Grave of (Capt, James Fanning - 1695-1779). The unbroken stone, circa 1903.
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THE FANNING FAMILY - A History on a Tombstone - The following inscription on a tombstone in the village Cemetery at Riverhead Long Island attracts the attention of visitors. Seldom, if ever, has a more complete history of a family been carved on a tombstone:

"Captain James Fanning died in 1776, in the ninety second year of his age. He was the great grandson of Dominicus Fanning, who was Mayor of a city in Ireland under Charles I, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Drogheda in 1649, all the garrison except himself being put to the sword. He was beheaded by Oliver Cromwell, his head stuck upon a pole at the principal gate of the city, his property confiscated because when Charles I made proclamation of peace, as member of the Irish Council, he advised not to accept unless the British Government would secure to the Irish their religion, their property, and their lives. His son Edmund, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, married Catharine, daughter of Hugh Hays, Earl of Connaught, and emigrated to this country with his family, consisting of his wife, two sons Thomas and William, and two servants, Lahorne and Orna, settled in Stonington, Conn. William, in a battle with the Indians, was killed by King William, who split his head open with a tomahawk. Thomas had a daughter, Catharine Page, and one son James, This Captain Fanning served under Great Britain, whose Government was at war with France, married Hannah Smith, of Smithtown, had five sons, and four daughters, viz: Phineas, Thomas, Gilbert, Edmund, James, Catharine, Bethia, Sally, and Nancy. Phineas had a son, Phineas, who graduated at Yale, 1768, two of whose sons are now living, 1850, viz: William Fanning, in New York City, and P. W. Fanning, in Wilmington, N.C. His wife, Hannah, son, Thomas, and daughter, Catharine, are buried beside him. Gilbert settled in Stonington, Conn. Edmund became Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, where he held large estates. James settled on Long Island; had two sons, John and James. The latter was a merchant, residing for many years three miles east of Riverhead; had five sons, four of whom are now living. The elder, James, died at Moriches, in his seventy-second year; two Manasseh and Carl, reside in Riverside Town; Nathaniel resides in the town of Southampton, and the fifth son, Joshua Fanning, physician, in Greenport, Southold Town. Sally Fanning married Captain Josiah Supton. Catharine married a Mumford, Bethia married a Terry, and Nancy married Major John Wickham."

This inscription was sent to my mother. She was greatly interested in it and had it printed and distributed among the family. She said it coincided with the family traditions which had been taught her from her childhood An uncle of my grandfather's joined the British during the Revolution This produced a great family rupture My grandfather and his brothers disowned him and ever after spelled their names without the "g".

See also, SOURCE: "Memoirs of the Fort & Fannin families" as edited by Catherine "Kate" Haynes Fort. See photo insert after page 172, and the above text, on pages 217-219.
Source [link]: http://books.google.com/books?id=BXhMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA217&

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: July 7, 1880