Martha Wheaton Bowers was the daughter of Lloyd Wheaton Bowers and Louise Bennett (Wilson) Bowers.
Martha Wheaton Bowers married Robert Alphonso Taft, Sr. on 17 OCT 1914 in Cincinatti, Ohio.∼Senator Taft's Widow Dies; Husband's Political Mate
Mrs. Bowers Taft, widow of Sen. Robert A. Taft and his campaign teammate throughout his political career, died yesterday at her Indian Hill home.
Although Mrs. Taft had been confined to a wheelchair for years, death was unexpected. A son, State Rep. Robert Taft, Jr. said it was due to a heart ailment. It happened shortly after noon. A nurse was in attendance at the Taft home at 4300 Drake Road. Mrs. Darrah Wunder, longtime friend and companion, had left to attend a luncheon downtown. Mrs. Robert Taft Jr., who lives nearby, rushed to her mother-in-law's side.
The senator's widow, who was 68 years old, had lived quietly here since a year after Senator Taft's death July 31, 1953. She sold their Victorian home in Washington, but maintained an apartment there until the following year.
Mrs. Taft played an important role in her husband's career. Friendly and vivacious, she made speeches for him in his campaign, and the speeches made friends. Her bright wit and warmth made her a perfect compliment for her husband, who was shy and aloof.
The team of "Bob and Martha" cut a dignified and distinguished trail through American politics. The train almost took them to the White House. Significantly, it was at the White House that their courtship began at a party in 1910. William Howard Taft was President and his son Bob was a student at Yale. At the time, Martha Bowers was a Washington debutante, attending Rosemary School in Greenwich, Conn.
Four years later, after Mrs. Taft had continued her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and had taught for a brief period at Rosemary School, she and Taft were married in St. John Episcopal Church near the White House. They set up housekeeping in a rented house in Walnut Hills. A short time later they bought a house and a 65-acre tract in Indian Hill.
In that early time of their marriage, Mrs. Taft worked for Children's Hospital and the Girl Scouts. Her outside activities were restricted only by the job of raising a family of four boys.
In 1920, Mrs. Taft helped found the League of Women Voters here and became its first president. That same year, her husband was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives.
In 1938, when Taft ran for the U.S. Senate for the first time, Mrs. Taft startled old-time political leaders by stumping Ohio for him. She made stops, speeches and arrangements for him in 35 of the state's 38 counties. She did it again in 1944, and in his unsuccessful try for the Republican presidential nomination in 1940 and 1948. A stroke which she suffered in 1950 kept her from accompanying him in his last attempt in 1952, but she conducted a one-woman letter-writing campaign for him.
Surviving Mrs. Taft are her four sons: Robert Jr., Lloyd B. Taft, former assistant publisher and executive vice-president of the old Time-Star newspaper; Horace Taft, an assistant professor of physics at Yale, and William Howard Taft III, former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and later a member of the State Department's policy planning staff in Washington, and 14 grandchildren.
Services were held at the Indian Hill Church, The Reverend Luther Tucker officiated.
Martha Wheaton Bowers married Robert Alphonso Taft, Sr. on 17 OCT 1914 in Cincinatti, Ohio.∼Senator Taft's Widow Dies; Husband's Political Mate
Mrs. Bowers Taft, widow of Sen. Robert A. Taft and his campaign teammate throughout his political career, died yesterday at her Indian Hill home.
Although Mrs. Taft had been confined to a wheelchair for years, death was unexpected. A son, State Rep. Robert Taft, Jr. said it was due to a heart ailment. It happened shortly after noon. A nurse was in attendance at the Taft home at 4300 Drake Road. Mrs. Darrah Wunder, longtime friend and companion, had left to attend a luncheon downtown. Mrs. Robert Taft Jr., who lives nearby, rushed to her mother-in-law's side.
The senator's widow, who was 68 years old, had lived quietly here since a year after Senator Taft's death July 31, 1953. She sold their Victorian home in Washington, but maintained an apartment there until the following year.
Mrs. Taft played an important role in her husband's career. Friendly and vivacious, she made speeches for him in his campaign, and the speeches made friends. Her bright wit and warmth made her a perfect compliment for her husband, who was shy and aloof.
The team of "Bob and Martha" cut a dignified and distinguished trail through American politics. The train almost took them to the White House. Significantly, it was at the White House that their courtship began at a party in 1910. William Howard Taft was President and his son Bob was a student at Yale. At the time, Martha Bowers was a Washington debutante, attending Rosemary School in Greenwich, Conn.
Four years later, after Mrs. Taft had continued her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and had taught for a brief period at Rosemary School, she and Taft were married in St. John Episcopal Church near the White House. They set up housekeeping in a rented house in Walnut Hills. A short time later they bought a house and a 65-acre tract in Indian Hill.
In that early time of their marriage, Mrs. Taft worked for Children's Hospital and the Girl Scouts. Her outside activities were restricted only by the job of raising a family of four boys.
In 1920, Mrs. Taft helped found the League of Women Voters here and became its first president. That same year, her husband was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives.
In 1938, when Taft ran for the U.S. Senate for the first time, Mrs. Taft startled old-time political leaders by stumping Ohio for him. She made stops, speeches and arrangements for him in 35 of the state's 38 counties. She did it again in 1944, and in his unsuccessful try for the Republican presidential nomination in 1940 and 1948. A stroke which she suffered in 1950 kept her from accompanying him in his last attempt in 1952, but she conducted a one-woman letter-writing campaign for him.
Surviving Mrs. Taft are her four sons: Robert Jr., Lloyd B. Taft, former assistant publisher and executive vice-president of the old Time-Star newspaper; Horace Taft, an assistant professor of physics at Yale, and William Howard Taft III, former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and later a member of the State Department's policy planning staff in Washington, and 14 grandchildren.
Services were held at the Indian Hill Church, The Reverend Luther Tucker officiated.
Martha Wheaton Bowers was the daughter of Lloyd Wheaton Bowers and Louise Bennett (Wilson) Bowers.
Martha Wheaton Bowers married Robert Alphonso Taft, Sr. on 17 OCT 1914 in Cincinatti, Ohio.∼Senator Taft's Widow Dies; Husband's Political Mate
Mrs. Bowers Taft, widow of Sen. Robert A. Taft and his campaign teammate throughout his political career, died yesterday at her Indian Hill home.
Although Mrs. Taft had been confined to a wheelchair for years, death was unexpected. A son, State Rep. Robert Taft, Jr. said it was due to a heart ailment. It happened shortly after noon. A nurse was in attendance at the Taft home at 4300 Drake Road. Mrs. Darrah Wunder, longtime friend and companion, had left to attend a luncheon downtown. Mrs. Robert Taft Jr., who lives nearby, rushed to her mother-in-law's side.
The senator's widow, who was 68 years old, had lived quietly here since a year after Senator Taft's death July 31, 1953. She sold their Victorian home in Washington, but maintained an apartment there until the following year.
Mrs. Taft played an important role in her husband's career. Friendly and vivacious, she made speeches for him in his campaign, and the speeches made friends. Her bright wit and warmth made her a perfect compliment for her husband, who was shy and aloof.
The team of "Bob and Martha" cut a dignified and distinguished trail through American politics. The train almost took them to the White House. Significantly, it was at the White House that their courtship began at a party in 1910. William Howard Taft was President and his son Bob was a student at Yale. At the time, Martha Bowers was a Washington debutante, attending Rosemary School in Greenwich, Conn.
Four years later, after Mrs. Taft had continued her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and had taught for a brief period at Rosemary School, she and Taft were married in St. John Episcopal Church near the White House. They set up housekeeping in a rented house in Walnut Hills. A short time later they bought a house and a 65-acre tract in Indian Hill.
In that early time of their marriage, Mrs. Taft worked for Children's Hospital and the Girl Scouts. Her outside activities were restricted only by the job of raising a family of four boys.
In 1920, Mrs. Taft helped found the League of Women Voters here and became its first president. That same year, her husband was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives.
In 1938, when Taft ran for the U.S. Senate for the first time, Mrs. Taft startled old-time political leaders by stumping Ohio for him. She made stops, speeches and arrangements for him in 35 of the state's 38 counties. She did it again in 1944, and in his unsuccessful try for the Republican presidential nomination in 1940 and 1948. A stroke which she suffered in 1950 kept her from accompanying him in his last attempt in 1952, but she conducted a one-woman letter-writing campaign for him.
Surviving Mrs. Taft are her four sons: Robert Jr., Lloyd B. Taft, former assistant publisher and executive vice-president of the old Time-Star newspaper; Horace Taft, an assistant professor of physics at Yale, and William Howard Taft III, former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and later a member of the State Department's policy planning staff in Washington, and 14 grandchildren.
Services were held at the Indian Hill Church, The Reverend Luther Tucker officiated.
Martha Wheaton Bowers married Robert Alphonso Taft, Sr. on 17 OCT 1914 in Cincinatti, Ohio.∼Senator Taft's Widow Dies; Husband's Political Mate
Mrs. Bowers Taft, widow of Sen. Robert A. Taft and his campaign teammate throughout his political career, died yesterday at her Indian Hill home.
Although Mrs. Taft had been confined to a wheelchair for years, death was unexpected. A son, State Rep. Robert Taft, Jr. said it was due to a heart ailment. It happened shortly after noon. A nurse was in attendance at the Taft home at 4300 Drake Road. Mrs. Darrah Wunder, longtime friend and companion, had left to attend a luncheon downtown. Mrs. Robert Taft Jr., who lives nearby, rushed to her mother-in-law's side.
The senator's widow, who was 68 years old, had lived quietly here since a year after Senator Taft's death July 31, 1953. She sold their Victorian home in Washington, but maintained an apartment there until the following year.
Mrs. Taft played an important role in her husband's career. Friendly and vivacious, she made speeches for him in his campaign, and the speeches made friends. Her bright wit and warmth made her a perfect compliment for her husband, who was shy and aloof.
The team of "Bob and Martha" cut a dignified and distinguished trail through American politics. The train almost took them to the White House. Significantly, it was at the White House that their courtship began at a party in 1910. William Howard Taft was President and his son Bob was a student at Yale. At the time, Martha Bowers was a Washington debutante, attending Rosemary School in Greenwich, Conn.
Four years later, after Mrs. Taft had continued her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and had taught for a brief period at Rosemary School, she and Taft were married in St. John Episcopal Church near the White House. They set up housekeeping in a rented house in Walnut Hills. A short time later they bought a house and a 65-acre tract in Indian Hill.
In that early time of their marriage, Mrs. Taft worked for Children's Hospital and the Girl Scouts. Her outside activities were restricted only by the job of raising a family of four boys.
In 1920, Mrs. Taft helped found the League of Women Voters here and became its first president. That same year, her husband was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives.
In 1938, when Taft ran for the U.S. Senate for the first time, Mrs. Taft startled old-time political leaders by stumping Ohio for him. She made stops, speeches and arrangements for him in 35 of the state's 38 counties. She did it again in 1944, and in his unsuccessful try for the Republican presidential nomination in 1940 and 1948. A stroke which she suffered in 1950 kept her from accompanying him in his last attempt in 1952, but she conducted a one-woman letter-writing campaign for him.
Surviving Mrs. Taft are her four sons: Robert Jr., Lloyd B. Taft, former assistant publisher and executive vice-president of the old Time-Star newspaper; Horace Taft, an assistant professor of physics at Yale, and William Howard Taft III, former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and later a member of the State Department's policy planning staff in Washington, and 14 grandchildren.
Services were held at the Indian Hill Church, The Reverend Luther Tucker officiated.
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