Youngest brother of Florence Kling Harding, First Lady of the United States of America 1920-1923. "Tal" was the youngest son of Amos and Louise Bouton Kling.
A longtime bachelor, after the death of his father, Tal fell in love with the Kling family's maid, Nona Hinaman (née Younkins) an Irish Catholic widow. His brother Clifford Kling forbade the union and demanded that Tal never see her again. Tal refused. He was banished from the Kling household. The relationship was so scandalous that during the 1920 Presidential Election, Tal and Nona were not permitted at the home of his brother in law and sister Warren G. Harding and Florence Kling Harding for fear that the press would discover that there was a link to the Catholic faith (this in a time when the KKK in the Midwest was more anti-Catholic than it was anti-black).
Oddly, Florence Harding would secretively visit Tal and Nona at their home on Marion's north side because she could avoid the media spotlight and relax. The Republican National Committee actually paid the Kling's to go on an overseas tour so word of their faith didn't make the press.
Tal and Nona had no children. They spent their days happily out of the public eye at their home on Ballentine Avenue, he working as a bookkeeper and she continuing to work as a housekeeper for various families in Marion.
A place for Tal and his wife was saved on the Amos Kling marker, but because Tal converted to Catholicism for Nona, he and his wife are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, the spot on the Kling monument was left blank. St. Mary's Cemetery is across the street from his family in Marion Cemetery and the memorial built for his sister and her husband.
A longtime bachelor, after the death of his father, Tal fell in love with the Kling family's maid, Nona Hinaman (née Younkins) an Irish Catholic widow. His brother Clifford Kling forbade the union and demanded that Tal never see her again. Tal refused. He was banished from the Kling household. The relationship was so scandalous that during the 1920 Presidential Election, Tal and Nona were not permitted at the home of his brother in law and sister Warren G. Harding and Florence Kling Harding for fear that the press would discover that there was a link to the Catholic faith (this in a time when the KKK in the Midwest was more anti-Catholic than it was anti-black).
Oddly, Florence Harding would secretively visit Tal and Nona at their home on Marion's north side because she could avoid the media spotlight and relax. The Republican National Committee actually paid the Kling's to go on an overseas tour so word of their faith didn't make the press.
Tal and Nona had no children. They spent their days happily out of the public eye at their home on Ballentine Avenue, he working as a bookkeeper and she continuing to work as a housekeeper for various families in Marion.
A place for Tal and his wife was saved on the Amos Kling marker, but because Tal converted to Catholicism for Nona, he and his wife are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, the spot on the Kling monument was left blank. St. Mary's Cemetery is across the street from his family in Marion Cemetery and the memorial built for his sister and her husband.
Youngest brother of Florence Kling Harding, First Lady of the United States of America 1920-1923. "Tal" was the youngest son of Amos and Louise Bouton Kling.
A longtime bachelor, after the death of his father, Tal fell in love with the Kling family's maid, Nona Hinaman (née Younkins) an Irish Catholic widow. His brother Clifford Kling forbade the union and demanded that Tal never see her again. Tal refused. He was banished from the Kling household. The relationship was so scandalous that during the 1920 Presidential Election, Tal and Nona were not permitted at the home of his brother in law and sister Warren G. Harding and Florence Kling Harding for fear that the press would discover that there was a link to the Catholic faith (this in a time when the KKK in the Midwest was more anti-Catholic than it was anti-black).
Oddly, Florence Harding would secretively visit Tal and Nona at their home on Marion's north side because she could avoid the media spotlight and relax. The Republican National Committee actually paid the Kling's to go on an overseas tour so word of their faith didn't make the press.
Tal and Nona had no children. They spent their days happily out of the public eye at their home on Ballentine Avenue, he working as a bookkeeper and she continuing to work as a housekeeper for various families in Marion.
A place for Tal and his wife was saved on the Amos Kling marker, but because Tal converted to Catholicism for Nona, he and his wife are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, the spot on the Kling monument was left blank. St. Mary's Cemetery is across the street from his family in Marion Cemetery and the memorial built for his sister and her husband.
A longtime bachelor, after the death of his father, Tal fell in love with the Kling family's maid, Nona Hinaman (née Younkins) an Irish Catholic widow. His brother Clifford Kling forbade the union and demanded that Tal never see her again. Tal refused. He was banished from the Kling household. The relationship was so scandalous that during the 1920 Presidential Election, Tal and Nona were not permitted at the home of his brother in law and sister Warren G. Harding and Florence Kling Harding for fear that the press would discover that there was a link to the Catholic faith (this in a time when the KKK in the Midwest was more anti-Catholic than it was anti-black).
Oddly, Florence Harding would secretively visit Tal and Nona at their home on Marion's north side because she could avoid the media spotlight and relax. The Republican National Committee actually paid the Kling's to go on an overseas tour so word of their faith didn't make the press.
Tal and Nona had no children. They spent their days happily out of the public eye at their home on Ballentine Avenue, he working as a bookkeeper and she continuing to work as a housekeeper for various families in Marion.
A place for Tal and his wife was saved on the Amos Kling marker, but because Tal converted to Catholicism for Nona, he and his wife are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, the spot on the Kling monument was left blank. St. Mary's Cemetery is across the street from his family in Marion Cemetery and the memorial built for his sister and her husband.
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Vetalis H. Kling
1864-1938
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