US Congressman, Major League Baseball Team Owner. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was a member of the prominent Taft family. He graduated from several schools including the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1860. He then attended Yale College as a gifted athlete and was a tackle on the school's championship football team. After graduating from Yale in 1864, he earned a law degree at the Columbia Law School in New York. He was admitted to the bar in 1866 and practiced briefly as a lawyer before traveling to Germany to attend the University of Heidelberg. He returned to Cincinnati and resumed his law practice in 1869. Elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, he served from 1871 to 1873. In 1873, he purchased the Spirit of the Times newspaper and later acquired the Chronicle and the Evening Star. The newspapers were consolidated as the Cincinnati Times Star and Taft became the editor in 1879. Elected as a Republican to represent Ohio's 1st District in the United States House of Representatives, he served from 1895 to 1897. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1896 and resumed his role as editor at his newspaper business. He was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1900, 1908, and 1912. In 1905, he financed Charles Murphy's purchase of the Chicago Cubs Baseball Club. Murphy later sold the ball club to Taft in 1914. Taft sold the ball club to William Wrigley, Jr. in 1916. An avid art collector, the home that he lived in on Pike Street in Cincinnati later became the Taft Museum of Art and is open to the public. He died at his residence in 1929 when he was 86 years old. He is the son of Alphonso Taft, United States Attorney General, Secretary of War, and U.S. Diplomat. He is the brother of William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States. Several other family members were notable politicians.
US Congressman, Major League Baseball Team Owner. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was a member of the prominent Taft family. He graduated from several schools including the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1860. He then attended Yale College as a gifted athlete and was a tackle on the school's championship football team. After graduating from Yale in 1864, he earned a law degree at the Columbia Law School in New York. He was admitted to the bar in 1866 and practiced briefly as a lawyer before traveling to Germany to attend the University of Heidelberg. He returned to Cincinnati and resumed his law practice in 1869. Elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, he served from 1871 to 1873. In 1873, he purchased the Spirit of the Times newspaper and later acquired the Chronicle and the Evening Star. The newspapers were consolidated as the Cincinnati Times Star and Taft became the editor in 1879. Elected as a Republican to represent Ohio's 1st District in the United States House of Representatives, he served from 1895 to 1897. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1896 and resumed his role as editor at his newspaper business. He was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1900, 1908, and 1912. In 1905, he financed Charles Murphy's purchase of the Chicago Cubs Baseball Club. Murphy later sold the ball club to Taft in 1914. Taft sold the ball club to William Wrigley, Jr. in 1916. An avid art collector, the home that he lived in on Pike Street in Cincinnati later became the Taft Museum of Art and is open to the public. He died at his residence in 1929 when he was 86 years old. He is the son of Alphonso Taft, United States Attorney General, Secretary of War, and U.S. Diplomat. He is the brother of William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States. Several other family members were notable politicians.
Bio by: K Guy
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