Annie Clark Tanner

About the Author

Annie Clark Tanner, born in 1863 in Salt Lake City, Utah, was a pioneering Mormon woman whose life bridged the turbulent transition from polygamy to monogamy in early Latter-day Saint communities. As the daughter of prominent church leader Charles Ora Card, she navigated the complexities of plural marriage, becoming one of Brigham Young's many wives at a young age before forging her own path amid personal hardships and societal shifts. Her seminal work, 'A Mormon Mother: An Autobiography,' published in 1927, offers an unflinching memoir of her experiences, blending spiritual devotion with candid reflections on gender roles, family dynamics, and the evolving faith of the American West. Tanner's writing illuminates the resilience of women in a patriarchal religious landscape, providing invaluable historical insight into Mormonism's formative years. She passed away in 1948, leaving a legacy of quiet courage and introspective storytelling.