John Tanner and his family

Page 163

152 John Tanner and His Family and friendships receive a reward of a hundred fold, and everlasting life. If John Tanner ever raised the question of what he would get out of Mormonism, there is no record of it. Now it is time to take price of Mormonism was to look into the records to see what the John Tanner and his family. a As soon as he received the gospel, his home became the gathering place of those who had also received the gospel. In particular it was the home of the missionaries. Not that the Tanners counted this in any sense a cost, but less generous folks might have done so. In a short while people who had caught the spirit of gathering became eager to move to Zion, which at that particular moment was Kirtland, Ohio." Kirtland was about five hundred miles from Bolton and many who wished to gather were without means. John Tanner who was known far and wide as a generous Mormon, had the opportunity of outfitting with teams, wagons, and supplies so many families they can hardly be counted. Since most of the accounts of his benevolences are undated and do not give names, the number can only be guessed. Nathan says, "He fitted up four families with teams and wagons to go to Zion. Money was sent to commence the Kirtland Temple." Elizabeth says, "He fitted out three of his neighbors, with their families to go to Kirtland." assisting the poor on his ample re­ an activity of this sort becomes well known, there are those who will take advantage of the situation and the generous acts become a matter of duty. Under It is doubtful that John Tanner's activities in gather to Kirtland constituted much of a drain sources, but it is a matter of knowledge that when to such circumstances John Tanner would have been unable to say no. on his resources came as a result of Zion's the Lord's Army as Lyman likes to call it." By this date, Camp Tanners were well known in Kirtland and Amasa the April 1834, a arrived in Bolton recalling to Kirtland, all Lyman says messenger In addition missionaries. traveling they were instructed to bring with them all the faithful men they could find. 13 A much heavier drain or Amasa Lyman was not yet a son-in-law of John Tanner but he knew his way around the Tanner home, and he soon had John Joshua and Nathan enlisted in The Army as well as a liberal donation. Amasa's biographer says he was authorized "to take in charge as a contribution to the Church some money and teams and two of the sons of John Tanner.":"