He was born near Waukon, Iowa, the son of John and Bridget (née McDavitt) Taggart.

He was elected in 1911 to the U.S. House of Representatives, filling a vacancy caused by the death of Alexander C. Mitchell, and was reelected twice.

He served in the Quartermaster Corps of the United States Army during World War I, then resumed his law practice in Kansas City.

He was appointed judge of the controversial Kansas Court of Industrial Relations in 1924, serving during its last year of existence.

It was located at the planned entrance to a new subterranean Capitol Visitor Center scheduled to open in 2006.