Person:Isham Talbot (1)

Whitley, Edna Talbott. Kentucky Ante-Bellum Portraiture, (The National Society of Colonial Dames of America, 1956), pp. 448-449
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From Virginia, our subject was brought early to Harrodsburg by his parents, Lieutenant Isham Talbot, late of the Bedford County militia, and Elizabeth Davis Talbot. He was educated at Harrodsburg, studying law under Colonel George Nicholas. Upon his admission to the bar be began to practice at Versailles, later moving to Frankfort. Serving in the state senate from 1812 to 1815, he became a United States Senator, 1815 to 1819 and 1820 to 1825, filling out unexpired terms for Jesse Bledsoe and William Logan. Though not listed in the key to the painting at the Corcoran Art Gallery, he was a member of the Senate when it was painted by Samuel F. B. Morse in 1821/2.

Senator Talbot was twice married, first on January 24, 1804, at Frankfort to Margaret, the daughter of Governor James Garrard, who was the mother of all his children, and second, at Washington, D. C., to Mrs. Polly Taylor, nee Thornton. Three of his children left descendants, William Garrard Talbot, Juliet (Mrs. Churchill Samuel), and Eliza, who married in 1824, Colonel Ambrose William Dudley, 1798-1883. William Talbot Dudley inherited the Jouett portrait, listed by Menefee as number 191 in 1893. It hung for years at "Melrose," the Talbot home, which stood until 1939 or after, in the vicinity of the State Cemetery, Frankfort, where the senator lies buried.

Oil on canvas, 27" X 2Z". By Matthew H. Jonett (Menefee No. 191)
Owner: The J. B. Speed Memorial Museum, Louisville
C. & S. print and data from the late Mrs. Wm. Garrard Talbot, Paris

6829: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 - Present. TALBOT, Isham, 1773-1837. Senate Years of Service: 1815-1819; 1820-1823; 1823-1825. Party: Republican; Republican; Adams-Clay Republican . TALBOT, Isham, a Senator from Kentucky; born near Talbot, Bedford County, Va., in 1773; moved with his father to Harrodsburg, Ky.; completed preparatory studies; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Versailles, Ky.; moved to Frankfort, Ky., and continued the practice of law; member, State senate 1812-1815; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Bledsoe and served from February 2, 1815, to March 3, 1819; again elected to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Logan and served from October 19, 1820, to March 3, 1825; resumed the practice of law; died near Frankfort, Ky., September 25, 1837; interment in the State Cemetery, Frankfort, Ky.

Franklin County. ISHAM TALBOT was born in the county of Bedford, the State of Virginia, in the year 1772. While quite a youth, his father emigrated with his family to Kentucky, and settled near Harrodsburg, in Mercer county. The means of acquiring an education, at that early day, were necessarily limited, and each individual in the pursuit of knowledge, had to rely, in a great degree, on the resources of his own intellect and will. Young Talbot was sent to the best schools of Harrodsburg; but he acquired, without the aid of teachers, a respectable knowledge of the ancient and some of the modern languages. On arriving at manhood, he studied law with Colonel George Nicholas, and commenced the practice of his profession in the town of Versailles, in Woodford county. He soon afterwards removed to Frankfort, and entered the lists when Clay, and Daviess, and Bibb, and Bledsoe, and Rowan adorned the bar; and public opinion of that day and this, has regarded Mr. Talbot as one of the brightest in that galaxy of illustrious names. In 1812, he was elected to the senate of Kentucky from the county of Franklin, which office he continued to hold until his election, in 1815, to the senate of the United States, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Jesse Bledsoe. In 1820, he was re-elected to the senate, and served in that body till the 4th of March, 1825. Mr. Talbot's career in the senate is a part of the history of our common country, and the reports of the debates of that body bear ample proofs of his eloquence and patriotism. He died at Melrose, his residence near Frankfort, on the 21st of September, 1837.

After the death of his biological father, Isham and several of his siblings went to live with his father's half-brother, Isham, and his wife.