Alphonso Taft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alphonso Taft
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| United States Minister to Russia | |
| In office September 3, 1884 – July 31, 1885 |
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| Appointed by | Chester A. Arthur |
| Preceded by | William H. Hunt |
| Succeeded by | George V. N. Lothrop |
| United States Minister to Austria-Hungary | |
| In office June 30, 1882 – August 25, 1884 |
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| Appointed by | Chester A. Arthur |
| Preceded by | William Walter Phelps |
| Succeeded by | John M. Francis |
| 34th United States Attorney General | |
| In office May 22, 1876 – March 4, 1877 |
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| President | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Preceded by | Edwards Pierrepont |
| Succeeded by | Charles Devens |
| 31st United States Secretary of War | |
| In office March 8, 1876 – May 22, 1876 |
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| President | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Preceded by | William W. Belknap |
| Succeeded by | J. Donald Cameron |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 5, 1810 Townshend, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | May 21, 1891 (aged 80) San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Fanny Phelps
(m. 1841; died 1852)Louise Torrey
(m. 1853) |
| Children | 6, including Charles, William, Henry, Horace |
| Parents |
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| Education | Yale University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Alphonso Taft (November 5, 1810 – May 21, 1891) was an important American lawyer, diplomat, and politician. He served as Attorney General and Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant.
He was also the first in a famous political family. His son, William Howard Taft, later became a U.S. President and Chief Justice.
As Secretary of War, Alphonso Taft helped make the department more honest. He changed rules to reduce wasteful spending. As Attorney General, he strongly believed that African Americans should have the right to vote. He worked on a law that helped settle the very close 1876 United States presidential election.
Later, President Chester A. Arthur appointed Taft as a diplomat. He served as the U.S. Minister (like an ambassador) to Austria-Hungary and then to Russia. Taft was known for being a fair and honest politician. He supported voting rights for Black Americans and worked to fight government corruption.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alphonso Taft was born in Townshend, Vermont, on November 5, 1810. He was the only child of Peter Rawson Taft and Sylvia Howard. His family had come to America from Ireland.
He went to local schools until he was 16. Then, he taught school to earn money for college. In 1829, Taft started at Yale College and graduated four years later in 1833. While at Yale, he helped create a secret student society called Skull and Bones in 1832.
After college, Taft taught again to earn money. He then studied law at Yale Law School and became a lawyer in 1838. He decided not to stay in New England. In 1839, Taft moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. He became a very important person there. He served on the Cincinnati City Council. He also helped lead the boards of the University of Cincinnati, Antioch College, and Yale College.
Family Life and Home
Alphonso Taft was married two times. In 1841, he married Fanny Phelps. They had five children, but three of them sadly died when they were babies.
- Charles Phelps Taft (1843–1929)
- Peter Rawson Taft II (1846–1889)
- Mary Taft (born and died 1848)
- Alphonso Taft (born 1850, died 1851)
- Alphonso Taft (born 1851, died 1852)
Fanny Taft passed away in 1852. In 1853, Taft married Louisa Maria Torrey. They also had five children, with one dying as a baby.
- Samuel Davenport Taft (born 1855, died 1856)
- William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
- Henry Waters Taft (1859–1945)
- Horace Dutton Taft (1861–1943)
- Frances Louise "Fanny" Taft (1865–1950)
The family home in Mount Auburn, Cincinnati, has been restored. It is now open to the public as the William Howard Taft National Historic Site.
Law Career in Cincinnati
In 1854, Alphonso Taft started a law firm with Thomas Marshall Key and William M. Dickson. He was a delegate for the Republican Party in 1856. That same year, he tried to become a member of the United States House of Representatives but did not win. Taft strongly supported the Union during the Civil War.
He served as a judge for the Superior Court of Cincinnati from 1866 to 1872. He then left to practice law with two of his sons. In 1872, he became the first president of the Cincinnati Bar Association.
In a famous court case in 1872, Board of Education of Cincinnati vs. Minor, Taft disagreed with the court's decision about reading the Bible in public schools. He believed the school board had the right to stop this practice. Taft argued that religious freedom means the government should be neutral. It should protect all religions but not favor any. His strong opinion helped the Ohio Supreme Court decide in favor of the school board.
Taft said that Jewish people, as taxpayers, also had the right to a public education that was not based on one religion. He believed that religion was a private matter for families. He also said that the Bill of Rights protects religious freedom for everyone, not just Protestants. Many thought this opinion hurt his chances to become Governor of Ohio in 1875. However, President Ulysses S. Grant respected Taft's independent thinking. In 1876, Grant appointed him Secretary of War.
Secretary of War
In 1876, President Grant needed a new Secretary of War. The previous one, William W. Belknap, had resigned because of a scandal. Grant needed someone honest to fix the department's reputation. Taft was known as a good lawyer with strong business connections. He accepted the job and was quickly approved by the Senate on March 8, 1876. The newspapers praised his appointment.
Taft immediately started making changes to the War Department. He wanted to make it more honest and efficient. He changed a rule so that commanders at U.S. military forts could choose who ran the trading posts there. Before, the Secretary of War made these choices. He also worked to reduce military spending. Taft brought a new, stricter approach to the department.
U.S. Attorney General
President Grant later appointed Taft as the U.S. Attorney General. This happened after Grant moved another Cabinet member to a different role. In October 1876, after a very close presidential election between Hayes and Tilden, Taft supported President Grant's decision to use the military. This was to stop violence against African Americans in the South.
Taft gave a speech in New York about the terrible acts committed against Black people in the South. To prevent another civil war, Taft supported a bill that helped peacefully settle the 1876 election. This bill created a special Electoral Commission.
Later Political Attempts
Taft tried again to become Governor of Ohio in 1879, but he was not successful.
U.S. Minister Abroad
President Chester A. Arthur appointed Taft as a U.S. Minister (diplomat) twice. He served as Minister to Austria-Hungary from 1882 to 1884. Then, he became Minister to Imperial Russia from 1884 to 1885.
A Political Family
Alphonso Taft was the start of a well-known political family.
- His son, William Howard Taft, became the 27th president of the United States and the 10th Chief Justice of the United States. He was also a member of Yale's Skull and Bones society, like his father.
- Another son, Charles Phelps Taft, helped start the Wolf's Head Society at Yale.
- His grandson, Robert A. Taft I, and great-grandson, Robert Taft Jr., both became U.S. Senators.
- His great-great-grandson, Robert A. Taft II, was the Governor of Ohio from 1999 to 2007.
- Other family members, like William Howard Taft III and William Howard Taft IV, also served in important government roles.
Alphonso Taft and his family were members of the First Congregational-Unitarian Church in Cincinnati. He was a trustee for many years. Even when his government work kept him away, he stayed in touch with the church.
Images for kids
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Alphonso Taft's signature
See also
In Spanish: Alphonso Taft para niños
