An interesting anecdote and mystery has come to light concerning the Tallman farm, Jones County, Iowa, owned by Wilbur Ellsworth Tallman in 1907 at the time of this story. The Tallman family were descendants of Benjamin Tallman, born 1684, son of Peter Tallman of Rhode Island. Benjamin's son, William left Rhode Island for New Jersey early in life. Later he moved to Berks Co., Pennsylvania and eventually settled in Rockingham, Virginia. William's son, Benjamin, moved to Franklin Co., Ohio shortly after 1800 and some of his descendants migrated to Jones Co.

Cousin Robert S. Tallman of Ortonville, Michigan, writes that his family is descended from James, born 1689, and brother of Benjamin; both are sons of Peter Tallman and his second wife, Joan Briggs. Family activity for Robert's ancestors centered around Springfield, Massachusetts.

Robert's father at age 13, ran away from home in 1907, working on railroad baggage cars all the way from Massachusetts to the Iowa farm of "Ellsworth" Tallman, as he was known. Robert has a photo of the farm crew lined up in front of an Avery Steam Tractor and Thresher rig including his father, taken 1907 on "Uncle Ellsworth Tallman's" farm.

The mystery remains: How did Robert's father of Springfield, Ma. at age 13 in 1907, know about the Jones Co., Iowa farm of Ellsworth Tallman? Robert has not found any connections between the two families, except the one way back in seventeenth century Rhode Island, i.e., the two brothers, Benjamin born 1684 and James born 1689, sons of Peter Tallman.

Wilbur Ellsworth TALLMAN, born 20 Apr 1863 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died 3 Oct 1948 in Morley, Jones, Iowa. He married on 20 Apr 1886, Mary Delilah MERRETT, born 11 Feb 1863; died 30 Jul 1924.

Children of Wilbur Ellsworth TALLMAN and Mary Delilah MERRETT were:

1. Wilbur Ellsworth TALLMAN, born 22 Dec 1887 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died 1968. He married, first, on 17 Feb 1909 in Paton, Greene, Iowa, Etta Jane GORDON, born 29 May 1886 in Rowley, Iowa; died 19 Jun 1918. He married, second, on 21 Feb 1928 in Morley, Jones, Iowa, Mary Eudora SMITH, born 23 Nov 1897 in, Jones, Iowa.

   Children of Wilbur Ellsworth TALLMAN and Etta Jane GORDON were:

   1. Virgil Ellsworth TALLMAN, born 29 Dec 1909 in Anamosa, Jones, Iowa.

   2. Harlan Wilbur TALLMAN, born 24 Jul 1913 in Anamosa, Jones, Iowa.

   Children of Wilbur Ellsworth TALLMAN and Mary Eudora SMITH were:

   1. Lester Allen TALLMAN, born 3 Mar 1931 in Morley, Jones, Iowa.

   2. Budd Raymond TALLMAN, born 23 Jun 1935 in Morley, Jones, Iowa.

2. Laura June TALLMAN, born 10 Jan 1889 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died bef. 1985. She married on 6 Feb 1912 in Morley, Jones, Iowa, Joseph Avert COOK, born 2 Sep 1888.

   Children of Laura June TALLMAN and Joseph Avert COOK were:

   1. Laura Louise COOK, born 6 Nov 1912 in Morley, Jones, Iowa.

   2. Cecil Marie COOK, born 5 Nov 1915 in Morley, Jones, Iowa.

3. Marion TALLMAN, born 14 Dec 1890 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died 1962. He married on 20 Nov 1912 in Jones, Iowa, Frances Evelyn O'ROURKE, born 1 Apr 1887.

   Children of Marion TALLMAN and Frances Evelyn O'ROURKE were:

   1. Alice Marie TALLMAN, born 14 Jan 1916 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died 12 Oct 1946.

4. Lucinda Fern TALLMAN, born 12 Mar 1893 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died 1962. She married on 21 Jan 1915 in (probably) Morley, Jones, Iowa, James Otis SIVER, born 14 Dec 1891; died bef. 1985.

   Children of Lucinda Fern TALLMAN and James Otis SIVER were:

   1. Glenn LaVerne SIVER, born 29 Feb 1916 in Mechanicsville, Iowa.

   2. Floyd Otis SIVER, born 21 Mar 1920.

5. Odessa Caroline TALLMAN, born 25 Feb 1895 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died bef. 1990. She married on 17 Apr 1917, Uriah Clifford PIEPER, born 17 Apr 1891.

   Children of Odessa Caroline TALLMAN and Uriah Clifford PIEPER were:

   1. Clifford Frederick PIEPER, born 7 Apr 1918.

   2. Kenneth Wilbur PIEPER, born 19 May 1920 in Morley, Jones, Iowa.

   3. Florence Evelyn PIEPER, born 2 Feb 1922 in Jones, Iowa.

6. Mary Bell TALLMAN, born 15 Jun 1897 in Morley, Jones, Iowa.

7. John TALLMAN, born 24 Apr 1899 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died bef. 1990. He married on 7 Jan 1920, Nellie Louis VAN SLYKE, born 5 Nov 1898; died 30 Mar 1948.

   Children of John TALLMAN and Nellie Louis VAN SLYKE were:

   1. Louise Virginia TALLMAN, born 30 Apr 1920 in Morley, Jones, Iowa.

8. Lily Jane TALLMAN, born 27 Nov 1901 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died bef. 1992.

John TALLMAN (Jr.), born 3 Apr 1821 in Canal Winchester, Franklin, OH; died 30 Jul 1893 in Morley, Jones, IA. He married on 30 Aug 1843 in Fairfield Co., OH, Lucinda LOWE, born 15 Jan 1822 in Maryland Line, near Baltimore, MD; died 6 Sep 1909; buried in Morley, Jones, IA, daughter of Joshua LOW and Rosina FRIEDRICK.

They left Franklin County, Ohio and settled in Jones Co., Iowa near what is now called Morley in 1845. There Mr. Tallman purchased land (308 acres by 1879) and carried on farming, being one of the successful Agriculturalists of the Rome Township community. Mr. Tallman was quite prominent in political circles, filling all of the township positions and 9 years on the board of supervisors. No trust given him was ever betrayed and his record as a businessman and office holder was extremely commendable. He was a Republican and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Both he and his wife are buried in the Greene Center Cemetery near Morley, Jones County, Iowa.

Children of John TALLMAN (Jr.) and Lucinda LOWE were as follows:

1. James Henry TALLMAN, born 29 Aug 1844 in Canal Winchester, Franklin, OH; died 16 Feb 1905 in Harlan, Shelby, Iowa; buried 19 Feb 1905 in Harlan, Shelby, Iowa. He was a Civil War soldier, Company E. 31st Iowa Infantry 14 August 1862 and discharged at Louisville, Kentucky 27 June 1865. He married on 31 Dec 1868 in Rome Twp, Jones, Iowa, Landora Jane RICHTSTINE, born 29 Oct 1849 in Olin, Jones, Iowa; died 11 Dec 1932 in Tulsa, Tulsa, Ok; buried in Harlan, Shelby, Iowa, daughter of John RICHTSTINE (Jr.) and Elizabeth Ann GRAFT.

2. Nathaniel Commadore TALLMAN, born 22 Jan 1846 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 10 Oct 1910 in Paton, Greene, Iowa; buried in Paton, Greene, Iowa. He married, first, Annie PETTIT and, second, Ida May HAMILTON.

3. Reuben Sanford TALLMAN, born 10 Oct 1848 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 17 Apr 1913 in Paton, Greene, Iowa. He married Sarah Ellen WILLETT.

4. Elizabeth TALLMAN, born 17 Jan 1850 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 22 May 1931. Elizabeth for many years taught Public School in Denver, Colorado. Miss Tallman never married.

5. Winfield Harrison TALLMAN, born 29 Aug 1852 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 30 May 1932 in Paton, Greene, Iowa. He married on 2 Nov 1873 in Morley, Jones, Iowa, Edith Jane GANZER, born 30 Sep 1854, daughter of Samuel and Catherine (RHOADS) GANSER (GANZER).

6. Mary Jane TALLMAN, born 17 Apr 1855 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 26 Nov 1888. She married on 6 Mar 1884, Elmer J. BOOTS, born 18 Dec 1858 in Osage, New York; died 17 Jul 1919 in Seattle, Washington.

7. Rosanna TALLMAN, born 11 Feb 1857 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 15 Jan 1933 in Mt. Vernon, Linn, Iowa. She married on 7 Oct 1883 in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, John Arthur Graves NEFF, born 18 Aug 1855 in Farmington, Conn.; died 23 Nov 1926 in Mt. Vernon, Linn, Iowa.

8. Samantha Emaline TALLMAN, born 7 Jun 1859 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 15 Nov 1937 in Anamosa, Jones, Iowa. She married, first, on 21 Aug 1879, Stephen A. D. NEWMAN, born abt. 1859 in Forest Chapel, Jones, Iowa; died 11 Apr 1884. She married, second, Peter KANE.

9. Angeline TALLMAN, born 18 Dec 1860 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 1 Oct 1935. She married on 14 Jan 1890, Robert Thomas BOOTS, born 10 Jul 1865; died bef. 1955. Children of Angeline TALLMAN and Robert Thomas BOOTS were: 1) Clayton BOOTS, born 9 Feb 1891 in Morley, Jones, Iowa; died 7 Sep 1892 in Jones, Iowa; buried in Forest Chapel Cemetery, Jones, Iowa. 2) Clarence BOOTS, born 9 Feb 1891 in Morley, Jones, Iowa. He married Rose Ellen HAYNOR. 3) Albert Augustus BOOTS, born 25 Apr 1892 in Morley, Jones, Iowa. He married Bertha May HAYNOR. 4) Mabel Angeline BOOTS, born 7 Mar 1894 in Morley, Jones, Iowa. She married Ralph Lee PECK.

10. Wilbur Ellsworth TALLMAN, born 20 Apr 1863 in Morley, Jones, IA; died 3 Oct 1948 in Morley, Jones, Iowa. He married on 20 Apr 1886, Mary Delilah MERRETT, born 11 Feb 1863; died 30 Jul 1924.