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William John Nix (1868 - 1944)

William John Nix
Born in Toronto Gore, Peel, Ontario, Canadamap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 23 Dec 1903 in Brampton, Ontario, Canadamap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 76 in Brampton, Peel, Ontario, Canadamap
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Profile last modified | Created 22 Feb 2014
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Biography

William John Nix is born on August 15, 1868, in Toronto Gore Township, Peel County, Ontario, Canada, the son of William Nix (1816-1902) and Elizabeth Staniland (1826-1915) [1]. He is baptised on the Methodist church in Grahamsville on February 11, 1873 [1]. His parents emigrated from England to Canada West in 1852. William Nix (the father) was an agricultural labourer in England, and this is probably how he earned his livelihood for the first few years in Canada. By 1868, when William John is born, William (the father) is a farmer with his oldest son, Thomas, in Grahamsville.

In the 1871 census William is shown a two-year old living with his family on a farm in Toronto Gore Township, Peel County [2]. This farm is just south of the village of Grahamsville which, in today’s geography, is the intersection of Airport Road and Steeles Avenue in the city of Brampton. William’s older brother, Thomas, buys this farm in 1896 but in the 1871 census William’s father and his older brother are tenant farmers.

William is still on the farm in Grahamsville with his family in the 1881 census records [3]. But by the time of the 1891 census, William’s brother, Thomas and his family, have taken over the Grahamsville farm and William’s parents have moved to Toronto Township with their daughter and her husband, Henry Ridler. William at the age of 23 has moved with his parents to Toronto Township [4]. Toronto Township is now the city of Mississauga.

In the 1901 census, William is working as a farm hand for James Thompson in Toronto Township [5].

On December 23, 1903, William marries Emily Alice Adelaide Nixon in Brampton [6]. She goes by the name “Addie.” The wedding record shows William as a florist at the time. The 1901 census shows Addie living in Brampton with several of her siblings and one of them is also a florist.

William and Addie have three children:

• Wilbert Earl Harold Nix 1908-1990 + Leona D. Unknown 1916-1998

• Garnet Walter Nix 1910-1989 + Martha Gertrude Lyle Marshall 1910-2002

• Female Nix 1913-1913 (still born)

In the 1911 census records William and Addie are living in Brampton with two children [7]. William’s occupation now appears to have something to do with horses. One of the birth records for the children also shows William’s occupation as a horseman. And the record of his death also describes his occupation as a “horseman and farmer.”

The 1921 census record shows the family still living in Brampton [8]. In addition to the two children – Wilbert and Garnet – they have a nephew living with them. The 23-year-old George Nix, the nephew, is the son of James Nix (1856-1943) and Mary Jane Boyes (1864-1947). The occupation of William in this record is difficult to read but could be something like a “clerk.”

The 1931 census record is the last record we have of William until his death [9]. In this 1931 record, William is now 62-years old and is working as a labourer on a farm. Both children are still at home – the 23-year-old William who is a salesman, and the 21-year-old Garnet who works as a compositor for a publishing company. (A compositor is someone who sets the type for printing.) Addie is 56-years old.

William dies on October 17, 1944, in the Brampton Hospital. His death is connected to kidney failure. He dies in his home which is 129 Queen Street East in Brampton. He is buried in the Brampton Cemetery. We don’t know what happens to Addie (and can’t find her in the Brampton Cemetery).



This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

[1] "Trinity (formerly Methodist) United Church, Malton, Peel County, Ontario, Baptisms 1844-1925, Marriages 1858-1925, Burials 1912-1925" - source of birth/baptism dates.

[2] 1871 census, Ontario, 39, Peel, Toronto Gore, pg 12, household 41: William Nix (55), born England, farmer; Elizabeth (45), born England; Thomas (20), born England, farmer; Martha (18), born Ontario; James (15), born Ontario; Sarah (6), born Ontario; William (2), born Ontario. The religion of the family is shown as “Eng Church.”

[3] 1881 census, Ontario, 140, Peel, Gore of Toronto, pg 7, household 30: William Nix (65), born England, farmer; Elizabeth (55), born England; James (25), born Ont., farmer; Sarah (21), born Ont.; Elizabeth (15), born Ont.; William J. (12), born Ont. The family’s religion is shown as “Ch of Eng.”

[4] 1891 census, Ontario, 106, Peel, Toronto Twp, pg 4, household 15: William Nix (75), born England, farmer; Elizabeth (65), born England; William (23), born Ont.; Henry Ridler (28) son-in-law, farm labourer; Elizabeth Ridler (27); Martha Ridler (1). The religion of the household is Methodist. The columns indicating a person can read and write are left blank for William Nix, but are checked for Elizabeth [Staniland].

[5] 1901 census, Ontario, 103 Peel, Toronto Township, pg 10, household #109: the household of James & Jane Thompson. James Thompson (78) is a farmer and living in this household is William Nix (32), born 15 August 1868. Column 6 appears to read “son” which is not accurate. Column 17 (profession or occupation) appears to read “domestic.” It is fairly certain that William is working as a farm hand for Mr. Thompson, although none of the columns showing how many weeks he worked or how much he is paid have been filled out..

[6] "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZB5-QNH : accessed 28 December 2014), William John Nix and E A Adelaide Nixon, 23 Dec 1903; citing registration 015066, Brampton, Peel, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,871,523. The record shows that William John Nix married E. A. Adelaide Nixon on 23 Dec 1903 in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. William is 35 years old; he was born in Chinguacousy; he is a florist; and his parents are Wm Nix & Elizabeth Stainland [Staniland ]. E. A. Adelaide is 29 yrs old; she was born in Chinguacousy; and her parents are Adam Nixon & Francis Ellis.

[7] 1911 census, Ontario, 109 Peel, Brampton, pg 14, household #154: William J. Nix (40), born Aug 1871; Addie E. A. (37), born July 1874; Wilbert E. (3), born April 1908; Garnet W. (1), born March 1910. The family lives on Queen Street. The family’s religion is Methodist. An occupation is shown for William J (?horseman?)

[8] 1921 census, Ontario, 115 Peel, Brampton East, pg 2, family #18: William Nix (50)’ Addie (40 or maybe 46); Wilbert (13); Garnet (11); George (23), nephew. All persons were born in Ontario. William Nix’s parents were born in England. Addie’s parents were born in Ireland. The family’s religion is Mehodist. The occupation of William Nix is difficult to read (? Could be a clerk?). The occupation of George Nix is a labourer.

[9] 1931 census, Ontario, 140 Peel, Brampton Town, east ward, pg 11, family #129: William Nix (62); Addie (56); William (23); Garnet (21). The family lives in their own 7-room house valued at $2,500. It is on Queen Street. All occupants were born in Ontario. The parents of William (the father) were born in England. The father of Addie was born in Ireland; her mother was born in Ontario. The family’s religion is United [United Church of Canada]. The occupation of William (the father) is a labourer on a farm, earning $450/yr. William (the son) is a salesman for a chair store earning $500/yr. Garnet is a compositor for a publishing company earning $500/yr.

[10] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229721849/william-john-nix: accessed 07 August 2023), memorial page for William John Nix (15 Aug 1868–17 Oct 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 229721849, citing Brampton Cemetery, Brampton, Peel Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by SD Cowan (contributor 49049972). husband of Addy Emily horseman & groomer. The informant on the death record is Garnet Walter Nix who lives at 70 West Street, Brampton. The cause of death was uremia (toxins in the blood because of Kidney failure). His occupation on the death record is “horseman & farmer.” He last worked at that occupation in 1942. His residence was 129 Queen Street East. He died at home.


Acknowledgements

This biography was written by Fred Nix, originally in 2015 with revisions in 2024. Fred is the great grand nephew of William.





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It may be possible to confirm family relationships with William by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with William:

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