- JOHN F. TALMADGE. Among the many prosperous farmer citizens
of Albany, Green county,
- who have retired to that flourishing town to spend at ease
their declining years, is John F. TALMADGE, the subject of this
sketch, who is also a veteran of the Civil war.
- Our subject was born in Morris county, N.J., July 23, 1837,
a son of Rudolph and Anna
- (AYERS) TALMADGE, both of whom were natives of New Jersey.
Of a family of five children, but three now survive: John F.,
our subject; Virginia, who is the wife of George W. WINTER, of
Durand, Ill.; and Samuel V., of Beloit, Wis. Mr. TALMADGE's paternal
grandfather was of Holland descent, and was a farmer in the State
of New Jersey, where he died in 1856, well advanced in years
leaving a family who have all since passed away. The maternal
grandfather was a well-known physician in New Jersey, and died
in that State. He reared a large family, and had a son in the
Mexican war.
- Rudolph TALMADGE, the father of our subject, was a hatter
by trade, following that line for
- many years in New Jersey. But when he saw a family growing
up about him he decided to move to the great West, and secure
lands on which to rear them and provide for their future comfort.
In 1856 he came to Wisconsin, locating at a small place called
Jug Prairie, in Union township, Rock county, where he bought
sixty acres of land, which he farmed for seven years. Selling
this farm, which he had improved, he bought 120 acres in Brooklyn
township, Green county, which he later sold to his son, our subject,
and bought the adjoining 100 acres, in 1866, living on that place
for a number of years; his wife died there, at the age of seventy-two.
A number of years later his son Samuel became the owner of the
place, Mr. TALMADGE moving into Belleville, where his death occurred
in 1889, when he was aged seventy-six. Although not identified
with any church, he was a good and worthy man; his wife belonged
to the M. E. Church for many years.
- John F. TALMADGE, our subject, was reared in Morris county,
N.J., and attended the district
- schools, remaining there until the family removed to Wisconsin.
He has been resident of Green county since 1862. Beginning to
make his own way in life, he worked by the month at first, then
farmed land on shares for several years, meeting with encouraging
success. On Jan. 1, 1864, he enlisted in the Union army, for
service in the Civil war, entering Company K, 3d Wis. V. I.,
and faithfully performed the duties of a private soldier until
the close of the struggle. Returning to his home after the end
of the strife, Mr. TALMADGE exchanged his musket for a plow,
and settled down to agricultural life upon the 120 acre farm
which he purchased from his father. This he rented in 1891, and
in 1892 sold it, having bought a comfortable home in Albany,
where he now resides at his ease, enjoying the reward of his
early life of toil.
- Our subject was married, Sept. 24, 1865, to Miss Sarah J.
CARLE, a daughter of B. F. and
- Mary CARLE, and five daughters were born to this union: Francena,
who married George S. SMOUT, lives on a farm in Albany township;
she has two children, Roscoe and Merl. Hattie, who married Sherman
BUTTS, lives in Green county, and has one child, Wesley. Mary,
who married Henry MONTGOMERY, lives in Swea, Iowa, and has two
children, William and Blanch. Lota keeps house for her father.
Gertrude died in her fourth year. Mr. TALMADGE was bereaved by
the death of his wife, in 1894, when she was aged forty-eight;
she was a devout member of the M. E. Church.
- Politically our subject belongs in the ranks of the Republican
party, and has been called upon to fill
- the position of district clerk a number of times. Socially
he is connected with Erastus Hoyt Post, No. 69, G.A.R., and is
highly esteemed by his comrades. His position in Albany is considered
to be that of a representative citizen, who well typifies the
best element of substantial, honest citizenship.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 521-522.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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