355:
country longer than any extant records show, and had even been in Mendon before the Indian War. All this was possible. He was of age in 1660 when
Charles II gained control of the British government, and had opportunity to be disgusted, and perhaps terrified, by the misgovernment and tyranny, civil and religious, of that monarch. The agitation in Scotland between the years 1660 and 1676, was full of annoyance and alarm. All that can be said of the tradition is, that no record has been found showing that Robert Taft was in this country prior to 1678. The distance in time is not so great as to take away all the force of statements handed down from fathers to sons, and so far as this tradition makes Scotland the place from which Robert first came, it is probably correct.
243:, in 1709. Taft's son Joseph planned with other members of the town to build a road west of the Great River beginning in 1727. The road crossed over Benjamin Taft's land and 16 acres of Taft's land. According to town meeting notes, Taft's heirs were to build the bridge over the river and maintain it over seven years. The arrangement called for the Tafts to be paid 60 pounds upon successful completion of the bridge. In 1729, they built another bridge.
230:, and did not return. Taft was elected to the board of selectman in February and April 1680. He was integral in the construction of a church and a house for the minister. Taft served the community in a number of offices and as committee members. He was considered a "man of wealth and standing". Some of his neighbors disagreed with his trading with Native Americans, and lodged a complaint with the General Court on May 27, 1682.
219:
Sarah owned the parcel called
Pondfield. On the other side of the road was a fort that had been built before the war. Called Fortfield, this was where Taft established a homestead for his family. Taft later purchased land surrounding the Taft Pond, also called Mendon Pond. The property was in Mendham, the old English spelling of Mendon, in what is now Uxbridge.
354:
There is a tradition that he was an adherent of the commonwealth, a Scotch
Puritan, disgusted with the Cavaliers, and that in the troublous times consequent upon the rule of Charles the Second, he sought refuge from civil and religious tyranny in the forests of New England, â that he had been in the
218:
Taft and his family likely moved to Mendon by the spring of 1680 with other settlers. The 40 acres of land that they purchased was on two sides of a road. Since Taft and Sarah (Savill in the deed) both paid for the land, they each had 20 acres, which was documented in a deed made on July 29, 1680.
351:(1660â1685), the family separated to England, Ireland, and Bohemia. It is believed that Robert Taft's ancestor went to England. Another Taft, Matthew, who immigrated to New England after Robert Taft, is from the Taft family that went to Ireland. Leonard states:
275:
Daniel Taft, born 1677, in
England or Braintree, married Hannah (maiden name unknown) and Lydia Chapin, daughter of Captain Josiah Chapin. Daniel was a farmer, lawyer, town treasurer, justice of the peace, colonial legislator, and a leading
234:
Touching Robert Taffe, the person complayned of for irregular trading with the
Indeans, that matter is wholly left to the County Court of Suffolk to doe therein as they shall judge meet unto whom the peticoners may apply themselves for
286:
Taft purchased sufficient adjoining land, said to be two and a half square miles, so that his sons and their families had ample portions of the Taft homestead. Some of the land extended into what is now the town of
184:(1675â1676). Matthew Taft, who later settled in the colonies, is reportedly Taft's brother or another family member. Matthew Taft came to the colonies from Ireland in 1728 and settled in what is now
1035:
1045:
199:, near Boston, by 1677 or 1678. They had a house, barn, 20 acres of land, and an orchard. Taft was a housebuilder, also called housewright, and a carpenter.
980:
Historic Homes and
Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memories of Worcester County, Massachusetts with a history of Worcester Society of Antiquity
968:
Historic Homes and
Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memories of Worcester County, Massachusetts with a history of Worcester Society of Antiquity
1040:
305:
Robert Taft's descendants are a large politically active family with descendants who are prominent in Ohio, but live throughout the United States.
936:
317:
919:
789:
832:
History of
Worcester County, Massachusetts, Embracing a Comprehensive History of the County from its earliest beginnings to the present time
347:
According to
Leonard, Taft descended from the Taffe family in Scotland. Due to divided political loyalties in Scotland during the reign of
966:
313:
180:
Robert Taft Sr. was born about 1640. He immigrated from
England, Scotland, or Ireland, to the American colonies after the
72:
503:, Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, August 3, 1968 – via ancestry.com
410:
Crane states that Taft moved to Mendon in 1669. He also says that Taft came to the American colonies in 1679 or 1680.
884:
210:
on August 16, 1679. They sold their property in Braintree on November 18, 1679 to Caleb Norton, Nobart, or Hobart.
196:
160:
156:
147: – February 8, 1725), was the first Taft in the United States and the founder of the American
167:
in 1680 and was a leading citizen and wealthy landholder, who was instrumental in the growth of the town.
1025:
380:
348:
288:
259:
206:, as other settlers who survived the war were returning to the area, they purchased the farm of Colonel
203:
164:
68:
1030:
1020:
370:
wrote in a letter in 1837 that his great-grandfather, Daniel Taft, came to the colonies from England.
227:
185:
181:
392:
He was identified as Robert Taffe in a deed for a lot adjoining his property dated October 19, 1678.
358:
There is also a theory that the Tafts came from England or Scotland to Ireland in the 13th century.
309:
269:
258:
Thomas Taft, born 1671, in the "old country", and married Deborah Genery, a daughter of Isaac of
915:
909:
367:
978:
265:
240:
113:
195:, a shoemaker. The Tafts and their son Thomas, and possibly Robert and Daniel, settled in
191:
Taft was married to Sarah or Savill (nÊe Simpson) of Boston, born about 1640. She was a
223:
207:
24:
1014:
420:
152:
50:
1001:
990:
911:
Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court 1691-1780: A Biographical Dictionary
239:
Taft and three of his sons built the first bridge over the Great River, now called
499:"Howland Guild Taft, descendant of Robert and Sarah Taft, both born about 1640",
321:
300:
148:
20:
423:'s biography, Taft settled near East Hartford Avenue, in present-day Uxbridge.
325:
268:, born 1674, married Elizabeth Woodard. He was among the first of Uxbridge's
192:
279:
Joseph Taft, born 1680, married Elizabeth Emerson and they had nine children.
834:. Vol. II. Boston, Massachusetts: CF Jewitt and Company. p. 146.
23:. For the patriarch of the 20th century Ohioan political dynasty, see
501:
Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970
937:"Mendon's Lydia Taft: America's first female voter or was she?"
855:
853:
731:
729:
727:
725:
712:
710:
708:
706:
704:
702:
700:
698:
696:
694:
681:
679:
677:
675:
566:
564:
562:
549:
547:
545:
543:
541:
539:
537:
535:
533:
475:
473:
471:
469:
467:
465:
463:
662:
660:
658:
656:
246:
Taft died on February 8, 1725. Sarah died in November 1725.
19:
This article is about the 17th century founder of the U.S.
772:
770:
768:
643:
641:
639:
637:
635:
633:
631:
629:
627:
254:
Taft and his wife Sarah (nÊe Simpson) had five children:
520:
518:
516:
514:
512:
510:
450:
448:
446:
444:
442:
440:
272:, serving in 1727. He and his wife had eleven children.
151:. Believed to be of Scottish heritage, Taft left the
324:died prematurely, at the age of 47, and his widow,
103:
95:
87:
79:
57:
39:
32:
1006:. New York: Frank Allaben Genealogical Company.
352:
328:, became America's first woman voter in 1756.
232:
8:
859:
805:
735:
716:
685:
666:
618:
570:
553:
479:
983:. Vol. 2. Chicago and New York: Lewis.
971:. Vol. 1. Chicago and New York: Lewis.
790:"1727 - 1921 Town Meeting Summary of Roads"
16:Early American immigrant of the Taft family
995:. New York: Hawke Publishing Company, Inc.
29:
1000:Washburn, Mabel Thacher Rosemary (1908).
282:Benjamin Taft, 1684, married Sarah Thomas
871:
817:
776:
454:
343:
341:
844:
759:
747:
647:
606:
594:
582:
524:
436:
337:
318:Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
494:
492:
490:
488:
7:
1036:People from Braintree, Massachusetts
1046:People from Uxbridge, Massachusetts
226:, reportedly left the area during
14:
1041:People from Mendon, Massachusetts
989:Leonard, Lewis Alexander (1920).
308:A descendant of Robert Taft Sr.,
222:The previous landowner, Colonel
1003:Ancestry of William Howard Taft
977:Crane, Ellery Bicknell (1907).
965:Crane, Ellery Bicknell (1907).
935:Chuss, Linda (March 14, 2023).
314:President of the United States
159:in the 1670s. Living first in
1:
320:. Robert Taft Sr.'s grandson
141:
262:. They had eleven children.
1062:
298:
18:
908:Schutz, John A. (1997).
157:Massachusetts Bay Colony
145: August 1640
99:Sarah or Savill Simpson
401:Or on August 15, 1679.
357:
237:
992:Life of Alphonso Taft
914:. UPNE. p. 353.
885:"William Howard Taft"
381:Quincy, Massachusetts
250:Marriage and children
202:Planning to move to
186:Upton, Massachusetts
830:Marvin, AP (1879).
310:William Howard Taft
941:Milford Free Press
808:, pp. 1, 287.
270:Board of Selectmen
921:978-1-55553-304-5
874:, pp. 17â18.
860:Crane vol. 2 1907
820:, pp. 12â13.
806:Crane vol. 2 1907
736:Crane vol. 2 1907
717:Crane vol. 1 1907
686:Crane vol. 2 1907
667:Crane vol. 2 1907
619:Crane vol. 2 1907
571:Crane vol. 2 1907
554:Crane vol. 1 1907
480:Crane vol. 2 1907
379:Braintree is now
368:Bazaleel Taft Sr.
228:King Philip's War
182:King Philip's War
155:to settle in the
131:
130:
73:Massachusetts Bay
65:(aged 84â85)
1053:
1007:
996:
984:
972:
952:
951:
949:
947:
932:
926:
925:
905:
899:
898:
896:
895:
881:
875:
869:
863:
857:
848:
842:
836:
835:
827:
821:
815:
809:
803:
797:
796:
794:
786:
780:
774:
763:
757:
751:
745:
739:
733:
720:
714:
689:
683:
670:
664:
651:
645:
622:
616:
610:
604:
598:
592:
586:
580:
574:
568:
557:
551:
528:
522:
505:
504:
496:
483:
477:
458:
452:
424:
417:
411:
408:
402:
399:
393:
390:
384:
377:
371:
365:
359:
345:
241:Blackstone River
163:, he settled in
146:
143:
88:Other names
83:British-American
64:
61:February 8, 1725
30:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1050:
1011:
1010:
999:
988:
976:
964:
961:
956:
955:
945:
943:
934:
933:
929:
922:
907:
906:
902:
893:
891:
889:The White House
883:
882:
878:
870:
866:
858:
851:
843:
839:
829:
828:
824:
816:
812:
804:
800:
795:. pp. 1â4.
792:
788:
787:
783:
775:
766:
758:
754:
746:
742:
734:
723:
715:
692:
684:
673:
665:
654:
646:
625:
617:
613:
605:
601:
593:
589:
581:
577:
569:
560:
552:
531:
523:
508:
498:
497:
486:
478:
461:
453:
438:
433:
428:
427:
418:
414:
409:
405:
400:
396:
391:
387:
378:
374:
366:
362:
346:
339:
334:
303:
297:
266:Robert Taft Jr.
252:
216:
178:
173:
144:
134:Robert Taft Sr.
127:
75:
66:
62:
53:
48:
46:
45:
35:
34:Robert Taft Sr.
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1059:
1057:
1049:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1013:
1012:
1009:
1008:
997:
986:
974:
960:
957:
954:
953:
927:
920:
900:
876:
864:
862:, p. 304.
849:
847:, p. 267.
837:
822:
810:
798:
781:
764:
762:, p. 308.
752:
750:, p. 238.
740:
738:, p. 394.
721:
719:, p. 223.
690:
688:, p. 443.
671:
652:
650:, p. 239.
623:
621:, p. 442.
611:
609:, p. 243.
599:
597:, p. 240.
587:
585:, p. 235.
575:
573:, p. 414.
558:
556:, p. 222.
529:
527:, p. 241.
506:
484:
482:, p. 287.
459:
435:
434:
432:
429:
426:
425:
412:
403:
394:
385:
372:
360:
336:
335:
333:
330:
299:Main article:
296:
293:
284:
283:
280:
277:
273:
263:
251:
248:
224:William Crowne
215:
212:
208:William Crowne
177:
174:
172:
169:
129:
128:
126:
125:
122:
119:
116:
111:
107:
105:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
81:
77:
76:
67:
59:
55:
54:
49:
43:
41:
37:
36:
33:
25:Robert A. Taft
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1058:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1005:
1004:
998:
994:
993:
987:
982:
981:
975:
973:(archive.org)
970:
969:
963:
962:
958:
942:
938:
931:
928:
923:
917:
913:
912:
904:
901:
890:
886:
880:
877:
873:
872:Washburn 1908
868:
865:
861:
856:
854:
850:
846:
841:
838:
833:
826:
823:
819:
818:Washburn 1908
814:
811:
807:
802:
799:
791:
785:
782:
779:, p. 12.
778:
777:Washburn 1908
773:
771:
769:
765:
761:
756:
753:
749:
744:
741:
737:
732:
730:
728:
726:
722:
718:
713:
711:
709:
707:
705:
703:
701:
699:
697:
695:
691:
687:
682:
680:
678:
676:
672:
668:
663:
661:
659:
657:
653:
649:
644:
642:
640:
638:
636:
634:
632:
630:
628:
624:
620:
615:
612:
608:
603:
600:
596:
591:
588:
584:
579:
576:
572:
567:
565:
563:
559:
555:
550:
548:
546:
544:
542:
540:
538:
536:
534:
530:
526:
521:
519:
517:
515:
513:
511:
507:
502:
495:
493:
491:
489:
485:
481:
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
460:
457:, p. 11.
456:
455:Washburn 1908
451:
449:
447:
445:
443:
441:
437:
430:
422:
421:Alphonso Taft
419:According to
416:
413:
407:
404:
398:
395:
389:
386:
382:
376:
373:
369:
364:
361:
356:
350:
344:
342:
338:
331:
329:
327:
323:
319:
315:
312:, became the
311:
306:
302:
294:
292:
290:
281:
278:
274:
271:
267:
264:
261:
257:
256:
255:
249:
247:
244:
242:
236:
231:
229:
225:
220:
213:
211:
209:
205:
200:
198:
194:
189:
187:
183:
175:
170:
168:
166:
162:
158:
154:
153:British Isles
150:
139:
135:
123:
120:
117:
115:
112:
109:
108:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
74:
70:
60:
56:
52:
51:British Isles
42:
38:
31:
26:
22:
1026:1640s births
1002:
991:
985:(google.com)
979:
967:
959:Bibliography
944:. Retrieved
940:
930:
910:
903:
892:. Retrieved
888:
879:
867:
845:Leonard 1920
840:
831:
825:
813:
801:
784:
760:Leonard 1920
755:
748:Leonard 1920
743:
669:, p. 1.
648:Leonard 1920
614:
607:Leonard 1920
602:
595:Leonard 1920
590:
583:Leonard 1920
578:
525:Leonard 1920
500:
415:
406:
397:
388:
375:
363:
353:
307:
304:
285:
253:
245:
238:
233:
221:
217:
201:
190:
179:
138:Robert Taffe
137:
133:
132:
91:Robert Taffe
63:(1725-02-08)
1031:1725 deaths
1021:Taft family
322:Josiah Taft
301:Taft family
295:Descendants
149:Taft family
80:Nationality
44:Robert Taft
21:Taft family
1015:Categories
894:2024-04-10
431:References
349:Charles II
326:Lydia Taft
193:cordwainer
197:Braintree
176:Braintree
161:Braintree
946:April 8,
276:citizen.
235:releife.
171:Colonist
124:Benjamin
104:Children
136:, also
47:c. 1640
918:
316:, and
289:Sutton
260:Dedham
214:Mendon
204:Mendon
165:Mendon
121:Joseph
118:Daniel
114:Robert
110:Thomas
96:Spouse
69:Mendon
793:(PDF)
332:Notes
948:2024
916:ISBN
58:Died
40:Born
1017::
939:.
887:.
852:^
767:^
724:^
693:^
674:^
655:^
626:^
561:^
532:^
509:^
487:^
462:^
439:^
340:^
291:.
188:.
142:c.
71:,
950:.
924:.
897:.
383:.
140:(
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.