The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-04-28
MANOEL TALOOTT.

Among the names of ciCizens of Chi
cago, specially honOred by connection
with the charities, none occupies a
higher place than that of TALCoTT.
Almost every institution of a charita-
BILE or educational character has it's
''Talcott Fund" as part Of the general
endowment, Or devoted to some special
and interesting feature Of work, or
both.
The beautiful fountain in Central
Park connects the name with the Hu.
name Society; an added wing of the
building, with the Home for the Friend
less a library with the Athen9um.
One institution has fund to furnish
each inmate with an annual pair of
shoes, another to provide a daily sup
ply of fruit for the table. The Old
Peoples Home, the Home for Incur
ables, the Industrial School for Girls,
and many more, have each in turn been
the recipients of liberal donations or en-
dowments and the visitor to any of
them will be shown or told of some
greatly desired improvement which
seemed almost hopeless until Mr.. and
Mrs. Talcott heard of the need and
generously supplied it. More than one
useful and beautiful charity owes its
entire support to the same source, while
their private be1eficence will never be
known except to the host of those who
have been comforted by it.
While many of these gifts, and, per-
haps, the best known of them, have
been made since Mr.. Talcott I" went
higher we are still privileged to think
of them as being made by the husband
and wife together; for during his life
time their charitable work was done IN
consultation and was their joint act,
although Mrs. Talcott's was the active
hand, and while she lived, her beautiful
and sublime faith made her feel that he
was still with her in spirit, and that
what she did to bless mankind, she did
for and with him. In her own words,
st eCaS our united Dork before and 1t is
our united lG0rk nOtp,"
Like many of Chicago's best citizens,
Mancel Talcott was a self. made man.
Born in Rome, Oneida county, n. Y,
in 1917, he received common school
education, and worked on his fathers
farm until, in 1884, he started for the
west. Reaching Detroit, he travelled
the Peninsula Of Michigan on foot, and
after a varying fortune in the infant
city of Chicago, settled down to farm
ing at Park Ridge in 1910. The next
year he was married to Miss Mary II.
Otis who was destined to be his faith
full companion for thirty-seven years of
married happiness. Their union was
not blessed with children, but they
adopted and educated several young
people who are now occupying hOnOred
positions in life.
After farming for ten years, Mr.. Tai
colt went to California where he made
some money, but he was meant for
Chicago, and in two years he returned.
In 1854 he founded, with his friend,
Horace NJ. Singer, the Singer & Talcott
Stone Co., a business enterprise which
prospered greatly and realized the bulk
of the fortune which has been so we'll
employed. He was also president of
the Excelsior Stone Company, of the
Union Stockyards National Bank, and
director of the First National Bank.
Never a politician in the ordinary
sense of the term, Mr.. Talcott's sterling
character and great strength Of will
were early recognized by his fellow citi-
zens and he was frequently urged to al
low his name to be put in nomination
for municipal offices, but he did not
consent until it seemed, in 1868, to be
his duty to do so. In that year he was
elected alderman, in which capacity he
served the city until 1867. In 1871 he
was chosen one of the first board of
county commissioners after the reor-
ganizatiOn of the county affairs, and
later was a member of the board of po-
lice commissioners and its president.
Mancel TalcOtt was connected with
the Universalist Church of the Re
deemer, then at Washington and San
canon streets, and was always ready to
help when financial aid was needed.
Indeed, he was a very liberal giver in
all church relations.