Nathan Dixon (abt. 1774 - abt. 1822)

Born about 1774 in Chatham County, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Cox) Dixon — married 1794 in Chatham, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died about 1822 at about age 48 in Ross, Ohio

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Biography

Early Life

The descent from Jesse and Lydia Dixon continues through their son Nathan, who was born in Chatham County North Carolina. The date of his birth is not definitely known, but from Census records, it can be placed between 1773 and 1774. In the 1810 Census of Knox County Kentucky he is shown as being between 26 and 45 years of age, and in the 1820 Census of Harrison township of Jackson County Ohio, he is likewise shown between 26 and 45 years old. His parents were married in 1772, and in the quiet title action filed on his mother’s death, he appears to be listed as their eldest child.

North Carolina

He was raised in Chatham County, and married to Lydia Cox about 1792. Several related Cox families in that area descend from Delaware Quakers, and it is likely that she descended from one of these, but her exact ancestry is not known.

Tennessee

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, a number of related families began to move from North Carolina to Ohio in the Northwest Territory. Nathan and Lydia also moved from North Carolina during that time, but first settled in Tennessee, where they lived between 1794 and 1797. Around 1797 they moved into Kentucky. They appear in various public records there between 1797 and 1812. The first is in Lincoln County tax records on May 29, 1797, where the records for the family show one male above age 21, and that they owned one horse. The records show a warrant to Nathan “Dickson” in Lincoln County dated August 8, 1798 for 100 acres of land on the Cumberland River. This was pursuant to the Tellico Grant, which required one year residency on the land to qualify.

The survey of the parcel, shown to “Nathan Dixon” describes the hundred acre parcel as “Situated in the County of Lincoln & lying on Cumberland River and bounded as follows to Wit Beginning A at two Maples standing on the River bank at James Laughlin’s corner thence with his line (it being a conditional one) S57w 200 poles to a white oak tree near Coxes corner thence S77w 230 poles facing (?) said corner and running with his line to the River and corners on a black walnut ash and Hackberry thence running up the River bounding on the same N20w 180 poles to the Beginning.”

On July 13, 1800 Nathan appeared in Lincoln County tax records, which show him as owning 130 acres of “second class” land and two horses. By 1801 Knox County Kentucky was created from Lincoln County, and the family continued to appear in County tax records. In records from 1802 through 1805 they continue to be listed with their 100 acres of land and a few horses. County records then show that on June 6, 1804 Nathan received a grant from the State of Kentucky for another 200 acres adjoining the original 100 acres pursuant to an act “for encouraging and granting relief to settlers on the south side of Green river”. On March 31, 1806 the family appears in tax records as owning 100 acres of “second class land” and 200 acres of “third class land”. This continued in annual county tax records through April 7, 1812, which also shows them to have owned four horses at that time.

Ohio

On November 2, 1812 Nathan and Lydia sold the 100 acres on the Cumberland River to Charles Gatliff for $400.00. The deed lists them as residents of Knox County Kentucky. They then moved to Ross County Ohio, and on April 5, 1813 purchased 164 acres of land in Section 19, Township 9, Range 19 from Lawrence and Ann Rains, in what is now Vinton County, just across the line from Ross County. This was south and east about two miles from where Nathan’s father Jesse Dixon (by then deceased) had originally settled in Liberty Township of Ross County. The deed describes both buyers and sellers as residents of Ross County Ohio. On October 4, 1813 Nathan sold 200 acres of land in Chatham County North Carolina, and the deed lists him and Lydia as residents of “Ross County Ohio”.

Family

Ross County was one of the original counties of the state of Ohio, and became a parent county, from which other counties were later formed. These included Jackson County, which was formed in 1816, and Vinton County, which was formed in 1850. When the original Dixons, including Nathan’s father Jesse, had settled in Ross County, they settled in the southeast corner of the county. When Jackson and Vinton counties were created to the east and southeast, respectively, they encompassed this same area. Thus while Jesse is recorded as living in Ross County, and Nathan as living in Jackson or Vinton County, this was actually the same area. Numerous related Dixon families flourished in adjacent areas of all three counties. The 1820 Federal Census shows the families of Daniel, George, Simon, Caleb, Joseph, Ann, and Jacob Dixon all living in Jefferson Township of Ross County. The same records show the families of Enoch, William, John, Nathan, Jesse, and Joseph Dixon living in Harrison Township of Jackson (presently Vinton) County, and another Jesse Dixon living in Richland Township. Salt Creek, upon which Joseph Dixon (1765-1825) built his mill, runs south along the easterly line of Ross County, and the lane running alongside the creek is named and marked as “Dixon Mill Road”.

Death

Nathan died in Jackson County prior to October 23, 1822, on which date his sons Jesse and Nathan were appointed as Administrators of his estate. He apparently died intestate, leaving no will. The contents of the estate file in Jackson County have been misplaced. All the estate file presently contains is the bond signed by Jesse and Nathan, but the probate index shows a final accounting was filed in the estate on March 21, 1826. The date of Lydia’s death is not known, and the place of Nathan and Lydia’s burial is unknown. Their children are listed in the quiet title action filed in Ross County in 1838 on the death of Nathan’s mother. This lists Jesse’s heirs, and states in pertinent part as follows:

“ . . . that the names of said heirs are as follows as they are advised & believe 1st, the children & heirs of Nathan Dixon now deceased, son of sd Jesse Dixon deceased the testator viz Jesse (who has sold his share under sd Will to the sd complainant Enoch Cox), Nathan, Jacob & William Dixon, also Nancy now wife of James Blakely – Lydia wife of William Dixon – and Elizabeth wife of John Boblet . . . “

Sources

• WikiTree profile Dixon-1175 created through the import of DIXON.GED on Oct 11, 2011 by Glenn Dixon. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Glenn and others.
• Pusey/Dixon: Descendants of Jesse Dixon and Lydia Winters
• Ben F. Dixon "Our Book" 1932
• 1810 Federal Census Knox County Kentucky
• 1820 Census Jackson County Ohio
• 1838 Lydia Dixon Quiet Title lawsuit
• Lincoln County Kentucky tax records
• Lincoln County Kentucky real estate records
• Vinton County Ohio real estate records
• 1820 Federal Census Ross County Ohio
• 1820 Federal Census Jackson County Ohio
• Nathan Dixon estate file Jackson County Ohio