Elizabeth Cranney

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Elizabeth Crook was the second oldest of the 11 children of William and Margaret Lane Crook

Married Charles Frederick Panting, 22 Oct 1848, Deerhurst, Gloucester, England

Elizabeth had two children, Sarah and Mary Ann, who died four days apart in May of 1852. Some records say she also had a baby, Mary Jane, who was born and died on the same day in January l85l. Elizabeth also gave birth to twins, Christopher and Clara, in 1850. Clara died as an infant. A daughter, Jane, was born May 7, 1855.

Elizabeth brought Christopher and Jane with her as she sailed for America. Frederick Panting, her husband, did not emigrate with his family. They came aboard the ship Thornton. Elizabeth and her children were part of the ill-fated Willie Handcart Company.

Elizabeth was given a blessing by Wilford Woodruff in which he promised that she and her children would reach the Salt Lake Valley alive.

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean and traveling further across their land of promise by steamboat and train, Elizabeth, Christopher (5), and Jane (1) began their handcart trek in Iowa City, Iowa.

Elizabeth was privileged to experience another miracle during her journey to Zion. She told the story of this miracle to her daughter, Jane, repeatedly throughout her life.

As Jane (Panting Bell) grew older she told this story to her children and grandchildren:

As the Willie Company traveled along the plains, they had many trials which slowed them down considerably. Little Jane rode in the handcart and was very ill. Her mother didn't dare to stop to take care of her as she pulled her handcart along. She would call to her son, Christopher, to ask if Jane was dead yet. When they reached Ft. Laramie, the expected provisions were not waiting, and they had to continue on with reduced food rations.

On October 14, after another reduction was made in rations, Elizabeth went out to gather some buffalo chips to make a small fire to warm what little food was left for her children. She had on a long, full apron and had almost filled it with the buffalo chips when a man came up to her suddenly (and seemingly out of nowhere) and inquired as to the circumstances of the company. Elizabeth told the man that most of them were starving and were in great need. He asked her to follow him, saying perhaps he could help a little. Shaking the buffalo chips from her apron, Elizabeth followed the man. They went over a small hill out of sight of the camp, where he led her to a cave where a lot of dried buffalo meat was hanging.

Elizabeth told her granddaughter, June Cranney Monson, that there were shelves of books on one side of the cave that looked like the Book of Mormon gold plates. She said they looked as if they were sealed. The man loaded as much meat in Elizabeth's apron as she could carry and told her to share with the other people. Then he led her out of the cave and to the top of a small hill and pointed out the camp below, cautioning her not to get lost. As Elizabeth turned back to the man to thank him after she had looked where he had pointed to the camp, he had disappeared. She looked for the cave and could not find any trace of it, but she still had the dried meat. She went back to camp and divided the meat out to the ones that were in the most need, no doubt saving lives.

Elizabeth married William Wilkes, 22 Sep 1859, in Logan, Cache, Utah. They had two sons, Charles Wilkes and William Richard Wilkes.

She married Hyrum Kingsley Cranney, 25 Aug 1864, Logan, Cache, Utah. They became the parents of seven children; five boys and two girls--Frank Cranney, Adelbert Ezra Cranney, Lorton Martin Cranney, Wilford Woodruff Cranney, Hiram Kingsley Cranney, Emaline Cranney and Clara May Cranney. They settled in Logan where Hyram was a High Priest, High Councilor, Probate Judge, Prosecuting Attorney, City Justice, Alderman and Doctor. Elizabeth had a very busy and full life.

Elizabeth remained faithful throughout her life. She died on March 15, 1891, in Logan, Utah, at the age of 63.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 4 2018, 4:43:55 UTC

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• Residence: Utah, United States - 1870