Cornelia (Waite) Cannon (1823 - 1921)

Born 16 Jan 1823 in Brookfield, Madison, New York

Ancestors

Wife of Amaziah (Carnahan) Cannon — married 23 Jun 1842 in Gerry, Chautauqua, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 20 Jun 1921 at age 98 in Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

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Biography

Autobiography Excerpts Cornelia Wait Cannon, Born Jan. 16, 1823, daughter of Benjamin Wait, who died at the age of 70 years. He was a son of Pain Wait, a Revolutionary War soldier who died at the age of 107 years.

"I was born on a farm near the town of Brookfield, Madison County, New York, 16 January 1823. I was the youngest of 13 children. At the age of two, I moved with the family to York Mills. We lived there until I was nine years old, then moved back to the farm and lived there for one year. then my father sold the farm and moved to the town of Gerry, Chautauqua County, New York, and I lived on the farm when my father and mother died. I was married there and two children were born in Chautauqua County. We lived in the state of New York thirteen years after I was married, then moved to Columbia County, Wisconsin. We bought a farm and lived there eleven years. One child was born there. In 1866 we moved to Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, and located on a farm near Mason City, where I have lived forty-eight years. Two children were married here, my husband and one son died here, three grandchildren were born here and one grandchild married here."

My Favorite Reading "The Bible first. I began reading a chapter each morning when fourteen years old and have made it a practice every day since, when able to do so. Have read the Bible through many times. My favorite Bible verse is: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.--St. John 3:16"

Farming Tools "In sowing small grain it was all done by hand...The grain was cut with a cycle [sickle], and when ready to thresh, a hard piece of ground was cleared and the grain laid on it in bundles. Then it was threshed with a flail. this consisted of a long hardwood pole and a short, heavy one tied to one end, and the long one held in the hands, and the grain threshed by beating with the flail. The chaff and dust were winnowed out by pouring it from a basket and letting the wind blow thru it."

Holidays Christmas was more like the Sabbath day. It was regarded as a sacred day and always kept as such. All unnecessary work was left to later days. Only children were remembered with presents. They always hung up their stockings, but never found toys in them except home made ones. They were filled with plenty of nuts, apples, doughnuts and cookies...On New Years eve there would be a watch meeting and at 12 o'clock the New Year was greeted with songs and bells. The day following was observed more as we celebrate Christmas [80 years later, at the time of writing her autobiography], with parties, and rides, roasting apples, popping corn, etc. ^[1]

1842 Cornelia married Amaziah Cannon 23 Jun 1842 in Gerry, Chautaqua County, New York. ^[2]

1866 In the spring of 1866 Amaziah and Cornelia Cannon with their three children, Emeline, Sidney, and Ettie, left Columbia County, Wisconsin, to come to Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, where they settled on a farm near Mason City. Amaziah erected a stone house. In later years, the farm would be known as the Emeline (Cannon) and Thomas W. Dent homestead. ^[3][4]

Amaziah and Cornelia (Wait) Cannon House "Significant as one of only three stone houses built between 1860 and 1875, this house, constructed in 1866, is an excellen and rare example of early stone construction applied to residenital architecture." The Cannon house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 2004. ^[5][6]

1913 Organized the Clover Leaf club among the nearby farm women. Club met every 3rd Tuesday at her home where they read a chapter of scripture. Music and literary numbers formed the programs. The women brought their sewing. The club was later renamed the Cornelia Cannon Reading Circle. ^[7]

She passed away 20 Jun 1921. ^[8]

Sources

• Cornelia Wait Cannon Autobiography
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com
• "Story of Cornelia Cannon, Cerro Gordo Pioneer, Told" Mason City, Iowa Globe-Gazette, 6 July 1946.
• "Reading Circle Has Birthday," Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, July 17, 1963.
• "On the Way to Iowa; Background of a Pioneer," (Iowa City) The Palimpsest, Published Monthly at Iowa City by The State Historical Society of Iowa. June 1946.
• Wheeler, J.H., Ed., History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Vol. II, Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago 1910
• "Amaziah and Cornelia (Wait) Cannon House," Globe Gazette, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, May 20, 2007

References

1. ↑ Cornelia Wait Cannon Autobiography
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 04 April 2020), memorial page for Cornelia Waite Cannon (16 Jan 1823–20 Jun 1921), Find a Grave Memorial no. 7496401, citing Elmwood Saint Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, USA ; Maintained by Sandra Boudrou (contributor 46976440) .
3. ↑ "Reading Circle Has Birthday," Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, July 17, 1963.
4. ↑ "On the Way to Iowa; Background of a Pioneer," (Iowa City) The Palimpsest, Published Monthly at Iowa City by The State Historical Society of Iowa. June 1946.
5. ↑ Wheeler, J.H., Ed., History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Vol. II, Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago 1910
6. ↑ "Amaziah and Cornelia (Wait) Cannon House," Globe Gazette, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, May 20, 2007
7. ↑ "Story of Cornelia Cannon, Cerro Gordo Pioneer, Told," Mason City, Iowa, Globe-Gazette, Saturday, July 6, 1946
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 04 April 2020), memorial page for Cornelia Waite Cannon (16 Jan 1823–20 Jun 1921), Find a Grave Memorial no. 7496401, citing Elmwood Saint Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, USA ; Maintained by Sandra Boudrou (contributor 46976440) .