Description:

Taft William

William H. Taft's Working Vacation, Bunking with Circuit Court Clerk

 

2pp autograph letter inscribed overall by future 27th U.S. President William H. Taft (1857-1930), then an Ohio-based Circuit Court Judge, and signed by him as "WmHTaft" at the top of the fourth page. Written in Pointe-au-Pic, Quebec, Canada on August 18, 1895. On watermarked cream bifold stationery with "United States / Circuit Court of Appeals, / For the Sixth Circuit, / Judge's Chambers, / Cincinnati." letterhead. The inner pages are blank. Expected paper folds, and a few isolated stains on the last page, else near fine. 5" x 8". Accompanied by the original transmittal envelope with a preprinted Court of Appeals return of address, also hand-inscribed by Taft. Bearing a cancelled 3 cent orange Canadian stamp, with two hand-stamped postmarks from Quebec and Cincinnati verso. Letter-opened at top and with expected weathering.

 

In full:

 

"Aug 18/95

Pt a Pic.

 

My dear Leonard,

 

I find I made an error in my last letter to you. My address comes upon the 28th of August on Wednesday. I shall, therefore, start from here on next Saturday night and reach Detroit on Monday the 26th at noon 2 P.M. If you think of coming to Detroit, I wish you could meet me there then. I shall stay at Mr. Harsha's. It is quite possible that I shall wish to do some work between noon Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning in which you could be of great assistance to me.

 

I received your last express parcel.

 

Very sincerely yours

WmHTaft."

 

On his way back to Cincinnati from his working vacation in Canada, Judge Taft planned to stay at "Mr. Harsha's". Taft's host was legal colleague Walter S. Harsha (1849-1917), the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Clerk from the Eastern District of Michigan, based out of Detroit. Harsha served in this capacity during the entire length of Taft's tenure as Circuit Court judge and beyond (1882-1909.) According to a court document from the mid-1890s, Harsha's clerk's salary was $3,000, or the equivalent of approximately $91,000 in 2019 currency. So, Harsha could feed and lodge Taft without difficulty for two days!

 

Taft had graduated from the University of Cincinnati Law School in 1880, and occupied positions as Cincinnati Superior Court judge and Solicitor General before assuming responsibilities as a federal court judge. President Benjamin Harrison appointed Taft a judge of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in 1892, a position that Taft would hold until 1900. In this role, Taft and other circuit judges presided over hearing and appeals trails in Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.

 

Little is known about Taft's correspondent George W. Leonard, except that he too was a lawyer associated with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. During his travels, Taft addressed numerous pieces of correspondence to Leonard--most including copious instructions relating to both work and Taft's personal life--that indicate Leonard performed secretarial and paralegal duties for Taft.

 

The Tafts (William had married Helen in 1886) vacationed for over forty years at a summer residence at Pointe-au-Pic near Charlevoix facing Murray Bay in southern Quebec. Their summer home Fassifern Cottage was a hodgepodge of add-ons and ells, ever expanding to accommodate the growing Taft family and their house guests. The Midwestern Tafts were famous for their warm hospitality and enthusiastic entertaining. The Taft’s summer season usually culminated with William’s birthday bash on September 15th, where it was not uncommon for Helen to feed up to eighty guests.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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