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Show Freeman Everton Tanner 313 crossing of the plains took place between July 1, 1848, 19 of that year. Freeman remembered nothing of October and on that long trip, showing how interest completely he was especial to life. accustomed rugged pioneer The He lived in south Cottonwood from the time of the arrival in the the family left for the San Bernardino Mission. He· as sisted his father and brothers in building the first home constructed valley until in the "Amasa Survey" which were made of logs bought from Little Cottonwood Canyon. He also helped to plow and plant the first crops grown there, which he said, did well; he added, "from this time on we had plenty to eat."" Not all of the family were at south Cottonwood: Albert was in California where he had gone with the Battalion, Myron did not come until the fall of 1849 crossing the plains, as he was assisting George A. Smith in and John Joshua remained in Kanesville until 1851 and did not reached the Mission had left. valley until after the California After the death of Father Tanner in April of 1850, Myron and Seth left for the California gold fields leaving Freeman, who was then twenty, the oldest of Elizabeth's sons at home. He and Joseph Smith Tanner, who was three years younger, were now the strong arm on which their widowed mother would lean. family has left information as to why they decided to follow Amasa M. Lyman on the San Bernadino Mission, but Freeman says that· Lyman had married their sister Maria, "so the family decided to go with Amasa.:" The family held Amasa in high esteem and they may have gone largely because Amasa was going, and they wished to remain with him. Beswick M. Tanner's biography of Freeman gives a little hint of what the family did in San Bernardino to get started there. "When they arrived in California, there was work for all the boys, some in mines" others on farms, saving their money as much as possible after living expenses were taken out. They did very well and soon Myron, Seth, Freeman and Joseph pooled their money together and bought a farm, They began farming, stock raising, and trading. None of the Freeman loved horses and liked to train them. He was an expert horseman and carried the championship for riding in Califoria for a number of years.?" It is not certain how much the plentiful California had to do with the prosperity which supply of horses in the widow came to |
