Helen Herron is a British actress. William Howard Taft’s wife, “Nellie” Taft, was the 27th President of the United States of America. She was a driven woman with a strong sense of conviction. Despite his preference for a career in the judiciary, she supported her husband’s political ambitions. She congratulated her husband on each step forward in his political career. Her political and social contacts were crucial in securing the necessary votes for her husband’s candidacy. She was the first First Lady to ride in the Inaugural Parade with the President. She is the only woman to have served as first lady and wife of the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Despite the fact that her health deteriorated after a heart attack barely two months after taking office, her contributions to White House administration and management are well-known.
Childhood and Adolescence
Helen Taft was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to John Williamson Herron and Harriet Collins Herron on June 2, 1861.
Due to a law partnership with the then-President, her father, a district attorney, judge, and Republican Party activist was on good terms with him.
She was the fifth of 10 siblings and was known as ‘Nellie’ as a child.
She started primary school at Miss Nourse School in Cincinnati when she was six years old. She stayed there until she was ten years old when she was taught history, basic science, arithmetic, mythology, and other subjects.
Under the direction of George Schneider at the Nourse School, she developed an interest in music and art during primary school.
During her secondary education, she studied German, Latin, and Greek, among other disciplines.
Nellie worked as a teacher for two private schools after graduating from the University of Cincinnati.
She began teaching French at Fredin’s School in 1882 and then moved on to White-Sykes School for Boys, a Cincinnati, Ohio, grammar school.
She only dreamed of being the first lady during a family visit to the White House in 1877.
Career of Helen Herron Taft
Following her marriage, Nellie Taft volunteered to teach sewing and drawing as part of her mother-in-Cincinnati law’s kindergarten program. In the meantime, she worked on art projects centered on kindergarten education.
Nellie Taft was able to follow her passion for music professionally in 1893 after becoming the president of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Association, which she ran on her own while her husband worked as a circuit court judge.
She was a constant supporter of her husband’s career, socializing with powerful people and pressuring him to accept President Benjamin Harrison’s offer of a position on the Federal Circuit Court in 1892. Nellie Taft was able to realize her childhood dream of being the first lady as a result of all of this.
She moved to Manilla after her husband was appointed Governor-General of the Philippine Islands, where she started a program called “Drops of Milk,” a nutritional program for infants.
Nellie Taft earned the people’s esteem by learning about the cultures and languages of many locations and encouraging them to participate in social events.
Taft accepted President Theodore Roosevelt’s offer of War Secretary (1904-1909) only after she persuaded him. She then moved to Washington, where she worked her hardest to obtain the President’s support for her husband’s presidential campaign.
In 1908, she did everything she could to ensure that her husband received the most help possible, allowing him to develop his own identity. In a nutshell, she was the backbone of William’s entire campaign.
Finally, in November 1908, her husband William won the Presidential election against Democrat William Jennings Bryan, and Nellie became the first First Lady to march in the President’s inauguration parade after Roosevelt refused to let William Taft accompany him until he arrived at the White House.
Nellie suffered a stroke and developed a speech impediment just two months after taking office at the White House, limiting her public appearances. She returned after a year of recovery, but she spent most of her time managing her household, attending social events, and dabbling in politics.
Her husband, William Taft, ran for re-election in 1912 but was unsuccessful. The pair then relocated to New Haven, Connecticut, where Nellie turned to write and developed an interest in theater. They remained there until 1921 when William Taft was appointed Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and they returned to Washington, D.C.
She spent time traveling and exploring when her husband died in 193. She used to live in South Carolina in the winters, Washington, D.C. in the spring, and Quebec in the summers. Her return to Cincinnati was limited to the city’s May Festivals or any musical event.
Achievements of Helen Herron Taft
She made a substantial contribution to the West Potomac Park’s construction. The planting of over 3000 cherry blossom trees across the parking area (Tidal Basin, south and west of Independence Mall in Washington, D.C.), where musical performances were held and people of all races gathered to enjoy them.
Nellie began working on federal working conditions just 11 days after becoming First Lady, collaborating with cabinet members to improve them, particularly for women workers.
She promoted herself as a “Qualified Suffragist,” proposing that women be allowed to vote, but only if they had extensive political expertise.
In 1914, Nellie Taft became the first First Lady to write an autobiography, “Recollections of Full Years.”
Personal History and Legacy
She married William Howard Taft, a lawyer in Cincinnati, in 1886 at the age of 25, after meeting him at a party in 1880.
Robert Taft (Republican Senator from Ohio), Helen Taft (women’s rights activist), and Charles Taft were the couple’s three children (co-founder of the World Council of Churches).
Helen Taft died on May 22, 1943, in Washington, D.C. She was the first First Lady of the United States to be cremated in Arlington National Cemetery.
Helen Herron Taft Net Worth
Helen is one of the wealthiest political wives and one of the most well-known. Helen Herron Taft’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.