If I had my choice of whom to invite to my Thanksgiving Dinner it would be James Cannon of
South Carolina. This man is possibly my ggg grandfather. He was born in 1739 in South
Carolina in either Charleston or Newberry County. His father was John Cannon and his
mother was the first of two wives to John, Ann. James was the third of three sons born to
this couple, the older sons being Samuel Cannon and Ephraim. The father, John Cannon, in
his will made in 4 October 1762 and proved 4 April 1763 named sons, Samuel Cannon and
Ephraim as his Executors, but left his youngest son, James, the plantation with the
stipulation that he take care of his minor sisters, Margate and Rebeckah until the came
of age. James Cannon, wife named Sarah. Sold 375 acre part of the original John Cannon
land grant in 1767 to his older brother, Samuel Cannon (Nby Deeds Q-2, p. 376). In 1767,
James Cannon was living in Berkley Dist., SC. The wife of James Cannon is reported to
have been Sarah R!
eed, daughter of William Reed. James Cannon was living in Ninety-Six District, Pendleton
County, SC at the time of the 1790 census with his household consisting of 1 white male of
16 years and older; 1 white male under 16 years and 4 white females. At the time of the
1800 census, James Cannon was living in Pendleton District, SC and was the head of
household of household # 363 which consisted of two white males; 1 being of 10 years but
under 16 while the other was over 45. There were no females in the household. There is a
report that Elizabeth Pickens, b. 1740, was the wife of James Cannon. Was she a second
wife ?
Questions that I would ask of James Cannon are:
1. When & where did he marry Sarah Reed ?
2. Who were their children ? Where and when were they born and whom they did they marry
and who were their children.
3. When and where did Sarah die and where was she buried ?
4. Did he marry Elizabeth Pickens ? If so, where and when? Where and when did Elizabeth
die and where was she buried ?
5. Where and when did James Cannon die ? Where was he buried ? Did he leave an estate
record ?
6. Was James, in some manner, an ancestor of my great grandfather, Almon Cannon, b. June
13, 1812 in Georgia? Almon may have been a legimate son of the son of James or an
illegimate son of one of his daughters.
DOUGLAS FOSTER
dfoster(a)apex.net