William Harrison Cannedy the oldest son of James and Eliza Cannedy, was born in DeKalb Co Tennessee on July 16, 1817 and came to Illinois with his parents in 1830 at the age of thirteen. He was the oldest of a large family of thirteen children, and although his parents were poor, he and his brothers and sister received a liberal education through the efforts of their father who taught the first subscription school in the community.

In 1845, at the age of 28, William Cannedy was married to Mahala Allen, the daughter of Nathan and Lethe Doyle Allen. Mahala was born in Kentucky on Jan. 29, 1827, and came to Illinois with her parents in 1840 at the age of thirteen , and she was eighteen at the time of her marriage.

After their marriage William and Mahala settled on an eighty acre farm about two and one-half miles south-west of the present village of Rockbridge, in Greene County. The nearest settlement to the Cannedys was a cluster of log cabins which had sprung up around the mill on Macoupin creek, about two miles from them. In 1849 a post office was established at this mill, and here the family received their mail for many years.

A small house stood on the land where the Cannedys settled, and this William remodeled into a comfortable five room home, which withstood the elements for a hundred years and was still in sound condition when torn down a few years ago.

On this farm William and Mahala raised a family of nine children, three boys and six girls. They were in order of birth, James F. 1846, Louisa Jane 1847,mary Ann 1849, Martha Elizabeth 1851, Melinda Caroline 1852, Sarah Melissa 1855, Thomas Jefferson 1857, John Wesley 1862 and Cora Isabelle in 1868. All of these children lived to maturity, the youngest of whom was 28 yrs. old when the first death in the family occured. This was the death of James, the oldest son, 1897.

The Cannedys were frugal, self-sufficient family, producing most of their basic needs on their farm, From the wool of sheep raised on the farm they spun the yarn and their clothes were made. They raised their own corn and wheat, which were ground into flour and meal at the old mill. Pork, Beef, and mutton raised on the farm supplied their meat requirements, which were supplemented with wild game. Tallow candles, which were for lighting the home were made in the old candle mold which stood on the mantle of the large fireplace. An old ash hopper stook back of the house, and into htis was dumped the wood ashes from the fireplace to be processed into lye with which to make soap, and also to be used for the making of hominy. There was a large orchard on the farm which supplied plenty of fruit for canning and drying, and in this orchard stood a hand made cider mill in which the cull apples were ground and pressed into cider.

William Cannedy combined the pursuit of farming with that of school teaching, and was one of the first public school teachers in the county. Throughout his life he was active in county politics. He had a considerable knowledge of law, which fitted him admirably for the office of Justice Of The Peace, which office he held for many years. He was known throughout the county as "Squire Cannedy". He took part in the so call Mormon war, serving in Col. Baker's regiment as a member of Capt. Caswell's company of cavalry at Nauvoo.

Mahala Cannedy was of Scotch descent, and was a very dominant woman. She raised her family in her strict religious ways. Her's was an extremely frugal nature and nothing was thrown away that could possibly be put to good use.

William and Mahala lived their entire married life in the old homestead. Here all of the children were born, and here the funeral services were held. William died on May 18, 1897 at the age of eighty. He was blind for several years before his death. Mahala survived her husband for nine years, and was cared for in the old home by Cora, the youngest daughter, and the wife of Benjamin Ruyle. She died on March 22nd, 1906 at the age of seventy nine. She and William are buried in the Witt Cemetery, not far from the old homestead.

The last member of the family to die was Cora, the youngest child. She died in 1958 and lacked but a few days of being ninety years old.

A few years ago the The Cannedy farm passed out of the family name and the old house which had sheltered four generations was torn down. Nothing remains now but a few old cedar trees and an old rock walled well to remind us of the happy family that once called this spot home.

Excerpt from Book "Greenfield,IL. Sesquicentennial 1834-1984