Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-20
He Finds Scores, Most Of Whom Hal
Never Met hin--1he Youngest, Boy
G1Wo Weeks, He Names Robert,
To Delight Of Chi|d's Mother.

Beverly, Mass. Aug. 19-Forgetting
for the moment the troubles and wor-
ries of politics and politicians. Presi-
dent Taft spent the greater part of
the day in the homes and haunts of
his ancestors The President rum
mayed into his own family history
and met scores of relatives. Some
were so remote as hardly to be count
ed. but they were all Tafts or Torreys
and the most distinguished member
of the family seemed glad to be able
to shake the hands of all. There were
long Tafts and short Tafts. big Tafts
and little Tafts, blondes, brunettes and
red haired.
I'VE had all sorts in the family"
laughed the President.
1t was over at Mendon and Bridge
and in that vicinity that the Tafts set
tied way back in 1880. Robert Taft
was the first of the Tafts to come
over from England Then in direct
lines of descent. the generations lead
down to the President as follows: Jo-
seph Taft. Peter Taft, Aaron Taft
Peter Rawson Taft, Alphonso Taft
and William Howard Taft. The Pres
ident's son Robert il the eighth gen
Grafton. In the genealogical analysis
that the day brought forth. it was dis
covered that through an ancient strain
the President is related to Senator
Nelson W. Aldrich of Rhode Island;
that Secretary Charles Dyer Norton is
also related to the senator from Rhode
Island and that the President is re-
lated to Governor Draper of Massa
chusetts.
1t was as the guest Of Gov. Draper that
the President made his pilgrimage today
He spent last night at the governors
home in Hopedale and started in driz-
zling rain on the ancestral trip this
morning. En- route to Mendon Mr.. Taft
stopped for an hour to inspect the big
cotton machinery manufacturing plant at
Hopedale and the model tenements that
surround it. The men in the factory
gave him three cheers as he entered and
again as he left.
Through Mendon and Bridge the Pres
ident had Marcus NJ. Adrich. also "a de-
scendant of George Aldrich, the original
of the family. as guide. Mr.. Aldrich
had the histories of all the families of
the community at his finger tips and he
their doings in the past.
1t was while the President stood in
speeding the tablet erected at Found
ers park in Mendon that the most in
teresting episode of the day occurred.
No one in the town seemed to know
Mr.. Taft was coming. but his presence
soon was nOised abroad and Tafts
came from all directions. Mrs. Car
ence Taft was one of the first to ar
rive and when she met the President
she told him proudly that she was the
mother of the youngest Taft in the
vicinity, son, two weeks old. She
also explained that he had not yet
been named and it was suggested that
the President should select one. He
agreed at once and the youngster.
awakened from sound sleep. was
borne to the scene.
ST name him Robert" said the Pres
ident land / hope he grows up to be
father"
The baby is said to be fifth cousin of
the President.
The name of the original Robert latt
is engraved on the tablet as one of the
founders of that place commonly hho"i'
as the "old mother town ROBERT
brought six stalwart sons with him from
England. They built bridge across the
Blackstone river and settled down on
the big farm which was given them oy
the grateful community.
From Mendon Park the President went
to the old burying ground and was shown
the ancient head pieces that mark tn"
graves of a large number of his ances-
tors. Then he visited the old white church
where they worshipped and the spot
where Robert Taft built his home IN 1851
All marks of the house are gone ana the
lot that surrounded it is now an orcharu'
The President ate a big red apple lroih
one of the trees.
The next spot of interest was the niue
home of Miss Sarah Taft. dehghtfui