EDWIN NIXON & ROBERT NIXON

From "Past and Present of Eaton county" - 1906

EDWIN NIXON, who is now living practically retired in the beautiful little city of
Grand Ledge, is a native of Eaton county, a representative of one of its old and
honored pioneer families, and he has been long and prominently identified with the
agricultural industry in this county, while he also represented Michigan as a valiant
soldier in the civil war.

Mr. Nixon was born in Oneida township, this county, January 7, 1843, and is a son of Robert and Isabel (Huddleson) Nixon, the former of whom was born in the state of New York, passing the closing years of his life in Oneida township, where he died in 1893, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife, who was born in Ireland, in 1823 died in the same township, in 1891, at the age of sixty-eight years. They were married in London, province of Ontario, Canada.

Robert Nixon was a boy at the time of his parents' removal from the state of New York to Canada, and he was reared to manhood on the homestead farm, near London, where he remained associated with his father, George Nixon in farming pursuits until his removal to Eaton county, Michigan. In 1836 Robert Nixon came to this county, being one of the first settlers in Oneida township, where he purchased eighty acres of government land, in section 35, other settlers from Canada coming into the township in an early day, while the locality is still known as the "Canada Settlement." There was no road within forty miles of his land and he built his little log shanty in the midst of the dense forest. He cut fifteen acres of timber and then returned to Canada and was married, his bride soon afterward coming with him to the new home in the wilderness, where they endured to the full the trials and deprivations of pioneer life. Robert Nixon reclaimed his original farm and later purchased and cleared another eighty acres, and still later a tract of forty acres. He had given all but one hundred acres to his sons prior to his death. In the early days he supplied the family table largely through his skill as a hunter, having been specially successful in the hunting of deer. He was compelled to take his grain to mill at Pontiac, sixty-five miles distant, a week being consumed in making the trip. Following is a brief record concerning the children of this worthy pioneer: Hiram, who was thrice married, died in Benton township; Francis died at the age of eleven years; the subject of this sketch was the next in order of birth; Nancy is the wife of Zenas Hamilton, of Oneida township; Charles died in infancy, as did also Newton; Rosina is the widow of S. B. Granger and resides in Grand Ledge; Joanna is the wife of George Earl, of Grand Ledge; Lawrence J. Is a resident of Charlotte and Francis (2d) of Grand Ledge; Mary is the wife of Philetus Anderson, of Grand Ledge. The parents were members of the United Brethren church, and the father identified himself with the Republican party at the time of its organization, while he served as township supervisor and highway commissioner and was a member of the state legislature at the time of the civil war.

Edwin Nixon was reared on the pioneer farm and early began to lend his aid in
clearing land and in other work pertaining to the development and cultivation of
the homestead. He was eighteen years of age at the time of the outbreak of the
civil war, and he responded promptly to President Lincoln's first call for volunteers, enlisting, in April, 1861, as a private in Company H, Sixth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, which went to Detroit, where it was later disbanded, and in September following he re-enlisted, becoming a member of Berdan's Sharpshooters, which command became Company B, Second Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He proceeded with his regiment to the front, and during his period of service his regiment served principally in and about the national capital. He received his honorable discharge, in the city of Washington, in 1863, on account of physical disability. His company later saw much active field service, participating in many important engagements.

After receiving his discharge from the army Mr. Nixon returned to the home farm,
and for twenty-five years he made his home on the farm of one hundred acres
which his father gave him after he attained his legal majority, the place now being
one of the valuable farms of the county, with excellent improvements of a
permanent nature. For many years Mr. Nixon also bought and shipped live stock
each autumn and winter, being very successful in his operations along this line. He
continued to reside on his farm until September, 1902, when he removed to Grand
Ledge, where he now has a pleasant home and is living retired, though he is just
completing the work of settling up the estate of his brother-in-law. His only son now has charge of the old homestead farm, which is the same secured by the
grandfather from the government seventy years ago. In politics Mr. Nixon is a
stalwart supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and he
served as justice of the peace and highway commissioner of Oneida township,
while he is now a member of the board of aldermen of Grand Ledge. He is
identified with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

November 21, 1866, Mr. Nixon was united in marriage to Miss Edna Beers, of
Hillsdale county. She was born in the state of New York, March 26, 1845, being
a daughter of Harrison and Fannie (Boyce) Beers, both of whom were born in New York state. The father died in Hillsdale county, Michigan, in 1894, at the age of eighty-three years, and his widow now resides in the home of the subject of this
sketch, being eighty years of age. They came to Michigan in 1845 and settled in
Allen township, Hillsdale county, where Mr. Beers at one time owned two hundred and forty acres of land, having one hundred and sixty acres at the time of his death. Of the six children Mrs. Nixon was the first born; Calvin is a successful farmer of Branch county; Adella is the wife of James Hansell and they reside in California; Angus resides in the city of Hillsdale; Frederick is a farmer of Branch county; and Henry L. is engaged in farming in Hillsdale county. Mr. and Mrs. Nixon have two children, Harrison 0., who was born October 21, 1867, resides on the home farm, as already noted. He first married Miss Alice Wright, who is survived by one child, Marguerite. He later married Miss Margaret Riley, and they have two children, Isabel and Edwin. Fannie, the younger child of the subject of this review, is now the wife of John D. Hulce, of Grand Ledge.