Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Hiram Tennihill

7^th MISSOURI VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
Organized: 11/1/61
Mustered Out: Fall, 1864 Merged in 1st MO Cav.

194^th OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 3/1/65 Camp Chase, Columbus, OH
Mustered Out: 10/24/65 Washington, D.C.

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:  (7^th)

  Although the roots of this 3 year western theater unit can be traced to 11/61, the regiment really started to come together in 2/62 with the consolidation of a battalion known as the “Black Hawk Cavalry” and Capt. Louis’ Company.  Five days later Cos. A and B, mounted, and attached to the 22^nd Inf., were added to the mix.  Shortly thereafter, on 3/7, two unattached companies completed the regimental makeup.  During the spring of 1862 the unit operated in John and adjoining counties within MO, engaging the enemy in various places. 

  Part of the regiment was captured at Independence, but was paroled.  September, ’62 saw the 7^th ordered to Springfield and attached to the Army of the Frontier.  It was subsequently engaged at Cane Hill and Prairie Grove, AR.  The regiment then joined Union forces pursuing Confed. Gen. Maraduke’s men through Missouri and, during the advance on Little Rock, AR, saw action at Bayou Metro, Brownsville and other locations.

  In 1864 the 7^th was stationed in the vicinity of Pine Bluff, AR.  During that year it participated in the Camden Expedition.  With most original recruits mustered out that fall, veteran volunteers (reenlistees) and new recruits were formed into five squadrons, then merged into the 1^st MO Cav. 

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:  (194^th)

  This one year regiment was formed in March, 1865. Almost immediately thereafter it was ordered to West Virginia where it joined Union Maj. Gen. Eagon’s division composed of one eastern and one western brigade.  The surrender of Confed. Gen R.E. Lee’s troops at Appomattox Ct. House, VA on 4/9/65 caused the division to be broken up.  The 194^th was then ordered to Washington, D.C. where it performed garrison duty until final muster.  Despite its relatively short life span and lack of combat exposure, the 194^th lost 1 officer and 37 enlisted men to disease and accidents.  

SOLDIER: (7^th)
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 26 yrs. (est.)
Enlisted/Enrolled: 9/3/61 Carthage, OH   Rank: Cprl.
Mustered In: 12/31/61 Hudson City, OH
Discharged: 3/5/63
Highest Rank: Inf. Not Avail.

SOLDIER (194th)
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 26 yrs. (est.)
Enlisted/Enrolled: 3/1/65
Mustered In: 3/1/65
Mustered Out: 10/24/65
Highest Rank: 1st Sgt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:

  NOTE: Hiram’s enlistment in the 7th was under the surname Tennihill. His enlistment in the 194^th was as Hiram Tunneyhill. It is not known if the latter change was consciously made or merely a scribner’s error.

  Although there is some indication Hiram Tennihill’s birth year was 1839, most available evidence points to May, 1838. Born in Ohio, his parents were John (b. OH) and Margaret (nee Fulton b. OH) Tennihill. The 1850 U.S. Census listed the Tennihill children as Samuel (b.1833), Orren (b. 4/6/34) and Hiram (12). Interestingly, 10 other adults also listed the Tennihill household as home at the time. No additional information is available on Hiram’s childhood, formative or teenaged years. It appears likely that as a young man in his early 20s he was employed as a laborer.

  At some point in the early 1860s Hiram joined a local military unit known as the Black Hawk Cavalry. The unit was, in 1861, to become Co. “F” in the 7^th MO Cav. After a month or so of detached service, Private Tennihill’s cavalry experience was monopolized by illness. The nature of that illness was noted only as “debilitas,” or weakness but its long term nature lead, on 3/3/63, to a medical discharge.

  Militarily, Hiram, was next heard from 2 years later when he again enlisted, this time in the infantry. As the war was then winding to a close, the regiment was not involved in combat.

  After the War, Hiram’s whereabouts are not documented until 1/8/71 when he married Prudence Barnes. Likely this was in Illinois as this was where the couples’ three children were born: William H. (b.1/2/72), Anna E. (b. 2/1/74), and Orren (b. 2/14/76). Prudence died 1/3/78 in Ferris, IL.

  On 10/23/78, also in Ferris, Hiram remarried to Melissa Helen Freeman (b. ca. 1846). Hiram and Melissa produced one child: Edgar (b. 12/18/81). From the scant documents available it appears the Tennihills remained in Ferris, IL until the late 1890’s when they removed to the Puget Sound area of Washington Territory/state and settled in Everett.

  (The year may have been 1893 as that was when Hiram received a transfer card from the Ferris G.A.R. post.) Why the Tennihills came to the Pacific Northwest is not documented. Perhaps it was to be near the family/families of an adult child/children living there.

  62.7 year old Hiram Tennihill, civil war trooper, infantryman, stone mason, laborer and plasterer died 1/7/01 in Everett, WA. Cause of death was listed as heart disease and disease of the rectum. At death he was receiving a $12 per month U.S. Government stipend based on his Civil War soldiering.

  Melissa received the same monthly payment until her death 2/18/14 in Darrington, WA.

Buried at Evergreen Cemetery Everett
Row: GAR section 5
Site: 2