Canon Methodist

Franklin County
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Org 1905
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Photography by Randy Clegg

The history of Canon Methodist resides not so much in the history of the church but the history of the location.  There are three unique churches in the small village of Canon, located on the western edge of Franklin County. In addition to Canon Methodist, the village contains Canon Baptist and Canon Universalist.  The Canon Methodist church was organized in 1905 and completed in 1907.  Canon Baptist was organized in 1895 and Canon Universalist was organized in 1885.  You can get a quick glimpse of the Baptist and Universalist churches in the gallery photos below.  All were placed on the National Register in 1985.

Canon, located on the western edge of Franklin County is a picturesque little farm village located three miles from Bowersville, in Hart County. It was called West Bowersville when laid out in 1875 but, when the town was incorporated in 1902, the name was changed to Canon to avoid confusion with Bowersville.  Franklin County, created in 1784,  was the first county established in Georgia after the Revolutionary War.  It was inhabited by the Lower Cherokee Indians until they ceded the land in the treaty of 1783.  This part of Georgia was settled by the descendants of Job Bowers, who was born in Virginia in 1755 and settled in Georgia around the time of the Revolution.  He served in the war and while home on furlough in 1779, he was dragged from his home by a group of Loyalists and murdered.  His wife, Charity, was subsequently given substantial land in gratitude for Job’s service. The Bowers family roots run deep in this part of Georgia.and many of Job’s descendants are still here and very active in the community.

It is very unusual to have three historic churches in one small (population is just over 800) rural village.  The other two, Canon Baptist and Canon Universalist, are visible in the gallery photos below.  We are grateful that these treasures have been saved and two of them, the Universalist and the Methodist, have active congregations today.  The Baptist church is also still active but the congregation worships in a newer and larger facility. 

Be sure to click and scroll the photos below for more history and information.