| OCR Text |
Show From the Mississippi to the Missouri 121 number of families were left without husband and father, and President Young selected eighty-seven men who were to act as bishops to care for the families of the volunteers while they were in the service of their country. Included in the group were John Tanner and his sons, Sidney and John Joshua." Mention or was were with made earlier in this chapter of the poor Saints of the Mississippi River. These "poor camp" on the banks the people without means to the main body .of the Saints. the assemble an outfit to move west After the church leaders had reached the Missouri and had had 'time to make hasty preparations for a location at Winter Quarters, a rescue mission was sent back to the Mississippi River to assist the destitute Saints. The party under the direction of Captain O. M. Allen, con sisting of twelve men with two to five yoke of oxen each, left Sep 2i In two days tember 15, and reached the Mississippi on October 7. and the return had the began trip to Winter they camp organized a well-disci This was which reached November 27. Quarters they much and deserves rescue and mission, carefully prepared plined credit. Those rescued were the sick and others least able to help themselves. It is not known whether any of the members of John Tanner's family participated in this mission, but Nathan tells of a trip made by Freeman Everton Tanner and himself in 1847 while President Young and his party were in the West searching out home for the Saints. Here is Nathan's account: a permanent In 1847 while the Pioneers wair going on their noble trip I was not idle. My brother Freeman and I went to Keokuk, with 2 teams and bought one team and moved a Jurman [German] Company from Keokuk, Ioway, high up on the Desmoin river and raised a little money and brought back a company of the poor Saints to Winter Quarters that fall." Since John Tanner had already moved two families from Nauvoo to Winter Quarters at the time of his own move, it would to appear that he was living up to his promise to Brigham Young assist the poor to the full extent of his ability. |
