 Robert
Spear Smith Cannell and Margaret Gertrude Cannell were Married
in the parish church at Lezayre, Isle of Man, February 4,
1904.
Although their surnames were the same, they were not related
through the Cannells, but through the Kellys. Robert's paternal
grandmother, Catherine Kelly, and Gertrude's maternal grandmother,
Margaret Kelly, were sisters, daughters of Robert Kelly and
Jane Craine Kelly of Ballavichell.
Gertrude's grandmother, Margaret Kelly, born in 1807 maried
John Quirk, Gleneedle. The youngest of their six daughters,
Susannah, married Thomas Cannell, Balladoole. Susannah and
Thomas had two daughters, Emily Ann, born in 1870, and Margaret
Gertrude, Born in 1879.
Robert S.S.'s grandmother, Catherine Kelly, born in Marown
in 1815 to Robert Kelly and Jane Craine Kelly, married Robert
Cannell of Douglas (born in Ramsey in 1813). The oldest of
their nine children, Robert Kelly Cannell, married Ann Jane
Smith of the Lake District, England. A daughter, Catherine
Isabel was born to them in 1872, and a son, Robert Spear Smith
was born in 1875. Robert Kelly Cannell died in 1876, and after
his widow, Ann Jane, married John Horseley in 1878, the children
went to live with their grandparents, Catherine and Robert
Cannell.
 Grandfather
Robert was a hatter and his son, Robert Kelly, had followed
him in the trade until his death. Young Robert Spear Smith
did not fancy being a hatter and after finishing school, he
went to the northern part of the island and worked on the
farm of Thomas Cannell, Balladoole, son-in-law of his great-aunt
Margaret and father of Margaret Gertrude Cannell.
In 1872, Thomas Arthur Cannell, another son of Catherine and
Robert, had gone to the United States and settled on a cattle
ranch in California. In 1900, at the age of 25, young Robert
Spear Smith Cannell joined his uncle and eventually had his
own cattle ranch near Bishop,
California. In 1904 he returned to the Isle of Man and
married Gertrude Margaret.
The newlyweds sailed for the U.S. three days after the wedding.
On March 24, 1905, a son, Robert Kelly, was born in Bishop.
Two years later, on March 27, during a visit to the Isle of
Man with baby Robert, Gertrude gave birth to Isabel Margaret
in Douglas. This was Gertrude's last visit to the island.
Daughter Gertrude Jane was born in Bishop on October 19, 1908,
and Katherine Emily April 15, 1910. Dorothy was born in 1911
but died in infancy of whooping cough. Son Thomas was born
August 3, 1913.
 Mother
Gertrude suffered from pernicious anemia and when Thomas was
a baby, father Robert sold his ranch and moved the family
to Inglewood, California, and then to Simi
Valley, hoping the climate change would benefit her health.
The youngest child, Susan, was born in Simi June 16, 1917.
Mother Gertrude died in 1928.
Earlier, John James Cannell had followed his previously mentioned
brother, Thomas Arthur, to California, exchanging a banking
career in Douglas for sheep-herding, on advice from his doctor. "Uncle Jack" became a member of Robert and Gertrude's family,
moving with them to Simi and remaining with them until his
death in 1942 at the age of 92. Although Robert never returned
to the Isle of Man after his wedding trip and Gertrude returned
only once, Uncle Jack made many trips "home".
 Robert
Kelly Cannell, older son, married Elaine Willard in Simi in
April, 1930. They went to the Isle
of Man on their honeymoon. Robert's sisters Margaret,
Jane, and Katherine accompanied them.
On the ship to Douglas, Jane met a young engineer from Liverpool,
Eric Taplin. In 1934, Jane and brother Thomas made another
trip to the Isle of Man and Jane and Eric became engaged.
In 1934 Robert moved his family again, this time to Oregon.
Son Robert and wife Elaine remained in Simi.
After a short time on a farm at Gales Creek, Robert S.S.,
daughters Margaret, Jane, Katherine and Susan, and son Thomas
settled in a large house on five acres just outside Forest
Grove, Oregon. All these children had their weddings in this
house. Jane married Eric Taplin August 29, 1935, and they
returned to England to live. Katherine married Creston Marshall
August 12, 1936, and they moved into a new house built on
her father's property. Thomas and Phoebe Coulter were married
August 12, 1937, and lived in Forest Grove. Margaret married
Ray Woolley September 1, 1938, and went with him to Rose Lodge,
Oregon. On August 28, 1940, Susan married Robert Ford and
moved to his farm, Spring Glade Acres, west of Gaston.
 Robert
Spear Smith Cannell built a small house next to the big one
and lived there until his death in 1951.
Gertrude's sister, Emily Ann Cannell, married Daniel Christian
of Ballakeigh, Bride in 1905. They had three children: Arthur
Cannell Christian, who died in 1992 in Port St. Mary; Emily
Margaret Christian, a musician who died in Douglas in 1980;
and William, who died in Ramsey in 2000 at the age of 90+.
Arthur married Mona and their children were Ewan and Julian.
Ewan and wife Joyce live in Port Erin. Julian's widow Helen
lives in Onchan.
William married Gladys and had four children: William Jr married
Brenda and lives on the family farm., Geoffrey married Elaine
and lives in Douglas. David married Bruna and lives in US & Canada. Susan married John and lives in England.
Emily did not marry.
(See more about the relatives currently living in the Isle
of Man under Manx Connection/ Relatives.)
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