From the Chastain Scrapbook

Death of Mr. Isaac Tallman
The M. E. Church bell in Leon has struck within 16 days 238 times, to indicate the years of three men who have died within that time--Fathers Penniwell, McCready, and Tollman, who lives in the order named extended to 70, 77, and 91 years.

Mr. Tolman died Friday morning last, and was buried on Saturday. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. A. Brown and supplemented at the M. E. Church at the 11 o'clock services on Sunday.

Mr. Brown gave some interesting reminiscenses of the deceased and family, a part of which bordered on the romantic. Father Tollman was born in Berkley Co., VA, A.D. 1790 near (this was left blank) Mountain, upon which Mrs. Boarer, in after years was lost and wandered with her infant child, sleeping in the snow at night from Friday until Monday. She was discovered and saved. She was the sister of Father Tollman. Dr. J. B. Finley in his "Autobiography", p. 212 and 217, tells this story in graphic language. Mr. Jas. Penniwell and others were well acquainted with both mother and daughter; the latter married an unvle of Mrs. Tallman of this city.

Father Tallman was married and also united with the M. E. Church about the time of "Hull's Surrender," and consequently was a member of the church for about two thirds of a century.

He was the father of three sons and one daughter, who average over 60 years of age, and whose aggregate years with the father's amounts to 330.

Father Penniwell lived near him since Mr. P.'s infancy, and drifted strangely together from Ohio to this place to be buried within a few days of each other. "Thus they were pleasant in their lives, and in their deaths they were not dividided." Both experienced similar domestic infelicity in their later years. Mr. Tollman's so great as to partly shadow his intellect. all who knew him well seem to agree that he was singlularly free from every vice and unsavory doing, and a consistent and sincere Christian.

Copied by Judy Chastain
February 24, 2003