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Taft i Alfonso
A Brief Memoir of Fanny Phelps Taft,
C ine innat i , 1852

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATES

Gift of
MRS. ALEXANDER G. CUMMINS

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A BRIEF
MEMOIR OF FANNY PHELPS TAFT,
WRITTEN BY HER HUSBAND,
ibr ttje Benefit of tljetr JDear OtyUoren,
TQ WHOM IT IS -DEDICATED.
Citwinnoti, Jtone 10tlj, &nno JDotnini, 1852.

Cincinnati Gazette Company Print.

ifa^/ WrA^%0

A BRIEF
MEMOIR OF FANNY PHELPS TAFT,
WRITTEN BT HER HUSBAND,
jfbr tt)e Benefit of tljetr JDear dtytlbren,
TO WHOM IT IS DEDICATED.
Cincinnati, 3tane 19tl), &nno Domini, 1852.

The parents of deceased, having had perusal of the following voluntary testimony
of affection and tribute to virtue, have solicited a copy, that it might assume the
form of a published tract, for the satisfaction of friends i and relations. They es.
teemed it a Memento to departed worth, and trust it may in a degree contribute to
keep more vividly in remembrance, the deceased's exemplary exhibition of the Do
mestic Relations ; a dutiful child, a loving wife, a fond and endearing mother, an
intellectual and amiable companion, and a generous, abiding neighbor and
friend.

MEMOIR.

Fanny Phelps was born on the 28 th day of March,
A. d., 1823, in West Townsend, Vermont, being the sec
ond daughter, and the fourth child of the Hon. Charles
Phelps and Eliza Phelps. She resided with her father
and mother in Townsend, until her marriage with Alphon-
so Taft, on the 29th day of August, a. d., 1841, when
she came to the city of Cincinnati, where she resided with
her husband until her death, on the 2d of June, 1852. —
She has left] three children living, viz : Charles Phelps,
Peter Rawson, and Alphonso Taft. Two of her child
ren had died in infancy, viz ; Mart, at the age of 5 days,
and Alphonso, at the age of 10 months. Her age when
she died, was 29 years, 2 months, and 5 days. Thus ear
ly has closed the mortal career of one whose character
and whose conduct are worthy to be remembered forever.
Her mind, naturally comprehensive and clear, was
thoroughly educated in all the common branches of learn
ing, as well as in those which are taught in the best
schools for the education of females. Her judgment
was calm and collected, but prompt and practical. Her
taste was simple and somewhat severe. She was partic
ularly adverse to ostentation and show. She was never
at a loss to express her thoughts, whether orally or in
writing, in good and appropriate language. She was very
domestic. Home was peculiarly sweet to her. Never
lonely, she was equally happy, with or without company.

The clothing of her children, as well as many other arti
cles of her handiwork in the family, bear testimony to
her ingenious industry. In speaking of her characteris
tics, my pen is at a loss in what order to name or to rank
them. But I must not omit to mention one noble trait
of her character. She meddled with no one's affairs ex
cept her own, and was entirely willing that others should
enjoy their own opinions, and keep their own counsels,
without the slightest interference or curiosity even, on
her part. Her own affairs satisfied her, and she felt no
motive to pry into the concerns of others. Her own
thoughts, with such aid as she found in books, and in
converse with her own family and friends, were sufficient
for her. Another trait of her character, nearly allied to
that now mentioned, was an almost entire absence of sus
picion. Upright, and honorable in her own feelings,
she was unwilling to ascribe different sentiments to oth
ers. And yet she was not wanting in that sagacity
which detects imposture. But she took no pleasure in
finding out, or suspecting, peccadilloes of neighbors and
friends. She cherished no suspicions of evil, unless as to
matters concerning her own interest, nor as to them with
out strong reasons. She was ever cheerful. During the
long and severe illness preceding her decease, her equa
nimity never left her, and even in the hour of death,
though life had many attractions for her, and she loved
it, she was cheerfully resigned to her fate, trusting in
God. For the last year of her life, her health had become
precarious. The loss of her first "Ally," a lovely child
of the age of ten months, seemed to make an impression
upon her constitution, from which it is doubtful if she
ever entirely recovered. A few weeks previous to the birth
of her last child, she had a severe attack of what was call
ed rheumatism, in the side or chest; but which was a very

singular affection. After the birth of her second "Ally,"
she regained her strength but partially, and that very
slowly; and soon there came on a difficulty of breathing,
which increased to great severity. To this, succeeded
what one physician considered pleurisy, and another con
gestion of the lungs. She was treated, however, for con
gestion. She was extremely sick, and her life hung in
great doubt for several weeks. At length she again be
came convalescent. But there remained a weight upon
her lungs. The lungs were sore and the breathing was
slightly obstructed, and her pulse was unnaturally quick.
Her convalescence was scarcely perceptible. Several
weeks she continued in this .unsatisfactory state. At
length the soreness of the lungs seemed to yield, and she
could almost say it was gone. But then, there remained
and became more manifest, a constriction or tightness in
the left breast, in the region of the heart. This difficulty
was constant, and never let go its hold, till death. But
it was not in itself very troublesome. About the 20th
of May, there happened a sudden change of the weather
from hot to cold, and it so chanced that she rode
out and became a little more exposed than usual, and
probably took a cold. A violent, distracting pain in the
head -commenced, and all the symptoms of congestion of
the brain followed. After two or three days, she became
delirious, and so continued for a great portion of the time
for the eight days preceding her decease. In the hour
of death, however, her mind appeared clear and calm. —
When asked "if she felt as if she was dying," she said,
calmly, "I don't know. Do you think I am ?" On being
assured that we thought she was dying, she spoke of the
children and expressed a hope that they might remem
ber her. She said she "thought she could put her trust
in the Savior, and that she was not anxious about living."
Sue greeted each member of the family and her mother

6
and sister present, with a parting kiss, and died calmly,
with scarce a struggle.
It was a source of consolation to her, that if she must
leave her children who were living, she was about to join
those who had gone before her. She hoped and firmly
believed, that she should meet them all, sooner or later,
in Heaven. This sentiment she had expressed, some
time previous to her decease. She was a woman of en.
ergy and decision. It was not likely to be regarded as
presumption in her, to assume the direction in the
accomplishment of matters of difficulty. Her com
prehension of the objects in view, was so clear and
so just, that she was generally prepared to act with
decision and efficiency sooner than others. I speak
not of public enterprises, for she left them to others; but
I speak of the aptitude with which she took up and car
ried through what came within her province, and yet
what was to be done in concert with others. Her mind
was always ready to guide her fingers to the accomplish
ment of any useful purpose, with accuracy, and uncom
mon promptness and despatch. Duty was written down
plainly and deeply in her mind, and she never for a mo
ment lost sight of it. As a daughter, none could be more
dutiful — constantly cherishing unfeigned respect for her
parents, and without any ostentation of her filial regard,
ever watching for an opportunity to render them a use
ful service. When the occasion came, she was there. Her
sense of duty toward all her relatives, was imperative. —
Self-interest, and even her own health, could not deter
her from the performance of what she thought incumbent
on her to do, for father, mother, brother, or sister. This
instinctive sense of duty was not limited to her relatives,
however; for in all the vicissitudes of her life, she was
quick to perceive the true nature and extent of her du
ties, and was resolute and prompt to perform them.

But her character as a wife, was particularly entitled
to be remembered as a model. During the ten years of
her married life, not one word of complaint or anger ever
escaped her, toward her husband. So entirely did she
earn his confidence, by her discretion, and intelligent
counsel, that her influence over his actions was all she de
sired. For her to be denied a request made to him, was
impossible. All his plans and projects of life were well
known to her, and she shared in all his thoughts. In his
literary reading and writing she was his companion, and
rendered him valuable aid, by her critical discrimination.
In youth she was impetuous, and there were those who
predicted that she would prove a turbulent companion. —
But they knew little of her capacity, or of the depth and
strength of her feelings and principles.
To have a well ordered family, comprising persons
somewhat advanced in life, as well as those who are
young and inexperienced, is a work of merit, and re
quires sound discretion and energy. This evidence of
merit, she had in a remarkable degree; for without time
serving, or flattery, she so conducted the affairs of her
family, that the old and the young members of it, alike
relied upon her as the sheet anchor of the household. —
So justly and faithfully did she bear the responsibility of
superintending the concerns of the family, that no one
wished to limit or abridge her power. A mind so well ed
ucated and so comprehensive as her's, could not be tram
melled by the narrow views of bigotry and sectarianism,
or any other mere ism, while she paid a just respect to
all opinions. She was too much devoted to the duties of
wife, daughter, and friend, to go into the theories of Wo
man's Rights, and was too happy with things just as they
were, to interest herself extensively in that line of phi
lanthropy. Not that she considered the relative position
of woman in society, altogether as it should be. But the

8
work of changing that position was a public one, not con
genial to her habits and tastes, and was too unpromising,
for her to embark in it.
I will add for the especial benefit of our children, that
their mother was an excellent scholar. She had made good
proficiency in the acquisition of the Latin language, had
read all of Virgil's vEneid, and some of Cicero's Orations,
in the original language, and learned to translate from
one language to the other, with grammatical accuracy, and
elegance. In the mathematics, she was prompt and thor
ough. Arithmetic, in all its rules and problems, was fa
miliar to her, and the principles upon which the rules
were founded, were also well understood. She learned
nothing by mere rote. She had great facility, in mental
arithmetic, which was of peculiar advantage in carrying
on the financial affairs of the family. Her calculations al
ways came out right. But she had pursued her mathe
matical studies much farther, and had thoroughly master
ed the principles of Algebra and of Plane Geometry.
She seldom read a novel; but read something of his
tory, travels, and other books of useful information. She
was fond of reading good speeches. She also read some
of the most classical English poets. She took pleasure
in reading Milton's Paradise Lost, and some of Shaks-
peare's plays. She had read a great many of Mr. Web
ster's speeches. She kept up also, with the current
newspaper information of the day. But her reading was
latterly more limited, by the failure of her health, and by
the numerous demands that were made upon her time
by her household affairs, and the health of her family. —
Her memory was good, and she was quite remarkable
for her accuracy. She wrote with great readiness, but with
equal correctness of style and grammar. She never mis
spelled a word. Her memory was almost as good as a
dictionary, in the matter of orthography.

9
She was very much interested in the success of the
House of Refuge, and spent some time in endeavoring to
be useful to that institution.
But I must not forget to make particular mention of
her happy talent for singing. To instrumental music,
she never devoted any considerable attention. The time
usually spent by young ladies in practising upon the
piano, was given by her to intellectual studies. At one
time she commenced taking lessons upon the piano, and
made rapid progress. She was pleased with it, and fully
determined to perfect herself on that instrument. But a
friend persuaded her, that her time could be better em
ployed in the acquisition of knowledge, and a thorough
intellectual education. She, however, gave up these les
sons, reluctantly, and under the impression, that she
should resume them at a subsequent period. But after
zealously prosecuting her studies at the school of the
Misses Edwards in New Haven, Connecticut, in the years'
1839 and 1840, her fancy for the piano was dispelled,
and she became quite content to limit her musical educa
tion to the cultivation of her charming voice, and to de
vote her main strength to the improvement of her mind;
Her taste for music, however, was natural and good. She
would undoubtedly have been a good performer on the
piano, if she had continued her lessons. So complete was
her command of her voice, and knowledge of the princi
ples and rules of music, that she learned many difficult
tunes from the notes without ever having heard them>
and sung them with great correctness and power.
An aged couple, who were excellent people, and good
friends of our family, Ethan Stone, Esq , and his lady, were
passionately fond of good singing. In the year 1840, Mr;
Duffield, a somewhat celebrated singer of songs, who gave
public concerts with success, had visited at Mr. Stone'-*
2

10
by invitation, and had sung some of his best pieces, in
his best style, and with great delight to the old gentle
man and lady. The song that had pleased them best,
was that of "The Pioneer,," or "Fifty years ago." Some
years after, when Fanny came to visit at Mr. Stone's, tho
song was often mentioned. To please these excellent old
friends, therefore, as well as to gratify myself, for I regard
ed the song as one of real merit, I procured the notes
for Fanny to learn. She had not heard it, but so perfect*
ly did she master the music, and the spirit of the song,
that she gave it with great effect, and Mr. and Mrs.
Si one always regarded her performance of it, as superior
even to that of Duffield. She next learned "The Granite
State," and sung it with equal success* She had sung
and knew the music of many songs before, but these two,
the song of "Fifty years ago," and "The Granite State,"
were the beginning of a new series, not of new songs, but
selections from those which our fancy regarded as best,
whether old or knew. Every week, for m.iny months,
added at least, one to this series of odes, which she
thoroughly mastered by herself, and performed for our
entertainment. , These concerts were given about once a
week when we made our weekly evening call at Mr.
Stone's. These old people were never wearied of hearing
Fanny sing. It soothed all the old gentleman's sorrows,
and quieted all his pains, so that after being racked with
rheumatic tortures, all the day, if Fanny came, in the
evening, and took her seat beside him to sing, and re
peated, perhaps for the hundredth time, some favorite
song, he forgot all his cramps and twinges of pain, and was
happy. Very often he was affected to tears and weep
ing. In a great many of her songs, she was joined by
ber sister Jane, who had also a happy talent for singing.
And it was delightful to witness how the singin«- of Fanny

11

and Jane seemed to charm Mr. and Mrs. Stone. ¦ These
songs were selected and learned one after another, un
til she had accumulated a great number, when they were
bound in a volume, with an index which she had herself
prepared. This book should be kept and cherished as
invaluable by her children, especially by Charley and
Rossa, who have so often heard her sing.
Her voice was rich, her enunciation remarkably dis
tinct; her emphasis was correct and spirited, and her
manner was simple and pleasing.
Fanny's life was one of great serenity. She regarded
herself as fortunate and happy, and was thankful to the
great Giver of good gifts. On one point only was she
anxious. She was extremely anxious, that her children
should grow up to be good and intelligent men, and lead!
active, useful, and honorable lives. With a mother's fond
ness, she did not doubt; their ability to distinguish them
selves, but feared lest they, like a vast majority of city-
bred boys, should yield to temptation, become idle, un
steady, and inefficient. She wished them to be steady;
but she wished much more than that. She wished them
to aim at high attainments, to be industrious and ener
getic, and accomplish something worthy of being remem
bered. Her anxiety on this point, was her only source
of unhappiness. She could better bear disease, and even
death itself, than to have her sons grow up useless and
undistinguished members of the community. Upon the
whole, her accomplishments were such as to render her
useful and delightful to all her friends, and tranquil and
happy with herself. Her character was pure and elevated,.
and liberal and lovely; and her death has caused an
aching void, not only in the hearts of her husband and
relatives, but of numerous friends.

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