Juliette Josephine Bowlsby marries John Tannahill

Juliette Josephine married John Tannahill on Jan. 8, 1870 and went to live on a homestead in Butler, Nebraska.  Immediately after the wedding the happy couple started for Nebraska and the home that John had prepared for them.

  In the “History of Nebraska—Platte Co.,- Columbus” it has this to say about John. “He was a gardener, in present business in 1875.  He makes the seed business a specialty.  Mr. T. is a member of the American Legion of Honor, also of the G.A.R. Baker Post #9, and is at present the Post Commander of same.”

  John had a huge garden and orchard of small fruits and vegetables and whatever fruit was in season, and they sold to the stores and private homes uptown and were always back home for dinner with all sold.

  John and Josephine had 3 girls while in Nebraska, Lillian Annabell, b. Aug. 21, 1871, Jennie Melissa, b. June 20, 1874 and Minnie Louise, b. July 13, 1879.  All was well until July of 1882 when Josephine was drowned when she fell into a well that had been left uncovered.  Little Minnie was only 3 yrs. old.



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Picture on right:   John Tannahill, Jennifer Melissa, Lillian Annabelle, Minnie Louisa on John's knee.  This is the little family that was left when Juliette was drowned.

Juliette's death notice:

The Columbus Democrat, July 29, 1882

TANNAHILL--Bad news, it is said, travels rapidly, and such was the case on Friday morning when the heartrending intelligence that Mrs. John Tannahill had been drowned during the night was spread through our city. Some time after midnight Mr. Tannahill was up, and his wife was then sleeping soundly. He returned to his bed, and on waking Friday morning his wife was absent from his side. He went down stairs and not seeing her he instituted search, going into the kitchen he discovered that the trap door of the cistern was out of its place, and looking down into it he was horrified to see the lifeless body of Mrs. Tannahill. He at once called together his neighbors, and the coroner was notified, an inquest was held, and the jury returned a verdict that she came to her death by drowning, and no one is to blame according to the evidence. The community extend to Mr. Tannahill heart-felt sympathy in his peculiarly sad bereavement. The loss of a loving wife is a terrible blow and the husbands grief is recognized in its fullest sense.

Find A Grave Memorial# 20253794
Tannahill, Juliette Josephine Bowlsby