William Jasper Talbert (October 6, 1846 – February 5, 1931) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

Early life

Born near

Edgefield County, South Carolina Edgefield County is a county located on the western border of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 25,657. Its county seat and largest community is Edgefield. The county was established on March 12, 1785 ...

, in Talbert Township in what is now Mccormick County, South Carolina. He attended the common schools in

Greenwood Green wood is unseasoned wood. Greenwood or Green wood may also refer to: People * Greenwood (surname) Settlements Australia * Greenwood, Queensland, a locality in the Toowoomba Region * Greenwood, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth ...

then Due West Academy at

Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...

, and graduated from

Erskine College Erskine College is a private Christian college in Due West, South Carolina, United States. It is an undergraduate liberal arts college and a graduate theological seminary. The college was founded in 1839 by the Associate Reformed Presbyteri ...

Due West, South Carolina Due West is a town in Abbeville County, South Carolina. The population was 1,247 at the 2010 census. It is home to Erskine College, Erskine Theological Seminary and Dixie High School. History Some say the name is a mispronunciation of "DeWi ...

. He served as a substitute in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

as a private in Company F, Fifth South Carolina Reserves; in place of his father B. M. Talbert, who was discharged December 17, 1862. He reenlisted at

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

, September 15, 1864, as a private in Company B, Infantry Regiment,

Hampton Legion Hampton's Legion was an American Civil War military unit of the Confederate States of America, organized and partially financed by wealthy South Carolina planter Wade Hampton III. Initially composed of infantry, cavalry, and artillery battalions, ...

of South Carolina. After the war, he engaged in agricultural pursuits near Parksville in

McCormick County, South Carolina McCormick County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 9,526, making it the second-least populous county in South Carolina. Its county seat is McCormick. The county was formed in 1 ...

Political career

He served as member of the State House of Representatives from 1880 to 1883, and in the

State Senate In the United States, the state legislature is the legislative branch in each of the 50 U.S. states. A legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at ...

from 1884 to 1888. He was appointed as superintendent of the State penitentiary and served from 1891 to 1893. He served as delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1892. He served as mayor of Parksville 1895–1900. He was president of the Democratic State convention in 1899. Throughout this period, he held various positions in the Farmers' Alliance. Talbert was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the Fifty-third and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1902, but was an unsuccessful candidate in the second primary for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1902.

Later life

He resumed agricultural pursuits near Parksville, McCormick County, South Carolina. He moved to

McCormick, South Carolina McCormick is a town in McCormick County, South Carolina, United States. As of 2024, McCormick, South Carolina population is 2,225 as of July, 2024. The population was 2,232 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of McCormick County. The town ...

, in 1927, and lived in retirement until his death in

Greenwood, South Carolina Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina. The population in the 2020 United States Census was 22,545 down from 23,222 at the 2010 census. The city is home to Lander University. History In 1823 John McG ...

, February 5, 1931. He was interred in Parksville Baptist Church Cemetery.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Talbert, William Jasper 1846 births 1931 deaths Confederate States Army soldiers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina Democratic Party members of the South Carolina House of Representatives People from McCormick County, South Carolina People from McCormick, South Carolina 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the South Carolina General Assembly