Bio of Taft, Andrew J. (b.1831) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Taft, Andrew J., blacksmith, has been a resident of Mazeppa since 1861,
and is reckoned among the substantial citizens of that village. Besides
carrying on a flourishing blacksmith and wagon business, he is one-half
owner in the only hardware store in the place, which also does a good
business. Mr. Taft's parents, Samuel and Rachel (Hanson) Taft, were
natives of New England and New York respectively, and at the time of his
birth (June 6, 1831) were residents of the town of Trip's Hill, Montgomery
county, New York. When he was nine years old they removed to Whitewater,
Wisconsin and there died. When nineteen, young Taft began work at his
trade. He was for some time employed in the wagon works at Whitewater and
also at Berlin. After spending a year in California he returned to
Wisconsin, and was married there in the fall of 1855 to Mary Radner, a
native of Canada. He is now the owner of his shop on Walnut street, a good
residence, and joint owner of the store. He has been two years a member of
the village school board, and a like period of the village council. He is
a thorough democrat, and his religion is the golden rule. Three children
have been given to him: William Lawrence clerks in his father's store;
Helen Isabel is wife of his partner, O. B. Munger; Maude E. is at school
in Rochester. In 1865 Mr. Taft served nine months as a recruit in the 1st
Minn. Heavy Art. at Chattanooga.