Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-08-20
FlF tn BABY COUSIN Is
TAKEN 10 HIM FOR NAME
Chict Executive of United States
Spends Pleasant Time In Vicinity
Settled by Tafts as Far Back as 1850
Visits Old Church Where His
Fathers Worshippee.


gefting fer the moment the troubles
and work of politics and politicians,
President 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 counted,
but they were all Tafts Or Torreys
ana the most distinguished member OF
the family seemed glad to be able TO
| shake the hands q all. There were
long Tafts and short Tafts. big Tafts
and little Tafts. blondes, brunettes and
red-haired
we had all sorts in the family,
/ laughed the President 1t was over
at Menden and Bridge and that vlcin-
ity hat the Tafts settled way back IN
/ 1850. Robert Taft was the first OF
| the Tafts to come over from England.
Then in direct line of descent the gen
eTations lead down to the President
as follows: Joseph Taft, Peter Taft.
Aaron Taft. Peter Rawson Taft, Al
! phonso Taft. and William Howard
Taft. The Presidents son Robert Is
the eighth generation.
Related TO Aldrich.
The genealogical analysis that the
day brought forth was discovered that
through an ancient strain the Presi- !
dent is related to Senator Nelson W.
! A'drich. OF Rhode Island; that Secre- |
! tary Charles ID. Merton is also related
to the senator from Rhode Island. and
that the President is related to Cover
nor Draper. of Massachusetts.
1t was as the guest Of Governor ORA
per that fhe President made his pill
I grimage today He spent last night at
the governor home in Hopedale and
started in a drilling rain on the an
/ cestral trip this morning EnrOute to
! Mendon. Mr. Taft stopped for an hour
1 TO inspecr the big Gotten machinery
manufacturing plant at Hopedale and
the model tenements that surround IT,
The men in the f Glory gave him three
| cheers
Youngest Taft.
II was while the President stood in
I ders' Park in MendOn thst the most
interesting episode OF the day occur
red No enc in the town seemed ,ol
know Mr.. Taft was coming. but his
presence soon was noised abroad and
/ Tafts came from ell direction. Ms
Clarence Taft was one Of the first tol
| arTive AMI when she met he President
she told him proudly that she ~as the
mother Of the youngest Taft in the
vicinity. a son two weeks old. She al
SO explained that he had not yet been
med and il was insisted that the
President should select one. He agreed
at once and the youngster was borne
to the scene.
u name him Robert said the Presi-
dent. and hope he grows up to be
a great comfort 10 his mother and faith
CT.
The baby is said % be fifth cousin
= Of the President The nome Of the
original Robert Taft is engraved on
inc monument a. one Of the founders
~ that place. commonly known as the
l Old Mother Town Robert brought
six sons with him from England.
Visits Old Church
President Taft went 20 the old bury
INK ground and vas shown the ancient
, head piece that ufsrk the graves Of a
) large number % his ancestors. Then
he visited the old church whore they
worshipped and the spot where Robert
Taft bull; his home in 1851 All marks
81 :hc house arc gone and TIE lot thai
surrounded 90 Is nov an orchsr5. The
nexf spot If interest was the little
homo II Miss sarah Taft. a delightful,
white haired lady. Who Vas completely
taken by surprise when The Presi-
dents big automobile stopped in front
81 her door End b. md the governor
~ fhe commonwealth aiiEhicd Miss
Tan was not expecting visitors and.
living auiio alone. she kept her guests
awaiting alb many apciorics until
she changed her frock Then she ~.
tented a most hosriisblc welcome
After luncheon ~ the home 81 Gov
7 rrnor DrspeT. The President returned
b. automobile 70 Beverly.