EDWIN NIXON
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.