Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Tait, Thomas 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 14, 2008, 2:34 am

Author: Past & Present Will County IL 1907

Thomas Tait was for almost sixty years a resident of Will county. He passed 
away May 3, 1896, one of its honored pioneer settlers and a representative 
citizen who had for more than a half century been connected with its 
agricultural interests, living a life of uprightness and honor that won him 
the esteem and confidence of all with whom he was associated. His life record 
began on the Shetland islands in Scotland, September 23, 1830, his parents 
being Michael and Margaret (Leisk) Tait, both of whom were born on the 
islands. During the time of the religions persecutions in Scotland the Tait 
and Leisk families fled from that country and took refuge on the Shetland 
islands, where the birth of Michael Tait occurred October 21, 1805, while 
Margaret Leisk was there born January 16, 1803. They were married there and 
became parents of five children, four of whom were born on the islands. In 
1838 the parents sailed for the new world, arriving in New York city on the 
14th day of May of that year. On the 28th of June following they started for 
Chicago and three weeks were passed by them in the embryonic city by the lake. 
On the 19th of July, 1838, they came to Will county and the father purchased a 
large farm in Joliet township three and a half miles southeast of the city of 
Joliet, paying four hundred and seventy-seven dollars for the tract of land of 
one hundred and twenty acres. With characteristic energy Mr. Tait began making 
improvements thereon. Being a great lover of flowers, he surrounded himself 
with many plants and for this reason his home became known as Flower Hill. Mr. 
Tait continued to reside there throughout his remaining days, his time and 
energies being given to general farming, and as time passed by he prospered, 
so that on the 27th of September, 1851, he was able to make the final payment 
on his property. He was a stonemason by trade, but he preferred agricultural 
pursuits and the greater part of his life was devoted to such work. For a 
brief period, however, he was connected with a Mr. Barnett in stone 
contracting and for some years afterward he engaged in the building of the 
locks on the canal at Wellington, Canada, and also the locks on the canal at 
Joliet. After that time his entire attention was devoted to the farm, where he 
continued to make his home until his death, which occurred on the 6th of 
October, 1879. His widow afterward resided in the family of her son, Thomas 
Tait, and there passed away March 17, 1881, at the age of eighty-one years. 
Both were members of the First Baptist church of Joliet and were sincere and 
earnest Christian people. Thomas Tait was a youth of only eight years of age 
at the time of the arrival of the family in the new world. His education was 
limited to the privileges afforded by the common schools and his youth was 
largely a period of earnest and unremitting toil, for when a small boy he left 
home and went to Homer township, this county, where he lived with Allison 
Granger, working for him on the farm and attending school. Subsequently he 
made his way to Lockport and lived in the family of Dr. Daggett, taking care 
of the Doctor's horses and also attending school in town. All through his 
early life he endeavored to make up for his deficiency in school training by 
reading and study in his leisure hours, and in the school of experience he 
learned many valuable lessons. Saving his earnings, he was at length enabled 
to purchase eighty acres of land in Jackson township, which was near his 
father's farm in Joliet township, and after leaving Lockport he took up his 
abode on his own property, but made his home with his parents until his 
marriage. The land upon which he settled was almost unbroken prairie but soon 
good crops were harvested, for the work of plowing and planting was carried 
forward and the fields were most carefully tilled, so that in due course of 
time they brought forth good harvests. From the time he located upon the farm 
until his death he resided thereon continuously and was accounted one of the 
most prosperous, energetic and able agriculturists of the community. On the 
12th of October, 1858, Mr. Tait was united in marriage to Miss Catherine A. 
Shutts, a native of Columbia county, New York, born September 19, 1840, and a 
daughter of John and Catherine (Cole) Shutts. She was one of a family of six 
sons and three daughters and the other surviving members of the family are: 
Samuel, of Joliet: Cassius, a grocer, of St. Joseph, Missouri; Peter, a member 
of the bar, practicing in Joliet, and Frank, a farmer, of Rooks county, 
Kansas. Mr. Shutts came to Joliet September 13, 1855, and purchased one 
hundred acres of land on the present site of the Swedish Orphans' Home, where 
he resided until a few months prior to his death. His last days were spent in 
the home of his daughter, Mrs. Tait, and he there passed away September 21, 
1898. Both were earnest members of the Central Presbyterian church and for a 
number of years Mr. Shutts served as supervisor of Joliet township. He was a 
man of considerable local prominence and was recognized as one of Will 
county's representative citizens. Mrs. Tait was only fifteen years of age at 
the time of her parents removal to Will county, where she has since lived. By 
her marriage she has become the mother of nine children, of whom eight are 
still living. John married Cora Van Dusen and they reside in Salem, Oregon, 
where he is engaged in the nursery business. Magnus is a resident of Phoenix, 
Arizona. Margaret is the wife of Oscar Laraway, a farmer, of Joliet township. 
Thomas married Elsie Osland and they reside in the state of Washington, where 
he follows farming. Fred married Anna Beherns and owns a large ranch within 
three miles of Phoenix, Arizona. Cassius married Frances Pohlman and owns and 
conducts a large machine shop at Kankakee, Illinois. Sarah V. is the wife of 
William H. Keltie, who is employed in Chicago, and they make their home with 
her mother in Joliet. Robert is a partner with his brother in the machine shop 
at Kankakee. Following his marriage Mr. Tait took his bride to his farm in 
Jackson township, built a nice home and made other improvements there. He 
afterward added to his original tract until the farm comprised one hundred and 
seventy acres of rich and productive land, which he brought under a high state 
of cultivation. There he successfully carried on agricultural pursuits for 
many years, but in 1894 he suffered a stroke of paralysis and for two years 
was an invalid, his illness terminating in death on the 3d of May, 1896. He 
met with a gratifying measure of prosperity in his business affairs and his 
name became a synonym for business integrity and honor, for he was never known 
to take advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen in any trade 
transaction. He held nearly all of the local offices in Jackson township, 
serving as township collector, school trustee and road commissioner, and the 
duties of these various positions were always faithfully and capably 
performed. His political allegiance was given to the republican party and he 
did everything in his power to promote its growth and insure its success. When 
nineteen years of age he became a member of the First Baptist church of 
Joliet, with which he was ever afterward identified and with which his widow 
is still connected. During the last twenty years of his life he and his wife 
spent much time in travel, visiting many portions of the country, while in 
1895 they made a trip to Alaska, going to Sitka, Juneau and other points of 
interest. He was always fond of books and was a great reader. His evenings 
were spent at his own fireside and he found a most pleasant companionshop with 
his family and his favorite authors. His good qualities were many and while 
undoubtedly he had some faults, for no one is free from such, they were so few 
and so insignificant as to leave little impress upon those with whom he was 
associated. On the contrary, he is remembered for his many excellent traits of 
character, his kindly spirit, his good will and his deference for the opinions 
of others, his life exemplifying his Christian faith. After his death Mrs. 
Tait resided for three years upon the farm and then, selling the property, 
removed to Joliet, purchasing a nice home at No. 315 Sherman street, where she 
resides with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Keltie. She spends, 
however, much time in traveling, visiting her children in various parts of the 
country. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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