Biography of Myron Tanner, The (1907)

In 1864 Myron was made bishop of the Provo Third Ward, and held that position for twenty-seven years, until 1891.

Myron was born in New York in 1826, and experienced the history of the Church in Kirtland, Ohio, Far West, Missouri, and Nauvoo, Illinois. He was twenty years old when he joined with the Mormon Battalion. In 1855 Myron met his future wife, Mary Jane Mount. Desiring to marry her and take her to California so Myron could work in the gold fields, as was common practice in those days, Myron sought to obtain the blessing of President Brigham Young for his plans. Myron’s account of his visit to President Young: “President Young became very angry and raked me over the coals in a lively manner 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 likely to yield, or to be in the least indulgent. My first thought was to turn to George A. Smith, 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 my interests there.” He was finally able to marry Mary in 1856 and settled in Payson, Utah. In 1860 they moved to Provo, Utah. In 1864 Myron was made bishop of the Provo Third Ward, and held that position for twenty-seven years, until 1891. The circumstances of this appointment are of interest. Speaking of this he said: “I was in Salt Lake at the time and knew nothing of it. Brother George A. Smith met with the ward, and asked if they would sustain me, and the vote was unanimous. On my return home the news was broken by a neighbor, a Jew by the name of Ben Backman. Learning that I was coming home he came out about four blocks to meet me and greeted me with my new title, ‘Bishop.’ I was never more surprised in my life and was, perhaps never more severely tried. For three days I did not venture down town. Of all positions I considered that of Bishop in the church most undesirable.” Provo was full of rough people, and was probably the toughest town in the territory at that time. “Many of the neighbors ridiculed religion and made the bishop often the butt of their ridicule” 35 pages

ISBN	9780990934677
Author	The Tanner Family
Age Group	12+
Book Type	paperback