Blacksmith - Thomas Tanner - Salt Lake City Cemetery - Salt Lake City, UT
N 40° 46.530 W 111° 51.634
12T E 427379 N 4514192
A beautiful headstone featuring the tools of the blacksmith's trade marks the final resting place of Thomas Tanner, in historic Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, UT.
Waymark Code: WMZRQC
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 12/29/2018
Views: 2
This marble headstone is in excellent condition, with a chain with hooks at both ends providing detail around the perimeter of the monument. Below, in relief, are the tools of the blacksmith's trade, including an anvil, hammers, and tongs, and the inscription reads:
Erected
By the public hands
as a tribute of respect
to the memory of
Thomas Tanner
who was born Mar 31st 1804,
at Bristol Gloucestershire, Eng.
and died in Great Salt Lake City
Aug 2nd 1855,
while foreman of the
puplic [sic] blacksmith's shop
-----
A biography at rootsweb notes that he was one of the pioneers who came here with Brigham Young, and there are indications elsewhere that his skills may have been utilized when the Temple in Salt Lake City was constructed. As the headstone indicates, he was born in England, and came to American in 1831, marrying Ruth Fox in 1834. They became Latter-Day Saints in 1841, and Mr. Tanner's skills were useful during the trek to Salt Lake, both in providing weaponry as well as in repairing broken wagon wheels and the like. He operated a blacksmith shop here until his death in 1855, caused by a fall.