Biography - Joseph Tannehill
JOSEPH O. TANNEHILL is the popular proprietor of the Clover Leaf Hotel, of Coffeen, Ill., which is one of the best-kept and most popular hostelries in the county of Montgomery. Mr. Tannehill was born in St. Clair County, near Belleville, Ill., February 2, 1841, a son of A. J. and Mary J. (Whitside) Tannehill, the former of whom was born in the Blue Grass regions of Kentucky, and the latter in St. Clair County, Ill. A. J. Tannehill was taken by his parents to St. Clair County, Ill., when he was about two years of age, and his father, James B. Tannehill, became the owner of the first gristmill of Belleville, as well as of the first hotel and the first whiskey distillery. He was born, reared and married in Kentucky, but was of Scotch descent. The maternal grandfather, William T. Whitside, was a Virginian, of Irish descent, and one of the first settlers of St. Clair County, Ill. He was a brother of Gen. Samuel A. Whitside, a noted pioneer of the Sucker State.
The parents of Joseph O. Tannehill were married within three miles of Belleville, Ill., soon after which they located in the town, where the father followed the occupation of carpentering and building, these occupations receiving his attention for many years. His last days were spent in St. Louis, where he died at the age of seventy-six years, his wife dying at seventy-two years of age, and they are now sleeping side by side in the Bellefontaine Cemetery at St. Louis. They were the parents of ten children, seven sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to mature years with the exception of one daughter. Those now living are: Joseph O.; Andrew J., of St. Louis; G. William, of Kansas City; Samuel A., of St. Louis; and George W., also of St; Louis. Those deceased are: James W., Mary, John, Lutica and Anna.
Joseph O. Tannehill is the second of this family and was reared in St. Clair County, where he obtained a practical education in the common schools, and remained with and faithfully assisted his father until he had attained twenty-one years of age. He then determined to seek his fortune in California, and crossed the plains with a horse team, via Salt Lake City, to Sacramento City, where he worked in a lumber yard and at mining and also followed the latter occupation in various localities for nearly two years. At the end of this time he returned home via Graytown to New York City, where he remained three days, thence going to St. Louis and finally to Belleville. He and his brother, James W., then engaged in coal-mining four miles east of the town, an occupation that received their attention for about one year. May 12, 1864, Mr. Tannehill married Miss Sarah E. Blackburn, who was born in Montgomery County, Ill., a daughter of G. W. Blackburn.
Soon after his marriage, Mr. Tannehill located on a farm in East Fork Township, where he tilled the soil for about twenty-seven years, but sold out in 1891, and took up his residence in Coffeen, where he began keeping hotel, for which business he has shown a remarkable aptitude. The establishment is well patronized, as it deserves to be, for it is conducted in a very praiseworthy manner and the table is well supplied with wholesome and well-prepared food, and the rooms are kept very clean and in good order. Mr. Tannehill is part owner of one of the best threshing machines in the county, which is very completely fitted up. He and his wife are the parents of five daughters and three sons: Naomi, wife of W. O. May ; Mary A., wife of Jefferson Hill; Gustavus A., Bessie; Laura E., wife of William Miller, of Hillsboro, Ill.; George W., Susan C. and Joseph W. Mr. Tannehill has always supported Democratic principles, but has never been very actively interested in politics.
Extracted 04 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, pages 212-213.
