The Washington herald., 1907-12-23

Millbury, Mass. Dec. 22.-Mrs. Louisa
NJ. Taft, mother of the Secretary of War,
who died at her home here on December
/ Z, at the age of eighty, spent the last
years Of her life compiling the New Eng
/ land history OF the Taft family and OF
her own family, the Torreys, from genoa
| logical data collected by her husband.
Judge Alphonso Taft, during his life-
time. This history, together with eulo-
] giles of her husband, father and mother.
and references to the Secretary Of War,
which show her pride in him. has been
recently published in a genealogical his
tory Of Worcester County. Mass.
The first ancestor Of Secretary Taft re
vealed by the late Judge Taft's research
es was Robert Taft. a housewright who
went from the then province Of Brain
tree and settled at Mention, Mass, in le69.
lie had five sons. one OF whom. Joseph,
borg in 1850, married Elizabeth Emerson.
the granddaughter OF the first minister Of
Merton.
Joseph's second son was Capt Peter
Taft, born in Ills. Capt Peters third
son was Aaron. born in 1743. He was
fitted for Princeton, but had 10 leave col
lege before he had finished, although ne
had already established a ,putation as
a scholar.
Settled at Uxbridge.
He settled at Uxbridge. Mass, but re-
moved 10 Townshend, Vt, where he died
in 1S0S He married Rhoda Rawson, the
at-granddaughter OF Edward
Rawson, secretary Of the Massachusetts
Bay Colony from 1850 10 1856.
Peter Rawson. the third son Of Aaron,
born in 17S5. married Sylvia Howard in
1910. He taught school and was ad-
mitted to the bar. He became judge of
the Common Pleas, judge Of the Probate
Court. judge Of the County Court OF
Windham County. was one Of the county
commissioners, and was for many years
a member Of the legislature.
He removed 10 Cincinnati in 1871. where
he died in 1867. leaving one son, Al
phonso.
Alphonso Taft. father Of the Secretary
Of War. was born in 1910 in Townshend,
VI, and was graduated from Yale IN
lS23. He was admitted TO the bar in 1S5S,
and went TO Cincinnati the next year.
No Case Too Small
Mrs. Tat wrote concerning her hus-
bands reputation while he was Judge OF
the Superior Court:
NO young man was ever turned away
because his case was considered too small
for the judges patience; no experienced
lawyer ever felt his case too large OF the
questions involved too intricate for the
important case was the Bible in the Pub
lie schools
'"The Catholics and Jews. who formed
a large proportion Of the citizens of Gin
cinnau. complained of the Introduction
OF religious instruction into the public
schools as violating the spirit Of the Con-
stitution. The school board stopped the
reading Of the Bible. The court was ap-
pealed 10 on the ground that the board
had no power.
There was violent contest and feel
ing ran high The other two judges de-
cided against the board. Judge Taft de-
livered an elaborate dissenting opinion
When the case was taken 10 the Su,
? preme Court OF Ohio this opinion was
sustained by the unanimous court OF nvC
Judges, ana u mas htcolilc inc LAW
throughout the United States.
Bible in Public Schools.
THE Bible in Public Schools cas-
arose in his path several times later anc
probably prevented his being governor OF
Ohio"
Judge Taft's first wife, Fanny Phelps
was a daughter OF Judge Charles Phelps
Of Townshend VI She died IN 1851. Thre,
children were born 10 her, one of whom
r died in infancy.
Charles Phelps Taft. the second son. Il
the proprietor OF the Cincinnati Times
Star. The third son. Peter Rawson, dice
in 1873.
} Judge Taft married Louisa Maria Tor
rey in 1853. Her first son, Samuel Daven
port Torrey died In infancy Secretar.
Taft was the second son; Henry Water
q Taft. of New York, the third Horac
. Dutton Taft the fourth, and the fiftl
s child is her daughter. Fanny Louise. VIII
p of DR.. William A. Edwards, Of Los An
geles. Cal