Charles Moile Talbot (1723-1779)

Written by Laura A. Jones

Updated 3 Jan 2021

Part I:  Baltimore County, Maryland

Charles Moile Talbot was born on November 6, 1723 in Baltimore County, Maryland.  He was the first child of his parents, Matthew Talbot and Mary Williston, who were married on June 5, 1722 at St. Paul’s Parish in Baltimore.  Charles was probably named after Matthew’s uncle, Charles Moyle, who lived in England.

Part II:  Prince George County, Virginia

When Charles was a young boy, he and his parents moved to Prince George County, Virginia, and over the next few years, Mary gave birth to his younger brothers, Matthew and James.

At some point, Charles either went to school or was educated by his parents.  He learned how to read and write at a time when not everyone was so fortunate.  His education definitely gave him an advantage in life and probably played a role in the fact that many of his future children and grandchildren were relatively well-off.

Part III:  Amelia County, Virginia

The section of Prince George County where the Talbots were living became part of the newly-formed Amelia County in 1734, and at that point the family shows up in the records of Amelia County even though they probably didn’t move.

In 1735, Mary gave birth to another son, John, and then tragically, she passed away the following year.  Charles was just 12 years old when his mother died, and this was undoubtedly a very sorrowful time for him and his family.  Since the younger boys were ages 6, 3, and 14 months at the time of Mary’s passing, Matthew surely relied on Charles to help him care for them.  In 1737, Matthew married Jane Clayton who became a good mother to the four boys.  She also added another boy to the family when she gave birth to a son named Isham.

The first time that Charles can be found in the county court records was in Amelia County in August 1740 when he was a witness for his father in the case of Francis Wyate vs. Matthew Talbot.  Charles was only 16 years old at the time, and he was paid for 3 days attendance in Court and also for traveling to and from the courthouse twice at 50 miles each way.  That comes to 200 miles on a horse!  The family had probably already moved to Brunswick County when this case was heard which would explain the lengthy distance to the courthouse.  All of the back and forth traveling that Charles did wasn’t in vain.  The Court ended up dismissing the lawsuit, and Matthew was awarded non-suit.

Part IV:  Brunswick County, Virginia

In about the year 1740, Matthew and his family moved further west into the backwoods.  They were living in the most remote settled area of Virginia.  Ten days after the lawsuit in Amelia County was dismissed, Jane gave birth to the last child in the family, a daughter named Martha.  Charles finally had a sister.

We know that the Talbot family owned three slaves named Chester, Bristol, and Jacob, but there are no records to indicate when the slaves were purchased or what kind of work they were doing.  Considering the fact that they lived on what was called a plantation, we can surmise that there were crops in the field, and since tobacco was so highly valued, often serving as a substitute for money, we can assume that they were growing tobacco.  We also know that Matthew owned some cattle and pigs. It stands to reason that the slaves were working in the fields and caring for the animals at least part of the time, if not on a full time basis.  Since Charles was the oldest of Matthew’s sons, he probably played some kind of role in helping to supervise the slaves.

The part of Virginia where the Talbots were living was home to an abundance of wolves which must have been attacking their livestock.  To solve the problem, the county offered to pay 140 pounds of tobacco to each person who turned in the head of an old wolf and 70 pounds of tobacco to each person who turned in the head of a young wolf.  The following table is an accounting for the wolves’ heads in Brunswick County in 1746.

The first column is the court justice who issued the certificate. The second column is the person who got credit for turning in the wolf head. The third column is the “assignee” (if any), meaning who would get paid in place of the person who turned in the wolf head. The fourth column indicated the number and “quality” (age) of the wolf. The last column showed the amount of tobacco (in pounds) to be paid. Reading across the third row, we can see that Charles turned in 1 old wolf head, that Matthew issued the certificate, and that Charles was paid 140 pounds of tobacco. (Brunswick County Court Order Book #3, Nov 1746, page 120)

Part V:  Lunenburg County, Virginia

In 1746, the section of Brunswick County where the Talbots lived became part of the newly-formed Lunenburg County, and at that point, the family is found in the records of Lunenburg County even though they probably didn’t move.  Charles was apparently doing some kind of work pertaining to the Court, although it’s not clear exactly what his role was.  Sessions of Court were typically held once a month for several days, and most of the county’s business was handled at that time, including lawsuits.  In one case, it was recorded that the attachment to seize property was in the hands of Charles Talbot.  In three other lawsuits, the phrase “Chas Talbot Bail” was written in parentheses after the defendant’s name, indicating that Charles may have put up bail for his friends, or perhaps he served as a bail bondsman.

At some point, Charles met a young lady named Drusilla Gwin and fell in love with her.  Drusilla was the daughter of David and Mary Gwin and was born on December 20, 1727 in Brunswick County, Virginia.  Charles and Drusilla were married on August 3, 1747 when he was 23 and she was 19.  I haven’t been able to find a marriage record for them, but they were most likely married in Lunenburg County since that is where they were both living.

The Church of England was not only a religious institution, it was also a government agency that was supported by public taxes, and oftentimes the court justices were the same people who were leading the church.  Charles was involved with Cumberland Parish, which was created at the same time as Lunenburg County and had the exact same boundaries, but again, his role is not entirely clear.  A payment of 476 pounds of tobacco was made to him in 1747 with no mention as to what the payment was for.  About a year later, he was paid 594 pounds “for his list of insolvents.”  Another entry in the vestry book stated that Mr. Hall and Mr. Talbot were chosen to be church wardens for the ensuing year.  I am inclined to believe that this “Mr. Talbot” was Charles since Matthew Sr was already serving as a vestryman for the church, and Matthew Jr was only 19 years old.

It wasn’t long before Charles purchased his first property, and once he became a landowner, he realized the potential to make money by buying land from the Colony of Virginia for mere shillings, and then selling the property to someone else a couple of years later, making a huge profit in return.  He did this over and over, increasing his net worth with each transaction.  The most striking example of this would be when he purchased 1200 acres on September 10, 1755 from the Colony of Virginia for £6.  Four months later, he divided the property in half, selling each half to a different person for £140 pounds (a total of £280).  This deal provided a return on his investment of more than 4400%—in just four months!  The following table shows all of his land transactions in Lunenburg County.

The deed wherein Charles purchased 1200 acres on both sides of Town’s Branch and Hunt’s Branch from the Colony of Virginia on September 10, 1755.  Click on image to see an enlargement.  (Virginia Land Office Patents No. 31, 1751-1756, page 572)

A few months after Charles and Drusilla were married, Lunenburg County ordered that a road be laid off and cleared “the best and most convenient way from David Logins to Youngs Mill Road, from thence to Charles Talbots and from thence to the Mossing ford.”  A surveyor was appointed, and all of the male laboring tithable persons who lived nearby were required to help clear the new road.  This would have included Charles.  [Note:  In general terms, tithables were all people 16 years and older, except for white women.  In other words—the people whom the government assumed would be working to generate income for the head of the household, including slaves.  A person’s taxes were based on the number of tithables in his household, and those same people were sometimes called on to help clear and maintain roads.]

When the list of tithables was taken in June 1748, Charles was recorded with two tithables—himself and a slave named George.  The records show the same situation in 1749.

The list of tithables taken by Matthew Sr for Lunenburg County in 1748. The highlighted section shows Charles and his slave named George for a total of 2 tithables for Charles.  Click on image to see an enlargement.

A list of tithables for Lunenburg County in 1749. The highlighted section shows Charles and his slave George for a total of 2 tithables.  Just below Charles on the list is his father-in-law, David Gwin. This would indicate that they either lived on adjacent plantations, or they went together to the place where the tithable lists were recorded.  Click on image to see an enlargement.

Charles is included in the records of the Lunenburg County Court on several occasions, including the following.  [Note:  From this point on in the biography, I have indicated events that occurred in Court by highlighting the date in green as shown below.  Also, a few of the dates are written with two years, such as 1749/50.  This is because before 1752, the old-style calendar was in use and March 25 was the first day of the year.  So in other words, the day after December 31, 1749 was actually January 1, 1749, and the year 1750 didn’t start until March 25.  In order to alleviate some of the confusion with regards to chronology, dates within the months of January, February and the first part of March are often written in this format.  It just means that the event was recorded as taking place in the year 1749, when it actually took place in the year 1750.]

Jun 1748 Court:  Charles brought in a young slave girl he owned named Philis.  The law stated that anyone who purchased a slave child had to take the child to court within three months so that his or her age could be adjudged.  This was necessary because as soon as the child turned sixteen, he or she became a tithable, which resulted in the owner’s taxes going up.  Philis was adjudged by the Court to be eight years old.  [Note:  If anyone was ever caught trying to conceal a tithable person by not including him or her on the tithables list, the law stated that the guilty person “shall forfeit and pay one thousand pounds of tobacco to the informer.”  I imagine that kind of a law would have people watching their neighbors very carefully.]

Transcription:  Philis a Negro Girl belonging to Charles Talbot is adjudged to be Eight years old.  (Lunenburg County Court Order Book #2, Jun 1748, page 9)

Aug 1748 Court:  For some unknown reason, Charles had a power of attorney document drawn up which authorized his father to make legal decisions for him.  Charles, his brother Matthew Jr, and William Dobbins were all sworn in as deputies to the new sheriff, John Hall.  And then after a trial was held, Charles was given the horrific task of having to whip John Cox, the man who had just been charged for stealing.  The Court ruled that Cox was to be taken to the common whipping post and given “five Lashes well laid on his Bare back.”  Apparently nobody ever wanted to be the person to execute the whipping punishment.  Six months later, the bookkeeping records for the county indicate that a payment of 14 pounds of tobacco was made “To Charles Talbot for Whiping John Cox for Felony.”

Transcription:  A Power of Attorney from Charles Talbot to Mathew Talbot is Acknowledged by the said Charles Talbot to be his Act and Deed & is ordered to be Recorded.  (Lunenburg County Court Order Book #2, Aug 1748, page 58)

Transcription:  On the Motion of John Hall Gent Sherif of this County William Dobbins, Charles Talbot, and Mathew Talbot junr had the Usual oaths to his Majesties Person of Government Administred unto them, which they Respectively took and Also repeated and Subscribed the Teste and were then Sworn as Deputies under the said Hall.  (Lunenburg County Court Order Book #2, Aug 1748, page 67)

Transcription:  John Cox was Led to the Barr in Custody of the Sherif of this County on Suspition of having feloniously Stolen and taken away a Stirrup and Stirrup Leather of the Value of Six Pence Sterling the Property of James Wood, Whereupon the said James Wood was Sworn & Examined on Behalf of our Sovereign Lord the King against the said Cox touching the fact aforesaid and it appearing to the Court by the Testimony of the said James Wood that the said Cox is guilty of the fact wherewith he stands Charged, and thereupon the said John Cox prayed that the Court would inflict on him the Punishment by Law Due to such Crime, Therefore it is considered by the Court that the Sherif take the said Cox to the Common Whiping post and there give him five Lashes well laid on his Bare back, and it is sayd to the sherif that he do Execution thereof instantly, and ’tis further Considered that the said John Cox be afterwards Discharged on paying the Costs of this Prosecution.  (Lunenburg County Court Order Book #2, Aug 1748, pages 73 & 74)

The county bookkeeping records showing that Charles was paid 14 pounds of tobacco for whipping John Cox for a felony. It is the first entry on the page. (Lunenburg County Court Order Book #2, Feb 1748/9, page 144)

Feb 1748/9 Court:  Charles and James Hunt were asked to assess the various roads that led to Cubb Creek and to report to the next Court which one they thought would be the most convenient to build a bridge on over the creek.  Charles also received credit for 15 wolves’ heads for a total of 2,100 pounds of tobacco.  However, the records indicate that for each of these wolf head transactions, Charles was an “assignee” of someone else which means that Charles didn’t actually kill the wolves himself.  A certificate was issued by a court justice when a wolf head was turned in, and those certificates were sometimes used as money.  Then at the end of the year, the county would make payments to everyone holding the certificates.  A person who held a certificate for a wolf head they didn’t turn in was known as the “assignee.”

Jun 1749 Court:  A surveyor was appointed for Randolph’s Road, and several men with their male laboring tithables were to help clear and maintain the road.  This included Charles and his slave named George.  Charles also filed a lawsuit against Abel Lee for a debt, but the case was dismissed by the Court.

Transcription:  The Petition of Charles Talbot against Abel Lee for a debt therein say’d to be due, for Reasons appearing to the Court is Ordered to be Dismis’d.  (Lunenburg County Court Order Book #2, Jun 1749, page 167)

When the tithable lists were taken in June 1750, Charles was only recorded with one tithable—himself.  That would indicate that his slave named George had either died or was sold sometime between 1749 and 1750.  In 1753, Charles was recorded with six tithables—himself, William Matthews and William Adkins (probably indentured servants), and three slaves named Dick, Sue, and Lucy.

This information comes from the surviving tithable lists of Lunenburg County. Some of the lists are missing.

A tithables list for Lunenburg County in 1753. The highlighted section shows Charles’ personal list of 6 tithables.  Click on image to see an enlargement.

Jul 1750 Court:  Matthew Sr was sworn in as the new sheriff of Lunenburg County, and then Charles and two other men were sworn in as his deputy sheriffs.  Matthew Jr was sworn in as one of three under sheriffs.  Charles obtained an attachment against the estate of Thomas Newby who was “said to be so absconded that the Ordinary Process of Law” could not be served on him.  The new sheriff attached all of Newby’s estate that was in the hands of Thomas Hancock (who was indebted to Newby), and Charles was able to recover £1/16/8½, the amount owed to him by Newby.  Robert Jones filed a case against Charles, and the Court ruled in favor of Jones in the amount of £4/4/4½.

After Charles and Drusilla had been married for three years, Drusilla gave birth to a son named Williston on August 1, 1750, and three years later, she gave birth to another son, John Moile Talbot, on May 21, 1753.  These two boys were the first grandchildren of Matthew Sr, and since they lived close by, they would have been able to see him and Jane often.

Oct 1750 Court:  At some point, Charles must have been appointed surveyor of a road because at this session of Court, the following was recorded:  “John Logan is appointed Surveyor of the Road whereof Charles Talbot was Late Surveyor and it is Ordered that he Together with all the Assistance that Assisted the said Charles Talbot do forthwith Clear & Keep the same in Repair according to Law.”  No reason was given as to why the switch was made, but it’s possible that Charles was too busy to do the survey work in addition to serving as a deputy sheriff.

Nov 1750 Court:  The county’s financial records for the year were posted in the order book, and they show two payments made to “Charles Talbot his account for prisoners,” with one payment for 172 and the other for 1,033 pounds of tobacco.  He was paid an additional 25 pounds for handcuffs.  These entries indicate that he was probably the main deputy in charge of the prisoners.

Apr 1751 Court:  Charles filed a lawsuit against James Nowlin for a debt and received judgment against him in the amount of £2/3/2.

Oct 1751 Court:  Charles and two other gentlemen were asked to “Examine the way from the Mossing Ford into Mr. Martins Road and Report to next court the Conveniency or inconveniency thereof.”

Apr 1752 Court:  Charles and two different gentlemen were asked to mark that same route from the mossing ford and report to the Court again.

Jun 1752 Court:  There must have been some kind of problem in clearing that road because for this session of court, the record states: “On the Motion of Charles Talbot and for Reasons appearing to the Court, it is Ordered that Joseph Perrin View the Road from the Mossing ford into Martins Road in the Room of [in place of] the said Charles Talbot & Report to the next Court the Convenience thereof.”

Sep 1752 Court:  Clement Read filed thirteen different lawsuits, including one against Charles, and all thirteen of them were dismissed by the Court.

Feb 1753 Court:  Charles was appointed surveyor for the road from the mossing ford on Little Roanoke River to James Stewart’s Ferry.

May 1753 Court:  John Hall swore that a doubloon [a Spanish gold coin] produced in court was the same bad doubloon that he received from Charles Talbot.  Then Charles swore that the doubloon produced in court was the same bad doubloon that he received from Robert Baber.  Charles was appointed surveyor for the road from the mossing ford on Little Roanoke River to Martin’s Road, assisted by all convenient male laboring tithables.

Jun 1753 Court:  Hampton Wade filed a lawsuit against Charles.  The Court ruled in favor of Wade who was to recover damages for nonperformance.  Charles filed a lawsuit against Thomas Bouldin as the administrator of the estate of John Gwin, deceased.  The Court ruled in favor of Charles and said he should recover against the defendant.

Sep 1753 Court:  Joshua Fry filed a lawsuit against Charles.  The Court dismissed the case but allowed the plaintiff to recover his legal costs.  Charles, Matthew Sr, and two other men were ordered to settle their accounts for tobacco/money due to the county.

May 1754 Court:  Charles was replaced by Daniel May as surveyor of the road.  This was no doubt due to the fact that Lunenburg County was divided, and Charles was now residing within the boundaries of the new county.

Part VI:  Bedford County, Virginia

In May 1754, the area where Charles and Drusilla were living became part of the newly-formed Bedford County.

May 1754 Court:  The first meeting of the Bedford County Court was held in the home of Matthew Sr, and the first seven justices were sworn in.

Aug 1754 Court:  A road was to be cleared from Thomas’ Ferry on Staunton River into Randolph’s Rolling Road.  Fifteen men and their tithables, including Charles, were to lay open, clear, and keep the road in good repair.  Three men requested that their names be added to the list of tithables taken by Charles that year.  [Note:  Charles was not one of the men assigned to take the annual tithables that year, but his father was.  This entry suggests that Charles either took the list for Matthew or at least helped him with it.]

Oct 1754 Court:  Charles and Matthew Sr were both sworn in as court justices.

Transcription:  Matthew Talbot Charles Talbot & Mark Cole Gent named in the Commission of the Peace for the County took the usual Oaths to his Majesties Person and Government and took and Subscribed the abjuration Oath & Subscribed the Teste and also took the oath of a Justice of Peace and of the County Court in Chancery.  (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, Oct 1754, page 24)

The first Bedford County Courthouse was built in 1754 on land that was donated by William Callaway, but it wasn’t until 1756 that the up-and-coming town of New London was first mentioned in the court order book.

Feb 1755 Court:  Charles and Matthew Sr were appointed commissioners to work with the surveyor and the commissioners of Lunenburg and Albemarle counties to determine the new dividing lines between the three counties.  [Bedford County ended up gaining land from both of the other counties].

Transcription:  Matthew Talbot & Charles Talbot are appointed Commissioners to attend the Surveyor of this County & the County of Lunenburgh on the twenty fourth day of March Next in Running the dividing Line Between this County Lunenburgh & Albemare agreeable to an Act of Assembly in that case made and Provided and that the Court of Albemarle have Notice of the time Appointed in Order for their appointing Commissioners to attend on running the Lines on their Part.   (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, Feb 1755, page 56)

We know that Charles was a reader of The Virginia Gazette, a newspaper which was published in Williamsburg from 1736 to 1780, because he occasionally placed advertisements in the paper.  It was a 4-page weekly newspaper that came out on Fridays, but he wouldn’t have received it until at least a couple of days after it was published since his home was about 175 miles from Williamsburg.

The Virginia Gazette, 4 Apr 1755, page 1

The following ad was placed in The Virginia Gazette on three dates in April of 1755 (April 4, 11, and 18).  The ad states that a 5300-acre plantation owned by Capt. William Clinch, which was in the vicinity of where Charles was living, was to be auctioned off in Williamsburg on April 25th, and anyone who might be interested in purchasing the property could be shown it by applying to Charles.  It’s not known why Capt. Clinch wasn’t available to show his property, but perhaps Charles was serving as sort of a real estate agent.

Transcription:  To be SOLD, to the highest Bidder, A Plantation and Tract of Land, containing 5300 Acres, granted by Patent to Capt. William Clinch of Surry County, lying on both Sides the Whipping and Licking Creeks, in Bedford County, formerly Lunenburg.  The Plantation is in good Order for making a Crop, with 4 or 5 Hands: There is on it an Overseers House, a Negroe Quarter, and other convenient Out-Houses; also some Corn and Fodder, about 50 Head of Cattle, some Horses, 8 or 9 Hogsheads of Tobacco made on the Plantation. The Sale to be at the Door of the Raleigh Tavern, in Williamsburg, the 25th Day of April.  Any Gentleman inclinable to purchase this valuable Tract of Land, may be shewed it by applying to Mr. Charles Talbot, living near the same.  (The Virginia Gazette, 4 Apr 1755, page 3)

May 1755 Court:  Matthew Sr, Charles, and five other gentlemen were appointed to take the list of tithables in the county for the current year.  Charles and two other gentlemen, who had been appointed as vestrymen for the church, took the oath of their office, agreeing to be conformable to the doctrines of the Church of England as established by law.

Transcription:  Matthew Talbot, William Callaway, Robert Ewings, Mark Cole, Charles Talbot, William Mead, Samuel Hairstone Gent are appointed to take the List of Tithables in this County this Year.  (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, May 1755, page 80)

Transcription:  Charles Ewings, Mark Cole & Charles Talbot Gentlemen—Vestrymen came into Court and took the Usual Oaths to his Majesties Person and Government and Repeat and Subscribed the Teste. . . We the subscribers do Subscribe to be Conformable to the Doctrine and Disipline of the Church of England as the same is by Law Established. Charles Ewings. Mark Cole. Charles Talbot.  (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, May 1755, pages 81 & 82)

Russell Parish had been created for Bedford County on January 1, 1755, and whenever a new parish was created, the first vestrymen were chosen by the Court.  They were twelve of the most prominent men in the parish and were oftentimes the same people who were serving as court justices, as was the case with Charles.

June 1755 Court:  The names of three gentlemen—Charles, Zachariah Isbel, and Matthew Sr—were recommended by the Court to Governor Robert Dinwiddie as proper persons who could execute the office of sheriff of the county for the ensuing year.

Transcription:  Charles Talbot, Zachariah Isbel & Matthew Talbot Gentlemen are by the Court Recommended to the Honorable Robert Dinwiddie Esqr as Proper Persons to Execute the Office of Sheriff of this County for the ensuing year.  (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, Jun 1755, page 89)

Governor Robert Dinwiddie

Sep 1755 Court:  A commission from Governor Dinwiddie was produced in Court indicating that Charles was to be the next sheriff of Bedford County.  Then Charles and seven other gentlemen entered into bond for his due and faithful performance in the office, and Charles took the usual oaths.  On the motion of Charles, his two younger brothers, James and John, were sworn in as his under sheriffs, and they also took an oath.

Transcription:  A Commission from the Honorable Robert Dinwiddie Esqr to Charles Talbot to be Sheriff of this County was Produced in Court by the said Talbot & thereupon he together with Clement Read, Paul Carrington, Benjamin Howard, William Callaway, Paul Chiles, Henry Chiles & Jno Phelps Gent entering into & acknowledge their Bond for the said Talbot due & faithful Performance his said Office, which is Ordered to be Recorded & then the said Charles Talbot took & Subscribed the Usual Oaths to his Majesties Person & Government & Subscribed the Teste and also took the Oath of Sheriff of the County.  James Talbot & John Talbot having taken the Usual Oath to his Majesties Person & Government & Subscribed the Abjuration Oath & the Teste were on the Motion of Charles Talbot Gent Sheriff of this County sworn & admitted His undersheriffs & then the said James Talbot & Jno Talbot took the Oath appointed by the Tobacco Law. (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, Sep 1755, page 122)

Charles’ Sheriff’s Bond.  (Bedford County Deed Book A-1, Sep 1755, page 58). Click on image to see an enlargement.

Nov 1755 Court:  The yearly bookkeeping records for the county were reported, and they indicated that Charles had been paid 640 pounds of tobacco for his attendance on running the county line.  Charles protested against the prison for its insufficiency, meaning that he didn’t consider it secure enough to keep the prisoners from escaping.

Transcription:  Charles Talbot Gentleman Protest against the Prison for the Insufficiency Thereof. (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A , Nov 1755, page 132)

On December 8, 1755, Drusilla gave birth to a daughter named Lucy Moile Talbot.  Now Charles and Drusilla had three young children at home:  Williston—age 5, John—age 2, and the new baby, Lucy.

Jan 1756 Court:  As the sheriff of the county, Charles made oath that he could not give security for collection of the poll tax, and then he made a proclamation for any person who would undertake the same to come to the Court to give security, but no one would undertake the collection.

Transcription:  Charles Talbot Gentleman Sheriff of this County made oath that he cannot give Security for Colection of the Poll Tax in this County. Whereupon the sheriff made Proclamation for any Person that would undertake the same to come into Court & give Security but no Person would undertake the said Colection.   (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, Jan 1756, page 135)

May 1756 Court:  Two male slaves owned by John Payne—Hampton and Sambo—were accused of preparing and administering poisonous medicines to Payne’s wife, Ann, who had died.  Hampton and Sambo were being kept in the jail and on this day were led to the bar in the custody of Charles, who was still serving as the county sheriff.  The trial commenced with Hampton and Sambo stating they were not guilty, but “divers witnesses” were sworn and examined, testifying against the two slaves, and the Court’s decision was that Hampton should be hung by the neck until he was dead and that afterwards, his body should be cut in quarters and his quarters hung at the crossroads.  Sambo’s crime was considered a misdemeanor, and he was therefore given a lesser punishment—he was to be burned in the left hand and then given 30 lashes on his bare back at the public whipping post.  It was ordered that the sheriff execute his punishment immediately and then discharge him.

Jun 1756 Court:  Another one of John Payne’s slaves, this one named Frank, was accused of a felony and had been committed to the jail.  He was led to the bar by Charles and several witnesses were sworn and examined, after which the Court’s decision was that Frank was not guilty and should be discharged from his imprisonment.

Aug 1756 Court:  Charles and two other gentlemen were recommended by the Court to Governor Dinwiddie as proper persons to execute the office of sheriff for the ensuing year.  Charles and Robert Baber were identified as the current church wardens.  It was ordered that the church wardens bind out Archelus Mehone, a poor orphan.  [Note:  The church wardens were given the responsibility of “binding out” or finding a new home for orphans—or sometimes minors whose parents were deemed incapable of supporting them—until they reached the age of maturity.]

Nov 1756 Court:  The yearly bookkeeping records for the county were reported, and they indicated that Charles had been paid 200 pounds of tobacco for two old wolves’ heads.  This time he was not listed as an assignee, so he, or one of his tithables, must have caught them.  It was ordered that the sheriff collect from each tithable person in the county 25 pounds of tobacco to defray the county levy.

Drusilla gave birth to another son on February 6, 1757.  They decided to name this boy after his father and gave him the name Charles Moile Talbot, Jr.

Mar 1757 Court:  Charles came into Court, and with two other gentlemen, he entered into bond to secure the collecting of the poll tax due for both the previous year and the present one.

Charles continued buying and selling land in Bedford County.  In December 1759, he purchased 1150 acres on Whipping Creek for £84, and then two months later, he sold that same property to his brother James for £100.  James may not have been happy with his purchase because nine months later, Charles bought it back from him for the same price.  All of the land transactions that Charles made in Bedford County are included in the following table.

The first page of the deed wherein Charles re-purchased 1150 acres on Whipping Creek from his brother, James Talbot, on November 23, 1760. (Bedford County Deed Book A-1, Nov 1760, page 304)

The second page of the deed wherein Charles re-purchased 1150 acres on Whipping Creek from his brother, James Talbot, on November 23, 1760. (Bedford County Deed Book A-1, Nov 1760, page 305)

Sep 1757 Court:  A commission was produced in court from Governor Dinwiddie indicating that Matthew Sr was to be the county sheriff for the ensuing year.  Matthew was sworn in and took the oath of sheriff, and then his son John was sworn in as an under sheriff.  From this point on, Matthew is no longer listed as a court justice, and Charles is recorded as being present on a regular basis.  Since Charles had been the sheriff before Matthew, it appears that the two of them traded places.

Apr 1758 Court:  It was ordered that the sheriff summon Charles to appear at the next Court to answer the complaint made against him by Lucy Valentine.

Transcription:  Ordered that the Sheriff of this County Summon Charles Talbot Gentleman to appear here at the next Court to Answer a Complaint Exhibited against him by Lucy Valentine.   (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-A, Apr 1758, page 243)

In May 1758, the French and Indian War, which was in its fourth year, suddenly came to Bedford County when Indians began to terrorize the residents.  Many of the homes were pillaged, and several inhabitants were killed or kidnapped.  All of the citizens were terrified and some started to evacuate.

The county had previously organized a militia with Matthew Sr as the colonel and Charles serving as a lieutenant.  Every white man over the age of eighteen was required to participate, and by 1758, there were about 300 men enrolled.  They would periodically meet near the courthouse to practice drills, but suddenly the situation became very serious, and they didn’t have enough ammunition or supplies to fight off the Indians.

Indians became a threat to the residents of Bedford County during the French and Indian War.

As the colonel of the militia, Matthew wrote at least three letters to Clement Read imploring him for help.  Read was the colonel of the Lunenburg County militia.  Charles also wrote two letters to Read, which were forwarded to George Washington with Matthew’s letters, and they are now included in the “George Washington Papers” at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.  Transcriptions of the two letters written by Charles are included here.  It should be noted that I added some punctuation for clarity, but the original spelling has been left intact.

May 11th—10 of the Clock 1758

Dear: Sir

Pray be so good as to Send an Express to Prince Edward [a county in Virginia] if Father has not thought to put you in mind of it Yesterday.  I understand that that they had theare Companys Called togeather to Draft Sum men to Send to our Relef, but I have no opportunity to Send Them.  Therefore, I hope you will—as we have no Friend to Depend on for pore Bedford but you—you will do what you Can for us, for we never had the Like need of help.

I am dear Sir Yr. Hum Sevt

Chas Talbot

The letter from Charles Talbot to Clement Read on May 11, 1758. (“George Washington Papers” at the Library of Congress.)

May 12th—2 of the Clock

Dear: Sir

This moment I Recd. a Letter from John wood & Paul Chiles, and he says that Yesterday the Indians and the white folks had a very hard Battel, and the we are much betten and many Killed on both Sides, the Last Battel was fought at the Mouth of Pigg River, that we are all Like to be Killed & Taken.  Thearefore for God Sake Send Your men as fast as possabel or thear will not be a man Left in pore Bedford.  Paul Chiles and all his fammilly is now at my House and Henrys 5 negrows, and a grate many more I Expect this night, thare fore Dear: Sr: Do what you Can for our Rilef.

I am Dear Sir Yr: Hum

Chas Talbot

The letter from Charles Talbot to Clement Read on May 12, 1758. (“George Washington Papers” at the Library of Congress.)

Jun 1758 Court:  The case of Lucy Valentine vs. Charles Talbot was heard with no mention as to what it was all about.

In September 1758, payments were made to members of the militia for their services, and to various other inhabitants of the community who had furnished provisions.  For serving as a lieutenant, Charles received 2 £ 14 shillings.  In addition, he and 43 other men received 8 shillings each, but no mention was made as to exactly what that payment was for.

Matthew Sr died sometime in the second half of 1758.  He had written his will earlier in the year, stating that he was “sick and weak in body,” and he named Charles as one of his two executors.  In addition to granting Charles a share of his estate, Matthew also bequeathed his “Great Bible” to Charles.  That Bible has been passed down among their descendants, and one lucky Talbot still owns it today.  It has been described as a large illustrated volume about three or four inches thick, containing several generations of the Talbot genealogy.

Nov 1758 Court:  The will of Matthew Sr was presented in Court by the executors—his sons Charles and John.  It was proved by two witnesses and then ordered to be recorded.  Charles was also sworn in as a captain of the county militia.

Transcription:  William Callaway, County Lieut. Charles Talbot, Capt. Jos. Renfro, Capt. John Quarles, Capt of the Militia of Bedford County took the Oaths to Govt, etc.  (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-B, Nov 1758, page 96)

Charles and his brother John held two estate sales in December 1758 and another one in July 1759 to dispose of their father’s property, including some land and the two slaves named Bristol and Jacob.  The money brought in from the sales was divided between Matthew’s wife, Jane, and his six children.

Mar 1759 Court:  Charles and Robert Baber were appointed to regulate the hands on the roads from Flat Creek to the lower end of the county on the Staunton River branches, and the road to Ward’s ford.

This historical map of Bedford County has a lot of information on it, so I highlighted parts of it that pertain to Charles, including rivers and creeks where he purchased land, places where he worked on roads, his father’s home (which is also where Charles lived before he got married), and the courthouse in New London.  Matthew’s name is even one of those written in the border around the map.  Click on the map a couple of times to zoom in.

Drusilla gave birth to another daughter, Mary, on April 20, 1759.  With five young children at home and all of the chores that were part of living on a plantation in the backwoods, Drusilla was certainly a busy mother.  Someone was educating her children, but it is not known if they were attending school or if they were being taught at home.

May 1759 Court:  Charles was one of eight men who were appointed to take the list of tithables for 1759.

May 1760 Court:  Charles was one of six men who were appointed to take the list of tithables for 1760.

Sep 1760 Court:  Charles was keeping the minutes of the Court and signed his name at the bottom as shown below.

Transcription:  Ordered that the Court be adjourned til the fourth Monday in next Month.  Charles Talbot.  (Bedford County Court Order Book 1-B, Sep 1760, page 140)

Although Charles never lived in Halifax County, he was involved in some land transactions there as shown in the table below.  The property he sold to Robert King and Jeremiah Ward had been purchased when it was still part of Lunenburg County.  The land he sold to Meshack Turner and Richard Walden had actually been owned by Matthew Sr, and Charles was selling it as the administrator of Matthew’s estate.

In the 1760’s, Drusilla gave birth to four more children.  David Gwin Talbot, who was named after Drusilla’s father, was born on April 6, 1761.  Christiania, another daughter, was born on May 8, 1763.  Two years later, on August 21, 1765, a son named Providence was born.  And three years after that, George W. Talbot was born on July 11, 1768.  His middle name is probably Washington, but I don’t have any proof of that.

May 1761 Court:  Charles was one of eight men who were appointed to take the list of tithables for 1761.

May 1762 Court:  Charles was one of nine men who were appointed to take the list of tithables for 1762.

Transcription:  Chas Talbot, Turner H. Christian Saml Hairston, Wm Irvine John Phelps Jas Renthro Jer Early, Robt Ewing & Wm Mead, Gent are appd to Take List Titha this year.  (Bedford County Court Order Book #2, May 1762, page 37)

Jul 1764 Court:  Charles and two other gentlemen were recommended to the governor as the sheriff for the ensuing year.  [Note:  Charles was not selected to be the sheriff this time, and he continued to serve as a court justice.]

Transcription:  Chas. Talbot, Wm. Mead & Saml. Hairston are recomended to the Governor as Sherif. (Bedford County Court Order Book #3, Jul 1764, page 137)

As the events leading up to the Revolutionary War started to occur, Charles would have read about them in The Virginia Gazette.  One of the first was when the British Parliament imposed the Stamp Act on the American colonies in 1765, requiring all legal documents and books to bear special British tax stamps.  The Act was passed without consulting any legislative bodies in the colonies which angered the colonists and led to them protesting with the catchphrase “Taxation without representation!”

American newspapers often ridiculed the Stamp Act, reflecting the opinions of many colonists who were angered by it.

The following is a copy of an ad that Charles placed in The Virginia Gazette when he found a horse that belonged to someone else.

Transcription:  TAKEN up, in Bedford, a bay horse, about 4 years old, with a star in his forehead, not dockt, and branded on the buttock V; posted, and appraised to 3l. 10s.  CHARLES TALBOT. (The Virginia Gazette, 24 Dec 1767, page 3)

Aug 1768 Court:  Miles Barret came into Court and suggested that two minor children, Oliver and Elinor Anthony, become indentured servants.  The Court agreed and ordered that the church wardens bind them to Charles.  [Note:  We know from later records that Oliver was a mulatto boy who was bound to serve until he reached the age of 21.  Eighteen years later, in 1786, Oliver was bound to Charles and Drusilla’s son, David, which means that Oliver had to be under the age of 3 when he first became an indentured servant.  The status of his and Elinor’s parents is not known, but Virginia had a law in place for the care and maintenance of illegitimate children that read as follows:  “. . . every such bastard child shall be bound apprentice by the Churchwardens of the parish. . . every male until he shall attain the age of twenty-one years, and every female until she shall attain the age of eighteen years, and no longer; and the master or mistress of every such apprentice shall find and provide for him or her diet, clothes, lodging, and accommodations fit and necessary, and shall teach, or cause him or her to be taught to read and write, and at the expiration of his or her apprenticeship, shall pay every such apprentice the like allowance as is by law appointed for servants. . .”]

Transcription:  Miles Barret came into Court & resin’d up the Indentures of Oliver & Elinor Anthony & Ord’d that the Churchwarden bind them to Chas. Talbot accg to law. (Bedford County Court Order Book #3, Aug 1768, page 451)

The following three ads were placed in The Virginia Gazette by Charles when he found three more horses in Bedford County.  He ran these ads for three consecutive weeks in 1769.

(The Virginia Gazette, 30 Nov 1769, page 3)

In December 1769, Charles and Drusilla’s oldest child, Williston, got married to Elizabeth Cock.  Four months later, at the age of 42, Drusilla gave birth to their last child, Ezekiel, who went by the name of Zeekey.  He was born on April 18, 1770.  Charles and Drusilla now had ten children ranging in ages from 0 to 19.  In August 1771, shortly after Williston turned 21, Charles sold him 772 acres of land on Lick Creek for £200.

The first page of the deed wherein Charles sold his son Williston 772 acres of land on Lick Creek in August 1771.  Click on image to see an enlargement.  (Bedford County Deed Book #4, Aug 1771 , page 147)

In the 1770’s, Charles and Drusilla became grandparents, and six of their grandchildren were born while Charles was still living—Williston’s five oldest children, and a son of their daughter Mary who only lived for one year.  Charles and Drusilla lived close enough to Williston that they would have been able to see their grandchildren on a regular basis.

Mar 1774 Court:  All of the court justices were sworn in again, including Charles, and now his brother, John.

In January 1776, a pamphlet called Common Sense by Thomas Paine was published, advocating independence from Great Britain in such a clear and persuasive manner that it became an immediate success.  The pamphlet was read aloud in taverns and meeting places, and was so wildly popular among the colonists that I feel confident in saying that at some point Charles obtained a copy of it and read it.

When Thomas Paine’s pamphlet titled Common Sense was first published in January 1776, he identified himself only as an Englishman.  Charles was almost certain to have read a copy of it.

Jul 1776 Court:  Charles and his brother John were among the court justices who were sworn in again.

Transcription:  Be it Remembered that on Monday the 22d Day of July 1776 at the Court House of the County of Bedford William Mead & John Talbot Gent. two Justices Mentioned in a former Commission of the Peace for the Said County administred the oath prescribed by an Ordinance of Convention of this Colony passed the third day of July instant to Robert Ewing Gent. who took the Same and then the said Robert Ewing administred the Said Oath to Charles Talbot, William Mead, Samuel Hairston, Richard Stith, John Fitzpatrick, Guy Smith, James Callaway, Charles Lynch, & John Talbot Gent—The Court being thus Constituted present the above Gent. (Bedford County Court Order Book #6, Jul 1776, page 112)

Charles and his family became huge contributors to the patriot cause during the Revolutionary War.  Three of his sons—John, Charles Jr, and David—all served in the Continental Army.  Unfortunately, John never made it back  home.  He died from what was termed “camp fever.”  It was the name given to several highly infectious and deadly diseases, the causes of which were not completely understood at the time, but included typhus, dysentery and typhoid fever.  In addition to the service of those three sons, Charles, Drusilla, and their oldest son Williston are also recognized as patriots by the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Charles is acknowledged for his service as a justice of the peace in 1776, Williston was a lieutenant in the Bedford County militia, and both Drusilla and Williston made contributions to the Continental Army after Charles passed away.

Charles Jr served as a sergeant in the 6th Virginia Regiment, which was organized in February 1776 at Williamsburg.  He enlisted for a period of two years and was involved in the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776.  This was the battle wherein George Washington and his men crossed the icy Delaware River on Christmas night and surprised the drowsy Hessians early the next morning.  It was a huge success for the Americans who took very few losses, but captured nearly the entire Hessian force—approximately 900 soldiers.

George Washington and his men crossing the Delaware on Christmas night in 1776.  Charles Jr was one of the soldiers who took part in the Battle of Trenton early the next morning.

About ten days after the Battle of Trenton, Charles Jr participated in the Battle of Princeton.  This was the battle wherein British General Cornwallis had Washington’s smaller army trapped and told his officers that they would take Washington in the morning.  But everything turned out differently when Washington slipped away with his army that night, leaving a few men behind to set extra campfires and make a lot of noise so that it would appear the entire army was still there.  Washington then had his men circle around and attack the British from the rear early the next morning, claiming another easy victory for the Continental Army.

The following month, Charles Jr’s military records indicate that he deserted on February 20, 1777.  It appears that he actually went back home to Virginia, returning to the army three months later on May 20.  This seems a little odd, but it was actually more common than you would think.  In his book 1776, David McCullough explains it this way:

For every full-fledged deserter there were a half-dozen others inclined to stroll off on almost any pretext. . . to see wives and children, help with the harvest at home, or ply trades for some much-needed “hard money.”  Sometimes they requested a furlough; as often they just up and left, only to come straggling back into camp when it suited.  It was not that they had no heart for soldiering, or were wanting in spirit.  They simply had had little experience with other people telling them what to do every hour of the day.  Having volunteered to fight, they failed to see the sense in a lot of fuss over rules and regulations.

Military pay roll record of Peter Dun’s Company of the Sixth Virginia Regiment indicating that Charles Talbot Jr was a sergeant, and that he and a few other soldiers had deserted. Charles Jr is the third person on the list.  (Revolutionary War Rolls.  The National Archives, Publication M246)

A military record of Charles Jr indicating that he deserted on February 20, 1777.  (Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War.  The National Archives, Publication M881)

A military record of Charles Jr indicating that he had been in Virginia when he deserted, and that he set out to re-join his company on May 20, 1777, exactly three months after he left.   (Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War.  The National Archives, Publication M881)

Four of the letters that Charles Jr sent to his parents while he was in service during the war have survived and were published in The William and Mary Quarterly in 1931.  These letters are a real treasure because they give us an up close and personal look at the life of a soldier during the Revolutionary War.  In the letter dated August 7, 1777, Charles Jr shares intimate details about the death of his brother John from camp fever.  In another letter, he chides Charles and Drusilla for not writing to him more often.

The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct 1931), page 315

The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct 1931), page 316

The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct 1931), page 317

The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct 1931), page 318

Charles Jr fought in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown in the fall of 1777, and then a few months later, he wintered with George Washington and his troops at Valley Forge.  The conditions at the camp were horrible and about 2500 men died of malnutrition, disease, or exposure to the elements.  The following is a page from the orderly book kept by General George Weedon while at Valley Forge.  The highlighted area tells of a situation in which Charles Jr and two other men were reprimanded for “Neglect of duty and loosing their Arms Ammunition and Accoutrements.”

(Valley Forge Orderly Book of General George Weedon of the Continental Army Under Command of Genl. George Washington, December 9, 1777, page 153)

In March 1778, while still at Valley Forge, Charles Jr’s two-year period of enlistment was up, and he was no doubt excited to go back home to his parents in Bedford County.  Charles and Drusilla were, of course, equally thrilled to see him again.  A couple of years later, Charles and Drusilla’s son, David, became a volunteer in a regiment led by Colonel Charles Lynch wherein people who were suspected of being Tories (loyalists to the British Crown) were rounded up, tried at an informal court, and punished.

On July 4, 1779, Charles wrote his last will and testament and mentioned that he was sick.  The will provided for Drusilla during her widowhood, and in general terms, Charles gave each of his children the following items:  some land, one or two slaves, a horse, a feather bed and furniture, 2 cows and calves, 2 sows and pigs, 4 sheep, and a saddle and bridle.  The only two children who did not receive all of those things were the two who were already married—Williston and Mary—and they had probably been provided for to some extent beforehand.  The will did mention that a large Bible was to be given to Williston.  That Bible was the same one that was given to Charles by his father, Matthew Sr, more than twenty years earlier.  Charles also mentioned that he wanted Drusilla to school their underage children and to provide for them “in the most advantageous manner.”  Just eight days after writing his will, Charles died on July 12 at the age of 55.  Unfortunately, there is no surviving record or gravestone to indicate where he was buried.

Aug 1779 Court:  The last will and testament of Charles was produced in court and ordered to be recorded.  The executors of the will were his brother John, and his two oldest surviving sons, Williston and Charles Jr.

Transcription:  The Last Will & Testament of Charles Talbot Gl. Decd pud & Ord. & on the mo. of John Talbot, Williston Talbot & Charles Moil Talbot the Exors therein named who made Oath thereto & gave Bond & Secy Acg to Law. Probate is granted them etc.  (Bedford County Court Order Book #6, Aug 1779, page 248)

The following is a complete transcription of the will as it was recorded in the Bedford County Will Book on August 23, 1779.  It should be noted that I added some punctuation for clarity, but the original spelling has been left intact.

In the name of God Amen, July the fourth day, one Thousand Seven Hundred & Seventy Nine. I, Charles Talbot of Bedford County, being Sick of Body but in my perfect senses & of sound memory, calling to mind the uncertainty of life & the Certainty of Death, do think proper to make, Constitute, & Ordain this my last Will & Testament in Manner and form following.  First & principally, I commend my Soul to God who gave it & my Body to the Dust from whence it came, to be Buried in a decent Christian like manner According to the direction of my Executors hereafter Mentioned, & touching Such Worldly Goods as hath pleased God to Bless me with—

Imprimis:  It my Will & desire that as soon as Possible after my decease my Funeral Charges & Just debts be faithfully discharged. Item, I lend unto my Beloved Wife, Drusilla Talbot, one negro man named Prince, one Negro Girl named Winney, one Negro Boy named Peter, one Horse called Bow, one horse called Jolly, one Horse called Brady, one Side Saddle & Bridle, one Fether Bed & furniture, Three Cows & Calves, also half my Stock of Cattle that shall remain after paying of the Legacies Containd in this my Will, also all my Sheep that shall be left in like Manner, also the Use of the House & plantation whereon I now live, with as many Hoggs, Croping Utensials & Household Furniture as my Executors shall think she stands in need of, all the Above mentioned Negroes, Plantation, Furniture, Stock & Utensials with their Increase I do lend unto my said Wife during her Widowhoode—I do farther Lend unto my sd. Wife, one Negro Man named Ben & one negro Woman Named Rachel, four Cows and Calves, four Sows & piggs, two Feather Beds & furniture, one Mare called Young Leadenheels, one Sorrell Mare & Colt called Young Greenwood & their Increase untill the Owners thereof hereafter Mentioned shall come of age & no Longer.

Item, I give and Bequeath to my beloved son, Williston Talbot, one Large Bible, my part of a Negro Man named Adam, which We hold in Equal pardnership, also a set of Blacksmiths Tools held in like Manner & one Mare called Greenwood.

Item, I give & Bequeath to my Beloved son, Charles Moile Talbot, one Certain Tract or Parcel of Land lying on both sides of Whipping Creek whereon is the Plantation I purchased of Preston Gilbert, it also Consists of part of the Tract I purchased of Murry & also part of a Survey Made on East Side of Sd. Creek, the whole Containing Three hundred & Twenty six Acres & bounded by lines of my own Direction—one Negro Man named Jacob, one Negro Woman named Betty, one Feather Bed & furniture, Two Cows & Calves, two sows & Piggs & my Stalion.

Item, I give & Bequeath to my Beloved Daughter, Mary Thurston, one Tract or pacel of Land lying on both sides of Whipping Creek bounded on upper side by Charles Moile Talbots Lower Line & on the lower side by a Tract that I entered for my Daughter Christiania Talbot, not known what quantity but my land lying Between Charles Moile Talbots lower line & Pearce Pennells upper line, to be divided into two Equal parts & that half Joining Charles Moile Talbots lower line to be my Daughter Mary Thurstons, the dividing line to Begin at Robt. Pennells line Thence runing Through across Sd. Creek to Murrys Land on my back line, one Negro Woman named Phillis, one Mare called Leadingheels & one Negro Man named Dick.

Item, I give & Bequeath to my belove son, David Gwin Talbot, one Tract or parcel of Land lying & being on the East side of Whipping Creek beggining on the sd. Creek where Charles M. Talbots upper line crosses it, Thence up sd. Creek as far as will take half the land I own above said Mentioned line on So. side sd. Creek, Thence runing across through to Murrays Land or my back line, One Negro Man Named Ben, one Feather Bed & Furniture, Two Cows & Calves, Two sows & piggs, one Mare called young Greenwood & Colt of same Mare & the time of a Mulattoe boy named Oliver who is Bound to serve to Twenty one Years of age, in case my Wife shall Marry or die before sd. Boy shall come of age & otherwise he is to serve his time with her during her widowhood or he shall come of age.

Item, I give & Bequeath to my beloved Daughter, Christiania Talbot, on Certain Tract or parcel of Land Lying on both sides of Whipping Creek Bounded on the upperside by the Land Mentioned above for Mary Thurston & on the Lower side by Pearce Pennells Lines & to Contain same Quantity of Mary Thurstons, one Negro Woman Named Racheal with her increase, one Young Mare, old Pruets last Colt, one Feather Bed & furniture, Two Cows & Calves, Two Sows and Piggs, one Side Saddle & Bridle.

Item, I give & Bequeath to my belove Son Providence Talbot one Tract or Parcel of Land lying on East side of Whipping Creek Beggining on sd. Creek at my upper line, Thence down sd. Creek to mouth of the dry Branch, Thence up sd. Creek to my back line or Seegars & above Said Line to be his, One Negro Man Named Prince, Two Young Mares, on Called Baker the other Young Leadengheels, one Feather bed & Furniture, Two Cows & Calves, Two Sows & Piggs, one Bridle & Saddle.

Item, I give & Bequeath to my beloved son, George Talbot, one Tract or Parcel of Land Lying on East side of Whipping Creek Begining on said Creek at mouth of Dry branch, Thence down sd. Creek to Charles M. Talbots upper line, Thence along his lines to Seegars, Thence along his lines to Providence Talbots Lower line, one Negro Girl named Winney, one Horse Colt called Halls Colt, Two Cows & Calves, Two Sows & Piggs, one Feather Bed & furniture, one Bridle & Saddle.

Item, I give & Bequeath to my Beloved son, Zackey [Zeekey] Talbot, one Certain Tract or Parcel of Land lying on the West side of Whipping Creek Begining at my upper line on Sd. Creek, Thence down Sd. Creek to David G. Talbots upper line, Thence along his Line to the Back Line Including the Plantation whereon I now live, one Negro Boy named Peter, one Sorrel Mare Called Old Pruit, One feather Bed & furniture, Two Cows & Calves, Two Sows & Piggs, also as much Cash as will Purchase a Saddle & Bridle.

Item, I do give & Bequeath to each of my unmarried Children, four head of Sheep & the remainder of my Stock of Sheep to be lent to my Wife during her Widowhood. Also that Plummer Thurston have the use of Christiania Talbots Land till She shall come of Age on paying the tax of the same.

Item, It is my full desire that all Land or Lands, Negroes, Stock, each & every article given & above Mentioned be to the above named Legatees them & their Heirs forever with all their Increase, except either of them should die underage & without Issue & then Such Estate both Real & Personal to be Equally divided Between my Legatees then Living.

Item, It is my Will & what I Expect that my Wife will School such of my Children that are underage so long as my Executors Shall think requisite, also Board and Cloath them untill they shall come of age & incase she does not Chuse to do it, then my Executors to be Possessd of so much of the Estate in my Wifes hands as will be Sufficient to Comply with what is above required of my Wife & Provide for my Children in the most advantageous manner they can.

Item, It is my Will & desire that all the Surplus of my Estate of all Kinds that is not Given nor Lent, that my Executors make sale of, also such Articles which I have Lent my Wife, at her death or Marriage be sold & after paying my Just Debts, the Surplus then remaining to be Equally divided Between all my Children.  Lastly, I do appoint & Constitute my Brother John Talbot, my son Williston Talbot & my son Charles Moile Talbot, my whole & Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament.

Item, it is my desire that in case my Executors should find any of the Stock Waisting for the want of Proper Provision being made for them while any of the Legatees are underage, to sell sd. Stock & be Accountable for the Amount of such Sale when they shall come of Age.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal to this my last Will & Testament the day & year above Written.

Charles Talbot (Seal)

In the presence of
John Bullock
Sary [X] Cock
Charles [X] Walker

At a Court held for Bedford County the 23d day of August 1779, This last Will and Testament of Charles Talbot Gentl. deceased was proved by the Oaths of John Bullock and Sarah Cock, Witnesses thereto Subscribed and Ordered to be recorded and on the Motion of John Talbot, Williston Talbot, and Charles Moile Talbot, the Executors therein named, who made Oath thereto, Certificate is granted them for Obtaining probate in due form, giving Security whereupon They Together with John Fitz Patrick, Moses Fuqua, and Plummer Thurston, their Securities, entered into and Acknowledged their Bond in the Penalty of Twenty Thousand Pounds for The said Executors due and faithfull Administration of the said Decedents Estate and Performance of his Will.

Teste
J. Steptoe, Cl.

The first page of Charles Talbot’s will. (Bedford County Will Book #1, Aug 1779, page 345)

The second page of Charles Talbot’s will. (Bedford County Will Book #1, Aug 1779, page 346)

The third page of Charles Talbot’s will. (Bedford County Will Book #1, Aug 1779, page 347)

The fourth page of Charles Talbot’s will. (Bedford County Will Book #1, Aug 1779, page 348)

The Revolutionary War continued for another four years after Charles died, with some of the battles taking place in Virginia.  Due to the fact that there were shortages of food and other provisions that the Continental Army needed to keep fighting the British, a law was enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia wherein commissioners were to be appointed in each county to gather and purchase the needed supplies directly from the citizens.  These commissioners would examine what each family had on hand, determine what they could spare, and issue them a certificate in exchange for the goods.  The certificates could then be turned in at a later date for reimbursement.  In 1781, Drusilla provided the Army with 200 pounds of beef.  Her son Williston contributed 46 diets (meals) and 17 pecks of corn (about 235 pounds).

Part VII:  Campbell County, Virginia

In November 1781, the portion of Bedford County where Drusilla was still living became part of the newly-formed Campbell County.  Four months later, in March 1782, Drusilla went to Court with her certificate to request payment for the beef she had contributed to the Continental Army the previous year.  Her payment was approved in April, and she received £1/13/4.

This court record shows the contributions that Drusilla and her son Williston made to the Continental Army in 1781. (Revolutionary War Public Service Claims, Campbell County Court Booklet, Mar 1782, page 4)

Transcription:  Druscilla Talbot proved that she furnished the said Commissary with Two Hundred pound of Beef for which she is allowed the sum of one pound thirteen shillings and four pence which is ordered to be certified. (Campbell County Court Order Book #1, Apr 1782, page 20)

June 1782 Court:  The church wardens of Russell Parish were ordered to bind out Oliver Anthony, a mulatto child of Amie Anthony, to Drusilla.  This is the same mulatto boy who was bound to Charles in 1768 and was mentioned in his will in 1779.

Transcription:  Ordered that the Church Wardens of Russell Parish bind Out Oliver Anthony a Mulattoe child of Amie Anthony to Druscilla Talbot According to Law. (Campbell County Court Order Book #1, Jun 1782, page 60)

Four years later, Drusilla died in Campbell County on August 18, 1786 at the age of 58.  The location of her grave is not known.  Her name appeared in the court records one more time when Oliver, the mulatto boy, was passed on to her son David—just as Charles had directed it in his will seven years earlier.

Transcription:  Ordered that the Overseers of the Poor in the South East District of this County bind Olliver Anthony a Mulluttoe boy formerly bound to Druscilla Talbot Deceased to David Talbot According to Law.  (Campbell County Court Order Book #2, Sep 1786, page 438)

Part VIII:  Kentucky and Beyond

After the Revolutionary War, several of Charles and Drusilla’s younger children migrated to Kentucky, and in the subsequent years, they had grandchildren who ended up in Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, West Virginia, Alabama, and one of them, Frances Thurston Kennedy, made it all the way to Oregon.  She and her family traveled along the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon in 1846.

We know from a memorandum that was written in 1849 by Charles’ nephew, Edmund Talbot (son of his brother, Matthew Jr), that Charles abandoned The Church of England and became a Baptist in his later years.  Here is exactly what Edmund wrote about Charles:

Charles became a Baptist before his death, which took place during the Revolutionary War. He had several sons and two daughters.  Williston, who lived over eighty years, David and another son, name forgotten, who died without any family. This branch of the family, I believe, at this date [1849] still reside in Virginia.

In his book, Genealogical Sketch of Certain of the American Descendants of Mathew Talbot, Gentleman, Robert Howe Fletcher claims that Charles not only became a Baptist but also a Baptist minister.  I have not come across any information to verify this, and I think Fletcher may have actually gotten Charles mixed up with his brother, Matthew Jr, who definitely was a Baptist preacher.  Here is what Edmund Talbot wrote in that same 1849 memorandum concerning Matthew Jr (his father) and religion:

Before the Revolutionary War a great revival of religion took place in Virginia, and father and mother became Baptists, but previous to that time father was a High Churchman. After that he became a preacher and continued so until his death, which took place in the eighty-second year of his age, and for fifty years a member of the church of Christ.

The decision that Charles made to become a Baptist had an impact on many of his descendants.  In fact, my own grandmother, Louise Brooks, was a Baptist throughout her life, partly because it was the religion that was passed down through the generations from Charles, who was her 4th great-grandfather.

I admire Charles for many reasons.  He was a good father who worked hard to provide for his large family.  His hard work and good business sense enabled him to acquire quite a bit of land and other possessions.  He was very involved with his community—serving as a court justice, the sheriff, a church warden, a surveyor, and as a captain in the county militia.  He and his family were great contributors to the patriot cause and were hoping to gain independence from Great Britain.  It’s unfortunate that Charles didn’t live long enough to actually see that dream become a reality, but he did live a full and interesting life.

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The children of Charles Moile Talbot and Drusilla Gwin:

1.  Williston Talbot, born 1 Aug 1750 in Lunenburg County, Virginia.  Died in 1827 in Campbell County, Virginia.  Married Elizabeth Cock on 12 Dec 1769 in Bedford County, Virginia.

2.  John Moile Talbot, born 21 May 1753 in Lunenburg County, Virginia.  Died 26 Jul 1777 in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware while in service during the Revolutionary War.

3.  Lucy Moile Talbot, born 8 Dec 1755 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died before 1779 in Bedford County, Virginia.

4.  Charles Moile Talbot Jr, born 6 Feb 1757 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died in 1797.

5.  Mary Talbot, born 20 Apr 1759 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died after 1810 in Kentucky.  Married Plummer Thurston on 5 Jun 1777 in Bedford County, Virginia.

6.  David Gwin Talbot, born 6 Apr 1761 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died 12 Jun 1853 in Campbell County, Virginia.  Married Martha Jane Jennings in June 1791 in Lunenburg County, Virginia.

7.  Christiania Talbot, born 8 May 1763 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died after Oct 1834.  Married Ezekiel Thurston about 1782 in Virginia.

8.  Providence Talbot, born 21 Aug 1765 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died 1 Jan 1786 in Campbell County, Virginia.

9.  George W. Talbot, born 11 Jun 1768 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died 21 Jan 1848.  Married Martha Moss on 8 Jul 1797 in Virginia.

10.  Ezekiel Talbot, born 18 Apr 1770 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Died 20 Nov 1801 in Shelby County, Kentucky.  Married Catherine Reynolds about 1790.

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