WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, b. 1857 - d. 1930, campaigned for the Presidency in 1908 on the Republican ticket against WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN, b. 1860 - d. 1925, who campaigned for the Presidency on the Democratic ticket.  It was TAFT'S first campaign and BRYAN'S third campaign for the Presidency.  BRYAN was considered an outstanding orator of ,his time.  He assisted the prosecution as a fundamental creationist in the famous 'monkey' trial of John Scopes over the issue of creationism versus evolution, which was won by the creationists.  TAFT had no enthusiasm for the Presidency, but was a candidate due to the urging of his wife and brothers.  When he left office in 1913, he told incoming President Woodrow Wilson, "I'm glad to be going. This is the lonesomest place in the world."  With the support of former President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt, TAFT won the Republican nomination on the first ballot.  TAFT was elected the 27th President over BRYAN by a plurality of more than one million votes.  In the picture, TAFT, who was 6 feet tall and weighed more than 300 pounds, is about to be seated in the middle of the front seat.  BRYAN is seated in the left (1st) seat in the rear seat.  Holding the flag is JOHN CLARENCE HALLORAN.  HALLORAN was born January 27, 189 6 in Hortonville, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, and during the campaign in 1908 would have been 12 years old.  HALLORAN was living with his parents and siblings in Oconto City, Oconto County, Wisconsin in the 1900 and 1910 Census Reports, so it is believed this picture was taken in that city, in the cold spring weather as suggested by the heavy outerwear.

John C. "Jack" Halloran c:1940

John C. "Jack" Halloran was born to David J. Halloran and Rose E. Canavan. David, b. April 1860 in New York, was a veterinarian and Rose, b. August 1862 in Wisconsin, was a mother and homemaker. Before 1900, the family moved to Oconto City, Oconto, WI, and continued living there at least through 1920. David may have died between 1920 - 1930, and Rose died 1910 -1920.

Their children were:
(1) Julia Marie (or Marie Julia), b. August 1889 in WI;
(2) Edna E., b. May 1891 in WI;
(3) Michael E., b. 21 February 1893 in WI, d. May 1976 in AL;
(4) John Clarence Halloran, b. 27 January 1896 in Hortonville, Outagamie, WI, d. 30 September 1965 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA;
(5) Edward E., b. 05 March 1898 in WI, d. August 1977 in Cedar Rapids, Linn, IA;
(6) Vincent, b. 1901 in WI;
(7) Anna A., b. 13 July 1902 in WI, d. 10 March 1993 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA;
(8) Patrick Canavan, b. 18 May 1905 in WI, m'd. Kathryn, d. 05 August 1988 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; and
(9) Kathleen, b. 1910 in WI.

John, a veterinary student, was inducted as a Private into the U. S. Army at Oconto, WI, on 0i August 1918. He was appointed Corporal 29 November 1918 in the 343rd Fire & Guard Company, Quartermaster Corps, Ft. Sheridan, IL, before his Honorable Discharge 23 April 1919.

John and Hazel Madeline Sevier, b. 05 April 1901, Liberty, Clay, MO, a high school teacher, were married 28 July 1934 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. At the time, John was employee by the Parkview Funeral Home located in the Sunset District of San Francisco. He and Madeline subsequently purchased the funeral home before 1940, renamed it Halloran Funeral Home and owned and operated it until 27 January 1958 when they sold it because of John's health and moved to an apartment near Lake Merced in south San Francisco. John was Catholic and Madeline was Presbyterian. They did not have children.

John died 30 September 1965 in San Francisco, and was buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo, CA. Madeline died 17 September 1998 in San Francisco and was buried alongside John.

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