Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-09-01
WATERMAN TAFT'S
I'D BIRTHDAY
Man in Charge of Steamer Block Island
at Night Celebrates Today

Today marks the reaching of the
I'D milestone of life for Fred B. Taft
a former resident OF Norwich who now
lives on Crystal avenue, New London.
The TACT should be expressed in nau-
teal terms. however, inasmuch as for
the past decade Mr.. Taft has seen
considerable of "life on the ocean
wave even in the prosaic position Of
Waterman on the steamer block Island
on which well known craft he is still
very much on the job.
Alert. keen eyed, and with the rud-
dy glow of health in his face every
night finds Mr.. Taft at his post, lit
tie looking the part of man who
has tackled on couple of years to the
usual allotment of the strong, and
who bids fair to keep up the race with
Father Time for good many years
to come. AS an employe he has al
ways been found conscientious and
faithful, and summer and winter he
has guarded his charge well.
Indian fighting. scouting in civil war
days and steamboating are three things
at least which MIR. Taft can look back
upon that have furnished experiences
that made life interesting. Happen
lngS half century ago on the western
plains or on southern battlefields come
fresh to his mind. and it is most en-
tertaining to friends of the veteran
to hear him recount tales of former
days.
A Massachusetts boy. Mr.. Taft
claims Mendon in the Bay state. as
the place of his birth on September l.
1889. At the age of he began a no.
madic career that during the years
that followed took him pretty well over
the country. At 19. as a member of
Troop F. Second Massachusetts, cav
airy, he started west from Boston
against the Indians, who were max
ing trouble among the settlements
Tyxn of ior,,i fOJ1 Il
under General Harvey. during which
time he crossed the Rockies three
times each way and encountered
Biackfeet, Sioux. Pawnees. Utes and
ComancheS at various points in the
western country. Just as the Indian
difficulties were nicely settled, the civil
war broke out and from Fort Laramie,
in what is now Wyoming, but then
Nebraska territory. Mr.. Taft went into
the union service. AS a scout under
Mcclellan and Burnside, he saw much
service and remained in the army until
the end of the war.
lie came through the Indian Skir-
mishes and the war with only few
scratches, although there were many
hardships, especially on the plains. One
night it was SO cold that five horses
froze to death. and sleeping in the
snow with only poncho and blankets
for protection was sometimes neces-
sity. For eighteen months they lived
in tents OF the 100 men who started
out in the troop. 45 came back.
After the war, Mr.. Taft returned to
Pittsfield. Mass. where he worked set
ting up machinery. Later, coming to
Norwich, he set up looms at the wooden
mill at Norwich Town then owned by
the late A. P. Sturtevant. and was
foreman there for nine years About
20 years ago he moved to New Lon
don, where he followed up the same
business before going on the Block Is
land
Mr.. Taft was married As years ago
at Pittsfield to Miss Augusta L. Keller
and they are now living happily in
New London. They have four children
and four grandchildren.