Hi Janet? Yes, we must be some kind of cousins, because Mary Pollie and John were my 3 x great grandparents-----when I mentioned the "cannon" I said supposedly, because I am not sure about that part, my memory is vague, but something was said about him being around artillery of some sort. This is a vague memory from childhood, so I don't know that it is right....The thing about going across the "big pond" numerous times, I do remember. Also, there was a story about his difficulty with both hearing and English.....He was working in timber, and someone literally yelled "TIMBER" before felling a tree.....He didn't hear the call, and the tree fell, and the uppermost limbs brushed over him as he was standing......He came out unscathed, but exclaimed "Faith and BeJabers! I 'scaped (escaped) a miracle!!!" Well, he didn't "escape" a miracle----Grandma was amused that he would say that he "escaped a miracle".....Anyway, I would love to see the autobiography that you are talking about.....it's cool that that part of my memory is serving me well!!.... Anyway, I would love to compare notes! Thanks, Erika G.