Talbott, William H.

TALBOTT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 17:57:15

WILLIAM H. TALBOTT
born Mar 29, 1847, Ohio

W. H. Talbott, a representative of one of the oldest pioneer families of Warren county, was born in a log house erected by his honored father in Belmont county, Ohio, March 29, 1847, a son of Ralph and Elizabeth (Mount) Talbott. They were the parents of the following named children: Susan, wife of A. C. Ralph, who served his country in the late Rebellion as a private in an Iowa regiment, and is now a farmer in Belmont township. W. H., the subject of this sketch; Mary, wife of Palmer Dobson, who also served as an Iowa soldier, and is now a resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa; D. R., also of that city; Ella, deceased at the age of twenty-six years, lies at rest in Waveland cemetery in this township; A.D., who owns a part of the old homestead; and Catherine, who died in infancy. Ralph Talbott, the father, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1815, a son of Henry H. and Susan (Davis) Talbott, natives of Maryland. Henry H. Talbott was a blacksmith by occupation. Early in this century he and his wife crossed the Alleghany mountains into Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Ralph Talbott, father of our subject, located with his father in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1840, where he remained many years. In 1854 he decided to come West, and in the summer of that year arrived in Warren county, Iowa, residing for a short time in Fairfield. He erected a log cabin, 12 x 14 feet, in Belmont township, the earth serving in the capacity of flooring, and the roof being clapboarded, while a rude stick chimney emitted the smoke. This venerable pioneer and his interesting and growing family resided there many years, and there our subject obtained the knowledge of the country schools, and the use of such farming implements as were in use in those days. Not far from the paternal roof stood another log house, in which resided Louis Harlan, and there a committee met for the purpose of town organization. Under that hospitable roof, in 1853, Belmont was christened. Ever after that Ralph Talbott manifested a live and spirited interest in his adopted town, which he had helped organize, and which received its name from Belmont county, Ohio, by virtue of his long residence there. Mr. Talbott held all the town offices of Belmont, and was ever foremost in every enterprise which in his judgment redounded to public good. He was a devout Christian gentleman, and a faithful worker of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His was a long and useful one, and his memory will live in the hearts of not only his family of the early settlers and their descendants. He now lies at rest in Waveland cemetery, been called to the spirit world November 5, 1876. Beside him sleeps his wife, who died 1885. She shared many of the joys and sorrows, trials and tribulations of pioneer existence on the bleak prairies of Warren county. Early in life W. H. Talbott, the subject of this sketch, learned to toil in the field and when yet in his teens his country was in the throes of a rebellion. His patriotism manifested itself by his enlisting as a private in Company D, Thirty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, on September 1, 1862, at Oskaloosa. He participated with his company in the battles of the first siege of Vicksburg; was at Helena, Arkansas; at the capture of Little Rock; in the Red River campaign; at the capture of Mobile; and at the siege of Spanish Fort. He was honorably discharged September 9, 1865, at Davenport. Returning to the plow, Mr. Talbott followed routine duties until coming to his present farm, in March, 1891. His comfortable home is located on section 21, Belmont township. Mr. Talbott, as did his good, Christian father, votes the Republican ticket, and is aggressive in his political convictions. He cast his first vote, while at Little Rock with his regiment, for our martyred President, Abraham Lincoln. He affiliates with the Grand Army of the Republic, being a member of Post No. 275, at Milo.
Mr. Talbott was married October 1, 1878, to Miss Saddie Briggs, a native of Washington county, Ohio, and a daughter of J. S. and Rachel Briggs. Her parents located in Lee county, Iowa, in 1851, and during the war lived in Cedar county, Iowa, coming to Warren county March 3, 1867. J. S. Briggs, the father of Mrs. Talbott, was a native of Ohio, and he lived to attain the age of seventy-four years, his death occurring in Utah. His marriage to Rachel Patterson was consummated in Athens county, Ohio, and his widow is still living, being now (1895) eighty years of age. While Mr. Briggs and his family were residing in Cedar county, Iowa, Edwin Coppoc made his home there. He was one of John Brown's men and was hung at Harper's Ferry. Our subject and wife have three children, namely: R. Wayne, born September 21, 1879; Grace Iowa, March 1, 1882; and Jessie Kate, April 8, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Talbott are members of the Methodist Church. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.476