UUM_Ms0200.xml Inventory of the Mary Jane Mount Tanner papers Tanner (Mary Jane Mount) papers Finding aid created by Deb Holling. J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections

2004 (last modified: 2013 and 2019)
295 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 special@library.utah.edu https://lib.utah.edu/collections/special-collections/index.php
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-01-19. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. 2004 Finding aid updated by Karen Carver. 2013 Finding aid updated by Betsey Welland to include an addendum to the collection. J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Mary Jane Mount Tanner papers Tanner, Mary J. MS 0200 4 linear feet 5 boxes, 2 oversize boxes and 1 microfilm reel 1829-1908 The Mary Jane Mount Tanner papers (1829-1908) consist of an introspective and insightful diary recording her impressions of her activities and society. It concerns primarily personal matters such as stresses in a polygamous family, problems with family members, church and social activities, and the publication of a volume of her poetry. Correspondence is primarily about family matters; between herself and father in California (1849-1876) about his activities and the settlement of his estate; to her husband Myron Tanner about their courtship; and from other family members. Autobiography and diaries available to patrons on microfilm. English .

Microfilm. Originals located at the Salt Lake City: LDS Church Historical Department, 1966.

Mary Jane Mount Tanner was born in 1837 in Toledo, Ohio. From there she moved with her parents to Nauvoo, where she resided for four years. At the age of ten she crossed the plains with her parents and other Mormon pioneers to Salt Lake City. She married Myron Tanner, a polygamist, and together they had several children. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for her entire life.

The Mary Jane Mount Tanner papers consist of an autobiography, diaries, correspondence, notes and contemporary books, the Mary Jane Mount Tanner collection provides an inciteful view of early Utah life. Aspiring to be a writer, Mary Jane's diaries not only record her daily life, but her views on life and the world around her.

The holograph material and contemporary books have been filed together in box one. Included are Mary Jane's autobiography, three diaries, a notebook belonging to her daughter Bessie and one belonging to a son-in-law, Calvin Cragun. There are also four published books, including Mary Jane's volume Fugitive Poems, 1880. The correspondence filed here includes Mary Jane's letters to and from her father, Joseph Mount; her husband, Myron Tanner; and her aunt Mary Hunt. There are also letter between Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Tanner and Calvin Cragun. One incomplete letter from William H. Bessac to his sister Elizabeth Bessac Mount Pond Foote (Mary Jane's mother) and one from Francis M. Lyman to his uncle Myron Tanner are filed together. A sketch of Joseph Mount, copies of Myron Tanner's land transactions, a report on the Tanner family reunion, Calvin Cragun's and Bessie's wedding invitation, and a poetic tribute to Mary Jane fill out the holograph-contempory materials.

In order to protect the holograph items from damage through use, they have been photocopied, or typescripts have been made. The second box contains typescripts of all the correspondence. Also included is a file of photocopies of newspaper obituaries for Mary Jane Mount Tanner and her family members. Box three holds a photocopy, microfilm copy, and typescript of Mary Jane's autobiography and all three diaries. Also included is a photocopy of a "Memorial" written by Mary Jane. This was written for the 50 year Jubilee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is a brief autobiography dedicated to her female descendants.

Box 4 contains a large family Bible. The inner pages, provided for the purpose, are inscribed with family genealogical information.

Box 5 contains a masonic apron that belonged to Joseph Mount, Jr., Mary's father.

Family portraits have been removed and placed in the Photograph Archives.

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Processed by Marlene Lewis and Deb Holling in 1979 and 2003.

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Forms part of the Aileen H. Clyde 20th Century Women's Legacy Archives.

See also the Mary Jane Mount Tanner photograph collection (P0200) in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.

 Tanner, Mary J.--Archives Tanner, Myron, 1826-1903--Archives Mount, Joseph Latimer, Jr., 1806-1876--Archives Tanner, Ann Crosby, 1846-1913 Nauvoo (Ill.)--Expulsion of the Latter Day Saints--Sources Salt Lake City (Utah)--History--Sources Latter Day Saint women--Utah--19th century--Diaries Latter Day Saints--Utah--19th century--Sources Polygamy--Religious aspects--Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Latter Day Saint women authors--Utah--19th century--Archives Women poets, American--Utah--19th century--Archives Latter Day Saint pioneers--Archives Frontier and pioneer life--Utah--Sources Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Personal correspondence Diaries Autobiographies Obituaries Genealogical tables Sketches Aprons (Protective wear) Holographs (autographs) Typescripts Photocopies Microfilms Poems, Correspondence, and Family Documents 1849-1908 Fugitive Poems flyers 1 1 Travellers' Wonders 1 2 Correspondence - Joseph Mount 1849-1865 1870-1876 1 3-4 Correspondence regarding the estate of Joseph Mount 1877-1882 1 5 Correspondence - Myron Tanner 1855-1858 1 6 Correspondence - (Aunt) Mary Hunt 1856-1865 1875-1883 1 7-9 Correspondence - Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Tanner and Calvin Cragun 1887-1908 1 10 Miscellaneous Correspondence 1890 1 11 Sketch of Joseph Mount 1829 1 12 Myron Tanner Land Deeds and Transactions 1873 1875 1 13 Tanner Family Reunion in Payson, Utah 1884 1 14 Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Tanner and Calvin Cragun Wedding Announcement 1887 1 15 Lines in Memory of Sister Tanner who departed this life January 8, 1890, Provo City by Mrs. Deborah Billings 1887 1 16 Autobiography: Diary 1872-1879 1 17 Diaries 1883-1885 1 18-19 Typescripts of Correspondence and Obituaries 1849-1908 Correspondence Typescripts - Joseph Mount 1849-1882 2 1-3 Correspondence Typescripts - Myron Tanner 1855-1858 2 4 Correspondence Typescripts - (Aunt) Mary Hunt 1856-1883 2 5-7 Correspondence Typescripts - Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Tanner and Calvin Cragun 1887-1908 2 8 Correspondence Typescripts - Miscellaneous Correspondence 1890 2 9 Obituaries of Family Members 1890-1961 2 10 Diary Typescripts and Photocopies 1849-1908 Photocopies of diaries from box 1, folders 17-19 3 1-3 Typescripts of diaries from box 1, folders 17-19 3 4-6 Notebooks, Memorial, Genealogy 1880-1890 Class Notebook 1892 4 1 Notebook with cover engraved with Henderson Woolen Mills circa 1898 4 2 Mary Jane Mount Tanner Memorial Written by Geo. Tanner (photocopy and typescript) 1880 4 3 Genealogical Records 4 4 General Materials 1880-1890 Notebook 1870s 5 1 Other Writings 5 2 Family Bible 6 Masonic apron 7

This apron belonged to Mary's father, Joseph Mount, Jr.