia Taft, the first woman to vote in America. Early life Josiah was born on April 2, 1709, at Mendon, Province ...
(1709–1756), Massachusetts General Court, Legislature; married to
Lydia Taft Lydia Taft (née Chapin; February 2, 1712November 9, 1778) was the first woman known to legally vote in colonial America. This occurred at a town meeting in the New England town of Uxbridge in Massachusetts Colony, on October 30, 1756. Early lif ...
, America's First Woman Voter *** Hon. Bezaleel Taft Sr. (1750–1839),
Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ...
, Legislature **** Hon. Bezaleel Taft Jr. (1780–1846), Massachusetts General Court, Legislature ***** George Spring Taft (1826–1860), Secretary for U.S. Senator
George Hoar George Frisbie Hoar (August 29, 1826 – September 30, 1904) was an American attorney and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1877 to 1904. He belonged to an extended family that became politically prominen ...
*****Henry Gordon Taft (1832–1903), Commissioner of
Worcester County, Massachusetts Worcester County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 862,111, making it the second-most populous county in Massachusetts while also b ...
from 1876 to 1903


Descendants of Thomas Taft

*Thomas Taft **Joseph Taft *** Noah Taft **** Timothy Taft ***** Sullivan Taft ****** Abigail Wright Taft ******* Infant Son Adams ******* Russell Webster Adams ****** Timothy Sullivan Taft ******* Sarah Jane Taft ******** John J. Williams ******** Harry Taft Williams ********* Marguerite Williams1920 United States Federal Census ******** Parker Merrill Williams ****** Mary Flagg Taft ******* Olive Maria Bolton ******* William Henry Bolton ******** George Lemuel Bolton ********* Bernice L. Bolton ********* Mildred Annette Bolton1940 United States Federal Census ********** Richard E. Thompson ********** Eleanor M. Thompson ********** Gerald J. Thompson ********** Neil C. Thompson ******** William Henry Bolton Jr ********* Grace Madeline Bolton ********* Florence Maud Bolton ******** Mary Eliza Bolton ********* Earl Dewey Rice ********* Marion Lucy Rice ********* Louise May Rice Joy ********* Gratia Cyrena Rice ********* Daisy Idella Rice ********* Clara Ruth Rice ********** Donald E. Crossin ******** Carrie Louisa Bolton Kingsley ******** Hugh Samuel Bolton ******** Edward Spencer Bolton ********* Cecil Bolton ******** Ransom Sullivan Bolton ******** Aurora Lucy Bolton ******** Olive Maria Bolton ********* Louisa Jennie Cook ******** John Martindale Bolton ********* William Bolton ********* Arlene Elnora Bolton ********** Mark Lynn Gilbert ******** Viola Jane Bolton ******** Francis S Bolton ******* Infant Son Bolton ******* Lemuel M. Bolton ******* George Colburn Bolton ******** George Deane Bolton ******** Corrina Mary Bolton ******** Ruth S. Bolton ******** Harold Lester Bolton ******* Samuel Bolton ****** Lucy Eliza Taft ******* William Sullivan Gleason ******** William Everett Gleason ********* Ellen Melissa Gleason ********** Infant Son Kinsman ********** Elton Bliss Kinsman ********** Francis Swain Kinsman *********** Russell Walter Kinsman *********** Francis Rollo Kinsman ********** Ernest Gleason Kinsman *********** Elton B Kinsman ********* Florence Marian Gleason ********** Leon Martin Blanchard ********** Lena Swain Blanchard ********** Irene Marjorie Blanchard ********** Clyde William Willis ********* Edwin Spencer Gleason ********* Bertha Maud Gleason ********** Harold Everett Johnson ********** Howard William Johnson ********** Madelyn Bertha Johnson ******** Henry Lyman Gleason ********* Earl W. Gleason ********* Howard H. Gleason ******** Cora Melissa Gleason ********* Roy E Allard ********* Alice Cora Allard White ******** Edward Homer Gleason ******** Spencer Lewis Gleason ******* Adoniram Judson Gleason ******* George Bordman Gleason ******* Mary Lucy Gleason Gale ******* Sarah Celicia Gleason ******** Elizabeth Ellen Jones ******** Sarah Maria (Sadie) Jones ******* James Homer Gleason ******* Thomas Spencer Gleason ******* Edward Homer Gleason ******* Julia A. Gleason ******** Nellie Edna Read ******** Homer Taft Read ****** Sarah Maria Taft ******* George Russel Brown ******** Ella Maria Brown ********* Helen Josephine Shay ********* Ernest Francis Shay ********* Florence Louise Shay ******** Etta Branch Brown ******** Winfield Martin Brown ******** Linna May Brown ******** Orville Short Brown ******** Lula Louise Brown (adopted: Temple) ********* Osburne Amos Hutchins ********** Osburne Clarke Hutchins ********** James Frederick Hutchins,
Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly and Company is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 countries. The company was founded in 1876 by, and named after, Colonel ...
scientist *********** Scott Andrew Hutchins
Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...
political candidate ********* Olive Glenwood Hutchins ********** Harold Russell Flanagan ********* Elliot Clarke Hutchins ********** Gertrude Ann Hutchins ********* Helen Louise Hutchins ******** Sadie Russel Brown (adopted: Maxwell) ******* Infant Son Brown ******* Mary Maria Brown ******* Orville Martin Brown ******* Clayton Roberts ****** Andrew Jackson Taft (1815–1816) ****** Andrew Jackson Taft (1817–1901) ****** Adoniram Judson Taft **** Chloe Taft m. Eastman Taft, son of Jacob Taft, grandson of Israel Taft, who was widowed by Hannah Taft (see above) ***** Eastman Taft, Jr. ***** Chloe Taft ****** John Benson, Jr. ****** Ezra Taft Benson ***** Ezra Taft **** Micajah Taft ***** Charlotte Taft ****** Emily Carpenter ******* Emily Maria Slater ******* Alice Carpenter Slater ***** Abby Taft m. Chandler Taft, son of Calvin Clark Taft ****** Augustine Calvin Taft ******* Alice Bradford Taft ******* Walton Chandler Taft ***** Maria Taft m. Mellen Taft, son of Calvin Clark Taft ****** Charlotte Isabelle Taft ******* Angelo Mellen Arnold **** David Taft ***** Hopestill Taft m. Benjamin Clark Taft, son of Calvin Clark Taft ***** Timothy Taft ****** Asenath Cummings Taft ****** Sarah Marsh Taft ****** Emeline Newell Taft ******* Emily H. Wing ******* Henry Taft Wing ******* Edgar Taft Wing ****** Charles Augustus Taft ******* Ellen Bowen Taft ******* Emma Elizabeth Taft ******* Sarah Adeline Taft ****** Lydia Arnold Taft ***** Polly Taft ****** Robert Hague Davis ***** David Taft ***** Chloe Taft ****** Adeline Newall Walker **** Charlotte Taft **** Joseph Taft ** Eleazer Taft


Collins family

The related Collins family tree: *
Ela Collins Ela Collins (February 14, 1786 – November 23, 1848) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Life Collins was born on February 14, 1786 in Meriden, Connecticut, the son of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 militia veteran Ge ...
(1786–1848),
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
Assemblyman 1815, U.S. Representative from New York 1823–1825. Father of William Collins. ** William Collins (1818–1878), U.S. Representative from New York 1847–1849. Uncle of Helen Herron, who married President William Howard Taft.


Lippitt family

The related Lippitt family tree: *
Christopher Lippitt Christopher Lippitt (October 28, 1744 – June 17, 1824) was a prominent Revolutionary War officer and founder one of the earliest textile mills in Rhode Island. Early life Lippitt was the fourth child of Christopher Lippitt (1712–1764) and Ca ...
(1744–1824) Revolutionary War officer, legislator, manufacturer *
Henry Lippitt Henry Lippitt (October 9, 1818 – June 5, 1891) was the 33rd Governor of Rhode Island from 1875 to 1877. Family Lippitt was the son of Warren Lippitt and Eliza (Seamans) Lippitt, married to Mary Ann Balch. Lippitt was the father of Charles Wa ...
(1818–1891), Governor of Rhode Island 1875–1877. Father of Charles W. Lippitt and Henry F. Lippitt. **
Charles W. Lippitt Charles Warren Lippitt (October 8, 1846 – April 4, 1924) was an American politician and the 44th Governor of Rhode Island. Early life Lippitt was born in Providence, Rhode Island on October 8, 1846. He graduated from Brown University. Later, ...
(1846–1924), Governor of Rhode Island 1895–1897. Son of Henry Lippitt. **
Henry F. Lippitt Henry Frederick Lippitt (October 12, 1856December 28, 1933) was a member of the prominent Lippitt family, which made its fortune in the textile business, and served as United States Senator from Rhode Island. Biography Born in Providence on ...
(1856–1933), U.S. Senator from Rhode Island 1911–1917. Son of Henry Lippitt and married Lucy Herron Laughlin, sister of Helen Herron, who married President William Howard Taft. ***
Frederick Lippitt Frederick Lippitt (December 29, 1916 – May 11, 2005) was an American military officer, attorney, politician, public servant and philanthropist. He was the scion of a distinguished Rhode Island colonial family, the son of United States Senat ...
(1916–2005), Rhode Island State Representative 1961–1983. Military officer, political figure and philanthropist.


Chafee family

*
John Chafee John Lester Hubbard Chafee ( ; October 22, 1922 – October 24, 1999) was an American politician and officer in the United States Marine Corps. A member of the Republican Party (United States), he served as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, as ...
(1922–1999), Rhode Island State Representative 1957–1963, Governor of Rhode Island 1963–1969, U.S. Secretary of the Navy 1969–1972, candidate for U.S. Senate from Rhode Island 1972, U.S. Senator from Rhode Island 1976–1999. Grandnephew of Henry F. Lippitt. **
Lincoln Chafee Lincoln Davenport Chafee ( ; born March 26, 1953) is an American politician. He was mayor of Warwick, Rhode Island from 1993 to 1999, a United States Senator from 1999 to 2007, and the 74th Governor of Rhode Island from 2011 to 2015. He was a m ...
(b. 1953), Mayor of
Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, the third largest city in the state with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is located approximately south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, sout ...
1992–1999; U.S. Senator from Rhode Island 1999–2007; Governor of Rhode Island 2011–2015 and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate. Son of John Chafee.


Others

* Thomas Wilson (1827–1910), delegate to the
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
Constitutional Convention 1857, District Court Judge in Minnesota 1857–1864, Justice of the
Minnesota Supreme Court The Minnesota Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center. History The court wa ...
1864–1865, Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court 1865–1869, Minnesota State Representative 1880–1882, Minnesota State Senator 1880–1882, U.S. Representative from Minnesota 1887–1889, candidate for Governor of Minnesota 1890. Grandfather of Martha Wheaton Bowers, who married Senator Robert A. Taft. *John W. Herron, delegate to the Ohio Constitutional Convention 1873, U.S. Attorney in Ohio 1889–1894. Father-in-law of President William Howard Taft. *
Paul Douglas Paul Howard Douglas (March 26, 1892 – September 24, 1976) was an American politician and Georgist economist. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois for eighteen years, from 1949 to 1967. During his Senat ...
(1892–1976),
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
Alderman; candidate for U.S. Senate from Illinois 1942, U.S. Senator from Illinois 1949–1967. Husband of Emily Taft Douglas.


References


External links


Taft Family Genealogy Page
{{Lorado Taft Political families of the United States American families of English ancestry American families of Scotch-Irish ancestry First Families of the United States