The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-01-19
JOE CANNON WHO DROPPED
DEAD YESTERDAY WENT
TO LIBERIA ON GOOD
SHIP AZORES
SAILED FROM CHAS.
SOME IS YRS. AGO
He and An Uncle From Newberry
Made Voyage With Host Of
Other Negroes-i4ad on
Exciting Trip.
(From Sundays Daily.)

In the sudden death yesterday morn
ing In q blacksmith shop on Enst
Market street OF Joe Cannon. for the
past 20 yeurs q we'll known charac-
ter about town, there passed away
probably the last survivor IN this
country of the memorable exodus OF
negroes to Africa which went out
from Charleston some rs years ago
on the good ship Azores. the voynge
OF which was made all the more
famous by reason of the fact thnt A.
ID. Williams. then on the staff of the
Charleston News and Courier and
later editor Of the GreenvilIe News,
accompanied the expedition across the
Atlantic and through articles written
back to his paper kept the public i'll
formed OF the adventurous trip of the
negro-laden ship.
Went With Uncle.
Joe Cannon made the trip to Liberia
with an uncle. who is said to have
had considerable money. Tho two
were living In Newberry at the time.
Soon after the Azores touched on the
other side Joe Cannon and his uncle
were ready to return to tho good old
u. 8. A. Their money had become
separated from them, however, and
this precluded their immediate return.
Joe'S uncle ts said TO have wisely left
enough money In this country to
hring him back to South Carolina
IN the event he did not like Ills atIop.
ted land. NJ
A few experiences with the sayauea
OF that part Of Africa soon CONVINCED
Joe and his uncle that Liberia was
no place for them. The elder negro
aet about TO get money from home IN
order that they might return. Ocean
travel In those days was slow pro-
cess and after Ebme six or eight
months the negroes received money
With which to pay their trausnc-ia.
tion back home. Shortly alter their
return to America, joe Capnnn cnma
20 Anderson. where be took nm the
calling OF q br!oK mason. He was
often ID tbs hands OF tho police hpf
~: Oacksiiding occurred at Intervals
TAR epart and on the whole Joe was
pretty good sort OF o negro.
Often Talked OF, Afrlca.,
Joe was fond OF telling OF his ex.
peElences In Africa, and the enyfous
looks ne and others OF the colony re-
ceived from the cannibalistIc gentry
OF Liberia. And NO doubt he attri,
ohted his escape from an early roast.
ing on cannibal's spit to the fact
That he was SO black he did NOT have
very toothsome appearance.
cannon was standing In n b,ack.
smith shop Yesterday morning iust
in the rear Of the city han and was
IN his usual good health. He was @
talking and laughing with other dar.
kies when he suddenly sat down on q
DoS. A second later he tel, 10 the
fioor OF the blacksmith shop ana az
pred. A physician was eummoned
anu he pronounced death due to heart
failure. Cannon was buried yester-
day afternoon In the colored ceme.
terry. In the western par. of tho city.
Good Ship Azores.
Along the waterfront In Charleaton
one can to this day find old salts who
Will sit and talk by the hour OF the
sailing Of the good ship Azores. Back
In those days q movement was Atarr.
cd among the negroes to return ia
Africa. An old sailing vessel was
chartered and preparations matio for