Ann Craner

   Ancestral File Number: 1CCR-03.

  General Notes:

ANN CRANER (1838 - 1906)

Ann was the tenth child and fourth daughter born to George Benjamin and Elizabeth West Craner 15 July 1838 in Maxstoke, Warwickshire, England. She was christened 12 August 1838 in Maxstoke, Warwickshire, England. The family lived in Maxstoke. Her father was a laborer.
When Ann was six years old her family listened to the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Her mother was the first to be baptized, 5 June 1845 followed by her brother, George, 1 January 1846, and then her sister, Harriet, 6 January 1846. Her father was baptized 10 March 1846. Ann (age14) and another sister, Martha, were baptized in 1852. One other brother, Abraham Frederick was baptized in 1856.
For a short time Ann (age 14) lived in Coleshill Meridan, Warwickshire, England in the household of William Linforth and family as a servant nurse.
The Saints were encouraged to come to Zion in America when they were able. George, Ann's older brother, came to America first in 1851. He established a home and farm in Tooele, Tooele, Utah and sent money to his family in England to emigrate. On 22 February 1854, Ann (age 15) along with her parents, two sisters Harriet (age 20), Martha (age 9) and her brother, John (age 11) set sail from Liverpool, England on the ship Windermere for America..
They had many harrowing experiences at sea. They arrived at New Orleans 23 April 1854. A few days later they boarded a steam boat and journeyed to St. Louis, Missouri. The journey then continued on to Kansas City. Ann's father died on the Kansas plains en route to Utah. Her mother and the four children arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah on 1 October 1854. They then went on to Tooele, Tooele, Utah to live with George. What a joyous reunion and relief it was to finally arrive to their new home!
At the age of eighteen, Ann married Reuben Miller, 9 December 1856 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Reuben was a polygamist. When Ann married Reuben, he had two other wives, Rhoda Ann Letts, and Orice Burnham. He later married a fourth wife, Jane Hughes.
Reuben, his two wives and family, a hired hand by the name of Burk-eight of them all together- previously had immigrated from Nauvoo to the Salt Lake Valley in 1849. He brought with him four wagons, eleven oxen, five cows, two pigs, a dog, and a cat. The family settled near Cottonwood Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah. They lived in a dug-out for about 18 months before Reuben built a two story adobe dwelling house for his family, located in Mill Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah. He was a man of energy and soon became prosperous in farming and raising stock and sheep. He was a good provider for his large family.
In 1856 when Ann became Reuben's third wife, he was well established. Ann lived the life of a polygamist wife. She was 20 years younger than his other two wives. They must have developed a good friendship and relationship in order to live in the same household and care for all of the children. Reuben was always involved in the church and community. He was Bishop of the Mill Creek Ward from 1850 until his death. He was elected county commissioner during the early days and held that office for 36 years. He was involved in the initial planning and construction of the early canals, principal roads and irrigation systems in the Salt Lake Valley. He sat at the convention of 1862 when a constitution was framed for the State of Deseret and a memorial was adopted asking for Utah's admission into the Union.
In 1869, once again, Reuben took another young wife, Jane Hughes (age 20).
The 1870 Census of Mill Creek, Utah shows the Millers real estate of $5000, value of personal estate $2000. Living in the household was Reuben(age 58) his occupation as a farmer, his four wives, and twelve children living at home.
In the Mill Creek Ward records of 9 November 1875, it shows that Reuben Miller baptized his four wives, Rhoda Ann Letts, Orice Burnham, Ann Craner, Jane Hughes and five of his oldest children by Ann. Apparently, at that time, a person could be baptized more than just once.
Ann and Reuben were the parents of eleven children:

Name:Birth Date:Death Date:
1. Orrin Porter Miller11 Sep 1858 7 Jul 1918
2. Mary Elizabeth Miller 5 Nov 186029 Jul 1901
3. Louisa Miller22 Nov 186211 Oct1883
4. George Benjamin Miller19 Feb 1865 4 Mar 1927
5. Harriet Ann Miller11 Mar 186724 May 1933
6. Lenora Miller26 Mar 186922 Nov 1918
7. Milton Henry Miller 8 Aug 187131 Oct 1875
8. Walter Frederick Miller 6 Sep 187327 Oct 1942
9. Mailon John Miller 20 Sep 187716 Nov 1952
10. Nellie Craner Miller 30 Sep 187922 Mar 1935
11. Duane Reuben Miller15 Jan 1883 6 June 1945

Ann outlived Reuben and the other three wives. She died 25 April 1906 in the Winder Ward, Mill Creek, Salt Lake, Utah and was buried 27 April 1906 in the City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah. She was 67 years old.

Information on Reuben Miller
Reuben Miller was born 4 September 1811 in Reading, Burks, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Isaac and Esther Gline Miller. He died 22 July 1882, Mill Creek, Salt Lake, Utah.
He married Rhoda Ann Letts 17 April 1836 in Ottawa, La Sal, Illinois. Rhoda was born 25 November 1814 in Cumberland, Fayette, Pennsylvania. She died 2 August 1883 and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Rhoda and Reuben were the parents of ten children:

1. Edwin C. Miller, b. 9 Feb 1835, Dayton, La Sal, Illinois, d. 26 July 1838
2. James Robinson Miller, b. 2 Oct 1838, Dayton, La Sal, Illinois, d. 5 Apr 1903
3. Martha Miller, b. 17 Mar 1843, Dayton, La Sal, Illinois, d. 12 May 1843
4. Reuben Parley Miller, b. 22 Dec 1844, Beech Creek, La Sal, Illinois
5. Melvin Mormon Miller, b. 17 Oct 1846, Walsworth, Wisconsin, d. 2 Dec 1921
6. Chellion George Miller, b. 29 Nov 1848, Council Bluffs, Iowa, d. 9 Mar 1925
7. Edgar G. Miller, b. 22 June 1850, Mill Creek, Utah, d. 2 Jan 1853
8. Rhoda Ann Miller, b. 28 June 1852, Mill Creek, Utah, d. 20 Apr 1854
9. Uriah George Miller, b. 24 Sep 1854, d. 9 Dec 1857
10.David Letts Miller, b. 8 Oct 1856, Mill Creek, Utah, d. 6 June 1901

Reuben married Orice Brunham 15 December 1845, in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois. Orice was born 20 Nov , 1815, in Mexico Onega, New York, and died.14 Feb 1890,she was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Orice and Reuben were the parents of three children:
1. Ellen Elizabeth Miller, b. 14 Feb 1850, Salt Lake, Utah, d. 28 May 1865
2. Charles Eugene Miller, b. 25 Aug 1852, Salt Lake, Utah d. 6 Aug 1921
3. Julie Ann Miller, b. 8 Oct 1854, Salt Lake, Utah, d. 3 June 1865

Reuben married Ann Craner 9 November 1856, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Ann and Reuben were the parents of eleven children, previously listed.

Reuben married Jane Hughes on 11 January 1869, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jane was born. 21 January 1849, in Leominster, Hampshire, England and died 25 Sep 1893.
Jane and Reuben were the parents of six children:
1. Ella Jane Miller, b. 30 Dec 1869, Murray, Salt Lake, Utah, d. 31 Oct 1935
2. Frank Hughes Miller, b. 7 Apr 1872, Mill Creek, Utah, d. 1 Dec 1922
3. Letts Gleim Miller, b. 5 Mar 1874, Murray, Salt Lake, Utah, d. 5 Mar 1874
4. Esther Elizabeth Miller, b. 11 Apr 1876, Murray, Salt Lake, Ut, d. 6 Sep 1878
5. Emma Maria Miller, b. 16 Oct 1877, Murray, Salt Lake, Ut, d. 5 June 1944
6. Elias Smith Miller, b. 5 Aug 1882, Mill Creek, Salt Lake, Ut, d. 16 Oct 1934







































Sources: Family Group Sheets, Naomi Lowe, 607 Holiday Drive, Brigham City, Utah 84302
Latter Day Saints Biographical Encyclopedia, 1870 Census Mill Creek, Utah,
Mill Creek Ward Records, 1875
Data Compiled by Heather Evans, England


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  LDS Information:

Baptism: 25 Dec 1852

Endowment: 16 May 1856

Sealed to Parents: 9 Nov 1895

She was sealed to her spouse on 9 Dec 1856. (Reuben Miller was born on 4 Sep 1811 in Reading, Burks, Pennsylvania, USA, died on 22 Jul 1882 in Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah, USA and was buried on 24 Jul 1882 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA.)