COLUMBUS, Ind. — The graves of nearly a dozen 19th century pioneers have all but vanished on a German Township hilltop west of Taylorsville.
Buried in the abandoned Tannehill-Pioneer Cemetery, south of County Road 700W, are the remains of a distinguished and accomplished man who became the namesake for the burial site, a nearby road and two residential neighborhoods.
While the grave of Zachariah Tannehill (1784-1864) has almost disappeared, records from the Bartholomew County Historical Society, the Bartholomew County Genealogical Society, archived newspaper stories and online family genealogical sites all indicated he led an exceptional life.
A lieutenant when he served under General Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, Tannehill retired with the rank of Major. For the remainder of his life, neighbors and acquaintances often referred to him simply as ‘The Major.’
In 1828, Tannehill purchased 1,200 acres of land and a mill and distillery near Taylorsville. He used the distillery to make 300 barrels of whiskey and shipped them off to New Orleans to finance the purchase. But once the debt was paid, Tannehill – who had little tolerance for liquor – converted the distillery into a factory.
In his memoirs “Reminiscences of Old Times in Bartholomew County,” General W.H.H. Terrell (1827-1884) wrote that Tannehill successfully ran his two businesses along the Driftwood River for almost 35 years. He served in both houses of the state legislature from 1834 to 1844, was a delegate to an Indiana Constitutional Convention, and served over four years in the 1850s as one of the area’s first judges.
But today, the graves of ‘The Major’ and his wife, Ursula (1783-1865) are nearly impossible to find. With their headstones lying flat on the ground, the markers are covered with moss, decaying leaves and giant weeds. In fact, the forested cemetery is nearly all hidden by tall grass, brush and bramble, and fallen trees.
“This is a disgrace to the dead,” German Township native Mike Metz said. “You would think the cemetery would look better for a man of his stature.”
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
