Joseph Dixon (1719 - 1770)

Born 2 Oct 1719 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle Co., Delaware

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Pusey) Dixon — married 25 Sep 1742 in New Garden MM, Chester Co., PA

Descendants

Died 1 Jan 1770 at age 50 in Lick Creek, Orange Co, North Carolina

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Biography

Joseph was a Friend (Quaker)

Joseph Dixon was born October 2, 1719 in Mill Creek, New Castle County, Delaware^[1]. He was the son of Henry Dixon and Ruth Jones Dixon.

Like his parents, he was a Quaker, and church records from the New Garden Monthly Meeting (just a few miles west of Mill Creek across the state line) record that on November 25, 1742 (9th month, 25th day, 1742) he was married to Mary Pusey^[2]. Joseph and Mary (they must've been teased about that...) remained in the New Garden area for a number of years. Futhey and Cope’s 1881 “History of Chester County Pennsylvania” shows Joseph on a 1753 tax list from New Garden Township in Chester County, just over the line from New Castle County^[3].

In 1764 Joseph and Mary moved with their family to North Carolina. Records of the New Garden Monthly Meeting show that on June 12, 1764 Joseph and his wife Mary, together with their children Solomon, Jesse, Eli, Nathan, Stephen and Samuel received a certificate from the church to move their membership to the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting in North Carolina. This was located in what was then Orange County, but now comprises a part of Chatham County. In this move they became part of a large migration to the area taking place during this general time period. “Carolina Quakers” by Hinshaw (1972) states that the primary reason for the tremendous migration to the south was the abundance of cheap land. For the price of one acre of land in southeastern Pennsylvania, several acres could be bought in central North Carolina. Likewise the climate there was milder and growing season longer than in Pennsylvania. They were received into the Cane Creek MM on 3 November 1754^[4].

By the time of Joseph’s arrival in North Carolina, other Dixon relatives of his had already settled in the area. The first to have done so was Simon Dixon, was born in Pennsylvania in 1728. His father was Thomas Dixon, a son of the immigrant William, and a cousin of Joseph. Simon settled at Snow Camp, in what is now Alamance County North Carolina, adjacent to Chatham County, in 1751. A fair amount is known of these early Dixon settlers from the research of Benjamin Franklin Dixon (1892-1970) as contained in his unpublished manuscript “The Old Stamping Grounds – Some Notes on the Quaker Dixons of Chatham County N.C.” He was one of the pioneer researchers on the Dixon family. After Simon’s arrival in North Carolina, he bought land from the Lords Proprietors of the colony in 1751 and built a mill upon it in 1753. The mill continued in use into this century. When the Pioneer Association in the area erected a monument to Simon’s memory in the year 1929 in the old Cane Creek cemetery, a millstone with which Simon had once ground corn was used as a marker for his grave.

Simon first arrived at Cane Creek in the spring of 1749, at which time he cleared some land in Orange County, built a pioneer cabin, and planted a crop of corn. Discouraged however by the primitive surrounding, with his nearest neighbor six miles away, he returned to Pennsylvania. In 1751 he returned to Cane Creek, bringing with him a group of settlers. In 1753 they obtained their certificates or removal from the Newark Monthly Meeting, and became members of the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting. After our ancestor Joseph Dixon followed Simon’s lead into North Carolina, B.F. Dixon records that he became a great land trader, who public records show to have been constantly buying and selling tracts of land. His home was on “tick ridge” three miles south of the present day Silver City. In his will he referred to the original tract of land of 680 acres granted him on December 16, 1762^[5].

Joseph Dixon died in Chatham County in 1770. His will is attached as an image and is transcribed below^[5]. He was buried in Napton Cemetery^[6].

Research Notes

SOLOMON DIXSON

of LOUDEN (LOUDON) CO., Virginia, to JOSEPH DIXSON of Chatham Co., N.C., for 94 pds, 10 shillings, 189 acres on the waters of Lick Creek of rockey River, being a tract of land granted to the sd :SOLOMON DIXSON by deed from Earl of Granville, Dec. 27, 1762

SOLOMON DIXSON

Wit:

J. (X) LAMBART

JESSE DIXSON

NATHAN DIXSON^[7]

Last Will & Testament

In the Name of God Amen I Joseph Dixson of Orange County in the Province of North Carolina being Weak in Body but perfect in Senses Praised be God do make this my Law Will and Testament.

Imprimis I leave to my loving Wife Mary Dixson the South End of this Tract I live upon including Buildings all the Improvements Beginning for the South Part or First Part at the Corner Post Oak the beginning Tree of the Original Tract of Land Granted to Joseph Dixson on the 16th Day of December 1762 for Six Hundred & Eighty Acres Running thence North 170 Poles to Four Hickorys thence West 320 Poles to a Marked Post Oak on the Original Line thence South 170 Poles thence East to the beginning Containing 340 Acres of land during her lifetime or Widowhood and after that it shall be Equally Divided between my two Sons Nathan & Stephen Dixson to them and their heirs forever. - - - -

Item I leave to my Daughter Anne Bailey Wife of Caleb Bailey five Pounds Pensylvania Money to her and her Heirs forever. - - - -

Item I leave to my Son Solomon Dixson a Tract of Land Lying on Tyrds Creek the Waters of Haw River Joining John Lambrals Land also Liberty for to sow a Field on the old Place before he Settles to him & his Heirs forever.

Item I leave my Son Jesse Dixson the Piece of Land I bought of John May an also the Piece of Land I bought of David Brown ajoining both of them to him and his Heirs forever. - - -

Item I leave my son EliDixson the North End of the Tract I now live on beginning for the North part of Four Hickorys the N.E. Corner of the first Part Running thence North 58 Poles to George Dixsons Corner B.O. thence N.E. Easterly along his Line 49 Poles into a Piece of Land Bought of Joh May to b Marked W.O. thence N.W. 58 Poles to a marked W.O. on the Original Line thence North to the N.E. Corner of the Original Tract of 680 Acres thence West 320 Poles to a W.O. thence South 160 Poles to a marked Post Oak thence to the First Beginning Containing 340 acres to him and his Heirs forever. It is my Will that my Son Jesse Dixson give him a years Rent when he begins to Settle on his Place.

Item I leave my Sons Samuel Dixson and Joseph Dixson Each of them Eighty Pounds or that much laid out to secure land for them the first Convenient Opportunity to them and their Heirs forever. - - -

Item I leave the Rest of my Estate Goods & Chattels after Payments of my Just Debts to the Disposal of my Loving Wife and it is my Will that my Sons shall enter in full Possession of the Land when they arrive at the full age of Twenty one years and it is my Will that if any of my Sons Dieth without Issue Lawfully Begotten that then his Portion of Land and other Effects shall be Equally between them ______ Part of my Children.

I do Constitute my Trusty and Loving Wife my Sole Executrix of this my Last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof to all and every Part of the above said Will and Testament I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 5th Day of the 12th Month 1769. Sealed Published and declared by the above Named Joseph Dixson as his Last Will and Testament in the Presence of us.

Joseph Dixson

(Seal)
William Moffitt
Joab Brooks
Solomon Cox (Affirmd)

(Orange County April Court 1770)
The within Will was Exhibited in open Court and Proved by the Oath of Joab Brooks one of the subscribing Witnesses thereto and Ordered to be Recorded.

Test

J Noah ^[5]

Joseph Dixon 1719 -1769

Birth: Oct 2 1719, Mill Creek 100, New Castle, Co., DE

Residence: North Carolina

Death: 1769, Lick Creek, Orange Co, NC

Parents: Henry Dixon 1695 - 1742 Ruth Jones ? - 1758

Wife: Mary Dixon (born Pusey) 1725 - 1774

Siblings:

1. John Dixon 1717 - 1767
2. Solomon Dixon 1721 - 1798
3. William Dixon 1723 - ?
4. Martha Tate (born Dixon) 1730 - 1763
5. Dinah Dixon
6. Ruth Phillips (born Dixon) 1721 - 1811
7. Henry Dixon 1723 - 1796
8. Samuel Dixon 1725 - 1804
9. Mary Gregg (born Dixon) 1733 - 1785

Children:

1. x Mary Dixon 1741 -1741
2. Ann Bailey (born Dixon) 1743 - 1797
3. Mary Dixon 1745 - ?
4. Stephen Dixon 1746 - 1794
5. Solomon Dixon, Sr. 1747 - 1779
6. Jesse Dixon 1749 - 1810
7. Eli Dixon 1752 - 1790
8. Nathan Dixon 1755 - 1827
9. Samuel Dixon 1760 - 1820
10. Joseph Dixon 1765 - 1825

Sources

1. ↑ Mill Creek Monthly Meeting records, New Castle Co, Delaware https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Dixon-1124-3
2. ↑ New Garden Monthly Meeting records 1742 https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Dixon-1123-1
3. ↑ History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches by Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928; Publication date 1881; page 189 https://archive.org/details/cu31924005813518/page/n263/mode/2up
4. ↑ Encyclopedia of American Quaker genealogy, by ... v.1. Hinshaw, William Wade, 1867-1947; page 386 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015002304221&view=1up&seq=416
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Will of Joseph Dixon https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Dixon-1123
6. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181721073/joseph-dixon
7. ↑ Chatham County NCGenWeb

   ABSTRACTED DEEDS OF CHATHAM COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

   1771-1786 pg. 345, Dec., 16, 1784 www.ncgenweb.us/chatham/deeds/deeds2.htm#deedA

• https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-1-331764321-1-503947/joseph-dixon-in-myheritage-family-trees?s=216760841

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Dixon-1123 created through the import of DIXON.GED on Oct 11, 2011 by Glenn Dixon.