Redemption of a Slave Trader: Captain George Cannon and Edwin Q. Cannon, Jr.

[Adapted from a talk I gave on Pioneer Day in the LDS Church]  

George Cannon was born in 1766 in Peel, Isle of Man, a small sea-faring island located in the North Irish Sea between Ireland, England and Scotland. Most of the residents of Peel were involved in sailing: many of them harvested herring and many of them also got involved in smuggling goods into England to help English merchants avoid the heavy tariffs that were imposed on imported goods. Some like George got involved in merchant shipping. At the age of 13, George was a seaman on a ten month voyage that took him from Liverpool to Jamaica and back.

At age 14, George entered the Peel Mathematical School and studied for two years to learn the mathematics of sailing: how to use charts and determine latitude, longitude and depth. In 1790, at the age of 23, George was third mate on a slave ship, the Eliza, that left Liverpool with trade goods for Africa. The Eliza sailed to the Gold Coast of Africa, today’s Ghana, and there the Eliza and its crew went to the English trading forts at Anomabu and Cape Coast to barter their English goods to African slave traders in exchange for slaves. 

A depiction of the Gold Coast in the 1790s. Note Cape Coast Castle in the background to the right.

Cape Coast Castle as it looked in the 1990s. 

While in Africa, the first mate and second mate of the Eliza both died, perhaps by drowning in the heavy Cape Coast surf, or as a result of disease, as the English did not have immunities to many of the African diseases.

Canoes crossing the surf in West Africa.

By means of attrition, George became first mate, next in authority to the captain of the ship.

George Cannon is listed fourth on the Eliza muster roll. Note the deaths of the no. 2 and 3 people. 

In 1792 the Eliza landed in Falmouth, Jamaica with a cargo of 117 slaves, including 11 boys, 7 girls, 40 women and 61 men. After a visit to New York, the Eliza sailed back to the Gold Coast of Africa for more slaves. In May 1793, the Eliza delivered 167 more slaves to Kingston, Jamaica, including 55 women and 112 men.

After three years at sea, George married Leonora Callister, who grew up near him in Peel. The following year, George was back out to sea, on another slaver, from Liverpool to Africa, to Grenada, and then back home. His first child, a son, his name-sake George, was born while he was on the voyage.

We have the ship logbook for two voyages taken by George on the ship Iris.

The Iris Logbook

Cover page of the logbook. The writing toward the bottom was written later by one of George Cannon's descendants. 

In 1798, the Iris left Liverpool and sailed to Bonny, in an area called the Bight of Biafra, in today’s Nigeria. 

Nigeria is just east of Ghana, where the Gold Coast is located. In Bonny, the captain, John Spencer, drowned, and George became captain of the Iris. 

Muster roll of the Iris. Note the death of Captain John Spencer. 

After obtaining slaves, the logbook keeps meticulous notes of the number of yams that are used to feed the slaves and occasionally mentions how the slaves are doing. On October 6^th, a female slave died and was thrown overboard. Two days later the logbook notes that several slaves were complaining of the “gripes.” On October 11^th a male slave died and his body was thrown overboard.

Logbook page for October 29, 1798

On October 29th, it says “Slaves all in Good Spirrits – there Eyes Nearly Better”.

Slaves were transported in the holds of ships under horrid conditions: naked,  crammed together  and chained. 

In November, 1798, the Iris arrived in Kingston, Jamaica with 414 slaves.

After less than three months at home, George was back out at sea again on the Iris, this time as the initial Captain, with a crew of 44 men. 

A letter from the owner of the Iris to Captain Cannon, dated August 12, 1799, care of an agent in St. Vincent.

After a voyage to Angola in Africa, the Iris delivered 409 slaves to Kingston in August 1800.

We are aware of one other slaving trip taken by Captain Cannon. In 1803, as captain of the ship Minerva, George delivered 212 slaves to Nassau, in the Bahamas, that he had obtained in Bonny, on the Nigerian coast.

The slave trade was abolished in England in 1807 and we don’t know a lot about what Captain Cannon was doing. We jump forward to July 19, 1811. Captain Cannon died on a mutiny on his own ship. I assume he was probably killed by his own sailors. We don’t know where on the globe it happened, or what kind of a ship he was on.

Now I will jump forward four generations.

My Uncle, Edwin Q. Cannon, Jr., known as Ted, served as Mission President of the Switzerland Zurich Mission for three years and while he was there, was responsible for a number of areas of the church that were not covered by regular missions or stakes. Places like Greece, Turkey, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Poland. While he was serving, the church organized the International Mission and Ted was informed that when he was released, the supervision for those areas he covered outside of Switzerland would be handed over to the International Mission.

After Ted was released, he was called by the International Mission President, Grant Bangerter, to work on a committee and later as one of his counselors. When James E. Faust succeeded Elder Bangerter, as president, he called Ted as his first counselor.

As first counselor, Ted became aware of a considerable amount of correspondence to the Church coming from Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa, more than any other part of the International Mission. Many of the requests were for missionaries, but because the priesthood was withheld from the blacks, the church did not engage in missionary activity there. One morning, President Faust told his counselors that he was going to meet with the First Presidency and he was taking with him a bundle of letters from West Africa. Ted had just received a letter from a schoolboy in Ghana that he handed to President Faust to include with the bundle. During the meeting, President Spencer W. Kimball asked about the bundle of letters and asked that a sample be read to him. Elder Faust picked the letter Ted had given to him that read, in part:

“I am filled with happiness as it comes into my mind to write you today. I am a member of the Latter-day Saints Church in Ghana…I have been told much about how this great restored Church was founded by our great prophet, Joseph Smith, and still I am anxious to know more about it through the reading of books about it. I have heard of the Book of Mormon, which was…revealed and given to Joseph on the Mount Cumorah. I will be very happy if a Book of Mormon is sent to me in order to read more about words which the Lord gave to mankind through the Prophet Joseph Smith…Actually I wish to become a pure Mormon and so I want to know more about Mormonism…I always become happy when songs and hymns like Come! Come! Ye Saints and Come O Thou King of Kings and some songs of Zion are sung in the church services…”

President Faust reported later that he noticed tears on the cheeks of the First Presidency as the letter was read.

On another occasion, Ted went with President Faust to BYU to meet with members of the faculty who had experience in the areas of the world served by the mission. One of the faculty was Merrill Bateman, later a general authority and President of BYU, but at that time head of the School of Business. Brother Bateman spoke of his experience teaching at the University of Accra in Ghana. He had visited an organized group of Ghanaians who called themselves members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints even though they had not been officially baptized. Brother Bateman had also been in Ghana as an official of Mars, corporation, buying cocoa for their chocolate candy products.

On June 9, 1978, the First Presidency issued a press release that announced that every worthy man, regardless of race or color, may receive the priesthood. After that, discussions by the International Mission Presidency about taking the full gospel to Ghana and Nigeria took on high priority. More information was needed about the thinking and activities of the groups calling themselves members. It was determined that someone should visit and try to locate the various groups and their members. In one discussion, Merrill Batemen was suggested as a likely person because of his experience in West Africa. Brother Bateman was invited to meet with President Faust, David M. Kennedy, who was the church Ambassador, and Ted. After a preliminary meeting, President Faust asked Brother Bateman if he would accept an assignment to go to Ghana and Nigeria, meet with the leaders and return with recommendations. He agreed. Then, with no previous warning, President Faust turned to Ted and said that Brother Bateman and Brother Cannon should leave as soon as possible on the fact-finding tour.

Brother Batemen obtained passports and visas with the help of Mars, Co., which had good connections. Ted went through the correspondence from West Africa and selected the most impressive letters and wrote to those individuals, about 50, giving them proposed arrival schedules, hotels and itineraries. All they had were post office boxes for addresses. They departed on August 12, 1978, not realizing that they would arrive before the letters, as letters took more than a month. When they arrived in Accra, Ghana, the only person there to meet them was a representative of Mars, Co.

After a nights rest, they arose on Sunday morning and hired a taxi to look for the local group calling themselves “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” with whom Brother Bateman had previously met. After several frustrating hours of searching, they had no success. Then Ted remembered a crude sign he had noticed along the way: “Church of Jesus.” Obeying a strong impulse, he told the taxi driver to turn around and go back to the road marked by that sign. They noticed a humble little building with several men in front. Among them Brother Bateman recognized Matthew Koomson, who had previously been active in the group he’d met with. He had left that group and started his own Church of Jesus but was still in touch with the groups Ted and Brother Bateman were looking for. He agreed to lead them to the heads of those groups in Cape Coast and Sekondi-Takoradi. This was the same Cape Coast where Captain George Cannon obtained African slaves 185 years earlier.

The next morning Ted and Brother Bateman drove to Cape Coast in a taxi, only to find that the leader there, Joseph (Billy) Johnson was visiting Lagos, Nigeria. But his landlady greeted them, saying proudly, “Well, I am a Mormon” and gave Ted an address where he could be reached. They then went to the rented building where Johnson’s congregation held their meetings.

Rented hall in Cape Coast. James Ewudzie is standing to the left.

The interior decoration included a life-size statue of the Angel Moroni with a trumpet, as shown on the cover of the paperback Book of Mormon, a painting of Joseph Smith in the sacred grove and pictures of the Savior. On the front of the pulpit were pictures of a black Bible and blue Book of Mormon and a blackboard listed the Sunday hymns, including “Come, Come, Ye Saints.”

Interior of Cape Coast hall. James Ewudzie stands to the right.

In Secondi-Takoradi, the founder-leader and owner of the meeting house was the Prophetess Rebecca Mould. She made a good impression on the visitors. The man responsible for the initial founding of nearly all the groups in Ghana was Dr. R.A.F. Mensah, who was in Accra. He first heard of the church through correspondence with a Lillian Clark in England. In 1962, Lillian had received six lessons from LDS missionaries and sent the tracts to Dr. Mensah, although she was never baptized. The tracts converted Dr. Mensah, and his friend, Clement Osekre, and they began to preach the gospel to others. They converted strong leaders like Joseph Billy Johnson, Rebecca Mould and Matthew Koomson, who organized their own groups in other towns and continued to spread the gospel message, despite persecution. Ted and Brother Bateman met with Dr. Mensah and Osekre, gave what encouragement they could, and moved on to Nigeria. 

In Nigeria they found a greater variety of groups, more individuals with a history of contacts with the church and a few more member families. In Calabar, which was near Bonny, where Captain Cannon had obtained slaves on several occasions, Ted and Brother Bateman prayed together in their hotel room that they might find the leaders they were seeking. They went to the hotel lobby and asked the desk clerk about the names. No recognition. So they spoke in a loud voice and read the list of names they were seeking, asking if anyone knew them. A man who had just come in to the lobby to buy a paper spoke up, “I know Ime Eduok [one of the names on the list]. I’m his boss. He’s probably locking up his office right now.” The man took them outside and put them in a taxicab, telling the driver where to take them. They found Ime leaving his office as they pulled up. Ime and his wife were among the very few native Nigerians already members of the church. They had been baptized in Los Angeles seven years previously while attending school there. He was employed by the Cross River Lines ferryboat company and knew many of the groups in that area calling themselves by the name of the Church. He took them to the Cross River State and introduced them to many of the leaders they were seeking.

They met Newton Miller Aganyemi in Lagos. He and his wife, Shade, had joined the church while he was a student at the University of Utah. At an impromptu meeting by the hotel pool, Ted asked Newton what he would recommend for future church action in Nigeria. He mentioned he had been patiently waiting until the church could come to start an organization and hoped to receive more teaching materials in the interim until that time came. The next morning, Ted recorded in his journal:

“Early in the morning before arising, I had very heart-warming thoughts about the experiences we had had thus far…The tears came to my eyes to the point of having a moist pillow as I thought of Newton Miller Aganyemi and his sweet spirit and the fact that the barrier had been removed for so many of God’s children…Again as I was mouth in our morning prayers, I felt the warmth of the Spirit in such abundance that I could hardly speak for shedding tears of gratitude and joy.”

After two weeks in West Africa, Ted and Brother Bateman agreed that their recommendation to the First Presidency would be to send missionaries and go forward, with caution. In early September, Ted presented a report to the First Presidency, in a meeting that included Brother Bateman.

About two weeks later, Ted got a call from President Kimball asking him to write up something about his findings in Africa that could be used in a talk. His response became part of President Kimball’s talk at the pre-Conference seminar for Regional Representatives. As a counselor in the general Relief Society presidency, Ted’s wife, Janath, was present and heard President Kimball’s memorable words: “What did the Lord mean when he stood atop the Mount of Olives and said to the twelve, ‘And ye shall be witnesses unto me…unto the uttermost parts of the earth’? These were his last words on earth before he went to his heavenly home.” President Kimball continued: “What about Africa? They have waited so long already. More than one-tenth of the entire population of the world is living on the African continent…Are they not included in the Lord’s invitation to ‘teach all nations.’? Are they not included in ‘the uttermost parts of the earth’?” President Kimball read paragraphs from letters Ted had provided, including one from Joseph Billy Johnson that ended with, “We therefore solemnly declare in the name of Jesus Christ that God has prepared the groups in Ghana for you, for we have nowhere else to go, but look forward to your sending to us missionaries to help us understand the Church better, for it is our burning desire to live by the faith of this Church in order to attain its standards.”

At General Conference, on Saturday, September 30, 1978, the revelation on the priesthood was ratified and President Faust was sustained as the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve.

The next Monday, Ted and Janath met with Elder Faust and David Kennedy and were asked to spend a year in West Africa. They immediately accepted. The next morning, Ted and Janath, Rendell and Rachel Mabey, Elder Faust and David Kennedy met with the First Presidency. Ted had earlier suggested Brother Mabey for missionary work in Africa. Brother Mabey had been on seven big-game hunting safaris in Africa and had an adventurous spirit. In the meeting, the First Presidency officially called the two couples as representatives of the International Mission. They were cautioned to move slowly, to be wise and careful and to lay a solid foundation. When asked when he would like them to leave, President Kimball replied with a twinkle in his eye, “We would like you to leave yesterday.”

They arrived in Lagos, Nigeria and Ted contacted several people he had met on his previous visit. On November 18^th they set off in a cab to find Anthony Obinna. The taxi driver was unable to find the address and was soon lost. Ted was impressed to inquire about Obinna from a man with a withered arm. The man knew Obinna and got in the cab and took them directly to Obinna’s village.

Obinna was converted to the Church in 1965. He was visited three times in a dream by “a tall person carrying a walking stick in his right hand”. The personage took him to “a most beautiful building” and showed him everything in it. During the Nigerian civil war, when he was confined to his house, Obinna picked up an old September 1958 copy of the Reader’s Digest and was surprised to find on page 34 a picture of that same building, with the heading “The March of the Mormons” The picture was of their temple in Salt Lake City. Because he recognized the building as the one in his dream, he read the entire article and found it was about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “I knew I had found the truth.” Anthony wrote letters to Church headquarters, and LaMar Williams, in the Missionary Department, was impressed. Although he could not send missionaries or promise official recognition, he sent Obinna the standard tracts, manuals and Books of Mormon, the monthly Ensign, New Era, Children’s Friend and the weekly Church News. He also sent Obinna a program to follow for Sunday church services. After Lamar Williams was called to preside over the Gulf States Mission, Obinna’s church contacts languished, yet he persisted, despite ridicule from his villagers. On September 19, 1978, Obinna wrote the International Mission, “I am surprised for not hearing from you for quite a long time and my letters to you are no longer replied to. Should I believe that the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not for Nigerians?…LeMar S. Williams did all he could to help us know more about the church. Since he left for the Gulf State, every thing appears as dead as a dodo.”

After meeting with Obinna and being impressed, Ted and Brother Mabey agreed that a baptism would be in order on a return trip. Three days later, on October 21, 1978, the first official group baptism and organization of an all-black branch of the church occurred in West Africa. 

Obinna group baptism. 

The baptisms took place in a secluded, tree shaded pool of the Ekeonumiri River, where the surrounding bushes served as dressing rooms. Four handmade white robes were passed on to waiting candidates as the baptisms proceeded. Lacking any official forms, Janath recorded in her journal the names of those being baptized and confirmed. Of the 19 people baptized that day, 16 had the last name “Obinna.”

The first baptism: Anthony Obinna. 

The Aboh Branch was organized and Brother Obinna was set apart as branch president, his brothers as counselors, and his wife as president of the Relief Society.

Joseph Billy Johnson, whom Ted had met on his first trip, was the key to success in Ghana. 

Ted Cannon and Joseph Billy Johnson. 

As mentioned earlier, Johnson had received tracts from Dr. Mensah and had been converted. During “a month of continuous reading” he had read and believed the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Articles of Faith and some pamphlets. He had a profound spiritual experience he wrote about as follows: “One early morning of March 1964, while I was about to get up to prepare for my daily chores, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me and my spiritual insight was enhanced…I heard a voice from heaven speaking to me saying, ‘Johnson, if you will take up my word as I will command you to your people, I will bless you and bless your land.’ Trembling with fear, I replied, in tears saying, ‘Lord by thy own help I will do whatsoever thou would command me.’ From that day onwards, the Spirit of the Lord constrained me to propagate the Restored Gospel to my people.” After that, Brother Johnson traveled about spreading the gospel and establishing branches of the church.

After arriving in Accra, Ghana, the Cannons and Mabeys spent two days frustrated by government red tape and difficulty in finding Ted’s contacts. After a scenic trip on a government transport bus, Joseph Billy Johnson was waiting for them in Cape Coast. Ted had also found Dr. Mensah and Clement Osekre to bring along for the first official baptism in Ghana. Ted did most of the interviewing of the 89 candidates for baptism. The baptism of 89 people took place on December 9, 1978 at a beach just east of Cape Coast. Some large offshore rocks broke the force of the waves and other rocks on the beach provided some privacy for clothes-changing. 

At the first baptism in Ghana, just east of Cape Coast. The young baby is now James Ewudzie's bishop in Cape Coast.

The first baptism in Ghana, just east of Cape Coast.

Ted baptized R.A.F. Mensah first, as “the first one in Ghana, so far as we know, to develop an interest in the Church.” This may have been ground Captain George Cannon walked as a slave trader. Ted was also pleased to baptize ten year old Brigham Young Johnson, whose name  “seemed to exemplify the long, patient wait of Brother Johnson.” Ted recorded, “The water was warm and pleasant, but it was not always as deep as we would have liked it, especially when we had tall men and big women whose feet and knees wanted to come out when their heads went in.” Confirmations took place at water’s edge. The confirmations continued into the night, under the glow of the moon.

The next day, December 10, 1978, the first branch of the Church in Ghana was organized at Cape Coast, with Joseph Billy Johnson as president. 31 men were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood. 

The ordination record kept by Janath Cannon: EQC is Edwin Q. Cannon.

Two days after the first baptism, another baptism was held for 36 people from Moree, who had walked six miles to Cape Coast. Their leader was the prophetess Martha Mills. Her group was added to the membership of the Cape Coast Branch until it later became a separate branch. Two days later, the prophetess Rebecca Mould, of Sekondi, was baptized along with 124 from her congregation. Already called “Mother Mould,” she became known as “Mother President of the Relief Society” in the Sekondi Branch. 

A Relief Society Presidency.

Relief Society Sisters.

Back in Nigeria, at Ikot Ekong, near Bonney, where Captain Cannon had obtained slaves, they interviewed and baptized 182 people, confirmed them, and organized them into four branches, all in one day. 

A large baptism: unknown area.

There, Patient Ime was the first black man in West Africa to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood.

After returning to Cape Coast, Ghana, on January 28, 1979, all thirteen baptisms were performed by black priesthood holders: President Johnson and John Cobbinah. This was followed by the first standard sacrament meeting in Ghana. Ted explained the order of the sacrament and the various priesthood offices. President Johnson brought boiled water and bread for the sacrament. At the end of the meeting, President Johnson and five other men became the first natives of Ghana to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The next day, at Assin Foso, the best available place for baptism was a small running stream too shallow for complete immersion. After finding some men with shovels and buckets, Ted helped them dig out boulders, a tree limb and 20 buckets of sand to create a shallow trench in the bottom of the stream. There the baptism candidates were told to sit, then be laid back, while another helper held down the feet, thus immersing the whole body. Kneeling in the rocky stream bed, Ted baptized all but two of the 79 baptized that day. The next day Ted baptized the boy whose letter had so touched President Kimball.

President and Sister Faust arrived in Nigeria on February 17, 1979. The next day, they visited the Aboh Branch. 

Ted Cannon, James E. Faust, Rendell Mabey and Aboh Branch Priesthool leaders.

President Faust spoke of his testimony of Christ and promised them that a temple would be built in Africa some day. As a footnote, a temple was dedicated in Nigeria in 2005, 26 years later, and a temple was dedicated in Ghana in 2004, 25 years later. That afternoon Elder Faust baptized five people.

James E. Faust and his first baptism. 

Ultimately, the Cannons and Mabeys had visa problems and had to leave Ghana and spent the rest of their time in Nigeria. In the meantime, several other missionary couples had been called to Africa and Ted spent most of his time training new leaders. By the time they left Africa, the Cannons and Mabeys had baptized 1,725 people, organized 35 branches and 5 districts.

I find it personally significant that the first area where Captain George Cannon obtained slaves in Africa was Cape Coast, which is also the area where his great great grandson, Ted, performed the first baptisms in Ghana, gave the priesthood for the first time in Ghana, and established the first branch of the Church in Ghana.  That the area where Captain Cannon first became captain of a slave ship, the area he last visited for slaves, and obtained more slaves than any other, Bonny, was very near the area where Ted organized the second through fifth branches of the Church in Nigeria, and first gave the Melchizedek priesthood  to a black man in West Africa.

I know that the scripture talking about the fathers being drawn to their children and the children to their fathers does not exactly apply in this circumstance, but to me there is something almost redemptive about a descendant of a slave trader, who enslaved many black people and took them away from their homes and families to a new land, being the first person to bring the restored gospel to the descendants of those enslaved peoples, to give them the keys for eternal life and eternal families, and to tell them to stay at home and build up the Church and to ultimately be free. To me, this is made more significant by the fact that during his lifetime, Ted knew that Captain George Cannon was a slave ship captain, but he had no detailed knowledge about where Captain Cannon had been or that they shared common ground in Africa. This is all information that has come to light recently.

Update: August 27, 2013.

My cousin, Russell Cannon, son of Ted and Janath Cannon, is currently serving an LDS mission in Ghana. He has visited with James Ewudzie of Cape Coast who identified himself in several of the pictures above and identified the photos from the first baptism near Cape Coast. James was the fourth person baptized in Ghana, after RAF Mensah, Clement Osekre and Joseph Billy Johnson (and the only one of the four still living). James was first counselor to Billy Johnson in the first branch in Ghana and later first counselor to Billy Johnson in the district presidency. 

James Ewudzie and Russell Cannon (son of Ted Cannon) in Ghana in 2013

The information about Ted Cannon came from Janath Russell Cannon & Edwin Q. Cannon Jr., Together: A Love Story (Desk-top Publishing: Salt Lake City, Utah, 1999). 

Death of Captain George Cannon: By Mutiny?

According to the Cannon Family Historical Treasury, Captain George Cannon “died at sea on board his own ship, July 19, 1811, being the victim of a mutiny which he was endeavoring to suppress among his crew…” (George Cannon Family Association: 1995, p. 13). I have spent quite a bit of time over the last four years trying to learn more about Captain Cannon’s death. What was the name of the ship he was on? Where was the ship when the mutiny occurred? Were the mutineers brought to justice?

Death and Burial of Captain Cannon:

Edmund Goodwin, in the Goodwin Papers, handwritten notes in the Manx National Heritage Library, indicates that George Cannon died July 8, 1811. He gives no other insight. George Cannon’s probate record indicates he died “on or about 13th July”. According to the burial register for the Parish of German in 1811, he was buried at St. Peter’s Church in Peel (an old photo below)

on July 22nd.

A closeup of the entry for Captain Cannon:

In a letter to me dated July 20, 2007, Priscilla Lewthwaite, a genealogical researcher in the Isle of Man, indicated that there would be no entry in the parish register if the body was not there. If Captain Cannon died at sea, it is very unlikely they would have a body to bury unless he died near the Isle of Man, because people who died at sea were interred at sea. The gravestone has not survived as St. Peter’s Church is in ruins, just the clock tower remains (the clock tower was built after the time of Captain Cannon)

and all the gravestones that could be salvaged have been put around the walls of the churchyard.

It is laid out as a garden now with grass and flower beds, with just the outline of the floor of the church visible.

Up until 1803, I can find quite a bit of information about Captain Cannon and his sailing endeavors. After that, there is very little information about him and virtually nothing about him and sailing. One of the most exciting finds during my research was a Lloyd's List entry on May 22, 1810. It indicated that the ship Caesar, with a Captain Cannon, had arrived back in Liverpool from Africa. The Caesar had been taken by a French Corvette from the Isles of France, "with Dispatches" and allowed to proceed. The Ile de France, or Isle of France, was a French colony off the southeast coast of Africa which is now known as Mauritius.

I thought this was an important piece in putting together the mutiny puzzle. It showed Captain Cannon was still involved in sailing. And maybe it is and maybe it does, but there is nothing else to substantiate it. Lloyd's List for April 27, 1810 reported that the Caesar, with a Captain McCannen, arrived in Sierra Leone (West Africa) from Liverpool. So was it a Captain Cannon or Captain McCannen on the Caesar? Or someone else? Errors are common in the shipping records. Lloyd's Register for 1810 lists a number of Caesars, but none with a Captain Cannon or McCannen (see below).  

At the end of this post I go into some detail about the research steps I’ve taken so that someone else researching this same issue in the future does not have to duplicate the efforts I’ve made. Despite my initial optimism, I now question whether he was even sailing at that time in his life. The only thing that keeps me thinking that there may be some truth to it is that there is no reason the family would dream up the story: it does not put Captain Cannon in a positive light. I am hopeful that a family member may have information tucked away in an attic somewhere or that future research may be more fruitful in uncovering a source.

A Mutiny About the Same Time:

I did find the following about a mutiny that occurred about the same time (it was provided by two research sources). It was in the Liverpool Mercury, dated Friday, September 6, 1811 (page 75, column 1):

“The following is a copy of a letter from Mr. Furse, late Midshipman of the Semiramis, dated Brest, July 19, 1811: ‘No doubt you will be surprised at the date of this, from Brest. Being very lucky in the Semiramis last cruise, in the way of taking prizes, I was sent from her on the 6th inst. to take charge of an American brig, which Captain Richardson detained, having with me six men from the Semiramis, as also five belonging to the brig – the Captain, Mate, and three boys. Out of six that came with me, two were Americans; these, and two other of our crew, having most of their friends living in New York, joined with the Captain of the brig to take her from me, on the 9th inst. About twelve o’clock, binding me and two more with cords, hands and feet. The next morning they hoisted out the long-boat, giving us our clothes, and some bread and water; still keeping our hands tied, they put us into the boat, which was then very leaky, and sent us adrift in the Western Ocean, about 300 miles from land. One of my men, whose name is Rowlinson, untied me with his teeth; which was the means of getting us all free. Not knowing the distance exactly, at the time they let us go, I did not know what course to shape; the wind being W.S.W. I shaped my course E.S.E. supposing it to be, as near as I could guess, for the Eddystone; but unfortunately for me, and the others, the first land we made was Ushant; the wind then blowing very fresh, and we in an open boat, and on a lee shore, thought it best for our safety to run into a small island, called Morlaix, after being six days drifting about in the Western ocean, almost dead with fatigue, and having nothing to eat, our bread being spoiled with salt water. On our landing we were immediately made prisoners, but exceedingly well treated. After stopping one night, we marched to Brest, where, at present, we remain in the hospital, and expect in the course of four or five days, to be conducted about 200 leagues in land, where I shall be on parole. I forgot to state, that at the time we were seized, we were asleep, having but a short time previously left the deck. Those that succeeded us in the watch on deck were those that were bribed. There was one of our Lieutenants then in a brig close to us; but he did not see us bear up, or otherwise I think he would have made sail after us. There are cartels arriving here generally once a month, with sick and infirm prisoners. I am sorry to add, there is not the least hopes of my return to England unless it comes a peace, of which there is not the least prospect at present. I will thank you to publish the above in the Newspapers as soon as possible, in order that the Captain of the brig and the men may be taken into custody.’

The original, from which the above letter is copied, has been sent to the Admiralty, in order that proceedings may be instituted against the four mutineers, who seized their officer, and assisted the Americans to run away with the ship: out of our frigates having fallen in with, and captured them, the day after they committed the atrocious act. Had not Mr. Furse and his two companions so miraculously escaped, the crime of the other four would not have been known, as, previously to the American being boarded a second time, they sent our four men down into the hold, and gave out that they had been confined there when the ship was seized.”

Lloyd’s List, dated Friday, July 19, 1811, states: “The Fortune, Dannen from Bordeaux to New York is detained by the Semiramis Frigate and arrived at Plymouth.” Lloyd’s List, dated Tuesday, July 23, 1811, states: “The American Brig Alert, Nichols from Bordeaux to Newbury Port, was detained on the 6th inst by the Semiramis Frigate, and put in charge of an officer and 6 men but the crew took possession of her, she has been since detained by the Vestal Frigate, and sent in to Portsmouth.”

The story is confusing. After a close look at it, and with the information from Lloyd’s List, I think this is what happened: The Semiramis, a British Naval frigate, stopped and detained the American brig Alert on July 6, 1811. It was manned by a captain, mate and three boys. Captain Richardson of the Semiramis sent Mr. Furse, a Midshipman [the rank of a young British naval officer], along with six other men from the Semiramis, on board the Alert. Two of the six men from the Semiramis were Americans. After Midshipman Furse and two of his men went to sleep, about midnight on July 9, 1811, his four other men standing watch, including the two Americans, were bribed by the Captain of the Alert to allow him to take over the brig. Furse and the two men were seized, while asleep, and tied, hand and foot, by cords. The next morning, on July 10th, Furse and his two men were put, still hand-tied, into a leaky long-boat and set to sea adrift, about 300 miles from land. They were given bread and water which was spoiled by salt water. A man named Rowlinson, untied Furse with his teeth and all three were freed from their cords. On July 16th, after six days adrift, they landed on Ushant [a French island in the English Channel], and then thought it best to go to Morlaix [not an island, but an area on the Brittany coast of France]. On landing, they were imprisoned, but treated well. The next day they were marched to Brest [another city in Brittany], and placed in a hospital, where the letter was written from. Mr. Furse apparently died after writing the letter. After setting Mr. Furse and his two men adrift, the brig Alert was detained by the Vestal Frigate. Before being boarded by the men of the Vestal, the four men from the Semiramis went into the hold and claimed they had been confined there when the Alert was seized by the Captain. The newspaper sent Furse’s letter to the British Admiralty so that the four mutineers could be tried for their crime. Without the letter, no one would have known of their complicity. The Alert was sent to Portsmouth, England.

Mutiny, in General:

Peter Earle, in his book, Sailors: English Merchant Seamen 1650-1775 (Methuan: London, 2007), p. 175, cites Marcus Rediker who found evidence of sixty mutinies on English and American ships in the first half of the 18th century, an average of just over one a year, although he believes there were more than that. In about half of the cases, the mutineers succeeded in taking control of the ship. Mutinies generally occurred in one of two ways. One way was by passive resistance without violence. For example, one crew led by the mate took over a ship because the captain ordered a change of course they believed would result in shipwreck. Other crews refused to weigh anchor and set sail because the ship was leaking and they believed dangerous, or they wanted to wait for a convoy. The other way was through violence, usually with one or more murders. Most of the crew had some sort of weapon, if only a knife, and the ship had other potential weapons, such as handspikes, guns and small arms. Excuses given by the crew for such takeovers included mistreatment of the crew, over-work, a shortage of water or provisions, or an unseaworthy ship. The unrest was often fueled by alcohol.

John Newton, a slave boat captain who later became a clergyman and wrote the words to the hymn, “Amazing Grace,” found out in 1752 that his crew was planning a mutiny. One of his crew informed Newton he had been solicited by Richard Swain to sign a “round robin,” a sheet of paper on which two concentric circles were drawn. Within the inner circle, the sailors would ‘write what they have a mind to have done’ and between the two circles they would write their names. ‘No one can be said to be first, so that they are all equally guilty’ and ‘no one can be excused by saying he was the last that signed it, and he had not done it without great persuasion.’ Captain Newton was quite surprised because the sailors had all been quiet on the voyage and he did not remember any complaints. Captain Newton quickly had Swain put in ‘double irons’ and transferred Swain and other mutinous sailors to another ship whose captain agreed to ‘deliver them to the first man of war that offered.’ This cut-short the mutiny. (Sailors, pp. 177-178).

Captain Cannon’s Probate Administration:

Captain Cannon died intestate (without a will) and his probate was opened in “Peeltown” at a meeting of the Ecclesiastical Court held in the Parish of Kirk Patrick on August 3, 1811: “George Cannon of the Town of Peel and Parish of German having departed this life on or about 13th July last past Intestate and this Court having received Intelligence thereof Hath for the preservation of the Rights of Creditors and all other Persons interested in his Estate, upon the humble petition of Leonora Cannon committed unto her the said Leonora Cannon the Administration of all and singular the Goods, Rights Credits Chattels and Effects of the said Intestate and she is thereupon sworn well and truly to Administer the same to exhibit into the Episcopal Registry [a full born and ______ (?)] Inventory thereof to pay all his just debts so far forth as his goods and Effects will extend and the Law bind her and John Taubman of Peeltown and the said Leonora Cannon are sworn to take care of the Children under age of the said George Cannon that they sustain no injury in their Persons Property or Education so far as they can prevent it, and she the said Leonora Cannon is sworn to render a fair and just account of her said Administration when Hereunto Lawfully required and to these Ends she hath given Pledges in Form of Law namely Caesar W. Kettleworth [Frances Wilkins says “Cesar Wattleworth”] and Thomas Garrett both of the Parish of KK German.”

The following were claims against the estate:
“1812
Jany 17th Mess Bridson & Harrison claim brot Pounds 45.10.0
25th James Parr Crane Ditto 3. 0.0
July 23rd John Caley Ditto 30. 0.0
Augst 24 Messrs Grundy Sons & Wood Ditto 27.04.0”

Reasearch:

In an effort to find more about Captain Cannon’s sailing activities later in his life, I completely reviewed Lloyd’s Register, Underwriters, for 1811 and Shipowners, for 1811 and Lloyd’s List for 1805 to 1811. The muster rolls do not exist for 1811. The following are leads that came from the review, but which I do not believe will yield fruit or have not had time to review further. My recollection is that Lloyd’s Register does not exist for some of the years in question, so it is not possible to double-check the name of a captain from Lloyd’s List.

(1) Lloyd’s List, February 12, 1805: ship John & Elizabeth, Captain Cannon, arrived in Southampton on February 8, 1805, from Youghall. However, no Captain Cannon was listed in Lloyd’s Register, 1805, Underwriters, for this ship.

(2) Lloyd’s List, April 16, 1805: ship Emerald, Captain M Cannon, arrived in Liverpool on April 14, 1805, from Tortola.

(3) Lloyd’s List, June 11, 1805: ship Egyptian, Captain Cannell, arrived in Liverpool from Jamaica on June 10, 1805. He sailed from Jamaica on March 25, 1805. Lloyd’s List, January 21, 1806: Egyptian, Cannell, arrived in Bonny from Liverpool. Lloyd’s List, April 15, 1806: Egyptian, Cannell, arrived in Jamaica from Africa January 29, 1805.

(4) Lloyd’s List, June 25, 1805: ship Providence, Captain Cannon, arrived in Gravesend from Memel on June 20, 1805.

(5) Lloyd’s List, May 14, 1805: ship Lusitania, Captain Carmen, sailed for Oporto from Deal on May 13, 1805.

(6) Lloyd’s List, September 17, 1805: ship Minerva, Captain Campbell, sailed from Gravesend for Dublin on September 15, 1805.

(7) Lloyd’s List, October 18, 1805: ship Hannah, Captain Connell, arrived in Liverpool from New Orleans on October 16, 1805. Lloyd’s List, November 1, 1805: Hannah, Connell, arrived in Liverpool from New Orleans & Hoylake. Lloyd’s List, April 1, 1806: Hannah, Connell, arrived in New York from Liverpool.

(8) Lloyd’s List, October 18, 1805: ship Euphrates, Captain Connell, arrived in Clyde from Honduras on October 13, 1805. Lloyd’s List, December 31, 1805: Euphrates, Cannell, sailed for Honduras from Clyde on December 24, 1805. Lloyd’s List, February 28, 1806: Euphrates, Connell, sailed for Honduras from Cork on February 20, 1806, as part of a large convoy.

(9) Lloyd’s List, November 29, 1805: ship Pitt, Captain Cannon, arrived in Gravesend from Jamaica on November 27, 1805. Large group of ships, part of a convoy. Lloyd’s List, December 3, 1805: Pitt, Campbell, sailed for Jamaica from Clyde on November 26, 1805. Lloyd’s List, April 15, 1806: Pitt, Campbell, arrived in Jamaica from Clyde on January 29, 1806.

(10) Lloyd’s List, December 20, 1805: ship Fanny, Captain Connell, sailed for Jamaica from Cork on December 18, 1805. Lloyd’s List, March 18, 1806: Fanny, Connell, arrived in Jamaica from Liverpool on January 21, 1806.

(11) Lloyd’s List, January 7, 1806: ship Roebuck, Captain Channon, arrived in Falmouth from Cork on January 2, 1806.

(12) Lloyd’s List, January 17, 1806: ship Experiment, Captain Cameron, arrived in Limerick from Liverpool on January 11, 1806.

(13) Lloyd’s List, March 25, 1806: ship James, Captain Cannon, arrived in Gravesend from Newry on March 23, 1806.

(14) Lloyd’s List, August 7, 1807: ship Douro, Captain Connor, arrived in Hull on August 4, 1807, from Oporto. Lloyd’s List, November 13, 1807: Douro, Conner, arrived in Falmouth on November 9, 1807, from off Oporto. Lloyd’s Register, 1807, Underwriters, shows the Douro as a brig of 204 tons with a captain Conner, sailing from Hull to Oporto. Other instances of Captain Conner and the Douro have not been kept, but have been noted.

(15) Lloyd’s List, October 2, 1807: ship Fortune, Captain Kennan, arrived in Bonny from Liverpool. Lloyd’s Register shows A Kennan on the Fortune with a trip from Liverpool to Africa.

(16) Lloyd’s List, November, 8, 1808: ship Sisters, Captain Cannon, arrived in Clyde, on November 2, 1808, from Demerara. Lloyd’s Register for 1808, Underwriters, does not list a Sisters with a Captain Cannon.

(17) Captain Connell of the ship Anna, from Liverpool to the Baltic [Lloyd’s Register, Shipowners, 1811]

(18) Captain Connor of the ship Duke of Montrose, from London to Guadl [Lloyd’s Register, Shipowners, 1811]

(19) Captain Connell of the Brig Recovery, from Cork to New York [Lloyd’s Register, Shipowners, 1811]

(20) Captain Connell of the Rosamond, from Grennock to Charleston [Lloyd’s Register, Shipowners, 1811]

Gill Evans, a researcher from Liverpool, indicates that the Liverpool Mercury started in July 1811. She reviewed it from the beginning to December 1811. The Liverpool Courier started February 1808, but there are no copies for 1810. Gore’s Advertiser is from December 1765 to 1780 and 1781 to January 1, 1856, but 1810 is missing. Williamson’s Advertiser starts May 1756 to February 5, 1856, but 1810 is missing. There are no Liverpool newspapers for 1810.

Frances Wilkins reviewed Gentleman’s Magazine and found nothing on George Cannon’s mutiny.

Steve Behrendt has indicated he does not think George Cannon would sail from a port other than Liverpool and he doubts he would have worked in the illegal slave trade (the slave trade was abolished in England in 1807). Most books about the illegal slave trade concern the U.S. He does not think that the Caesar reference with McCannen and Cannon are to our Captain George Cannon. For primary sources, he says the best bets are Liverpool newspapers and muster rolls (neither of which are available). Admiralty documents are also of use, but they are only in manuscript form at the British National Archives in Kew Gardens (High Court of Admiralty – HCA) series. Sailor’s wage disputes often went before an Admiralty judge in London. George Cannon is the only Captain Cannon in the Liverpool Muster Rolls from the 1780s to 1808. However, the ship Minerva’s 1802 Liverpool register also lists a Robert Cannon as captain when the boat was surveyed. Steve has done his own search of Liverpool newspapers and research in Kew and found nothing.

I have had assistance from the following in trying to located information on Captain Cannon: Wendy Thirkettle, Assistant Archivist at the Manx National Heritage Library in Douglas, Isle of Man; Frances Wilkins, author of various books relating to the Isle of Man, including Manx Slave Traders: A Social History of the Isle of Man’s Role in the Atlantic Slave Trade, 2,000 Manx Mariners, The Isle of Man in Smuggling History and The Smuggling Trade Revisited; Gill Evans, a researcher located in Liverpool; Priscilla M. Lewthwaite, a researcher located in the Isle of Man; Ken Cozens, a researcher with a Masters degree in Maritime History from the University of Greenwich, located in London; and Stephen D. Behrendt, a professor at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, with a PhD from the University of Wisconsin, one of the foremost authorities on the slave trade and author of The Transatlantic Slave Trade: A History, Revised Edition, The Transatlantic Slave Trade (book and cd-rom), The Diary of Antera Duke, an Eighteenth-Century Slave Trader, and numerals articles on the slave trade, including “The Captains in the British Slave Trade from 1785 to 1807,” in Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire and “Human Capital in the British Slave Trade” in Liverpool and Transatlantic Slavery.

The Ship George Cannon

I was made aware of the ship George Cannon when an individual contacted Hunter Cannon of the George Q. Cannon family website asking for more information about it. His relatives, William Aird and his wife, Mary Hunter, had sailed from Scotland to Quebec, Canada on the ship George Cannon in 1829 and it appeared to him that the “ship was named after Captain George Cannon of your family.” 

Hunter forwarded the email to me and I did some research. I found the website of the New Jersey Lighthouse Society which reported that “scores of vessels…met their fates on the shores between the Great and Little Egg Harbors”, including the George Cannon, which ultimately led to the installation of a lighthouse there. 

Then on Google Books, I found a book by Alfred M. Heston titled Absegami: Annals Eyren Haven and Atlantic City 1609 to 1904; Being an account of the settlement of Eyren Haven or Egg Harbor, and Reminiscences of Atlantic City and County during the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: also Indian Traditions and Sketches of the region between Absegami and Chicohacki, in the country called Scheyechbi (Sinnickson Chew & Sons Compay, Camden, New Jersey: 1904).

On pages 187-188 it related the following about the wreck of the ship George Cannon:

"1830- In the winter of the same year (1830) the ship "George Cannon," from Liverpool, with a cargo of dry-goods and hardware, came ashore. The boxes of dry-goods were thrown overboard and soon lined the strand. The off-shore people scented the prey and came in crowds, eager for the spoils. Then began the most exciting game of hide-and-seek ever known on the seaboard. Cupidity and rapacity crushed out all sense of honor. Neighbor robbed neighbor. Holes were made in the hills and the boxes buried, but while the party who had hidden was gone to seek another, somebody would dig it out and convey it to another place of concealment. The night was bitter cold, and two men, who started for a house at Cedar Grove, perished on the hills near by.*"

[As a footnote]"*Mrs. Robert B. Leeds, of this city, has in her possession, a calico lining for a bedquilt which possesses special interest. It is a part of the wreckage from the George Cannon, which struck on the beach near where one of the piers now stands. The Cannon had an assorted cargo, part of which was thrown overboard. The vessel got off and was being taken into the Inlet when it struck again on the north side of the channel and went to pieces, a total wreck. It was a packet ship from England. The wreckage was a bonanza to people along the shore, who secured parts of it. The relic which Mrs. Leeds has is well preserved, and is a fine sample of old fashioned print and design. The first double-barrel guns ever seen in this locality are said to have appeared along the shore soon after the wreck of this vessel."

and

In Lloyd’s Register, Shipowners and Underwriters for both 1829 and 1830, the ship “Cannon” is listed, a brig of 235 tons with Captain A. Bates. Both years show the primary route as Liverpool to New York. It is owned by Smith & Co. Lloyd’s Register - Underwriters for 1830 is shown below, but it is virtually identical to the other entries.

Given the name of “George Cannon” and the Liverpool connection, it would seem there must be some connection to Captain George Cannon. A family member, a friend, a former sailor with him, perhaps John Cannon? It is ironic that the ship met its fate in a shipwreck, not all that far from where Captain William Cannon’s ship Leander also met its fate.

Captain John Cannon: Captain George Cannon's Brother?

John Cannon, the second of eight children of Hugh and Eleanor (Nell) Addy Cannon, was christened on June 5, 1768 in the parish of Kirk German, Peel, Isle of Man. He was just two years younger than his older brother, George.

John Cannons abound in the Isle of Man which makes tracing them very difficult. Hugh Cannon’s father was John Cannon, who owned Cooilshellagh in the parish of Kirk Michael. In addition to Hugh, he had a son nine years older, named John, christened February 4, 1728. Hugh, of course, had a son, John, the subject of this blog post, the younger brother of Captain George Cannon. Then Captain George Cannon had a son, John, christened April 21, 1802. I am sure that many other Cannon family members also had John Cannons which all add to the complication in tracing and identifying them.

Captain George Cannon attended the Peel Mathematical School for two years, from April 4, 1781 to August 5, 1783. Just four months later, on December 4, 1783, a John Cannon entered the school. Is this George’s brother, John? He was two years younger than George and he would be following in his brother’s footsteps. There was another John Cannon who attended the Peel Mathematical School for three months in 1774, but he would have been quite a bit older than George.

There are a number of records of a seaman and Captain John Cannon. They may all relate to one John Cannon, or they may relate to several John Cannons.

A John Cannon was ranked 5th (perhaps second mate) out of a crew of 37 on the King Pepple, a 342 ton ship owned by William Boats, Thomas Seaman and James Percival. The King Pepple left Liverpool on May 1, 1790, with Thomas Briscoe as captain, headed for Bonny for slaves. After obtaining slaves, it went first to Dominica, then to Montego Bay, Jamaica, where 444 slaves were delivered on December 29, 1790 and John Cannon was discharged.[1] The King Pepple returned to Liverpool, arriving on March 20, 1791.[2]

A John Cannon is listed as a seaman on the ship Sarah in 1803, with Thomas Cannel as captain [Frances Wilkins, 2,000 Manx Mariners (Wyre Forest Press, Kidderminster: 2000), p. 61].

Lloyd’s List, dated November 3, 1809, indicates that Captain Cannon and the ship Henry arrived in Liverpool from Quebec on November 1, 1809.

Lloyd’s Register – Shipowners, for 1810, lists the brig Henry at 140 tons, owned by Captain J. Cannon, with a projected ship route from Liverpool to Quebec.

Lloyd’s List, dated August 21, 1810, confirms that Captain Cannon arrived in Liverpool on August 16, 1810, from Montreal, Quebec.

On February 9, 1811, Captain John Cannon arrived in Lisbon from Limerick, Ireland, on the ship Henry. [Lloyd’s Listed, dated February 19, 1811] Less than two months later, on March 29, 1811, the Henry, with Captain Cannon, arrived back in Limerick. [Lloyd’s List, dated April 5, 1811] Following this voyage, Captain John Cannon may have made another trip, this time on the ship James, from Dublin, Ireland to Cardiff, Wales and back.[3] Or perhaps this was another Captain John Cannon. In another voyage in 1811, Lloyd’s List, dated November 12, 1811, reported that Captain Cannon and the Henry arrived in New Foundland from Liverpool.[4]

Captain Craik, of the ship James, arrived in Liverpool from Charleston, South Carolina, in July 1815. He reported speaking to Captain John Cannon of the Brig Henry, headed from Liverpool to New York, and that all was well.[5]

Lloyd's Register for 1814 (below). 

The voyages of the ship Henry are of even more interest given the fact that Captain William Cannon and the ship Leander regularly traveled between the same places: Quebec, Ireland and Liverpool.

Finally, we have a probate petition in the parish of Kirk German, Peel, Isle of Man, for Captain John Cannon in 1839. There is a burial record for John Cannon on January 5, 1839 in Kirk German, showing that he was age 77. Captain Cannon’s brother, John, would have been age 70. This John Cannon would have been born in 1761 or 1762, about 7 years older than Captain Cannon’s brother John. So this may perhaps be the other John Cannon that attended the Peel Mathematical School before Captain George Cannon.

From a notice dated January 18, 1839, we learn that this Captain John Cannon was a bachelor and died without a will on January 3, 1839. He had three surviving siblings: Charles Cannon of Peel, the administrator, Elizabeth Cannon of Peel and Thomas Cannon, who no longer lived in the Isle of Man. This definitely is not Captain George Cannon’s brother.

There is a long list of personal items inventoried as of January 7, 1839. Some of them are of particular interest, given Captain John Cannon’s vocation:

a lot of buttens & a pair pistols & lead
scale & compiss & looking glass
2 guns & lot of old clothes & charts
stamp spying glass & scales 3 buckels
2 Quadrants lot of Lace & caps
boatswain call 2 pockot knives

On January 23, 1830, there is an account of the sale of the goods and effects of “Captain John Cannon of Peel Late Dec’d”. Purchasers of items included Captain John Cannon’s three siblings and a Betty Cannon. Some particular items of interest sold were a gun to Mat Cowll (0..5..6), a gun to James Cool (0.14..6), a trunk to Charles Cannan (0..5..3), a Bible to Charles Cannan (0..4..0), a spying glass to Wm Pickle, lots of buckels to Mick smith (0..0..4), a Sword to Mr Crellin merchant (0..0..9), Pistols to John McCoy (0..3..0), Quaderent to Mr Crellin merchant (0..2..6), another Quaderent to James Cool (0..6..6), a looking glass (0..1..5), a chest to Wm Farragher (0..1..7), table and Charts to John Morrison (0..2..6), and a Free Masons arms and box to Charles Cannan (0..6..0).

There was a charge of £6.0 for “washing and laying out Capn. Cannon” It also appears there was a payment of a charge incurred by Captain Cannon for 3 ½ pints of rum. He had a “covered coffin with plate and handles complete.”

We know that two John Cannons in Peel attended Peel Mathematical School. We know that one Captain John Cannon was not Captain George Cannon’s brother. Was this Captain John Cannon the owner of the ship Henry? Or could that have been George Cannon’s brother? The brothers George Cannon and William Cannon of Peel were both captains and both died at sea within less than a year of each other. We don’t have a record for the death of their sibling John. Could he have been a captain? Could he also have died at sea? Someday it would be fun to have all of the pieces and complete the puzzle. We will keep looking for more information to come to light.

ENDNOTES:

[1]  Lloyd’s List, dated February 1, 1791, states that “K. Pepple, Brisoe” arrived in Dominica from Africa. Lloyd’s List, dated February 18, 1791, states that the “King Pepple, Briscoe” arrived in Jamaica from Africa.

[2]  Behrendt Letter (PRO, BT 98/51, No. 127, Liverpool muster roll 1791; Family History Library, Film 870304); Lloyd’s Register 1791, Lloyd’s List February 1, 1791 and February 18, 1791; Cornwall Chronicle (Montego Bay), January 1, 1791, January 29, 1791 and February 5, 1791; Colonial Office 137/91, 60; House of Lords Records Office, MP, HL, 94.03.22; Parliamentary Papers 1792 (768), XXXV, (766-7), XXXV; Treasury 64/286, 21; and craig, 80.

[3]  Lloyd’s Register, Underwriters, 1811, reports that “J. Cannon” was captain of the ship James, from Dublin to Cardiff.

[4]  Lloyd’s Register, Shipowners, 1811, reports that “J. Canon” was captain of the Brig Henry, headed from Liverpool to Quebec.

[5]  Lloyd’s List, dated July 21, 1815 states that the conversation with Captain Cannon took place at latitude 43.54, longitude 46. This was in the middle of the ocean, about due east of Halifax, Nova Scotia and about two-thirds of the way to New York. Lloyd’s Register for 1814 provides the name of the captain of the Henry as “J. Cannon”. The ship was a Snow, of 147 tons, single deck with beams. It was headed to Oporto.