The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-12-09
TAFT'S MOTHER
Is DEAD
Passed Away Early Yesterday
Morning
SON FASTENING HOME
From His Tour Around the World to
Be at Her Bedside-He Is Now
In Route, on the
Sea.
SON FASTENING HOME

Worcester. Mass, Dec. o.--Mru. Louisa
M Taft, mother Of Secretary Of War
Taft. died at 1920 yesterday morning.
She had been IN for many months.
Secretary Taft l. now on the sea on
HE tour q the world. and Is reported
to be fastening home as a result Of bis
mothers scrioua condition when be
last heard from her bedside.
Mrs. Taft was born in Boston, Sept.
II. 1897, the daughter Of Samuel Daven-
port and Susan Waters Toney. whose
ancestors were Of the oldest New Eng.
land stock. Mr.. Torrcy was successful IN
ncrrying on West India trade from
Boston, and upon retirement from Busi.
ness he came to MilIbury 10 live. Mrs.
Taft was then child.
Building largo home and purchasing
extensive estates the retired merchant
lived here until his de atth. His daughter
was educated IN the public schools and
the Milibury academy, and aftcrward be-
came the second wife OF Alfonso Taft ~
Cincinnati. o, going direutly 20 live
with him IN that city, and through aer
husbands rise 20 important judicial, ex.
ecutive and diplomatic Offices, Mrs. Taft
was for many years in the public eye.
She was, like her most distinguished son
very fond Of travelling and went with
her husband upon his appointment as
minister 20 Austria and Russia. In st.
Petersburg bis health failed him and he
returned 10 America, where he died IN
San Diego. Cal, six years ago.
After her husbands death Mrs. Taft
made her nome in Cincinnati for three
years and then returned 20 hive with her
sister. Miss Della Torrcy, in the old
home. The sisters passed the last two
winters IN New York, and when Miss
Torrey returned here THE spring Mrs.
Taft crossed the continent TO visit her
only daughter In Los Angeles. Some time
after her return here this summer che
was taken Ill.
The devotion OF Secretary Taft 20 mis-
mother has many times been commented
upon as remarkable. She has proved the
Inspiration OF his life and has watched |
him rise from a humble lawyer TO his |
present position with great deal OF
pride and satisfaction. In an interview !
given out before her illness she declared |
that she would rather see her son upon |
the supreme bench OF the United States
than in the presidential chair.
In giving her reasons for this prefer
ence Mrs. Taft said that she considered |
her son better fitted for the judicial po-
siti0n than for the executive position, /
and at that time smilingly remarked |
that she perhaps knew her son better
than most mothers.
ITO be president is a dreadful respon.
sibility and very trying position" she
said recently in an interview. "He has
not sought TO be a candidate for IT, 1t
has been thrust upon him. l know that
he himself does not want it, that his
views are the same as mine.'
Mrs. Taft was tall. graceful matron,
4 woman Of the old school with whom
traces of early beauty remained until
her death
Mrs. Taft Il survived by four emil.
lren, of whom Secretary Taft is the
sldest. The two other sons are Henry
w. Taft Of the New York law firm of
Strong & Cadwallader. and Horace d.
Taft, founder and head of the Taft
,cheel for boys at Watertown, Conn.
rne daughter, Fanny L., is the wife Of
Dr.. William A. Edwards OF Los Angeles,
Besides Miss Torrey, Mrs. Taft's sister,
he only near relative is former Con-
FRESHMAN Charles p Taft. who il now
,ditor of the Cincinnati Times Star, a
tepson Of Mrs. Taft.