The story of the Cannon family probably originates in England or Ireland - likely Ireland given the DNA project testing in which i participated. Of their landing in the ‘New World’ we are unsure; however there are Cannons listed in Virginia as early as the beginning of the 17th century.
The Cannons in Hampshire County, VA (WV) may originate with one Thomas Cannon who is listed on the 1784 US Census. At that time, only the name of the Head of the Household was recorded and Thomas is listed with 6 family members. Of this particular Thomas Cannon, we know nothing. Additionally, searching Hampshire records turns up the name of John Cannon. Both Thomas and John appear to be popular names for the Cannon family. In my direct line, John Cannon appears every generation from 1836 on – except one – John J, John H, Otto, John Wm Marcellus, John William (my uncle), John William (my cousin), John Cannon (his son), and John William (my brother). Additionally, there are a number of Thomases – Thomas (1784), Thomas F (George’s son 1833), Thomas W (John J’s son 1857), Alfred Thomas (Otto’s son b 1917), and by a strange coincidence, my son, Ryan (b 2000) when he was a baby liked to carry a doll he named Baby Thomas!
On the 1810 Hampshire County, VA (WV) Census there is listed George Cannon, Jacob Cannon, and Leonard Cannon. The 1820 Census carries the name George Cannon and he is listed with a spouse.
George Cannon and Ann Martha ? were married 1 Jan 1820. Their marriage was recorded in Frederick County, VA. Little is known of George – is he the son of Thomas (1784) perhaps one of the 6 children? We do know something of his wife, Ann Martha. Though her surname has temporarily been lost to history (temporarily – some creative sleuthing will uncover it I am sure!), we know that she was born on 25 Mar 1798 and from Census records that she was born in Maryland.
While we seem to know little of Ann Martha, we do know that she and George were the parents of 6 children.
The first of these was Louisa Canan who was born 5 Apr 1828. Louisa Canan figures prominently in the records of Ann Martha Canan (her Bible) as she is recorded to have borne 5 children. All of these children have the surname Canan/Cannon and no spouse is listed. Correspondence with a descendant who lives in Ohio has revealed that this is just as much a mystery to her as to this writer. Louisa’s children are: Martha J V Canan (b 11 Feb 1846), George J Canan (b 8 Oct 1849), Mary E Canan (b 18? June 1853), William P Canan (b 25 Feb 1858), and Rufus B Canan (b 13 Oct 1862). The descendants of Rufus Canan lived in the Capon Bridge area. Louisa Canan died 13 May 1863.
Other children of George and Ann Martha include: Thomas F (b 19 Mar 1833), John J (b 11 Mar 1836), Sarah F (b 28 Feb 1840), and Martin Van Buren (b 15 Apr 1844). Of the history records I have obtained, it is recorded that John J and Thomas F liked to spell their names as Cannon (Martin V B, testifying for Mary Canan’s widow’s pension, wrote that …’his brother John always wrote his surname Cannon instead of Canan as they used to spell their names – He had another brother named Thomas who also spelled his name Cannon…’ Indeed, in the military records obtained from the National Archives, John J’s name is spelled as Cannon and also as Canon, so the clerk noted that this person named is also borne as Cannon.
I know little of the history of these Canans except that, as mentioned above, I have corresponded with a descendant of Louisa who lives in Ohio and a descendant of Martin who also lives in Ohio. Martin’s family can be found on the Census roles.
During the life of Ann Martha Canan, many exciting changes were taking place. The nation was new, the Declaration of Independence had only been signed 22 years before her birth and the Treat of Ghent ending the Revolutionary War had been signed only 15 years before her birth. John Adams was president when Ann Martha was born and George Washington was living on his Mt Vernon estate. Ann Martha’s generation witnessed the War of 1812, the expansion Westward, the War with Mexico, the War of the Rebellion, and the Indian Wars out west. Ann Martha lived with the family of John J Cannon and is carried on the Census lists until 1880. She died 25 Oct 1883 at the age of 85. Ann Martha is buried in the Canan family cemetery in Burlington, WV.
Of John J we have a wealth of information. John J Cannon was born to George and Ann Martha Canan on 11 Mar 1836. I discovered John J on the Census but could not make the definitive link until I found his name listed on the marriage record of John H Cannon in Grant County, WV. John J Cannon and Lucinda were his parents. A serendipitous meeting of a WV cousin provided me the opportunity to compare notes, trade family history info, and make the link to the WV Cannons. From her, I learned that family lore taught that John J was a Union Cavalry officer who participated in various Civil War engagements. With my investigative side ‘switched on’ I wrote for records, did some research, and put together a history of John J.
John J married Lucinda Jenkins (widow of a man surnamed Sisk). Martin V B, again testifying for the widow’s pension for Mary Crouse Canan, that John J got his license to marry Lucinda at Romney. He also reported that he…’well remembered when his brother married Mary Crouse in 1862, the second year of the Rebellion…’ Martin V B also well knew Lucinda and remembered her death and burial in the spring of 1860. Another witness, Sarah Leith of Martinsburg, also remembered Lucinda (Jenkins) Cannon and reported being at her funeral.
John J and Lucinda were married 11 Jan 1857. In another one of those historical ironies, there has not been preserved for us a birth-date for Lucinda; nor are we able to locate her grave-site. We do know that Lucinda gave birth to a son, Thomas W, on 22 Oct 1857. Tragically, this child died before reaching the age of 2. Thomas W Cannon died on 11 July 1859. We can never know the heartbreak of this young couple losing their firstborn. We do not know of what ailment young Thomas died only suffice to say that infant and childhood death were common in the mid 19th century – an era in which antibiotics and most vaccinations were unknown.
Another son, John H Cannon, was born 23 Apr 1860. This is the son who perpetuates the Cannon lineage down to me and breaks with the family emigrating to Allegany County, MD. The birth of a child is generally a cause for rejoicing yet, once again in the age of Victorian medicine, the death of the mother during or shortly after pregnancy was high. Tragedy struck John J once again as Lucinda died on 28 Apr 1860. We can never know what effect these events, 2 deaths in 2 years, had on John J, only speak from experience that any loss is great and will bear heavily on those whose job it is to go on lving.
As Ann Martha is listed as Head of Household on the 1860 Hampshire Census, we can assume that John J returned to the home-place with the infant John H since they are recorded there with her. This recording was made at Pleasant Dale Post Office on the 18th day of July 1860 – page 96 in the Census listing.
During John J’s formative years, the nation had expanded westward and fought a war with Mexico. At this time, the mid 19th century, the burning issue in America was the great evil, the national stain – slavery. The Missouri Compromise had temporarily settled the issue yet only served to perpetuate the heinous institution. Things came to a head in 1861 as South Carolina seceded from the Union. Other southern states soon followed suit, including John J’s Virginia. Maryland toyed with the issue of secession but the presence of the National government most likely stopped that move.
John J Cannon enlisted in the Union Army 30 Sep 1861 in Williamsport, Maryland; his enlistment was to last a period of 3 years. He was 25 years old John J was assigned to the 1st Regiment Virginia Cavalry which became the 1st Regiment Maryland Cavalry Volunteers. He was mustered into the detachment of 2 Dec 1861. He was assigned to the company commanded by Capt Russel, regiment commanded by Col Ward Lamon.
Regimental records obtained indicate that during John J’s service with Co I 1st MD Volunteers, the regiment:
John J’s records report that he was honorably discharged at Baltimore on 29 April 1862 for reasons of a grave family matter.
John J’s self-report lists that during the War he contracted the following disabilities: Catarrh – near Williamsport, Maryland in December 1861. He reports being sent to take Col Lattimer of the 13th Massachusetts Regiment to Romney? (it’s overlaid in the photocopy with what looks like tape) and had taken a cold. Bronchitis – Alpine Station, Virginia in January 1862 under the following circumstances: “being whipped by Jackson, tents burned and [had] to lay (tape) in cold”. Kidney disease- Battle of Bloomery in Virginia on 18 Feb 1862. John J reports that “had a horse shot out from under me and was caught and mashed by the horse”. John J Cannon was cited this day for ‘gallantry before the enemy’. We are not sure what brave thing he did but it must have been spectacular for he was cited and promoted to 2nd Lt of Cavalry, issued a citation, and awarded the promotion by order of the Governor of Maryland. These documents are in this volume.
old info
George Cannon was born before 1800. He married Ann Martha ______ on 20 July 1820. Ann Martha Cannon was born in Maryland on 25 March 1798. George and Ann Martha were the parents of John J Cannon. George died after 1844. Ann Martha lived until 25 October 1883.
John J Cannon was born 11 March 1836 in Hampshire County Virginia (now WV). He married Lucinda Jenkins on 11 January 1857. A son, Thomas, was born 22 October 1857 but he died 11 July 1859. Another son, John H Cannon, was born 23 April 1860. Tragically, Lucinda Cannon died 5 days later on 28 April 1860.
Then came the War of the Rebellion. John J Cannon enlisted in the union Army at Williamsport, Maryland on 30 September 1861. Private Cannon served with the 1st Regiment Maryland Volunteer Cavalry. He served with distinction and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of Cavalry on 18 February 1862 for "gallantry before the enemy". More on Lt John J Cannon later.
John J Cannon returned home from the war and married Mary Elizabeth Crouse on 13 August 1862. It was Mary who became the mother to little John H Cannon.
John H Cannon married Sydney M J Foley on 11 July 1881. Sydney, known to the family as "Janie", was born on 10 June 1855 in neighboring Hardy County. The couple were married on Janie's parent's farm in Grant County, WV. To John H and Janie was born a son, Otto Nehiser Cannon, 29 September 1882.
The Cannons emigrated to nearby Allegany County Maryland around the turn of the century. Allegany County is in Western Maryland. Most of this branch of the Cannon family has remained in Allegany County ever since.
Otto Cannon married Blanche Marion Lease on 22 July 1906. They had 7 children, one of whom, John William "Marcellus" Cannon was born 2 October 1915. Otto was during his lifetime a Baker, Laborer, and Shoe-salesman. He died on 20 February 1944. At that time, Otto had 3 sons fighting in the European theatre against the enemies of freedom.
Marcellus Cannon married Eleanor Virginia Messenger on 3 December 1938. A son, John Jr, was born in 1939. Another son, Robert Bruce, was born 29 November 1941, just 8 days before the bombing of Pearl harbor. Then came the War. Marcellus served his country as a soldier in the 8th Air Force Army Air Corps in Europe. Another son, Charles Edward "Pee-Wee" Cannon was born in 1944. Marcellus was variously a Coal Miner, Laborer, Handy-Man, and Truck driver. Eleanor was a Nurse. Marcellus and Eleanor were Roman Catholics and were members of the Parish of St Patrick in Cumberland, Maryland. Marcellus died on 31 december 1972. He was followed in death by Eleanor on 2 May 1975.
Robert Bruce Cannon Sr married Judith Irene Bower on 13 May 1966 at Centre Street United Methodist Church in Cumberland, Maryland. Robert is a US Army veteran and was employed as a Maintenance Worker at Sacred Heart Hospital. Judy was initially a Beautician but is now employed by the Health System as a Dietary Worker. Born to Robert and Judy were: Robert Bruce Cannon Jr; Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" Cannon; and John William "John-Boy" Cannon.
Robert Bruce Cannon II was born 7 August 1967. He is a veteran of the US Air Force, graduate of Frostburg State University, and an employee of Resources for Independence. Robert married April Rae Abe on 27 June 1998. April is employed by the local Health System. They have four children: Lacey Ann; Justyn Zachary; Ryan Andrew; and Hayley Breanna.
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