Born Isabella McFarland in 1833, married Perry Hoshor Talbott in 1854: doctor, legislator, publisher, founder of Arkoe, Nodaway County, Missouri. She bore twelve children.
She was known as "Belle" in the family. The town of Arkoe has a street named for her.
In 1880 her husband was murdered and her two sons convicted in a notorious trial. They were hanged for it in 1881 before a crowd of ten thousand.
In 1888 she remarried to Robert McClellan Draper and was widowed again in 1895. Then she married Phillip Rilley and was divorced by 1900.
... What a life she had. A young bride to a successful, prominent doctor, newspaper editor and state senator -- but a domineering husband. In a year (1880), losing a married daughter, then losing an infant child, then seeing her husband killed before her eyes and her two sons convicted for the murder; and seeing them hanged a few months later. Remarrying, but soon losing her new husband and becoming a widow again. Marrying again, ending in divorce. Finally ending her days on a Poor Farm with her remaining children living miles away.
Her Rice County Poor Farm record has her name misspelled in two different ways, in her death certificate and on her headstone. Her age and birthplace are also incorrect in their record.
What a dramatic life, and what an end to it, that would challenge any human being and fill a book.
Our family's gratitude goes to Kathy Pike for her photographs and tender memorial left on Belle's grave.
She was known as "Belle" in the family. The town of Arkoe has a street named for her.
In 1880 her husband was murdered and her two sons convicted in a notorious trial. They were hanged for it in 1881 before a crowd of ten thousand.
In 1888 she remarried to Robert McClellan Draper and was widowed again in 1895. Then she married Phillip Rilley and was divorced by 1900.
... What a life she had. A young bride to a successful, prominent doctor, newspaper editor and state senator -- but a domineering husband. In a year (1880), losing a married daughter, then losing an infant child, then seeing her husband killed before her eyes and her two sons convicted for the murder; and seeing them hanged a few months later. Remarrying, but soon losing her new husband and becoming a widow again. Marrying again, ending in divorce. Finally ending her days on a Poor Farm with her remaining children living miles away.
Her Rice County Poor Farm record has her name misspelled in two different ways, in her death certificate and on her headstone. Her age and birthplace are also incorrect in their record.
What a dramatic life, and what an end to it, that would challenge any human being and fill a book.
Our family's gratitude goes to Kathy Pike for her photographs and tender memorial left on Belle's grave.
Born Isabella McFarland in 1833, married Perry Hoshor Talbott in 1854: doctor, legislator, publisher, founder of Arkoe, Nodaway County, Missouri. She bore twelve children.
She was known as "Belle" in the family. The town of Arkoe has a street named for her.
In 1880 her husband was murdered and her two sons convicted in a notorious trial. They were hanged for it in 1881 before a crowd of ten thousand.
In 1888 she remarried to Robert McClellan Draper and was widowed again in 1895. Then she married Phillip Rilley and was divorced by 1900.
... What a life she had. A young bride to a successful, prominent doctor, newspaper editor and state senator -- but a domineering husband. In a year (1880), losing a married daughter, then losing an infant child, then seeing her husband killed before her eyes and her two sons convicted for the murder; and seeing them hanged a few months later. Remarrying, but soon losing her new husband and becoming a widow again. Marrying again, ending in divorce. Finally ending her days on a Poor Farm with her remaining children living miles away.
Her Rice County Poor Farm record has her name misspelled in two different ways, in her death certificate and on her headstone. Her age and birthplace are also incorrect in their record.
What a dramatic life, and what an end to it, that would challenge any human being and fill a book.
Our family's gratitude goes to Kathy Pike for her photographs and tender memorial left on Belle's grave.
She was known as "Belle" in the family. The town of Arkoe has a street named for her.
In 1880 her husband was murdered and her two sons convicted in a notorious trial. They were hanged for it in 1881 before a crowd of ten thousand.
In 1888 she remarried to Robert McClellan Draper and was widowed again in 1895. Then she married Phillip Rilley and was divorced by 1900.
... What a life she had. A young bride to a successful, prominent doctor, newspaper editor and state senator -- but a domineering husband. In a year (1880), losing a married daughter, then losing an infant child, then seeing her husband killed before her eyes and her two sons convicted for the murder; and seeing them hanged a few months later. Remarrying, but soon losing her new husband and becoming a widow again. Marrying again, ending in divorce. Finally ending her days on a Poor Farm with her remaining children living miles away.
Her Rice County Poor Farm record has her name misspelled in two different ways, in her death certificate and on her headstone. Her age and birthplace are also incorrect in their record.
What a dramatic life, and what an end to it, that would challenge any human being and fill a book.
Our family's gratitude goes to Kathy Pike for her photographs and tender memorial left on Belle's grave.
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