Nathan Eldon Tanner (May 9, 1898 - November 27, 1982) was a politician from Alberta, Canada, and a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1952 as a member of the Social Credit caucus in government. He served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1936 to 1937 and as a cabinet minister in the governments of William Aberhart and Ernest Manning from 1937 to 1952, in various portfolios related to resource industries.
Video Nathan Eldon Tanner
Early life
Tanner was born on May 9, 1898, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His family emigrated to Canada and had a farmstead in Aetna, south of Cardston, Alberta. There he grew up and attended grade school. He attended high school at Knight Academy in Raymond and received some post-secondary education at Calgary Normal School.
Tanner began his working life at a grocery store and butcher shop. He obtained a job teaching at a small school in Hill Spring in 1919. He met Sara Isabelle Merrill at the school and married her on December 20, 1919. The couple eventually had five daughters.
As well as teaching, Tanner established his own general store, which later also became the local post office, to supplement his family income. The store was successful enough that he left his first teaching job in Hill Spring to run the store full-time.
Tanner eventually became a high school teacher in Cardston. He got his start in politics as a councillor on Cardston Town Council.
Maps Nathan Eldon Tanner
Political career
Tanner was drafted to run for a seat to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the first time in the 1935 general election. He ran as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Cardston and defeated incumbent United Farmers MLA George Stringam.
After the election, and despite his complete lack of parliamentary experience, Tanner was chosen to be Speaker of the Alberta Legislature when the first session of the 8th Alberta Legislative Assembly began. He served in that role until January 5, 1937 when Premier William Aberhart appointed Tanner the Minister of Lands and Mines.
In the 1940 general election Tanner defeated independent candidate S.H. Nelson in a two-way race.
In the 1944 general election Tanner fought and won a three-way race.
In the 1948 Alberta general election Tanner easily won a two-way race over Liberal candidate Briant Stringam to hold his seat.
In 1949, Premier Manning changed Tanner's ministerial portfolio from Lands and Mines to Lands and Forests. Tanner was also appointed Minister of Mines and Minerals. He held both portfolios until his retirement from the Legislature at dissolution in 1952.
Life in the LDS Church
In 1960, Tanner was called to be an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a full-time general authority of the LDS Church. In the church, he preferred to be referred to as "N. Eldon Tanner". In 1962, George Q. Morris's passing created a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which Tanner was called to fill in October 1962. He was still the quorum's junior member one year later when he was called into the First Presidency as second counselor to church president David O. McKay. Tanner remained in this position for the presidency of Joseph Fielding Smith (1970-72), and then became first counselor to Smith's successor Harold B. Lee, remaining first counselor to Lee and Spencer W. Kimball until Tanner's death.
As the First Presidency, Kimball, Tanner, and Marion G. Romney announced the reception of the Revelation on Priesthood in June 1978, which established that being of black African descent would no longer be a barrier to ordination to the church's priesthood. The announcement was canonized as "Official Declaration 2" in the church's Doctrine and Covenants. Tanner formally presented the announcement for acceptance by the church at a general conference in October 1978.
Not long afterward, Tanner's health deteriorated and it became impossible for him to continue the duties of his office. With Kimball and second counselor Marion G. Romney also ailing, the decision was made to add Gordon B. Hinckley as an additional counselor to the First Presidency on July 23, 1981. Tanner remained first counselor until his death the following year at age 84.
Death
Tanner was a member of the First Presidency when he died on November 27, 1982. No additional individuals were added to the First Presidency after his death, and therefore no apostles were ordained as a result of his death.
Notes
References
- "President N. Eldon Tanner Dies", Engisn, January 1983.
External links
- Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: N. Eldon Tanner
- BYU: Nathan Eldon Tanner
- Nathan Eldon Tanner at Find a Grave
Source of article : Wikipedia
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