Family Group Sheet for

William CANNON and Abigail Abbarella WILLIAMS
 

  Husband: William Cannon  
  Born:    est. 1765		 in:  Newberry, South Carolina
  Married:                	 in:  
  Died:    est 1814-1815 	 in:  IL
  Father:  Samuel Cannon     	 Mother: Lydia Pennington or Davis
  Other Spouses: 
  Wife:    Abigail Abbarella WILLIAMS
  Born:    Abt. 1768           	 in:  
  Died:    February 10, 1858     in:  Graves Co, Kentucky
  Father:   			 Mother: 
  Other Spouses:
CHILDREN 
  Name:    Lydia Cannon
  Born:    est 1790              in:  South Carolina
  Married: June 21, 1809         in:  Christian Co., MO
  Died:    July 2, 1854          in:  Pettis Co., MO
  Spouse:  Hedgeman Warren
  Name:    Keziah Cannon
  Born:    est 1791              in:  South Carolina
  Married: March 16, 1809        in:  Christian Co., KY
  Died:    aft. 1850             in:  
  Spouse:  John Stark
  Name:    John Cannon
  Born:    est 1792         	 in:  
  Married:                       in:  
  Died:    est 1814-1815         in:  IL
  Spouse:   
  Name:    Nancy Cannon
  Born:    est 1797              in:  
  Married: November 23, 1817     in:  Christian Co., KY
  Died:                          in:  
  Spouse:  William Randolph
  Name:    William Cannon
  Born:    bet. 1797-1800        in:  KY
  Married: 1833                  in:  
  Died:                          in:  AR
  Spouse:  Minerva Dupree
  Name:    Isaac Cannon
  Born:    bet. 1798-1802        in:  KY
  Married:                       in:  
  Died:    aft. 1850             in:  
  Spouse:  Elizabeth A. Gray
  Name:    Parthenia Cannon
  Born:    est 1800              in:  
  Married:                       in:  
  Died:                          in:  
  Spouse:  Merritt Meacham
  Name:    Verlinda Cannon
  Born:    est 1800              in:  KY
  Married: December 23, 1813     in:  Christian Co., KY
  Died:                          in:  
  Spouse:  John Gray
  Name:    Samuel Cannon
  Born:    est. 1802             in:  
  Married:                       in:  
  Died:    est 1814-1815         in:  IL
  Spouse:


Notes:

WARNING:
The information on this page has not been verified, with the exception of the marriages in Christian Co., KY. There are numerous references to the massacre of William Cannon and his son(s); all of them have differing, even conflicting information. Please do not assume this information is correct.

William Cannon was probably James Cannon's younger brother. William would have been about 11 in 1776, which was too young to join the revolutionary cause. He may have married and had his first children in South Carolina. His daughter, Keziah, is listed in the 1850 U.S. census for Graves Co., KY, as having been born in South Carolina. Daughter, Lydia, is listed in the 1850 U.S. census for Pettis Co., MO, with a birthplace of South Carolina. William joined his brother, James, in Christian Co., KY. There is a reference in 1800 Census of Pendleton Dist. SC (page 91) that William and his wife Abigail Cannon sold 127 acres ... 22 April 1796. This would lend credence to the fact that William never lived in Robertston Co., TN. William first appears in an 1800 Christian County Kentucky Tax List, owning 100 acres on the Little River along with 1 black and 2 horses (Old Kentucky Entries & Deeds). His brother, James, owned 200 acres on the Red River. James had lived in Robertson Co., TN from approx. 1788 to 1797-1798. William may have travelled west to TN around 1796-7, met up with his brother and travelled to Christian Co., KY with him.

Some of the accounts of the Indian massacre say that William had moved to Indiana from Christian Co., KY, prior to the incident in Illinois. In any case, William and his family were settling some land in what is now Wabash Co., IL, near present-day Cowling, IL. The family was surprised by a band of Indians (possibly Kickapoo). This is where accounts really start varying. William and either one or two sons (John and Samuel?) were murdered by the Indians. His wife, Abigail; son-in-law, John Stark; and his grannddaughter, Theney, were taken into captivity. They were marched to what is now McClean Co., IL and held captive for somewhere between 6 months and 10 years. Several accounts mention that a treaty of 1819 caused the Indians to release all captives, which including our Cannons and Stark(s).

I listed Theney as a child of William and Abigails for simplicity sake. In some references she is listed as Parthenia. Most accounts cite her as a granddaughter of William and Abigail. She was supposedly about 12 years old when the captivity started. She could have been the daughter of one of the murdered sons, Samuel or John. She has also been confused with Verlinda (Linney). Since all of the accounts vary there is no way to know for certain who was involved and what actually happened. I am actively researching this incident, both historically and genealogically. If you are descended from any of these Cannons (or know anything about this incident) I would love to hear from you. I am corresponding with 2 of Verlinda's descendents and we are searching for any clues that will provide accurate details.

William's children scattered far and wide. There are indications that his other two sons, William and Isaac, were in the area at the time of the massacre but managed to escape. They appear in the 1850 census, along with John and Keziah Stark, in Graves Co., Kentucky. Graves Co., KY is where Abigail's family, the Williams, had settled. Lydia and Hedgeman Warren lived and are buried in Pettis Co., Missouri. Verlinda and John Gray settled in Wabash Co., IL. I have found no mention of Parthenia. If anyone knows of her fate, please contact me.

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Last updated 9/29/00