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Show Myron Tanner 289 An interesting letter written from San Bernardino by Freeman E. Tanner to George A. Smith in Salt Lake City, reached Salt Lake about the same time as Myron and Seth arrived with their band of horses. It is dated April 19, 1855, and gives a few items of gossip and news before coming to the point which was that he hoped Smith would, "Please help those young brothers of mine to get wives as that is their business in the lake.'?" It is not known what part, if any, George A. Smith played in the drama, but Myron soon met a charming girl named Mary Jane Mount who was living at the home of Henry Lawrence. Myron's comment about this meeting is so charming that it will be quoted at some length: Most of my boyhood days my life was separate and apart from in whose society I was both bashful and awkward. She was rather delicate, a very refined and intelligent woman of literary tastes girls poetic instincts. Her make-up seemed just the opposite of my rugged, untempered and uncultivated nature. However surprised others appeared by reason of her attention to me, we nevertheless became engaged." and own It is well known that President Young was trying hard to keep and "often severe towards those who disregarded the counsels of the Church in this matter.'?" After a whirlwind courtship the couple became engaged and Myron visited President Young to gain his permission to marry his sweetheart according to the rules of the church. This is Myron's account of his visit to the President: the Saints from wandering off to California in search of gold was became very angry and raked me over the coals and explained to me the unfortunate circumstances of marrying a girl and taking her off to California to live. This rebuff was too much for me and I saw that President Young was not at all President in a lively likely to Young manner yield, or to be in the least indulgent. My first thought was to turn to George A., for I never had a truer friend than he. His intercession in my behalf not only brought about the desired results, but brought me good counsel through which I made up my mind to leave California as soon as I could close out to my interests there." Miss Mount promised to await my return Salt Lake, and on my return in 1856, we were married on the 26th day of May.20 |
