N. Eldon Tanner

N. Eldon Tanner

1898–1982 (84 years)

Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah (raised in Aetna, near Cardston, Alberta, Canada)

Biography

N. Eldon Tanner was born in Salt Lake City but grew up in Canada, where his parents helped settle the town of Aetna, near Cardston, Alberta. Their first home was a one-room dugout cut from a hillside. The hard farm life developed a strong work ethic in Nathan.

He became principal of a three-room school where he met teacher Sara Isabelle Merrill, whom he married. They had five daughters.

Tanner’s reputation for hard work and integrity led to many leadership responsibilities. He was Speaker of the Alberta Legislature, a provincial cabinet minister, president of a petroleum company, and head of the company that built the 2,000-mile Trans-Canada Pipeline.

He was called as an Assistant to the Twelve in October 1960, ordained an Apostle in October 1962, and served as a counselor in the First Presidency for 19 years under four church presidents: David O. McKay (Second Counselor), Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and Spencer W. Kimball (First Counselor to each).

President Ezra Taft Benson said of him: “Nathan Eldon Tanner was one of the great and noble men of our time… In the annals of Church history he will be remembered as one of the influential counselors in the First Presidency of the Church.”

Served Under

Church presidents during this leader's apostolic service:

David O. McKay
David O. McKay
Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith
Harold B. Lee
Harold B. Lee
Spencer W. Kimball
Spencer W. Kimball

Wives (1)

1 wives · Lifespan: 1898–1982

Sara Isabelle Merrill
1919–1982 (63 yrs)
1898 (born) 1919 1940 1961 1982 (died)
Wife

10 children from 1 wives · Lifespan: 1898–1982

Sara Isabelle Merrill
10 children
1898 (born) 1919 1940 1961 1982 (died)
Wife Child born
#NameBornDiedMarriedHer AgeHis AgeAge DiffChildren
1
Sara Isabelle Merrill Sara Isabelle Merrill
Oct 8, 1898May 17, 1992 Dec 20, 1919 2121—10

Children (10)

With Sara Isabelle Merrill Sara Isabelle Merrill  (10 children)

  1. Ruth Merrill Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1920)
  2. Sara Isabelle Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1922)
  3. Sara Isabelle Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1922)
  4. Zola Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1925)
  5. Edna Beth Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1927)
  6. Edna Beth Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1927)
  7. Helen Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1931)
  8. Helen Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1931)
  9. Helen Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1931)
  10. Helen Tanner (b. Jan 1, 1931)

Posts Related to N. Eldon Tanner

Images Related to N. Eldon Tanner

"N. E. Tanner was wrong in the 1969 First Presidency Letter. I publicly opposed him and explained why, but he never recanted his statment, even after it was shown to be false. His statement is false because Joseph Smith signed the 1836 Elijah Able Ordination License, which proves Joseph Smith didn't teach the priesthood ban. The church apostle, Nathan Eldon Tanner, was found to be lying, but I was the one excommunicated. Rather than the church appreciating the correction, I was kicked out for speaking truth and pointing out the incorrect statement of the church leaders. In the 1977 excommunication trial, I was not allowed to present my “Accused” defense, so the excommunication did not follow the prescribed procedure and should not be valid." - Byron's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/byron-marchant/ "In October 1977, I voted not to sustain N. Eldon Tanner in the Tabernacle, it was because he lied when he put his signature on a 15 December 1969 First Presidency letter which states "From the beginning of this dispensation, Joseph Smith and all succeeding presidents of the Church have taught that Negroes, while spirit children of a common Father, and the progeny of our earthly parents Adam and Eve, were not yet to receive the priesthood." The 1969 statement was historically false, because Joseph Smith in 1836 had signed the Elijah Able Elder License." - Byron's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/byron-marchant/ Mark W. Hofmann, left, and LDS Church leaders N. Eldon Tanner, Spencer W. Kimball, Marion G. Romney, Boyd K. Packer and Gordon B. Hinckley examine the "Anthon Transcript" on April 22, 1980. N. Eldon Tanner