Elizabeth Cannon Porter

Born in 1885, Elizabeth Cannon Porter is also listed in some records as Elizabeth Rachel Cannon. She was the daughter of Martha Hughes Cannon, the physician, suffragist, and Utah state senator, and Angus M. Cannon, and she grew up in a family deeply connected to Utah and Latter-day Saint history.

She is best known for The Cities of the Sun, first published in the early 1910s, a collection of stories based on incidents from the Book of Mormon. Contemporary editions note that the book was illustrated with paintings by George M. Ottinger and photographs by the author, suggesting that travel and visual documentation were part of her creative approach.

Catalog and library records also connect her with Cortes the Conqueror and with Farm Friends and Spring Flowers, showing a range that included both historical narrative and nature or educational writing. Although detailed biographical information is limited, the surviving records present her as a Utah-born author whose work reflects religious history, regional culture, and an interest in bringing the past to life for readers.