Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-11-08
DEATH OF COL. CANNON
End Came Two Days after He Had
Passed His 91st Birthday.
Long and Busy Life Of Merchant, FIn-
uncirr and Friend Of linco'n-'n-
tcrcstcd in Educp,iOn and
Leading Churchmnn.

rol lcgrand ~. cannon, after lying un-
cons ous during most OF the iortS -c'sh'
boury following his ninety-tirst brthdaS
.,n Thursday last, ceased to breath at
nom on saturday the Sd inst His de-
rorture from earth takes from among us
, familiar figure. seen almost daily on
MIR streets for more than forty year,
Lro,yr to multitudes of our citizens, ana
held in high regard by all who knew h'"'
1.eGrand Bouton Cannon was bonn i'll
%rw York city, November j. 1879 the son
of IeGrand and Esther (Bouton) Cannon
Ills parents on both sides were descend
,,,ts from Huguenot families or ulStihc-
tinu and rank in DIXON. France anu H'
was the inheritor of the family RECORDS
and of much of the family plate useu ny
his ancestors in France three or lou'
centuries ago. His father was leadlhs
citizen of Troy, n. Y, the founder OF lhe
extensive iron rolling mills In that Guy
and connected with various heaNN Dual
ness enterprises. Legrand b. sraou"'ou
from the Troy Polytechnic In lS4' anu
was engaged for several years III i''''
camille business in that city, altei WHY"
he turned his attention to larger lnteres'S'
He had married and was residing III ~"
York city when the election or Nora""''.
Lincoln was followed by the secession 81
the southern States and outbreak ot INV
great Rebellion. Mr.. Cannon oecaihe Ii"
active member Of the Union defence 'o'n
NIECE of New York, which rehoer'o
such splendid service to the government
tn that crisis. lie soon exchanged S"ci
service as a citizen for active service !"
thu arsnv. 1t had happened That during
thu Canadian rebellion of ls5S, Ma1or-
General John r. Wool, I. 3 A., was III
command Of the Department or the f-aSL
and charged with tho maintenance "l
neutrality upon the frontier oil vermont
and New York Knowing young '"''h'"
shirt and capacity General wool aPp".',
Cd him upon his staff. When Inc ''N'l
War broke out, General WOOL again
called Mr. Cannon 10 MS Sue az 81
volunteer aide, with the rank OF hl"Io''
soon followed by his promotion "
ro,onelcy. in the United states army re
remained on General Woods stan as "i0
confidential aide de camp TOT t"o H''-
After aiding in the organization "''
compliment Of troops Tor the ueie"9e "
New York in April. 1861, he aHcol''pa.'''"
General Wool when he was p''c'" III
,,r,nnand Of the department of Virginia
with headquarters ut Fortress "o''' &C.
,han tho greatest fortress and most i'm
portant command in the EAST lhe'e ne
,a,d.red constant and invaluable service
10 his superior officer and to the MON
Among other things, he visited the iron
clad Monitor Just previous to us nsh'
Win the Merrmac. He witnessed that
tor. q
Of the navy department wrote an account
40 A. which was afterw ard made depart
ment record and reprinted in Appleton
,'vclopcdia and in pamphlet form. He
was tho leading member of the military
commission appointed to investigate ana
tanor, upon the conditions at Fortress
Monroe consequent upon the great in
INK of fugitive slaves in The second
year of the war. The report which he
drafted was the foundation Of the mill
tary orders of General Wool regarding
,he .'contrabands" and was practically
the cnunciation of an emancipation proc
lamation nearly n year before the issu-
ancc of President LinColn's ed!ct
During the Civil War it was Colonel
lannon's privilege 10 he brought into
confidential relations with Abraham Lin
coin and his most trusted advisors, and
his counscls were frequently sought upon
matters Of high concern. He was one of
The organizers and most active members
Of the great Union League Club OF New
York. which rendered such important
service in supplying funds, arms and men
for the defense OF the flag; and his time,
purse and powers were spent without
stint In the service OF the governln ent.
In business Col. Cannon had q dis
tlngu!shed career. He and several as
sociates became the owners of tho
Rensselaer, & Saratoga railroad, which
was purchased from them by the Della
ware & Hudson Canal company. He was
President Of The Lake Champlain Trans
portation Company for nearly forty years
during which he reorRanized and greatly
increased the prosperity of that company
He was director and vlce-president Oh
the Delaware 81 Hudson Company, and
was at its head during n trying and crti-
cal strike period IN its history, which was
successfully encountered under his wise
management. For many years he was
president OF the Lake George Steamboat
company, of the Crown Point Iron com
pany. and a director in numerous banllne
and industrial corporations. lie was ;
skillful and successful farmer and breed
er Of blooded cattle and horses at hi,
stock farm IN Shelburne. and in yariou.
other capacities he had a career dis
tnguished by its activity, enterprise an,
large influence, In company with Mis-
Kate Field and others he purchased tn
farm containing the grave of John Brow
at North clba, y. Y, and in 1885 gave TIT
farm to the State OF New York. lie wa
also the purchaser OF the ancient fort
ress Of Crown Point. the most !mportsn
military ruin and relic OF the F'rencI
and Indian Wars on the continent
Colonel Cannon was always Interested Il
education, and Was for seven years a val
liable member of the Board of Trustees o
the University OF Vermont lie was
member and for many years and until hi
death a vestrynan of St. Pauls Church ,
burlington, and one of its chief support
ers. Colonel Cannon was a staunch repuh
lean from the formation of the party an
repeatedly importuned to become
candidate for office, He refused all sue
requests, but against his express desire h
was nominated for Congress in the eigh
congressional district OF New Yor
in 1866, when by his candida
the democratic majority was les
sened one-half. lie refused to be
candidate for governor Of New York /!
1855, but consented to serve as presidentit
elector. Among the public positions whic
he has occupied al various times, was tina