Emma Craner

   Ancestral File Number: 26ZM-3L.

  General Notes:

EMMA CRANER (1885-1971)

Emma Craner was born April 6, 1885 at Oakley, Cassia, Idaho. She was the third of ten children and the second daughter born to George Craner and Mary Caroline Adams. Her older sister Mary was born Sept. 4, 1880 in Tooele, Utah. Emma was born in a log house; half of which was used for a grainery. Her older brother George Edward was born Nov. 20, 1882 in the same log house in Oakley. Three months after Emma was born the family moved into a new two-room log house which her father had built nearby and her birthplace was turned into a grainery.
At first the family used both rooms of the new log house but as the fall months came with colder days and nights, it was too difficult to heat two rooms. Therefore, they decided to settle for the winter in the one south room which they could keep warmer. September 27, 1887 another brother, John Thomas was born in this home. During the early part of the summer of 1889, George and Mary Caroline decided to add two rooms on the west of the log cabin. This new portion was made of brick and finished inside with lumber, plastered and papered. Two years after this new portion was built, Ruth was born July 19, 1891. The new house now had four rooms; two made of logs and two made of brick. In this house the rest of the children were born: Joseph Howard-April 19, 1894, Herbert Erastus-January 19, 1897, Arthur Eldon-August 26, 1899, Annie May-May 10, 1902, and William Richard-August 20, 1905.
Emma attended school in a rock school house in Oakley, District #6. She attended the Cassia Stake Academy where she graduated from the eighth grade May 3, 1903. She didn't attend school very much from then on because of illness. She suffered very much from headaches. She had scarlatina, measles and spotted fever when she was between the ages of thirteen and eighteen.
According to Emma's brother Herbert, "Emma has always been self-sacrificing and has devoted her life to her husband and children. If there was ever a task to be performed, you could always rely on Emma doing it completely and thoroughly. She is of the retiring type, giving service to those about her and never encroaching on the rights of others. Whenever she was called upon to fill an executive position in the Church, she gave it her undivided attention and whole-hearted support. She made a host of friends in the community in which she lived. As the Master has said, 'He, who would be the greatest among you, let him be the greatest servant to you.' Such a person is Emma."
In a tribute written by Emma's oldest daughter Vera we read: "My mother Emma Craner Darrington was a quiet, unassuming person whose influence was felt by all who came in contact with her. Her life was one of service; service to her family, to her church, and to the community. Mother was one of those loyal, sincere, dedicated individuals who labor not with the thought of reward in mind but because of her love for the Gospel and her desire to be of service. She had a deep and abiding testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel. I have heard my mother stand and bear her testimony many many times, and usually she would close it asking our Father in Heaven to help her endure to the end. She lived as she believed; a life dedicated in keeping the Lord's commandments and doing good for her fellow men. She also had a lot of faith in the power of the Priesthood in administrating to the sick. She had secret and family prayers night and morning. She would pray several times a day for special things that needed her prayers.
"Mother was dependable to carry out her church assignments and do the things she was asked to do. She was a faithful visiting teacher in the Relief Society and held this position until her illness (near the end of her life) forced her to give it up. She was always so willing to furnish food for the Relief Society work days and for funerals. Mother was President of the Declo Primary for many years. She hooked up a team of horses to the white top buggy and drove and gathered all children Primary age up along the way, 3 ½ miles to attend Primary in Declo.
"Mother did a lot of compassionate service. In her neighborhood whenever there was a fire, illness, death, or new babies born, Mother did everything within her power to help. Mother and Aunt Mamie Darrington (her sister-in-law) often worked together when sickness and death came. Sometimes they would take turns if help was needed at night as well as day.
"Idleness had no place in her life. She was an excellent cook and she had plenty of opportunities to prove it; especially at haying and harvesting time. During the last few years before (My) father died, he required constant companionship. She was always by his side taking care of him. He died Sept. 2, 1970 in the Burley Hospital and was buried in the Declo Cemetery Sept. 5^th. Mother died July 11, 1971 and was buried next to Father in the Declo Cemetery July 13, 1971." ¹