Andrew  Peter Tanning was born August 18, 1875, in Zireköping, Skåne, Sweden. . His parents were Cather T. and Dorothea Von Holst Tanning. He came to Galesburg in 1893 after completing his education. His first employment was as a porter at the Union Hotel on the Public Square. Carl Sandburg became acquainted with him while working in the hotel barbershop.

In 1896 Tanning became a member of Company C, Sixth Illinois Militia (Illinois National Guard). He was elected corporal of the company. He was  interested in the military as he had several relatives in the Swedish army.

At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Sandburg enlisted in the company. He and Tanning  became tent-mates for the duration of their tour of duty. Tanning was a good tent-mate as he was neat and orderly. While on leave from their camp at Falls Church, Virginia, the young soldiers made a day trip to Washington, DC. They enjoyed visiting Ford's Theater and other historic sites in the city.

Tanning's  two loves were his rifle and his girl, Amanda Marie Hansen. He called himself “Thirty-eight” as that was the number on his rifle. He kept it spotlessly clean. He was certain to write Amanda twice a week, no matter the circumstances.

After marching over the rough ground of Puerto Rico and enduring the hot, rainy weather and poor food, both young men had lost weight. At Ponce, they found a scale and weighed themselves. Andy had lost twelve pounds and Carl had lost twenty-two pounds.

Andrew Tanning became a citizen on April 4, 1899, after his service in the United States Army. He began working as a clerk at the Galesburg Post Office in 1903 and worked there for thirty-seven years. He and Amanda were married September 8, 1904. They purchased at home at 420 Hawkinson Avenue. They had three daughters: Maurine, Dorothea and Mary Louise.

The middle daughter, Dorothea, was born on August 25, 1910. She attended the local schools and studied at Knox College for several years. She also studied art in Chicago for a time and then went to New York in 1935. She was a self-taught artist and supported herself by doing commercial illustration work. She married Homer H. Shannon, a writer, in 1941.

The art director at Macy's Department Store introduced Dorothea to a gallery owner, Julian Levy, who offered to show her art work. In 1942, she met Max Ernst, the German surrealist artist. They were married in 1946 and lived in France for many years

Dorothea continued to paint and exhibit her work. Paintings she created are owned by museums in London, Paris, Stockholm and New York. Late in life she began writing poetry and prose. She published a number of books. Dorothea died January 13, 2012, in New York at the age of 101.

It is not known if Andrew Tanning understood his daughter or her art work. She had lived an extraordinary life from the time she left her family in Galesburg. Several years ago, a marker was placed at the family home in recognition of the professional life of Dorothea.

Tanning died December 24, 1943, and was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery. His wife outlived him by several of years and is buried beside him. A number of brothers and sisters in Sweden survived him.