Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-25
TAFT MEETS BIG
ANDL|TTLE TAI IS
President Spends a Day in the
Haunts of His Ances-
NAMES A BABY ROBERT
Finds He Is Related to Senator
Aldrich and Governor Draper
Visits Old Burying
Ground.
NAMES A BABY ROBERT

Beverly. Mass, Aug. 19--Forgetting
temporarily tho troubles and worries
of politics. President Taft spent most
OF to-day in the homes and haunts of
his ancestors. The President rum
mayed into his own family history
ard met scores of relatives. Some
werc so remote ms hardly to be count
cd. but they were all Tafts or Tor
reys and the most prominent member
OF the family seemed glad to be able
to shake tho hands Of all. There
were big Tafts and little Tafts, blondes
and hrunettcs.
"Wc had all sorts in the family"
laughed the President
1t was at Mendon and Uxbridge and
IN that vicinity that the Tafts settled
in 1850.
Robert Taft. a housewright, was the
first of the Tafts to come over from
England. Then in direct line of de-
scent the generations lead down to the
President as follows: Joseph Taft,
Peter Taft, Aaron Taft. Peter Rawson
Taft, Alphonse Taft and william How
ard Taft The Presidents son. Bob
ert. is the eighth generation.
DISCOVERS NEW RELATIVE.
In the genealogical analysis OF the day
| it was discovered that through an old
strain the President is related to Senator
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich of Rhode ISL
and, that Secretary Charles Dyer Norton
is also related to the senator from Rhode
Island, and that the President is relat ed
| to Governor Draper Of Massachusetts.
It was as the guest of Governor Draper
| tl,,t Tt,
to-day He spent last night at the Cover
nor's home in Hopedale and started In a
drizzlng rain on the ancestral trip this
morning En- route to Mendon, Mr.. Taft
| stopped to inspect the big cotton ma
chinery manufacturing plant at Hope
dale ar1 the model tenements that Sur
round it. The men In the factory gave
! him three cneers.
! Through Mendon and txbridge the
President had Marcus NJ. Aldrich. also a
descendant of George Aldrich, the orig
| inal of the family. as n guide Mr.. Aid
| rich had the histories of all the families
of the community at his finger tips.
TAFTs HURRY TO HIM.
1t was while the President stood
inspecting the tablet erected at Found
ers' park in Mendon that the most in
torcstinr episode Of the day occurred
His presence soon was nosed abroad
and Tafts came from all directions
Mrs. Clarence Taft. when she met the
President told him proudly that she
was the mother Of the youngest Taft
, in the vicinity a son two weeks old
She also explained that he had not yet
, brcn given q name ana It was suggest
! cd that the President should select
one. He agreed and the youngster,
Weakened from sleep, was borne to tho
scene
II name him Robert" said the Presi-
dent. "and ] hope he grows up to be
a great comfort to his mother and
| father"
The baby Is said to be fifth cousin
of the President. The name of the
original Robert TAFT is engraved on
the monument as one of the FOUNDERS
OF that place, commonly known as the
"old mother town"
PICKS AND EATS AN APPLE.
From Mendon park the President went
to the old burying ground and was shown
the graves of large number or his
ancestors Then he visited tho old white
ChurCn WnerP tnet WOTSilipptt anu VIC
spot where Robert Taft built his home in
1850 All marks o. the house are gone
and the lot that surrounded II is now an
orchard The President ate an apple from
one OF the trees. The next spot of inter-
est was tho little home of Miss sarah
Taft. delightful white haired lady, who
was coraplctcv taken by surprise but
gave the president and Governor most
hospitablc welcome" Miss Tafts home is
ON the old Boston New York highway and
in 1889 George Washington spent night
In the house The room where he slept
| was shown to the President.
Many times during his trip the Presi-
dents car was stopped to enable him
20 meet additional members Of the Taft
family.
After unchlng at Governor Draper s
home, tic President returned to Beverly
by automobile reaching his cottage this
evening. Governor Draper accompanied
him as far MS Boston,