Peter Rawson Taft

Peter Rawson Taft was born on April 14, 1785, in Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Aaron Taft, a Princeton College-educated farmer, and Rhoda (née Rawson) Taft. In 1799, when Taft was 14 years old, his family relocated to Vermont. He received a basic education through local schools and developed an interest in reading and studying independently.

Taft's paternal lineage traces back to Robert Taft Sr. (1640–1725), an early immigrant to Colonial America. His maternal ancestry includes a descendant of Edward Rawson, who served as secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1650 to 1681.

In 1810, Peter R. Taft married Sylvia Howard of Townshend, Vermont. Sylvia was the daughter of Levi Howard and Bethiah Chapin. The couple had a son, Alphonso Taft, born on November 5, 1810, in Townshend. Alphonso later served as the United States Secretary of War in 1876 and as Attorney General from 1876 to 1877, and he was a co-founder of the Yale Secret Society Skull and Bones.

Taft taught at local schools for approximately five to six years and worked as a surveyor for several years. He studied law independently and established a successful legal career. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives and held judicial positions, including judge of the Probate and County Courts of Windham County for eight years. He also served as judge of the Court of Common Pleas and was one of the county's commissioners.

Between 1835 and 1841, Taft was a trustee and the first president of the Leland and Gray Seminary, an educational institution he helped establish. His involvement in education extended through his role in shaping the institution's early development.

In 1841, Taft relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio. He continued his legal work and remained active professionally until his death. Peter Rawson Taft died in Cincinnati on January 1, 1867. His wife, Sylvia, passed away prior to his death within the same year.

Peter Rawson Taft was the grandfather of William Howard Taft, who served as the President of the United States. The Taft family maintained connections to Uxbridge, Massachusetts, for family reunions, and their descendants included numerous judges, lawyers, educators, legislators, and community leaders.