The Talbott Family
Perry Hosher Talbott (1827-1880)
Perry H. Talbott was born and raised in Ohio. He received a good education and got his degree at Sterling Medical College in Columbia, OH. He then moved west to Northwest Missouri seeking fortune. Later in 1852, he was one of the many that went to California in search of gold. He returned to Nodaway County and it is unknown if he was successful in finding any gold.
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Talbott lived the rest of his life in Arkoe, Nodaway County in Missouri. He was the physician for the county and was also heavily involved in local politics. He owned and edited a newspaper called the Greenback Standard. He used this as a platform to express the Greenback party’s platform and ideas. He ran for many local, state, national political offices over the years, only being successful locally. Talbott was also a property owner, acquiring land across the county.
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Talbott was often described as strong, successful, and admirable. He was a beloved figure to the public because of his work as a physician, politician, and his work in growing the community. However, he was also sometimes controversial and frequently was both a defendant and plaintiff in local court cases. He was a gambler and regularly was caught up in the legal system for betting on games of cards (see example a and example b from the Missouri State Archives). He also was sued for owing money and for money owed to him. More court records on Talbott are available at the State Archives here; search for Talbott and Nodaway County.
He also led a volatile life behind the closed doors of his home. Talbott was sad to “lack affection,” be “cold-hearted,” and to not care about how his children were raised. After his death, it was revealed that this icy side of him was possibly worse than anyone thought. It is highly likely that he abused both his wife and children. This is believed to be the reason he died.
“Dr. Talbott was a man of ungovernable temper. In his family circle, he was a brute and a tyrant...The boys had seen him frequently abuse and maltreat their mother...”
Isabelle 'Belle' Talbott (1833-1910)
Isabelle or ‘Belle’ is the wife of Doc Talbott. Belle was born March 2, 1833 in Richland, Ohio. She met Talbott in Paige County, where they married and moved to Nodaway County 1853. Not much else is known about her, only that she stayed home with her children. Belle had been arrested along with her sons, Albert and Charles, and their farmhand Henry Wyatt.
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Anna Hosher, a friend of Belle’s, stated during the trial that Belle had confided in her about her desire to leave her husband because he abused her but couldn’t because she didn’t want to leave her children behind. Anne said this changed however when Belle’s youngest child, Ella, died. Mitchell, Belle’s cousin, also claimed this too. She adamantly denied this accusation, however admitting that she did want to leave him.
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By law, Belle was considered “civilly dead” because she was a married woman, and this meant she and her children belonged to her husband. She could leave him, but he had ownership over their children. This is why she struggled with the decision to leave her husband. While it isn’t clear why she denied the abuse allegations, it’s highly possible it was because the prosecution was using this as a motive for Doc Talbott’s murder.
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Despite losing both Albert and Charles, Belle was eventually able to remarry and moved with her husband to Ohio.
Albert Perry Talbott (1859-1881)
Albert was the oldest son of Belle and Perry Talbott. He set the example for his younger siblings and was somewhat of a father figure due to the lack of attention from their father. He was described as a very handsome young man. When his father was killed, Albert was only 21 years old. He worked on his father’s farm and was most likely going to inherit the farm. He was also engaged to a young woman, Margaret Maxey, and they were planning their future together. She stayed by his side until his death.
Charles Edward Talbott (1864-1881)
Charles was the younger of the two boys, he was 17 when he died. His facial features were more distinct with his high cheekbones and his slender frame. He was described as more mature compared to his brother. When faced with the hardships of the trial, he remained more level headed, where Albert openly revealed his emotions. Charles was less sociable and rarely left home. He worked on the farm with his brother but there is no information about his future plans. An interesting fact about Charles is his talent for writing. When he knew the execution was inevitable, he wrote a poem about his life, the death of his father, his imprisonment, and how he felt in his final moments in jail.
Other Talbotts
Perry and Belle had 10 other children, besides Charles and Albert. They had seven daughters and five sons in total. Olivia, Ianthe, Ida, Ada, John, Cora, Jennie, Cicero, Wallace, and Ella. She died shortly before her fathers murder. These Talbott children are often overlooked or forgotten when looking at the history of the murder of Doc Talbott.