John William Taggert
One of the most valuable and most highly improved farms in Wayne county is that owned by the gentleman whose name initiates this article and who is recognized as one of the representative citizens of the county, where he has passed practically his entire life, the family having been one of prominence in the community from the early pioneer epoch to the present time. He has been a man of public spirit and progressiveness and has always been found on the right side of every moral issue, his influence being felt as a definite factor in the community when movements for the public good are involved.
John W. Taggert, who owned and operated a fine farm in Franklin township, until 1910, when he sold, had lived on this place from the time he first saw the light of day, June 23, 1841. He is a son of William and Lydia (McAllister) Tagggert, the former of whom was born in Ireland. He was reared and educated in his native land and at the age of twenty-one years came to the United States, and was thereafter employed for a number of years in the United States mint at Philadelphia. He was a member of a noted military organization known as the independent Blues at the time the Marquis de Lafayette paid his celebrated visit to this country. He and his brother Robert came to Ohio and here they started the first brewery, but were not long engaged in that business. He then moved onto the farm which he had purchased prior to his business venture. He was also interested in a dry goods store with his brother, but his efforts were mainly confined to his agricultural operations, in which he was successful. He married Lydia McAllister, who was a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Hugh McAllister, whose death occurred in that, his native state. William and Lydia Taggert were the parents of three children, John W., the subject of this sketch, Mary, the wife of James T. Stitt, and Martha, who makes her home with her sister. William and Lydia Taggert died and were buried at Wooster. They were a worthy and highly respected couple and stood high in the community, being favorably remembered at this time by many who knew them.
The subject of this sketch was reared under the parental roof and remained with his parents until his father's death, at which time he was twelve years od. He bought a portion of the home place and was engaged in the operation of the same until he sold in 1910, when he moved to Wooster. He has made improvements on the plaace and constantly maintained it at the highest standard of excellence. It is a fertile and productive farm and under the intelligent direction of the subject it has been made to yield gratifying returns for the for the labor bestowed. Mr. Taggert is an up-to-date and progressive agriculturist, keeping closely in touch with advanced ideas and methods and he enjoys a splendid reputation among his fellow tillers of the soil.
In 1864 Mr. Taggert was united in marriage to Nancy A. Hughes, whose death occurred in 1907. This union resulted in the birth of three children, namely: Cary, of near Greeley, Colorado; Bert, who is employed in the refining department of the United States mint at Denver, Colorado, and Harry, an undertaker at Grand Junction, Colorado.
On February 28, 1910, Mr. Taggert married Mary Boyd. The family reside in a pleasant home at No. 3 East Henry street, Wooster.
During the Civil war Mr. Taggert gave unmistakable evidence of his love of country by enlisting in the one-hundred-day service, joining Company C. One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Because of this service he became a member of Given Post, Grand Army of the Republic, but he has received a discharge from that order and is no longer affiliated. In politics he has ever been a stanch Republican, in the success of which he has taken a live interest, but he has never held office of any nature. The subject has earned for himself an enviable reputation as a careful and progressive agriculturist, always known for his prompt and honorable methods of dealing, and thus he has the unbounded confidence of his fellow men.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, Vol. 1, B. E. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910