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Perry Hoshor Talbott and Belle (McFarland) Talbott

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Perry Hoshor Talbott and Belle (McFarland) Talbott

Perry Hoshor Talbott was born 5 Feb 1827 in Fairfield County, Ohio.

He is the son of William Wallace Talbott (1798-1889) and Elizabeth (Hoshor) Talbott (about 1802-1873). They were married about 1825 in Fairfield County, Ohio.

His father William was a physician in the Fairfield County, Ohio area. His mother Elizabeth's parents were early pioneers in Ohio, in 1806 founding and laying out the town of Jefferson, Fairfield County.

Isabella 'Belle' McFarland was born 2 Mar 1833 in Richland County, Ohio.

Her name is shown as 'Isabella' as a child, and then as 'Belle' in later census, land, and court records.

She is the daughter of Andrew McFarland (1796-1863) and Margaret (Castor) McFarland (1811-1853). They were married 2 Jul 1827 in Richland County, Ohio.

Her paternal grandparents are William McFarland and Isabella Hamilton. They were married about 1792 in Glasgow, Scotland and came to America in 1796 (the sea voyage taking 19 weeks, as the navigator became ill and got lost). Isabella Hamilton is a daughter of Lord Hamilton of Scotland, and is aunt to Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States.

Perry Talbott became a physician, as his father had been. He was graduated from the Starling Medical College of Columbus, Ohio.

College History: Photographs Year 1851-1852 Students: Book

In 1852, at age 25 Perry Talbott traveled by horseback to California, where he mined for gold and invested in railroad stock. By 1854 he had returned from California by way of Mexico, and was in Page County, Iowa.

In 1851, at age 18 Belle McFarland moved with her parents to Platte City, Missouri. In the following year the family bought a farm in Page County, Iowa.

Perry and Belle were married 13 Apr 1854, in Page County, Iowa.

The newlyweds settled in White Cloud Township, Nodaway County, Missouri, where all of their children were born.

Perry Talbott and Belle (McFarland) Talbott are our family's direct ancestors.

They had twelve children:

Olivia Talbott (b. Jun 1855, d. 14 Feb 1923)

Ianthe Talbott (b. about 1856, d. 1 Feb 1880) (* We are descended from her.)

Ida Belle Talbott (b. about 1857)

Albert Perry Talbott (b. 10 Jun 1859, d. 22 Jul 1881)

Ada Alice Talbott (b. about 1861)

Charles Edward Talbott (b. 18 May 1864, d. 22 Jul 1881)

William Wallace Talbott (b. about 1866)

Jennie Talbott (b. about 1867)

Cora Anne Talbott (b. about 1869)

John Alnutt Talbott (b. 27 Dec 1870)

Cicero C. Talbott (b. 24 Sep 1872, d. 3 Sep 1948)

Ella Rosa Talbott (b. 24 Oct 1874, d. 27 Jun 1880).

* Our family comes from the marriage of Ianthe Talbott to William Thomas Shore.

Ianthe Talbott and William Thomas Shore were married in Maryville, Nodaway County, Missouri on 5 Oct 1873. William was age 27, and Ianthe was 17.

They had two children: Albertus Arthur Shore (b. 28 Nov 1874) and Jesse Perry Shore (b. 31 Mar 1877).

Our family is descended from their son Jesse Perry Shore. Probably he was named after Ianthe's father, Perry Talbott.

Ianthe (Talbott) Shore and William Thomas Shore have their own page in our Family Gallery.

Jesse Perry Shore and Anna Agnes (Gaffney) Shore also have their own page in our Family Gallery.

Biographies

Perry Talbott was a practicing physician in the Nodaway County area, and was a prominent citizen of the State of Missouri.

Here is his biography, published in 1910:

Biography: Biography

He is mentioned in the county's history, published in 1910:

History: Historical Notes

As a physician, in 1860 he examined a man who had been shot during an altercation in a watermelon patch, and he testified at the shooter's trial.

Here is the court record with sworn testimonies of the trial's witnesses. Dr. Talbott's testimony is on pages 11 and 12 (the last two pages).

Testimonies: Witnesses

His signature: Signature

During the Civil War, he enlisted into the Missouri Home Guard, initially as a Private and then was assigned as Staff Surgeon.

Home Guard: Missouri Home Guard

Here is another Home Guard record: Missouri Home Guard

The Home Guard was decommissioned and he joined the Missouri 25th Regiment as its Surgeon. He was on the battlefield at Shiloh in April 1862. Here are some areas where the Missouri units fought:

Photographs: Missouri units at Battle of Shiloh

After the war, while maintaining his medical practice, he owned many acres of farmlands that he planted and maintained, and other farms that he rented out. He achieved prominence as a doctor, farmer, politician, writer, and speaker. He was elected for two years to the Missouri state legislature and was on several committees for social development.

Newspaper Articles

Here are some newspaper articles mentioning him:

Newspaper articles: 1870 - 1879.

Here is an 1870 article written by Doctor Talbott:

Newspaper article: May 11, 1870 (on page 1).

Here is an 1872 article written by Doctor Talbott:

Newspaper article: March 20, 1872 (on page 2).

Here is an 1872 article showing a speech Doctor Talbott made in support of Horace Greeley for President (against Grant):

Newspaper article: June 6, 1872 (on page 1).

Here are parts of his speech:

"I am willing to strike hands over the graves of the Union and Confederate soldiers, and strew their last resting places with the flowers of love and affection, forgetting all the bitterness of the past in remembering alone their heroic devotion and self sacrifice as brave and honest men. This alone is the most enduring monument that can be erected by the American people to the memory of the past, and whatever may be the feelings of to-day, future generations and historians will point with pride to the heroism displayed by brothers, who met and went down in the battles strife, and they will claim their heroism as their noblest heritage, belonging alike, to every section of this great American Union."

"Let there be no false pride; let us rise to the position of freemen; let the love of country and patriotism be our rule of action; let the intense hatred that every honest man has against tyranny and despotism, predominate even over that of party name, and all will be well."

Doctor Talbott was frequently called upon to speak at public gatherings. Also in the news, in 1870 he constructed a new "modern and fireproof" building south of the courthouse square in Maryville:

Newspaper articles: 1870-1880: Dr. Talbott's Activities, and the new Talbott Building.

The Talbott Building: In his new building, Doctor Talbott edited and printed his newspaper, the "Greenback Standard" until his death in 1880. Then the building was sold, and through the years it became used by various businesses.

The upstairs level was rented as an apartment until vacated in 1970, becoming inaccessible by the removal of a back stairway. Since then, it had not been seen until 2016 when, with the owner's permission, members of the historical society explored it. It had furniture from the 1940s and 1950s, but also retained some of the original doors, windows and woodwork from Doctor Talbott's original building.

Exploring upstairs: 2016: Upstairs in the Talbott Building.

More News: Two of the Talbott children made the news in 1873, walking twelve miles away from home:

Newspaper article: 1873: Exploring the world.

In 1874, with other prominent citizens, Doctor Talbott founded the Nodaway County Horticultural Society. At its first meeting, he was elected its chairman.

Newspaper articles: 1874: Horticultural Society.

He spoke about the social benefits and financial rewards of planting trees, orchards, and gardens, noting places he had seen:

"Oregon, in Holt county, with not one tenth the advantages we have, has displayed a great deal of good taste in the planting of gardens and fruit trees. From almost any direction you approach its business centre, the road is lined on either side with fruit trees bending under their loads of delicious fruit, which attracts the attention and gives it a charm that cannot be found anywhere in the Platte Purchase of Missouri. (Note: the reference is to Oregon, Holt County, Missouri.)

"The most beautiful spot I ever saw was the Public Garden in the city of Coanavacca, Mexico. (Note: Cuernavaca)   All its beauty was made by the tasteful planting of different varieties of fruit, ornamental and shade trees."

"The court house square in Memphis, Tennessee, is one of Nature's own beauties; the forest trees left standing as Nature fixed them in the earth, with more than a thousand grey squirrels frisking, playing and chattering over the green sward, up and down the trees and over the limbs, has so endeared itself to the hearts of the citizens of Memphis, that they never will build a court house in that square."

"Little Rock, the City of Roses, owes all its beauty and loveliness to a few ladies, the wives of the officers of the United States army, stationed at that point, not many years since. They planted rose bushes in lines, angles and squares. They grew finely -- it was a success. Those lines were every spring and summer painted with the most brilliant colors; while the ottar of the rose, the most exquisite and perfect perfume known in Nature's laboratory, gave to the air for miles that soft, delicious fragrance which lulls the senses and directs the mind to the most perfect of Nature's perfections. This kind of loveliness does not produce on the mind the cognizance of grandeur or sublimity, but the softer effect of tranquility, which wraps the soul and senses in a wish that it might last forever."

He also traveled to Jacksonville, Florida, calling it "the land of flowers" and sending oranges to friends in Missouri.

Here is an 1876 article about their oldest child spending Christmas with the state Governer's family. Described as their "accomplished daughter", she is Olivia Talbott (nicknamed "Ola"), then just 20 years old:

Newspaper article: January 6, 1876 (on page 4).

Doctor Talbott began championing the cause of the Greenback Party movement. It had some following, especially among farmers, in the years after the Civil War. Here is a report of the party's principles, including the right of women to vote:

Excerpt: Greenback Principles

Here is a picture of a "Greenback".
Starting a Newspaper:   In 1877 Doctor Perry Talbott founded his own newspaper, the Greenback Standard in Maryville.

Here is his newspaper's issue for 15 November 1879:

Greenback Standard: Greenback Standard Page 1   Page 2   Page 3   Page 4

Note: These pages are very large files (15-28MB). Downloading them will take some time.

How these pages were found:   Janet Hawley, author of the book "The Murder of Dr. Talbott", has done extensive research into Nodaway County history and the life of the Talbotts. (See below for details about the book.) She has the diary of Dr. Humberd, a visitor to the family who acquired the Talbott home and lands following the assassination.

In her words:
He mentioned on Sept 3, 1952, that there had been an editorial in the Maryville Daily Forum about an old copy of Dr. Perry Talbott's Greenback Standard. The paper belonged to Mrs. H. E. Wright, 315 South Main St, Maryville, who had it from an owner in Oklahoma. On Sept 8, Doc went to see Mrs. Wright and he (from the diary entry):

   "borrowed the ancient newspaper, Greenback Standard, Maryville, Nodaway County, Missouri, Saturday, November 15, 1879. Vol 1, No 9, Charles H. Thomas, Editor, Perry H. Talbott, associate editor. The property of Mrs. John Lester Funk, 700 S. Hoff St., El Reno, Okla. Probably unique, as the only copy known."

Later he took this paper to St. Joe to have negative copies made of 4 pages of it. [Later in the year Doc H bought the paper for $5 from Mrs. Funk through Mrs. Wright.]

Our family is fortunate to have the copy of the newspaper.

Greenback Party Convention:   At the Greenback Party's national convention in June 1880, Dr. Talbott gave a nominating speech for its Presidential candidate. Here are the opening lines from the party's platform for that year:

Excerpt: Greenback Party 1880 Platform

In the 1880 general election, the Greenback Party finished third in votes behind the Republican and Democratic parties.

Calling for a Speech:   In 1880, a reporter for The Nodaway Democrat wrote of an outdoor gathering of people, "mixed politically", around a bonfire (September 9, 1880):

"... There was a momentary lull, which some of the mischievous Democrats availed themselves of -- for we have a few mischievous Democrats in Maryville -- to call on Dr. Talbott. His name had hardly been squeaked out until the doctor mounted the stand and regaled the audience with one of his high-sounding sky-scraping efforts. Some thought he was going to rehearse his celebrated war-whoop speech which it took him three days to deliver, but he didn't. The Doctor has a wide reputation as a friend of the poor laboring men, and as there were several of these in his audience he would not of course keep them out of bed quite all night. The Doctor finally stopped."

Here is a Newspaper Headline about his speech.

Stories

He was known as the "Doctor on the Old Grey Mule", riding to the homes of patients who had sent for him:

The mule's name was 'Turpentine'. As a Doctor, he needed a surefooted mule and there was none better than Turpentine.

As much as Doctor Talbott loved that mule, it loved the water. When it came to a shallow stream, sometimes it wanted to lie in the water and roll around. The mule would stop and lower its head, showing it wanted to lie down. The Doctor had to keep it under tight rein to keep its head up.

That didn't always work. Sometimes the mule would just stall, and not budge. Doctor Talbott would try sweet talk to get it to move: "Oh, come on, Turpentine ... come on now ... let's go".

When that didn't work, the Doctor's temper could get the best of him and he'd start cussing the mule; the people of the county could hear him in the distance. He'd rowel the mule lightly with his spur -- but not hard, or the mule would buck him off.

Finally, when the mule persisted, there was nothing left to do but get off, unsaddle it, and let it roll around to its pleasure in the shallow water.

When the mule was satisfied, it would stand and shake the water off -- and sometimes shake a second time without warning, getting the good Doctor wet. So Doctor Talbott had to wait until the mule signaled to him -- by staring at him in wonderment about why the Doctor was taking so long to get the saddle back on.

Eventually the saddle went on and they were on their way.

After the Doctor died, there were some in the county who said they could hear the ghost of Doc Talbott, still sweet-talking and cussing out his old grey mule, Turpentine.

Years after his death in 1880, stories continued to appear in newspapers. An 1894 account detailed his pursuit and capture of a mule thief named 'Perkins' in earlier years:

"... the doctor trailed him as deftly as an Arapahoe Indian, over hauling Perkins and the mule in an extensive paw paw thicket ... When he captured Perkins he proceeded to bind him hand and foot and tie him fast to a paw paw tree ... repaired to the nearest house and returning to the thief with a quart of soapsuds compelled him to drink about one half of it and telling him he did not administer the physic for bile or anything like that but to physic that d----d thievishness out of him, let him go."

Creating a Town

On September 15, 1874 Perry H. Talbott and Scott K. Snively, another early settler in the area, laid out the town of Arkoe on what had been farm fields in White Cloud Township, Nodaway County.

In an 1877 Nodaway Democrat newspaper, Doctor Talbott said he named the town from a place in the book The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, written in 1751 by Robert Paltock. In the book, an "arkoe" is a placid body of water surrounded by woods. Doctor Talbott might have had in mind the One Hundred and Two River, which runs placidly alongside the town of Arkoe and the farmland where the Talbott home stood.

The town became an important railroad stop, with the track running through the Talbott farmlands to the town's depot. Nineteen years later, an 1893 map shows the town's layout, with its streets named for the Talbott family.

Here is the 1893 Arkoe Map.

The railroad track no longer exists, but the old railbed can still be seen in modern aerial views of the town and the farmlands north of it.

Another early settler in the area was Washington Hoshor, uncle of Perry Hoshor Talbott.

He is a brother of Elizabeth Hoshor, who is Perry Hoshor Talbott's mother.

In 1866 he married Anna Lincoln, second cousin of Abraham Lincoln.

Here is an account of his early days and life in Nodaway County. It is his obituary, published 21 May 1908 in the Nodaway Democrat. It tells how he rode his "bell mare" leading a parade of 100 horses from his farm, celebrating the election of Grover Cleveland in 1884.

Obituary of Washington Hoshor

Here are two photographs: 1 2

The Talbott Lands and Home

Perry Talbott and Belle (McFarland) Talbott owned extensive properties including multiple acreages of 160, 120, and 80 acres, and several smaller parcels. Deeds as early as 20 February 1857 are recorded. They also held titles to blocks and lots in the town of Arkoe and in Maryville, the county seat. They had a large homestead with working farms, cattle, and orchards of fruit and nut trees, in addition to the Doctor's medical practice and newspaper publishing.

Part of the Talbott land became the town of Arkoe when it was laid out by Perry Talbott and Scott Snively in 1874.

Here is an Aerial Photograph of Arkoe, taken in October 1950.

The town of Arkoe is in the center of the photograph.

The Talbott lands were in the foreground to the left, along the river.

"Where in the World is Arkoe Missouri?" -- Its Founding, Early Life, and Progress

The town of Arkoe, Missouri has a history that is richer than that of many larger communities.

From the days of the earliest hunters and trappers traveling among the Native Americans and pioneering the "White Cloud" settlements, to the founding of Arkoe - and onward into its new century - the town has seen a dramatic history.

Its most complete story is in the book "Where in the World is Arkoe Missouri?", by Susan Cronk:

Written by:

Susan Cronk

Available from:

amazon.com

For an
autographed copy
from the author:

www.susancronk.com

(Showing the town's settlement and early life, memorable events, and development into today's community.)

The book describes the land and wildlife found by the earliest settlers, and tells how they began to build their lives.

It shows how those pioneers' vision became reality. The town began through hard work: setting apart an area of open land, surveying and mapping it to make living areas and roads, and making them available for people to come there and establish new homes and businesses.

The book gives the early settlers' names and the years they arrived. It shows maps and drawings of the town's first layout, with early photographs of streets and buildings.

It presents the town's most memorable events, as they happened year-by-year.

The book also shows the railroad's coming - a major event in those early times. It describes the life of the people and their homes, businesses, schools and religious structures.

The author has devoted a chapter to the Talbott family. We are indebted to her for it.

The book gives the names of the town's other pioneers in addition to the Talbott family. It is fully indexed.

For anyone who wants to see what life was like in the area around our family's home in those times, it is a most valuable read.

The Family's Lands

After their daughter Ianthe Talbott's marriage to William Thomas Shore in 1873, the parents gave her sole title to eighty acres of land in 1874. The deed remains in our family heritage. It is shown in the records below on this page, and also on the page for William and Ianthe (Talbott) Shore.

Here are Maps showing the location of Ianthe's land.

After Perry Talbott's death in 1880, his widow sold the properties to Peter Hamill and John Schneider. Their names appear on the 1893 maps below. Peter Hamill's portion of the lands was subsequently sold to Samuel Corrough.

Here are Maps of 1893 showing the lands owned by Peter Hamill and John Schneider.

In 1899 John Alnutt Talbott, son of Perry and Belle Talbott, made lawsuits against Hamill and Schneider for recovery of part of the lands, citing a provision in his father's will. The lawsuits were ruled as "premature" because the widow Belle was still living (she died in 1910).

Here are his lawsuits: Text 1 2 3
Ianthe's land was sold to Michael Maher. In 1907, his attorneys sent a Quit Claim deed to Ianthe's son Jesse Perry Shore, asking him to relinquish any claim to the land that he would have inherited.

Letter: Page 1 2

Deed: Page 1 2 3

Perry Talbott and Belle (McFarland) Talbott had a large home on their main property, about one-quarter mile northwest of the present-day town of Arkoe. They patterned it after Hawthorne's "The House of the Seven Gables", overlooking the One Hundred and Two River just east of the house. All of their twelve children (including Ianthe) were born and lived in the home.

Today the homesite and land are a large, working farm, no longer in the family. The original Talbott farmhouse is no longer there; a modern house stands in its place.

An archive photograph exists of the Talbott house, taken years after it was removed from the property. The house had deteriorated and was eventually destroyed.

Here is the Talbott house after it was removed.

The photograph hints at what must have been a large and well-furnished home, set amid orchards and overlooking the river.

Family Cemetery: The Talbott Family Cemetery is located about one-half mile west of the homesite. Photographs of it are shown below on this page.

Today the town of Arkoe has a 'Talbott' street and a 'Belle' street. It also has an 'Olive' street: books about the Talbott family show their first child Olivia was called 'Olive' in the home.

Arkoe remains a small community with a population of 58 in the U. S. Federal Census for the year 2000, and 68 in the 2010 census. Photographs of the town are shown below on this page.

The Talbott Children

Perry and Belle Talbott had twelve children. All were born in the family home at White Cloud (Arkoe), Nodaway County, Missouri.

Here is information about their lives in later years.

Olivia

Olivia Talbott (b. Jun 1855) married Edwin A. Turner on 11 Jul 1880. They were married in the Talbott home.

Here is their Marriage Record.   Zoom

According to a newspaper, they moved to Monte Vista, Colorado in 1889, where her husband left her in 1902 (there are discrepancies between the newspaper and US Federal Census records). The 1900 census shows her married to her new spouse James Walker for 18 years, with a son Clide, age 15 years. In the 1910 census they are shown married for 16 years.

Here are the Census Records:    1900 (Lines 41-43)    1910 (Lines 19-20)    1920 (Lines 51-52)

Her husband James Walker was a farmer and gold miner, 22 years her senior.

She died on 14 Feb 1923, after a week in an 'insane asylum' (according to the newspaper).

Here is the Newspaper Article.   Zoom

She is buried at the Soldiers and Sailors Home Cemetery, Monte Vista, Colorado. Her name is shown as Oliva on her gravestone.

Here is her Grave.

Ianthe

Ianthe Talbott (b. about 1856) married William Thomas Shore on 5 Oct 1873. They were married in Polk Township, Maryville, Nodaway County. They settled in La Fayette, Stark County, Illinois. She died on 1 Feb 1880.

Here is their Marriage Record.   Zoom

(Our family is descended from their marriage. They have their own page in Our Family Gallery.)

Ida Belle

Ida Belle Talbott (b. about 1857) married Nicholas Mercer on 20 Mar 1879.

Here is their Marriage Record.   Zoom

Nicholas's father was Clellan Perry Mercer, living in 1880 in Nodaway County, Missouri. He died in 1898 in Weir, Cherokee County, Kansas. During the Civil War, he was a "Citizen Prisoner of War" sent from Saint Joseph, Missouri to the prison at Alton, Illinois. He was released on 4 February 1864.

Here is the Prison Record.

In 1880 Ida Belle is living with her husband Nicholas Mercer in Holt County, Missouri.

Here is the 1880 US Federal Census: Ida Belle Mercer (Line 32).

By 1900 Ida Belle was a widow, living in Excelsior Township, Kingfisher County, Oklahoma. She had been married for five years. She owns her home and farm, and is living with her two children, Perry Cicero (b. Mar 1880) and Nicholas Jr (b. Jun 1884). Both children were born in Kansas.

Here is the 1900 US Federal Census: Ida Belle Mercer (Line 61).

Both sons registered for the draft in World War I:

Perry registered on 12 September 1918 while living in Holtville, Imperial County, California. He gives his birthday as 8 March 1875, and his occupation as "Shearing Sheep". He lists his mother as Ida B. Mercer living in Rox, Nevada. He has gray eyes and brown hair, and signed as "Perry Charles Mercer".

Nicholas registered on 12 September 1918 while living in Sawpit, San Miguel County, Colorado. He gives his birthday as 4 June 1884, and his occupation as "Miner". He lists his mother as Ida Belle Mercer living in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. He has blue eyes, bald and light brown hair, and signed as "Nichols McCleary Mercer".

In 1920 Ida Belle is living with her son Perry Cicero in Holtville, Imperial County, California. His birthplace is shown as "Texas", and his father's birthplace is "Unknown". He is divorced, and he works as a "Laborer" in "Street Work".

Here is the 1920 US Federal Census: Ida Belle Mercer (Line 27).

Albert Perry

Albert Perry Talbott (b. 10 Jun 1859, d. 22 Jul 1881) was hanged with his brother Charles Edward Talbott for the murder of their father. He is buried in the Talbott Family Cemetery, on the former Talbott property.

Ada Alice

Ada Alice Talbott (b. about 1861) married George McClenahan. In 1880 she had been living in the McClenahan home in La Fayette, Stark County, Illinois (it is likely that she went there with her married sister Ianthe). George McClenahan was divorced, with Alice living as housekeeper in the home. They were married on 2 Jul 1881 (he was 27 years older than she).

In 1885, they were living in Wayne Township, Monroe County, Iowa with her younger brother Cicero Talbott, age 12, living with them.

1885 Iowa Census: George and Alice McClenahan, with Cicero Talbott (Lines 12-17)

By 1900, George McClenahan is a widower.

1900 US Federal Census: George McClenahan, widower of Ada Alice (Line 10)

Charles Edward

Charles Edward Talbott (b. 18 May 1864, d. 22 Jul 1881) was hanged with his brother Albert Perry Talbott for the murder of their father. He is buried in the Talbott Family Cemetery, on the former Talbott property.

William Wallace

William Wallace Talbott (b. about 1866) became by 1895 an attorney in Joplin, Missouri.

Jennie

Jennie Talbott (b. about 1867) married Joseph Bruce on 8 Apr 1886, in Taylor County, Iowa. He was born in Scotland, and at the time of their marriage was a physician in Maryville, Missouri.

Here is their Marriage Record.   Zoom

Prior to her marriage, she had been acquainted with a man who was accused of forgery:

News article: 3 May 1884

Cora Anne

Cora Anne Talbott (b. about 1869) married James Halman, a telegrapher in San Francisco, California.

John Alnutt

John Alnutt Talbott (b. 27 Dec 1870) married Florence Shellhouse on 9 December 1890 in Hardin County, Ohio. The marriage record was entered by the bride's father, who stated that she was at least 18 years of age, and John was at least 21 (he was 19).

Four months later, on 10 April 1891 a son was born. The child was not named at first. His name was later recorded as Dale Roneal Talbott.

Here is their marriage record and their son's birth record.

Marriage     Birth

Beginning in December 1890, a lawsuit for divorce and alimony was registered against John Alnutt Talbott by Florence Talbott. The suit claimed that he had abandoned her on the day after their marriage. John's mother, Belle was named as co-defendant.

Here are records of the lawsuit.

Summary          Pages:   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14

By 1900 he had been married again for five years and was a zinc miner living in Scott Township, Sharp County, Arkansas. The census for that year shows him living there as a boarder without his wife.

Here is the 1900 US Federal Census: John Alnutt Talbott (Line 66)

In 1899 he lodged two lawsuits against the owners of the lands which had been the Talbott properties, claiming he still had part ownership granted by his father's will. The suits were judged "premature" as his mother was still living.

Lawsuit: Talbott vs Schneider, Part 1   Part 2

Lawsuit: Talbott vs Hamill

Cicero

Cicero C. Talbott (b. 24 Sep 1872, d. 3 Sep 1948) was in 1895 a college student at Lebanon, Ohio.

He went to Europe in that year, giving his occupation on his passport as Teacher. He returned on the ship St. Louis, departing in October from Southampton, England and landing in New York on 07 December.

Here is his 1895 Passport Application

In 1901 he owned and edited a Socialist newspaper, the "Faribault Referendum".

Here is a News Announcement   and Newspaper Description

From 1902 to 1908 he is listed in these city directories:

1902   Faribault, Minnesota. 1227 N 2nd Ave West (his mother's residence)
1902   Minneapolis, Minnesota. Occupation: Manager 51 S 4th Street; rooms 523 4th Avenue South
1903   1227 NW 2nd Avenue, Faribault. Occupation: Lecturer
1903   Minneapolis. Occupation: (Caverly & Talbott) General Manager, Bijou Lyceum Bureau, 523 Century Bldg., rooms 717 1st Ave South
1906   St Louis, Missouri. 114 N Jefferson Ave
1908   Faribault. 1227 N 2nd Ave West

Note: '1227 N 2nd Ave West' is the home his mother Belle (now Riley) owned and where she lived.

Alias: He assumed the name "Wade Shalhub" and moved to San Francisco, California. He lived at various addresses, giving his occupation as "Cook" and "Laborer".

1929   San Francisco: City Directory
1930   San Francisco: US Federal Census
1932   San Francisco: City Directory
1937   San Francisco: City Directory

Using that alias, he received his Social Security card.

1938   Social Security Record

Robbery: In newspaper reports, when working as a hotel clerk he became the victim of a robbery.

June 3, 1929
August 6, 1929

Arrest and Prison: On 13 March 1942 he was arrested for the murder of two men in San Francisco.

1942   Arrest for Homicide
Here is another newspaper report of his arrest: March 13, 1942

He was convicted on two counts of second degree murder. On 26 May 1942 he was sent to San Quentin Prison in Marin County, California.

Here are his prison records:

Record 1   ... For a person to be contacted, his record shows "No One".
Record 2   ... Crime: Section 190 of Penal Code, 2 Counts, 5-to-Life, Concurrent.
Record 3   ... His Photograph.
Record 4   ... His Death Record.

He died on 3 September 1948 at San Quentin Prison and was buried in the prison cemetery.

Here is his death certificate:   Death Certificate.

Many of the prison's graves had no marker, and no record has yet been found showing their locations.

Ella Rosa

Ella Rosa Talbott (b. 24 Oct 1874) died in childhood on 27 Jun 1880. She is buried in the Talbott Family Cemetery, on the former Talbott property.

The Talbott Murder

On the night of 18 Sep 1880 at about nine o'clock, Perry Talbott received a gunshot wound to his chest. Doctors were summoned to his aid, but the wound was determined to be fatal. He died at about two o'clock the next afternoon.

The murder caused great alarm in the community, partly due to the Doctor's prominence in the area but also because of circumstances surrounding the crime.

In family accounts, the family had returned home from attending a fair in Maryville. The Doctor had gone to a neighbor's home to see their sick child, and had just returned home from that visit. As he sat on his bed preparing to retire for the night, he was shot, the ball passing through his body and lodging in the wall behind him. (It also severed his thumb and middle finger from his right hand, before entering his chest.) Exiting his body, it grazed his wife Belle.

In a window of the room, across from where he had been sitting, the glass of a window pane had been broken.

Doctor Talbott was fully conscious all that night and the next day until a few minutes before he died.

Last Will and Testament: In great pain, he dictated and signed his will, leaving all of his estate to his wife and children.

Here is the text of his will: Will: 18 September 1880

Here is the official probate record: Probate: 8 October 1880

Witnesses to the Will: Doctor Talbott's thumb and middle finger of his right hand were cut off by the ball as it entered his chest. Still, he signed his will that night: it was attested to by two men in attendance. They were Albert P. Morehouse, the county judge, and Samuel M. Dunn, the physician who attended him.

Codicil: A codicil was subsequently added to the will to include his two grandchildren.

The two grandchildren were Albertus Arthur Shore (b. 1874) and Jesse Perry Shore (b. 1877). They are the children of Ianthe Talbott, in her marriage to William Thomas Shore.

Albertus Arthur Shore (1874-1928) was six years old when the murder occurred. Later he married Sarah Susanna Brady (1871-1952) and had one child, Edna Ianthe Shore (1909-1984). She had no children.

Jesse Perry Shore (1877-1950) was three years old when the murder occurred. Later he married Anna Agnes Gaffney (1872-1946) and had five children. Our family is descended from their marriage.

Obituary: Here is an obituary: Obituary: 23 September 1880

Belle in Court: On 8 October 1880, Belle Talbott appeared in court and was appointed executrix of the will:

Court Appearance:

Investigation: An extensive investigation began about the murder. During that night and the next day the Talbott home had many visitors, including the county sheriff, Sheriff Henry Toel, who was investigating the crime.

Before he died, Doctor Talbott told them that the shooting had probably been done by an assassin acting on behalf of his political opponents.

His wife Belle and their son Albert, who were in the room when the shooting occurred, said that the shot had come from outside the house, through the broken window. Albert said that after being shot, the Doctor started to take up a shotgun to go outside, but was not able to do so because of his wound. Albert said that he took the firearm from his father, helped his father to his bed and then went outside, firing two shots at a person retreating from the house.

The sheriff and a posse of citizens examined the grounds in the vicinity of the house, but were not able to establish the presence of tracks. A light rain had fallen, possibly obscuring any tracks; in addition, the posse made fresh tracks as they searched the premises.

Arrests: One month later, in October 1880 came the arrests. The sheriff arrested two of Doctor Talbott's sons, Albert and Charles Talbott, and the widow Belle Talbott, and a hired farmhand, Henry Wyatt. Belle Talbott was subsequently released.

Here are two reports from the Liberty, Missouri 'Tribune': October 22 November 6

Accounts of the murder and arrests made headlines across the country.

Here is a New York article.

Here is a West Virginia article.

Here are More articles.

The arrests came from the testimony of a private detective, who had newly come to the area. The detective said that he had gained the confidence of the two Talbott sons. He said the sons had told him that they had murdered their father, and wished to form a group of bandits for robbing banks, trains, and the mails. The detective asserted that he had hid his wife -- whom he introduced as his sister -- in a closet, where she heard the statements of the Talbott boys.

The investigations into the crime made newspaper headlines, some of them spectacular. Much of the controversy was created by the reputation of the private detective, whose testimony had led to the arrests. A reward had been offered for information leading to the capture of whoever had committed the murder. The detective had come into the area at that time, using a fictitious name. He had come there from Kansas, where he had served four years in the penitentiary for larceny.

Other controversies concerned the Doctor's family life, which some neighbors described as having had arguments and confrontations between the father and sons.

Trial: The trial of the two brothers began in January 1881 in a courtroom packed with spectators and reporters. The trial of Henry Wyatt was deferred to a later date.

One of the prosecuting attorneys, John Edwards, and one of the defense attorneys, Lafayette Dawson, had been law partners together four years before the trial. Now they found themselves opposing each other in court.

The trial lasted ten days. Albert Talbott and Charles Talbott were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to hang in March 1881. Newspapers reported men crying, women shrieking, and the judge burying his face in his hands at the reading of the verdict.

News report: Reading of the verdict.

The verdict was upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court which found no serious irregularities in the trial's proceedings, with the date rescheduled to June. At the last minute the execution was delayed until July by the Governor, who received pressure on both sides: either to let the execution proceed -- let the law be carried out -- or to commute the sentence to a lesser one because of the circumstantial evidence, questionable reputation of the key witness, and the youth of one of the defendants (Charles was 16 at the time of the murder).

Here is a news article written in the month before the sons were hanged:

News article: 3 June 1881.

The article mentions a poem Charles wrote in his cell. Here is his poem:

       CHARLES E. TALBOTT'S SONG

I was born in Nodaway County, and in Missouri State,
And little did I ever think, kind friends, I would meet such a fate;
I was brought up by honest parents, who thought the world of me,
And this is the first time I've been deprived of liberty.

It was on the 18th of September last, that the news did spread,
That Dr. Talbott had been shot, and soon he would be dead;
Suspicion pointed to me, and they rushed upon their prey,
And I was forced to prison, to await my trial day.

They took me to the City Hall, and thence to the county jail,
Where iron bars surrounded me, and my trial to bewail;
I never did the cruel deed, God knows I'm not to blame,
Although I've been convicted, and must suffer for the same.

A word to my old mother, and sisters kind and true,
Remember I am innocent, though I must part from you;
And you, my kind relations, I know you wish me well,
But my feelings at this moment, no human tongue can tell.

Before closing this, my song, I must not fail to mention,
My good jailor, Mr. Toel, for his kind attention;
And now, my friends, this is all that I can do,
Intending in this song of mine, to bid you all adieu.
Charles had just had his 17th birthday in the jail cell.

Meetings: On 21 June, Belle Talbott with attorney Lafayette Dawson and judge Albert Morehouse met with governor Thomas Crittenden to plead their case. (Six years later, Morehouse became the state's governor.)

Returning on the train on the next day, they met two women who had championed their cause in the press, Mrs. M. Merrick and Miss Ida M. Merrill. (Their publication is shown more fully, lower on this page.) Here is how they describe their meeting with Belle, and with her two sons in the jail.

Meetings: June 1881.

Confessions: On 5 July the sons gave written confessions. They told visitors that they had been advised by their attorneys to do so, to gain leniency. They were rejected by the Governor.

Here is a news report of the two confessions.

Final Statements: Finally on 22 July 1881, the sons made final statements which were reported in the St. Joseph and Maryville newspapers.

Charles wrote:

"Have mercy on me for my dear old mother's sake, for I am punished innocent and have got to die. My mother has spent her money and she is now left alone in the world to die.      Yours truly, Charles Talbott"

Albert wrote:

"Dear Friends:- I have been in custody for a long time and all the officers have been very kind to me, one in particular, George Dearing. He is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met.
I am in a bad situation at present and have been misrepresented and misjudged from the beginning. And I am innocent of the crime I have to suffer for, but then people have to have their misfortunes in this world and have to put up with them the best they can. All I hate in this world is, there is no one to care for my mother, and she is without any one to protect her. And I must say some day the true facts will come to light in this case, and then I hope capital punishment will be abolished.      Albert Talbott"

Hanging: After a tearful goodbye with their mother, the two sons were hanged at Beal pasture (now Beal Park) in Maryville. Albert was 22 years of age, and Charles was 17.

A throng of thousands of people attended the hanging. Sensational headlines and newspaper articles described it in detail.

Here is a Missouri newspaper report.

More newspapers described the grisly scene during the hangings and afterward.

Here are Missouri newspaper articles.

The hanging made front page headlines across the country.

Here is an Indiana newspaper article.

The reported "contract" between the detective and the two sons was an item of skepticism at the time. Given the detective's reputation (having been convicted of grand larceny), it was never clear whether the Talbott sons had hatched the plot as he alleged, or else he had drawn it up himself and enticed them into it (with his wife 'witnessing' from a closet) as part of his plan to claim the reward.

Here is a New York Times article.

The article wasn't entirely accurate: Charles was 17, not 21. Still the article provided much detail, considering the distance from Missouri and methods of communication at the time.

Before the hanging the two Talbott sons were given final rites by Fr. Anselm, parish priest and rector of St. Mary's church. Here is an excerpt from his biography, describing that event.

"Back in those days, bigotry was rife in northwest Missouri, and Catholics were either feared or held in contempt. An instance was the case of the Talbott brothers, Charles and Albert, which provided Father Anselm with a very dramatic introduction to pastoral work in Maryville. On circumstantial evidence the Talbotts were convicted of the murder of their stepfather and in November 1880 were sentenced to death. It developed many years afterwards that their mother was the real murderer and that she let her own sons die in her stead.

"Before the sentence was carried out, Fr. Anselm went and talked with the two young men in jail and perhaps even yielded to their request for baptism. The hanging was a public event, witnessed by a gathering of some five thousand people. Father Anselm was up on the scaffold with the boys, praying with them and encouraging them as they were executed.

"No sooner was the deed done than the crowd -- or at least some in the crowd -- began to mutter audibly, "Now let's string up the priest!" Were it not for the officials who protected him, Fr. Anselm may that day have lost his life. The genial personality of the young priest, however, finally prevailed, so that before long he became one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Maryville, beloved by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

"He was to have a very dramatic introduction to his work as pastor of St. Mary's. In November 1880 a grand jury in Maryville had condemned to death two young men, Charles and Albert Talbott, for the murder of their father. The two young men were not Catholics but Father Anselm called on them in jail and they asked to be baptized. In announcing their sentence Judge John C. Howell had said: "I can only recommend to them that they heartily repent of their awful crime and have washed from their souls the foul stain produced by this awful violation of human and divine law." Some 5,000 people had gathered from all over northwest Missouri to attend the "hangin'". Father Anselm accompanied the two condemned men to the scaffold, praying with them and encouraging them to face their sentence bravely. He could not have felt very easy in this trying task for as he was ascending the scaffold the crowd began to shout: "Hang the priest too!""
The description is not accurate: Perry Talbott was their father, not stepfather; the sentence was given in January 1881, not November 1880. No link to Belle for the murder was ever 'developed' in later years.

Still the article reflects the drama surrounding the event.

More Newspaper Articles

Here are articles from a Kansas City newspaper.

They describe the arrests, reporting of the trial, and a description of the prosecution's principal witness (who had previously been convicted of larceny and would be again convicted after the trial).

Other articles describe conflicting 'confessions', jail cell goodbyes with the sons' mother and a fiancee, and an interview with the Governor. One article mentions a scheme to get the two men freed from jail for a fee.

More articles describe the scene on the gallows and the reaction of the crowd of more than ten thousand people.

Another short article describes the life of the widow, Belle Talbott, months afterward.

Set the size for best viewing:
10-29-1880     11-25-1880     06-06-1881
06-24-1881     06-24-1881     07-06-1881
07-07-1881     07-15-1881     07-18-1881
07-21-1881     07-21-1881     07-21-1881
07-22-1881     07-22-1881     07-22-1881
07-23-1881     07-23-1881     01-05-1882

. . . and here is a haberdashery shop's advertisement:    07-23-1881

It shows how the case was exploited commercially.

Support in the Press

The Talbott brothers' fate became a focus in the press, with some publications insisting they were innocent and calling upon the governor to pardon them or commute their sentence.

One strongly supporting their cause was A Fountain of Light, by Mrs. M. Merrick, Publisher and Miss Ida M. Merrill, Editress.

Their issues from October 1880 to October 1881 featured articles, poems and letters on the Talbott case. They explored the trial, the purely circumstantial evidence and doubtful credulity of witnesses. They also discussed the morality of public executions and their effect on society.

They presented multiple pleas to the governor and met with him in his office. They visited the brothers in their cells, had discussions, and described their appearances and attitude toward their situation.

Here are two letters they published from the mother, Belle Talbott:

  1 April 1881       19 June 1881

More than 60 pages covered the Talbott brothers' conviction and execution.

    Front Pages     Talbott Pages

Here is a poem published after the brothers' execution.

THE SAD EXECUTION

OF THE INNOCENT CHARLES E. AND ALBERT P. TALBOTT

With a sob and a sigh and a sorrowful wail,
Oh, how can we tell the pitiful tale!
How sad the city! what a solemn pall!
    Has fallen with darkened cloud.
They have sent them out beyond recall,
    And a groan re-echoes through the crowd;

Their entrance to the spirit world,
    The angels greet with peace.
The glorious banners are unfurled,
    For them there is now release.

Sad it seems unto us below,
    But the realm to them so pure, so bright,
Will scatter now their fearful woe;
    They shall rise to realms so light.

The pitiful cries of the mother of love,
    Were rejected by the man of power,
And down from the great white throne above,
    They shall come at an unexpected hour.

Shall prove the truth: we did not kill,
    Our home now is one of pure bright love,
And our message to you is in the hours so still,
    We are anchored in the clime above.

Innocent they were thrust from the land,
    Thrust out, without a hope of life;
But they are anchored on the shining strand
    In gladder, newer grander life.

Innocent, thank God! 'tis better so,
    Than if bloodstains their brow did mark,
Sorrow so great to those who are left below,
    With black stains of guilt so dark.
Resting on the brow of innocent youth,
    But life is short, eternity grand;
Shall reveal the truth, the grand mighty truth,
    Innocent they were thrust from the land.

(*) But they're not dead, only gone before,
       On a calm and a quiet eve,
  Will visit the loved ones on this shore
       Who sadly for them now do grieve.

How pitiful, how sad to take a life,
    Take that which men can never give.
Oh, haste the day! when endeth strife,
    When the law will bid e'en criminals live.

When no more murders through the land,
    Shall flow with baneful power;
Oh, haste the day, with triumph grand!
    Oh, haste that grand, that joyful hour!

But these dear boys, why must it be?
    They must suffer for a guilty race;
Perhaps 'twill set many innocent free,
    Perhaps 'twill legal murder efface.

God, grant them power to come to earth!
    To appear as angels from a cloud,
To come and prove the true Right's worth,
    To come and appal the murderous crowd.

                  IDA M. MERRILL.

    The verse marked (*) became
    the epitaph on their gravestone.

The Aftermath

Albert Perry Talbott and Charles Edward Talbott are buried at the Talbott Family Cemetery, their graves a few feet from that of their father Perry Hoshor Talbott. Their headstone shows clasped hands with the inscription, We Died Inocent.
The farmhand Henry Wyatt later pled guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to five years and was released after three and a half years.

The private detective, whose testimony was key to convicting the two Talbott sons, was later convicted of mail tampering and sentenced to three years. By 1887 he had gone west and made news by tracking and shooting an outlaw.

Here is an account in an Arizona newspaper.

By all accounts the Talbott sons were treated properly by the sheriff Henry Toel, amid newspaper stories of attempted jailbreaks and intrigues for their release.

Here is an account in the Biography of the County Sheriff.

Controversies surrounding the murder, the arrests, trial and testimonies, and the executions found their way into other biographies.

Here is an account in the Biography of a Robber.

The Talbott case set legal precedents that have been cited by courts in other states. These include: instructions to juries to not be influenced by sympathy; and the use of circumstantial evidence in a trial for a capital offense.

Here is a citation of the Jury Instructions.

Here is a citation of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Adversaries and Neighbors

In their 1881 trial, the Talbott brothers were defended by their attorney Lafayette Dawson (1839-1897).

A witness for the prosecution was a 14-year old boy, Sherman Shinabargar.

Perhaps he had been impressed by his appearance in the trial, and the courtroom atmosphere, to pursue a career as an attorney.

As an adult he become a lawyer, in partnership with Henry Blagg.

In 1907, the law firm of Shinabargar and Blagg wrote a letter to Jesse Perry Shore. Jesse was a grandson of Perry and Belle Talbott, the son of Ianthe (Talbott) Shore, and nephew of the Talbott brothers. Jesse was now an adult and married.

The lawyers asked Jesse to agree and sign a Quit Claim deed, giving up any claim he might have to 80 acres of land inherited from his mother. She had been given the land by her parents Perry and Belle Talbott when she married William Thomas Shore in 1873. The deed provided that her land would go to her children after she died. (She died in 1880.)

Copies of her deed to the land, and copies of the lawyers' letter and Quit Claim deed, are shown below on this page.

In 1910, the two attorneys Sherman Shinabargar and Henry Blagg, with their families, were living only a few doors away from the home of Lafayette Dawson's widow, Calista Dawson. They were neighbors.

Here is the 1910 census showing where they lived.

Shinabargar's and Blagg's profession is shown as "Lawyer". The widow Calista Dawson is shown as living on her "Own income".

"The Murder of Dr. Talbott" -- The Definitive Resource

The murder of Dr. Perry Talbott and subsequent trial and executions of his two sons captured the attention of the public and newspapers for years afterward.

The events and their effect on the public have been recorded in several Missouri histories.

The most comprehensive account is the book "The Murder of Dr. Talbott", by Janet Hawley:

Compiled by:

Janet Hawley

Published by:

Accent Printing
114 East Third Street
Maryville, MO 64468

(A compilation of information relating to the 1880 murder of a prominent Nodaway County Missouri Physician and the subsequent conviction and hanging of his two sons.)

The book is a compilation of newspaper accounts: the murder, the investigations and arrests; the trial, testimonies and descriptions of the witnesses, the sentencing and conviction; the reaction of the public.

It describes the appeals to the state's supreme court and actions by the governor. It has interviews with the prisoners in their cells.

It describes the passionate farewell of the mother to her sons, the spectacle of the hangings, the burials, and the lingering aftermath.

The material is presented day-by-day, just as it was published at the time. The reader gets the most gripping account of those events as they unfolded, with immediate and vivid insight into their effects upon the lives of people in our family and the others who were involved.

The book also provides maps, photos and drawings of the people and vicinity from contemporary accounts.

We are indebted to the author for allowing us to quote some selected parts of her book here, to help in clarifying our family heritage.

The full view of the Talbott family and of the tragic events in their lives can be discovered only by reading the book.

It is the definitive resource for this subject, a must-read for researchers of the Talbott heritage.

The book is fully indexed and includes names of other people in our family in addition to the Talbott names.

The book also provides insights into peoples' lives, their community, the nature of the courts and newspaper reporting of that time.

Later Years

Perry Talbott died on 19 September 1880. He died that afternoon from a gunshot wound he had received the night before. He is buried at the Talbott Family Cemetery on the land that was part of the Talbott family farm and homestead. The cemetery is located about one-half mile west of the modern farmhouse that is on the property.

Belle Talbott remarried on 15 March 1888 to Robert McClellan Draper of Ohio. They settled in Hardin County, Ohio.

Here is their Marriage License.   Zoom

Robert Draper's wife Mary (Osborne) had died on 1 September 1886. They had ten children. At the date of their marriage, Robert's oldest living child was age 18. Belle's oldest living child was age 15.

Robert Draper and Belle (McFarland) Talbott were married in Hopkins, Nodaway County, Missouri in the home of her sister Amanda (McFarland) Dungan and her husband Isaac Dungan.

Amanda and Isaac Dungan's son Harry Mcfarland Dungan (1871-1937) went on to marry Grace Montgomery (1883-1965) and they had one child, a son Robert Montgomery Dungan (1917-1944).

Robert Montgomery Dungan was graduated with honors from Columbia University, Missouri and was president of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity there. During World War II he served in the US Army Air Corps, and at age 26 was killed in the battle for Sicily and southern Italy. He is buried at the US Military Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy.

Here is his 1937 college photograph:   College Photograph

Here is his military burial record:   Military Burial Record

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, posthumously.

In Europe during World War II, the Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded to a pilot "who distinguishes himself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight". The Air Medal was awarded for having flown at least ten missions, with an Oak Leaf Cluster added for each enemy aircraft shot down.

Robert Draper died on 20 October 1894, leaving Belle a widow again. He is buried in the Grove Cemetery, Kenton, Hardin County.

Belle remarried on 2 January 1896 to Phillip Rilley in Steele County, Minnesota.

Here is their Marriage License.

The name is shown as Riley in most records.

The 1900 Federal Census for Minnesota shows Belle Riley, divorced at age 67, now living in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota. She owns a home, which is mortgaged, and she has a boarder.

Her census entry shows that she has had twelve children, of whom eight are still living in 1900.

Her living children are Olivia, Ida Belle, Ada Alice, William Wallace, Jennie, Cora Anne, John Alnutt and Cicero. In 1900 her children ranged in ages from about 27 to 45.

Her deceased children are Albert Perry, Charles Edward (both hanged in 1881 for murder of their father), Ianthe (died in 1880), and Ella Rosa (died in 1880).

(Our family is descended from her daughter Ianthe's marriage to William Thomas Shore in 1873.)

The 1900 Federal Census for Wisconsin shows a Phillip Riley, a widower at age 75. The census page has an 'X' marked alongside his name - perhaps it indicates a spelling error or other issue in his record.

Belle Riley is also listed in the Faribault, Minnesota City Directory for the years 1899 and 1903.

Belle's life ended at the Rice County Poor Farm, southwest of Faribault.

Here are official Minnesota State reports of Life on the Poor Farm.

Belle died there on 30 January 1910.

Her death certificate lists her cause of death as 'paralysis and pneumonia, lasting 10 days'.

She is buried in the Rice County Poor Farm Cemetery.

Her name is misspelled on her death certificate. The certificate also misstates her age and erroneously gives her birthplace as New York. It shows "Unknown" for the names of her father and mother.

Her headstone also has her name misspelled, in a different way from her death certificate.

Family Notes

The years 1880 and 1881 were a deeply moving time for the family of Perry and Belle Talbott.

On 1 February 1880 their second child, their married daughter Ianthe (Talbott) Shore died at age 23, leaving two young children, ages 5 and 2 years. She was buried in the Talbott family's cemetery on their farm at Arkoe, Nodaway County, Missouri. Her children remained in Stark County, Illinois to be reared by their paternal grandmother and aunt there.

... Our family is descended from Ianthe's son, Jesse Perry Shore (1877-1950).

On 27 June 1880, their youngest child Ella Rosa Talbott, five years of age, died and was buried in the family's cemetery on the Talbott farm.

On 11 July 1880, a moment of joy came to the family of Perry and Belle Talbott when their oldest child Olivia Talbott married Edwin Turner. Their wedding feast was celebrated at the Talbott family home.

On 19 September 1880 the father Perry Talbott died of the gunshot wound he had received the night before. The family was surrounded by visitors, a sheriff's posse, and news reporters with vivid stories and sensation in the headlines.

In October 1880 the two oldest sons Albert and Charles, ages 21 and 16, were arrested for the murder. They were incarcerated in the Nodaway County jail.

Thus Belle Talbott became widowed with five young children at home. They ranged from 7 to 14 years of age.

With the intense public curiosity surrounding the family home, Belle and her children moved and took up temporary residence in her husband's office building in Maryville.

In January 1881 the two sons went to trial amid strong controversies about the credibility of the testimony against them. They were convicted, with newspaper accounts of men crying, women shrieking, and the judge burying his face in his hands at the reading of the verdict.

On 2 July 1881, their daughter Ada Alice Talbott married George H. McClenahan, divorced and 27 years her senior, in Henry County, Illinois. Alice had been living as Housekeeper in the McClenahan home, and possibly had gone there to be near her sister Ianthe before she died in 1880.

Finally on 22 July 1881, after two delays, the two sons Albert and Charles were hanged before a crowd of thousands of people.

In later newspaper accounts, Belle Talbott had been contacted in 1881 by the outlaw Jesse James who had offered, for payment of $5,000 in advance, to perform a jailbreak to free the two Talbott boys. Apparently word had spread, and the two sons were moved to a more secure prison with both outdoor and indoor sentries.

Those tragic events must have caused deep grief and concern to Belle Talbott and her children.

So far in our family, no letters from Perry Talbott or Belle Talbott have been discovered. There are two records of land they had given to their daughter in 1874:

"... in consideration of the Love and affection which we bear to our daughter, Ianthe Shore, wife of Wm. T. Shore and for divers good and valid considerations and by way of advancement do hereby give grant confirm and convey unto Ianthe Shore ..."

The records then describe the land they are giving to her.

Probably some letters or other communication took place between the family of Belle Talbott and her grandchildren Jesse Perry Shore and Albertus Arthur Shore (Ianthe's children), but so far none has been found. The two Shore grandchildren are mentioned in settlements of Perry Talbott's will.

Documents

All of these documents are shown below.

Census records:

The 1840 census record shows the family of William and Elizabeth Talbott in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, Ohio:
Free White Males:

Age under 5:   1

Age 10 - 14:   1

Age 40 - 49:   1

Free White Females:

Age under 5:   1

Age 5 - 9:    2

Age 10 - 14:   2

Age 30 - 39:   1

The 'Free White Male' age 10-14 is Perry, born in 1827.

The 1840 census record shows the family of Andrew and Margaret McFarland in Vernon Township, Richland County, Ohio:
Free White Males:

Age under 5:   1

Age 5 - 9:    2

Age 40 - 49:   1

Free White Females:

Age 5 - 9:    2

Age 20 - 29:   1

One of the 'Free White Females' age 5-9 is Belle, born in 1833.

The 1850 census record shows the William and Elizabeth Talbott family in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, Ohio:

Perry, now 23 years old, is no longer with them. He has finished his education at the Starling Medical College in Ohio and is traveling on horseback to California.

The 1850 census record shows the Andrew and Margaret McFarland family in Vernon Township, now in Crawford County, Ohio.

Belle is Isabella, 17 years old.

Perry and Belle were married in 1854. The 1860, 1870 and 1880 census records show them together at home with their growing family.

The 1860 census, taken on 14 Aug 1860, shows Perry (age 34) and Belle (age 27) with four children:

Olivia, age 6

Ianthe, age 4

Ida, age 3

Albert, age 1

The 1870 census, taken on 16 Aug 1870, shows Perry (age 43) and Belle (age 37) with nine children:

Olivia, 15

Ianthe, 14

Ida, 12

Albert P, 11

Alice, 9

Charles E, 6

Wm Wallace, 4

Jennie, 3

Cora Anne, 1 (listed as 'Corianne')

The 1880 census, taken on 1 Jun 1880, shows Perry (age 53) and Belle (age 47) with seven children at home:

Albert, 20

William, 14

Jennie, 12

Cora, 10

John, 9

Cicero, 7

Ella, 5

In the 1880 census:

Olivia is to be married in July to Edwin A. Turner, whose family came from Kansas to Missouri for the wedding. She is listed in a separate census taken in Maryville.

Ida is living with her husband Nicholas Mercer in Holt County, Missouri.

Ianthe had died in February of that year.

Alice had gone to Stark County, Illinois to be with her sister Ianthe before she died, and was living there.

For some reason, Charles was not counted at home in the census.

Additional pages of the 1880 census are shown below.

The census shows the Talbott family on Page 1.

The census shows all of the residents of the town of Arkoe, beginning on Page 2.

The census shows residents of White Cloud township, including the names of several who testified at the Talbott trial.

Henry Wyatt, who was arrested for complicity in the murder and whose testimony was key in the trial, is shown working on the farm of William Early, on Page 2 of the census. Wyatt began working at the Talbott farm about two weeks after the census was taken.

The census shows the family of Whitney Leighty, who testified at the trial (on Page 3). The little daughter, Edith Leighty, age 2, was the sick child whom Dr. Talbott visited just before returning to his home on the night of the murder. The child died the next morning.

Census pages are also shown for the Talbott family children after they became adults and were living in various locations around the country.

These people are pioneers -- in our nation, and in our family.
Please Help us to learn about them !

1840 US Federal Census W.W. Talbott	1840 US Federal Census McFarland	1850 US Federal Census W.W. Talbott	1850 US Federal Census McFarland Page 1 2	Space available
1860 US Federal Census Talbott Home	1870 US Federal Census Talbott Home	1880 US Federal Census Talbott Home	1880 US Federal Census Olivia	1880 US Federal Census Ida Belle
Nodaway County Survey Map	Land Purchase 20 Feb 1857 1 Jul 1857	Land Purchase 1 Nov 1857 31 Aug 1858	Land Purchase 3 May 1868	License Tax 1862 1863 1864 1865
Arkoe, Missouri About 1909 1 2 3	Arkoe, Missouri Aerial Photos 1 2 3	Arkoe, Missouri Town Map	Talbott Homesite Aerial Photo	Talbott Homesite 2007 Photo
Arkoe 2007 1 2 3	Arkoe 2007 4 5 6	Arkoe 2007 7 8	Arkoe 2007 9 10 11	Arkoe 2007 12 13
21 Feb 1874 Ianthe Land Deed Page 1 2	12 Aug 1874 Ianthe Land Deed Page 1 2	1 Oct 1907 Jesse Shore Letter from Attorney Page 1 2	Nov 1907 Jesse Shore Quit-Claim Deed Page 1 2 3	Space available
1880 Census, White Cloud Township and Town of Arkoe The 1880 U.S. Federal Census shows residents of White Cloud Township and the town of Arkoe. It includes people who testified in the trial of the Talbott brothers.
1880 US Federal Census Page 1	1880 US Federal Census Page 2	1880 US Federal Census Page 3	1880 US Federal Census Page 4	1880 US Federal Census Page 5
Founding of Arkoe, and the Talbott Murder The founding of Arkoe, Missouri by Dr. Perry Talbott, and the trial of the two Talbott boys for murder of their father.
Missouri Encyclopedia Title	Missouri Encyclopedia Preface Pages v vi	Missouri Encyclopedia Quotations Page viii	Missouri Encyclopedia Arkoe Founding Page 8	Missouri Encyclopedia Talbott Murder Pages 148 149
Arkoe Founding Two Accounts 1877 Top Bottom 1973 Title 95 96	Arkoe Founding Another Account 1882 Part 1 2 3	Arkoe Founding Another Account 1910 Part 1 2 3 4 5 6	Arkoe Founding Another Account Arkoe	Perry Talbott Will Text Probate Record
Talbott Murder 1882 History Title Preface-1 Preface-2 Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9	Talbott Murder Jesse James Barnard Bulletin 7 Jul 1932 Top Bottom	Talbott Murder Death Sentences in Missouri 1803-2005 Text	Talbott Sons Burial Nodaway Democrat 28 Jul 1881 Page Zoom	News Page 28 Jul 1881 Page Index A B C D
Talbott Murder Nodaway Democrat 5 Aug 1897 Text	Talbott Murder Newspaper Articles 1880-1884 Text	Talbott Murder Early Book Cover	Talbott Murder Early Book Opening Pages	Talbott Family Legends 1 2 3 4
The Talbott Family Cemetery One-half mile west of the Talbott family homesite, Arkoe. Buried here are Perry Talbott, his daughters Ianthe (Talbott) Shore and Ella Rosa Talbott, and sons Albert Perry Talbott and Charles Edward Talbott. Perry Talbott has a headstone column and a footstone. Ella Rosa has a headstone. Albert Perry and Charles Edward have a single stone column. They are buried together. No stone has been found for Ianthe. A drawing of the cemetery was published in the newspaper Nodaway Democrat, 28 July 1881: Talbott Cemetery Layout The cemetery is difficult to find. Its map coordinates are: N 40.26636 W 94.84786 The cemetery is on private land, but Missouri law permits visiting: Private Cemeteries Law These photographs were made in 2007.
From the Road 1 2 3 4 5 6 7	Around the Site 8 9 10 11 12 13 14	Around the Site 15 16 17 18 19 20 21	Around the Site 22 23 24 25 26 27 28	Around the Site 29 30 31 32 33
Perry Talbott Headstone 1 2 3	Perry Talbott Footstone 1 2 3 4 5	Ella Rosa Talbott 1 2 3	Albert and Charles 1 2 3 4	Albert's side 1 2 Charles's side 1 2
In November 2016, Larry and Teresa Roberts visited the Talbott Family Cemetery. Here are photographs from their visit. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Belle (McFarland) Talbott and Robert McClellan Draper After Perry Talbott's death in 1880, his widow Belle Talbott married Robert McClellan Draper. They settled in Hardin County, Ohio. Here is their 1888 marriage license and their 1895 biographies. (Robert Draper died in 1894.)
Robert Draper Belle Talbott Marriage License Recorded	Biographical Record Title Preface	Biographical Record Page 295	Biographical Record Pages 296 297 298 299	Biographical Record Index Pages 1 2 3
Belle Talbott -- Final Years After Robert Draper's death in 1894, Belle married for a third time, to Phillip Rilley in Steele County, Minnesota. (The name is shown as Riley in most records.) The 1900 Federal Census (line 18) shows Belle as divorced, age 67, living in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota. She is listed in the Faribault City Directory for 1899, 1902 and 1903, with her son Cicero living with her in 1902. She lives in Faribault in the 1905 Minnesota State Census (line 9). She owns a home, with a family boarding with her. By 1910 she is an 'inmate' at the Rice County Poor Farm. She died there on Jan 30, 1910. Belle is buried in the Rice County Poor Farm Cemetery. Her name is misspelled -- in two different ways. On her Death Certificate her name is misspelled 'Riely'. Her parents are shown as "Unknown". On her headstone her name is misspelled 'Reily'. Her age and birthplace are shown incorrectly. It was a lonely end for a woman who knew so much in her life, in her young marriage, then to wealth and prominence, tragic loss of her husband, two sons, two daughters. Now alone on a Poor Farm, with eight of her twelve children still living, but they are miles away. Here is a 1910 description of the Poor Farm: Poor Farm
1900 US Federal Census Wisconsin (Phillip)	1900 US Federal Census Minnesota (Belle)	1899, 1903 Faribault, Minnesota Directory	1902 Faribault, Minnesota Directory Belle Cicero	1905 State Census Minnesota (Belle)
Space available	Space available	Space available	Space available	1910 Belle Death Certificate
2008 Poor Farm 1 2 3	2008 Poor Farm 4 5	2008 Poor Farm 6 7	2008 Poor Farm 8 9	2008 Poor Farm 10 11