Martha Craner

   Ancestral File Number: 45NZ-2V.

  General Notes:

MARTHA CRANER (1844-1916)

Martha was born 16 May 1844 in Maxstoke, Warwickshire, England. She was the youngest of the twelve children and the fifth daughter born to George and Elizabeth West Craner. She lived in Maxstoke until she was nine years old. She then immigrated to America with her family.
In 1845, Martha's 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 Harriet, 6 January 1846. Her father was baptized 10 March 1846. In 1852, Ann and Martha were baptized. Another brother, Abraham Fredrick was baptized in 1856. The Saints were encouraged to gather to Zion in America.
George, her brother, came first in 1851 and established a home and farm in Tooele, Tooele, Utah, and then sent money for the rest of the family to come. On 22 February 1854, Martha's parents, two of her sisters, Harriet (age 20) and Ann (age 15), her brother, John (age 11) and Martha (age 9) 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. Martha celebrated her tenth birthday crossing the Kansas plains. Her father became very ill with cholera and died two days later. Her mother and the four children continued on to Salt Lake, arriving 1 Oct 1854. They then went on to Tooele, Tooele, Utah to live with her brother, George.
In May of 1860, when Martha was sixteen, she married George Tanner. They were sealed in 1865 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Martha and George were pioneer farmers in Tooele, Tooele, Utah. They lived several miles from the center of Tooele. When the children got old enough to go to school they went on horseback. In the winter, the children didn't always go to school as Martha thought it was too dangerous and cold to send them. Martha must have a hard time in child bearing as five of their nine children died as infants.
Martha and George were the parents of nine children:

Name:Birth Date:Death Date:

1.George Craner Tanner29 Jun 18611 May 1917
2.Mary Elizabeth Tanner 5 Nov 186229 Feb 1952
3.James TannerAbt 1864child
4.Thomas Craner Tanner 9 Aug 186510 Feb 1917
5.William Tanner abt 1867child
6.Joseph Tannerabt 1868child
7.Harriet Ann Tannerabt 1869child
8.Martha Tannerabt 1870child
9.John Alma Tanner9 Mar 187223 Jan 1958

Martha's husband, George Tanner, died 17 April 1872, leaving her with a baby only a month old and three other children, ages 11 and younger. This must have been a difficult time for her. Her sister Harriet Ann died two years later, 15 Sep 1874, leaving a baby just a month old and seven other children. In June 1875, Martha married Harriet Ann's husband, Alexander Harris. They lived in Gentile Valley, (Thatcher) Idaho. They obtained a fine cattle ranch, where "they prospered and enjoyed the business of stock raising." (Logan Herald-Journal) They also lived in Mound Valley, (Cleveland) Idaho.
Martha and Alexander were the parents of six children:

Name:Birth Date:Death Date:
1.Daniel Hammer Harris 11 May 187623 Nov 1943
2.Frank Albert Harris8 Jul 187722 Jun 1962
3.Louisa Harris28 Jul 188014 Apr 1967
4.Charles Eli Harris7 May 188225 May 1957
5.Annie Jane Harris8 Feb 188429 May 1957
6.Darcus Harris1886Child
Martha endured all the hardships and challenges of pioneer life and of raising a large family. Not only was she mother to her own children, but she took on the role of mother to her sister's family. Shortly after Alexander's death, Martha filed on a homestead at Turner, Idaho. Martha died 19 September 1916 in Cleveland, Franklin, Idaho and was buried there. She was 72 years old.

Sources: Family Group Sheets, Naomi Lowe, 607 Holiday Drive, Brigham City, Utah 84302
Histories from Vera McBride, Beth Sorenson, 5311 Brush Creek Bay, West Valley City, Utah 84120
Maxstoke England Parish Records, Immigration Records, Tooele, Utah Census Records
Archives of the Genealogical Society of Utah, 47 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah ¹

  LDS Information:

Baptism: 1852

Endowment: 17 Mar 1865

Sealed to Parents: 7 Nov 1895

She was sealed to her spouse on 17 Mar 1865. (George Benjamin Tanner was born on 13 Oct 1839 in Newbury, Berkshire, England, died on 14 Apr 1872 in Tooele, Tooele, Utah, USA and was buried on 16 Apr 1872 in Tooele, Tooele, Utah, USA.)

She was sealed to her spouse on 17 Aug 1995 at Boise Idaho Temple. (Alexander Harris was born on 24 Mar 1834 in Lebanon, Wilson, Tennessee, USA, died on 20 Feb 1889 in Cleveland, Franklin, Idaho, USA and was buried on 24 Feb 1889 in Richmond, Cache, Utah, USA.)