John Josiah Talbot came into this world, 23 Aug 1835, in Grahamstown, Albany, South Africa, the second child and son in Henry and Ruth Sweetnam Talbot’s family of sixteen children. Because of native uprisings the family moved around quite a lot for protection. He lived on farms widely scattered at Winterberg, Battle Gat, Volver Fontain, Whittlesea, and Thorn River. After 1854, they were on the Thorn River, where the previous year his father was granted a 5,000 acre estate, “Wellington,” for services he had rendered during the Kaffir War of the “Cattle Killing Delusion”, in which John and his older brother, Henry James, may also have served.

When John was a baby, a Kaffir woman, who wanted him for her own, stole him while Ruth was out for an armful of wood. Ruth saw her sneaking away in a highly suspicious manner. And, upon entering the house, she immediately missed the baby. The old woman, who had cleverly hid him, denied having him. Ruth could see a little bit of his dress sticking out. She grabbed hold of the dress, and told the Kaffir woman that she did too have him. So then the woman gave him back to his mother.

John grew up much the same as any other pioneer child, having to work hard with planting and raising stock for the family, since he was one of the older children. The climate was delightful most of the year around, so the children wore very little clothing and went barefoot most of the time. He remembered the beautiful flowers, shrubs, and delicious fruit. The tropical climate in Africa was ideal for many birds and much wildlife. There was good hunting and fishing that the boys enjoyed.

John was 16 years old when he heard about Mormonism. He was fascinated with the new doctrines and listened intently to his father read chapter after chapter from the Book of Mormon, while they were investigating. He was baptized 27 Jun 1858, by John Wesley, one of the first Mormon Missionaries in South Africa, and preceded the rest of the family to America by two years, in 1859, accompanied Wesley back to Utah.

Somewhere, on the way, romance found them both, and they married sisters Jane and Elizabeth Hunter. Jane, a beautiful girl with brown eyes, a round face, and a trim build, became John’s bride, 1859 in Florence, Nebraska. They were endowed and sealed in the Endowment House, 18 Apr 1860.

When first arriving in Utah he and Jane resided in Salt Lake City for a time where he was ordained a Seventy 5 Dec 1860. Later they established a home in Kaysville, Utah. Being called to serve a mission, he was set apart by Wilford Woodruff, 21 Apr 1861. On leaving for his mission, he was pleasantly surprised to meet his family, who had emigrated from Africa, in Nebraska. It was a joyous reunion and they spent most of the night talking, before both continuing on their separate ways, John going first to England and then was sent on to Africa to fulfill his mission.

During his mission, he was supported by Jane who stayed in Kaysville, where she took in washings or did any kind of work she could find to do. Their first child was born while he was away. She was born 13 Jul 1862 at Kaysville, and was named Elizabeth Ruth. He came home in October 1864.

They were the parents of 5 children, all born at Kaysville. Elizabeth Ruth, Annie, Jennie, John Archibald, and Lydia. Following Lydia’s birth they moved to Leamington, Utah, living at first in dug outs, and then later in a log cabin.

When John came home from his mission he brought with him a polygamist wife, Hannah Gubby. She was a slim little girl two years older than him, and was said to be an actress from London. The two wives lived in log cabins that faced each other with a drive way in between.

John worked at two kilns where they burned wood into charcoal and shipped it away, and good lime was also produced at this location. As timber was plentiful they also made ties and sold them to the railroad. He also had a farm, where he produced vegetables, and had a small herd of sheep that furnished meat for the family and wool for clothing.

John’s wives were both very good housekeepers, and each tried to out do the other. It was very hard, however, for a woman with five children to compete with one without children, for Hannah had no family. The children annoyed her, and she would correct them needlessly. Her table was always set very daintily. Anyone dining with her must always cut the butter from the same side of the plate, and use table manners such as she had learned from her English parents. John used to favor this home for a quiet place to rest after a hard day’s work. Needless to say, it was unfair to the wife that had looked after the children all day long, to have to put them to bed and spend her evenings alone with them. The breach between them grew, and one day Jane wrote to her brother living at Antimony, Garfield County, Utah, that she was coming to live with him. Her brother welcomed her into his home and helped raise the children. He never did marry. Jane left the church, on account of polygamy, and became quite bitter, and her brother was never a member of the church. So, between them, they raised the children up devoid of the Gospel. Nevertheless, Mr. Hunter was a fine man, and Jane was a woman of character. The children grew up, just the same, with many of the traits of character of their father, who was a kind, quiet man, respected by all who knew him. For the rest of John’s life, he felt keenly about the loss of his family.

About this time John was released from the bishopric, where he had served about 17 years, and also about this time that his wife, Hannah, was stricken with rheumatism. For the rest of her eighteen years she was an invalid, and John cared for her and did the house work and what farming he could. John was very kind to her and uncomplaining. As they lived about three or four miles from town and the neighbors were few, he led a very lonely life. Hannah died 3 Jun 1907, at the age of 75, in her same little log house that John had built for her when she moved to Leamington. She was laid to rest 6 Jun 1907 in the Leamington Cemetery.

John lived alone there for a few months and then went to Hinckley, Utah, to live with his nephew, George Talbot, and his wife, Sarah. John was not very well and had a wish to see his first wife before he died. George, wishing to help, asked the Stake President, Alonzo A. Hinckley, to write Jane a letter, which he did. She came over to see John, he begged her forgiveness, and they made amends just two weeks before he passed away. But it made him happy. He had tried to make amends for his short comings, and he finally looked upon the beautiful countenance of the wife that had never stopped loving him.

He followed Hannah in death after just nine months, and was buried beside her in the Leamington Cemetery 28 Feb 1908, aged 73.

Jane went back to Antimony and lived for many years. She passed away, 22 Mar 1923, at the age of 84, and was buried in Salt Lake City in the Wasatch Lawn Cemetery. She out lived some of her children.

This life history was condensed from Kenneth Larson's films (film #215560 and #215561 available from the Salt Lake Family History Library). He was a Talbot family historian, descending from Stephen Barton Talbot. His research is extensive and this is only an attempt to condense it to make it more available to family members. Any errors are unintentional.

(Death Certificate Utah State Board of Health File Number 11, Millard County)