Stirpes, Volume 34, Number 1, March 1994 Page: 20

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The Man Who Had Three Tombstones
By: Jean Tannahill Heggemeier
Although many people have trouble finding one tombstone to prove where a relative
was buried, few find a relative with three. In researching my paternal great-grandfather,
William Tannahill, I found he has three tombstones. They are located in different states and the
locations are as follows:
1. A stone was placed in the New Bradford Cemetery at Nashua, Iowa.
2. A stone was placed in the Iowa Union Cemetery (Freedom Township)
Phillipsbury, Kansas.
3. A stone was placed in the Annapolis Military Cemetery at Annapolis, Maryland.
After much research and checking out stories that had been in the family, I was able to
prove Wm. Tannahill (misspelled on tombstone as Wm. Tannyhill) is buried in the Annapolis
Military Cemetery, 1198 Ash Grave Yo, Annapolis, Maryland. This is documented by records
from the National Archives, Washington, D.C. This is his story.
WILLIAM TANNAHILL
William Tannahill was born in Scotland, March 8, 1819, the son of John and Janet
Sharp Mordyke Tannahill. His wife Jennett White was born June 26, 1824, in Huntingdon,
Canada. She was the daughter of John White, born around 1794 in Kelso, Scotland, and died
April 29, 1878, in Huntingdon, Canada, and Jane Elder born around 1802 in Port Glascow,
Scotland, and died March 8, 1865, in Huntingdon, Quebec, Canada. William and Jennett were
married in Malone, N.Y., by Ashbell Parmelee, April 17, 1844. William had come with his
parents to Huntingdon, Quebec, Canada, when he was nine years old. After marrying, William
and Jennett settled on a farm in Huntingdon. While living on the farm six children were born:
John, on March 12, 1846; Janet Elder, September 18, 1847; William, December 5, 1849;
James, January 14, 1851; Jennett S., January 17, 1853; and Anna, June 17, 1855. In 1855, the
Tannahills moved to Nashua, Iowa. The last three Tannahill children, all born in Iowa, were

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