Sonya Donalson Marvel
JESS AND SHIRLEY CANNON'S STORY. MY PARENTS. OCTOBER 5, 1958.
The seven Cannon boys, Jess’s uncles and dad, created Cannontown in Jakin Georgia and were a force to be reckoned with. This earned Jess Cannon the reputation of that “wild Cannon boy”.
Jess and Shirley met when he was 15 and she was 13. They met on a ball field at Easom’s grocery store in Donalsonville, Georgia. There wasn’t a lot to do in the country when they were growing up, except for soft ball and dances. They usually double dated with Shirley’s sister, Pauline. Sometimes they would square dance on a swinging bridge in the evening with car headlights as the only way they could see. Periodically Jess would do his famous “Buck Dance”.
Jess had been working and farming with Frank the mule since he was 14 years old. Around that time he lost his mother. He wanted to join the Navy at the age of 16 years old, but his father thought he was too young and would not sign the enlistment papers. When Jess turned 18 years old he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was stationed most of the time in Okinawa, Japan during World War II, where he was embedded with the headquarters and base service squadron in the 22nd Air Depot.
After his time in the service came to an end, he and Shirley had long gone their separate ways. Shirley eventually married and had 4 children.
Jess enrolled in school in Tallahassee, Florida and eventually moved to Columbus, Georgia at which time he married and had 2 children.
Coincidentally, unknown to both of them, they were both ending their marriages. One day Jess went to Albany, Georgia to visit his sister and learned Shirley was ending her marriage and was working as a hostess in a local restaurant. He went to see her at the restaurant. She got so nervous she ran out of the room and wouldn’t talk to him.
Eventually, after many trips to the restaurant, Shirley consented to see him again. This was 13 years after they saw each other as teenagers. Future dates consisted of sitting in Shirley’s living room with Shirley’s mother present and who didn’t want to leave them alone. She didn’t want Shirley to date that “wild Cannon boy” from Cannontown.
Jess and Shirley had decided to marry. Jess left for Tampa Florida in order to obtain employment and a place to move his new family. After getting a job and sleeping in his car for a while, he found the perfect home for them to live. He went back to Donalsonville, Georgia to marry his childhood sweetheart.
Jess and Shirley were married on October 5, 1958 in the Blakely, Georgia courthouse and moved to Tampa, Florida on October 6, 1958 where they raised Shirley’s 4 children. Jess had been a hard worker all of his life. At times he worked three jobs to support their 6 children. Their children are all raised now and are still the best of friends. Shirley and Jess have 6 children, 9 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild on the way.
Jess passed away on March 8, 2012. All of his children miss him every day.
Happy 55th wedding anniversary Daddy and Mother.
The seven Cannon boys, Jess’s uncles and dad, created Cannontown in Jakin Georgia and were a force to be reckoned with. This earned Jess Cannon the reputation of that “wild Cannon boy”.
Jess and Shirley met when he was 15 and she was 13. They met on a ball field at Easom’s grocery store in Donalsonville, Georgia. There wasn’t a lot to do in the country when they were growing up, except for soft ball and dances. They usually double dated with Shirley’s sister, Pauline. Sometimes they would square dance on a swinging bridge in the evening with car headlights as the only way they could see. Periodically Jess would do his famous “Buck Dance”.
Jess had been working and farming with Frank the mule since he was 14 years old. Around that time he lost his mother. He wanted to join the Navy at the age of 16 years old, but his father thought he was too young and would not sign the enlistment papers. When Jess turned 18 years old he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was stationed most of the time in Okinawa, Japan during World War II, where he was embedded with the headquarters and base service squadron in the 22nd Air Depot.
After his time in the service came to an end, he and Shirley had long gone their separate ways. Shirley eventually married and had 4 children.
Jess enrolled in school in Tallahassee, Florida and eventually moved to Columbus, Georgia at which time he married and had 2 children.
Coincidentally, unknown to both of them, they were both ending their marriages. One day Jess went to Albany, Georgia to visit his sister and learned Shirley was ending her marriage and was working as a hostess in a local restaurant. He went to see her at the restaurant. She got so nervous she ran out of the room and wouldn’t talk to him.Eventually, after many trips to the restaurant, Shirley consented to see him again. This was 13 years after they saw each other as teenagers. Future dates consisted of sitting in Shirley’s living room with Shirley’s mother present and who didn’t want to leave them alone. She didn’t want Shirley to date that “wild Cannon boy” from Cannontown.
Jess and Shirley had decided to marry. Jess left for Tampa Florida in order to obtain employment and a place to move his new family. After getting a job and sleeping in his car for a while, he found the perfect home for them to live. He went back to Donalsonville, Georgia to marry his childhood sweetheart.
Jess and Shirley were married on October 5, 1958 in the Blakely, Georgia courthouse and moved to Tampa, Florida on October 6, 1958 where they raised Shirley’s 4 children. Jess had been a hard worker all of his life. At times he worked three jobs to support their 6 children. Their children are all raised now and are still the best of friends. Shirley and Jess have 6 children, 9 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild on the way.
Jess passed away on March 8, 2012. All of his children miss him every day.
Happy 55th wedding anniversary Daddy and Mother.
