1. Nancy Ellen Canon, b. 17 April 1808 in PA, d. 4 November 1890 in Oregon, MO

Father: 2. John Canon (1), b. 11 March 1769 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA, d. in Uniontown, PA, d. 9 April 1815 in Fayette Co., PA
Mother: 2. Elizabeth Steele, b. 13 September 1769 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 12 July 1842 in Fayette Co., PA
In the 1850's, Nancy Canon Jackson, and her husband, John Finley Jackson, relocated in Oregon, MO. Among their children were four daughters, namely, Elizabeth Steele Jackson Kreek, Sarah Orick Jackson Ramsay, Jane Harrah Jackson Morgan, and Rebecca Jackson Castle.

Agnes Canon is the daughter of a brother of John Canon, Nancy's father. She came from a large family, all old maids and old bachelors. Agnes accompanied the Canons and Jacksons on their move to Missouri. She kind of came along for the ride as excess baggage. She assisted with the care of the young children of her relatives.

In the 1850s there were no Molly Wards or women's lib groups. Agnes' future did not look too promising for several reasons, particularly in a wilderness with limited career opportunities and available suitors. She was already in her 30s and unmarried like all her siblings who remained at the old homestead in Fayette County, PA.

Dr. Robinson was a fellow Lodge member of both Canon and Jackson. In due time, Agnes was manipulated into a romance with the eligible and widowed doctor. Both Robinson and Agnes were alone. This seemed an appropriate disassociation of Agnes from the Canons by pawning her off, more or less, onto the good doctor. Agnes and Dr. Roginson had two children who died after a trip that Agnes took back home to see her brothers and sisters. They had one more child and then they moved to Colorado where Dr. Robinson drowned in a river. After his death, Agnes went back to Pennsylvania and lived with her family where her brothers and sisters helped her raise her child. He went on to be a prominent man - even serving in the legislature.

Spouse: John Finley Jackson, b. 26 June 1806 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 13 May 1862 in Oregon, MO

Father: John Jackson
Mother: Sarah Orrick, b. 16 April 1761 in Baltimore Co., MD
In the spring of 1852 a group of 25-30 family members of all ages departed Laurel Hill near Fort Necessity, Pennsylvania. John Finley Jackson and his brother-in-law, Samuel Rankin Canon, were the leaders. They traveled together via a fleet of flatboats first on the Monongahela River, down the Ohio, up the Mississippi to St. Louis, continuing upstream via the Missouri River docking in Forest City in October 1852.

One group of relatives settled north of Forest City in Canon Hollow now the home of Schuylkill Metals Corporation. The two leaders bought property and settled in the Richville area and became involved in community affairs.

Jackson was highly educated for the times and was a teacher and lawyer. Canon was an organizer and became a county judge.

John Finley Jackson was a twin to Susanna Jackson.
Married 1 April 1833 in Fayette Co., PA.

Children:

  1. Elizabeth Steele Jackson, b. 8 January 1835 in Connellsville, Fayette Co., PA, m. Thomas Israel Krick, 15 January 1851 in Uniontown, PA, d. 9 May 1911 in Oregon, MO
  2. William Orrick Jackson, b. 15 September 1837 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 8 June 1838 in Fayette Co., PA
  3. Sarah Orrick Jackson, b. 4 April 1839 in Fayette Co., PA, m. James Warrick Ramsay, 6 May 1862, d. 8 April 1928
  4. Mary Ellen Jackson, b. 8 January 1841 in Fayette Co., PA
  5. Jane Harrah Jackson, b. 25 December 1842 in Fayette Co., PA, m. Francis Morgan, 30 May 1859, d. 24 September 1924
  6. James Edward Jackson, b. 28 October 1844 in Fayette Co., PA, m. Mary?
  7. Rebecca Jackson, b. 29 January 1848 in Fayette Co., PA, m. Amos J. Castle, d. 1932 in Oregon, MO
  8. John Finley Jackson Jr., b. 22 October 1851 in Uniontown, PA, m. Anna Vallace, d. 31 January 1937 in Forrest City, MO

2. John Canon (1), b. 11 March 1769 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA, d. in Uniontown, PA, m. Elizabeth Rankin, ca. 1789 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 9 April 1815 in Fayette Co., PA

Father: 3. Daniel Canon (1), b. 28 April 1744 in VA, d. 5 February 1797 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA
Mother: 3. Agnes McClelland, b. 26 February 1749 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 1 February 1823 in Fayette Co., PA

Spouse: 2. Elizabeth Steele, b. 13 September 1769 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 12 July 1842 in Fayette Co., PA

Father: 6. William Steele
Mother: 6. Mary Trimble
Her nickname was "Betsey". She is buried in the Old Laurel Hill Cemetery north of Uniontown, PA.
Married ca. 1797 in Fayette Co., PA.

Children:

  1. John Canon (2), b. 1798 in PA, m. Margaret? in PA, d. 5 September 1861 in Uniontown, PA
  2. James Franklin Canon, b. 26 December 1800 in Canonsburg, Fayette Co., PA, m. Mary Junk, 21 March 1826 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 20 June 1859 in Mahaska, IA
  3. 1. Nancy Ellen Canon, b. 17 April 1808 in PA, m. John Finley Jackson, 1 April 1833 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 4 November 1890 in Oregon, MO

3. Daniel Canon (1), b. 28 April 1744 in VA, d. 5 February 1797 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA
Father: 4. ? Canon
High on a knoll, overlooking a picturesque scattering of farms, in Fayette County, PA, north of Uniontown, lies the original site of the First Presbyterian Church established west of the Allegheny Mountains in 1772. Also, the Old Laurel Hill Church Cemetery was established in the church yard.

Captain Canon and his wife, Agnes McClelland Canon, along with other kin folks dating back to the late 1700's are buried in the original church yard at Laurel Hill, PA.

The Canon's son, John, and his wife, Elizabeth Steele Canon, are among the deceased resting in this historical burial plot. Disposition of Captain Canon's estate was made at an orphans court at Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on the fourth Monday of December 1797. The petitioner was John Canon, his eldest son, who assumed the role of "head of the family" for his widowed mother and underage siblings.

The unrelenting Indian attacks over 200 years ago compelled the Laurel Hill congregation to relocate in a more secure area. Consequently, the original 1772 church building was abandoned so it has been "long gone" Also, the original church cemetery was permitted to fall into near ruins and many grave sites were lost to neglect. For some reason, the Canon family monuments have remained intact all these years. Daniel's headstone says "In memory of Daniel Canon who departed this life 2/5/1797 in the 53rd year of his age". His chattel property was appraised at $214 and sold to pay for the education of his children.

In the 1930's, two descendants of Captain Canon purchased the abandoned church site, established a small trust and constructed a cyclone fence around the Canon grave sites. Again time and neglect took it's toll until 1977. Another interested descendant rediscovered the abandoned area...over 200 years after it's original establishment...and arranged for an appropriate dedication service to be conducted.

In the summer of 1985, an older descendant recognized that time was "running out" and personally traveled to the area. Consequently, steps have been taken to preserve this historical site and get it so recorded for posterity. You are encouraged to visit the site located in North Union Township, Fayette County, PA. Detailed maps will be sent upon request.

If you are willing, able and/or interested in making a contribution, tax deductible checks can be made to "Old Presbyterian Graveyard Fund" and mailed to:

Samuel J. Robinson, Jr.
Trustee
207 Delaplain Road
Winchester, Kentucky 40391

Daniel may have been born in Spottslyvania Co., VA, because a Canon family lived there in the 1720s and because Daniel owned and farmed 460 acres based on a Virginia land certificate. He called his estate "Canoon" and it was just west of land owned by John McClelland. John McClelland was either his wife's father or brother. Daniel held three Franklin Township offices: overseer of the poor in 1784, supervisor in 1789 and constable in 1793.

As did most male pioneers, Daniel engaged in Indian fighting. He went on the Sandusky Expedition in June, 1782, in retalition for several Indian raids into western Pennsylvania. Ellis's history of Fayette County quotes a contemporary's account of the battle: "Some of the borderers climbed trees, and from their bushy tops took deadly aim at the heads of the enemy as they rose above the grass. Daniel Canon was conspicous [sic] in this novel mode of warfare. He was one of the dead shots of the army, and from his lofty hiding place the reports of his unerring rifle gave unmistakable evidence of the killing of savages. 'I do not know how many Indians I killed, ' he said afterwards, 'but I never the same head again above the grass after I shot at it.'"

Fayette County had sixteen militia companies during the Revolutionary War era and Daniel Canon was the captain of one.

Daniel was a slave holder. Pennsylvania's 1788 Emancipation Act required the registration of slaves and Daniel, and later his widow, Agnes, registered them until 1803. No registration numbers remain but the state's 1785 tax payer list shows he owned one slave and the 1790 census lists him as owning three.

Spouse: 3. Agnes McClelland, b. 26 February 1749 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 1 February 1823 in Fayette Co., PA

Father: 5. William McClelland, b. 1709 in Ireland, d. 1770
Mother: 5. Mary Ross, b. ca. 1714
Married 1768 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA.

Children:

  1. 2. John Canon (1), b. 11 March 1769 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA, d. in Uniontown, PA, m. Elizabeth Rankin, ca. 1789 in Fayette Co., PA, m. Elizabeth Steele, ca. 1797 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 9 April 1815 in Fayette Co., PA
  2. Joshua Canon (2), b. 19 October 1770 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA
  3. Samuel Canon (1), b. 27 March 1773 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA
  4. William Canon (1), b. 5 March 1778 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA
  5. Elizabeth Canon, b. 11 March 1780 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA, m. Rev. Johnston Eaton, 30 September 1776 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 5 February 1872 in Fairview, Erie Co., PA
  6. Isabella Canon, b. 25 August 1782 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA, m. John Witherow in Fayette Co., PA
  7. Martha Canon, b. 5 June 1788 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA, m. Andrew Caughey, 1818, d. 1865 in Erie Co., PA
  8. Mary Polly Canon, b. 2 August 1790 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA, m. Col. James Paull, 27 March 1823 in PA, d. 13 June 1840 in Fayette Co., PA
  9. Daniel Canon (2), b. 1792 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA, m. Nancy Ann Jones, 12 July 1816 in Laurel Hill, Fayette Co., PA, d. 3 May 1861
  10. Sarah Canon, b. 15 August 1793 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA
  11. Nancy Canon (1), b. 7 August 1795 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA, m. Robert Jackson (2)
  12. Agnes Canon, b. 1796 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA

4. ? Canon

Children:

  1. Col. John Canon, b. 1739 in VA, m. Sarah ? (2), ca. 1773 in PA, m. Jeannette Mercer, ca. 1784 in PA, d. 6 November 1798 in Cannonsburg, Washington Co., PA
  2. 3. Daniel Canon (1), b. 28 April 1744 in VA, m. Agnes McClelland, 1768 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA, d. 5 February 1797 in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co., PA

5. William McClelland, b. 1709 in Ireland, d. 1770

Spouse: 5. Mary Ross, b. ca. 1714

Married ca. 1734 in Fayette Co., PA.

Children:

  1. William McClelland (2), b. ca. 1736 in Fayette Co., PA
  2. Rachel McClelland, b. ca. 1738 in Fayette Co., PA
  3. John McClelland, b. ca. 1740 in Fayette Co., PA, m. Experience Askren, ca. 1765, d. 15 February 1819
  4. Sarah McClelland, b. ca. 1742 in Fayette Co., PA, m. Philip McConnell, 1763
  5. Mary McClelland, b. ca. 1743 in Fayette Co., PA
  6. 3. Agnes McClelland, b. 26 February 1749 in Fayette Co., PA, m. Daniel Canon (1), 1768 in Tyrone Twp., Bedford Co., PA, d. 1 February 1823 in Fayette Co., PA
  7. Elizabeth McClelland, b. ca. 1750 in Fayette Co., PA
  8. Jean (Jane) McClelland, b. ca. 1752 in Fayette Co., PA
  9. Rebekah McClelland, b. ca. 1754 in Fayette Co., PA, m. William McClelland (3), 10 April 1772

6. William Steele

Spouse: 6. Mary Trimble

Country of origin may be Ireland.

Children:

  1. 2. Elizabeth Steele, b. 13 September 1769 in Fayette Co., PA, m. John Canon (1), ca. 1797 in Fayette Co., PA, d. 12 July 1842 in Fayette Co., PA



Ancestor families report created by Gene 4.3.4, Sat, Sep 14, 2002

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