Biography - Robert E. Cannon
ROBERT E. CANNON. The village of Tower Hill is the seat of some thriving
business establishments, prominent among which is the store of Mr. Cannon,
dealer in lumber, furniture hardware and agricultural implements. His life
affords a striking example of what may he accomplished by a determined and
tireless spirit, even with nothing as capital save vigor of body and
activity of mind. A self-made man in a wide sense, Mr. Cannon has gained
wealth, but while doing so he has remembered that there are others in the
world as well as himself, and has treated those with whom he has had
dealings in the most straight-forward and honest manner, carrying out the
Golden Rule in all his dealings.
A native of Alabama, Mr. Cannon was born September 3, 1844, and at the age
of seven years accompanied his parents to Arkansas, where he remained twelve
years. There he received a common-school education, which he has since
broadened by careful reading on all important subjects. In 1864 he came to
Illinois, and locating in Montgomery County, passed the ensuing six years
there. During four years of this time he was engaged in the lumber business
for his father in the town of Butler, and he was also in partnership with
his father and brother in the dry-goods business at Irving for one and a
half years. Thus early in life he acquired a thorough knowledge of business
affairs, and gained that judgment and decision which characterize his
transactions now.
In 1872 Mr. Cannon came to Tower Hill and embarked in his present business,
which he is still successfully prosecuting. He has an extensive and
lucrative business and occupies a prominent place among the business men of
Shelby County. He controls three hundred and twenty acres of land, but makes
his home in a cozy residence in the village. Peace, comfort and happiness
have come to him from his marriage, which was celebrated in Butler, Ill.,
October 12, 1868. The bride on that important occasion was Miss Julia A.
Stewart, a native of Montgomery County, Ill. The union has been blessed by
the birth of nine living children, as follows: Ella, Lillie, Alice, Arthur,
Walter, Lizzie, Elmer E., Flora and Myrtle. One child died in infancy.
In politics Mr. Cannon is a stanch Democrat, and has represented the people
in the Town Council for twelve years. He has also served the township as
Clerk and School Director. He and his wife are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, in which he has filled some of the offices. Mr. Cannon,
during an honorable career as a sagacious, enterprising business man, has
displayed those solid traits of character that are needful to the attainment
of good fortune in any calling, and in his dealings with all either in a
business or social way he has ever shown himself to be a man of honor and
truthfulness, and with his good wife he enjoys the full trust of the entire
community.
Extracted 12 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 421-422.
