Bazaleel Taft, Jr., House and Law Office
Encyclopedia
The Bazaleel Taft, Jr., House and Law Office is an historic structure in Uxbridge, Massachusetts
. On November 7, 1983, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The House and Law office reflect the Georgian Architecture
Style.
style, and was a gift for Bezaleel Taft, Jr from Bezaleel Taft, Sr.
, on his graduation from Harvard Law School
. Bezaleel, Jr. was the grandson of Lydia Taft
, America's first woman voter. Bazaleel Jr. was practicing law next door in a brick building. Like his Father, Taft Jr. also became a State Senator
and a representative to the General Court
. He also served on the State Executive Council. He served as President of the Blackstone National Bank, of which he was a founder, for nearly 20 years.
descendants lived at "Elmshade". A number of them had powerful political and legal careers, including George S. Taft, Bezaleel Jr's son. George was a lawyer, District Attorney and private secretary, chief of staff
, to U.S. Senator George Hoar in the 1880s. His influence probably led to the Lincoln Square, Worcester
Court House being erected., The "Life of Alphonso Taft
by Lewis Alexander Leonard", on Google Books, is a particularly rich source of the history of the Taft family in Massachusetts. Elmshade was the site of Taft family
reunions such as in 1874. Young William Howard Taft
visited this home with his father Alphonso Taft, U.S. Secretary of War and founder of Skull and Bones
at Yale
. Alphonso Taft
, who also served as United States Attorney General
under President
Ulysses S. Grant
, delivered a powerful oratory on the Taft family and its roots in this area at this historic home during the reunion in 1874. Young William Howard Taft, and his brother Charles Phelps Taft
, who founded the Chicago Cubs
, both likely heard the speech. President William Howard Taft again visited this area, and this home, as a youth when he spent summers and even a term of school in Millbury
. He would return here many years later as the American President to visit his kinfolk. The New York Times
recorded President Taft's visits to his ancestral homes in Mendon and Uxbridge during his Presidency.
of America, the Georgian Architecture
style was also built with wood and clapboard, though much of the construction was of brick. Wood clapboard is the style used for the Bezaleel Taft, Jr house. The office was a brick style building. The link for Georgian architecture notes these distinctions.
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
. On November 7, 1983, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The House and Law office reflect the Georgian Architecture
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
Style.
History
Elmshade, built in 1807 at 195 South Main Street, was built in the Georgian architectureGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style, and was a gift for Bezaleel Taft, Jr from Bezaleel Taft, Sr.
Bezaleel Taft, Sr.
-The Honorable Bezaleel Taft, Sr.'s home:Today Honorable Bezaleel Taft's home is known as "Hon. Bazaleel Taft House" and is listed on the National Historic Register. It has the Georgian architecture style, as does his son's home nearby, Elmshade. Both homes were well known in the Taft family for...
, on his graduation from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. Bezaleel, Jr. was the grandson of Lydia Taft
Lydia Taft
Lydia Chapin was the first known legal woman voter in colonial America. This occurred in the New England town Town Meeting, at Uxbridge, MA Massachusetts Colony.-Early life:...
, America's first woman voter. Bazaleel Jr. was practicing law next door in a brick building. Like his Father, Taft Jr. also became a State Senator
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
and a representative to the General Court
General Court
The General Court is the shorthand name for the:* General Court * New Hampshire General Court* Massachusetts General CourtThis term also formally applied to the:* Vermont General Assembly, formerly the Vermont General Court...
. He also served on the State Executive Council. He served as President of the Blackstone National Bank, of which he was a founder, for nearly 20 years.
Gathering place for the Taft family
Five generations of the Taft familyTaft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
descendants lived at "Elmshade". A number of them had powerful political and legal careers, including George S. Taft, Bezaleel Jr's son. George was a lawyer, District Attorney and private secretary, chief of staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
, to U.S. Senator George Hoar in the 1880s. His influence probably led to the Lincoln Square, Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
Court House being erected., The "Life of Alphonso Taft
Alphonso Taft
Alphonso Taft was the Attorney General and Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant and the founder of an American political dynasty. He was the father of U.S...
by Lewis Alexander Leonard", on Google Books, is a particularly rich source of the history of the Taft family in Massachusetts. Elmshade was the site of Taft family
Taft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
reunions such as in 1874. Young William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
visited this home with his father Alphonso Taft, U.S. Secretary of War and founder of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
at Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
. Alphonso Taft
Alphonso Taft
Alphonso Taft was the Attorney General and Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant and the founder of an American political dynasty. He was the father of U.S...
, who also served as United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
under President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, delivered a powerful oratory on the Taft family and its roots in this area at this historic home during the reunion in 1874. Young William Howard Taft, and his brother Charles Phelps Taft
Charles Phelps Taft
Charles Phelps Taft I was an American lawyer and politician.-Biography:He was born on December 21, 1843 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Alphonso Taft, and his brother was President William Howard Taft....
, who founded the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, both likely heard the speech. President William Howard Taft again visited this area, and this home, as a youth when he spent summers and even a term of school in Millbury
Millbury, Massachusetts
Millbury is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,261 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.-History:...
. He would return here many years later as the American President to visit his kinfolk. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
recorded President Taft's visits to his ancestral homes in Mendon and Uxbridge during his Presidency.
Colonial style Georgian house and office
In the colonial periodColonial Period
Colonial Period may generally refer to any period in a country's history when it was subject to administration by a colonial power.*Korea under Japanese rule*Colonial history of the United States...
of America, the Georgian Architecture
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style was also built with wood and clapboard, though much of the construction was of brick. Wood clapboard is the style used for the Bezaleel Taft, Jr house. The office was a brick style building. The link for Georgian architecture notes these distinctions.
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in Uxbridge, Massachusetts Listing of other local historic sites
- Taft familyTaft familyThe Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
, some of the family tree of the Taft family which originated here and includes Bezaleel Taft, Jr. - The Tafts of Mendon and Uxbridge