Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/103

 TAFT

TAIT

Yonkevs, N.Y., memorial; bronze group, The Defence of the Flag, Jackson, Mich.; statues of Schuyler Colfax and of Gen. U.S. Grant, and Tlie Solitude of the Soul, which group received a silver medal at the Pan-American exposition in 1901. He is the author of: History of American Sculpture (1903)).

TAFT, Royal Chapin, governor of Rhode Is- land, was born in Northbridge, Mass., Feb. 14, 1833; son of Orsinus and Margaret (Smith) Taft; grandson of Jacob Taft, an officer in the Revolu- tion, and a descendant of Robert Taft, who emi- grated from Scotland in 1680, and settled in Men- don, Mass. He attended the public scliools in Uxbridge, Mass., and Worcester academy; was employed by Royal Chapin, cotton and woolen goods manufacturer of Providence, R.I., whose 23artner he became in 1849, the firm changing to Royal Chapin & Co., and was engaged in the same business with Standish Bradford of Paw- tucket, 1851-85, subsequently acquiring large in- terests in other mills. He was married, Oct. 31, 1850, to Mary Frances, daughter of Dr. George B. Armington of Pitsford, Vt. He was a member of the Providence city council, 1855-56; a represen- tative in the state legislature, 1880-84; a commis- sioner from Rhode Island to the Centennial ex- position at Philadelphia, Pa., in 1876, and Re- publican governor of Rhode Island, 1888-89, de- clining renomination.

TAFT, Russell Smith, jurist, was born in AVilliston, Vt., Jan. 28, 1835; son of Elijah and Orinda (Kimball) Taft; grandson of Aaron and Teinperance (Wellman) Taft and of Charles and Edith (Chase) Kimball, and a descendant of Robert Taft (from England) and his wife Sarah, who were living in Braintree, Mass., 1675, and later settled in Mendon. He attended the com- mon schools, Williston academy, and Newbury (Vt.) seminary; studied law; was admitted to the bar of Chittenden county in November, 1858, and began practice in Burlington, Vt. He was selectman of the town, 1861-64; state's attorney of Chittenden county, 1862-65; register of pro- bate in the district of Chittenden, 1863-80; alder- man of the city, 1865-69; state senator, 1865-66; city attorney, 1871-73, and lieutenant-governor of Vermont, 1872-74. He was married, June 27, 1876, to Sarah Jane, daughter of Gideon and Sally Melissa (Cornwell) Marlett of Syracuse, N.Y. He was a representative in the state legis- lature, 1880; a judge of the supreme court of Vermont, 1880-99, and on Jan. 19, 1899, was ap- pointed chief judge of the court. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from the University of Vermont in 1877, and that of LL.D. in 1899. He died at Burlington, Vt.. March 22, 1902.

TAFT, William Howard, governor of Pliilip- pine Islands, was born in rincinnati, Ohio, Sept.

15, 1857; son of Judge Alphonso (q.v.) and Louise Maria (Torrey) Taft. He attended the public scliools; was graduated from Yale, A.B.. 1878, from the Cincinnati Law school in 1880, and was admitted to the bar. He was law reporter for the Cincinnati Commercial, 1880-81; assistant prosecuter of Hamilton county, 1881-82, and col- lector of internal revenue for the 1st district of Ohio, 1882, which office he resigned to enter the practice of law, serving as assistant county soli- citor, 1885-87. He was married in June, 1886. to Helen L., daugliter of John W. and Harriet (Col- lins) Herron of Cincinnati. He was judge of the superior court of Ohio, 1887-90; solicitor-general of the United States, 1890-92; judge of the U.S. circuit court of appeals, 1892-1900, and dean of the law department and professor of law in the University of Cincinnati, 1896-1900. He served as chairman of the commission appointed by President McKinley in March, 1900, to complete the oi'ganization of a civil government in the Philippine Islands and on June 5, 1991, became the first civil governor of the Philippines. He declined the appointment from President Roose- velt as associate justice of the U.S. .supreme court in February, 1903, to succeed Judge Shiras. The lionorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Yale in 1893.

TAQQART, Samuel, clergyman and represen- tative, was born in Londonden-y, N.H., March 24, 1754; son of James Taggart, who emigrated from Ireland to America. Samuel was graduated from Dartmouth college, A.B., 1774, A.M., 1777; was licensed to preach in 1776, and was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry, Feb. 19, 1777. He was pastor at Colerain, Mass., 1777-1818; journeyed as a missionary through western New York in 1802, and wrote a journal of his work. He was a Federalist representative in the 8th-14th con- gresses, 1803-17. He is the author of: Scrip- tural Vindication of the Doctrine of the Final Perseverance of all True Believers {1SQ\); Treatise on the Evidences of Christianity (1811), and several orations and addresses. He died in Col- erain, Mass., April 25, 1825.

TAIT, Arthur Fitzwilliam, artist, was born at Liversey Hall, Liverpool, England, Aug. 5, 1819; son of William Watson and Jane (Dawson) Tait. He was employed in Agnew's picture store at Manchester, England, in 1831, devoting his leisure to the study of casts in the Royal institu- tion. He was married in October,1838, to I\IariaTi, daughter of Thomas and Eliza Cardwell of Man- chester, England. He immigrated to the United States in 1850; settled in New York city; was made an Associate of the National Academy of De- sign in 1853; an Academician in 1858, and was also a member of the Artist's Fund society and of the Lotus club. Among his paintings are: Quailand