The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-16
UNCLE JOE" CANNON.
How He Wen His wifs from Among Her
 Many Admirers.

HOW H0 W0n m1 WHo uOm among Her
 Many Admirers.
 Chicago Inter.Oceau.
 The story of how Uncle Joe" Cannon got his wife. as related by Colonel s. B. Fink, of Winfield. Kan, is full of interest. Colon el Fink was born at Garfield. ohio the seat of Mahoning Academy. where Molly Reed. who later became the wife of Speaker Can young woman. who was the flower of that then Western settlement, are interestingly described by Colonel Fink in his reminis- cences of Northeastern Ohio.
 "That section produced some strong men and women," says Colonel Fink. Yankee dom. as a certain section of Ohio is called because of the Yankee settlers. was the centre and heart of Western Aboiitionism. the route of the underground railroad. In ed the towns, villages, ani the homes of the people. and when the States cedsd to the general Government their lands Con- necticut reserved this tract to reimburse it's people for their fire losses. The Con- necticut Yankees enilgrated to these lands and brought their Aboiitionism with them, and Yankeedom grew in Northeastern Ohio.
 'Yankeedom' produced some mighty men --three Presidents of the Republic. Hayes,
 
 R. Giddings Ben Wade. and Mark Hanna. This was the early home of General chaffee, the son Of a lawyer. and William Dean Howelis. the author. Howells set type on The Ashtabuia Sentinel. and his oetosenar- ian father still does business et the old stand
 ''oberiin College was described as the union depot on the underground railroad, and was the first to receive into its classes male and female. black and white, alike The professors. when the fugitive slave law made hounds of men. refused to sick" be- came the wellington rescuers and for their pains spent months in the Cleveland jail
 Tn the early sos while these stirring events were being enacted and these mighty men were on the stage" says Colonel Fink. Molly Reed was a schoolgirl in Mahoning Academy at Garfield. ten miles south of whore Mckinley first saw the light of life. and seven miles west of where he spent his boyhood days and put on the blue of a soldier, Canfiesd was then a beautiful little city set on a hill, with broad streets thickly set with trees the home of a cuiti- vated, intelligent people. an ideal school town. Molly Reed was . beautiful. bright, rosy-cheeked. eherry-iipped, and happy girl She had many admirers. They came and then went with Moiiy's smiles or her frowns Hear beauty and her winsomaness made her the master, and her pathway was strswn with many broken hearts.
 "In the summer of the great campaign, while the black clouds of disaster hung over the Nation, Molly went to the far away prairies to visit her cousins and aunts. Uncle Joe.' then q boy lawyer. was fas- cinated by Molly Reed. ana she in turn was. won by him. In the face of this Molly returned to her home to await the coming of Joe in the gpringtine. One by one her companions learned, in confidence. of her betEothai until 1t became the village story that Molly was going to marry some fellow from the praiFies.
 'Ths marriage day had been fixed and the time of the coming ok Joe was q wide ly known as that of her betrothai. But Joe did not come. It was before the days of railroads and the telegraph for Garfield, and news from afar came slowly. Some Pennsylvania Dutch were sprinkled among the Yankees. and one of these in sympathy and wonder said: Molly, vat you dink, he cum stili?' and she, with candor and frank ness, answered, I still entertain a hops' She spoke after the manner of her Church, for Molly was 6 Methodist.
 Soon it became known that young Cam non was making his firrt political cam paign as a candidate for District Attorney, and when the battle was over he came to Garfield and carried away Molly Reed. There was sadness in many hearts when Molly and Joe left for their Western home.
 ''on the prairies young Cannon and his pretty wife built their home. Since then. over forty years have come and gone, bringing renown to Joe Cannon, and with other joys he has been blessed with the love Of three daughters. Molly Reed, or Mrs Cannon. is dead now, but there are scores in 'Yankeedom' who still remember her"