James Nix (1855 - 1943)

Born 1855 in Canada West

Ancestors

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

Biography

James Nix is born on June 24, 1856 in Canada West, the son of William Nix (1816-1902) and Elizabeth Staniland (1826-1915). (The cemetery headstones gives a birth date of June 24, 1855 but two census records suggest it was June 1856.) His parents had emigrated in 1852 from Lincolnshire, England and his father worked as an agricultural labourer.

The first record of James is a five-year old boy living in a log cabin with his family in Etobicoke Township, Canada West. In the 1871 census he is living with his family in Toronto Gore Township. Etobicoke is now a part of the city of Toronto and Toronto Gore is now a part of Brampton. In the 1871 census James is shown as a farmer. He is still with his family at the age of 25 in the 1881 census and he is still a farmer.

Sometime between the 1881 census and the 1891 census, James marries Mary Jane Boyes (1863-1947).

In the 1891 census, James and Mary are living in Chinguacousy Township, the next township to the west of Toronto Gore. James is a farm labourer. By the time of the 1901 census, James has graduated from a farm labourer to a farmer. He and Mary are still in Chinguacousy and they now have a baby son. They also have a nephew, Francis Staniland Ackroyd, living with them (he goes by the name of Frank). Frank helps out with the farm work.

James gives up the farm by 1911. In the 1911 census he is living in Toronto Township – Lot 11, Concession 6 East (the village of Malton) – and his occupation is shown as a mail carrier. He works 60 hours a week, 52 weeks a year and he earns $500.

James dies on January 27, 1943 and is buried in the Brampton Cemetery. Mary Jane dies four years later and is buried with him.

James and Mary Jane have one child:

• George William Nix (1897-?)

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

Sources

[1] 1861 census, Canada West, York County, Etobicoke Township, pg 8, lines 5-10: William Nix (45), born England, labour; Elizabeth (?36), born England; Thomas (10), born England; Martha B. (7), born U.C. [Upper Canada]; James (5), born U.C.; Sarah (1), born U.C. It is difficult to read the symbol the census taker has used to indicate the religion of the family – it is not “M” for Methodist and it is not “W” for Wesleyan Methodist but is probably “E” for Church of England.” The family is living in a 1-story log house.

[2] 1871 census, Ontario, 39 Peel, Toronto Gore Township, pg 12, household 41: William Nix (55), farmer; Elizabeth (45); Thomas (20), labourer; Mathew (18) [this is Martha even though the census record identifies the person as male and as a farmer]; James (15), farmer; Sarah (11); Elizabeth (6); William (2). William & Elizabeth and their first child were born in England; the rest were born in Ontario. The religion is shown as “Eng Church” [Anglican]. William Nix is shown as unable to read or write.

[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, 109 Peel, Chinguacousy Township, pg 33, household #148: James Nix (35), born in Ontario, both parents born in England, farm labourer; Mary (28), born in Ontario, both parents born in England. The religion is Methodist.

[5] 1901 census, Ontario, 103 Peel, Chinguacousy Township, pg 7, household #62, James Nix (44), born June 24, 1856, farmer; Mary (38), born Feb 12, 1863; George (3), born July 10 1897; Frank [?Ackroyd] (20), servant.(farm labourer), born May 4, 1880. All household residents were born in Ontario, they are all English, and their religion is Methodist.

[6] 1911 census, Ontario, 109 Peel, Toronto Township, pg 2, household #25: James Nix (55), born June 1856, mail carrier ; Mary Jane (48), born Feb 1863; George W (13), born July 1897. James worked 52 weeks/yr, working 60 hrs/week, and he made $500 in latest year. All household members were born in Ontario; they are English; and their religion is Methodist. They live in E Conc 6, lot #11.

www.canadianheadstones.com Brampton Cemetery: “NIX / In Memory of / James Nix / June 24, 1855 – Jan 27, 1943 / His Wife / Mary Jane Boyes / Feb 12, 1863 – Nov 17, 1947”