The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-11-14
FUNERAL OF H. B. CANNON
Held Friday Morning in Methodist
Church-A Tribute.


l- Church-A Tribute.
Friday morning the citizens of Alb
beville laid aside their business to at
tend the funeral services in the Meth
odist church of H. B. Cannon. Stores
were closed and members Of city
council and prominent citizens acted
as pallbearers and attendants. Floral
tributes came from the city and in
large numbers from private citizens.
The Rev. C. E. Peele's tribute was
unusually impressive and beautiful.
He spoke of the devotion to duty, the
humility and the Christian goodness
of the beloved officer.
The following sketch of Mr.. Can
non was written by H. T. Cannon of
Calhoun Falls, nephew of H. B.
Cannon:
Henry Bascomb Cannon was born
April 1s, 1S62,at the old Cannon
place on Long Cane creek, 6 miles
east of the city Of Abbeville. His ia
ther was Henry Cannon, a school
teacher and farmer, his mother was
Miss Margaret Bolts before marri-
age. At the age OILS, Bascomb as he
was called, had to take his fathers
place on the farm, and most faith
fully did he perform his duties.
81 remember him very distinctly
as far back as 1883. In January 1886
my father died, leaving a widow and
five children all under IL years of
age; Bascomb, his brother and sisters
helped mother to raise her family.
Many times 1 have seen him hire a
crowd of colored people to hoe cot
ten for him, and instead of complain
ing at Them about their work, he
would take a hoe anf~lead- them,
working hard all day in the. hot SUN.
Not many men were stronger or had
more endurance than he had.
"In May 1898 his. mother died, and
the old home was sold in December
following. Bascomb, his brother,
George and their sister moved to
Abbeville where they went to work
in the Cotton mill. In November 1900
he married Miss Ruby Fretwell of
Jackson, Ga. She was an excellent
Christian lady and made many friends
in Abbeville. In January 1902 she
was stricken with pneumonia and died
after five days of intense suffering.
Just before she passed away she call
ed Bascomb to her bedside and had
him to promise to meet her in heav-
en-. He carried her remains back to
her old home in Georgia for burial,
and sat up all night in the depot in
Atlanta on the way, grief stricken
and alone, save for the silent form
that was dearer to him than life it.
self.
'He worked for a time with con-
struction Company building coal ele-
vators for the S. A. L. railroad; {;
guarded convicts on the county chain
gang and worked for a time in the
Abbeville Bottling Works. No matter
what trade he followed, he would do
nate one-tenth part of his gross
earning to charity. He did no: be-
lieve in life insurance, and told me,
that it did not matter if preachers
or any one else did believe in it, that
he thought that it was wrong.
"About six and a half years after
the death Of his wife, he married his
cousin, Miss Ida Bolts, who survives
him. Some years ago he went on the
Abbeville police force, and last
Thursday night proved beyond a
shadow Of doubt that he was worthy
Of the trust imposed in him. l have
always believed that ne would NEE:
death in this way, (since going on
the police force) for knew that he
was always ready, at a moments no.
tice to dash into the jaws cf death
if duty so demanded it.
''He lived in . manner we'll pleas
irg to God, and died like hero n