Helen "Nellie" Herron, 1st Lady of the United States

Helen “Nellie” Taft Herron

From First Lady Helen Taft (Herron)

Find A Grave Memorial ID # 7396

As "the only unusual incident" of her girlhood, "Nellie" Herron Taft recalled her visit to the White House at 17, the guest of U.S. President and Mrs. Hayes, intimate friends of her parents. Fourth child of Harriet Collins and John W. Herron, born in 1861, she had grown up in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, attending a private school in the city and studying music with enthusiasm.

The year after this notable visit she met "that adorable Will Taft," a tall young lawyer, at a sledding party. They found intellectual interests in common; friendship matured into love; Helen Herron and William Howard Taft were married in 1886. A "treasure," he called her, "self-contained, independent, and of unusual application." He wondered if they would ever reach Washington "in any official capacity" and suggested to her that they might -- when she became Secretary of the Treasury!

No woman could hope for such a career in that day, but Mrs. Taft welcomed each step in her husband's: 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. The delight with which she undertook the journey, and her willingness to take her children to a country still unsettled by war, were characteristic of this woman who loved a challenge. In Manila she handled a difficult role with enthusiasm and tact; she relished travel to Japan and China, and a special diplomatic mission to the Vatican.

Further travel with her husband, who became U.S. Secretary of War in 1904, brought a widened interest in world politics and a cosmopolitan circle of friends. His election to the Presidency in 1908 gave her a position she had long desired.

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. An indomitable will had her back in command again within a year. At the New Year's reception for 1910, she appeared in white crepe embroidered with gold--a graceful figure. Her daughter left college for a year to take part in social life at the White House, and the gaiety of Helen's debut enhanced the 1910 Christmas season.

During four years famous for social events, the most outstanding 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. And the capital's famous Japanese cherry trees, planted around the Tidal Basin at her request, form a notable memorial.

Her public role in Washington did not end when she left the White House. In 1921 her husband was appointed Chief Justice of the United States--the position he had desired most of all--and she continued to live in the capital after his death in 1930. Retaining to the end her love of travel and of classical music, she died at her home on May 22, 1943.

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Fourth child of Harriet Collins and John W. Herron, 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 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.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the fourth child of Judge John Williamson Herron (1827-1912), a law partner of Rutherford B. Hayes, and Harriet Collins-Herron (1833-1901), Nellie graduated from the Cincinnati College of Music and taught school briefly before her marriage. With her parents, she attended the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration of President and Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes at the White House in 1877.

Helen (or Nellie as she was called), met William Howard Taft at a party where he gave her a bobsled ride. Although their relationship moved slowly, the two were married on June 19, 1886. The couple had three children: The eldest, Robert, became a successful Senator; their only daughter Helen, became a teacher and a dean at Bryn Mawr College, and the youngest, Charles, a successful lawyer. Nellie convinced her husband to turn to politics, and luckily, President McKinley appointed him to the job of organizing the Philippine Government in 1900, and made him Governor in 1901. Taft handled these positions well, with Nellie presiding over the Malacanan Palace, entertaining in high style.

In 1902, President Roosevelt attempted to put Taft on the Supreme Court, however was unsuccessful. Several months later, Taft was approved as Secretary of War. This position made Nellie very happy, as she believed this would be a stepping stone to the Presidency, a position she hoped her husband would finally attain. Upon Taft's election to the Presidency, Nellie had many ideas of improving Washington and the White House. She is best remembered for having the idea of planting the cherry trees along Washington's tidal basin. She received the trees from the Mayor of Tokyo, who generously donated them. She also was the first to hold garden parties at the White House.

Three months after becoming First Lady, Nellie suffered a stroke, leaving her partially paralyzed. As a result she was unable to perform her mistress duties, so she turned the job over to her daughter and sisters. She recovered enough to return to her duties during her husband's last two years in office. After his term was completed, Taft became a law professor at Yale University and Nellie enjoyed very much being the wife of a professor. She enjoyed this lifestyle for eight years, until 1921, when Taft became a Supreme Court Justice, which pleased Nellie all the more.

Nellie died on May 22, 1943 in Washington, D.C., outliving her husband by thirteen years.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the fourth child of Judge John Williamson Herron (1827-1912), a law partner of Rutherford B. Hayes, and Harriet Collins-Herron (1833-1901), Nellie graduated from the Cincinnati College of Music and taught school briefly before her marriage. With her parents, she attended the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration of President and Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes at the White House in 1877.

Two years later, she met William Howard Taft at a bobsledding party in Cincinnati; he was 22 years old, she was 18. He asked her out for the first time in February 1880, but they did not date regularly until 1882. He proposed in April 1885, and she accepted in May.

Taft, aged 28, married Nellie Herron, aged 25, on June 19, 1886, at the home of the bride's parents in Cincinnati, OH. The wedding was performed by the Reverend D.N.A. Hoge of Zanesville, Ohio. Taft's younger brother Horace Taft was best man. The couple honeymooned one day in New York City and four days at Sea Bright, New Jersey, before setting off on a three-month tour of Europe.

On their return, they settled in Cincinnati, OH. Mrs. Taft encouraged her husband's political career despite his oft-stated preference for the judiciary. She 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. 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.

The Tafts had two sons and a daughter:

• Robert Alphonso Taft (1889-1953) - political leader.
• Helen Taft Manning (1891-1987) - educator.
• Charles Phelps Taft II (1897-1983) - civic leader

As First Lady, she was the first wife of a president to ride alongside her husband down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day (heretofore the outgoing chief executive had accompanied the new president). Two months after entering the White House, Mrs. Taft suffered a stroke, impairing her speech. She never fully recovered. With the help of her sisters, however, she entertained moderately. She received guests three afternoons a week in the Red Room.

The social highlight of the Taft administration was the silver wedding anniversary gala (June 19, 1911) for some 8,000 guests. In her most lasting contribution as First Lady, Mrs. Taft arranged for the planting of the 3,000 Japanese cherry trees that grace the Washington Tidal Basin; with the wife of the Japanese ambassador, she personally planted the first two saplings in ceremonies on March 27, 1912.

The Tafts were divided over Prohibition; the former president was a Dry; Mrs. Taft a Wet. With Taft's appointment to the Supreme Court, Mrs. Taft became the only woman to be both First Lady and wife of a chief justice.

She died on May 22, 1943, and was buried next to the president at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Presidential First Lady. She was the wife of 27th US President and later Chief Supreme Court Justice William Howard Taft. The 4th child of Judge John Williamson Herron, a law partner of the 19th US President Rutherford B. Hayes, she received her primary education from 1866 until 1879 at the Miss Nourse School in Cincinnati, then graduated from the Cincinnati College of Music and briefly taught school.

After meeting William Howard Taft at a bobsledding party, he proposed to her in 1885 and they were married in June 1886 at her parent's home. She was supportive in every aspect ho his political career, from Ohio state senator, US Solicitor General, federal court judge, Governor General of the Philippines and Secretary of War. After his election as US President in 1908, she became the first First Lady to ride next to her husband down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day in January 1909. Two months after entering the White House, she suffered a stroke that impairing her speech and she never fully recovered and had a residual speech impediment.

As First Lady, she replaced the all-white male ushers with African-American ushers in uniform and made the decision to convert the presidential transportation mode from horse-drawn vehicles to automobiles. In her most lasting contribution as First Lady, she arranged for the planting of the 3,020 Japanese cherry trees that grace the Washington Tidal Basin, personally planting the first two saplings in ceremonies on March 27, 1912. After her husband's defeat for the presidency in 1912, she returned with him to New Haven, Connecticut and started working on her memoirs, "Recollection of Full Years," which was published in 1914.

She eventually came to support the women's right to vote, which became the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution after being passed by Congress in June 1919 and ratified in August 1920. In 1921 her husband was confirmed as the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court and she returned to Washington DC. With her husband's appointment to the US Supreme Court, she became the only woman to be both the Presidential First Lady and wife of a Chief US Supreme Court Justice.

After the death of her husband in March 1930, she remained in Washington DC and died there at the age of 81. She was the first of two First Ladies to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery, the other one being Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Her son, Robert Taft Sr, went on to serve as a US Senator from Ohio and her grandson, Robert Alphonso Taft, Jr also served as a US Senator and Congressman from Ohio.

Harriet Herron Taft (Collins)