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Show John Tanner and His Family 232 this entry in his journal: "Certain brethren from Bolton, New York, came for counsel, relative to their proceeding to the west [Missouri]. After a long investigation, I decided that Elder Tanner [John], assist with his might to build up the cause by tarrying in Kirtland; which decision received the unanimous vote of the council.":' While the decision of the prophet and the council favored the "tarrying" in Kirtland of Elder Tanner, it is likely that Sidney and John Joshua continued on West in the fall or winter of .1835.5 Sidney's name is mentioned a number of times in Missouri, par ticularly by Nathan who joined him and John Joshua a year or so later after they had settled in the vicinity of Far West. Nathan men tions the fine farm land which Sidney had secured and also the ex cellent stands of timber. The work of Sidney and John Joshua in Missouri made it much easier for the other members of the family when they arrived from Ohio. That Sidney was in the thick of things in Missouri is evi denced by the fact that he was in the Battle of Crooked River with Captain "Fe arnot" David W. Patten. This has been described in an earlier chapter and will not be repeated." With the final expulsion from Missouri in the spring of 1839, with the· rest, moved eastward across the Mississippi River and rented farms in New Liberty, lllinois, eighteen miles south east of Quincy. Here they remained one year and then moved to Montrose, Iowa, where according to Nathan, "My father and Sidney and John J. Tanner settled together." 7 Sidney along The author wishes he knew how the Tanners managed a farm of this kind. Here were Sidney, married, with five children, and two Montrose; John Joshua, married, with two children, and born in Montrose; and Father Tanner, married, with six and two born in Montrose. more born in three more children, Myron says they fenced six hundred acres of land and plowed planted two hundred acres. Did they partition off the land among the three families, or did they farm cooperatively? It would have required skillful management to keep three families happy under and such circumstances. But, of course, the Tanners were used to work ing together. beginning of the westward movement in 1846, Sidney began play a more prominent role, or at least he is mentioned From the journal of Eliza Partridge more often in the literature. With the to |
