History of Nixon Family in Hampshire County, VA
The origin of the Nixon surname is in the Lowlands of Scotland and is generally considered to be a Scotch-Irish family. Among the early settlers in Cacapon Valley, Hampshire County, VA, was one George Nixon, sometimes spelled Nickson. The late Grace K. Garner believed the names of his parents were William and Sarah (Boels) Nixon, but this has not been proven.If this hypothesis is true, then the Nixons were members of the Church of England. Another viewpoint was held by the late Philip A. Arnold of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, who believed that the Nixons had a Quaker heritage, citing the fact that the Arnolds were Quakers in Chester County, Pennsylvania.He postulated that the immigrant ancestor may have been one John Nickson who came to Chester County, Pa. in 1683, and had these children: John Nickson Jr., Thomas Nickson, James Nickson, Nehemiah Nickson, Joseph Nickson, and Shedrack Nickson. Arnold suggested that George Nickson of the Cacapon Valley may have been a grandson ofimmigrant John Nickson Sr. To my knowledge, no one has done follow-up research to prove or disprove the hypothesis of the late Mr. Arnold.
It is estimated that George Nixon was born about 1718 in Pennsylvania, and came to this area during the early 1740s, where he married Elizabeth Arnold, daughter of Richard Arnold Jr.Elizabeth was born circa 1722 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and died about 1783. Apparently, George Nixon knew the Arnolds and Edwards in Pennsylvania. The Arnolds, whose land adjoined John and George Parks, and James Caudy,were among the first settlers along the Cacapon River south of present-day Capon Bridge. At least five children were born to the union of George and Elizabeth (Arnold) Nixon. William, Jonathan, Hannah, Nancy, and Elizabeth Nixon.
In 1758, George inherited from his father-in-law, Richard Arnold Jr, the plantation house and one-half of the Arnold’s Fairfax land grant. Arnold’s will named son-in-law George Nixon and friend Jesse Pugh to be executors. Witnesses to the will were Roger Parke, James Caudy, and John Ashbrook, all early pioneers in Cacapon Valley. In 1779, George Nixon Sr. received a Fairfax grant for 79 acres along Dillon’s Run. That land was first owned by Jacob Fout who was killed by Indians before he could secure a title.
Some time after Elizabeth’s death, possibly in 1785, George Nixon married a young woman named Rachel Parks, daughter of Andrew and Rachel (Mosley) Parks. Ironically, they named their three children William, George and Joseph. Troublesome and confusing! From his first marriage to Elizabeth Arnold, old George Nixon also named his oldest son William, whom he promised the plantation house and a portion of the Fairfax land grant. Elizabeth, while on her death bed, made a passionate plea for her husband to transfer the land legally to their son William. The son had paid the fee simple but George did not follow through to issue a deed. Neither did George Nixon Sr. give the land to William (now deceased) nor his heirs, in a will dated February 15, 1793. Instead, the plantation was willed to son George Nixon Jr., who was less than three years old.Now, the first William Nixon (of George Nixon Sr.) had died in 1781, and his property, by law, was to have been passed on to his eldest son, being also named George Nixon (1769-1857).But, without a legal instrument, he was unable to assume ownership.
To receive his intended due, grandson George, of William Nixon, filed a chancery court suit against son George Jr., of George Nixon Sr.George Jr., whose legal guardian was Francis White, the Hampshire County Sheriff, was about eight years old when the chancery suit was filed. Charles Magill, attorney for the plaintiff, called alist of witnesses to testify that George Nixon Sr. had verbally verified his intention for son William to inherit the land being questioned. These depositions provide insight into the Capon Bridge community during the second half of the 18th century. Depositions were given by Rees Pritchard, Jacob Clutter, Michael Capper, John Perrill, Joseph Wilkinson, Sarah Nixon, Thomas Wilkinson, Benjamin Webb, Elizabeth Webb, John Albion, Mary Pugh, John Muir, John Arnold, Benjamin McDonald, Robert Pugh, Michael Lyon, Isaac Lupton, and John Brown.
Children of George and Elizabeth (Arnold) Nixon were:
1. William Nixon was born circa 1747 and died in 1781. He married Hannah Parks, daughter of George and Elizabeth Parks. Hannah died and William married second to Mercy Wilkinson, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Wilkinson of Harrison County, Va. After William’s death, Mercy married second to a Mr. Reed, who died shortly afterward, and Mercy married thirdly to Benjamin McDonald I. According to a circuit court deposition, William had planned to migrate at some point in early life, but was persuaded by his parents to marry Hannah Parks and remain on a Nixon farm in Cacapon Valley.The farm would be given to him. William stayed and improved the land but received no deed during his lifetime. George Nixon Sr., gave only verbal assurance of ownership to his son William. Mrs. Sarah (Edwards) Pugh testified in a chancery court deposition that she heard Elizabeth (Arnold) Nixon begging her husband George Nixon to issue a deed to their son William.Elizabeth, at that time was sick, and was making a death-bed request on behalf of her son William. George continued to procrastinate and William died in 1781. Now, the matter becomes complicated and ends up in a major circuit court case.The suit was filed by William’s eldest son, George Nixon, who was entitled to inherit his father’s place.But there was no title to the land, and that is the reason for the court case. To complicate matters, immigrant George Nixon Sr. married second to Rachel Parks and had three children who were born after William’s death in 1781. The children were named William C., George, and Joseph Nixon. George Nixon, the grandson, had every right to take this matter to court so that he would receive his due. One value of this court case is that genealogical and historical information was recorded. You need to chart the relationships to understand them.
Children of William and Hannah (Parks) Nixon were:
a. George Nixon was born Jan. 23, 1769 in Hampshire County, and died Sept. 18, 1857, in Peoria County, Illinois. George married Catherine Poston, daughter of Elias and Rebecca (Cheshire) Poston. Catherine was born Jan. 14, 1779 and died May 16, 1847 in Peoria County.George filed acourt suit in Hampshire County to inherit land that was allegedly given to his father, William Nixon.
b. Levi Arnold Nixon was born circa 1772 and was alive in Hampshire County in 1797 when he signed a deed. He was listed on another deed as being deceased by 1822.Nothing further is known about him at this time, except that he died unmarried and without descendants.
c. Elizabeth Nixon was born circa 1776. She married Ephrium Gard, son of John and Elizabeth (Dudley) Gard, Dec. 5, 1794, in Frederick County, Va. In 1820, they were living in the Milford Township of Butler County, Ohio. There was another Ephrium Gard, almost the same age.
d. Mary Nixon was born in Hampshire County circa 1778. She married Joseph Parrill, son of John and Elizabeth Parrill, Sept. 25, 1797, in Frederick County.
2. Jonathan Nixon was born circa 1752 in Hampshire County, and died July 4, 1799, in Harrison County, Va. About 1774, he married Nancy Sarah Pugh, eldest daughter of Robert and Mary (Edwards) Pugh.She was born July 7, 1756 in Hampshire County, and died Aug. 10, 1831, in Harrison County. They set up housekeeping in Hampshire County, where Jonathan intended to buy a 133-acre farm that included the cove and headwaters of Chenoweth’s Run, which was a tributary of the Great Cacapon River. Four years later, in 1779, Jonathan decided to migrate, and he reassigned the farm to Edward Curtis.Jonathan wanted to migrate to Kentucky, but chose instead to settle briefly in western Pennsylvania before making his final residence in Harrison County, Virginia.
Children of Jonathan and Sarah (Pugh) Nixon were:
a. Mary“Polly” Nixon was born March 10, 1775,in Hampshire County, and died Oct. 11, 1840 in Harrison County. She married Michael Tucker, son of John Tucker, Feb. 6, 1795. They had no children.
b. George Nixon was born May 24, 1776, in Hampshire County, and died November 27, 1844 at Clarksburg, Marion County, Va.He married Margaret McCray, Feb. 12, 1807. They raised a large family. (p. 33 in Garner).
c. Jesse Nixon was born Oct. 10, 1777, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and died Feb. 28, 1853 in Marion County, Va., about seven miles south of Fairmont. He married Ruth Martin, who was born March 19, 1784, and died March 17, 1872. They raised a large family.
d. Robert Nixon was born in 1779, Fayette County,and died in December 1829 in Perry County, Ohio.Robert married Catherine Sapp, April 4, 1805, in Harrison County.
e. Elizabeth Nixon was born June 11, 1782, and died Feb. 18, 1838. She married Timothy Terrill (1785-1849), son of Mathew and Mary (Hughes) Terrell, on May 5, 1804. They settled in Perry County, Ohio in 1815, and raised a family.
f. Samuel Nixon was born in 1784.
g. Hannah Nixon was born in 1785, and married Asahel Phillips, 8-15-1805, in Harrison County, Va.
h. John Nixon was born in 1786, and died Jan. 15, 1865, at Maxville, Perry County, Ohio. He married Rebecca Holt, Feb. 20, 1814, in Harrison County. Rebecca was born in 1787 and died Oct. 22, 1875, buried with her husband.
i. Elleanor “Nellie” Nixon was born Sept. 9, 1788, and died April 1, 1865, in Henry County, Indiana. She married Lewis Veach on May 11, 1812. In 1831, they resettled in Prairie Township, Henry County. Lewis was born May 10, 1791 and died Nov. 17, 1859. They had nine children.
j. Sarah Nixon was born in 1784, and married John Myers, Oct. 29, 1804, in Harrison County. They had at least one child, Emily Myers, who married Edward Mallory in April 1828.
k. Rachel Nixon was born Dec. 20, 1790 in Harrison County, and died in February 1875. Rachel married Solomon Sparks on Jan. 24, 1816.
l. Nancy Ann Nixon was born Dec. 20, 1790, and died unmarried, with no descendants. She was a twin-sister of Rachel.
m. Jonathan Nixon II was born in 1794. He married Mary Kyger, and at least nine children were born to them in Harrison County.
3. Hannah Nixon was born Sept. 13, 1757, in Hampshire County, and died June 6, 1788 at the same place. Hannah married Evan Thomas, son of Ellis and Elizabeth Thomas, Dec. 10, 1778. Born in Frederick County on Feb. 22, 1757, he died March 15, 1840 in Jennings County, Indiana. When Evan was about seven years old, he survived an Indian massacre near his home in Upper Hoge’s Creek Valley along a foothill of Great North Mountain in Frederick County. His father and several siblings were murdered in the attack, and his mother, Elizabeth,was taken hostage. On the second day of captivity she escaped while the party of Indians and their prisoners were crossing the South Branch River in Hampshire County.There is no further written record about Elizabeth. It is believed that little Evan was withdrawn from the frontier and sheltered by a family in Prince William County, Virginia for, in July 1775, Evan enlisted there in Col. Gresham’s Virginia Regiment, as a private in Capt. Philip Lee’s Company of Minute Men. He served until February 3, 1776 when he was discharged. He reenlisted and served two years under Charles West in a Company of Riflemen under the command of Cpl. Weedon’s 3rd Virginia Regiment. After fighting in the Battles of White Plains, Piscataw, Brandywine, and Germantown, he was discharged in 1778 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Evan settled in Hampshire County where he married Hannah Nixon later that year. In 1781, he was drafted for 18 months by the Hampshire County Militia, but he paid 35 pounds of flour “in publick taxes” for a substitute named James W. Graw. Evan and Hannah had five children, and she died in 1788.Evan married second to Sarah Booth on Jan. 29, 1789, in Hampshire County.Sarah was born Feb. 15, 1770 and died Dec. 25, 1806, in Kentucky.Eleven children were born to this union. Evan Thomas married third to Mrs. Mary Everton (1764-1843), Dec. 25, 1810 in Henry County, Kentucky. In 1796, Evan moved his family from Hampshire County to Shelby County, Kentucky. In 1805, he moved to another frontier, what is now Jennings County, Indiana. Evan’s tombstone in Hopewell Cemetery says, “When a boy the Indians killed all but him and by hiding he got away.”
Children of Evan and Hannah (Nixon) Thomas were:
a. Elizabeth Thomas was born Sept. 17, 1779. She married a Mr. McClellan on Oct. 7, 1807.
b. Rhoda Thomas was born Nov. 20, 1781. She married Isaac Hall Jr., Oct. 7, 1807. Rhoda was named in her maternal grandfather’s (Nixon) will to receive one milking cow and calf.
c. Elias Thomas was born Oct. 17, 1783 and died Aug. 2, 1840, in Jennings County, Indiana. He married Jane Chapman, Feb. 29, 1806, in Shelby County, Kentucky. They had seven children. Elias was a noted hunter and Ranger during Indian times.
d. George Thomas was born April 12, 1786, and was alive in 1840 when his father willed him $1.
e. Evan Thomas Jr. was born June 2, 1788, in Hampshire County, and died May 31, 1853 in Jefferson County, Indiana. His wife was named Nancy. Evan Jr. served in Capt. Benjamin Miller’s Company, 6th Regiment of the Indiana Militia, the War of 1812.Evan Jr. was willed his father’s “Big Bible, and Fletcher’s “Checks to Antinomianism.”The latter book was an anti-Calvinistic treatise on grace and perserverance.
4. Nancy Nixon, born circa 1762, married Dennis Lanham, and moved to Harrison County.
5. Elizabeth Nixon was born on Nov. 8, 1768, in Hampshire County, and died Aug. 5, 1822, in Hocking County, Ohio.Elizabeth married Methodist preacher, the Rev. Benjamin Webb, on Sept. 9, 1784. They raised a large family in Harrison County, Va. and, in 1816, moved to Hocking County. Benjamin Webb, son of Jonas Webb, was born on Oct. 2, 1761, possibly in Delaware but more likely in Virginia, and died in 1827 in Hocking County. It is believed that both were buried in the Webb Chapel Cemetery near Logan, Hocking County. After Elizabeth’s death, Benjamin married second to Ann Linville, a widow, July 1, 1823. Ann is believed to have been buried in Fairfield County, Ohio. Fifteen children were born to the first marriage, all in the vicinity of Bridgeport, Harrison County.
Children of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Nixon) Webb were:
a. William Webb was born July 21, 1785, and died July 25, 1785, aged four days.
b. Rachel Webb was born July 9, 1786. She married Henry S. Griffin on Sept. 12, 1805, in Harrison County.Henry was born April 17, 1783.
c. Nancy Webb was born Oct. 16, 1788, and died before February 1826.Nancy married Abner Rice, Jan. 5, 1808.
d. Elizabeth “Betsy” Webb was born Aug. 15, 1790, and died July 1, 1837. She first married Bohanon Rice, Sept. 7, 1809 in Harrison County, and married second to Moses Starr, Dec. 24, 1812.
e. Ralph Webb was born May 14, 1792 and died March 26, 1870. Ralph married Martha Scarf on Dec. 24, 1812.After Martha’s death, Dec. 13, 1821, Ralph married second to Sarah (Gunder) Davis, who was born Sept. 13, 1797 and died Sept. 30, 1885.
f. Mary “Polly” Webb was born April 7, 1794. She first married Benjamin Powell on July 30, 1809, in Harrison County. After her Benjamin’s death, she married second to John Tompson, Aug. 23, 1816.
g. Garrett Webb was born Feb. 10, 1795, and died Aug. 25, 1876. He married Melinda Bright, Jan. 25, 1825, per Bible record.
h. John was born Dec. 31, 1797, and died Aug. 25, 1855. John married Mary “Polly” Moore, daughter of Samuel and Cassandra (Jones) Moore, on Dec. 7, 1819.
iJoseph Webb was born Nov. 30, 1799, and died Aug. 28, 1878, in Effingham, Illinois.He first married Permelia Farber on May 10, 1821. After her death in 1830, Joseph married second to Mary Wycoff, daughter of William and Isabella (Crownover) Wycoff. Mary was born in Virginia on Dec. 16, 1807, and died on Feb. 25, 1852 in Union County, Ohio. Burial was in the New Mill Creek Cemetery, Sciota Township, Delaware County, Ohio. Joseph married third to Sarah Ann Balch, Aug. 20, 1855 in Delaware County, Ohio. Fourteen children were born to Joseph’s second marriage, and five children from the third marriage. Nothing further is known about offspring which may have been produced from the first marriage.
j. Thomas Webb was born Jan. 28, 1802 and died Oct. 12, 1839.Thomas first married Katy Linville, July 17, 1823, and married second to “Hat” Wilson. Thomas was a minister of the Gospel.
k. Benjamin Webb Jr. was born Dec. 5, 1803 and died before August 1826. Nothing more is known about him at this time.
l. Sarah Webb was born on Dec. 6, 1805. On Dec. 25, 1826, Sarah married James Coblin, Dec. 25, 1826, in Hocking County, Ohio.
m. Eleanor “Nelly” Webb was born April 8, 1808, and died Aug. 11, 1844, at Williamsport, Pickaway County, Ohio. She married Samuel Hunsicker, on March 26, 1830, in Hocking County.
n. Martha “Patty” Webb was born March 5, 1810, in Harrison County, Va.In 1831, she married Barney J. Robinson in Hocking County, Ohio. Martha married second to Peter Hunsicker on Jan. 1, 1835, and married third to John Cox on July 18, 1862.
o. Jonas Webb was born on Feb. 10, 1813 and died on the same day.
Children of George and Rachel (Parks) Nixon were:
6. William C. Nixon was bornApril 11, 1789 in Cacapon Valley and died Feb. 19, 1869. He married Mary Ann Caudy, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Lyons) Caudy, April 12, 1812.Burial was in Capon Chapel cemetery. Mary Ann was born Jan. 5, 1797, and died Jan. 9, 1867, at Capon Bridge. William served in the War of 1812, and served three terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, 1834-1837. According to a Caudy-Nixon descendant, the late Gertrude Ward, Capon Chapel was built on William Nixon’s land.In fact, the first burial in the church cemetery was William’s mother-in-law, Elizabeth (Lyons) Caudy, 1773-1816. Historically, the church was affiliated with the Primitive Baptists, whose chief spokesperson was the Rev. Dr. John Monroe.
Children of William C. and Mary Ann (Caudy) Nixon were:
a. James Caudy Nixon was born in 1813. He married Malinda L. Stump, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Boggess) Stump.Ten children were born to this union.
b. David W. Nixon was born Sept. 30, 1814 and died May 13, 1886. He married Harriett E. (Taylor) Anderson, daughter of James Taylor of Richmond, Va., on March 28, 1837. Harriett was born on March 2, 1812, and died Sept. 6, 1884. Their marriage occurred during the period when William C. Nixon served in the Virginia Assembly.
c. George Washington Nixon was born Jan. 23, 1817, and died Jan. 10, 1894. He married Elizabeth Offut, daughter of Nathaniel and Margaret (Frazier) Offut.Elizabeth was born on Jan. 5, 1831, and died Dec. 17, 1909. Nine children were born to their union. The family lived on ancestral Nixon lands, and were buried at Capon Chapel.
d. Lemuel Nixon was born Dec. 23, 1818 at Capon Bridge, and died on Mrch 12, 1900. He married Nancy Jane Pugh (1830-1911), daughter of Jesse and Nancy Pugh, March 1, 1866. One child was born to this union: William O’Dell Nixon married Emma Bennett.
e. Margaret Nixon was born Oct. 30, 1825, and died Feb. 23, 1853. Buried at Capon Chapel, Margaret did not marry.
f. Sarah C. Nixon was born Nov. 16, 1827 and died Aug. 5, 1882. She married Dr. John James T. Offut.
g. Rebecca A. Nixon was born March 23, 1830, and died Jan. 7, 1916. She did not marry and was buried in Capon Chapel cemetery.
h. Martha Jane Nixon was born April 1, 1832, and died Nov. 23, 1910.Martha J. married Samuel Cooper, son of Adam and Catherine (Kurtz) Cooper.Samuel was a merchant and businessman in Capon Bridge. They had no children. Both were buried at Capon Chapel.
i. William Jackson Nixon was born April 19, 1834 and died Feb. 24, 1884.William J. served in the Civil War, in CSA Company E, 23rd Virginia Cavalry. During the War he was captured and held as a prisoner in Ohio. After the war he went to Kansas but returned, and was buried in the Capon Chapel Cemetery.
7. George Nixon Jr. was born in 1790, and little is known about him. In 1798, this George Nixon Jr. was subject of a court suit filed by and won by his half-nephew George Nixon of William.Our subject was a guardian under the care of Hampshire County Sheriff, Francis White, and later placed under the care of James and Rachel (Parks) Nixon McBride, his step-father and mother. In 1850, George Jr. was listed on the Hampshire County Census.
8. Joseph Nixon was born circa 1791. According to a Hampshire County deed that was dated Nov. 18, 1815, Joseph married Margery Carlin, who was one of the heirs and legal representatives of Andrew Carlin, deceased. Margery (Carlin) Nixon was deceased before 1830, when Joseph’s wife was named Mary. The latter was discovered in a deed which stated that Joseph Nixon sold the Cacapon Valley land that was willed by George Nixon Sr., his father. Morris Ellis Jr., a Quaker born in 1750,was living on Joseph’s land in 1830. Joseph Nixon last appeared on the Hampshire County census in 1830, and he had a family. Nothing more is known about him at this time, although it appears that he may have migrated after 1830 to Ohio.
The above is copyrighted information from my unpublished manuscript on Hampshire County, VA Families to be published at some future date. Corrections and additional information are being solicited before publication. Direct all correspondence to:
Wilmer L. Kerns
4715 North 38th Place
Arlington, VA 22207-2914
(703) 533-1040
[email protected]
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