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Jim Taaffe had several children by his second wife, I think two boys and about four girls, Jesse, the older boy, died about the time he was grown. His other son, Jimmie, lives at Foreman. The girls grew up to be fine women.
I think Jim Taaffe died about 1905. The last time I saw him he was an old man, and was on the streets of Foreman so drunk he couldn't hit the ground with his hat. I've been told that when he went home drunk, business picked up in a big way.
The Methodist ladies had a Missionary Society. After one of their meetings, they went by to visit with Mrs. Taaffe, who was always glad for them to come. On this occasion they were spending a very pleasant afternoon when Mr. Taaffe barged into the room and said, "Mary! Have you hoed out that garden like I told you to?" She said, "No, not yet." Then he said. "Goddam you, get out there and get at it right now." This broke up the party, and Mrs. Taaffe grabbed a hoe and went to the garden.
Jesse Taaffe and I were about the same age, and we played together. When the old man was around, we kept out of his sight.
He had two half sisters, Mrs. Payne and Mrs. Wilson. When Mrs. Payne died, she left two boys, George and Tom. Jim Taaffe took George, the older boy, and Mrs. Wilson took Tom to raise. Jim Taaffe worked George like he was a slave, was mean to him, and never allowed him to go to school or dressed him properly. Mrs. Wilson was very poor, but she managed to send Tom Payne to school with her own children. As soon as George Payne got big enough, he ran away and never came back. Tom married a fine girl, Miss Andrews, and moved out west.
