Correspondence, 1909-1976

File — Box: 55, Folder: 2-5

Identifier: IV

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Sub-Series: Wayne Dillworth Cannon (1906-1978) was the oldest son of Joseph J. Cannon. Almost all the folders in these boxes contain letters between Wayne and his parents. The letters from 1909-1918 take place when Joseph J. Cannon is either in Mompos, Colombia or is traveling throughout the East Coast on business. Oftentimes, Joseph J. Cannon advises his son to be a good boy by being clean, honest, and helpful. He tells his son not to swear and to study hard in school. In 1919, Wayne and his family accompany their father to Colombia. In 1926, Wayne leaves to serve an LDS mission in Berlin, Germany. Early in his mission, Wayne becomes sick with appendicitis and there are many letters between Wayne, his father, and his uncle, Hugh J. Cannon (also his mission president), discussing Wayne's illness and the possibilities of him coming home. Wayne stays in Berlin until he is released 1928. In 1929, Wayne moves to New York City, attends New York University, studies air transport engineering, and marries Marjorie Thayer Smith. He graduates from NYU in 1931. In 1932, their daughter Nadine is born and in 1937, Wayne Dillworth Cannon II is born.

The Wayne Cannon family lived in New Jersey and worked in New York City for various aeronautical and civil engineering companies. They kept up diligent correspondence with Wayne's father, Joseph J. Cannon, in Salt Lake City. In the late 1930s, Nadine begins corresponding with her grandfather, Joseph J. Cannon. In 1945, Joseph J. Cannon dies and the correspondence picks up with Ramona Wilcox Cannon, Wayne's stepmother. Nadine attends Vassar University and works for numerous business in New York City, namely Estee Lauder Cosmetics, and never marries. Dillworth attends Yale for his undergraduate degree and then Colombia Medical School, where he became a surgeon. In 1961, he marries Grace Raff Bert. In late 1950s, Wayne Cannon begins traveling to South America as a Latin America Product Specialist for his business, the Cannon Marketing Corporation. In 1957, he even returns to Mompos, Colombia and visits the friends he made in 1918. In 1963, Wayne and Marjorie move to Huntsville Alabama where he works with NASA as the Executive Assistant to the Director of Research. He dies in 1974. The correspondence in these boxes give a detailed and consistent account of the lives of not only the Wayne Cannon Family, but also Joseph, Mona and the other Joseph J. Cannon children.

Dates

1909-1976

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.