CANON
ROSANNA EMILINE
CANON was born on 25 April 1840 near Morgan Springs, Perry
County, Alabama, and died on 5 December 1917 at Chester, Texas.(1-3)
On 17 November 1857, in Perry County, Alabama; she married John
Alexander Hopkins (see Hopkins), who was
born on 12 October 1833, in Perry County, Alabama, and died on 12
February 1897 at Chester, Texas.(1-3)
They are buried at the Mt. Hope Cemetery, Chester, Texas. Rosanna
was a very efficient and capable person and her influence carried
on into her children and grandchildren.
John A. Hopkins was
wounded at the Battle of Lookout Mountain during the Civil War and
Rosanna went to Atlanta to nurse him. When the war was over, they
had lost everything and John could not make enough to provide for
his family on his worn out farm. He decided they should move to
Texas, but Rosanna did not want to leave her parents, especially
since their children were little and she was then expecting
another. She wanted her father to discourage the move, but he
thought it was great and gave them one of the wagons he had built
for his trip to Texas and said they could live, rent free, on the
farm in Tyler County, Texas, which his brother John had given him
in default of a loan. So, in November 1875, they started their six
weeks' trip to Texas, arriving on 22 December 1875.
The Texas blacklands
really produced crops, and Rosanna Emiline wrote home telling of
the wonderful cotton crops and the corn and how one of the beets
in the field measured 35 inches around. The other children of
Malcolm Canon did not like the idea of their sister getting such a
wonderful farm, rent free, so Malcolm wrote about 1877/78 and told
John that he would have to pay rent or move. John and Rosanna
decided to move about 20 miles west to the Moscow community. (5)
The children of Rosanna
and John are listed under "Hopkins." Rosanna was the
daughter of
MALCOLM DEMUS CANON
was born on 4 May 1803 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and
died on 29 July 1885(1) in Perry
County, Alabama.
Malcolm moved to St.
Clair County, Alabama, in 1817, and then to Bush Creek, Perry
County, Alabama, in 1836. He married, first, on 21 June 1827,
Babby Benson who died in 1834. Malcolm and Babby had two
daughters: Margaret married James Henry Roach in 1844; and Jane E.
married Joseph Abbot in 1847.(4)
Malcolm married,
second, on 8 September 1836, in Perry County, Alabama,(2)
Nancy Blackburn Boyd (see Boyd), who was
born on 20 July 1818 and died on 24 July 1890(1)
in Perry County, Alabama:(7) Both
Malcolm and Nancy are buried in Providence Cemetery, out from
Marion, Alabama.
Malcolm was very
successful. He started out as a doctor but quit because he said
doctors were frauds. He owned a large farm, a number of slaves, a
cotton gin, and a blacksmith shop. He was the first up in the
morning and started his own fire, and was in the blacksmith shop
before
breakfast. He worked all day and got back home about eight o'clock
at night. Malcolm always wore broadcloth with collar and tie. He
bought one of the first cooking stoves that was built, but it sat
idle for many years as the cook wanted no part of the new, fancy
gadget.
About 1870, Lambeth
Hopkins and some of his family moved to Texas, and Malcolm wanted
to move with them. Nancy did not want to and suggested that
Malcolm take the trip to Texas and see if he really wanted to
move. He enjoyed the trip, visiting with his brother, John, who
had a farm in Tyler County, but decided he did not want to move.(5)
The children of Malcolm
and Nancy were:(4) Frances Elmira,
born 1838, died 1882, and married Oreen Jaspers Griffin; Rosanna
Emiline (see above), born 25 April 1840, died 5 December 1917, and
married John A. Hopkins; Mary Calhoun, born 1842, died 1915, and
married Marcus de Lafayette Moore; John Boyd, born 1844, and died
1847; Job Irvin, born 15 November 1846, died 15 September 1908,
and married Nancy Hopkins; Benjamin Franklin, born 9 December
1848, died 10 July 1890, and never married; Ann Eliza, born 1851,
died 1938, and married William Welsey Morland; Emily Paralee, born
1853, died 1937, and married Leander Judson Crawford; David Welsey,
born 1854, died 1936, and married Martha Ann Moore; Chelly
Miranda, born 1857, died 1857; and Elizabeth Tramill, born 1862,
died 1943, and married, first, J. W. Roberts, and, second, Rev.
Derrell Harrison.
Malcolm was the son of
JOB CANON was
born 5 August 1766 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and died on 21
June
1842 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.(4)
He married about 1791, at the age 0f 54, Margaret Irvin, daughter
0f Edward Irvin, who died on 10 October 1790 and is buried in
Hopewell Presbyterian Cemetery. Margaret was born on 21 September
1771 and died on 15 October 1860 in Perry County, Alabama. She is
buried in Providence Cemetery.(4)
An interesting
paragraph of the Job Canon Will, dated 10 May 1842, and filed in
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, shows that Malcolm Demus had
borrowed a considerable amount from his father. It is also
interesting in giving a glimpse into the family life of those
times. Part of the Will reads as follows:
"I will and
bequeath to my son E. I. (Edward Irwin) Cannon on conditions he
pays all my just debts of every kind and see that his mother is
well taken care of in sickness and health and likewise see that
she is not wronged out of any of her property I say on compliance
with the above condition I will and bequeath to My son E. I.
Cannon all my plantation except his mother's dower all the horses
not willed to his mother, say old Jim, mare & colt, Ratler,
the mule and Fly the two year old filly all the stock of cattle,
sheep, and hogs half the wagon, all the farming utensils not
willed to his mother and all household and kitchen furniture not
willed to his mother all the carpenter tools rifle and shot gun
silver watch and a negro boy named Henry and after all the
bequeathments are paid out of what Malcolm D. Cannon is in due
that I allow to come out of it if there is any more coming to me
after that I will and bequeath it to E. I. Cannon one thing I
recall before I sign Cynthea Hannah's part of the money arising
from the sale of the negroe woman and the property that may be
sold at the same time. I will and bequeath thirty dollars of the
money to her daughter Margaret and the ballance of the fourth part
of the whole I loan my daughter Cynthia clear of interest her
lifetime, and after her death whatever may be found of said loaned
money or anything I allow to return back to the three Perry
children and if there is any more of my estate that this will does
not embrace or comprehend I will the same to E. I. Cannon I will
my old Bible to E. I. Cannon and my new Bible to my wife and after
her death to E. I. Cannon.
"I allow E. Irwin
and mother to get about half the value of the Books the half to be
divided amongst the ballance of my children equally as call be
done by two indifferent men if cant be done without."
The children of Job and
Margaret, as listed in the Will of Job, were: 9. Mrs. Perry; Mrs.
Cynthia Hanna; Mrs. Margery Henry; Jane I. married Rev. Reuben
Tucker; John R.; Malcolm Demus (see above), born 4 May 1803, died
29 July 1885, and married, first, Babby Benson, and, second, Nancy
Blackburn Boyd; and Edward Irwin Canon, born 15 February 1816,
died 5 December 1844, and married Jane E. (possibly Alexander).
Job was the son of
JOHN CANON was
born about 1730, probably in Ireland, and died on 19 January 1794
in North Carolina. He married Martha who was born in 1734 and died
on 8 October 1798. John and Martha are both buried at the Hopewell
Presbyterian Church, 14 miles north of Charlotte.
Some insight into the
family is given in the Will of John. Part of this Will read as
follows: "First of all, I give & bequeath to my beloved
wife Martha, in lieu of her dowry, one mare called Bonny her
choice of three cows & all the sheep with the whole of the
grain for the use of the family & stock likewise a sufficiency
of meat for her & the family with the whole of the
house & kitchen furniture, including beds & beding chests,
etc., etc., with the privilege of my Mansion House and all other
houses & office with a comfortable maintainance for her &
such children as may live with her life or widowhood.
"I give &
bequeath unto my beloved son Job Canon the plantation on which I
now live, provided that he maintains the family as aforesaid with
the plantation tools & the old mare & hold horse I give
him in trust for the use of the plantation & his choice of the
two colts that is the Stallion colt or the year old colt with the
next choice of a cow and my chest."
The children of John
and Martha were listed in the Will as follows:(10-11)
Mary Smith; James; Abigail (Abbey) Garrison; Anne Smith; John; Job
(see above), born 5 August 1766, died 21 June 1842, and married
Margaret Irwin; Joseph, died 4 April 1803 at age 34; Samuel
(Sammie), died 21 May 1794 ( ? ) at age 22; Benjamin; and Martha.
Ref:
1. John A. Hopkins
Family Bible, published by C. F. Vent, Cincinnati. 186~wned by
Clifton Baker, Nacogdoches, Texas.
2. Marriage Records,
Perry County, Alabama.
3. Mt. Hope Cemetery,
Chester, Texas.
4. Letters-Rev. F. S.
Moseley, Entaw, Alabama.
5. Interview with Mrs.
Susan Hopkins Wyche, 14 September 1949.
6. Agreement between
Heirs of M. D. Cannon, dec'd, 8 September 1885, Perry County,
Alabama, Deed Book 18, Pages 325-37.
7. Christenberry-Boyd-Blackburn
Family Bible, published by Merriam, Moore & Co., Troy,
New York, 185o-owned by Mrs. Sue Thomas, Greensboro, Alabama.
8. Job Irwin Canon
Family Bible.
9. Will of Job Cannon,
dated 10 May 1842, filed in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
10.
Will of John Canon, dated 13 October 1786, filed in Mecklenburg
County, North Carolina, Book A, Page 204. 11. Hopewell
Presbyterian Church Cemetery, near Charlotte, North Carolina.
|