Samuel Taft

Samuel Taft was born September 23, 1735 at Upton, Worcester County, Massachusetts, and died on August 2, 1816 at Uxbridge Worcester County, Massachusetts, in his 80th year. He was a Revolutionary War soldier who later hosted his former commander in Chief, President George Washington, on his innuagural tour of New England.

Early life
Samuel was the son of Israel Taft, and Mercy Aldrich, both of whom were from Mendon. Samuel's father, Israel Taft, was the grandson of the first American Taft, Robert Taft, Sr of Mendon

Taft was an American Revolutionary War soldier from Uxbridge, Massachusetts. The vital records of Uxbridge, records that Samuel Taft had intentions to marry Mary Murdock on December 16, 1758. The vital records of Uxbridge, record that a number of his children, including Frederick, Marcy, Merret, Otice, Perley, Sibbel and George S. were born to Samuel and Mary Taft. His wife Mary died after 28 years of marriage in 1785. Samuel married Experience Humes January 9, 1786 at Uxbridge, Ma; died August 2, 1816 at Uxbridge, Ma, at age 80. The children from both marriages and their subsequent marriages are listed on the external link.


 * "513 i. Frederic5 Taft; born June 19, 1759; married Abigail Wood June 20, 1782 at Upton, Ma; died February 10, 1846 atUxbridge, Ma, at age 86.
 * 514 ii. Sibyl Taft; born August 19, 1760; died September 28, 1761 at Uxbridge, Ma, at age 1.
 * + 515 iii. Lyman Taft, born March 14, 1762; married Deborah Wood.
 * 516 iv. Sibyl Taft; born November 13, 1763; married Edward Ruggles February 14, 1786 at Uxbridge, Ma; died April 10, 1809 at age 45.
 * 517 v. Marcy Taft; born April 23, 1765; died April 25, 1768 at Uxbridge, Ma, at age 3.
 * 518 vi. Willard Taft; born October 30, 1766; married Lovisa Preston January 22, 1789 at Northbridge, Ma; married Jerusha Fletcher January 22, 1807 at ?Putney, VT; died September 14, 1845 at Putney, VT, at age 78.
 * 519 vii. Parla Taft; born January 20, 1768; died April 13, 1768 at Uxbridge, Ma.
 * 520 viii. Merritt Taft; born January 26, 1769; died Dec 1832 at Washington, NY, at age 63.
 * 521 ix. Otis Taft; born October 29, 1771; married 1st, Miss Doyle; married 2nd, Charity Watson; married 3rd Susannah Yonge; died June 18, 1835 at age 64-7-20.
 * 522 x. Marcy Taft; born January 26, 1773; died 1855.
 * 523 xi. Parla Taft; born March 24, 1774; married Cornelius Wells July 16, 1799.
 * 524 xii. Washington Taft; born September 15, 1775; died April 29, 1779 at Uxbridge, Ma, at age 3.
 * 525 xiii. Phila (Philena) Taft; born March 11, 1781; married Timothy Craggin June 6, 1799; died before 1814 at New York, NY.
 * 526 xiv. George Washington Taft; born May 1, 1783; married Nancy Hills July 17, 1803; died November 30, 1824 at ?Cincinnati, OH, at age 41.

Children of Samuel4 Taft and Experience Humes all born at Uxbridge, Ma, were as follows:
 * 527 i. Dandridge5 Taft; born August 1, 1787; died August 10, 1832 at Uxbridge, Ma, at age 45.
 * 528 ii. Warner Taft; born September 15, 1789; married Mary Taft, daughter of Elisha Taft and Mary Sadler, January 21, 1821 at ?Upton, Ma; died April 3, 1837 at Uxbridge, Ma, at age 47.
 * 529 iii. Experience Taft; born December 10, 1791; married Elijah Holman October 25, 1820; died November 30, 1863 at age 71.
 * 530 iv. Mary Polly Taft; born March 18, 1794; marriedJoseph Hartshorne Perry February 16, 1820 atUxbridge, Ma; died February 16, 1885 at Webster, Ma, at age 90." ''

Service in Revolutionary War
He served in the American Revolutionary War as a private with a company from Worcester County. He served in Capt. Thaddeus Read's co., Col. Nathan Tyler's regt.

A famous visitor
In 1789, Samuel Taft was the proprietor of a tavern in Uxbridge. This tavern is now known as Samuel Taft House. Newly elected President of the United States, George Washington, stayed one evening with Mr. Taft and his family. The President wrote a letter to Mr. Taft, from his next stop, on November 8 at Hartford, thanking him for his service and giving some gifts to Samuel's daughters.


 * A new president visits: President Washington stayed at the Samuel Taft Tavern in November 1789, during his inaugural trip through New England.

November 8, 1789.
 * Sir:
 * Being informed that you have given my name to one of your sons, and called another after Mrs. Washington's family, and being moreover very much pleased with the modest and innocent looks of your two daughters, Patty and Polly, I do for these reasons send each of these girls a piece of chintz; and to Patty, who bears the name of Mrs. Washington, and who waited more upon us than Polly did, I send five guineas, with which she may buy herself any little ornament she may want, or she may dispose of them in any other manner more agreeable to herself. As I do not give these things with a view to having it talked of, or even to its being known, the less there is said about the matter the better you will please me; but, that I may be sure the chintz and money have got safe to hand, let Patty, who I dare say is equal to it, write me a line informing me thereof, directed to 'The President of the United States at New York.' I wish you and your family well, and am,
 * etc. Yours, : George Washington
 * – Letter to Mr. Samuel Taft, written from Hartford on November 8, 1789

It is possible that President George Washington refers to Perley in his letter as "Polly" and one of the other girls as "Patty". These could have been their nicknames and not their given names.

Samuel Taft House
Samuel Taft House is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and an external link below tells the story of the house and has a picture.. President William Howard Taft, also stayed here in 1910.

A famous family
The famous Taft family from Uxbridge and Mendon, has produced a line of politicians throughout the USA, including another President, William Howard Taft, whose grandfather, Peter Rawson Taft I was born in Uxbridge in 1785.

Death
The town of Uxbridge vital records recorded Samuel Taft, Revolutionary soldier's death, on August 2, 1816, in his 80th year.