John Nix (1818 - 1897)

Born 1818 in Lincolnshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Parker — married 1845 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Mary Ann Gardner — married 3 Nov 1870 in Ropsley, Lincolnshire, England

Died Sep 1897 at about age 79 in Newark, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Fred Nix [send private message]

Biography

John Nix is born in Aseby, Heydour parish, Lincolnshire, England in the summer or fall of 1818, the son of John Nix (1790-1846) and Mary Bee (1793-1867) [1]. He is baptised in St Michael’s church in Heydour on September 18, 1818.

John’s father is an agricultural labourer. Aseby is a small hamlet close to several other hamlets all lying near the village of Heydour (often spelt “Haydor”) where the church is located. And Aseby is variously spelt as “Azeby,” or “Aisby.” The modern spelling is Aisby and it is 12 kilometres southwest of Sleaford.

The first record of John after his baptism record of 1818 is the 1841 census. He is not living at home (his parents only have their three youngest children living with them). There are two “John Nix’s” that could be him. The most likely is a 20-year-old John Nix living in the household of a John Tomlinson in Helpringham [2]. The census record does not show anything about the occupation of John Nix but presumably he is a servant or farm worker. Helpringham is about four kilometres directly east of Aisby. There is another 20-year-old John Nix living in the household of a Charles Pears in Scopwick that could also be the John Nix of interest [3]. Scopwick is roughly 20 kilometres to the north of Aisby.

John next shows up in the 1861 census living in Ropsley, which is a small town a couple of kilometres to the southwest of Aisby [4]. In this case there is no question about the correct identification of John as he shown as 43 years old, and he was born in the parish of Haydor. He is now married and his wife, Mary, is the same age as John and she too is from the parish of Heydour (Haydor). It is likely that John’s wife is Mary Parker who was baptised in Haydor on May 12, 1818 [5]. The census record describes John’s occupation as a “cottager.” It is assumed “cottager” means someone who works as an agricultural labourer [6].

In July 1868 John’s wife, Mary, dies [7]. Also, in 1868, it is known that a John Nix in Ropsley won second prize for having the best milk cow [8]. While it cannot be known with certainty that this is the John Nix of interest, it is quite likely it is as it would be unusual to have two people with the name “John Nix” in such a small town.

On November 3rd, 1870, in Ropsley, John marries for the second time [9]. His new wife is Mary Ann Gardiner (1828-1908). Mary Ann was born in Newmarket, Suffolk.

In the 1871 census, John and Mary Ann are living in Ropsley and they have living with them John’s sister, Elizabeth [10]. John’s occupation is still shown as a cottager. In the 1881 census John and Mary Ann are still in Ropsley [11]. They have a nephew living with them and John’s occupation is now described as a cottager and butcher. By the time of the 1891 census they have moved 35 kilometres to the west, to the hamlet of Hawton in Nottinghamshire [12]. Hawton is three kilometres south of Newark-on-Trent. John, at the age of 72, is now an agricultural labourer.

Although positive identification is difficult, it is likely that John dies in September 1897 in (or near to) Newark, Nottinghamshire [13]. There is a death record for a 78-year-old John Nix in Newark in 1897 that seems to match what is known about the John of interest. Mary is in the 1901 census, living with her sister in Hertfordshire so it is evident that John dies sometime prior to 1901.

Sources

[1] www.freereg.org.uk: baptism record showing John Nix baptised on 17 Sept 1818 in St Michael church, Haydor. His parents are Jno. Nix & Mary. The abode is Aseby. John Nix is a labourer.

[2] "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ1Y-47G : accessed 29 November 2015), John Nix in household of John Tomlinson, Helpringham, Lincolnshire, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. The record shows a John Nix living in the household of John Tomlinson in Helpringham. The Tomlinson household consists of John, plus 5 Tomslinson children plus another 5 people with different surnames (one of whom is John Nix).

[3] "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ11-ZJ3 : accessed 29 November 2015), John Nix in household of Charles Pears, Scopwick, Lincolnshire, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. (Scopwick is 10-15 km N of Sleaford) The 1841 census record shows a 20-yr old John Nix living in the household of a Chalres Pears in Scopwick, Lincolnshire. This is a very large household consisting of Charles Pears, his wife and 3 young children. In addition there are 16 other people in the household with different surnames (including John Nix.

[4] www.freecen.org.uk: The 1861 census record shows John Nix (43) living in Ropsley with his wife, Mary (43). It shows both John and Mary born in Haydor parish. John’s occupation is shown as “cottager.”

[5] First wife of John Nix: there are several possibilities. There is a John Nix who married someone in Grantham in 1845 and the record lists 5 possible people who might be the spouse. Two of these people have the first name “Mary:” Mary Hinton and Mary Parker. The guess is that Mary Parker was John’s first wife as there is a baptism record for a Mary Parker in Haydor parish on 12 May 1818 and it is known that the first wife of John was born in Haydor and that she was the same age as John. Secondly, there is a marriage record for Mary Parker in Grantham in the first quarter of 1845 and it lists several possible spouses, one of them being John Nix.

[6] http://www.slha.org.uk/groups/local_history_features/#apm1_2 while a precise definition of a “cottager” in Lincolnshire is unclear, it appears to mean someone who lived in a cottage on a small piece of land and who worked as a day-labourer, most likely as an agricultural labourer.

[7] freereg.org.uk : death record for Mary Nix, Heydour parish, St Michael church, 11 Jul 1868. Mary was 52 yrs old and lived in Ropsley.

[8] The British Farmer’s Magazine – New Series, No. 126 October 1868, pg 205: “The best milch cow, - First prize . . . .second of £1 10s, John Nix, Ropsley . . . “

[9] "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NXWW-MWN : accessed 2 December 2015), John Nix and Mary Ann Gardiner, 03 Nov 1870; citing Ropsley, Lincoln, England, reference ; FHL microfilm 1,450,485. The record shows that John Nix married Mary Ann Gardiner on Nov 3, 1870 in Ropsley, Lincolnshire, England. The record indicates that John is a widower. Note that, in this record, the surname is spelt “Gardiner.” The only other persons the record notes are John Gardiner, the bride’s father, and John Nix, father of the groom.

[10] "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB8D-WJR : accessed 13 November 2015), John Nix, 1871. The record shows John Nix (53) living in Ropsley, Lincolnshire. His occupation is shown as a cottager. He was born in c1818 in Azeby. His wife is Mary A (43) and she was born in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire [more likely Suffolk]. They have living with them John’s sister, Elizabeth Nix (46) who was also born in Azeby.

[11] "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKXD-7QB4 : accessed 13 November 2015), John Nix, Ropsley, Lincolnshire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 12, Piece/Folio 3227/33, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,949. The record shows John Nix (63) living in on Church Lane in Ropsley, Lincolnshire. His occupation is shown as a cottage & butcher. His birth year is estimated as 1818 and he was born in Azeby. His wife is Mary Ann Nix (53) and she was born in Newmarket, Suffolk, England. They have living with them a nephew, John Trafford (14) who was born in Sth. Kensington, Middlesex, England.

[12] "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4Z63-HMM : 11 December 2017), Mary Nix in household of John Nix, Hawton, Nottinghamshire, England; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Nottinghamshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey. The record shows John Nix (72) and his wife, Mary Nix (63) living in the parish of Hawton in Nottinghamshire. John Nix was born in Lincolnshire; Mary was born in Suffolk

[13] www.freebmd.org,uk – shows a death record for a 78 yr old John Nix in Sept 1897 in Newark.

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