Talton Thomas Hall was born in 1846 on Little Carr Fork or Trace 

 Fork of Rockhouse Creek, a branch of Beaver Creek in Letcher
  
 County, Kentucky, the son of David and Anna (Johnson) Hall. 
 
 He was the grandson of Anthony (1752-1846) and Rutha Butler
 
 (1770-1855) Hall. Talton married Marinda "Rinda" Triplett 
 
 October 12, 1868, in Letcher County, Kentucky.  Marinda was
 
 born in 1846, a twin to Merilda Triplett and a daughter of 
 
 Wilson and Eleanor (Isaac) Triplett.

 
 
 As a very young man Talton became accustomed to the murders
 
 which happened almost daily.  Gunfights and bloodshed were 
 
 the general way of life in the feud ridden area of Beaver 
 
 Creek.  His father, Dave Hall, was a strong willed man in 
 
 his own right who had killed several men 

in individual disputes. 
 
 
 Talton, himself, was well known for his ability with his guns.
 
 When the man with the gun was Bad Talton Hall, proceeding with
 
 an argument was not only dangerous, but could be suicide.  It 
 
 was a well known fact that Talton did not shoot to bluff and 
 
 did not miss when he shot.  A close associate, Anderson  
 
 Belcher, stated,  "Talt's guns are anything but good to look 
 
 at, but when it comes to shooting they are dead center."
 
 
 Supported by his relatives Talton Hall became a deputy 

 sheriff.  It was his boldness with a gun which enforced his 
 
 desire for an official capacity and carried him forward to 
 
 the position of United States Marshall for the Eastern 
 
 District of Kentucky.  The more powerful station of Marshall 
  
 also elevated prospects for others of the Hall family.  
 
 Already well organized, they then traveled together, armed to
 
 the teeth and under the shield of the law.  They were in all 
 
 appearance deputies, if not officially, then unofficially.
 

 Talton was credited with the killing of near 100 men, 

though the number was probably much less.  Not counting 

those he killed during the Civil War, he confessed 

to the killing of only five men.  He confirmed he killed 

Henry Maggard, Henry  Houk, Mark Hall, and a man named Triplett.  

He was acquitted of murder in all these cases.
  
 
 It was generally thought that Talton Hall killed 

Frank Salyer, March 6, 1885 , yet this was not one of 

the killings he admitted doing when taken into custody 

for the murder of Police Chief Enoch B. Hylton.  

Talton had become romantically 
 
 involved with Salyers wife, and shortly afterward, Salyer 
 
 was murdered by ambushers.  The circumstances of this murder, 
 
 as well as the actual killing, were what brought about the 
 
 end of Talton Hall's life.
 
 
 The last murder he confessed to was that of 

Enoch B. Hylton,  for which he paid the ultimate price.  

After a long man-hunt Talton Hall was arrested for 

Hylton's murder.  His trial got under way January 26, 1892. 

The trial was short, lasting only five days.  

On January 30, 1892 the jury reached a verdict of 

 guilty.  Talton Hall gained his place in history 

when he became the first man to hang 

for murder in Wise County, Virginia, 
 
 September 2, 1892.


 Talt asked "Devil John" Wright to have his body brought 

 back to Kentucky for burial and, of course,