Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/305

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TAFT, Lorado, sculptor, b. in Elmwood, Ill., 29 April, 1860, awl was graduated at the University of Illinois. He studied for three years at the ficole des beaux-arts, since 1886 has been an in- structor in the Chicago art-school, and for seven years lecturer on art in the University of Chicago. He decorated the Horticultural building of the World's Columbian exposition, and has produced numerous ideal statues and many portrait busts of prominent citizens of Chicago. Mr. Taft is a member of the American sculpture society and of the Western society of artists. His sister is the wife of the author Hamlin Uarland.

TAFT, William Howard, jurist, b. in Cincin- nati, 15 Sept., 1857, is a son of .Judge Alfonso Taft {g. v.). He was graduated from Yale. Iieing second in the class of 1878, and from the Cincinnati law- school two years later. He was appointed assist- ant prosecutor of Hamilton county in 1881, and collector of internal revenue the year following, resigning the office in March, 1883. In January, 1885, he was assistant solicitor of Hamilton county, and two years later l)ecame. by appointment of the governor, judge of the superior court of Cincin- nati. In 1888 Judge Taft was elected to the same office for a terra of five years. In February, 1890, he was appointed solicitor-general of the United States, and in March, 1893. be was made U. S. cir- cuit judge for the 6tii judicial district, which position he still occupies. Since 1896 Judge Taft has been dean and professor in the law depart- ment of the University of Cincinnati.

TALIAFERRO, James Piper, senator, b. in Orange Court-House. Va.. 30 Sept., 1847. and spent his early years in that place, receiving his limited education there. During the civil war he served as a private in the Confederate army. When the war ceased he removed to Jacksonville, where he became interested in logging and saw-mill enter- prises. Afterward he engaged in other commercial interests, serving as vice-president of one of the leading wholesale hoiLses of Florida, and as presi- dent of the First national bank of Tampa. He was chairman of the state Democratic executive committee for three years, and served also as a member of the state board of health. He was an uncompromising advocate of the principles of the Chicago platform of 1896, advocating free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, and expressing unalterable oppcsition to the policy of expan- sion and imperialism. Although one of the recog- nized [larty leaders in the state, he never held political office until he was elected U. S. senator for the term ending in March. I'MH.

TANNER, James, lawyer, b. in Kichmondville. Schoharie co., N. Y.. 4 April, 1844. and was edu- <»ted in the district school. He volunteered in the 8th New York infantry, was promoted to cor- poral, and lost both legs in the second battle of Bull Run. He studied law, and received an ap- pointment in the New York custom-house, being deputy collector under Gen. Chester A. Arthur. In 1876 he was elected commander of the Grand army of the republic of New York state from 1877 to 1885, was tax collector in Brooklyn, and in 1889 he was appointed U. S. commissioner of pensions. Corporal Tanner resigned that office, and has for nine years resided in Washington, engaged in prosecuting claims against the government. He possesses a [)owerful voice, and is a popular cam- paign speaker and lecturer.

TANNER, John Riley, governor, Illinois, h. in Warwick county, Ind., 4 April, 1844, and re- ceived a conunon-school education. He enlisted in the 98th Illinois infantry in 1862. and also served later in the 61st regiment. At the close of the civil war he became a farmer in Clay county, was electeil sheriff, clerk of the circuit court, and in 1881 state senator. Two years later he was ap- pointed U. S. marshal of the southern district of Illinois, stale treasurer in 1887, railway commis- sioner in 1891. and two years subsequent U. S. as- sistant treasurer, in Chicago. Mr. Tanner has been chairman of the Republican state committee of Illinois, and in 1897 was elected governor for four years, his term of office continuing until 1901. TAPIA, Andres de (lah'-pee-ah), .Spanish sol- dier, b. about 1480; d. in Mexico aoout 1540. Af- ter serving in Cuba under Diego Velasquez, he was one of the captains in Hernan Cortes's expedition to Mexico, assisting in all the stages of the con- quest, and fighting against Cristobal de Olid in Hondura.s. He left a valuable manuscript entitled " Relacion sobre la conquista de Mexico," which was unknown for a long time. It was first men- tioned in Juan Ribadeneyra's " Biblioteca de au- tores EspafSoles" and in Enrlt^ue de Vcdias's " Hi.s- toriadores primitivos de Indias" (Madrid, 1840). Joat|uin Garcia Icazbalcota published Tapia's nar- rative in the second volume of his "Coleccion de Documentosnara la Ilistoria de Mexico" (Mexico. 1858-'66). Tapia's original manuscript is in the Roval historical .society of Madrid.

TAPPAN, Benjamin, naval officer, b. in New Orleans, La., 10 A[)ril, 1836. and was graduated from the U. S. naval academy, 20 June, 1876. He was appointed to the "Tennessee." On 8 Feb., 1879, he was promoted to ensign, and in January,, to lieutenant (junior grade). From 1888 un- til February, 1891, he was on duty in the office of the bureau of naval intelligence. On 2 Aug.. 1891. he was proniote<l lieutenant; he was ordered to the "Miantonomoh." and served until November, 1894. From 27 Feb.. 1895. until November, 1896. he was on duty at the Brooklyn navy-yard, and then was transferred to the " Amphitrite, ' and subsequently to the "Raleigh." He was on bonnl the latter ves- sel during the battle of Manila, 1 May, 1898, and during the attack on the citv in August he com- manded the launch " Barcelo.'' which had been cap- tured from the Spaniards. Upon this occasion he took the launch through the breakers and captured a Spanish battery. In recognition of his conduct President McKinley advanced him five numbers in the list of lieuteiuinls on 23 Aug., 1898.

TAPPAN, Eli Todd, educator, b. in Steubenville. Ohio. 30 Ayn, 1824; d. in Columbus, Ohio. 23 Oct.. 1888. lie was educate<l by private tutors and at St. Mary's college, Baltimore, engaged in journalism, studied and practised law. and afterward taught. In 1844-"5 he was mayor of Steubenville, and he was superintendent of the public schools there in 18.58-'9. He was professor of mathematics in the University of Ohio, Athens, in 185»-'(iO, and again in 186.V8, and from 1868 till 1875 was president of Kenyon college, where he was professor of mathematics from 1875 till . In that year he was appointed state commissioner of common .schools of Ohio. Mr. Tappan published a " Treatise on Plane and Solid Geometry" (Cincinnati, 1867); "A Treatise on Geometry and Trigonometry " (1868) ; " Notes and