Talbert Family History
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Letter written by Rollin Edward Talbert to son Robert. .
A short biography of David Talbert buried at Oak Hill Cemetery and his wife, Frances Ruth Sallee buried at Concord Cemetery. David was the son of Abel Talbert and Delila Morris buried at Concord Cemetery Enroute to Cassville, MO February 14, 1956 My dear Son: This letter, Robert, is a short biography of your Grandfather, David Talbert, and incidentally his family, which I am prompted to write you because you have always lived a considerable distance from him and because you never had the privilege of knowing him intimately. Pa, as he was always designated by his children, was born December 16, 1855 on a farm in Shelby County, Indiana near Shelbyville. He was the oldest of five children. His father?s name was Abel Talbert who was both a schoolteacher and a farmer. His mother?s maiden name was Delilah Morris. Pa always had a firm belief that mother?s people were related to Robert Morris who, as you know, was one of the patriots of the Revolutionary war. It is definitely known that the Morris family came from the eastern part of Pennsylvania. Pa?s mother was not an educated woman, in fact she could not read, however, she was well-educated from the standpoint of practical experience and adaptability to circumstances. She was well-informed in the practical management of her house and farm. She was particularly skillful in taking care of the sick. In those days there were very few doctors with the result that when sickness came, either to her family or to the families of neighbors, she was invariably called and directed the treatment that was given. She frequently officiated at the birth of children, often handling the case without the aid of a doctor. Pa has often told me that he made a regular hand in the field when he was nine years old. For about four months, during the winter he would attend the county school until he completed what would now be the equivalent, I presume, to your seventh or eighth grade. He enjoyed his reading work most of all. Readers were classified from first to sixth. The sixth reader was of the nature of an elocution study. I have this old book in my possession. The proficiency which he gained in his school days as a reader was demonstrated in later years after he had a family of his own. I can well remember the other children and myself gathering around him at night after the day?s work was done and listening to him read to us. (Note: Shelbyville is located approximately 20 miles south of Indianapolis.) The pioneer spirit, which was the impulse to move westward to new lands, was still strong among the farming people as Pa grew up to young manhood. Although his father had a good farm and was comparatively "well fixed" the urge to move westward could not be resisted. When Pa was 15 years of age (1870), his father and Mother with all the children, household goods and farm equipment, came to Missouri in a chartered car as far as Aurora, Mo. From there they came in wagons settled on a farm about 1 1/2 miles northwest of where Exeter, Mo. is now. (Exeter, Mo. is in the southwest corner of the state, only 10 miles from Arkansas.) On this farm there was a large spring which later became known as the Talbert Spring and is so designated to this day. Pa?s brothers and sisters in the order of their birth are as follows: Jesse, deceased, married Alice Featherston, also deceased; Louisa married Henry Thompson, deceased, and now lives in Hurd, Mo.; Martha and Mary, twins. Mary, deceased, married John McNabb, also deceased; Martha married John W. Manning and both lived in Colorado Springs. Jesse was a farmer and lived in and near Exeter, Mo. all his life with the exception of two years in the State of Kansas. Aunt Louise?s husband was a carpenter, Mary?s husband was a school teacher and farmer and for the past 40 years has lived in and near Colorado Springs, Colo. When the Talbert family moved to Barry County, Mo., primitive methods of farming were still in vogue. Such farming implements as binders, mowers, riding cultivators and discs were unknown. Wheat was cut with an implement known as a cradle which resembled a scythe with the exception that it had long finger-like projections which paralleled the blade and stood to two feet above the blade forming a "cradle" about 2 feet wide so that when the wheat was cut by the knife it would fall into this cradle and could easily be picked up and deposited in small piles on the ground. Practically all plowing of the ground was done with a "single stock" with only one narrow shovel attached. This type of plow was known as a "bull tongue" because the long thin narrow shovel somewhat resembled the tongue of a bull. Your great-grandfather, Abel Talbert, was enterprising, and for his day, an up-to-date farmer. The first machine for cutting wheat by use of horsepower was introduced in that part of the country by him. This machine was known as a reaper. In general appearance it was somewhat like the present mower. Some years later the reaper was further improved by an attachment in the nature of a lattice platform by means of which the wheat when cut could be carried short distances and deposited in bunches on the ground so that it could be easily bound into sheaves. Abel Talbert also showed his progressive nature in that he was the first farmer to introduce the growing of red clover in Southwest Missouri. In those days people traveled mostly on horseback; carriages and buggies were as yet unknown in this part of the country, in fact there were very few wagons. There were no graded roads. Main highways were little more than by-paths. I have often heard Pa say that when he was courting my Mother he always rode to her home on horseback. If they were planning to go any place such as church or to a party, he would take an extra horse for mother to ride. Every girl was expected to have her own saddle and riding habit. The saddle was of a form now seldom used. It was known as the "side saddle". I can well remember Mother?s side saddle. Your Aunts, Alice, Zuma and Delia, have all used Mother?s side saddle. This type of saddle had a rather broad seat with two horns thus enabling a person to sit on a horse sideways. It was considered indecent for a woman to ride astride. Such a saddle, however, did not give the rider a very secure hold on the horse. It was difficult to mount a horse equipped with one of these saddles. Up to date farmers, however, always had at their front gate a large log, about three feet long, turned on end with a with a step cut in one side for the use of the women folk in mounting their horses. Such a contrivance was known as a stile (or style?). I have often heard Pa relate a very humiliating experience which mother had while he was courting her. In attempting to mount her horse from the stile, she jumped with too much force with the result that when she struck the saddle she lost her balance and fell to the other side of the ground. Fortunately, only her pride was injured. Only last summer when I was at the Horner cemetery with Pa (where brother Jim is buried) he told me of having made a trip escorting Mother from her home west of Exeter on horse back to the Horner Church, a distance of 8 miles or more. When the Talbert family was located at the Talbert Spring farm, the town of Exeter had not been established. The nearest town was Cassville, Mo. a mere trading post. The grinding of wheat and corn into flour and meal was done at mills operated by water power. There were mills at Roaring River, Corsicana, Gadfly and also one on Flat Creek, north of Cassville, which later became known as the Talbert mill because it was owned and operated by Alpheues Talbert, Pa?s uncle. Wheat and corn were carried on horse back or by wagon to these mills as food supplies were required. Each farmer would be required to wait his turn at the mill for his particular sack of wheat or corn to be ground. In consideration for the grinding, the miller kept a part of the wheat or corn as his "toll". The grinding was accomplished by two large stones turning one above the other. The grain was allowed to pass between these stones and was crushed and ground in the process. Pa, at the age of 16, was unusually strong and large. Even at this age he could do more work on the farm then the average man. He successfully competed against the best cradlers which was the most laborious work known on the farm. At the age of 17, Pa married my mother, Frances Ruth Sallee, who was 7 years his senior. Their first home was a one room box house on a part of the Talbert Spring farm. Alice was born at this place. Their next home was a "homestead" - a 40 acre tract of land about 1 mile from the Talbert Spring farm. Pa bought this claim from a neighbor, Bill Edens, for a shotgun. He made small payments to the Government until he secured title. The land was all in timber commonly known as scrub oak, a timber of little value and very difficult to remove from the land so that it might be tillable. The house was of logs and consisted of one room which was about the size of the living room in our home including the vestibule. All household functions were carried out in this room. It was living room, bedroom, kitchen and parlor all in one. The modern conveniences which we now have in our home were unknown. Water was obtained from a well about a quarter mile from the house, a distance equal to about 4 city blocks. Bath and toilet rooms were unknown. The house was heated by a large fireplace and for awhile all the cooking was done here by the use of pots and dutch oven. Later Pa obtained enough money by hauling hogs to Pierce City for a stock buyer to buy a cook stove. My mother was very proud of this possession. Her mother had no cook stove until years after my mother?s marriage. Matches were very scarce and expensive and were never used if a flame could be obtained by touching a piece of folded paper to the coals of fire in the fireplace. The table as a general rule was supplied with cornbread, milk butter, eggs, poultry, molasses, bacon and vegetables in season and from time to time with wild game such as quail, turkey, squirrel, rabbit and deer. When Pa was married his worldly possessions consisted of one pony and a cow and fifteen dollars in money. Mother?s hope chest was of great value. It consisted of hand-made quilts, blankets and bed linens; also feather beds and pillows. The feathers were picked from the flock of geese on the Sallee farm. The wool for the blankets was furnished by sheep on the farm and was carded, spun and woven at home. Cotton for quilt padding was raised on the farm. The experience gained by this frugal and industrious life was of great value to Mother in establishing the new home. It was not long until Pa acquired 2 oxen, a wagon and a few farming implements. Zuma, Delia and Tom were born in this house. Sometime after the birth of Tom, Pa built another log house. It was quite similar to the first and about the same size. It was also heated by a large fireplace. Jim was born in this house. As stated above the farm was covered with small timber when Pa moved on it. Each year he would clear off part of the timber until he had finally cleared most of the land. He raised small quantities of corn, wheat and oats together with a garden and truck patches. As he cleared the land he used part of wood for fuel, the remainder had to be burned as there was no market. While Pa still lived on this farm, the Frisco railroad was built through what is now Exeter. Pa worked on the road and Mother boarded some of the "hands". There was also during the building of the railroad, a demand for the timber and cordwood. Pa remained on this farm about 10 years. He then moved to a farm adjoining the Talbert Spring farm. There was a two story frame house on this farm, two rooms downstairs and one upstairs. Pa remained on this farm about 2 years. My brother, Henry, was born at this place. The same pioneer urge, which had caused grandfather Abel Talbert to move from Indiana to Missouri, was still strong in the blood with the result that Pa and his brother Jesse and grandfather conceived the idea of moving to western Kansas where it was not so thickly settled and where they would have more room to expand. They disposed of their Missouri farm, organized a wagon train and made the trek overland to Rush Center, Kansas. There were about 8 head of horses and 50 head of cattle. At night tents were pitched in which the respective families slept. Cooking was done by camp fires. Their horses were allowed to graze along the roadside and in open and unused fields. It required about 3 weeks to make the journey. Pa being a great believer in the strict observance of the Sabbath and although he was in a great hurry to reach his destination, the wagon train did not move on Sunday. The first house occupied after reaching Kansas was a stone house, 2 rooms on the first floor and 2 rooms on the second floor. This house was heated with a stove. The fuel consisted of coal supplemented with cow and buffalo chips, that is the manure dropped by these animals on the open prairie, hardened and dried into small cakes without odor. This type of fuel was collected by driving the wagon over the prairie, the children following along collecting the chips where ever they could find them, always on the watchout for centipedes and rattlesnakes, but enjoying the prairie dog town. The family had been in Kansas living in the house just described about 1 1/2 years when I was born. (1890) While in Kansas, Pa engaged in stock raising. Farming operations were not successful because of the lack of rain. The country was also afflicted with terrible blizzards in the winter. For example, Pa had a number of cattle in a corral about a quarter mile from the house. During these storms it was necessary for him to stretch a rope from the house to the corral fence which he could follow as a guide during the storm in order not to lose his way making this short trip. It was finally decided life would be more endurable and the opportunities for making a living greater back in Missouri where they formerly lived. Hence there was another wagon train and another trek back to southwestern Missouri where Pa continued to live the remainder of his days. On the way back from Kansas several incidents occurred, a few of which I will mention. While Harry, who was then about 4 years old was feeding wisps of grass to one of the horses, the horse caught the end of one of his fingers along with the grass between his teeth and amputated the finger just back of the nail. My Mother treated the injury without the assistance of a doctor and the wound healed perfectly. From time to time Pa would buy corn and fodder from farmers along the way to feed his horses. On one occasion he had bought considerable quantify of fodder and tied a portion of it at the back of the wagon which was being driven by Alice. As the wagon passed a group of men, Alice heard a remark that the fodder had probably been stolen. After the wagons had traveled on for about a mile or so, Pa was informed as to the remark that had been made. Pa had such a sense of honesty and square dealing that he became very indignant at being suspected of being a thief with the result that he immediately mounted one of the saddle horses and rode back to the group of men and informed them exactly when and where he had purchased the fodder and extracted from them profuse apologies. Another occasion which was exciting to the children, was when one of the cows became lodged in quick sand in crossing a stream. Pa unhitched one of his trusty horses from the wagon, threw a rope around the cow?s horns and dragged her from the mire. On returning to Missouri, Pa purchased an 80 acre farm located 2 miles west of Exeter. The farm was bought subject to a mortgage which required an interest payment of $50.00 per year. This was indeed a large sum for us and it required a hard struggle and sacrifices each year to raise this amount. I can well remember on one occasion when the interest money had been raised, Pa giving me the great privilege of putting the money in each of my pockets so that I could boastingly tell my playmates that I had had $50.00 in each of my pockets. The family continued to live on this farm for a period of about 8 years with all the children attending the Independence School which was about 2 miles from the farm, all finishing there except myself. The most outstanding incident during our life on this farm was the terrible scourge of sickness. All the children except Alice contracted typhoid fever at one time. I had the fever in a light form and was not confined to bed. All survived except my brother Harry. The disease was undoubtedly contracted as a result of use of water from a well to which surface water frequently drained. The use of typhoid vaccination had not been heard of in those days. Immediately after this sage of sickness Pa, at much expense, had a well drilled on higher ground. While living on this farm Pa experienced some trouble with Tom and Jim on account of their quarreling and fighting with each other. He finally discovered a plan which was effective in eliminating further difficulty between the two boys. When a quarrel or fight would arise, Pa immediately approached the nearest peach tree and cut three sizable switches. He would deliver one switch to each boy and hold the other himself. He would then command them to start switching each other and if they were not as active in this performance as he thought they should be, he would make up with his switch any deficiency, with the result that the boys soon became quite sociable with each other, but would fight with anyone else for their own or the other?s protection. My Mother always contended, however, that several good peach trees were destroyed in the experiment. I cannot recall ever being punished by my Father although I am quite sure I must have deserved it many times. Notwithstanding the fact that Pa himself had not had the benefit of higher education, he always insisted that his children should secure the best education within his power to give them. Education was a topic which was frequently discussed in the family and Pa never ceased in his efforts to instill in the mind of each of his children the importance of this subject. He watched closely the progress we made in school. He was always cooperative with our teachers. He frequently warned us that if we misbehaved in school and should be punished by the teacher, he himself would punish us again when we reached home. It should be remembered that our Mother was also interested in the education of her children and cooperated in every way with Pa in this undertaking. Even before the family left this farm west of Exeter, Pa and Mother had at considerable sacrifice to themselves arranged for Zuma and Delia to go to school at Cassville with the result that both Zuma and Delia had secured certification to teach school. Zuma had taught three country schools, one term in Liberty district, one at Seven-Star and one at Eagle Rock. Arrangements had also been made for Zuma to attend a normal school at Chillicothe, Mo. She was in fact attending this school when the family moved to Cassville. Pa and Mother arranged for Tom and Jim to attend the Cassville School before the family finally moved. Alice went with them and they did light house keeping. Alice still followed her chosen profession, dress making. She was naturally gifted in this work and for years did the greater part of the family sewing. She often made dresses for relatives and friends. After the family moved to Cassville she accepted a position with the Hawk Millinery Co. in Cassville. Pa and Mother, after giving the subject much careful thought and consideration and contrary to the advice of many of their friends and relatives, finally decided to rent their farm, move to Cassville and rent another farm in order that Tom and Jim and myself might have the opportunity of attending and completing the Cassville school and also attending summer sessions of Teacher?s normal schools which were held each year in Cassville. This move to Cassville required extraordinary courage and foresight. The family was able to seek out a living west of Exeter and it seemed obvious that, from a financial point of view, the family could not live as well on a rented farm as they could on the farm which they owned; but to give their children this opportunity Pa and mother were willing to make this sacrifice, it being their belief that the ultimate object would justify the move even though there might be a financial loss in the next few years. Rather severe criticism was leveled at them by those who lacked their vision and foresight. It was said that David Talbert was a fool to give up his own farm and move to a rented farm where the buildings and other accommodations were not as good as on his own farm merely for the purpose of educating his children. It was further said that education would do his children no good and would perhaps spoil boys who otherwise might have made good farmers. The move was made. Pa rented a farm about 1/2 mile southeast of Cassville from a prominent lawyer who was always a true and loyal friend of the family. The farm was very rough and rocky and had been poorly managed for many years and was not as tillable or productive as the farm west of Exeter from which we had moved. The house in which we were compelled to live was an old dilapidated frame house with no foundation and leaning to such an extent that it was necessary to place heavy props against it. The roof was so rotten that when it rained many pot and pans were required to catch the drips. Pa and the family, however, persevered and by hard work and strictest economy succeeded in making a living and keeping the children in school. Through the kindness of our landlord, Thomas M. Allen, Pa, Tom and Jim were given considerable work in rebuilding the fences about the farm and clearing off young timber which had grown up. They were paid a wage when they worked at 75 cents per day which we all thought a very handsome sum. It should be understood, however, that they had never heard of the 8 hour day. They began work at 7 A.M. and seldom quit before 7 in the evening. About 2 years after moving on this Cassville farm, fortune smiled upon the family. Through the kindness of Mr. Allen, a new 6 room house together with a nice barn was built on this farm. This was by far the nicest house in which the family had ever lived. Many incidents of importance to the family took place on this farm some of which I will now describe. In order to further add to our livelihood, Pa secured a number of cows and started a small dairy. We delivered milk twice a day in Cassville. The deliveries were made in an open type vehicle. Milk was distributed from a large 10 gallon can. As illustrating Pa's deep sense of honest and sincere dealing, I will tell you of the trouble he went to in having a measuring cup made. In taking the milk from the can, we were supposed to use a pint measuring can to which a long handle was attached. Pa was not satisfied with the ordinary pint cup because it was made to hold exactly one pint. For fear that in taking a pint measure from the can, we would not be able to lift it out absolutely full to the top and therefore might not give our customers full measure, he had made at the hardware store a special cup which would hold 1 and 1/8 pint. The dairy business was continued for a number of years. Tom, Jim and myself at different times acted as delivery boys. I well recall we would start on our morning deliveries about 5 A.M. Pa and Mother always shielded us children and invariably would take the hardest part of the work themselves. In order to get the milking done and ready to be delivered at 5 o?clock, it was necessary for them to get up about 3:30, however, they would not call the one who was to do the delivering until a few minutes before time to start. Pa would even harness our horse and hitch it to the delivery wagon for us. The first one of the children to be married was Alice. She married Edward H. Warren and immediately established a home in Oklahoma. The next child to be married was Zuma. She married William J. Bloomer and established a home in Cassville. Jim was the next to be married. He married Ada Horner and established a home about 2 miles southeast of Cassville. Delia was next. She married John Pinis Stamps and established a home in Arizona. It is fitting here to say a word about Delia. It was no easy task for her to leave her family so far behind and go to a new and unfamiliar country where the environment was so different from her Missouri home. She, perhaps more than any of the other children has demonstrated the worth of the fine heritage of pioneer courage, strength of character and ability to meet and overcome the problems of a new country. In the mean time all the children with the exception of Alice had graduated from Cassville High School. Zuma, Delia, Tom and Jim had secured teacher?s certificates and had taught in various schools in Barry County. Jim had attended State Normal School at Warrensburg. A short time after he returned he took up the study of law in the office of J. S Davis, a prominent lawyer located in Cassville. Jim passed the bar examination and was duly admitted to practice law. He set up an office in Cassville. He served two terms as Prosecuting Attorney of the County, and later made the race for Circuit Judge but was defeated by a few votes. Soon after this Jim became attorney for the U.S. Shipping Board and moved to Washington D.C. Later he became assistant to the U.S. Attorney General and held this position at the time of his death. While still living on the Allen place, Tom was appointed rural mail carrier out of Cassville. He held this position continuously until he went to the State University with the exception of a few months during which he acted as the U.S. Weather Observer at Memphis, Tenn. About 1910 he entered the Agriculture Department of the State University, graduating in 1913 with high honors. He was immediately given a position in the Agriculture Extension Service of the University of Missouri. Later he served the State Agricultural College of Kansas in the same capacity. Still later he spent one summer at the University of California where he studied and taught. He returned to the University of Missouri as head of the Horticulture Department which position he now holds with honor and profit. During the World War (I), he served as Secretary to the Missouri State Food Administrator and in the Administrator's absence served as acting Administrator. He was married in 1917 to Mary Allene Williams. In regard to your old Dad there isn?t much to be said. During my last year in the Cassville High School and for about 1 year thereafter, I worked as a clerk in the Cassville Post Office. (Read the postal cards and kept generally informed.) My next major effort was a decision to qualify myself as a dentist. To this end I became apprentice to Mr. O. H. Theile, an excellent dentist and honorable man. I became proficient enough to fill, extract and clean teeth. I was also fairly clever in mending broken false teeth. I am not sure that I was a painless dentist. I sometimes thought that my patients were in a quandary as to whether they should have me work on them or bear the torture of an aching tooth. I got most of my experience from friends and relatives who were good enough, or perhaps dumb enough, to permit me to work on them. Don't get the impression that my time was spent principally doing dental work. I must modestly admit that I was also a janitor. After following the janitor-dental work for about a year, I was forced to the conclusion that it would be impossible for me to become a dentist in as much as it would be necessary to spend several years in dental school. Dental schools at that time were all private institutions and required substantial sums for tuition in addition to board and lodging. Since I had no money and Pa was unable to finance me, which he would have done gladly had he been able, I abandoned this undertaking. I next began to cast about for some way or means of earning a livelihood. The thought entered my mind that perhaps the criticism that Pa had spoiled good farmers by giving his sons education might possibly be true in my case. I had wild ideas about going west. (Some of the old pioneer urge coming out again.) During this period of uncertainty your Uncle Tom did me a great favor. Figuratively speaking he "collared" me one day and told me that my schemes and plans about going west were ridiculous. He said that the thing for me to do was to go to the State University and complete my education which had hardly begun. This idea developed in my mind like leaven in bread. I must here pay tribute to another staunch and loyal friend of the family, Eli Meador, present editor of the Cassville Republican. Eli had been to the University and was able to give me many helpful and practical suggestions particularly on how to gain entrance to the University and how I might work my way through school. I finally mustered up the courage to go to University. This was the first time I had ever been away from home for any considerable length of time and if ever there was a homesick boy, it was I. Mother had prepared a box of fried chicken for me to eat on the way but the sight of the box brought such a longing for home and together with swallowing the lump in my throat, I had no appetite. I finally arrived in Columbia and found after taking two entrance examinations that I would not be able to immediately enter the University but must first spend one semester in preparatory school. All this, of course, did not help my homesickness and again I felt that the criticism about spoiling a good farmer was probably just. At this juncture fortunately another good friend came to the rescue. Mr. William K. Bayless, King Bayless as everyone called him, who had lived for many years in Cassville gave me valuable advice and help. Mr. Bayless had known the family for many years. Zuma had worked in their home while attending the Cassville School. Mr. Bayless had moved to Columbia in order to educate his own children and had at the same time built up a prosperous business as an abstractor. I went to Mr. Bayless with my troubles and he not figuratively but literally took me in his home and gave me my room and board in consideration of performing general household work such as sweeping, dish drying, cleaning floors, beating rugs, taking care of the furnace etc., etc. I lived in the Bayless home for one year. By the second semester I had gotten "wised up" and had entered the University for my first year in College. My second year I had worked out better arrangements for my board and keep. I had secured a room on the top floor of the U. D. Club at an expense of $26.00 per year. I also secured my meals at this Club at a cost of $2.50 per week. My room was warm and comfortable and was desirable in every way except the windows were so high that I had to operate them with a window pole and had no vision to the outside except the sky. I had also secured more lucrative employment. I spent several hours each day and evening keeping the medical library for which I received 15 cents per hour. This job was very attractive except for the fact that I had to close up the library at 10 o'clock at night and walk down a long dark hall that passed through a dissecting room in which there were 25 or 30 human bodies lying on slabs. These bodies were for practice work by medical students. Occasionally I supplemented my income over the Xmas holidays by working for the Agricultural Department setting up farm machinery. This work also paid me 15 cents per hour. During the later years of my stay at the University I considerably supplemented my finances by operating a dance hall which was in the U. D. Club. I would arrange for dances about every two weeks and was permitted to keep whatever profit was made. By diligent effort I obtained 2 degrees from the University in 5 1/2 years. The normal time required was 6 years but as previously stated I was required to spend one semester in preparatory school. In 1909 I received the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in 1911 the degree L.L.B. cum laude. I took part in some other activities. I was a member of the Union Literary Debating Society and also a member of the Phi Delta Phi Law fraternity. I was also elected as a member of the Order of the Coif, an honorary Law Fraternity consisting of the three highest men in the graduating class each year. I might also mention that while a senior in the Law department, I won a prize consisting of a set of 38 Law books known as the American English Encyclopedia of Law, for having written the best paper on a certain law subject. I was fairly successful as a University Cadet. I obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The year I was captain I won the Silver Cup for having the best drilled company. The total sum contributed to me by my parents was $50.00. When I graduated all my bills were paid and I owed no one. I might add that I made considerable sums which greatly helped in defraying my expenses by working one summer as assistant County Assessor and by working another summer as U. S. Census enumerator. You are already quite well aware of what my life has been since I left school. I will make no further comments about myself, in fact, I have already said too much. During my first year in school and while Pa and Mother were still living on the Allen place, Mother died suddenly of pneumonia. About a year and a half before Mother?s death, Zuma?s husband had died. After Mother's death Pa lived with Zuma. About three years thereafter Pa married Mrs. Rhoda Adams and they moved to his ranch near Roaring River. He lived there only a few months. He then moved to the farm east of Cassville where he was living at the time of his death. It is well here to say something more about Zuma. After her husband died, she was given a position in the Cassville School, where she was teaching at the time of her marriage. She held this position until 1917. Then after the tragic death of Ruth, she moved to Columbia, Missouri where Tom had been instrumental in securing her a position as clerk in the office of the Extension Director. She worked in this office continuously until the autumn of 1934 when, because of ill health, she resigned. She had been office manager several years when she resigned. At the beginning of my senior year in the Law department, Tom decided to resign as mail carrier and enter the Agricultural College at the University. When Tom resigned, Pa took the Government examination for the job and succeeded in being appointed. Pa carried the mail for a period of about 9 years. He finally resigned as mail carrier and moved to our Seligman Farm. The farm had been neglected, the fences were in bad condition, much of the farm had grown up in young timber and some of the land was badly washed with ditches. Pa remained on this farm for about a period of 14 years, in fact until his health became so bad that he was unable to manage the farm. He took great interest in the farm, repaired the fences, cut the sprouts, had the ditches filled and supervised planting and bringing into bearing state a 60 acre orchard. Full credit must be given to Pa for the development of our orchard and this farm to it's present high state of improvement. After leaving the Seligman Farm Pa moved back to his own farm east of Cassville. For about five years prior to his death, February 13, 1935, Pa had been almost totally disabled as a result of a heart ailment. Pa had only one hobby, that was hunting. During the early part of his life he obtained much pleasure in hunting deer, wild turkey and foxes. Fox hunting was his principal sport and in fact he continued this diversion and kept a pack of hounds up until about the time Mother died. I can well remember his working all day long in the field and at night taking his hounds and riding out to the mountains 7 or 8 miles away with the hope of having a fox race. There was no absolute certainty that the hounds would start a fox but his many fruitless trips in no way dampened his ardor for the sport. Frequently his trips to the mountain were made alone. It was not his purpose to catch the fox, he merely desired to hear the hounds as they chased it. I have known him, when a fox was caught alive in a hole or in a tree, to turn it loose again. Only last summer, 1934, Pa had the pleasure of driving out to the mountains in an automobile with a relative, Alfred Dyer of Indiana who was visiting him, and hearing a lively fox exchange. When the older children were small and while the family lived on the homestead, he frequently went deer hunting. One time, Zuma relates, he brought home a deer which had been killed in the chase and to entertain the family he made tracks with the deer?s feet around the house, yard and barn and then turned the hounds loose. There was lively barking and running. The dogs thought a deer had had the impudence to come upon their own domain. Pa's most famous hunting dogs were as follows: Driver, who was brought from Indiana and was 1/16 bloodhound, was black and tan colored, heavy built and had the best nose of any dog in that part of the country. He could trail where other dogs failed. Driver was used as the foundation stock of all the other dogs raised and kept by Pa; this dog?s good hunting characteristics and black and tan color predominated throughout the pack as long as he kept hounds. He was accidentally shot while deer hunting by a hunter who meant to kill the deer. Snorter was another dog, so named because her nose had been split accidentally by Pa while chopping some animal out of a log and ever after when she ran, she snorted trying to breathe. Track, a spotted deer and fox hound, had an unusually sensitive nose and would track the deer long after other hounds had given up the chase. I have heard Pa tell about his running deer until his feet would leave specks of blood upon the snow. Often when his feet were in bad condition, Pa would carry him on his horse until the hunting ground was reached. Reed, another dog, was much like his ancestor Driver, in fact, he seemed to have inherited the exact characteristics which made Driver famous as a fox and deer hunter. Boomer was from what was known as the Warren stock of dogs. Pa secured him when he was only a tiny pup before his eyes were open. Zuma was a tiny baby at the same time and in order to be sure that the pup got the proper food, Mother permitted it to nurse at her breast for a day or two. Screamer was a spotted deer and fox hound so named because of her peculiar scream when in the chase. This scream could be heard at a great distance and always indicated a hot scent. Pa had many other dogs that were highly trained. Your Uncle Tom still has the cow?s horn which Pa used to call his dogs. This horn could be heard for 3 or 4 miles. Pa had signals for calling his friends to the chase. E. H. Warren, now Alice?s husband, was a favorite hunting croney. Pa also had certain saddle horses of which he was particularly fond. The most outstanding was a small yellow buck skin pony named Molly. She had a black mane and tail. She was sure footed and had a very strong sense of direction. Pa could ride her at full speed through brush and over rough ground without fear of her falling. If he were out at night time and lost his way, all he had to do was give Molly the reins and permit her to go in the direction she chose. She would invariably take him home. She was a thoroughbred buckskin Indian pony. Ernest Sallee said in speaking of her, "She was the toughest pony that ever lived." Pa often rode her bareback while hunting. She was very gentle and any of the children could ride her in safety. Pa brought Molly while we lived on the homestead and took her with him to Kansas. When we left Kansas she was too old and feeble to make the long trip back to Missouri so Pa left her with a neighbor who promised to care for her as long as she lived. Pa joined the Baptist Church while the family was living on the farm west of Exeter, commonly known to the family as the Hodge place. He had always attended Church and had been an upright and law abiding citizen and professor of religion but had never become a member of the Church until this time. Zuma well remembers the occasion when he joined the Church. She and Mother and Pa were attending the Saturday monthly service as usual. Pa had not discussed his intentions of joining the Church even with Mother. It was a very happy moment for her when he asked for membership and was welcomed by the Church. Soon after this Mother obtained her letter from the Presbyterian Church and joined the Baptist Church with Pa. Pa was ever after an active Church member. He was the principal organizer of the Calvary Baptist Church which is located about 1 mile north of Talbert Spring. Pa was a deacon practically the entire period of his Church life and never missed Church service except for good and valid reasons. He was also generous as far as his means would permit in maintaining the Church. There was no family that entertained the preachers more frequently than the Talberts. Pa in his daily life followed the teachings of the New Testament to the best of his ability. He was not a "Sunday Christian". He was an all week Christian. His favorite preachers may be listed as follows: Rev. Sellers who baptized him, Reverends Bratten, Swager, Smith and Chappel. Pa's favorite religious songs were "What a friend we have in Jesus", "Shall we Gather at the River" and "Rock of Ages". Robert, my most sincere hope is that I may be as much to you as my father was to me and that when I am gone you can say of me as I can now say of Pa - "the most noble character I have ever known". Lovingly, Dad Robert Johnston Fritz's note: I retyped this document in Dec. 1997 because the copy I had was extremely difficult to read. The original was written by Rollin Talbert and his sister, Zuma Bloomer, during their train ride to their father?s funeral in Cassville, Missouri in 1935. At the request of their children, they updated this story of their family in 1964. Robert Johnston Fritz April 1997 Family letter in the possession of Robert Johnston Fritz, a direct descendant.
Submitted by Phyllis Long with permission from Robert Johnston Fritz |