Abraham H. Cannon

Abraham H. Cannon (1859-1896)

Abraham H. Cannon was a publisher, apostle, and post-Manifesto polygamist. Photograph courtesy LDS Church Archives.

Family Background

1859. March 12: Born Abraham Hoagland Cannon in Salt Lake City to George Q. Cannon and Elizabeth Hoagland. He worked as an errand boy for the Deseret News, apprenticed as a carpenter and architect on the Salt Lake Temple, and graduated from the University of Deseret.

Having married Sarah A. Jenkins in 1878, Abraham married his first cousin Wilhelmina M. Cannon in 1879, and his step-sister Mary E. Croxall in 1887. Although both plural wives expressed dissatisfaction with polygamy, "Mina" threatening divorce repeatedly, Abraham remained committed to "the principle."

General Authority

1882. Returning from a three-year mission to Europe, he was ordained and set apart to the First Council of Seventy: "In the Council of the Twelve… the remark had been made that we did not fully tend to our duties. The proposition was also made to pay us a salary… so that we might devote less time to business and more to our ministry. I told Father I would prefer to receive no salary, and as for neglect of duty I had tried to do my best. It would, however, please me very much if I could be honorably released."

Called to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1889, at age thirty.

Publisher

1882. After his European mission, Cannon became the business manager of the Juvenile Instructor and developed a small printing office into a major publishing house, Cannon & Sons. In 1892 he became editor and publisher of the Contributor, the same year he and his brother John assumed control of the Deseret News.

He was the author of many books, including A Handbook of Reference to the History, Chronology Religion and Country of the Latter-day Saints, Including Revelation on Celestial Marriage, for the Use of Saints and Strangers; and Questions and Answers on the Book of Mormon, Designed and Prepared Especially for the Use of the Sunday Schools in Zion.

Businessman

In addition to promoting the Salt Lake-Pacific and the Utah-California Railways, he was a director of Bullion-Beck Mining Company, State Bank of Utah, Utah Loan and Trust Company, and Co-op Furniture Company. He was also vice-president of George Q. Cannon & Sons Company and the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, and owned a large book and stationery store in Ogden.

Prisoner for Conscience Sake

1886. When asked if Sarah and Wilhelmina were his wives, he replied, "They are, thank God," and he was immediately convicted of "unlawful cohabitation."

Fined $300 and sentenced to six months in prison, Cannon served his time in the Utah "Pen" at Sugarhouse. "For some few days the men have been complaining about the poor coffee sent in to them," he wrote, "and on it being mentioned to the Warden, he said that a bottle of carbolic acid had accidentally been dropped into the coffee, and the kettle in which the drink was made had not been cleaned out for some time. But this had now been remedied. The bread for two days has been so sour that we could scarcely eat it. Radishes that were sent in last night were so tough that they could scarcely be eaten, and lettuce sent in the night previously was nearly covered with worms. It is something new for us to receive anything green to eat from the Penitentiary ranch, but it would be better to have it in an eatable condition."

Post-Manifesto Polygamist

1896. Despite the Wilford Woodruff Manifesto (1890), Cannon married Lillian Hamblin: "Father [President George Q. Cannon] also spoke to me about taking some good girl [p.43] and raising up seed by her for my brother David …. He told me to think the matter over, and speak to him later about it. Such a ceremony as this could be performed in Mexico, so Pres. Woodruff has said."

With the assistance of Joseph F. Smith, Abraham married Lillian off the coast of California, and sired one child on behalf of his deceased brother. The child, named "Marba" ("Abram" spelled backwards), was born in 1897, eight months after Cannon's death.

Death

1896. July 19: Died of meningitis at the age of thirty-seven after contracting a post-surgical inflammation subsequent to a chronic mastoid infection. He was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery.

At his funeral Church authorities discouraged the custom of viewing the body: "It is needless to say to intelligent Latter-day Saints that all this is repugnant to that spirit and decorum which ought to characterize the laying away of the earthly tabernacles of those whom we have loved or respected; and the general authorities of the Church have felt called upon to exert an influence to check this evil, and have advised the Saints not to expose their dead to public view."

Source
Cannon, Frank J., and Higgins, Harvey J. Under the Prophet in Utah. Boston: C. M. Clark Publishing Co., 1911.
Deseret News, 20 July 1896.
Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia. 4 vols Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson Historical Company, 1901-1936.
Salt Lake City, Utah. LDS Church Archives. Abraham H. Cannon Journal.

	A Book of Mormons Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker Copyright 1982, Signature Books Salt Lake City, Utah Contents


	Family Background 1859. March 12: Born Abraham Hoagland Cannon in Salt Lake City to George Q. Cannon and Elizabeth Hoagland. He worked as an errand boy for the Deseret News, apprenticed as a carpenter and architect on the Salt Lake Temple, and graduated from the University of Deseret. Having married Sarah A. Jenkins in 1878, Abraham married his first cousin Wilhelmina M. Cannon in 1879, and his step-sister Mary E. Croxall in 1887. Although both plural wives expressed dissatisfaction with polygamy, "Mina" threatening divorce repeatedly, Abraham remained committed to "the principle." General Authority 1882. Returning from a three-year mission to Europe, he was ordained and set apart to the First Council of Seventy: "In the Council of the Twelve… the remark had been made that we did not fully tend to our duties. The proposition was also made to pay us a salary… so that we might devote less time to business and more to our ministry. I told Father I would prefer to receive no salary, and as for neglect of duty I had tried to do my best. It would, however, please me very much if I could be honorably released." Called to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1889, at age thirty. Publisher 1882. After his European mission, Cannon became the business manager of the Juvenile Instructor and developed a small printing office into a major publishing house, Cannon & Sons. In 1892 he became editor and publisher of the Contributor, the same year he and his brother John assumed control of the Deseret News. He was the author of many books, including A Handbook of Reference to the History, Chronology Religion and Country of the Latter-day Saints, Including Revelation on Celestial Marriage, for the Use of Saints and Strangers; and Questions and Answers on the Book of Mormon, Designed and Prepared Especially for the Use of the Sunday Schools in Zion. Businessman In addition to promoting the Salt Lake-Pacific and the Utah-California Railways, he was a director of Bullion-Beck Mining Company, State Bank of Utah, Utah Loan and Trust Company, and Co-op Furniture Company. He was also vice-president of George Q. Cannon & Sons Company and the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, and owned a large book and stationery store in Ogden. Prisoner for Conscience Sake 1886. When asked if Sarah and Wilhelmina were his wives, he replied, "They are, thank God," and he was immediately convicted of "unlawful cohabitation." Fined $300 and sentenced to six months in prison, Cannon served his time in the Utah "Pen" at Sugarhouse. "For some few days the men have been complaining about the poor coffee sent in to them," he wrote, "and on it being mentioned to the Warden, he said that a bottle of carbolic acid had accidentally been dropped into the coffee, and the kettle in which the drink was made had not been cleaned out for some time. But this had now been remedied. The bread for two days has been so sour that we could scarcely eat it. Radishes that were sent in last night were so tough that they could scarcely be eaten, and lettuce sent in the night previously was nearly covered with worms. It is something new for us to receive anything green to eat from the Penitentiary ranch, but it would be better to have it in an eatable condition." Post-Manifesto Polygamist 1896. Despite the Wilford Woodruff Manifesto (1890), Cannon married Lillian Hamblin: "Father [President George Q. Cannon] also spoke to me about taking some good girl [p.43] and raising up seed by her for my brother David …. He told me to think the matter over, and speak to him later about it. Such a ceremony as this could be performed in Mexico, so Pres. Woodruff has said." With the assistance of Joseph F. Smith, Abraham married Lillian off the coast of California, and sired one child on behalf of his deceased brother. The child, named "Marba" ("Abram" spelled backwards), was born in 1897, eight months after Cannon's death. Death 1896. July 19: Died of meningitis at the age of thirty-seven after contracting a post-surgical inflammation subsequent to a chronic mastoid infection. He was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery. At his funeral Church authorities discouraged the custom of viewing the body: "It is needless to say to intelligent Latter-day Saints that all this is repugnant to that spirit and decorum which ought to characterize the laying away of the earthly tabernacles of those whom we have loved or respected; and the general authorities of the Church have felt called upon to exert an influence to check this evil, and have advised the Saints not to expose their dead to public view." Source Cannon, Frank J., and Higgins, Harvey J. Under the Prophet in Utah. Boston: C. M. Clark Publishing Co., 1911. Deseret News, 20 July 1896. Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia. 4 vols Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson Historical Company, 1901-1936. Salt Lake City, Utah. LDS Church Archives. Abraham H. Cannon Journal.