Historic Pelham: Obituaries of Horace Dutton Taft, Founder of the Taft School for Boys in Pelham Manor

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One of the nation’s premier college preparatory schools, The Taft School (now located in Watertown, Connecticut), began in Pelham Manor in 1890. Horace Dutton Taft founded the institution. Taft was a brother of William Howard Taft who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and, in 1909, became the nation’s 27th President. Horace Taft had no training in school administration. Indeed, his only exposure to the teaching world reportedly involved tutoring Latin for three years at Yale, his alma mater.

Horace Taft was, however, a friend of a prominent Pelham Manor resident – Mrs. Robert C. (Mary G. W.) Black. Mrs. Black was the wife of a member of the internationally renowned jewelry firm of Black, Starr & Frost. The Blacks owned large tracts of land in Pelham Manor and had a palatial home known as “Dogwood”. The home faced the Esplanade on plots where homes located between 955 and 999 Pelhamdale Avenue stand today.

Robert and Mary Black had two sons: R. Clifford Black, Jr. and Witherbee Black. Mrs. Black reportedly contacted family friend Horace Taft seeking a tutor for her boys. She convinced Taft to open a boarding school for boys in Pelham Manor. Mrs. Black reportedly named the new school “Mr. Taft’s School” although it quickly became known as The Taft School for Boys.

The home that stands today at 964 Pelhamdale Avenue reportedly served as the main building for Mr. Taft’s School. According to a letter prepared in 1936 by one of the students who attended the school during its first year of operation, DeWitt Clinton Noyes, there were two homes that served as the grounds of the school when it opened in 1890 for the 1890/91 school year. The letter states: “The main house belonged to Mrs. Robert C. Black and was directly behind her own on Pelhamdale Avenue. The second house was smaller and next door to the West.” The house that stands today “next door to the West” of 964 Pelhamdale is the home located at 952 Pelhamdale. After only three school years in Pelham Manor, Mr. Taft’s School moved to Watertown, Connecticut where it is located today.

Another of Horace D. Taft's brothers was a New York City attorney who lived for many years in Pelham Manor. His name was Henry Waters Taft. I have written on numerous occasions about Horace Dutton Taft and his brother, Henry Waters Taft. For a few examples, see:

Mon., Jan. 15, 2007: Brief Biographies of Henry Waters Taft and Horace Dutton Taft of Pelham Manor (and Other Family Members).

Tue., May 30, 2006: A Biography Published in 1906 on the Life of Horace Dutton Taft, Founder of the Taft School for Boys in Pelham Manor.

Wed., Nov. 14, 2007: 1890 Advertisement for Taft's School for Boys in Pelham Manor.

Mon., Aug. 15, 2005: 952 Pelhamdale Served as a 19th Century School for Girls, Then a School for Boys.

Bell, Blake A., The Taft School in Pelham Manor, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIII, No. 23, Jun. 4, 2004, p. 12, col. 1.

Fri., Mar. 14, 2014: “Life and Practice" of a Country Lawyer Living in Pelham Manor in the 1880s.

Tue., Feb. 14, 2006: An Account of the Blizzard of 1888 by Pelham Manor Resident Henry W. Taft.

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog includes an undated portrait of Horace Dutton Taft and transcribes two obituaries published immediately following his death.

Horace Dutton Taft in an Undated Portrait.

NOTE: Click Image to Enlarge.

"Taft, Brother of Ex-President, Expires at 81
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Founder of Boys' School Was Recipient Of Honorary Degree From Union College

WATERTOWN, Conn., Jan. 28 (AP). -- Horace D. Taft, 81, brother of the late President William Howard Taft, and founder and for many years headmaster of the Taft School for Boys at Watertown, died at his home tonight.

Starting out to be a lawyer, Taft changed his mind after a year's practice. He spent three years as Latin tutor at Yale, and then started his own school in Pelham Manor with 10 pupils. For the rest of his life, he was its headmaster.

In later years, after it moved to Watertown, it grew to be one of the leading preparatory schools of the country. And in 1926, he gave his majority holdings to the trustees for them to run as a non-profit institution.

They promptly elected him president of the board of trustees and headmaster, a post which he relinquished several years ago to become headmaster emeritus.

Born in Cincinnati, he was the son of Alphonso Taft, judge of the Ohio supreme court, who served in several administrations as secretary of war, as attorney general and as U.S. minister to Austria and Russia.

Another brother beside the late president is Henry W. Taft, New York attorney, and the late Charles P. Taft of Cincinnati, is a half-brother.

In 1892 he married Miss Winifred S. Thompson of Niagara Falls, N. Y., who died in 1909. Among his degrees were a B. A. from Yale in 1883, and an M. A. from Yale in 1893. Williams college awarded him an L. H. D. in 1920 and Union college an L. L. D. in 1924.

Although he was a Cleveland Democrat, Taft left the Democratic party in the 90s and was an ardent Republican after that. He supported vigorously the 18th amendment and wrote and spoke often in its behalf. Another interest was civil service, and he was the founder and for years president of the Connecticut Merit System association.

He published last year 'Memories and Opinions,' which he described as 'the tale of my uneventful life.'"

Source: Taft, Brother of Ex-President, Expires at 81, Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 29, 1943, p. 2, col. 2.

"HORACE TAFT DIES

WATERTOWN, Conn. -- (AP) -- Horace D. Taft, 81, brother of the late President William Howard Taft, and founder and for many years headmaster of the Taft school for Boys at Watertown, died at his home last night. Starting out to be a lawyer, Taft changed his mind after a year's practice. He spent three years as Latin tutor at Yale, and then started his own school in Pelham Manor with ten pupils. For the rest of his life he was its headmaster. In later years, after it moved to Watertown, it grew to be one of the leading preparatory schools of the country."

Source: HORACE TAFT DIES, The Morning Herald [Gloversville and Johnstown, NY], Jan. 29, 1943, p. 6, col. 1.