| OCR Text |
Show John Joshua Tanner 245 Taking his bride, John J. returned to Missouri, accompanied by Sidney and his family. Here they proceeded to locate land and timber for themselves and others of the family whom they expected to follow. John J. and Rebecca's first child, Lydia Jane, was born November 28, 1836, at Gallatin, Davies County, Missouri. were For three years, John Joshua, along with other family members, in the thick of the fight with the Missouri mobbers who were seeking to expel them from the state. During the winter of 1838-39, at from Missouri, Rebecca was expecting the time of the final expulsion her second baby. Nathan des John J. hurried to get his wife to a cribes the confused condition as of safety in Illinois. Says Nathan: "John J. brought his family and old Father Baker, and his wife and my wife and child, and all their goods in one wagon, and John Joshua's wife was liable to be sick on the road.": The baby, William Smith Tanner, arrived safely in place New Liberty, only a few days after their arrival. one year in New Liberty, then moved up river to Montrose, Iowa, across from Nauvoo. Here in cooperation with Father John Tanner and brother Sidney, he fenced and farmed At this location they enjoyed six years of a large tract of land. The Tanners spent comparative peace which enabled them to recuperate from their former losses. Here also, three of their children were born.' In 1846 they were again uprooted from their home and began the weary trip which would eventually lead them to the Rocky Mountains. If the Tanners had had only themselves to be concerned with, they would have been able to move in comparative comfort. But there were so many Saints without means and President Young had led the brethren in making a convenant to assist to the full extent of their means, the poor who desired to move with the Saints. This placed a continuing burden upon John J. and the other Tanner men who left for the West with good equipment. Christian charity is a great leveler, and by the time the Tanners had divided with the poor and then divided again, they were almost as bad off as the rest. Nathan has put it dramtically. "If there is justice in heaven, let the Gods record our credits. Our families were there and helped the poor all they could. No Tanner was ever known to shirk in the days of hardship and trials." All too little is known about the activities of J ohn Joshua in the spring and summer of 1846 as the Saints waded through the mud of Iowa in an attempt to gain a new home in the West. The |
