CANNON, John F. - Putnam

This utilitarian age has been especially prolific in men of action, clearbrained men of high resolyes and noble purposes, who give character and stability to the communities honored by their citizenship, and whose influence and leadership are easily discernible in the various enterprises that have added so greatly to the high reputation which Putnam County enjoys among her sister counties of this great commonwealth. Conspicuous among this class of men whose place of residence is in Greencastle is the progressive citizen under whose name this article is written, for, while yet young in years. 'Sly. Cannon has reaped the rewards that never fail to come as the result of rightly applied energy.

John F. Cannon is a native of the city where he now resides, having been born here on July 2. 1872. His father, Frank Cannon, was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1842, grew to maturity and was educated there.

He early in life formed a desire to come to America and in 1864 he gratified that am])ition. He located in Northumberland County, Pennsylyania, remaining there for a period of two years. From there he went to Indianapolis and in 1870 came to Greencastle, Indiana, where he has since remained, with the exception of one year spent at his old home in Ireland, making the trip in 1899. He has always followed the trade of tailor and he is regarded as very skillful in this line of work, having long enjoyed a very liberal patronage. He married in 1870, at Indianapolis, Catherine Carr, who was born in Ireland, not far from the birthplace of Frank Cannon.

She came to America when a young woman, and she is still living, being, like her husband, highly esteemed among a wide circle of friends, they are the parents of ten children, six of whom are living at this writing, namely: John F., of Greencastle; Bridget lives in the Community of St. Mary's-of-the-Woods; James and Frank live in Greencastle: George is a senior in DePauw University and will graduate with the class of 1910; Anna is also a student in that University. The parents of these children are members of the Catholic church.

John F. Cannon was educated in the public schools of Greencastle, and when but a boy he decided to follow the footsteps of his father by entering the tailoring business, which he accordingly did with his father, with whom he remained for about six years, during which time he mastered all the details of the same: but, desiring a larger field for the exercise of his talents, he . in 1891, engaged in the clothing business with D. W. Alspaugh under the firm name of Alspaugh & Company, with which firm he continued very successfully until four years ago, when Mr. Alspaugh died. Frank Cannon also had an interest in the firm, which, at the time indicated above, became J. F. Cannon & Company, advertising as the Bell Clothing Company, which has continued to grow steadily until a large and lucrative patronage is enjoved with the town and surrounding country. A large, up-to-date and carefully selected stock of clothing, gents' furnishings and men's outfittings in general are carried. Customers are accorded such fair and courteous treatment here that they are invariably pleased and never care to change their favorite place of trading, according to the statement of many of them.

John F. Cannon was married on November 26, 1901. to Rose Gainer, a native of Greencastle, the daughter of John Gainer and wife, highly honored citizens here. [Mrs. Cannon is a woman of refinement and is a favorite with a large coterie of friends. This union has resulted in the birth of one daughter, bearing the good old name Mary Katherine.

Mr. Cannon is a director in the Indiana Retail Merchants Fire Insurance Company, also a director of Plezee Company of Greencastle, a company organized to manufacture the well known popular soft drink "Plezee." Fraternally he is the present exalted ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, No. 1077. He also belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church, and liberal supporters of the same. No family in Greencastle is more highly esteemed than the Cannons, this being the result of upright and proper living and the manifestation of right principles in furthering the city's interests.