Helen Herron Taft
Encyclopedia
Helen Louise Herron "Nellie" Taft (June 2, 1861 – May 22, 1943) was the wife of William Howard Taft
and First Lady of the United States
from 1909 to 1913.
, the fourth child of Judge John Williamson Herron (1827–1912), a law partner of Rutherford B. Hayes
, and Harriet Collins (1833–1901), Nellie graduated from the Cincinnati College of Music and taught school briefly before her marriage. With her parents, she attended the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration of President and Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes
at the White House
in 1877. Her grandfather, Ela Collins
and uncle William Collins
were both members of Congress.
Two years later, she met William Howard Taft at a bobsledding party in Cincinnati; he was 22 years old, she was 18. He asked her out for the first time in February 1880, but they did not date regularly until 1882. He proposed in April 1885, and she accepted in May.
. Taft's younger brother Horace Taft was best man. The couple honeymooned one day in New York City
and four days at Sea Bright, New Jersey
, before setting off on a three-month tour of Europe.
On their return, they settled in Cincinnati. Mrs. Taft encouraged her husband's political career despite his oft-stated preference for the judiciary. She welcomed each step in her husband's political career: state judge, Solicitor General of the United States, and federal circuit court
judge. In 1900 he agreed to take charge of American civil government in the Philippines
. Further travel with her husband, who became Secretary of War
in 1904, brought a widened interest in world politics and a cosmopolitan circle of friends.
The Tafts had two sons and a daughter. Robert Alphonso Taft (1889–1953) was a political leader, Helen Taft
(1891–1987) was an educator, and Charles Phelps Taft II
(1897–1983) was a civic leader.
The social highlight of the Taft administration was the silver wedding anniversary gala (June 19, 1911) for some 8,000 guests. In her most lasting contribution as First Lady, Mrs. Taft arranged for the planting of the 3,000 Japanese cherry trees that grace the Washington Tidal Basin; with the wife of the Japanese ambassador, she personally planted the first two saplings in ceremonies on March 27, 1912.
Prohibition
was a major political debate at the time. Mrs. Taft was a Wet, so White House guests were entertained with alcohol during her time as First Lady. The former president opposed prohibition during his presidency and much of his time as Chief Justice, but was himself a teetotaler and during his last years wrote letters in support of Prohibition's objectives. With Taft's appointment to the Supreme Court
, Mrs. Taft became the only woman to be both First Lady and wife of a chief justice
.
She died on May 22, 1943, and was buried next to the president at Arlington National Cemetery
.
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
and First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
from 1909 to 1913.
Early years
Born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, the fourth child of Judge John Williamson Herron (1827–1912), a law partner of Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
, and Harriet Collins (1833–1901), Nellie graduated from the Cincinnati College of Music and taught school briefly before her marriage. With her parents, she attended the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration of President and Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in 1877. Her grandfather, Ela Collins
Ela Collins
Ela Collins was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...
and uncle William Collins
William Collins (representative)
William Collins was a United States Representative from New York. He was born in Lowville on February 22, 1818. He was the son of Ela Collins, a prominent politician from the State. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice there. He served as district attorney for Lewis...
were both members of Congress.
Two years later, she met William Howard Taft at a bobsledding party in Cincinnati; he was 22 years old, she was 18. He asked her out for the first time in February 1880, but they did not date regularly until 1882. He proposed in April 1885, and she accepted in May.
Marriage
Taft married Nellie on June 19, 1886, at the home of the bride's parents in Cincinnati. The wedding was performed by the Reverend D.N.A. Hoge of Zanesville, OhioZanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
. Taft's younger brother Horace Taft was best man. The couple honeymooned one day in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and four days at Sea Bright, New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Sea Bright is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,412.Sea Bright was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 21, 1889, from portions of Ocean Township, based on the results of a...
, before setting off on a three-month tour of Europe.
On their return, they settled in Cincinnati. Mrs. Taft encouraged her husband's political career despite his oft-stated preference for the judiciary. She welcomed each step in her husband's political career: state judge, Solicitor General of the United States, and federal circuit court
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
judge. In 1900 he agreed to take charge of American civil government in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Further travel with her husband, who became Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
in 1904, brought a widened interest in world politics and a cosmopolitan circle of friends.
The Tafts had two sons and a daughter. Robert Alphonso Taft (1889–1953) was a political leader, Helen Taft
Helen Taft Manning
Helen Herron Taft Manning , was the second child and only daughter of President of the United States William Howard Taft and his wife Helen Herron....
(1891–1987) was an educator, and Charles Phelps Taft II
Charles Phelps Taft II
Charles Phelps Taft II was a U.S. Republican Party politician and member of the Taft family. From 1955 to 1957, he served as Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. Like other members of his family, Taft was a Republican for the purposes of state-wide elections. However, when running for municipal office in...
(1897–1983) was a civic leader.
First Lady
As First Lady, she was the first wife of a president to ride alongside her husband down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day (heretofore the outgoing chief executive had accompanied the new president). Two months after entering the White House, Mrs. Taft suffered a stroke, impairing her speech. She never fully recovered. With the help of her sisters, however, she entertained moderately. She received guests three afternoons a week in the Red Room.The social highlight of the Taft administration was the silver wedding anniversary gala (June 19, 1911) for some 8,000 guests. In her most lasting contribution as First Lady, Mrs. Taft arranged for the planting of the 3,000 Japanese cherry trees that grace the Washington Tidal Basin; with the wife of the Japanese ambassador, she personally planted the first two saplings in ceremonies on March 27, 1912.
Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
was a major political debate at the time. Mrs. Taft was a Wet, so White House guests were entertained with alcohol during her time as First Lady. The former president opposed prohibition during his presidency and much of his time as Chief Justice, but was himself a teetotaler and during his last years wrote letters in support of Prohibition's objectives. With Taft's appointment to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, Mrs. Taft became the only woman to be both First Lady and wife of a chief justice
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
.
She died on May 22, 1943, and was buried next to the president at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.