Mancel Talcott

Mancel Talcott, Jr. (October 12, 1817 – June 5, 1878) was a businessman and politician from Chicago, Illinois. He served as a Republican member of the Chicago City Council and the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

Personal life Born in Rome, New York, on October 12, 1817, to parents Mancel, Sr. and Betsy Talcott, he moved to Chicago in 1834. In 1841, he moved to a farm in Park Ridge, Illinois.

In 1874, Talcott was the victim of a home invasion. While fighting off the invader, Talcott swung a chair, which struck a gas fixture, causing an explosion that injured him severely and from which he never fully recovered.

Business career In 1854, Talcott entered into a business partnership with Horace M. Singer and co-founded the Singer & Talcott Stone Company. In 1863, he was elected alderman for Chicago's Ninth Ward. However, he was reelected in 1865 and served until 1867. As president of the police board, Talcott pushed for stricter enforcement of the city's law prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Sundays, but encountered opposition from those who felt that to do so would be politically damaging. He remained on the police board until December 2, 1872.