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Show Pioneer Experiences In The Life Of David H. Cannon, 1861 Dixieite Given liy MABEL J A 11 VIS David II. Cannon, Jr. was born in Salt Lake City, October 15lh, 1860, the eldest child. o David H. and Wilhelmina L. Mosley Cannon. Can-non. In 1857 at the age of nineteen, nine-teen, his father went to California Calif-ornia on a special L. D. S. mission, mis-sion, traveling afoot and alone, and returning in 1858, bringing with him a company of emigrants. Very shortly after his marriage, in 1859, he left for a second mission, this time to England, and this first born child was nine months old before his father had the privilege of seeing him. Soon after his return from England, while hauling wood from Cottonwood canyon near Salt Lake City, the wagon overturned, over-turned, resulting in a badly broken brok-en thigh, and David Cannon, Sr. was still on crutches when the call came to journey to Dixie. With their little son they left) on this pilgrimage in November 1861, arriving at the old Adobe Yard Camp on the morning of December De-cember 2nd, where Joseph Orton lifted the little lad from the wagon. Being less than two years old he does not recall the journey, save as his parents and others have told him of it. Earliest among his recollections, stand out the trust and assurance assur-ance his father always had that he would be able to accomplish whatever he was called upon to do, if he did his part in faith and righteousness. This fact was stamped upon his mind at the age of four. His father was to make a trip to California with others to purchase mules and other supplies. The night before the date set for the trip came, finding them still short six hundred hund-red dollars, but with full trust in the Lord, he told the men to make all preparations to leave the following morning and promised prom-ised them the needed money would be forthcoming. And it did come. Before breakfast was ready the next morning, old Fnther Peter Neilson Sr. of Wash ington knocked at the door, and when he came in told them he knew not why, but it had been made known to him in a dream that he was to bring David Cannon Can-non ?600.00. Then he proceeded to stack gold pieces before them on the table. Small as he was, this pioneer boy remembers the stacks of shining coin on the breakfast table, and how Brother Neilson, who had walked from Washington to St. George that early morning, took breakfast with the family and learned from Brother Cannon the need of the money and the meaning of his dream. Of course the $600.00 was soon paid back, but the incident inci-dent has remained a life-long testimony to the families concerned. con-cerned. He was a lad of seven when word came of the killing of Whit-more Whit-more by the Indians out near Mt. Trumbull, and remembers the sorrowful scene in the community commun-ity when his body was brought in. At this same age he had his own "experiences with Indians". One morning his mother sent, .him to the street ditch with his small bucket for water. Just as he stooped over the ditch, along came the Indian, "Iron Jacket", who , feeling in playful mood, picked the boy with his bucket and carried him two blocks down the street. He was plenty frightened fright-ened and knew that Iron Jacket meant to scalp him, although he was known as a friendly Indian. But Grandpa Samuel Miles, who then lived on the corner two blocks south of the present College Col-lege building, came to his gate and made Iron Jacket put the lad down. The Indian explained he was just having fun, but Samuel Miles made him understand the risk of such a prank, since the people were nervous and might have made trouble. On another occasion, David's father had sent him on a horse to the Adobe Yard for a span of mules that were grazing there. Bill Hairlip, another giant Indian, showed up from behind a clump of bushes with his gun and fired two or three shots. The bullets hummed past the lad, and without with-out stopping for the mules, he gave whip to Ijs horse and rode like mad back to his home, with Hairlip in close pursuit. The alarm was given that the Indians were coming and men soon gathered gath-ered at Cannon's home. Then Bill Hairlip came, explaining easily that he was shooting rabbits, and meant no harm. He had given chase and yelled to try to stop the boy from being frightened. And the "Home Guard" was soon dissembled. These experiences taught David Cannon Jr. a friendship friend-ship for the Indians and when he was sixteen he shared his lunch and canteen of water with Iron Jacket, down at the Fore-master Fore-master Bend. He was old and him there to die, but the Pioneer boy did what he could to relieve him. In 1871, at the age of eleven, elev-en, he went with his father to Sanpete, driving their four-mule team. John Macfarlane, Orin N. Woodbury Jr., Augustus Hardy, John Hall, Richard Morris and Benjamin Gray also made this trip, the latter two to purchase flour for themselves, while the others were off to peddle the Washington Factory cloth for flour. This journey lasted seven weeks, and as they neared home, David spent his eleventh birthday on the Kollvue Ridge. It wasn't much of a birthday party, but the experience was helpful. Shortly after the return from this trip the St. George Temple site was dedicated, and this lad was among the first scraper excavation ex-cavation gang. From then until the building was completed he was either employed on the grounds or at work connected with the erection of the building build-ing He worked for some time as one of the so-called "Temple Butchers", helping with the killing kill-ing and dressing of one to five beeves and muttons per day, which fed the hundreds of men employed. At first a small adobe shop was built on the Cannon lot to serve as meat market, until the Tithing Office and meat market was completed, on the lot across the street north from the Tabernacle, and now operated oper-ated by James McArthur as the Quality Bakery. The adobe shop on the Cannon lot also still is standing, one half block east of College Corner, and is used by the present owner, William T. Morris Sr., as a woodwork shop. While working on the Temple site this Pioneer boy witnessed many of the historical events in connection with the erection of the building. He as thre wnen ' Pete Granger was struck with the pile hammer, taking Granger's Gran-ger's place for the time he was compelled to lay off and recuperate. recuper-ate. He saw Will Thayne after he fell with his hod 01 mortar, sustaining only minor injuries. He was present when "Tommy" Crane attempted to imitate the Sailor George Jaivvis and his helpers, who climbed the hoisting hoist-ing rigging with such agility, and saw his fall when the ropes "scorched his hands as he tried to decend. He saw John Burt fall from the scaffolding into the rocky' debris below and was with him when he returned, after complete com-plete recovery, to view the scene of his accident. And in witnessing witness-ing these events he recognized with others the complete fulfillment fulfill-ment of the promise made by President Brigham Young, that if the laborers would do their duty while working on the Tempel, not one life Would be David Cannon Jr. was called to fill a mission in the Southern States in 1863, leaving Salt Lake City for Eastern Texas, October 9th, of that year. Like many others at that time he contracted Texas Fever, and at the request of Erastus Snow, who while in Denver had learned of Elder Cannon's Can-non's resious condition, the general gen-eral authorities of the Church wired his release, and he returned home, in 1884. While on his mission he witnessed mobbing of the Elders on several occasions, but always escaped without per-cfmnl per-cfmnl harm. But due to the fever he was ill several months after his return home, having lost 70 pounds in weight. At the time he was set apart for this mission he was also ordained a Seventy by Francis M. Lyman in Salt Lake City. On April 6th, 18 8 5, he married Camilla E. Mason, then of Salt Lake City, in the Logan Temple. She as a daughter of William Henry and Clara E. Mason, who came to Utah in 1873, and the young couple met first when David went to Salt Lake City to get "Aunt Jo" Cannon, his father's second wife. Later Miss Mason came to St. George for her health, and it was here they did their courting. They have raised their nine children to maturity. All have married and eight are still living They are David Henry Cannon, 3rd, of Junction, George Quayle Cannon, Camilla Effie Cannon (Mrs. Ben) Cameron, Kenneth M., Ambrose M., Wiihelmina Wii-helmina Alice Cannon (Mrs. Ross) Barton, Clarence M., all of St George, and Clarissa C. Cannon Can-non Winsness of Salt Lake City. Angus M., killed in a car accident acci-dent in 1933, resided in Torrey, Wayne county, Utah, where his family remains since his death. They have 47 living grand children child-ren and eleven great-grand children. child-ren. David H. Cannon Jr. was ordained or-dained a High Priest of the L. D. S Church and set apart as Counsellor to Bishop Thomas P. Cottam of the Fourth ward of St. George in 1887, serving until he moved to the family ranch to take care of their cattle in 188 9. In 1887 they brought in 45 splendid splen-did horses from the north for draft and breeding purposes, which he also had the care of. The family spent several years enjoying ranch life. He began as night-watchman at the St. George Temple in February, Feb-ruary, 1903, taking the place of Charles L. Walker, who had served many years, and was transferred to the position of Engineer in January, 1918, following fol-lowing the death of Horatio Pickett. All his life he and his fathei were close campanions and as s familv they enjoyed a remarkable remark-able 'home life. He was seven years of age when his father married Josephine Cosgrove "Aunt Jo", and seventeen when Rhoda Ann Knell "Aunt Rhoda.", came into the family, in June 1SS7. He was brought up in polygamy, being the eldest of thirty-two children. He pays this compliment to these women. All three were mothers to him and he never had an unkindness from them. Though they had separate separ-ate residences, all three families were united as one, and under the unselfish management of his mother, "Aunt Willie" shared justly and equally in all things. "Aunt Rhoda" who is still living, liv-ing, receives the deference of nnd is tlie true mother to the entire family. Only once can he recall their having suffered any shortage short-age pf food supplies, and at this time his father made a two day trip to what is now Hurricane, for mules, receiving for the two days labor a total of 15 pounds of flour and 3 pounds of dried apples. His father was the first sheriff of Washington county at a time when there was no jail and any culprits were brought to the home for guarding. One night they were housing a desperado from California. Sheriff Cannon's gun was in its holster on the bed post and he knew the prisoner sat beside the fireplace. Sudden-pocket Sudden-pocket the man said, "Mr. Can-ly, Can-ly, reaching into his inner shirt non, I have the drop on you now," and he drew forth a flask of whisky, enjoying his joke immensely im-mensely and inviting the sheriff to join him.. He recalls when his father and Anthony W. Ivins were deputized to assist at Old Silver Reef in quelling the strike and riot at that mining camp. When this Pioneer lad was eight years old his father was working on the railroad, and since he desired to be baptized on his birthday, Robert Gardner was asked to officiate, confirmation confirm-ation being made by James G. Bleak and F. D. Woolley. He was in his early teens when his father baptized several Indians in the pond at the foot of the Red Hill, where the Julia Graff home now stands. Since he began work as night watchman in 1903, David H. Cannon Jr. has never been free from responsibility in connection with this building, and now at the age of seventy-six he never misses a day's work. On December Dec-ember 23, 1923, just one year to the 'day after his father's death, the coal bin at the Temple col-' col-' lapsed while he was working under un-der it, and almost twenty tons of coal nearly buried Mr. Can- non -alive. A little later, when the fire, caused by spantaneous combustion occurred in the Temple Annex, he helped in subduing sub-duing the flames and was gratefir to find so little damage done tc l the building. Now that oil i; used m operating this plant, ni! labor and risk is very greatlj lessened, and with the conveni ence provided, his duties an more easily discharged than whei he began in this service. He has enjoyed some pleasan vacations and pleasure trips, bu has not traveled extensively. Hi: wife, who has been ailing for fit teen years, is still with him, an their fifty-one years of married lifi have been full of joyous coman ionship and satisfaction. The; have no regrets for the few hard ships which have been theirs am feel that, for the most part, thei lives have been unusually placi and worth while. He is proud o his parentage and of his oppoi tunities in life that have com as a result of his being one c the DIXIE Pioneers of 1861. |