Family
Talmage married Merry May Booth (1868–1944), who was normally called May, on June 14, 1888. May was a native of Alpine, Utah and the daughter of immigrants from Lancashire, England. She started studies at the normal school connected with Brigham Young Academy in 1885, when she was 16. She met Talmage due to his being one of her instructors. While at BYA, May was secretary of the Polysophical Society. After completing her course of normal study May took a job as a teacher in Kaysville, Utah. A few months later, Talmage undertook a project to study the waters of the Great Salt Lake, since such matters at least theoretically related to mineralogy. Talmage's main reason for this journey, though, was to pursue a relationship with May, and five months later they were married.
Besides serving with Talmage when he was president of the European Mission and overseeing the Relief Society throughout the mission, Mrs. Talmage served for 40 years as a member of the General Board of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association of the LDS Church. Also while in Britain she oversaw the beginning of the YMMIA in that country.
Mrs. Talmage was a leader in the Utah Women's Suffrage Association, and was a delegate to the World Congress of Women held in connection with the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
James E. and M. May Talmage had eight children. Among their children was John Talmage, who wrote a biography of his father. Another of their children, Sterling B. Talmage (1889–1956), followed the example of his father and became a geologist.
Read more about this topic: James E. Talmage
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