WILLIAM ERVINE CANADY
4/5/1840-5/14/1921

William Ervine Canady was the fourth of seven children born to Thomas and Sarah Jane Delegal Canady. He was born at his parents home at their farm in Bryan County on April 5, 1840. He grew up learning the hard work of planting, growing and harvesting. He and his two older brothers, John and Henry, along with their father, Thomas, would hunt for whatever meat was served for meals. He attended the Poor School in the 19th district of Bryan County (another term for public school), but school lasted only a few months out of the year. Boys in the family were needed at home for outside farm chores, so school was in session only during the "idle" months for crops. That was usually in the winter.

There was no mechanized farm equipment, only mules, and hand tools, so William's life of hard work on the farm produced in him not only physical strength, but determination and stamina as well. There were also the fun times of playing boyish pranks, playing games outside when summer days were long and nights were short. There were stories told at family times that were to be handed down and retold to other generations. When he was old enough, he was allowed to go into Savannah to the market with his father and brothers and sell their produce. This was a 35 mile journey, beginning at sunset, and arriving at morning. Whatever produce was left at home was prepared by his mother and sisters for family meals or stored or canned for the winter.

By the time William had become a young man, the country was in a state of civil unrest which threatened to change the ways of his southern homeland forever. In 1860 Georgia and her sister states in the deep south seceded from the union followed by states in the upper south by April 1861. William's older brother, John, had enlisted in the Confederate States of America in 1861, and William followed suit on August 9 of the same year. William was a private in Captain C.C. Wilson's Company, the Bryan Guards, which subsequently became 1st Company I, and 3rd Company D, 25th Regiment Georgia Infantry, CSA. His unit became part of the Army of Tennessee so he left his home in South Georgia, traveled with his regiment by foot through Atlanta, and on to Tennessee. They marched for days on end, often without adequate food and provisions. On occasion they would have to resort to raiding chicken houses or killing other edible animals along the way just to survive. He fought bravely in the Battle of Chickamaugua on September 19 and 20, 1863. It was in this bloodiest of battles that he was wounded by a bullet shell which left a large cavernous scar in his back. In later years, he would show his scar to his grandchildren and allow them to put their small fists inside it. He and what remained of his wounded and weary regiment forged crossing the tall, rugged mountains to Nashville, Tennessee. Many nights they slept in the snow without so much as a tattered blanket for warmth. Conditions were poor for sanitation, wound healing and recuperation, thus many of the troops died from disease and exposure. Many of those who survived suffered chronic illnesses or injuries from the extremely harsh conditions they endured.

William Canady and his cousin, William Bacon, were finally captured near Nashville, Tennessee, on December 16, 1864. They were taken to the union prison at Camp Chase, Ohio where they continued to endure harsh treatment and malnutrition. They remained there as prisoners of war until June 12, 1865 when as a condition of release they were required to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America. On June 16, 1865 William Canady was admitted to Division 4 USA General Hospital, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, with a sprained right ankle and wrist and contusion of the right eye. When he was released from the hospital on June 22, 1865, he was returned to his regiment without money or provisions to begin the long journey home to Bryan County, Georgia. As he told his children and grandchildren, "I did a lot of walking".

At last the war was over and William was home where he could start his life anew. He soon married Susan E. Bacon, daughter of Albert and Julianna Waller Bacon, also of Bryan County. During their 38 years of marriage they had nine children, four boys and five girls. William continued to farm, but had lost some strength in his back and shoulder from the bullet wound he received at Chickamauga. He also suffered from skin infections during the summer. At home he was a war hero having fought for the Confederacy, having been wounded in battle, then being a prisoner of war. He had many friends and was immensely popular. His popularity helped him when he turned to public service and casted his hat in the political arena. On April 6th, 1869, John Bacon, William Canady, and John D. Clanton took the oath of office of Constable and deputies, respectively, of Bryan County and paid a $500.00 bond for security. Later, William became Sheriff of Bryan County and remained in that office for twenty-six years.

William Canady, or "Uncle Bill" as he was affectionately known by all of the younger generation, was 5 feet, 11 inches tall, slender, fair complexioned with blue eyes and dark hair. He grew a mustache which looked distinguished when his hair and mustache turned gray. He frequently smoked a pipe but occasionally was known to chew a plug of Brown Mule tobacco. He was a dedicated public servant until his wife, Susan, developed a lingering and debilitating illness, diagnosed as cancer of the stomach. He sold their farm and moved to Savannah to be closer to better medical facilities and his children who had married and settled there. Despite the more advanced medical care, Susan died in Savannah in 1903. William remained in Savannah and lived awhile with each of his children. In 1921 while on his job as a night watchman, he tripped and fell sustaining a serious injury. Soon afterwards he suffered a "stroke" which left him paralized on his left side. He died on May 14, 1921 and is buried at Hopeful Cemetery in Pembroke, GA beside his wife, Susan.

The nine children of William E. and Susan E. Bacon Canady are:

Florence Lavonia 7/14/1866-3/22/1933 m. Walter Simeon Cave
Thomas Leonidas 4/17/1868-12/11/1939 m. Jessie Estel Willis
Albert Prince 8/13/1870-11/26/1962 m. Gertrude Roberta Zipperer
Susan Virginia 10/12/1872-10/21/1963 m. Joseph Henry Lynch
Julia Elmira 3/8/1875-2/15/1971 m. Levi Elliott Miller
Paul Iverson 12/3/1877-12/3/1960 m. Callie Lou Chitty
Otelia 7/15/1880-10/21/1973 m. Patrick Joseph Higgins
Joseph Cleveland 7/16/1884-9/23/1926 m. Lavada Virginia Gay
Henrietta (Hettie) 8/23/1886-11/28/1972 m. Adolphus Neal Smith