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| This postcard view of Eureka, Nevada, taken after the turn of the 20th century, shows in the foreground the route of the channel followed by 1874's flash flood. |
At least seven cemeteries in various states of high desert array (or disarray) served central Nevada's Eureka, once a mining boom town, now a small somewhat isolated town of 600 and the seat of Eureka County. At the peak of the boom in 1878 as many as 10,000 people lived in this narrow mountain valley.
Some of the cemeteries are located on Graveyard Flat, just west of town; others, elsewhere. Among them --- St. Brendan's, Masonic, I.O.O.F. (Cedar Hills), Schwamb (once owned by a local undertaker), Old Town (or Eureka County), Jewish and Chinese.
Somewhere among this range of possibilities, most likely on Graveyard Flat, rest in an unmarked grave the bones of an unfortunate young man from Chariton, John W. Talbott, swept away and drowned on July 24, 1874, when a flash flood struck, claiming 20 lives.
Here's a report of the disaster as published in The Eureka Sentinel on Saturday, July 25, 1874:
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Our community has been visited by a great calamity. Yesterday morning a sharp shower, broken by glimpses of sunshine, greeted early risers in our town. About 8:30 a.m. it assumed proportions threatening a severe storm; and even at that hour considerable damage was done by the flood on Ruby Hill. Shortly after 11 o'clock the effects of the preceding storm were made manifest in the vast increase of water flowing down the channel constructed along the lines of Buel and Spring streets. By this flood, though great excitement was created, but little damage was done. Some houses in the more exposed localities had their first floors flooded and much furniture injured; and some of the smaller bridges and a few outhouses were carried away. This was but a precursor of the terrible visitation of a few hours later.
Again the falling wind, the balmy air, the glowing glimpses of blue sky held up to us the delusive phantom of hope; and still gloomy and threatening, as a promintory fate, hovered the heavy clouds over the southwestern peaks. About 1 o'clock the rain recommenced, and this time with redoubled force. Hard and fast the rain poured down, mingled with hail. The black clouds closed down upon us, the lightning grew nearer and fiercer, and calculations closely made proved a period of about one and a half second between the flash and the following thunderbolt.
A few minutes before 2 p.m., two or three horsemen came galloping down Main, Spring and Buel streets, warning the startled people of the approach of the mighty flood. Most thought only of their lives and saved themselves regardless of their effects. Others stood stupefied at the threat of approaching undefined danger. Too many clung too late to their houses in a vain endeavor to save their property by removal to higher ground.
Close upon the heels of the warning horsemen followed the torrent. And such a torrent! Over the entire ridge extending from Pinto to Ruby Hill the massive clouds had broken --- literally broken. Towards the summits there was no rain, but a deluge, and down Railroad, Eureka, New York and Goodwin canyons flowed the water at an almost inconceivable rate of speed, gathering strength and fierceness in the descent.
from the Richmond to the Jackson furnace, where these canyons unite, and where our valley approaches a quarter of a mile in width, the entire ground was covered by a terrible seething mass of waters at least three feet in height, bearing heavy timbers, the wrecks of cabin, and even masses of rock in its angry, headloon career upon our devoted town. As the valley narrows toward the center of town the current increased in fierceness and power.
The entire town was aroused. Great and certain destruction of property was evident, and manfully did most of our citizens struggle to save what could be saved. But even up to this moment none imagined the fearful loss of property and of human life which followed.
For over half an hour the water rolled on. One house after another toppled and fell and the angry billows beat upon the wreck and dashed it to pieces. Many houses (some of them dwelling houses and with families inside) were lifted bodily up and carried down the mighty stream. The sight was magnificent in its terror. The Eureka Hall, a building 100 by 23 feet, was nearly carried away and added to the horror of the scene as it came crushing down along Spring street and through to Buel street, in the rear of the International Hotel, carrying away with its massive weight many buildings already tottering. As the houses succumbed to the swelling stream, many of them would rise grandly from their foundations, and like stately ships, turn gracefully headforemost into the current and sail on an even keel until wrecked against the first debris.
Here was seen a two-story house, to one of the shutters of which clung a man with the energy of despair, as he drifted to almost certain death. Then, in a cabin, rocked and tossed upon the waves, was seen a man trying to escape. Here was seen the detached roof of a house beating from side to side of the stream, and desperately clinging to the ridge, a man striving for dear existence. Close upon this heart-rending spectacle, followed a heavy wagon and team, the massive structure tossed like a ship, and the poor dumb beasts screaming in their mortal agony.
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After the flood had diminished, the people of Eureka began the grim task of recovering the remains of those who had been killed, bringing the bodies to the Eureka County Courthouse to be laid out and identified.
Among these remains, according to The Enterprise, was the body of J.W. Talbot, "a teamster employed by Isaac Whisler." It's tempting to speculate that the wagon and team spotted in the flood by The Enterprise reporter might have been his. John would have been in his mid-20s; we actually have no idea exactly when he was born, only that the birth occurred in Indiana.
There was no way to even begin a search for the young man's family, so friends took charge of the body and had it buried in one of Eureka's cemeteries, which one never specified.
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During early September, 1874, a letter from Virginia City, Nevada, addressed to the Chariton postmaster, was handed to Dan Baker, then editor and publisher of The Leader, and duly published on Sept. 5. It read as follows:
"We have been handed a letter written by Mr. P.S. Taylor of Virginia City, Nev., directed to the postmaster at Chariton, giving an account of the terrible death of a young man, formerly a resident of this place, named J.W. Talbot, a son of Mr. Talbot, formerly a resident of Lucas County, who was a blacksmith by trade and a preacher by profession. The son was drowned in Nevada at the time of the fearful water-spout disaster that happened in that state a few weeks ago. His body was found and decently buried by some of his acquaintances. Mr. Talbot, the father of the young man accidentally drowned, moved to Kansas some years ago, where he is now supposed to reside. Anyone knowing his address will do an act of kindness by informing him of the sad death of his son, or by writing to Mr. P.S. Taylor, at Virginia City, Nevada."
A few days later, on Sept. 9, The Chariton Patriot was able to report the following:
"Drowned --- John W. Talbot, well known in this county, for two years being in the employ of I.N. Morrison, north of town, was drowned in the terrible water-spout flood that occurred at Eureka, Nevada, some weeks ago. The father of the unfortunate young man formerly lived in English township, but at this time is a resident of Mills county."
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It would appear from the The Patriot report, that several Lucas Countyans had known John Talbott and that by the time The Patriot was published, his family had been informed.
John's parents were the Rev. Samuel Adams Talbott and his first wife, Julia Ann. They brought their large family from Indiana to Iowa during the 1850s, settling eventually in northeast Lucas County where Samuel farmed, worked as a blacksmith --- and, as licensed Methodist minister of the Gospel, preached on a circuit that included much of eastern Lucas County.
When the 1870 census of Lucas County was taken, the Talbott family --- Samuel, Julia and six of their younger children ranging from Milton, 14, to Samuel, age 2, were living on a farm in English Township. There was no sign of John, however.
Shortly after 1870, the Talbotts moved on, perhaps to Kansas, perhaps only as far as Mills County, and Julia Ann died. During 1872, at Montezuma in Poweshiek County, the Rev. Samuel married as his second wife the substantially younger Mary Ann Parker and began an entirely new family.
The Rev. Mr. Talbott continued to answer Methodist callings in southern Iowa, then later in Kansas, for much of the rest of his very long life.
During 1906, Samuel and Mary Ann returned to Chariton to make their home with his daughter by that first marriage, Jane, who had married James B. Wyland during 1869 and remained in Lucas County. A son, George W. Talbott, born during 1845 and also a product of the first marriage, also lived in Chariton with his family. The Rev. Mr. Talbott continued to preach whenever called upon to do so.
Some of the children of Samuel and Mary Ann had settled in North Dakota, and so in June of 1910, as his health was failing and while daughter Jane was ill, the couple moved to Ellendale, North Dakota, to make their home with their son Charles C. Talbott. The Rev. Mr. Talbott died there on Jan. 29, 1911, age 84, and was buried in the Ellendale City Cemetery. Mary Ann survived until 1924, then was buried by his side.
Sadly, we cannot account specifically for the grave of young John, who predeceased his father by 37 years, nor of John's mother, Julia Ann.
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