W. Jasper Talbert Explained

William Jasper Talbert
State:South Carolina
Term Start1:March 4, 1893
Term End1:March 3, 1903
Predecessor1:George D. Tillman
Successor1:George W. Croft
Office2:Member of the South Carolina Senate from Edgefield County
Term Start2:November 25, 1884
Term End2:December 24, 1887
Predecessor2:James Callison
Successor2:William Judson Ready
Office3:Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Edgefield County
Term3:November 23, 1880  - December 24, 1883
Office4:Mayor of Parksville, South Carolina
Term Start4:1895
Term End4:1900
Birth Date:6 October 1846
Birth Place:Edgefield, South Carolina
Death Place:Greenwood, South Carolina
Resting Place:Parksville, South Carolina
Party:Democratic
Profession:farmer, politician
Alma Mater:Erskine College
Allegiance: Confederate States of America
Branch:Confederate States Army
Serviceyears:1864–1865
Battles:American Civil War
Rank:Private
Unit: Hampton's Legion

William Jasper Talbert (October 6, 1846 – February 5, 1931) was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina.

Early life

Born near Edgefield County, South Carolina, in Talbert Township in what is now Mccormick County, South Carolina. He attended the common schools in Greenwood then Due West Academy at Abbeville, and graduated from Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina. He served as a substitute in the Confederate States Army 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, September 15, 1864, as a private in Company B, Infantry Regiment, Hampton Legion of South Carolina. After the war, he engaged in agricultural pursuits near Parksville in McCormick County, South Carolina.

Political career

He served as member of the State House of Representatives from 1880 to 1883, and in the State Senate 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 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, in 1927, and lived in retirement until his death in Greenwood, South Carolina, February 5, 1931. He was interred in Parksville Baptist Church Cemetery.