Robert Taft, 2nd, also known as Robert Taft II, 1674-1748 was born in Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; he died at age 74 at Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Birth
Robert Taft, 2nd, is an early American pioneer. He was the son of Robert Taft, Sr, the first American Taft, of the famous Taft family.
Early life and marriage
Robert Taft II lived the earliest part of his life at Braintree until he was age 6, when his father moved back to the western part of Mendon, Massachusetts, following the King Phillip's War. This part of town later became the town of Uxbridge. Robert Taft II married Elizabeth Woodard of Braintree, Norfolk County.
ignificance in history
Robert Taft, 2nd, was a founder and founding Selectman on the first Board of Selectmen, of the historic town of Uxbridge, in Worcester County, Massachusetts.[cite book |last= Marvin |first= AP |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= History of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Embracing a Comprehensive History of the County from its earliest beginnings to the present time; Vol. lI |publisher= CF Jewitt and Company |date= 1879 |location= Boston, MA |pages= 146 |url= |doi= |id= |isbn= ] The town of Uxbridge was incorporated as a separate town from Mendon in 1727. Robert Taft 2nd, was the first known elected political figure in the famous Taft family, a dynasty in American politics. Robert Taft, 2nd was a prominent citizen of Mendon and Uxbridge. He died in Uxbridge, Worcester County, in 1748. His descendants number among well known Americans and political figures, especially among the Taft family in Ohio. Robert Taft II's descendants include Royal Chapin Taft, Governor of Rhode Island, Ezra Taft Benson, U.S Secretary of Agriculture, Ezra T. Benson, Utah Territorial Legislator and Mormon Apostle, and Kingsley Arter Taft, a U.S. Senator from Ohio, and chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court among others]Notes
*cite web|title="Descendants of Robert and Sarah Taft"|publisher=rootsweb|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~taft/Taftdes5.htm|accessdate=2007-10-30
*cite book |last= Marvin |first= AP |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= History of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Embracing a Comprehensive History of the County from its earliest beginnings to the present time; Vol. lI |publisher= CF Jewitt and Company |date= 1879 |location= Boston, MA |pages= 146 |url= |doi= |id= |isbn=
