Bertha M. Cannon

Black female, born 9 Jan 1937 in Pensacola, FL. She was nine months old when she died in Pensacola, FL at 5:20 a.m. on 28 October 1937. She died at 110 W. Intendencia St. in Pensacola of congenital syphilis. Her parents were Thomas Cannon and Helena Starks. While the father’s place of birth was filled with D.K. (Don’t Know), Helena, who was also the informant on the death certificate, was born in Pensacola. The physician, W.E. Anderson, treated the infant for four days. Bertha was buried by Goldstucker Bros. on 29 October in the Escambia County Poor Farm Cemetery.

Helena Eleanor Starks appeared in the 1910 Federal Census for Pensacola, living at 1304 West Government Street in the household of James Starks. He was 41 years old [likely incorrect; see below] and widowed, and was Helena’s grandfather. James was identified as Black; he was born in Florida of two parents born in Florida, and he worked as a drayman. He owned his home, and the census appears to say he had his “own team” of horses, a significant investment. Also in the homse were four granddaughters (three of whom would be enumerated as his daughters in the 1920 census): Jessie, 10; Lena (Helena), 7; Ruth, 6; and Orda M. (enumerated as Ida M. in 1920), 3. All four were identified as Mulatto. They were also born in Florida of two parents born in Florida. Jessie was the only school-aged child who could not read (and, in fact, where it asked if a child attended school, it says “no.”)

The 1900 Federal Census of James Starks’ household on Government St. reveals that James was married to a woman named Mary, 36 years old, born in Alabama of two parents born in Alabama. James was enumerated as being 40 years old, which means his age in the 1910 census was likely incorrect. James and Mary had been married for 15 years; Mary had given birth to two children, none of whom were still living. Also in the household was a younger woman also named Mary, 19 years old and single; she was identified as James’ daughter. Given her age and the elder Mary’s claim of having no living children, I believe the younger Mary to be James’ daughter and Mary’s stepdaughter. The only other child in the house was Jessie, James’ granddaughter, three months old. James worked as a drayman and owned his home; both Marys worked as washwomen.

The younger Mary died in 1909 of tuberculosis. Her city death record says she was buried in Magnolia Cemetery; however the funeral records of St. Joseph’s church say she was buried in St. Michael’s.

Some time between the years of 1900 and 1910, the elder Mary also died, as James begins identifying as a widow by the 1910 census; however, I have not located a death record for his wife.

By the time of the 1920 Federal Census for Pensacola, the Starks family was living at 706 W. Zaragossa St.  James owned his home outright; he was identified as Black, 60 years old, and widowed. He was literate, and was born in Florida of two parents born in Florida and he worked as a Driver for an express company.  Helena (spelled “Selene”) was a 17-year-old single Black woman. She and her sister, Ruth (15) and Ida M. (13) were literate, and none worked outside the home. All were born in Florida of two parents born in Florida. In this census, James is identified as the girls’ father.

The 1921 Pensacola City Directory shows James Starks living at 706 W. Zarragossa St., and working as a drayman. Also in the household was Ruth Starks, a domestic, but Helena is not listed.

The St. Joseph’s funeral records indicate an Ida Starks died on 24 February 1924 at the age of 17. There is no cause of death nor place of burial. I cannot find a Florida death certificate for her. I wonder if there was confusion with Ida May Stokes, whose death certificate indicates she died on 25 February 1924 of hydrocephalus. I cannot say with any confidence that Ida May Stokes is Ida M. Starks; the address where she died (519 W. Government St.) is not associated with her family in any other record, and the informant is given only as “Miss Stokes.” The birthdate of Ida May Stokes, however, is October 16, 1906 – not far off the census record that says she was born in November 1906. Ida May Stokes’ mother was Mary Stokes, her father Joe Hawkins. Joe Hawkins, as far as I can find, was married to Ida Hawkins; their daughter was Ida Hawkins. It is not out of the question that this is Ida May Starks and that she was the child of an affair. Ida May Stokes was buried in the Escambia County Poor Farm, which might explain the question mark under her burial place in the St. Joseph’s records.

James Starks died July 21, 1925 at the age of 64. He died at 320 E. Chase Street (a home owned by Maria Townsend, who does not appear to be a relation). His daughter, Jessie Starks Davis, of Brent, Florida, was the informant. She gave his date of birth as December 15, 1860, in Enterprise, Florida, a small unincorporated area in Volusia County. She gave his occupation as “wood peddler,” which is anomalous; most records give his occupation as either a driver or a drayman. He died of heart failure, and his death certificate originally said he was buried at the Escambia County Poor Farm, but it was changed to read St. Joseph’s. His burial there appears in the St. Joseph’s records.

Just to make life more interesting, there was another James and Mary Starks living in Pensacola at about the same time. This James was a longshoreman, and his wife, Mary, lived long past the time that the other Mary would have passed away. But they do turn up in record searches for Helena’s family, creating confusion if one does not carefully examine the records.

Jessie Starks Davis died in 1927. Her husband was listed as Lonzie Davis. The informant on the death certificate was her sister, Ruth Starks, who gave Jessie’s parents as James and Mary Starks. One wonders if the Starks girls lost their mother so young that they don’t remember that James and Mary were their grandparents. Ruth also gave James’ birthplace as Enterprise, Alabama, not Florida.

Helena Starks appeared in the 1930 Federal Census for Pensacola, living at 108 W. Intendencia St. with her sister, Ruth. They rented the home, and appearently shared it with another household. Both Starks women were identified as Negro and single; Ruth was 24 and Helena (spelled “Halenna”) was 26. Both were literate and were born in Florida of two parents born in Florida. Ruth was a cook for a private family and Helena was a dishwasher at a restaurant/cafe.

Nearby – presumably in the same building – at 108 1/2 W. Intendencia, lived Thomas Cannon and his wife, Rosa. Both were identified as Negro; Thomas was 40; Rosa 33. They had been married about 6 years, according to the ages they gave for their marriage. Thomas was literate; Rose was not. Thomas was born in Georgia of two parents born in Alabama and worked as a laborer. Rosa was born in Georgia of two parents born in Georgia and did not work outside the home.

Helena Starks appeared in the 1935 Florida State Census, renting at 110 1/2 W. Intendencia St., She was single, identified in the census as “negro,” 27 years old, born in Florida. She had completed the 6th grade and was listed as being unable to work. Also at 110 1/2 were Thomas Curtis, 11, and Henry Curtis, 14, identified as orphans who were in school. (“Orphan” at the time could have meant that their mother was still living.) There is no one else in the household, which raises a raft of questions I have found no answers for, as yet.

In the 1940 census, Helena was still living at 110 1/2 W. Intendencia, but she shared the household with her sister, Ruth, and Ruth’s husband, James Travis. Also in the household were Henry Cannon, 18; Joseph Cannon, 4; and Curtis Cannon, 16. All were identified as James Travis’ nephews. I suspect Henry and Curtis Cannon were the Thomas and Henry Curtis of the 1935 Florida census. Joseph appears to have been little Bertha’s older brother.

Helena married Alfonso Myles in 1944. In the 1945 Florida census; however, she was living with Ruth Stark and Joseph Cannon at 110 1/2 W. Intendencia St. Ruth was 35 and a housewife who had completed 3rd grade. Helena was 37, also a housewife, who had completed the 6th grade. Joseph was 9 and a student who had completed 2nd grade. Alfonso was living at 228 W. Intendencia St. with two women, at least one of whom was his sister, Lillian.

In the 1950 census they were living at 2810 N. Alcaniz St. Alfonso was 37, identified as Negro in the census, and was born in Florida. The census indicates he was unable to work. Helena was 41 and was keeping house. Joseph Cannon was 14 and his occupation – if any outside of school – was not indicated.

The last time I find Helena Myles in the records was the 1958 Pensacola City Directory. She and Alfonso were living at 303 1/2 E. Cross St. Alfonso died in 1981, and Helena was not listed in his obituary as his widow, nor was there a mention of her predeceasing him. A Johnny Cannon was listed as his stepson.

The earliest I find evidence of Thomas Cannon in Pensacola is in the 1916 Pensacola City Directory living at 234 W. Zarragossa. While his name bears the asterisk that indicates he was a man of color, there is no occupation listed.

Other than the 1930 census, I cannot positively identify him. I find several Thomas Cannons in Georgia prior to 1930, but without knowing more about his family I cannot say for certain which one -if any of them – was Bertha’s father.

A Thomas Cannon appears in the Florida Death Index in 1944. Again, without further information, I cannot positively identify him as Bertha’s father.

Ruth Starks Travis died in 1959 and was buried in Mt. Zion cemetery.

Helena’s son, Joseph Thomas Cannon, Sr., died in 1996.

I continue to search for the Curtis brothers and to discover how the rest of Helena’s life turned out.

FAMILY:

Mother: Helena Starks

Father: Joseph Thomas Cannon

Grandmother: Mary Starks

Great-grandparents: James and Mary Starks

Sibling: Joseph Thomas Cannon, Sr.

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SOURCES:

Death Certificate of Bertha M. Cannon (No. 17141). Florida Certificate of Death, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Household of James Staulks. Year: 1900; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Roll: 169; Page: 29; Enumeration District: 0027. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

Death record of Mary Starks. Pensacola births and deaths, 1891-1910, Escambia County (Florida) Health Department. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1973.

Household of James Starks. Year: 1910; Census Place: Pensacola Ward 1, Escambia, Florida; Roll: T624_160; Page: 19a; Enumeration District: 0023; FHL microfilm: 1374173. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Household of James Stark. Year: 1920; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Roll: T625_219; Page: 22A; Enumeration District: 32. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Pensacola, Florida Burial Records, Book 1, December 16, 1892 – May 15, 1904; Book II, July 13, 1904-July 27, 1951.  Copied by Martin DePorres Lewis, transcribed by Rita Humphreys Saunders, July 1981. [University of West Florida University Archives and West Florida History Center.]

Death Certificate of Ida May Stokes (No. 2019). Florida Certificate of Death, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Death certificate of Jim Starks (No. 9446). Florida Certificate of Death, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Death certificate of Jessie Davis (No. 14056). Florida Certificate of Death, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Household of Ruth Starles. Year: 1930; Census Place: Pensacola, Escombia, Florida; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0018; FHL microfilm: 2340050. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

Household of James Travis. Year: 1940; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Roll: m-t0627-00586; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 17-44. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

Marriage record of Helena Eleanor Starks. Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., Marriage Indexes, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Florida Department of Health. Florida Marriage Index, 1927-2001. Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville, Florida.

Helena Myles. Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., State Census, 1867-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: Eleventh census of the state of Florida, 1945; (Microfilm series S 1371, 43 reels); Record Group 001021; State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.

Household of Alfonso Myles. National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Escambia, Florida; Roll: 3532; Page: 46; Enumeration District: 17-58C. Ancestry.com. 1950 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2022. Original data: Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 1913-1/1/1972. Population Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 – 1950. Washington, DC: National Archives at Washington, DC.

Obituary for Ruth Starks Travis. The Pensacola News Journal, 18 JAN 1959, p. 34.

Obituary for Joseph Thomas Cannon, Sr. The Pensacola News Journal, 8 JAN 1997, p. 20.