John Tanner and his family

Page 257

John Joshua Tanner 247 John Joshua came to Salt Lake Valley in 1851, in the company of Isaac Allred a long-time acquaintance whom he had known in Zion's Camp, and with whom he had been associated at the river. the church was phasing out the Iowa camps, and abandoned the next year. All the Saints were advised to Utah. By this time Kanesville to come There was was a ready made place Tanners had settled at what in Utah for John and Rebecca. The as south Cottonwood, which 6000 South 1300 and is in the vicinity of East, Salt Lake or Murray, considerable land. In March of 1851, all but and had acquired Cottonwood and Nathan left south joined the mission to San Bernar­ for John J. who moved in and made it his dino. This made a place All the rest of his children were born at south permanent home. was known Cottonwood. It has not been possible to find much information about the acti­ vities of John Joshua in his later life. When he entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1851 he was forty years of age and more than half his life was before him. The land where he settled in south Cottonwood was not particularly good and those who made their living farming But with persistent were not overly rewarded for their labor. work and strict economy, he and his brother Nathan prospered per­ haps a bit above their neighbors." John Joshua found it difficult to keep his family around him, largely because of lack of opportunities. His four oldest sons­ all William Smith, Marquis L., Edward Orlando, and John Henry David married Elsie who moved to as did his daughter - Payson, Lant. raising seven There were was better. grandchildren, His oldest moved to Lehi, Payson and opportunity for stock children These five gave John Joshua forty­ all born in Payson. more room in daughter, Lydia Jane, married Luke Titcombe and Utah, where the couple produced fourteen of John Joshua's grandchildren. Mahaleth Five of the John Joshua children moved to Idaho Abiah (Beard), Almira (Pinnock), Isaac William, Warren Foote, and Rebecca (Adams). Mahaleth and her family later moved to Coalville, Utah. These five families gave John Joshua thirty-seven - grandchildren. The youngest child to marry, Ethel May Gookins, moved to California where she reared a family of five to add to John Joshua's fast growing brood.