Nathan Eldon Tanner (9 May 1898 – 27 November 1982) was a Canadian politician and a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). 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.

Early life

Tanner was born on 9 May 1898, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Nathan William Tanner and Sarah Edna Brown Tanner. He had seven younger siblings. His family emigrated to Canada and had a farmstead in Aetna, south of Cardston, Alberta, where he grew up and attended grade school. He attended high school at Knight Academy in Raymond and received some postsecondary 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 20 December 1919

Along with teaching, Tanner also 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.

After the election and despite his complete lack of parliamentary experience, Tanner was chosen to be fifth-ever Speaker of the Alberta Legislature when the first session of the 8th Alberta Legislative Assembly began. He served in that role until 5 January 1937, when Premier William Aberhart appointed Tanner the Minister of Lands and Mines. His time in this capacity and as legislator spanned 16 years.

In the 1944 general election, Tanner won a three-way race.

In the 1948 Alberta general election, Tanner easily won a two-way race over the Liberal candidate Briant Stringam to hold his seat.

In 1949, Ernest Manning changed Tanner's ministerial portfolio from Lands and Mines to Lands and Forests. Tanner was also appointed Minister of Mines and Minerals and held both portfolios until his retirement from the Legislature at its dissolution in 1952.

In 1952 Tanner left politics and became president of Merrill Petroleums in Calgary. In 1954 Manning and federal Minister of Trade and Industry C. D. Howe asked him to become president of TransCanada PipeLines Limited. During Tanner's contract of five years, the TransCanada pipeline was built from Alberta to Montreal.

LDS Church

In 1960, Tanner was called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a full-time LDS Church general authority. He had previous experience in church leadership, having served as a bishop, branch president, and stake president in Canada.

Not long afterward, Tanner's health deteriorated, and it became impossible for him to continue the duties of his office. Kimball and Romney were also ailing, and the decision was made to add Gordon B. Hinckley as an additional counselor to the First Presidency on 23 July 1981, with Neal A. Maxwell ordained to take Hinckley's seat in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Tanner remained first counselor until his death on 27 November 1982, at the age of 84. Because of the appointments of Maxwell and Hinckley the prior year, no additional individuals were added to the First Presidency and no apostles were ordained as a result of his death.

<gallery>

image:NEldonTannerGrave.jpg|Grave marker of N. Eldon Tanner

</gallery>

Notes

References

  • "President N. Eldon Tanner Dies", Ensign, January 1983.
  • Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing
  • General Authorities and General Officers: Elder Nathan Eldon Tanner
  • BYU: Nathan Eldon Tanner