Samuel Taft - A Famous Visitor

A Famous Visitor

In 1789, Samuel Taft was the proprietor of a tavern in Uxbridge. This tavern is now known as Samuel Taft House. Newly elected President of the United States, George Washington, stayed one evening with Mr. Taft and his family. The President wrote a letter to Mr. Taft, from his next stop, on November 8 at Hartford, thanking him for his service and giving some gifts to Samuel's daughters.

• A new president visits: President Washington stayed at the Samuel Taft Tavern in November 1789, during his inaugural trip through New England.

Sir:

Being informed that you have given my name to one of your sons, and called another after Mrs. Washington's family, and being moreover very much pleased with the modest and innocent looks of your two daughters, Patty and Polly, I do for these reasons send each of these girls a piece of chintz; and to Patty, who bears the name of Mrs. Washington, and who waited more upon us than Polly did, I send five guineas, with which she may buy herself any little ornament she may want, or she may dispose of them in any other manner more agreeable to herself. As I do not give these things with a view to having it talked of, or even to its being known, the less there is said about the matter the better you will please me; but, that I may be sure the chintz and money have got safe to hand, let Patty, who I dare say is equal to it, write me a line informing me thereof, directed to 'The President of the United States at New York.' I wish you and your family well, and am,

etc. Yours, : George Washington

– Letter to Mr. Samuel Taft, written from Hartford on November 8, 1789

It is possible that President George Washington refers to Perley in his letter as "Polly" and one of the other girls as "Patty". These could have been their nicknames and not their given names.