Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS ' 3305who with his wife Margaret emigrated from Germany in 1738 and settled inChatham County, Georgia, only three years after the colony had been foundedby General Oglethorpe. Charles Bitter became a prominent business manand influential citizen in this early Colonial period and continued his residence in Savannah until his death. John Shick, another member of thisbranch of the family, participated in the battle of Savannah at SpringfieldRedoubt, in which he lost an arm, and he was sent as a prisoner to England. .His name was therefore one of those to be given enduring honor in connection(With the history of the "War of the Revolution. Charles Ritter, above mentioned, a maternal great-great-grandfather of Mr. Cann, was married in hisnative land to Ibis wife Margaret, and their daughter Margaret subsequentlybecame the wife of the John Shick of Revolutionary fame hereinbeforereferred to.James F. and Anna Sophia (Turner) Cann, father and mother ofGeorge T.. Cann, were married in Christ Church, Savannah, June 10, 1857,and became the parents of five children. Two died in early childhood. Ofthose who attained to maturity the oldest was William Gammel Cann, whowas born at Savannah, September 23, 1862, and died in May, 1900. He wasa prominent banker and leading citizen of Savannah, served several terms asa member of its board of aldermen, and was chairman of the council committee that had charge of the installing of the present effective water system.James Ferris Cann, who was born December 11, 1868, the youngest of thethree sons to reach adult age, is a well known lawyer, a member of the Savannah bar, and served in both branches of the General Assembly of Georgia,and also with the Georgia State troops in the Spanish-American war. He isat present- judge advocate-general of the National Guard of Georgia.George T. Cann, who was born in Savannah, July 22, 1866, took thecourse prescribed for the public schools of Savannah, and was graduated in1882 as valedictorian of his class in the high school. He then entered thePennsylvania Military Academy at Chester, Pennsylvania, where he was graduated with the highest grade ever attained there, and with the degree Bachelorof Arts. He was valedictorian of his class and was a member of all the teamsin college athletics. After leaving the military academy Mr. Cann enteredColumbia University of New York City, where his studies were continued inboth the academic and law departments. He was graduated in 1886, andreceived also the degree Master of Arts from both the Pennsylvania MilitaryAcademy and Columbia College.Returning to Savannah, Mr. Cann was admitted to the bar December 7,1886, and immediately began the practice of his profession. While devotinghis attf ' : ^n to his individual practice he served as official stenographer of theEast' .idicial Circuit of Georgia for several years, having been appointedtot. ,ineeinl887.Li February, 1887, he became affiliated with the Savannah VolunteerGuards, an organization dating back to the year 1802. From the position ofprivate he won advancement step by step until made captain of Company C,an office he held from 1892 to 1897. He was then appointed inspector-generalof rifle practice for the Georgia State troops, with the rank of colonel. Thishonor conferred upon him by Governor Atkinson, and he was reappointedby succeeding governors until 1903, when he resigned, having assumed theduties of judge of the Superior courts of the Eastern Judicial Circuit ofGeorgia. He still retains honorary membership in the Savannah VolunteerGuards and is upon the roll of retired officers of the state with the rank ofcolonel. As an active member of the Georgia State troops he took a speciallylively interest in bringing its marksmanship up to a high standard. In thecontests at Sea Girt, New Jersey, Georgia's team of which he was a memberwon the highest honors and the then Captain Cann won the celebrated 1,000yards match for the Wimbledon cup, which was contested for by individuals