The Turnbull Heritage Museum was assembled in 2018 and is located in the former facilities of Turnbull Funeral Home/Sederwall Chapel in Biggsville, Illinois.   It is a collection of private artifacts from the "Undertaking" business of the Turnbull family, beginning in 1884. 

Next Saturday October 22, 2022 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm in downtown Biggsville we're having it's Fall Festival on Main Street. Included are the Linn Hotel, the Horse and Buggy Museum, The Turnbull Heritage Museum and many other food and attractions. 

The Turnbull Heritage Museum is housing artifacts of the Turnbull Family Funeral Business, having come to the area on January 24, 1884 and joinging partnership with Charles Blackburn, a Liveryman in Monmouth. They began Blackburn and Turnbull Liverymen and Undertakers in the Monmouth and Henderson County areas. Upon receiving your call on 1 309-371-3595 I will be there to show you around and offer the stories about the artifacts of the Turnbull Family back in the days of Horses, Wagons, Candles, and Wakes in the home. Many have known this to be extremely interesting and the knowledge of what brought us here is important to your knowledge. Please feel free to call me as

 I'd like for you to see the Caskets, the Equipment, and hear the stories of another day. 

“I didn’t want my family things stored away in a barn,”- John Turnbull

We don't own our family history, we simply want to perserve it for the next generation.

"Come see it, You'll be glad that you did! "  -    John Turnbull

The business began in 1884 when David Turnbull, John’s great grandfather, came to the area with his bride, Ada Stevenson from Zenia, Ohio, and they offered “undertaking services” in residential parlors where folks often had wakes and funerals. At the same time David entered into partnership with Charles E. Blackburn who offered Livery, carriages and wagons, to haul home the possessions and people from the rail station.

Ada Turnbull assisted her husband in the funeral protocol including the embalming of the deceased. This process was performed in the kitchen of most homes where typically the floor was a hard surface. Becoming proficient in the art of embalming, and assisting her husband David, Ada received her license as a Registered Embalmer in 1901 and is the 804th licensee in the State of Illinois. Ada, in her career, was active in the business from 1884-1950, spanning 66 years. The artifacts on display were simply items that they used, and are not readily available today.

“It isn’t the Smithsonian Institute it’s a family collection. You really can’t get them anymore,”- John Turnbull

Please feel free to call John anytime and he will personally walk you through the Museum