The abstract to the land that the Talbot House currently sits on dates back to 1842. Under the April 24, 1820, Act of Congress, President John Tyler granted 160 acres of land in Pulaski County to Mr. Edwin Swink. From 1842 through 1899 the land passed through many well known Waynesville citizens. Swink sold the land to William and Elizabeth Moore in May 1842. In August 1843, the Moore’s gave several acres of land to Pulaski County to start the town of Waynesville. On May 26. 1859. after the death of William Moore, the Circuit Court of Pulaski County ruled that all the right and title of William Moore be transferred to the County of Pulaski for a county seat. The abstract contains the original plate of the Town of Waynesville, County Seat of Pulaski County. Block 1, Lots 6 and 7 is where the Talbot House sits today. The Talbot House was built in August 1899 by M. L Davis (a single woman) who later married W. J. Burrows. in Dec 1941 easement for public road and utilities was taken from a portion of Lot 6 and 7 to make Hwy 17. Dr. CA. Talbot. MD, and his second wife. Emma ‘Pearl Talbot. purchased the house in March 1920. Dr. Talbot practiced medicine in the house for many years and they raised three
sons; Charles and Bradford, Stepson. Dr. Talbot later moved into The Talbot Building. After Dr. Talbot’s death in 1945, Emma Pearl Talbot. also known as Maude, rented out rooms to many people. Most of the renters were school teachers. telephone operators, and highway patrolmen. Maude ran a very strict boarding house and heard all the coatings and goings since her bedroom was located down stairs by the front door. it was not unusual for her to say the next morning, “You were out a little late last night. weren’t you?” Some still live in Waynesville and have shared many stories about living in the Talbot House. One such story—is about the USO Club that was built behind the house during WWII and all the wild and loud parties that could be heard; of course. no one from the Talbot House attended. One lady remembers Maude getting stuck in the bathtub and no one being home except a gentlemen living in a downstairs bedroom. She screamed long and loud: he finally heard her distress. went to her assistance. and ended up lifting her out of the tub. Needless to say,they were both very embarrassed. Several renters have returned to the Talbot House to visit their rooms from the past. Mrs. Bonnie Gibbons Dubowski bought the house in 1969. Bonnie lived there until her death in 1994. She was known for her love of the house and antiques. According to friends. she had many beautiful antiques and each room was decorated in a different antique theme. The house was a real showcase. The 102 year old Victorian house is presently owned and operated as an Antiques and Collectibles business by Keith Osborne.
Taken from a 2002 article of the Old Settlers Gazette. Credit goes to them for their research. Actual article can be found in archive form here http://www.oldstagecoachstop.org/webgeezer/Gazette02/talbothouse.pdf