Ramona "Mona" Wilcox Cannon was born in 1887 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Jane Stevenson Wilcox and Dr. Charles. F. Wilcox, a prominent Salt Lake physician. She was the second of six children. Ramona's maternal grandfather, Edward Stevenson, was one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies in the LDS Church and author of
Mona received her bachelor's degree and a life-teaching certificate from the University of Utah in 1908. In 1913, she received her master's degree with a major in English and a minor in Philosophy from the University of Utah. Mona was the third woman in the state to receive a master's degree. From 1910-1911, she studied at the Royal University in Berlin, receiving a Certificate of Language Study. Mona also studied French in Paris and traveled to London, Athens, Constantinople, Rome, and Cairo. In 1933 she studied creative writing at UCLA. At the time of her death in 1978 at the age of 91, Mona was pursuing a Ph.D. in sociology, and had taken about twenty post-graduate courses at the University of Utah in sociology and psychology.
In 1914 Ramona Wilcox married Joseph J. Cannon, a widower with three children: Wayne Dilworth Cannon, Jane Cannon Steward, and Grant Groesbeck Cannon. Together, they had four children: Elizabeth Cannon Ralphs, Adrian Wilcox Cannon, Bryant Wilcox Cannon, and Mark Wilcox Cannon.
During the early years of their marriage, Joseph traveled a great deal working to secure a business he was developing in Colombia. In 1918 Mona and five of the children moved to Colombia to be with Joseph and stayed for almost two years. In 1934 Joseph and Mona were named as President and Relief Society President of the LDS British Mission. The family lived in London from 1934-1937 and traveled extensively through northern Europe.
Joseph J. Cannon died from cancer in 1945. After Joseph's death, Mona taught and wrote to support herself and her youngest son Mark. She taught English at the University of Utah and German, French, Spanish, Latin, English, and history at the high school level. For 28 years (1943-1970) she wrote the "Women's Sphere" for the
Ramona Wilcox Cannon is perhaps best known for her anonymous writing. In November 1947, at the age of 60, Mona began writing The
Mona served 5 years with the Salt Lake City Mental Health Association, 4 years with the Community Welfare Council, Inc. She was also involved with the Family Life Institute Committee, the Salt Lake City Council for Women, and was a founding member of Utah Press Women.
In 1964 Ramona Cannon received the first annual award given by the Utah Council on Family Relations for "Outstanding Contribution to Family Life." In 1971 the Utah Chapter of the National Federation of Press Woman awarded her their "Woman of Achievement Award." The Emeritus Club of the University of Utah (Alumni of 40 years standing) selected Mona as one of 20 distinguished Emeritus members in 1973. Two years later, the University of Utah recognized Mona as one of four "Distinguished Alumnus" for 1975. In 1978, months before her death, Mona received the Utah "Mother of the Year Award."
The Ramona Wilcox Cannon papers (1863-1994) contain materials associated with the life of this Utah author and columnist (1887-1978). Included are family and professional correspondence, family history, "Mary Marker" articles, newspaper clippings, interview transcripts, copies and drafts of Mona's other writings, and other personal items such as scrapbooks, diaries, and notebooks.
This collection is divided into five sections: I. Ramona Wilcox Cannon (boxes 1-33); II. Mary Marker (boxes 34-39); III. Joseph J. Cannon (boxes 40-54); IV. Cannon Children (boxes 55-61); V. and the Wilcox and Stevenson Families (boxes 62-67).
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.
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Gift of Mark W. Cannon in 2001.
See also the
Processed by Hope Miller and Alison Rogers in 2003.
Forms part of the
This series of the collection contains a variety of materials. The first box contains oral history, drafts and notes for Ramona's autobiography and other biographical information for Ramona Wilcox Cannon. Boxes two through ten contain correspondence that spans Ramona's entire life. The following boxes are filled with personal documents such as check stubs, party invitations, newsletters, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings. Some of these boxes have research Ramona collected about various topics such as Israel and Southern Utah. Boxes 24-31 contain drafts, notes, and articles Ramona wrote for publications such as
These folders contain the transcriptions of 12 tapes. Most of the tapes are the oral history of Ramona Wilcox Cannon, but there are oral histories from other members of the Cannon family. Folder three contains the transcription of Ramona Wilcox Cannon's funeral (tape 9).
This autobiography is a compilation of short, story-like segments that span throughout the life of Ramona Wilcox Cannon
This folder contains a great deal of biographical information on Ramona Wilcox Cannon, assembled by Mark Cannon between, 1990-1993.
This is an index of items in this collection as well as an index of items they have each published
The correspondence in this box is to and from Ramona, her friends, the University of Utah, her sorority, and her family. The correspondence takes place as she is growing up and attending school. There are also items from the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Ramona's financial information, and various invitations and programs. Folders 6-12 contain correspondence between Ramona and her friends and family while she lived and taught in Heber City, Utah. Folders 13-17 are family correspondence. There are many letters from her brother, Fred, who was on a mission in Germany. Some correspondence in German.
Folders one through eleven contain correspondence written while Ramona was in Europe. Many of the letters detail her European experiences and the news of her family at home. The remainder of the correspondence were written after Ramona returned home. There is also a copyright certificate for her play,
Most of the correspondence in boxes three and four are to and from Ramona Wilcox Cannon, Joseph, and extended family. Most of the letters are written by Joseph while he is away, working on the Lands of Loba, a land development project in Mompos, Colombia. The letters from Joseph are usually written from Colombia, although many are from places such as Tacoma, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Cuba, and Panama. The correspondence is usually about family, business, and health. Occasionally there are sketches from Joseph.
The correspondence from 1919-1920 was written while the Cannon family was living in South America. There are numerous letters from The Home Correspondence School (a by-mail short story writing class). Correspondence in folders 6-7 mention Edward Stevenson Wilcox's death. During 1920, there are letters referencing the influenza epidemic. The letters written after 1920 take place when Ramona has returned to Salt Lake City from Colombia and Joseph is still away on business.
The letters from 1921-1934 are between Ramona, her family, her friends, and miscellaneous people and businesses. As usual, many of the letters are between Joseph and Ramona while Joseph is away on business. Occasionally, there are letters from magazine publications about an article Ramona submitted for publication. The letters from 1934-1936 were written while the Cannons family served a LDS mission in Great Britain. Of particular interest are the letters that mention the death of Ramona's father in 1931 and the letters concerning Ramona's oldest daughter Elizabeth's impending divorce. There are also numerous letters about Church business.
These letters are about the Cannon family's return from their British mission, their continued work with the LDS Church, their business pursuits, and the lives of Joseph and Ramona's children and extended family. Of particular importance are the letters that detail the death of Joseph J. Cannon in 1945. After Joseph's death, there is an increasing amount of business correspondence between Ramona Wilcox Cannon and various publications such as the
This correspondence is between family and business. The family correspondence details the lives of her children. They discuss their missions, educations, marriages, jobs , and the births of their children. The business correspondence is between magazines and newspapers and are about articles Ramona has written or intends to write. There is also professional correspondence between numerous organizations such as the LDS Church, the Salt Lake Chapter for the Utah Association for Mental Health, the Community Welfare Council, and
The correspondence in this box discuss Ramona's family and professional life. There are letters about an article Ramona wrote on Simon Bolivar for
This folder contains Mona Wilcox's "General History" notebook from 1905.
This notebook contains class notes on Pythagoras, Augustine, Sophocles, Plato, and Aristotle.
This notebook contains class notes on Chaucer, the Reformation, the Renaissance, and church architecture.
This folder contains papers titled "Self Control and Temperance," "Solidarity," "Macaulay's Paragraph."
This folder contains English papers with topics such as cats, little sisters, imagination, Robert Louis Stevenson, hair styles, and Kipling's "Man Who Would be King".
These notebooks contain notes on Shakespeare's life, his plays, the development of Renaissance theater and culture, and Shakespeare criticism.
This notebook, entitled "Delphi," is an account of a trip to Greece.
This notebook consists of notes on the art, architecture, and natural resources of various countries and cities (e.g. Milan, Japan, France, USA, Holland, etc.).
This notebook contains quotes from
This notebook contains notes on the works of Henrik Ibsen, George Bernard Shaw, and the Pre-Raphaelites.
This notebook contains class notes on Epicurus, Mill, Hedonism, Christian Asceticism, and Kant.
This notebook contains class notes on Pinero, H.A. Jones, W. Somerset Maughan, Alfred Sutro.
This folder contains Ramona Stevenson Wilcox's birth certificate, newspaper clippings from
These folders contain school papers, her University of Utah registration card, programs, sorority mementoes, newspaper articles, notes, and receipts.
This folder includes a journal in French and a newspaper clipping about Ramona's return to the US.
This folder consists of newspaper articles, a suffrage pamphlet with a Jane Addams speech and a Pioneer Day program. Folder seven contains Ramona Wilcox and Joseph Cannon's marriage certificate, a pamphlet on investment opportunities in Colombia, a Daughters of Utah Pioneers program, and newspaper clippings pertaining to Word War I, and a story Mona published.
This folder has an expense log from Mompos, a University of Utah Alumni banquet program, receipts and lesson reports from The Home Correspondence School, and other programs, invitations, and newspaper clippings.
This folder contains an application to the Society of the Daughters of the Revolution, a General Federation News, tax forms, and some handwritten notes.
Folder four contains notes Ramona took about the Relief Society while she was serving her mission in Great Britain. There are newspaper articles about the abdication of King George and Mussolini. Also included is a program from the second annual conferences from the Mutual Improvement Association and the Primary. Folder five consists of many handwritten notes, invitations, a booklet called "Favourite Quotations" (contains quotes by famous LDS Church members) and some sight-seeing brochures.
This folder has a pamphlet called "Coronation Arrangements, Wednesday May 12, 1937." There is also a travel itinerary and a brochure called "Co-Operative Sweden".
This folder contains more booklets about the Pan American Union. There are also articles from the
This folder has a copy of
This folder contains tax information, newspaper clippings about Berlin after World War II, financial documents, personal notes, and receipts.
These folders contain programs, booklets, and brochures about Utah's Centennial Celebrations.
Of interest in this folder is a notebook with notes from a trip to Mexico. There are also tax forms, newspaper articles, and check stubs.
This folder has some receipts and tax records. There is also a booklet titled, " The Sex Offender in the Community."
Many of the documents in these folders pertain to research Ramona did for her Mary Marker column. There are many programs, invitations, and letters from various organizations around Salt Lake. Folder 15 contains Ramona's membership certificate for the Emeritus Club of the Utah Alumni Association. These folders also contain many tax and finance documents.
The contents of these folders are programs, invitations, newspaper articles, conference reports, check stubs, tax information, and other such miscellaneous documents. Many of the items are connected to issues Ramona wrote about in her Mary Marker column. Topics include alcoholism, blindness, welfare, and educational services. Folders 8-10 contain similar items.
This is a speech by Ezra Taft Benson, given in 1967.
These folders are comprised of various pamphlets, handwritten notes, newsletters, and financial documents. There are several
The contents of these folders are newspaper clippings, newsletters, health care information, receipts, business related documents, and financial information.
This folder has a copy of a blessing given to Ramona on her deathbed as well as newspaper articles about her passing. There is also a copy of her funeral program.
This box contains miscellaneous items that span Ramona Wilcox Cannon's life. There are also four folders that contain notes for Ramona's autobiography and a couple folders about her life accomplishments.
This folder contains copies of
This folder contains a handwritten list of Mona's silverware and china collections, part of an essay on Mormon persecution, expense records, and an essay entitled "Cannon Family Christmas Carols."
This folder contains notes on English theater and a scenic and historical map of Utah.
This folder contains an expense sheet, lists of Mona's possessions, a handwritten draft of Mona's will, and a copy of a her Patriarchal Blessing.
This folder contains play programs from Lyceum Theatre, President Theatre, Henry Miller's Theatre, and the Alhambra Theare.
This folder contains typed notes on Oliver Wendell Holmes, Community Welfare Council, Inc. meeting announcement, a class syllabi, notesabout Mona's will, and an essay, "Then and Now."
This folder contains notes on the Utah League, expense records, an essay entitled "Original Noah's Ark Found," and a packet, "Classical Dances and Costumes of India."
This folder contains letter excerpts, notes and other items pertaining to Ramona Wilcox Cannon. Included in this folder are her
This folder contains notes on various subjects and an autobiographical essay on winning the 1972 "Woman of Achievement Award" from the Utah Chapter of the National Federation of Press Women.
This folder contains a copy of an article, "Reflections of a Widow," and an essay, "A Propos of Small Pox: New York vs. New Orleans."
This folder contains handwritten autobiographical notes.
This folder contains records of several awards and recognitions Ramona Wilcox Cannon received. Among them are the 1963
These folders have many newspaper articles. Among them is an article and its drafts written in 1975 by Ramona about the University of Utah entitled, "To See a Campus Grow." In 1973, Ramona won the Emeritus Club Merit of Honor Award and in 1975, she won the Distinguished Alumnus Award.
These folders contain an assortment of pamphlets, articles, notes, and other sorts of documents regarding various historical aspects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Topics include polygamy, Lucy Mack, Eliza R. Snow, Emmeline B. Wells, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, the urim and thummin, Mormon currency, and Nauvoo. There are also some color illustrations of the Nauvoo temple and Joseph Smith.
In 1973, Ramona Wilcox Cannon attended the World Meeting Of Women Journalists and Writers in Israel. The contents of these two folders contain articles, notes, maps, postcards, travel notebooks, and pamphlets that she collected in relation to her trip to Israel. There is information about Golda Mier, kibbutzes, and other cultural aspects of Israel.
Joseph Jensen was involved with water management in the Colorado River. This folder contains correspondence, an award and a biographical summary of Joseph Jensen. There is also a photocopied letter from Ronald Regan and a photocopied photograph of Jensen with Lyndon B. Johnson.
These folders contain a wide variety of materials pertaining to Southern Utah. There are articles, notes, stories, postcards, pamphlets, and reports on the Navajos, the San-Juan River, Moab, Hole-in-the-Rock, uranium, the Colorado River, the Mormon Pioneers, and river running.
This box contains programs, newspaper and magazine articles, maps, postcards, and pamphlets about England. Most of the material in this box are newspaper articles from British newspapers such as the
Each of these folders contain newspaper articles, history, yearbooks, correspondence, and membership information for the Author's Club of Utah.
This box contains drafts, notes, and actual articles that Ramona Wilcox Cannon wrote. When the folder's title is the name of a publication, the folder contains articles Ramona wrote for that particular publication.
This folder has diary pages of Samuel W. Richards, Ramona's notes Richards, and an essay about the origins of the Richards name.
Topics of the articles include the Colorado River, conservation, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Some of the articles in this box are about the Cannon's experiences in Colombia.
Correspondence, notes, postcards, and articles.
Transcripts of a national daily radio show that discussed personal improvement issues.
The "Woman's Sphere" was a monthly column Ramona Wilcox Cannon wrote for the
Boxes 31-32 are short stories and essays that RWC wrote. Some of them are fictional, others are autobiographical, and others are non-fiction. It is not clear if any of these pieces were ever published and none of them are dated. For the most part, there are several drafts of each piece; included in the folder descriptions are the titles of the pieces included and a short summary. They were taken from an index the donor included with the collection.
This folder consists
This folder consists of story suggestions, written on notecards.
This folder includes notes on England and adult education.
Includes notes on the Third Reich.
This folder contains autobiographical notes and a short story excerpt.
This folder includes notes on play writing, psychology, and
This folder contains notes on Romantic poetry, a story on flight preparation training, and a story on "Children of the Persecution."
This notebook contains notes on people and their life experiences.
This is an undated notebook with notes on 19th century German literature.
This is an undated notebook with notes on educating children, writing an advice column, and sociology class notes.
This folder includes daily programs, pamphlets, and guides.
Kellogg Company,
Trustees of the British Museum,
Samuel Guy,
This folder includes
This folder contains pamphlets and brochures about Pioneer Day, Heber C.
Kimball, and the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
Mona visited this church with Cristina Pineres.
This series contains photocopied articles of "Confidentially Yours," letters to Mary Marker, letters and responses from Mary Marker, Ramona's drafts, notes, and research materials.
This box contains articles photocopied from the
"Dear Reader..." was a feature of the "Confidentially Yours" column. These were short articles about topics that frequently came up in the column. Oftentimes these articles talked about community needs and resources while other times these articles offered general advice on issues such as chastity, home budgeting, religion, and holiday preparation. Occasionally there articles in this folder not connected to "Confidentially Yours" but still written under the pen name Mary Marker.
These folders as well as boxes 35 and 36 contain the letters readers wrote to Mary Marker. Usually these letters ask Mary Marker for help. Oftentimes, there are letters from readers responding with their own advice to a question printed in a previous column. Many of the letters have Ramona's own brief notes indicating her opinion or whether or not a particular letter was used for the column.
In these folders, reader's questions, Ramona's responses, and readers' responses are typed out and placed alongside one another. It is not clear whether or not these questions and their answers were ever actually printed in the
These letters were never printed in the
The contents of this folder are chapter drafts of a book Ramona Cannon Wilcox was writing under the pen name, Mary Marker.
This is a script of a Mary Marker radio show.
This is an article written under the pen name, Mary Marker.
These are more notes, drafts, and articles written by Ramona Wilcox Cannon under the pen name of Mary Marker. These articles are not related to the Mary Marker advice column.
"Dear Reader" articles are written by Mary Marker about moral themes. They are not related to a particular question.
These folders contain clippings from magazines and newspapers. They contain material that helped Ramona write her column. Many clippings are about family relationships, teen sex, and love. Folder four contains a book,
The first ten boxes in this series contain correspondence and personal documents. To maintain the original structure of this collection, they have been arranged chronologically. The final three boxes of the series are the plays, articles, and various notes Joseph J. Cannon wrote throughout his life.
This folder has two pamphlets:
Most of the letters in this folder are from members of Joseph J. Cannon's family. However, there is a letter from the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints commending the pioneers for the way in which they have established the Salt Lake Valley.
In 1899, Joseph J. Cannon was called to serve a mission in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1901, he receives word that his father, George Q. Cannon has died. In 1902, he was transferred from Sweden to Liverpool, England where he finished the rest of his mission. Most of the letters are from his mother, Sarah Jenne Cannon, and his brother Hugh Cannon, who was also serving a mission in Europe. Within these folders are also letters from important figures in the LDS Church: Heber J. Grant and David O. McKay.
Notes from a trip to Colombia and about the Colombia Land Investment Company.
Agreements, loans, and other business documents regarding Sunset Orchards and the Colombia Land Investment Company.
This folder contains both personal and business correspondence. There is some mention of his new wife, Florence Groesbeck.
Stock information, agreements, leases.
This correspondence is mostly related to Joseph J. Cannon's business pursuits with both the Colombia Land Investment Company and Sunset Orchards. Because Joseph's brothers, Preston and Bish, were also involved in these same business, many of the letters contain information regarding both work and family matters.
This folder contains the memorial book of Joseph J. Cannon's wife, Florence Groesbeck Cannon, as well as some notes that Cannon had written about his wife's sudden death.
This is a book by Joseph J. Cannon about Florence Groesbeck Cannon.
The notebooks contain religious thoughts and budget information.
While most of these letters are regarding Joseph J. Cannon's business investments, there are letters from J. Reuben Clark and Heber J. Grant.
These letters are between Joseph J. Cannon and Ramona Wilcox during their engagement.
Joseph J. Cannon was the key coordinator behind this event.
The folders in this box pertain to Joseph J. Cannon's work with the Colombia Land Investment Company, specifically the Lands of Loba. These lands were rich in timber and offered promises of a lucrative cattle and sugar business. The lands were eventually bought by a group called the Magdalena Land Company (Joseph J. Cannon served as director for this company). From 1914-1916, Cannon traveled throughout the East Coast, the Carribean, and South America to secure and finalize his work in Colombia. In 1916, Cannon went down to Colombia to further establish the business. During this time, he left his new wife, Ramona and their four children (Wayne, Jane, Grant, and Elizabeth) in Salt Lake. While most of the correspondence in this box is business related, there are letters, especially from folders two to seven that are to and from his wife, children, and other family members.
This box also contains correspondence and notes from when Joseph J. Cannon was immersed in his work with the Magdalena Land Company. However, the letters in this box are primarily from his family and discuss life in Salt Lake.
Correspondence 1917 mentions Mona and Joseph's newborn son, Adrian. These folders contain both personal and business correspondence. In 1918, there is mention of the family moving to Colombia. Photographs have been removed from folder 1.
Correspondence in these folders varies in content. In 1919, many letters are about Joseph J. Cannon's business pursuits in Colombia. In many letters, Cannon is looking for people to invest in his company. He is also trying to figure out ways to expand the American Colombian Corporation. In 1919, the entire Cannon family moves to Colombia and there is a lot of correspondence with both Joseph and Mona's extended family about their life, health, and experiences in Colombia. There are a couple letters from President Heber J. Grant and Elder Joseph Fielding Smith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discussing Church membership in Colombia. Joseph J. Cannon's son Grant was the first person from the LDS Church baptized in Colombia. Around 1921, there were legal problems with the Lands of Loba and Joseph J. Cannon's involvement with the American Colombian Corporation dwindles. As a result, Cannon begins to travel around the United States looking for other employment.
Of interest in this folder are notebook pages and maps about the Lands of Loba.
Most of the business correspondence is about Joseph J. Cannon's new poultry farm and milk supply business. Some of the family correspondence is about Joseph J. Cannon's son, Wayne, who is serving a LDS mission in Switzerland. Wayne becomes ill with appendicitis and many letters are to and from Wayne, Joseph, and Joseph's brother, Hugh, who is serving as a mission president in Europe that discuss Wayne's health. There is also some personal correspondence between Cannon's Lands of Loba business partner, Lester Mangum, and his wife, Jennie.
Most of the documents in this folder pertain to the Cannon Supply Company: Dairy and Canning Machinery and Supplies in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Cannon Poultry Farm in American Fork. There is also an invitation to a Cannon family reunion.
These folders have both business and family correspondence. There is more about the poultry farm and the canning business. In 1930, Joseph J. Cannon becomes the Vice-President of the Theater's Guild in Salt Lake City. In 1931, Cannon becomes the managing editor of the
These folders have an interesting assortment of documents such as receipts, newspaper articles, speeches, pamphlets, financial statements, flyers, and booklets. Included are pamphlets and testimonials from Rocky Minerals, a company that provided natural health products which Joseph J. Cannon distributed. There are also many political materials entitled, "Why We Should not Elect Clifford Patten Sheriff." Also of interest are the speeches, papers, and articles about the Depression and its effects on Utah, newspaper articles about Cannon becoming the editor of the
These are missionary reports, statistics, sermons, articles from the
There is no general theme to this correspondence in this box. The early letters are from the Joseph J. Cannon family's mission in London. These letters contain family, business, and Church related information. There are a series of letters in 1935 pertaining to the mental health and pending divorce of Joseph J. Cannon's daughter, Elizabeth Cannon. There is also correspondence documenting the release of Joseph J. Cannon from his English mission in 1937 as well as his new calling as the president of the Temple Square Mission and as member of the Y.M.M.I.A General Board. Because of Cannon's Church callings, there are numerous letters from Heber J. Grant, David O. McKay, and Hugh B. Brown. In the late 1930s, there is an increasing amount of business correspondence about his business pursuits in odorless toilets and Inland Sea Silver, a silverware company in Salt Lake.
Contained within this box are personal, family, political, Church and business related documents. Of interest is a story told over KSL by Gordon B. Hinckley, articles and agreements from the Inland Sea Silver company. There are many "Temple Square Topics" newsletters with messages from Joseph, president of the Temple Square Mission. This box also has Joseph's obituary, newspaper articles about his death, funeral programs and other materials about his funeral. The final folder in this box miscellaneous correspondence.
The obituary of Florence Groesbeck Cannon is also included in this folder.
This is an original copy written by Joseph J. Cannon.
There are also two reports about the Lands of Loba.
This is a membership certificate for the Commission in the Department of Publicity and Industrial Development from the State of Utah.
These documents are for or about Joseph J. Cannon but were written after his death.
Included are papers about Colombia, anti-tobacco and alcohol literature, and a paper about baptism for the dead.
These are all rough drafts of various papers Joseph J. Cannon wrote.
This genealogy distantly traces Joseph J. Cannon and Romana Wilcox
Cannon to famous people such as Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Dewey and
famous members of the LDS Church.
These are mostly notes and drafts of miscellaneous and untitled works.
This box is about Simon Bolivar, the man who helped free Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia from Spain from 1810-1824. Before Joseph J. Cannon died, he began writing a book about Bolivar. As a result, many of the folders in this box contain drafts of chapters for his book, as well as radio and play scripts that Cannon wrote about Bolivar. Folder 5 even contains some correspondence with the Screen Writers Guild about making a movie of Bolivar. The is also research on Bolivar, the history of Latin America peoples and places, and other related topics that Joseph and Ramona collected to supplement their book.
These folders contain drafts and final publications of the play,
This folder contains a published version as well as drafts of the play.
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.
Jane Cannon Steward (1908-1988) was the second oldest child of Joseph J. Cannon. This box is mostly correspondence between Jane, her father, and her stepmother, Ramona Wilcox Cannon. As seen in the early correspondence of Wayne Cannon, the correspondence from approximately 1915-1917 are from Joseph J. Cannon while he is in Colombia and traveling around the world on business. These letters tell Jane to be a good little girl, help her mother, practice her violin and "be a gentle lady and not like a rough neck." During the Depression, Jane quits college to work as her father's secretary for the Cannon Supply Company. There are a few letters detailing this experience; one in particular mentions Joseph J. Cannon having his salary cut by about 20% with no hope or sign that the future will be better. When the canning business failed, Jane attends school in San Francisco and in 1933, she meets and marries anthropologist Julian Steward. In 1935, Julian receives a job working for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC where he directed the Institute for Social Anthropology. The new family moved to Langley, Virginia. During this time, Julian wrote the highly influential seven volume
While living in Langley, Virginia, Jane had two children. Garriott Cannon was born in 1936 and Michael Cannon was born in 1939. She also developed and opened a cooperative nursery school, the second in the nation. In 1938, Jane, Julian and Garriott went to Ecuador on a field excursion. In 1946, the family moved to New York City because Julian became a professor at Colombia University. In 1952, Julian accepted a graduate Research Professorship at the University of Illinois, was awarded the prestigious Viking Medal from the American Anthropological Association, and was elected to the National Academy of the Sciences. In 1956, Jane and Julian spent a year in Kyoto, Japan where Julian directed the American Studies Seminar. After their stay in Japan, they traveled around the world. In the late 1960s, Julian's physical health began to deteriorate and Jane transcribed, edited and published Julian's final books,
Grant Groesbeck Cannon was the third child of Joseph J. Cannon and Florence Groesbeck Cannon. He was born in 1911 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The early correspondence in this folder is between Grant and his father during his father's extensive business trips. These letters offer Grant advice about school and his relationships with his family. In one letter, Joseph J. Cannon even tells Grant that if he can play five songs on the piano by the time he comes home, Grant will get ten dollars. Grant attended the University of Utah and studied anthropology. In 1934, Grant worked as an archaeologist in Zions National Park. After working in Zions, Grant moves to Berkley, California in search of work. Numerous letters from this period mention the Depression and its effects on finding a job. From 1937-1942, Grant worked as a field examiner for the National Labor Relations Board in St, Louis, Missouri. During this time, Grant was sent a letter from J. Edgar Hoover that questions his anthropological work, suggesting that he has "radical tendencies leading towards Communism". Grant writes home that government spies were spying on the National Labor Relations Board. In this same letter, Grant writes that he is sending his father boxes of mail and other documents to protect him further interrogations. From 1941-1942, there are several letters discussing the high probability that Grant will be drafted. Grant joins the army and from 1942-1946, he was apart of the US Air Force Intelligence Division. After the war, Grant writes and edits for
In 1942, Grant married Pulitzer Prize winning author, Josephine Johnson. Folders four and five have several documents about Josephine's 1935 Pulitzer Prize winning book,
Born in 1914, Elizabeth Cannon Ralphs was Ramona Wilcox Cannon's first daughter and was often called Libby. In 1934, Elizabeth married Frank Haymond but divorced him in 1935. Elizabeth remarried in 1938 to Thomas Ralphs; they had four children (Judy, Timothy, Roger, and Lindsay) and lived in Salt Lake most of their lives. Elizabeth was apart of the Junior League and often wrote radio children's plays for KSL radio in Salt Lake City. Elizabeth also helped her mother write the Mary Marker column. In 1960, the Ralphs family spent a year traveling in Europe and there are many letters to Ramona Wilcox Cannon describing their adventures. Elizabeth died in 1970.
These notebooks contain Elizabeth Cannon Ralph's notes for history and language classes at the University of Utah.
This box contains documents pertaining to both Adrian and Bryant Cannon, the middle sons of Ramona and Joseph Cannon. Adrian was born in 1917. From 1935-1937, Adrian lived in England, serving a LDS mission. In 1948, Adrian married Pauline Black and they had seven children, Joseph, Christopher, David, Elizabeth, Kimball, Grant, and Gloria. The Adrian Wilcox Cannon family moved to Southern California in 1962 and opened up a LDS bookstore near the LDS temple in Los Angeles. During the 1960s, the Cannon family began doing extremely long-distanced bike rides and hikes that received local and national media attention. For instance, in 1963, Adrian and six of his children hiked 52 miles in 17 hours. Then in 1964, Adrian and three of his sons rode their bikes from Los Angeles to New York City to see the World's Fair.
Around 1945, Adrian began writing the biography of George Q. Cannon. Throughout the process, however, Adrian faced monetary difficulties and ran into problems with the first presidency of the LDS church. As a result, the project was never fully completed. There are many letters between Adrian, members of the extended Cannon family, and members of the LDS first presidency concerning the logistics of the biography. Adrian died in 1991.
The final folder has excerpts from Joseph J. Cannon's diary about Bryant Wilcox Cannon (1922-1996), the second youngest of the Cannon children. There is also some correspondence. These documents discuss Bryant's relationship to his family, mention that he volunteered for the Navy in 1943, graduated from North Western as a midshipman in 1945, married a woman named Lois, worked for IBM, and lived in Laguna Beach, California.
Mark W. Cannon was the youngest child of Joseph J. Cannon and Ramona Wilcox Cannon. Mark spent two years at a junior college in California from 1944-1946. He then transferred to the University of Utah and became student body president in 1948. Marked served an LDS mission in Argentina from 1949-1951; this box has numerous letters from his mission. From 1952-1955, Mark attended Harvard University and obtained a Master's of Public Administration and a PhD in Political Economy and Government. Mark's PhD thesis was titled, "The Mormon Issue in Congress, 1872-1882: Drawing on the Experience of Territorial Delegate, George Q. Cannon." After completing school, Mark was an administrative assistant to Congressman Henry Aldous Dixon from 1956-1960. From 1961-1963, Mark was the legislative assistant to Senator Wallace F. Bennet. He married Ruth Dixon in 1962 and they had three children, Lucile, Mark, and Kristen. During this time, Mark was also the chairman of Brigham Young University's Political Science Department. In 1964, Mark and his entire family moved Caracas, Venezuela where he was the director of the Venezuelan Urban Development Project. After returning from Venezuela, Mark became the director of the Institute of Public Administration in New York City. In 1972, Mark became the first administrative assistant ever to be appointed to serve with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was the first non-lawyer to be admitted to the American Bar Association.
This series contains correspondence and family history and family documents. Most of the material in this series is correspondence and personal documents from Ramona Wilcox Cannon's side of the family.
Each folder in this box contains a personal materials pertaining to the person the folder is titled after. The folders usually consist of newspaper and magazine articles, correspondence, business records, resumes, and other such documents. Although these folders box could be placed elsewhere in this collection, they were originally placed together for family history purposes and are thus remaining together in this collection.
This folder contains newspaper and magazine articles, a family tree, photos of the George Q. Cannon family, and portions of a thesis about George Q. Cannon by Mark Cannon.
Included in this folder are documents about Claire Noall.
Also in this folder are documents about Josephine Johnson Cannon.
This folder contains letters and newspaper clippings from 1883-1889 regarding Edward Stevenson, Ramona's maternal grandfather. Stevenson was one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies in the LDS Church. There are several articles on beekeepers and a copy of
This is a diary and observations on the Green River and the Grand Canyon.
This folder consists of letters and newspaper clippings about the German Mission and the death of LDS Church President, A.O. Smoot. This folder contains a letter from Lizzie Stevenson Wilcox (Mona's mother) and a copy of
This folder contains things such as a missionary certificate, Edward Stevenson's entry in the
This folder contains correspondence and newspaper clippings about the LDS Church and Edward Stevenson, the Stevenson family, and copies of the newsletter,
This folder contains undated notes and newspaper clippings as well as notes written by Ramona about her grandfather.
This folder contains copies of the contents of Edward Stevenson's undated scrapbook. Many of the clippings pertain to the LDS Church.
These folders contains correspondence from Elizabeth Du Fresne Stevenson, Ramona's maternal grandmother and the wife of Edward Stevenson. Among the materials are Elizabeth Du Fresne Stevenson's death notice, a circular for the 14th School District, a poem for Elizabeth on her 60th birthday, a blessing, and a tribute for Elizabeth. Folder nine contains an 1888 edition of Robert Burns'
This folder contains miscellaneous and undated biographical information on Elizabeth Du Fresne Stevenson. Her entry in the
These albums belonged to Elizabeth Du Fresne Stevenson.
The correspondence and other items in these folders belonged to Charles F. Wilcox, Mona's father. Folder 14 has newspaper clippings, pages from a diary, and a registration card from the Department of Medicine at the University of the City of New York. Folder 15 has a concert invitation for Emma Lucy Gates, a letter from his wife, Elizabeth Stevenson Wilcox, and a Surgeon's Club membership card. Folder 10 has correspondence about Wilcox family genealogy and letters from Ramona while abroad in Berlin, Paris, and London.
These folders have correspondence to Charles F. Wilcox. Folder one also has Wilcox family history, and a copy of the LDS
This folder contains undated correspondence, Wilcox family history, and Charles F. Wilcox's mother's obituary.
This folder contains correspondence to and from Ramona's mother, Elizabeth Stevenson Wilcox.
This folder has items that belonged to Elizabeth Stevenson Wilcox. There is an autobiographical essay, a program for the Sixth Triennial Meeting of the National Council of Women, and postcards from Ramona and Fred.
These folders are primarily family correspondence. Folder 12 has letters from Steve while he was on tour in Europe with J.J. McClellan. There is also an alumni issue of the
This folder has a booklet, "Memorial to Elizabeth Claridge McCune." The booklet contains photos and a McCune family history.
Folder one contains letters from Ramona to her mother. Folders two through six have correspondence from the Cannon family while they were in Great Britain on their mission. In addition to correspondence, folder seven also has newspaper clippings.
This folder contains various correspondences pertaining to Elizabeth Stevenson Wilcox. There are copies of her obituary, sympathy notes, and an article from
Wilcox. Included are letters from Mona and Elizabeth Cannon and an essay about the early days of the University of Utah. There are also biographical notes, an essay on women writers, pages from the LDS
This folder contains material pertaining to Mona's brother, Edward "Steve" Stevenson Wilcox. There are copies of Steve's and Walter E. Wilcox's (paternal grandfather) obituaries, a program from Steve's farewell testimony, his mission call, his mission release, and his passport.
This folder consists of material pertaining to Mona's brother Ramon "Ray" or "Rae" Stevenson Wilcox, including his missionary farewell program, a letter to Mona, his wedding announcement (married Genevieve Hart), a verbatim report of funeral services, and copies of Ramon's obituary.
These folder contains correspondence to Ramona's sister, Claire Augusta Wilcox Noall. Folder one has a letter from Ramona about her daughter Elizabeth's divorce and sympathy letters regarding the death of Elizabeth Stevenson Wilcox. Folder two contains more correspondence and an article she wrote for
This folder contains items such as an article Claire wrote on a Serbian-Austrian Christmas, a novel excerpt , newspaper clippings, and cards.
These folders contain correspondence to Mona's brother, C. Fred Wilcox, Jr. Included are party invitations, a program for his "Farewell Testimony," Ramona's notes on Fred, and letters from Fred while sailing to Europe for his mission. There is also a lot of family correspondence detailing the lives of the Wilcox, Noall, and Cannon families.
These folder contains newspaper clippings, calling cards, and letters.
Mary Stevenson Wilcox is Ramona's sister. These folders have correspondence between her family, friends, and school. Folder 17 contains letters from Ramona she was in the Alps with her son Bryant and while she was at her son Mark's Harvard graduation.
These folders contain correspondence between family and friends. Folder two contains correspondence about Mary's estate, her obituary, and a her death certificate.
The Richards family was Ramona's great grandmother's family. This folder contains the funeral book for Joseph Tanner Richards.
This folder contains Richards Family correspondence, including family reunion programs, Irene Richards's obituary, and a family newsletter
This folder contains a family history for the Stevenson and Richards's families. Folder 12 has Ramona's notes, obituaries for Paul S. Richards, Willard B. Richards, Stephen L. Richards, and Emma Louise Stayner Richards. There is also an article on Henry Richards, President of Granite Furniture, and a letter from Ramona to Carr Printing about Samuel Richards's biography. Folder 13 has a typed excerpt from Samuel Richards's biography. Folder 14 has an essay about the beginning of the Relief Society as well as an essay entitled "A Brief History of Rhoda, Phineas, Levi and Willard Richards."
This is an essay by Ramona Wilcox Cannon. Folder 15 contains the actual essay while folders 16 and 17 have notes and drafts of the essay.