ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY TOBBACO FARMERS

On the north shore of the Potomac River was an indian village and
trading center called bytheIndians, Potu-bago or Tobacco house.
It is know now as Port Tobacco, Maryland.  Although  there is no written
history of the area beforethe Marylanders arrived in 1634 there were
white settlers, tradersand growers there.

Potu-bago long had been an indian trading post before the whites
arrived. First to come tothe area were the French in the 1500s,
many were Hugonuts fleeingpersections.  Then came the Spanish
murdering the French andsetting up settlements, Then the Dutch
and the Swedish, last theEnglish who took over the previous
settlers property and thenthe English Catholics who no better
then their precessors didthe same.
 
The Maryland Governmentand Catholics in St Mary's had
not yet reached into thearea when first settlers arrived in Potu-bago.
But in the 1850s the Jessuits and government began forcing there
way into the commerce andreligion of the area. Taxes were required.
Conversions forced on theIndians and others.

In Delaware John Cann's relations with the quakers and William Penn
prospered, his beliefs being compatible with the quakers although he was not recorded
as being a quaker. Todaysome say he was Episcopal others say Presbyterian.
Lord Baltimore made claimson lands in Delaware and made life difficult for John and
his sons, but he was a ablenegotiator and was able to make arrangements with the
Jessuit who Lord Baltimoresent to the area, Augustine Herman and gave him a large
land grant for drawing amap.. The Canns were able make arrangements to farm
lands the Bohemia Manorof the Jessuit land.  Possiblly Augustine lacked the skill of
farming.

However, the settlers inPort Tobacco were not doing as well with the Catholic
colonists and it was constant conflicts with the papists and Jesuits.
Being non violent the earliest settlers would not raise up  a hand against them
being convinced of the LordJesus that this would be wrong.
So they either submitedto the invaders or fled to the wilderness.
After  years tryingto establish a profitable tobacco
plantation in port tobaccoand not being able to get favorable
prices and trade with thepapist ships in the port. They were forced to
relocate to the north. Inthis area, western part of Anne Arundel county
they found rich land awayfrom the influences of the Maryland rulers and so
there he purchased and planted. The Puritan settlers nearby were
more tolerant and friendlytoward them. The Puritans recieved a
rebuff from the Virginianswhen they arrived at Jamestown and continued north
pass the Maryland Colonyto the Severn River. Here they founded "Provincetown",
later called Annapolis.

Later, the lands in PortTobacco,"Cannarvan and Canes Purchase" were
sold to the neighbor ThomasMudd and the Canns moved to the new
plantation in the northwithhis growing family and Indian
friends.  Here theyestablished a new community near the "middle
plantation." Whereas, commerce was well established at Port
Tobacco and St Mary's whenthey arrived there. Middle plantation
was a fresh new start. Theycreated new ports on the deep rivers
there. On the upper Severnriver was port called Indian Landing.
They built Mills and Ironfurnace on the streams. Planted and
harvested tobacco and othercrops. Tobacco was money, and brought
their own ships in to theports.

Conflict between Catholics and Puritans continued , The Catholics
continuing to force theirdominance on the colony. Colonists were
becoming extremely dissatisfied with Lord Baltimore and the
Catholics. Lord Baltimoreleft for England to gain more power
over the others and leftin charge William Stone formally from Virginia.
Stone was already well known on the Eastern Shore for driving the
Quakers out of Virginiaand then harashing them on the shores of
Somerset County. He wasLordBaltimore's hired gun.
In 1655 Stone sailed upthe Severn River to attack the Puritans
there. The Puritans defeated him and he barely survived the
"Battle of the Severn".Thisended the Catholic domination.
  In 1676 in CharlesCounty near Port Tobacco
colonists rose up againstLord Baltimore in the "pigmie
rebellion". The religiousoppression was ended in Maryland.

In 1672, the Quaker George Fox traveled to Maryland and attended
meetings throughout thearea. He started in Somerset County at
the head of the AnnemessyRiver with his first meeting and then
traveled north into Delaware to NewCastle (near the home of John Cann)
having meetings along theway. Then he went south along the
western shore having meetings, to Spring Hill , near where the
Canns lived in Anne Arundel. Finally, to the Clifts of Calvert County.

In 1689 the tobacco trade was foundering.

In 1755 James Cann,  sold his mill in Anne Arundel County to Richard Snowden.
Richard Snowden owned considerble mills, iron furnace, ships and
prospered for awhile inthe tobacco industry. Snowden overextended his
purchases and went intobankrupcy.  Captain Bell of the ship
"Snowden" built Rosehillon the Snowden lands. It was here that
Johns Hopkins was born.

In 1776 , Brothers James, Walter and George Cann of Anne Arundel
County signed Loyalty oathto Maryland.

Igrum Cann had 4 sons, Bandigo, William, David, and John.
Bandigo, the oldest, owned6slaves and increased his
property through the lumberbusiness. Baltimore was in building
boom with many immigrantscoming from Europe. Some of the Canns were
already in Baltimore asmerchants and builders.

In 1862 the Civil War came to Maryland.  President Lincoln
called 20,000 troops fromconnectcult to stop the rebellion in
South Carolina and to protect Washington. They arrived in
Baltimore by train fromMassachusetts and began shooting demonstrators on the
streets. Marylanders didnotcare for the armed encampments and mayhand.
These Federal troops weremoved by ship to Annapolis to board
trains for Washington andfound citizens tearing up the tracks.
They secured the tracksand marched to Annapolis Junction (where
the tracks join the mainline to Washington). This was near the
Canns' homes on  thepresent site of Fort Meade. Lands,
slaves and property weretaken, owners were run off, shot or
imprisoned.

Many of the Canns already had gone to Baltimore to make a living from
the building boom. To stayin the County became extremely
dangerous. Some fled southand joined up with  the confederate
army. Others hid in theCityor paid a fee to avoid the conflict.

BALTIMORE CANNS, publishers, fishermen, shipbuilders

Arround 1800 James Cann,publisher  of Kent County  commuted across the Bay to
new boomtown Baltimore fromthe older town of Chesterown.  In 1812 he perished in
a boat wreck near Baltimore.  In 1833 his son James R Cann, printer, moved to Baltimore
with his new wife. ThisCannline continues in the Chapter , Delaware Canns.

Records give us the following additional Canns in Baltimore.( who we like to know more about.)

1780, Susanna Cann married Aaron Jones in Baltimore.
1781, Mary Cann marriedJohnJones.
1795, Benjamin Cann marriedNancy Warmsley (documented by Cecil Alton)
1795, John Cann marriedMargaret at Old St Pauls Church.
1812, Wilhelm Cann attendedthe baptism of son Thomas Peter Cann at
Zion German Church.

In 1800s Canns arrived in Baltimore from Ireland, England, Germany, Kent County
Maryland and Anne arundelCounty Maryland.
Canns were living in Baltimore before was officially incorporated as a city in 1796.
Baltimore was nothing butfarmland 30 years before and became a
thriving commerce centerby the beginning of the 1800s. The local
merchants invested in armedvessels who not only were trading with the
Caribbean and Europe, butwere capturing foreign ships and dividing
huge profits from theirsale. Privateering is the name used.  But pirates is
more accurate.  Ofcourse other nations were engaged in the same
activities and the onlyway Baltimore town could survive was to do
likewise.

The British had ruled the seas for nearly two hundred years using similar
activities to limit competition. They objected to the new upstarts in their
business and made attempttoshut them down by attacking Washington
and Baltimore in 1812-14.
 
James Cann from Kent CountyMaryland, a descendant of John Cann of
Delaware,  and MaryRedding were married in Baltimore on 10 January
1798.  James livedin Kent County and was in the printing business there.
He commuted by boat oftentoBaltimore for business and in March 1812.
A sudden storm capsizedthe vessel near Baltimore and he survived only
to die of exposure durringthe night on the upturned hull in the River.
He was the father of ourJames R Cann who was born in1809.
James R married Eliza JaneRedding in 1833, sold the printing
business in Chestertown  and moved to Sharp Street in Baltimore.

Just a few blocks from James R Cann was his prosperous uncle? Benjamin Cann,
fisherman, on  Johnston St.  Of this Benjamin we do not yet know how he is related to
James R Cann.  We canonly guess that he was an uncle and we know he had
connections with the Eastern Shore and Kent County by his vocation.  His desendents
changed their name to McCann.
 


BENJAMIN CANN, FISHERMAN

        1  BENJAMIN CANN born in Balto MD, abt 1770; married Nancy
    Wamsley on 12 DEC 1795 at Balto MD by Minister Bend; died Baltimore
    bef1824;

    The Cann Family Bible (new testament) owned by Kathleen Kennelly in
    Riverside Califoria has listed in it the children and birth dates of
    thechildren of Benjamin and Nancy Cann. It was also published in the
    National Genealogical Society Quarterly in December 1989.
    In 1824 this family lived on Johnson Street south of Cross Street.
    in the Federal Hill area for Baltimore.
 

           There are 6 recorded children of Benjamin Cann:

             i.  ELIZABETH CANN born in MD, 4 Oct 1796; married George
                 Turner, Va;
            ii.  REUBEN CANN born in MD, 14 Apr 1798; died Baltimore
                 abt 1842;
           iii.  NATHAN CANN born in MD, 2 Jan 1800;
        2   iv.  LLOYD CANN
             v.  NOAH CANN born in MD, 6 Apr 1805; died Balto Md abt
                 1850;
            vi.  MICHAEL CANN born in MD, 30 Jan 1815; married Anne
                 Turner on 7 FEB 1858 at Baltimore; OCCUPATION:
                 fisherman;  Civil War, Disabled;

    June 25 1862 Private Michael Cann was discharged disabled from
    theSecond Regiment Eastern Shore Infantry Company B., Union.
    It was organized in Chestertown MD and was sent to protect
    Baltimore.  Even though he could not read or write his personal propertywas
    valued at $2000 in 1860.

        2  LLOYD CANN born in Balto Md Fort McHenry, 1 Jan 1802;
    married Catherine Hart on 28 MAY 1825 at Baltimore; died Baltimore 29
    Mar1868; OCCUPATION: fisherman; cenus 1860 W Balto, cenus 1830.

      Researcher Cecil Alton says he changed his name to McCann because his wife
did  not like the nameCann. Evidently this occured about 1850 or so. He also said
that the family was Jewish,however the bible in which their names are recorded is a
new testament..
 
    He lived at the Cann Estate on Johnson Street opposite what is now
    Riverside Park. The two story house was later partially torn down, the
    second strory removed and the remaining portion of the ground floor
    turned into a plumbing shop.

           There are 8 recorded children of Lloyd Cann:
 
             i.  ANN MCCANN born in MD, 1826;
            ii.  JAMES (JIM) MCCANN born in Baltimore Md, Nov 1827;
                 died Easter Neck Island, Md 12 Jan 1907; CAUSE OF
                 DEATH: gemeral debility; OCCUPATION: fisherman;

    James had a 99 year lease on Easter Neck Island on Chester River near
    Rock Hall, which started in 1838.

           iii.  ELIZA J MCCANN born in MD, abt 1831;
        3   iv.  MICHAEL H MCCANN
        4    v.  GEORGE WASHINGTON MCCANN
            vi.  JOHN W MCCANN born in MD, abt 1837;
           vii.  MARY ELIZABETH MCCANN born in MD, abt 1840;
          viii.  SARAH F MCCANN born in md, abt 1843; married John W
                 Mitchell;

        3  MICHAEL H MCCANN born in Balltimore MD, abt 1833; date of
    death: 1910; OCCUPATION: Ship Builder;

    1894 city directory address is 1639 Hanover Street.
 

           There are 3 recorded children of Michael H McCann:

             i.  KATE MCCANN date of birth: 1863;
            ii.  MAUD MCCANN date of birth: 1865;
           iii.  JAMES MCCANN date of birth: 1870;

        4  GEORGE WASHINGTON MCCANN born in Baltimore MD, 4 Jul 1835;
    married Martha Ann Priscilla H Morris on 2 Apr 1868 at Baltimore
    MD by R Murray; died Baltimore MD 10 Jul 1912; PLACE OF BURIAL:
    Methodist Church, Rockhall Md; OCCUPATION: fisherman; CHURCH
    AFFILATION: Methodist;

    He lived at the estate on Johnson Street for 52 years and traveled to
    theEastern Shore of Maryland to fish. They stayed in a little white
    washed house near the center of town in Rock Hall.   Between1900-1910
    he and his wife lived in Annapolis on King George Street.
 
    Theinformation on their children comes from a bible of George and
    Martha Mc Cann.

           There are 9 recorded children of George Washington McCann:

             i.  MAMIE MCCANN born in MD, abt 1869; died Md abt 1871;
                 CAUSE OF DEATH: whooping cough;
            ii.  MARY E MCCANN born in MD, jan 1871; died Md 7 Aug1872;
           iii.  GEORGE L MCCANN born in Md, abt 1873; died Md 12 Jul1875;
        5   iv.  SARAH ELIZABETH MCCANN
        6    v.  IDA VIRGINIA MCCANN
            vi.  GEORGE W MCCANN born in MD, abt 1879; died MD 21 Oct1883;
           vii.  JOHN HENRY MCCANN date of birth: 30 May 1883;
          viii.  HENRIETTA YETTA WESSELL MCCANN date of birth: 31 Jan1887;
            ix.  CLARENCE B MCCANN born in Baltimore Md, 14 Aug 1890;
                 died Md 17 Apr 1892;

        5  SARAH ELIZABETH MCCANN born in Rock Hall, Md, 1 Aug 1875;
    married William Alexander Alton on 21 Dec 1898 at Md; died San
    Diego, Ca 27 Nov 1948;
           There are 2 recorded children of Sarah Elizabeth McCann:

             i.  GRACE ELIZABETH ALTON
            ii.  HOWARD WALTER ALTON born in Annapolis Md, 31 Mar
                 1900; married Helen Mullaney Simmons on 22 Aug 1936 at St
                 Anne, Annnapolis, Md; died El Campo, Texas 30 Jul
                 1975;

        6  IDA VIRGINIA MCCANN date of birth: 13 Oct 1876; married (1)
    Daniel Stevens at Md; married (2) Daniel Edward Stephans on 25
    Dec1902 at Brenlaville, Va; died California 1971;
           There are 3 recorded children of Ida Virginia McCann:

             i.  KATHLEEN VIRGINIA STEPHANS date of birth: 10 July 1904;
            ii.  DOROTHY PRISCILA STEPHANS born in Ca, 2 May 1905;
                 died Ca 1975;
           iii.  RAMONA JANET STEPHANS born in Manassas Va, 7 Nov
                 1910;

Several other Canns were found in Baltimore records they are:

George Henry Cann, born in  England 1823, Carpenter, according to the census of
1870 and 1880. Lived inEastBaltimore.  His Wife was Mary Ann and children were
George E Cann, Eliza JaneCann, and John H Cann.

Conrad Cann, a laborer,  born in Germany in 1833 according to 1880 census with a
wife and large family onFort Ave not far from Benjamin Cann and James R Cann.
His Wife was Elizabeth U.and children Peter Cann, Elizabeth Cann, John Cann,
Richard Cann, and GeorgeCann.
 

end chapter 6  CANN'S of  AMERICA by H Cann   next