Province of Massachusetts
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in British America which became one of the thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III and Mary II, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of E ...
– August 2, 1816, at
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 ...
,
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 ...
) was a Revolutionary War soldier who later hosted his former commander in Chief, 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 ...
, at his home, on his inaugural tour of New England.
Early life
Samuel was the son of
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 ...
, and Mercy Aldrich, both of whom were from Mendon. Samuel's father, Israel Taft, was the grandson of the first American Taft, Robert Taft Sr. of Mendon
Taft 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 from Uxbridge, Massachusetts. The vital records of Uxbridge, records that Samuel Taft had intentions to marry Mary Murdock on December 16, 1758.. The vital records of Uxbridge, record that a number of his children, including Frederick, Marcy, Merret, Otice, Perley, Sibbel and George S. were born to Samuel and Mary Taft. His wife Mary died after 28 years of marriage in 1785. Samuel married Experience Humes January 9, 1786, at Uxbridge, Ma; died August 2, 1816, at Uxbridge, Ma, at age 80.
Service in Revolutionary War
He served in the
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 ...
as a private with a company from Worcester County. He served in Capt. Thaddeus Read's co., Col. Nathan Tyler's regt.
Visit from George Washington
In 1789, Samuel Taft was the proprietor of a
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 ...
in Uxbridge. This tavern is now known as
Samuel Taft House
The Samuel Taft House is a historic house at 87 Sutton Street in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. The main block of the story timber-frame house was built in 1774, and is a typical local variant of Georgian styling, with a gambrel roof, central chimney ...
. Newly elected
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 ...
,
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 one evening with Taft and his family during his inaugural trip through New England. The President wrote a letter to Taft, from his next stop, on November 8 at Hartford, thanking him for his service and giving some gifts to Samuel's daughters.
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; and to Patty, who bears the name of Mrs. Washington, and who waited more upon us than Polly did, I send five guineas, 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 at New York.' I wish you and your family well, and am,
:
etc. Yours,
:
George Washington
::
– Letter to Mr. Samuel Taft, written from
Hartford
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
It is possible that President George Washington refers to Perley in his letter as "Polly" and one of the other girls as "Patty". These could have been their nicknames and not their given names.
Samuel Taft House
The Samuel Taft House is listed 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 ...
br>
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 ...
, also stayed here in 1910.
Family
The Taft family from Uxbridge and Mendon, has produced a line of politicians throughout the US, including 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 ...
.
Death
Samuel Taft died on August 2, 1816, at the age of 80.