Helen Louise Herron Taft (
June 2, 1861 –
May 22, 1943), usually known as
Nellie Taft or
Helen Taft, was the wife of
William Howard Taft, was
First Lady of the United States from
1909 to
1913.
Fourth child of John Williamson Herron (1827-1912) and the former Harriet Collins (1833-1901), she had grown up in
Cincinnati, Ohio, attending a private school in the city. She met William Taft at a sledding party at age 18. They found intellectual interests in common; friendship matured into love; Helen Louise Herron and William Howard Taft were married in
1886. Mrs. Taft welcomed each step in her husband's political career: state judge,
Solicitor General of the United States, federal circuit judge. In 1900 he agreed to take charge of American civil government in the
Philippines. By now the children numbered three:
Robert, Helen, and
Charles. Further travel with her husband, who became
Secretary of War in 1904, brought a widened interest in world politics and a cosmopolitan circle of friends. Years before reaching the
White House, Mrs. Taft enjoyed competing with
Edith Roosevelt. Taft had given birth to her daughter Helen on
August 1, 1891 and was glad to have beaten Mrs. Roosevelt who had
Ethel Roosevelt on
August 13, 1891.
As First Lady, she still took an interest in politics but concentrated on giving the administration a particular social brilliance. Only two months after the inauguration she suffered a severe stroke. Her daughter
Helen left college for a year to take part in social life at the
White House. During four years famous for social events, the most famous was an evening garden party for several thousand guests on the Tafts' silver wedding anniversary,
June 19, 1911. Mrs. Taft remembered this as "the greatest event" in her White House experience. Her own book,
Recollections of Full Years, gives her account of a varied life. Additionally, the capital's famous
Japanese cherry trees were planted around the
Tidal Basin at her request.
Her public role in
Washington, DC did not end when she left the White House. In 1921 her husband was appointed
Chief Justice of the United States and she continued to live in the capital after his death in 1930. She died at her home on
May 22 1943, aged 81.
William Howard Taft and Helen Herron Taft had three children:
*
Robert A. Taft (
1889-1953), United States Senator from
Ohio
*
Helen Taft Manning (
1891-1987), Professor at
Bryn Mawr College
*
Charles Phelps Taft II (
1897-1983), mayor of
Cincinnati, Ohio. 
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