A Great Man Has Passed Away

A GREAT MAN HAS PASSED AWAY

Dr. Jonathan Taft First Dental Dean

FOR HALF A CENTURY

Dr. Taft Had Instructed Dental Students - He Organized the Dental Department At University

Dr. Jonathan Taft for 50 years a professor of Dental Surgery and the man who organized the dental department of the University in 1875, died last Thursday night, after a short illness of but a few days. He literally died in the harness, for he was engaged in the active work of his profession until Tuesday morning.

Jonathan Taft was born September 17, 1820, in Brown county, Ohio. His father, Lyman Taft, was a native of Massachusetts and came to Ohio in 1818. Young Taft was educated in the common schools and a small academy in Brown county, where he was a classmate of General U. S. Grant, and taught school for four years. In 1841 he began the study of dentistry in the office of Dr. George D. Tetor in Ripley, Ohio, and began practicing for himself in 1843 in Ripley. In 1844 he located in Xenia, Ohio, and practiced there until 1858. He graduated from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in 1850 and in 1854 he was appointed professor of dental surgery in the same institution and occupied this chair until 1879, when he resigned because he had accepted a similar position in the University of Michigan. While connected with the Ohio College he was dean for the larger part of the time. In 1856 he began editorial work on the Dental Register, a monthly periodical, which position he held until January, 1900. In 1857 he moved to Cincinnati and established a fine practice which he relinquished in the summer of 1901 and moved to Ann Arbor. In 1859 he wrote a text-book on Operative - Dentistry, which for many years was the standard work on this subject. In 1875 he was invited to organize the dental department of the University of Michigan, and accepted the professorship of Principles and Practice of Operative Dentistry.

The first session was held the winter of 1875 and 1876. He was made dean of the department which he established on the highest educational basis known at that time, and he has ever since striven to keep its standard as much in advance of other institutions as the professional advancement would allow. Through his efforts the course bas been expanded from two years of six months and a first year high school preparation for admission, to a course of four years of nine months and a high school graduation for admission, making it the highest educational standard known.

He was a member of every important organization for the advancement of his profession, and probably attended and participated in more dental conventions than any other man. He spent much of his time and means in efforts to advance the profession's interest through dental societies. He was probably the best known man in his profession. Through his college work, his editorial work, and his general interest in professional affairs, he had much to do with advancing professional standards as well as attainments.

As a scientific worker he has never made attainments such as other men, who have devoted their energies entirely to this branch, but he has always kept up with every advance made in the scientific as well as the technical departments of the profession and, by his suggestions, he has given inspiration and encouragement to many men who were laboring in these directions. He has always stood for high professional attainments and rejoiced in any advancement in dental scientific or technical knowledge.

In his religious life he was a devoted member of the Congregational Church and occupied prominent places in the councils of this denomination, of a national as well as local character. He was for twenty-five years superintendent of the Sunday school of the Vine street Congregational church of Cincinnati, and for nearly as long assistant superintendent of the Bethel Sunday school, a large mission school, having an attendance of from two to three thousand children. He was registrar of the Miami Congregational Conference for nearly thirty years. He was greatly interested in all benevolent objects and gave largely of his means and time to such calls. As a man he was beloved by all who came in contact with him.

While a man of the greatest will power, he was always kind and ready to make such concessions as would overcome trouble. In this respect he had a remarkable control of his natural disposition, which was always aggressive and single-minded. To do what he thought was right was always uppermost in his mind, but he readily made such concessions as would seem for the welfare of those about him.

In 1842 Dr. Taft was married to Hannah Collins of Ripley, Ohio, who died in 1888, and in 1889 he married Miss Mary Sabine of Cincinnati, who survives him. Two sons, Dr. Wm. Taft, of Brewster, N. Y., and Dr. Alphonse Taft. of Cincinnati, and one daughter, Mrs. A. T. Edwards, of this city, by the first marriage, are now living.

Funeral services were held at the house, 805 E. Huron street, Saturday morning at 9:30 o'clock and the remains taken to Cincinnati for burial in Spring Grove cemetery Sunday afternoon.