Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts & Archives
User Information
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Cataloguing Information
Processed by
Charles Latham
2 February 1994
VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 1 oversize box
COLLECTION DATES: 1904, [1929]
PROVENANCE: Mrs. Eva Taggart Parsons, Cedar Mountain NC, 25 January 1994
RESTRICTIONS: None
REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the Indiana Historical Society
ALTERNATE FORMATS: None
OTHER FINDING AIDS: None
RELATED HOLDINGS: R. W. Haupt, History of French Lick Springs Hotel (1953), GT 3811 .F835 H 28 1952
ACCESSION NUMBER: 94.0366
Thomas Taggart (1856-1929) was born in County Monyhan, Ireland, and emigrated with his family to the United States at the age of six, settling in Xenia, Ohio. He came to Indianapolis in 1877 to run the restaurant at the Union Station. He immediately became involved in Democratic politics, and worked his way up through the party ranks.
Taggart was Democratic state chairman from 1892 to 1894. He then served three terms as mayor of Indianapolis (1895-1901). In this position he worked for street paving and track elevation, and especially for city parks, buying the land for several parks, including Riverside Park which was later named for him.
In 1900 Taggart lost control of the city Democratic organization to southside "Potato King" James Keach. He moved to the party's national level, serving on the Democratic National Committee from 1900 to 1916, and as national chairman during the 1904 presidential campaign between Theodore Roosevelt and Judge Alton B. Parker. He was given credit for getting Indiana's Thomas R. Marshall second place on the 1912 national Democratic ticket with Woodrow Wilson. In 1916 Taggart was appointed U. S. Senator to fill an unexpired term, but was defeated for reelection.
Taggart was succesful in many business ventures, the most ambitious of which was the resort hotel at French Lick Springs in southern Indiana.
Sources: Who Was Who in America, Vol. I
Indiana Biographical Series, Vol. 4 pp. 251-170
This collection, filling one oversize box, consists of two items, a large scrapbook of clippings entitled "Memories of the Campaign of 1904," and a resolution of condolence by the board of Fletcher American National Bank.
The scrapbook contains clippings, mainly concerning Taggart, from August to November 1904, during the unsuccessful Presidential campaign of Democratic candidates Alton B. Parker and Henry Gassaway Davis. At the beginning there is a page of portraits of prominent Democrats, with Taggart in the center. At the end are portraits of U. S. Presidents from 1789 to 1904.
MAIN ENTRY: Taggart, Thomas, 1856-1929
SUBJECT ENTRIES: Taggart, Thomas, 1856-1929
Parker, Alton B. (Alton Brooks), 1852-1926
Davis, Henry Gassaway, 1823-1916
Democratic Party (U.S.)
Presidents--United States--Election--1904
United States--Politics and government--1901-1909
END