John Q. Cannon

John Quayle Cannon (April 19, 1857 – January 14, 1931) was an editor-in-chief of the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah and a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He also served as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War. He was the son of LDS Apostle George Q. Cannon and was married to Elizabeth Wells Cannon. He is one of the few general authorities of the LDS Church to have been excommunicated.

Newspaper editor

From 1889 until 1892, Cannon was the editor of the "Ogden Standard". From October 1892 until April 1898, he was the editor in chief of the "Deseret News". After the Spanish-American War he returned to work at the "Deseret News" and served as an executive editor of the newspaper off-and-on until his death.

Latter-day Saint general authority

Cannon served as the Second Counselor to William B. Preston, the Presiding Bishop of LDS Church, between 1884 and 1886. In 1886, Cannon was released from the Presiding Bishopric as a result of a criminal conviction for assault.

On September 5, 1896, Cannon was excommunicated from the LDS Church for expressing an unwillingness to abide by the church's 1890 Manifesto, which prohibited the contracting of new plural marriages. It is unclear whether Cannon was involved in any actual unauthorized plural marriages or other sexual immorality. Cannon was readmitted into the church by baptism on May 6, 1898; however, he never regained his position as a general authority of the church.

Criminal conviction for assault

In 1886, Cannon became offended at a newstory that was printed about him in the "Salt Lake Tribune" newspaper. Cannon confronted "Tribune" reporter Joseph Lippman in downtown Salt Lake City and demanded a retraction of the story. When Lippman refused to apologize or to issue a retraction, Cannon punched Lippman and beat him with a whip. Cannon pleaded guilty to the assault and paid a small fine.

Death

Cannon died of myocarditis in Salt Lake City, Utah. [ [http://images.archives.utah.gov/data/81448/2259925/2259925_0001139.jpgState of Utah Death Certificate] ]

Notes

External references

* [http://gapages.com/cannojq1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: John Q. Cannon]