Saints Move to Caldwell County—Persecutions Begin Anew—Captain Bogart and His Mob—The Battle—Hawn's Mill Massacre—Colonel Hinkle's Treachery—The Brethren Imprisoned.
I Move to Commerce—No Safety for the Saints—John C. Bennett's Wickedness—Threats of the Mob—We Start for the West—Death of the Author.
SKETCH OF AN ELDER'S LIFE.
CHAPTER I.
BIRTH AND PARENTAGE OF ELDER JOHN TANNER—HIMSELF AND TWO CHILDREN ARE BITTEN BY A MAD DOG—THEY ARE HEALED—HE BECOMES WEALTHY—AFFLICTED WITH UNKNOWN DISEASE—PHYSICIANS FAIL TO CURE HIM—"MORMON" ELDERS VISIT HIM—HE IS CONVERTED—IS MIRACULOUSLY HEALED—GOES TO KIRTLAND— FREELY GIVES MONEY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHURCH—HIS ELDER'S CERTIFICATE.
Elder John Tanner, son of Joshua and Thankful Tanner, and grandfather of Apostle F. M. Lyman, was born August 15th, 1778, in the state of Rhode Island. At the age of thirteen years his parents moved to Greenwich, Washington county, New York, where, at the death of his father, who was a farmer, he took charge of the business and settled his father's estate. Early in the year of 1800, he married Tabitha Bently, by whom he had a son, Elisha, born March 23rd, 1801. The mother died on the 9th of the following month. He afterwards married Lydia Stewart, by whom he had nine children, eight sons and one daughter.