The Historic Woodland Ferry continued from pg 1 Isaac and his younger brother, Jacob continued until 1843. A sensational power the boat Jr. inherited the Cannon Ferry. The end came to their shady business along the cables. brothers were shrewd businessmen practices. On April 10, 1843, Jacob, The Delaware and became very wealthy. By 1816, Jr. was at the ferry dock, having Department of they owned almost 5000 acres of land, just returned from appealing to the Transportation operating not only the ferry, but stores, Governor for protection against began overseeing warehouses, and houses. They owned threats from people, whom he claimed the ferry in 1935, slaves and a number of commercial he had aided. He was approached purchasing a new vessels that traveled to Baltimore. by Owen O’Day, who accused Jacob wooden boat. By They became the loan sharks of the of stealing property, supposedly a 1958, the old ferry, day, lending money, extending credit, gum tree branch, containing a hive of known as the Patty Collection R. Zebley of Hagley Museum , F. Courtesy Ferry, Men at honey. In broad daylight, Cannon became unserviceable due to placed on the National Register Owen shot Jacob with his increased traffic and failure to meet of Historic Places, recognizing its musket. As Owen fled, U.S. Coast Guard standards. The state historical and cultural value. It is a part Jacob stumbled home. A seriously considered a bridge instead of the Nanticoke Heritage Byway. The doctor found over 27 pieces of refurbishing or replacing the ferry. Woodland Ferry keeps history alive at of musket shot in Jacob’s The cost of a bridge, plus the uproar this river crossing. Take the short trip chest, but supposedly no of replacing an “old beloved tradition”, on the ferry for an interesting way to life-threatening injury. He led to the purchase an all-steel, diesel explore the river and its scenery. The was given a large dose of engine ferryboat. best things in life ARE free! laudanum (an opiate) and The new boat cost $50,000 and went fell into a deep sleep from into service in 1961. It was named the SOURCES: Photo: Courtesy of Delaware Public Archives which he never awoke. Virginia C. after the wife of the state “Remembering Sussex County’s Most Notorious extracting fines, and confiscating goods Owen O ’Day escaped west. Delaware’s highway commissioner, Dallas Culver. River Crossing”, Dustin & Mariya Oldfather, www. and properties from their debtors. They Governor offered a reward of $500 By the 1990s, this ferry had required theoldfathergroup.com/blog. were often ruthless in collecting debts for his capture as Jacob’s murderer. A so many expensive repairs and the Remembering Sussex County, James Diehl, History by foreclosing on properties, even requisition for his return from Ohio as wharves were so deteriorated that Press, 2009, p.98-99. taking cooking pots or beds! Needless a fugitive was issued on August 7, 1843. service became undependable. Governor’s Register 1674-1851, Vol. 1, p. 407-410. to say, the Cannon brothers were Owen may have never been captured. In 2007, the state began a $3.1 Department of Transportation brochure, despised as exploitive thugs. He was never prosecuted. In a further million upgrade, building a new, “Woodland Ferry: Crossing the Nanticoke River from Legend surrounds Cannon’s Ferry twist to this saga, Isaac Cannon took wider ferryboat. The project included 1740s to Present”. with other nefarious dealings. Cousin, sick one month after Jacob’s death and improvements to the docks. The current “State to Sell 25-Year-Old Patty Cannon Ferry at Jesse Cannon and his wife, Patty ran a died on May 16, 1843 in his bed. Both ferry, the Tina Fallon, named for the Auction”, Wilmington Morning News, March 2, 1960. slave trading business in Sussex County, brothers are buried with their mother in long-time Seaford state representative, "Woodland Ferry is new albatross for DelDot", the church cemetery near was put into service on October 29, Wilmington News Journal, April 19, 2011 the ferry. 2008. The old Virginia C. was auctioned Their sister, Lurana online to a Maryland company for a C. Boling inherited the possible use as a barge. Cannon businesses. The Tina Fallon can accommodate six

After her death in 1844, vehicles. It is manned by USCG licensed High Tide News is published every month, her family continued to captains. During the first few years, the year-round, and delivered by the operate the ferry, using Tina Fallon was out of service more U.S. Post Office to homes in Sussex County, Delaware. a chain cable system to that it was operational. Oil leaks and guide the scow. After a other problems with the two thrusters, Subscriptions available at: www.hightidenews.com/subscribe.html Photo: The Tina Fallon, www.wikimediacommons.com long period of decline, and snapped underwater cables Sussex County took over were time-consuming repairs. Finger Volume 5 Number 9 kidnapping both free blacks and slaves. the operation of the Cannon Ferry in pointing and contractual disputes September 2017 They are reputed to have made use of 1883. By this date, the community had resulted in an expensive, frustrating Publisher: Layman Enterprises the ferry to carry their captives to ships been named “Woodland”. The county ordeal. But, now the ferry crosses the Editor: Judy Layman on the Chesapeake for transport to slave purchases a new wooden ferryboat Nanticoke daily seven days a week with Contributors: dealers in the South. No documented and charged no fee to cross the river. Thursday mornings set aside for routine Sandie Gerken, Vincent Paez evidence exists to prove this claim. This one-car ferry was outfitted with maintenance. Please send correspondence to: Hatred of the Cannon brothers a Model-T Ford engine in the 1930s to In 1973, the Woodland Ferry was High Tide News PO Box 870, Ocean View, DE 19970 Author and Genealogist, Sandie MORE ON THE WOODLAND FERRY Phone: 302-727-0390 Gerken lives in Dagsboro, DE. As a native email: [email protected] • A DAYS GONE BY museum featuring history of the ferry and the area is online: www.hightidenews.com Sussex Countian, local history is one of operated by Jack Knowles on the Woodland Ferry Road. Appts: 302-629-9889 her passions. Retired All content is the property of • A fictionalized account of the Cannons and the ferry can be found in the now, she devotes her High Tide News and cannot be reproduced 1884 novel by George Alfred Townsend, called THE ENTAILED HAT. without prior written consent. time to genealogy research (her greatest • A woman and her baby were drowned in 1938 when their car fell off the back Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this newspaper passion since 1978), of the ferry. Another man drowned in a similar accident in the 1940s. do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and • “James Hemphill’s Journal” an 1802 account of a harrowing journey on the viewpoints of the owners or staff of High Tide News. watercolor painting, The author of each article published in this newspaper grandchildren, soccer Cannon Ferry is described in a 1948 Delaware History publication of the owns their article. No reproduction of articles without the Delaware Historical Society. express consent of the author and High Tide News. for kids with disabilities, books, and Submissions: An article may be submitted for possible things creative and historical. She • William Morgan in his “Diary and Autobiography 1780-1857” Delaware publication in this newspaper by emailing your article to [email protected] or submitting online recently authored the book Memories History Magazine, Fall/Winter 1980 wrote in 1843 on the deaths of Jacob at www.hightidenews.com. Please include your full name, contact information and a short bio. of the Clayton Theatre as a fundraiser and Isaac Cannon. He referred to their “cheating, oppressing and distressing, To Advertise, Submit an article, or to help the Clayton go digital. She is selling and taking……..they ly in the graves unlamented and unmourned”. to Subscribe, simply call: now exploring her writing skills with Morgan lived in the only house at Cannon’s Ferry that was NOT owned by the 302-727-0390 or email: local history articles for High Tide News. Cannon brothers. [email protected] 2