Elizabeth Nix (1825 - 1902)

Born 1825 in Lincolnshire, England

Ancestors

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

Biography

Elizabeth Nix is born in the spring of 1825 in the hamlet of Aisby, Lincolnshire, England [1]. Her parents are John Nix (1789-1846) and Mary Bee (1793-1867). John Nix is an agricultural labourer. Azeby is a close to several other hamlets all lying near the village of Heydour (often spelt “Haydor”) where the church is located. And Azeby is variously spelt as “Aseby,” or “Aisby.” The modern spelling is Aisby and it is 12 kilometres southwest of Sleaford. Elizabeth is baptised in St Michael’s church in the village (and parish) of Heydour on April 3, 1825.

By the age of 15 Elizabeth has left home and is living in the household of John and Jane Foster in the village of Heydour [2]. Although the census record for 1841 does not show this, it is fairly certain that Elizabeth is a servant in the Foster household. She has not been found in the 1851 or the 1861 census records.

It is possible that Elizabeth had a baby in 1869 as there is an Elizabeth Nix, “spinster,” who had a child, Emma Nix, baptized in St Bartholomew church, Ingoldsby on January 24, 1869 [3]. Ingoldsby is close to where Elizabeth was born, it is within a few kilometres of the village of Heydour where she is found in the 1841 census records and it is within four kilometres of Ropsley where she is found in the 1871 census records. While the name “Elizabeth” was certainly common, the name “Elizabeth Nix” was not. Only four or five people with this name who were born in Lincolnshire between the years 1820 and 1840 have been found. Admittedly this is all speculation, and it will never be known for sure whether this Emma Nix is a part of the Nix family being traced here. No further records of this Emma Nix have been found.

In the 1871 census, Elizabeth is living with her older brother and his wife in Ropsley [4]. Ropsley is about three or four kilometres south of Aisby where Elizabeth was born and about the same distance north of Ingoldsby.

In the 1881 census Elizabeth is living in Grantham (Manthorpe parish or Little Gonerby) and she is a servant in the house of the 72-year old Frances J. Davies [5].

In the 1891 census, Elizabeth is living in Hawton, Nottinghamshire [6]. She is working as a servant in the house of the 90-year-old Thomas Scales. Hawton is a small civil parish about 40 kilometres west of Sleaford.

In the 1901 census, the 76-year-old Elizabeth is living on her own in Grantham [7]. The location shown is Commercial Road in the civil parish of Spittlegate Within and the ecclesiastical parish of Grantham St John the Evangelist Spitlegate. Elizabeth dies the following year; it is not known where she is buried [8].

Sources

[1] www.freereg.com: baptism record for Elizabeth Nix 03 Apr 1825 in St Michael church, Heydour parish, Lincolnshire. Parents are John & Mary Nix who live in Aseby. John Nix is a labourer.

[2] "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ1R-LT5 : accessed 30 November 2015), Eliz Nix in household of John Foster, Haydor, 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 1841 census record shows Eliz Nix (15) living in the household of John & Jane Foster in Haydor, Lincolnshire.

[3] www.freereg.com: baptism record for Emma Nix in St Bartholomew church, Ingoldsby, Lincolnshire on 24 Jan 1869. The record shows the mother as Elizabeth Nix and the word “spinster” is written in for the father’s name.

[4] "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. They have living with them John’s sister, Elizabeth Nix (46) who was also born in Azeby.

[5] "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKXD-7RZQ : accessed 30 November 2015), Elizabeth Nix in household of Frances J Davies, Manthorpe Cum Little Gonerby, Lincolnshire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 28, Piece/Folio 3232/18, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,950. In the 1881 census records Elizabeth Nix is living in Manthorpe Cum Little Gonerby, Lincolnshire. [Little Gonerby is in or a part of Grantham. It is in or part of or the same name as Manthorpe parish.] The address is given as Gladstone Ter. She is 56-yrs old and works as a domestic servant. She was born in (estimated) 1825 in Haydor parish. The head of the household is Frances J. Davies (72).

[6] "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4ZD1-YN2 : accessed 30 November 2015), Elizabeth Nix in household of Thomas Scales, 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 1891 census record shows a 66-yr old Elizabeth Nix living in the parish of Hawton, Nottinghamshire, England. The address is given as Boundray Lane. She is single, she is a servant and she was born in Lincolnshire in (estimated) 1825. The head of the household is the 90-yr old Thomas Scales.

[7] "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSDM-WF4 : accessed 30 November 2015), Elizabeth Nix, Spittlegate Within, Lincolnshire, England; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Grantham North subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. The 1901 census record shows Elizabeth Nix (76) as the head of a household in Grantham. The location is shown in terms of the civil parish – Spittlegate Within, the ecclesiastical parish – Grantham St John the Evangelist Spitlegate, and the road – Commercial Road. Elizabeth Nix was born in Aisby.

[8] "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N58-NTB : accessed 30 November 2015), Elizabeth Nix, 1902; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England. The record shows that Elizabeth Nix, age 77, died in the autumn of 1902 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. The estimated birth year is 1825.

Acknowledgements

This biography was written by Fred Nix in 2016 (with revisions in September 2023). Fred is the second great grandnephew of Elizabeth.