Janet (Anderson) Tannahill (abt. 1746 - aft. 1786)

Born about 28 Mar 1746 in Dunlop, Ayrshire, Scotland [uncertain]

Wife of John Tannahill — married 12 Aug 1768 in Fenwick, Ayrshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died after 15 Oct 1786 after about age 40 in Scotland [uncertain]

Biography

Janet (Anderson) Tannahill was born in Scotland.

Janet Anderson was likely born on 28 Mar 1746 and baptized on 30 Mar 1746 in the parish of Dunlop, Ayrshire to William Anderson (abt.1724-) and Mary (Craig) Anderson (abt.1724-) (see research notes).^[1]

Janet Anderson (22) and John Tannahill (29) gave in their names for proclamation in order to marry on 8 Jul 1768 in the parish of Dunlop, Ayrshire, they married on the 12 Aug 1768 in the parish of Fenwick, Ayrshire. This suggests the couple had connections in both parishes.^[2][3]

They had seven known children, who were born/baptized in various parishes across northern Ayrshire as can be seen on the map below (towns highlighted in yellow). The first four were born in Fenwick, one in Kilwinning and the last two in Stewarton.

1. John ( born/baptized in 1769)^[4]
2. Jean (born/baptized 1771)^[5]
3. Janet (born/baptized 1774)^[6]
4. Isobel (born/baptized in1777-)^[7]
5. William (born/baptized in 1779-1852)^[8]
6. James (born/baptized in 1783-)^[9]
7. Margaret (born/baptized in 1786-)^[10]

New map of Ayrshire by Andrew Armstrong 1775 Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland [11]

In the absence of a death certificate for Janet, we can only assume she died in Scotland sometime after her last known child Margaret Tannahill was born in Oct 1786.

Parish of Fenwick

From the statistical account of Ayrshire, 1795 by the Rev. Mr William Boyd, he states that in Fenwick there were 46 weavers' looms; 16 shoemakers; 5 tailors and their apprentices; 3 wrights' shops; 3 coopers; and 1 flax-dresser; 9 masons and 2 maltmen. As it was common for the sons of farmers to be bound apprentices for some of these trades, Janet and her family may have been associated with one of these trades..^[12]

Research Notes

Her parents were William Anderson (abt.1724-) and Mary (Craig) Anderson (abt.1724-), this conjecture is based on how the children were named.^[13]

Janet and John named their second son William, this is consistent with traditional naming patterns, in which the second son would be named, after the mother's father, who was William Anderson

Following a simple set of rules:

• 1st son named after father's father (John Tannahill (abt.1711-))
• 2nd son named after mother's father (William Anderson (abt.1724-))
• 3rd son named after father
• 1st daughter named after mother's mother
• 2nd daughter named after father's mother
• 3rd daughter named after mother^[1]

There's another potential birth record for Janet's birth: Janet Anderson parents- James Anderson and Mary Mure, 3 Mar 1747, Dunlop ^[14]

It should be noted that the surname Tannahill was the primary spelling of the name except on one occasion the spelling Tannyhill was used for the second son William.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} ScotlandsPeople. Guide: Forenames and naming patterns in Scotland :accessed 17 Apr 2024.
2. ↑ Church registers -Old parish registers -Banns and Marriages, National Records of Scotland,ScotlandsPeople :accessed 4 May 2024. Janet Anderson and John Tannahill 8 Jul 1768 parish number 591 ref 20/129 parish Dunlop
3. ↑ Church registers -Old parish registers -Banns and Marriages, National Records of Scotland,ScotlandsPeople :accessed 4 May 2024. Janet Anderson and John Tannahill 12 Aug 1768 parish number 592 ref 20/115 parish Fenwick
4. ↑ Church registers - Old Parish registers -Births and Baptisms, National Records of Scotland,ScotlandsPeople :accessed 8 Apr 2024. John Tannahill parents John Tannahill and Janet Anderson gender male birth/baptism 16 Jul 1769 parish number 592 ref 10/377 parish Fenwick
5. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XBLW-CMD : 16 September 2021), Jean Tannahill, Father John Tannahill Mother Janet Anderson, Christening 3 Nov 1771, Fenwick, Ayrshire.
6. ↑ Church registers - Old Parish registers -Births and Baptisms, National Records of Scotland,ScotlandsPeople :accessed 9 Apr 2024 parents John Tannahill and Janet Anderson gender female birth/baptism 10 Jul 1774 parish number 592 ref 10/398 parish Fenwick
7. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XBLW-S85 : 16 September 2021), Isobel Tannahill, Father John Tannahill, Mother Janet Anderson, Christening 2 Feb 1777, Fenwick, Ayrshire.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Church registers - Old Parish registers -Births and Baptisms, National Records of Scotland,ScotlandsPeople :accessed 6 Apr 2024. William Tannyhill's parents John Tannyhill and Janet Anderson gender male birth/baptism 7 Mar 1779 parish number 599 ref 20/212 parish Kilwinnin
9. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTKK-8Y1 : 11 February 2020), Janet Anderson in entry for James Tannahill, 1783.
10. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XBGY-J32 : 11 February 2020), Margaret Tannahill, 1786.
11. ↑ National Library of Scotland Maps - map of Ayrshire 1775 accessed: 17 Apr 2024. Map maker Andrew Armstrong, title A new map of Ayrshire 1775
12. ↑ The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791-1845 Fenwick- Rev William Boyd Fenwick, County of Ayrshire Statical Account 1795
13. ↑ Church registers - Old Parish registers -Births and Baptisms, National Records of Scotland,ScotlandsPeople :accessed 9 Apr 2024. Janet Anderson's parents William Anderson and Mary Craig gender female birth/baptism 30 Mar 1746 parish number 591 ref 10/161 parish Dunlop
14. ↑ Church registers - Old Parish registers -Births and Baptisms, National Records of Scotland,ScotlandsPeople :accessed 9 Apr 2024. Janet Anderson's parents James Anderson and Mary Mure gender female birth/baptism 3 Mar 1747 parish number 591 ref 10/163 parish Dunlop