William Cannon (bef. 1781 - 1867)

Born before 19 Dec 1781 in Penrith, Cumberland, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Dearden) Cannon — married 9 Apr 1811 in Bolton Parish Church of St. Peter, Lancashire, England

Descendants

Died 19 Feb 1867 after age 85 in Little Bolton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Brad Cunningham [send private message]

Biography

William Cannon was born in Kirkland, Cumberland, England.

William Cannon was baptized on 19 December 1781 at St. Lawrence Parish in Kirkland near Penrith, Cumberland, England. His parents were John & Mary Cannon.^[1]

William came to Bolton, Lancashire in 1805 and became a Muslin Manufacturer. ^[2]

William married Elizabeth Deardon at Bolton Parish Church of St. Peter in Lancashire, England on 9 April 1811. Both William & Elizabeth were parishioners at St. Peter's, which is possibly where they met.^[3]
Children of William and Elizabeth Cannon (baptized at St. Peters on):

• Elizabeth 8 April 1812
• William 22 October 1813
• Mary 12 June 1815
• John 10 October 1817
• Hariot 13 October 1819
• William Walter 15 November 1822
• Louisa 3 November 1824
• Frances Ann 13 July 1827
• Joseph Lee 16 September 1829
• James Dearden 1 September 1830
• Caroline 23 September 1831
• Edward 28 November 1832
• Caroline 6 July 1836

Cannon and Haslam Cotton Mills.

In 1849, William was in business with a R. M. Haslam at the Halliwell Cotton Works on Chorley Old Road in Bolton, doing business as Cannon and Haslam in 1849. In the 1850's, #2 and #3 Mills were added to the business. ^[4]

From 1844 until 1856, William Cannon was Alderman for Exchange Ward and twice turned down the Mayoralty. William Cannon Sr. was also Director of the Bank of Bolton for 20 years and for 12 years, Chairman of the Board of Directors. His son William Walter Cannon was Mayor of Bolton from 1871-1873. ^[5]

The Census of 1851 had the Cannon family living at #3 Park Hill in Little Bolton, Lancashire, England. William was listed as an Alderman & Master Cotton Spinner.^[6]

• William Cannon Head 69 Blencarn, Cumberland
• Elizabeth Cannon Wife 60 Great Bolton, Lancashire
• John Cannon Son 32 Great Bolton, Lancashire
• Frances Ann Cannon Dau 24 Great Bolton, Lancashire
• Joseph Lee Cannon Son 21 Great Bolton, Lancashire
• James D Cannon Son 20 Great Bolton, Lancashire
• Edward Cannon Son 18 Great Bolton, Lancashire
• Betsy Latchford Serv 25 Great Bolton, Lancashire

By the time of the 1861 Census, William was employing 550 people at his spinning factory. Most of the family had left home to start their own lives. Both Frances & James were employed as Master Cotton Spinners with their father.^[7]

• William Cannon Head 79 Blindcrake, Cumberland
• Elizabeth Cannon Wife 70 Bolton, Lancashire
• Frances A Cannon Dau 33 Bolton, Lancashire
• James D Cannon Son 30 Bolton, Lancashire
• Catherine Williams Serv 23 North Wales

William Cannon passed away at the age of 85 in the 1st quarter of 1867 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK.^[8] He left an estate of £20,000 (equivilant to £2,806,210 in 2024) to his three sons; John of Spring Bank, Turton, William Walter, of West Bank, Little Bolton, and Joseph Lee, of Ivy Bank, Sharples. ^[9]

Research Notes

William is listed on the 1851 Census as being born in Blencarn, Cumberland & then in the Census of 1861 as being born in Blindcrake, Cumberland. These towns are 68 km apart. His baptism was at Kirkland, 1 mile from Blencarn. Cunningham-10584 16:28, 1 April 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5CD-XWL England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
2. ↑ Bolton Town Hall, Mayors of Bolton http://www.boltonsmayors.org.uk/cannon-w-w.html accessed 19 December 2022
3. ↑ http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/cgi-bin/mkindx.cgi?parish=Bolton+le+Moors&type=District&community=Little+Bolton Marriages 1809 - 1812, Page 123, Entry 460
4. ↑ Halliwell Cotton Works (Nortex Mill) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mills_in_Bolton
5. ↑ Bolton Town Hall, The Mayors of Bolton, Links in a Chain for William Walter Cannon, mentioning his father William Cannon, http://www.boltonsmayors.org.uk/cannon-w-w.html
6. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1851
7. ↑ England & Wales Census 1861
8. ↑ Cannon, William in Bolton, Lancashire Age 85 Vol 8C Page 255 https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=jHO9AX1mQRRLsS66ReyiQQ&scan=1
9. ↑ William Cannon in the England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/10306632?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22646833424f6756644c344664656c7430704a4a6a707a376172344762304173614956525753306c6b3156383d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d Principal Probate Registry; London, England; Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/229910:1904?ssrc=pt&tid=29173806&pid=27111543129

Acknowledgements

This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail