My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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S. T. Talcott, editor of the Mountain Prospect, a weekly journal at Mountain Grove, Wright Co., Mo., is a native of Vernon, Tolland Co., Conn., where he was born in 1829, being a son of Samuel S. and Harriet S. (Smith) Talcott. Talcott is an English name, and the ancestors of the present family came from England to America at an early date. The paternal grandfather was a farmer and mechanic, and died in Connecticut, his native State. The maternal grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, and was full of humor. At one time, while in the army, and when the soldiers were rationed on horse flesh and told that it was beef, he secured a horse’s tail, fastened it to a pole, and started through the camp, crying “Beef! beef!” He came very near getting court-martialed for this bit of humor. Samuel S. Talcott was born in Vernon, Conn., in 1793, grew to manhood and died in that town in his ninetieth year. He was a farmer and manufacturer by occupation. He was first selectman and justice of the peace for several years, and also represented the county in the Legislature one year. His wife, Harriet (Smith) Talcott, was also a native of Connecticut, born in 1800. They were the parents of six children, three now living, and S. T. Talcott being the fifth in order of birth. He attained his growth and was educated in Connecticut, having in addition to his common-school education attended the graded schools for some time. He assisted his father on the farm, and worked in the paper mill belonging to his father until twenty-two years of age, when he married Miss Louisa Woodford, daughter of Romantia Woodford, a farmer in the town of Avon, Conn. One child was the result of this union, Arthur C., who died at the age of nine years. Mrs. Talcott died in 1859, and Mr. Talcott, in 1861, married Miss Sabra C. Bushnell, who was born in Norwich, Conn., and was educated at Norwich Free Academy. One child, Minnie L., was born to this union; she died at the age of two years. Mrs. Talcott was for several years a teacher in Mountain Grove Academy, and is a regular correspondent for the Missouri and Kansas Farmer. She now supervises the printing department of the office of the Mountain Prospect. She was very popular as a teacher at Mountain Grove. After marriage Mr. Talcott followed paper manufacturing for a number of years, when his health failed, and he traveled for some time. During the late war he enlisted in the Federal army under Hancock, Twenty-seventh Connecticut Volunteers, and was out nine months. He was at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and was for a time in Libby Prison. After the war he returned to Connecticut, and was for a time engaged as a traveling salesman. He left Connecticut in 1869, and came to Texas County, Mo., where he took up a homestead. In 1874 he went to Colorado on horseback; was in Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming Territory, Iowa, and back through Missouri to his home in 1875. He remained on his homestead until his health broke down, when he changed business, and manufactured shingles, also superintended the building of a steam saw and grist-mill in the wilderness of Texas County. In 1877 he came to Mountain Grove, and has been here since. In 1882 he became editor of his present paper, and the same year was made mayor of the town. The year previous he was appointed justice of the peace. Mr. Talcott is a genial gentleman, of much push and enterprise, and in connection with his paper he does a large real estate business. The Mountain Prospect is devoted to the interests of South Central Missouri, and has a circulation of 600. Mrs. Talcott is a lady of much culture, and is thoroughly conversant with all topics concerning South Central Missouri.

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This family biography is one of 90 biographies included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Wright County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Wright County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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