Tanner, James R. (4 Apr. 1844–2 Oct. 1927), Civil War veteran, public speaker, and activist for veterans’ causes and the Republican Party, was born James R. Tanner (there is no record of his actual middle name) in Richmondville, Schoharie County, New York, the son of Josiah and Elizabeth (maiden name unknown) Tanner. After receiving a somewhat better than average education, as a teenager he was a county schoolteacher for a time. Despite his father’s initial opposition, “Jimmie” fought in the Civil War, joining the Eighty-Seventh New York Infantry regiment at the age of seventeen in fall ...
