Henry W. Canady was born on 1 October 1837 in Bryan County, Georgia. He was the third child and second son of Thomas Canady (1802-1884) and Sarah Jane Delegal Canady (1810-1906). He was born with an infirmity in one of his legs, which left him with a limp. According to Annette Scott, Henry's granddaughter in law, this was "white swelling". This condition kept him from fighting in the War Between The States in the 1860s, as his brothers have. This could have been fate playing favor on Henry, as brother John and brother-in-law Andrew Love have sadly perished in the War, and brother William was captured and held prisoner at Camp Chase, Ohio, to be released at war's end.
Despite his infirmities, Henry W. Canady helped his siblings and parents around the farm, and eventually had a family of his own. He married first to Jincy Hart in 1870. There are no known children of this union. It is unknown if she died or if they were separated. By 1881 he married Frances Rhoda Sheffield.
Frances, or "Fannie" as she was affectionately called, was born on 3 February 1861 in Bryan County, Georgia. She was a daughter of William Sheffield (1839-1862) and Virginia Iler (1840-1861). Sadly, she never knew her parents. Fannie's father enlisted in the Confederate Army, and was killed in the Battle of Secessionville, James Island, South Carolina. Virginia never lived to hear the news, however, for she died giving birth to Fannie. The young girl was then raised by her aunt Amy Iler, sister of Virginia Iler Sheffield.
Henry and Fannie Sheffield Canady had five known children---
1. William Ervine Canady
30 June 1883 Bryan County, GA
19 March 1966 Bryan County, Georgia
married Mary Ann Purvis
27 November 1890 Bryan County, GA
22 June 1965 Bryan County, GA
2. Virginia Camilla Canady
4 October 1885 Bryan County, GA
9 June 1966 Statesboro, Georgia
married Thomas Jackson Scott
27 January 1874 Bulloch County, GA
1 August 1966 Pembroke, GA
3. Daisy Canady
11 November 1887 Bryan County, GA
12 October 1918 Bryan County, GA
married Mr. Sims
4. Ester Canady
16 March 1892 Bryan County, GA
3 April 1977 Bryan County, GA
married Benjamin B. Roberts
15 February 1877
10 July 1962
5. George M. Canady
abt 1894 Bryan County, GA
Henry Canady died on 16 May 1897, after only sixteen years of marriage. He was
buried in the Old Hopeful Cemetery on Hwy 119 in north Bryan County. Fannie
raised her children in the Ellabelle area of Bryan County, and eventually went
blind in her advanced years due to cataracts. In her 80s she fell off her stairs
and broke her hip, but miraculously recovered, even walking again in a short
period of time. She was a feisty lady, very sharp witted, yet very affectionate
to her family.
She survived Henry by 56 years, dying on 13 February 1953 in Ellabelle, Georgia. Against her wishes to be buried beside Henry, she was interred in the Lower Black Creek Church Cemetery. Her children William, Ester, and Daisy are buried there, as well as grandson Thomas J. Scott, Jr.
All of Henry and Fannie's children had families of their own, and by no means is this list complete. If anyone has more information about the families descending from Henry W. Canady, please e-mail me at aeturnallrain@att.net.
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If you wish, I could send more. This is one branch of the family I'm
particularly close to, because of the warmth of the kindred and the
call of the lands which they walked.
Thanks for your attention.
William Scott, Jr.