Prominent Citizens Owned Glen Cannon

Williamson Creek was named for Richard Williamson, who was granted 500 acres of land on January 7, 1794 along both sides of the French Broad River tributary.

In 1853 McKewn Johnstone, son of a wealthy rice planter from Charleston, purchased about 1300 acres along the creek and the French Broad River.  McKewn was a brother to Francis and William Johnstone who also owned large amounts of property along the French Broad River.

Johnstone hired Albert Cannon to manage the clearing of the land using slave labor.  An 1862 Transylvania County Board of Tax Listing records the Johnstones among the largest slave holders in the county.  Francis owned 37 slaves, McKewn, 25 and William, 14.

Upper Glen Cannon Falls

The property included a double waterfall separated by a hundred yards of rapids flowing through a glen lined with hemlock and rhododendron.  The falls were later named Glen Cannon for Albert Cannon.  Cannon served as Commissioner of Agriculture for North Carolina for many years.  He was also a shareholder with the French Broad Steam Boat Company and the ill-fated Mountain Lily.

McKewn and Martha Cannon Webb Johnstone were living in Transylvania County with their three sons when the Civil War broke out.  According to Mary Jane McCrary, “In order to safeguard the women and the children at home, McKewn Johnstone, Sr. was put on patrol duty by the Confederate Army.  Often he led raids into the mountains.”  There is no record of him serving in the Confederate Army though.  Following the war the Johnstones moved to Spartanburg. 

William Andrew, McKewn and Martha’s oldest son, remained on the Glen Cannon property.  He lived there until 1905 when it was sold to Levi S. Clough, a Pennsylvania lumberman and farmer.

Irving J. Rueter, automotive executive and founder of the Janirve Foundation, owned the property from 1939-1944. 

Following the Rueter’s the property was owned by E.C. and Jennie C. Langston until 1951. At that time members of the Romfh family purchased it. On August 6, 1964, Elmer and Frances Gooden registered an indenture for R.H. Burns, Trustee to facilitate the sale of the property.

On March 1, 1965 a group of investors established the Glenn Cannon Land Company, Inc. and purchased the 1300 acres for a golf course and residential community.  The golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and clubhouse were constructed on 125 acres. 

Over the years the surrounding property has been developed with homes.  Today there are about 280 residences in Glen Cannon. 

For the most part the property has remaind intact since McKewn Johnstone purchased it in 1853.

Much of this information came from Ann Hoeke’s “Glen Cannon History” available at the library.  Hoeke researched and wrote a history of the Glen Cannon property during Transylvania County’s Sesquicentennial in 2011. 

Glen Cannon Falls Farm, 1951

Glen Cannon Falls Farm, 1951

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.