Biographical Sketch of George R. Cannefax, Pulaski County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
 Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, Published 1889, Goodspeed
 Publishing Company.

Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com)

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George R. Cannefax.  Among the important industries of Pulaski County,
MO., worthy of special mention is the flouring mill operated by Mr.
Cannefax.  He is a native of the county, born June 24, 1837, and up to
the age of thirteen years resided on his father's farm in Missouri. He
was then seized with the "gold fever", and determined to seek his for-
tune in the mines of California.  He took the overland route, driving
a team of horses, and reached Placerville, Cal., just six months after 
starting from Independence, MO.  From Placerville he went to Cold 
Springs, where he began work prospecting, and discovered a rich placer
claim, which he afterward sold.  He next went to Volcano, Cal., where
he discovered another rich claim, from which he took from fourteen to
twenty-seven ounces of ore per day.  He worked this claim eight months
and was then taken sick, and was unable to do any work for about four
months.  Up to the age of twenty-eight years he resided in the follow-
ing cities in the West:  Placerville, CA. in 1859; Virginia City, Nev.
in 1860; Austin, Nev., in 1863; Virginia City, in 1864, where he played
in McGuire's Opera House; San Francisco, in 1865, from which place he
started home on August 3 of the same year, reaching Springfield, MO.,
on September 3.  He met with many stirring adventures during his career
in the West, and was quite successful in his mining ventures.  After 
his return home he kept a saloon in Mount Vernon, MO., for eighteen
months, and then engaged in the milling business, which he has since
followed.  On March 20, 1866, he was married to Miss Josephine Haley,
who was born in McMinnville, Tenn., in 1850, and by her became the 
father of eight children:  Mattie, wife of B.F. Hunter; Hattie,
Caroline, Naomi, Ruthie, Loren, Clyde and Walter.  He came from 
Lawrence County, MO., to Dixon in 1877, and has had charge of the 
Dixon Flouring Mills since November 22 of that year.  He has a com-
fortable and pleasant home, and owns Lots Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9, in 
Block 24, of Dixon.  He is a Democrat, a Mason and a member of the 
A.O.U.W.  His wife's parents, George and Abigail (Ray) Haley, were
natives of Tennessee, and were farmers by occupation.  In 1861 the
father enlisted in the United States army, and was forage master 
during most of the war.  Four of their five children are living:
Josephine, Mrs. Cannefax; Azaline, Mrs. Freeman; Ruth, Mrs. Rollins;
and Bettie, Mrs. Cherry.  The parents of Mr. Cannefax, Joseph and
Sarah (Callahan) Cannefax, were born in Kentucky and Virginia, in
1798 and 1802, respectively.  They moved from Kentucky to Springfield,
MO., in 1840, and there the father spent the remainder of his days,
dying in 1846.  He was a millwright and miller by trade, and a 
thorough mechanic of wood and iron.  Only three of his twelve children
are living:  George R., Robert and I. Binda (Mrs. Crow).  Mr. Cannefax
had three brothers in the Mexican War:  John, William and Chesley. The
first and last mentioned died while in the service.  The grandparents,
Radford and Louisa Cannefax, were among the earliest settlers and
farmers of Greene County, MO.  Radford Cannefax was born in Kentucky.
The maternal grandmother, Margaret Callahan, was born in Tennessee,
and died about 1849.

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