Biography:

Joseph Cannon was a congressman and speaker of the United States House of Representatives.  He was born on May 7, 1836 in North Carolina.  He studied law, moved to Illinois and was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1872.    He served as a Representative for 46 years and became Speaker of the House.  In 1908 lost the presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention to Howard Taft.  He died on November 12, 1926 in Indiana.