John Bentley Nixon (1730 - 1797)

Born 25 Feb 1730 in Orange County, Virginia

Descendants

Died 17 Nov 1797 at age 67 in Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina

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Biography

John Bentley Nixon was born in 1730 in Virginia where he was raised. He was possibly the son of Henry and Sarah (Daniel) Nixon (who were married at Christchurch, Middlesex, Virginia on 10 Dec 1728).

When John was around 33 years of age he married Elizabeth Gayden, the daughter of George and Elizabeth Gayden, in Orange County, Virginia. The couple initially settled in Orange County, but soon relocated to Kershaw County, South Carolina in about 1765. The first of their eight children was born in Virginia while the remaining seven were all born in South Carolina. Here are the children:

Ann "Nancy" (Nixon) Reynolds (1764–1821)

Travis Nixon (1766–1833) - confirmed by Will.

Reverend John Nixon (1768–1840)

Elizabeth (Nixon) Ballard (1770–1840) - confirmed by Will.

William Henry Nixon (1773–1840)

Hannah (Nixon) Pendergrass (1777–1821), profile = Nixon-6263

Gen. George Henry Nixon (1778–1824)

Tapley Nixon (1780– )

During the Revolutionary War, John was a Patriot. He served as a salesman in support of the South Carolina Commissary of Issues Department for a little over two years from 1780 through early 1783.

In July of 1780, John lived in Charleston, SC, where he (listed by full name) and many others were to take an oath of allegiance in order "to entitle them to use the free exercise of their trades or professions and the privileges enjoyed by the other loyal inhabitants of Charles-Town".^[1]

John Nixon was a planter in Virginia and then in South Carolina to support his family. He was about 12 years older than Elizabeth and died in 1797 at 66 years of age while she lived on. Although there is a Find A Grave Memorial for him, there is no burial place given.

John NIXON. ^[2][3]

Born 1732 Fredericksburg, VA. ^[4][5]

Died 1797 Camden, SC. ^[6][7]

Note: #N34.

Notes

Note N34DAR Papers Sec. to Commandor Gillian of the Navy of SC in Revolutionary War He and Elizabeth had 7 children: Nancy (married a Reynolds); Travis; John; Elizabeth (married a Ballard); William; Hannah (married a Pindergrass) and WIlliam Henry. Information from History of Macon County by Louise Frederick Hayes (reprint copy in 1979 in Spartanburg, SC)Original book published 1933 in Atlanta. p.584.

• Revised this section on Sept. 12, 2019... subject, clarification and differentiation.

"Sec. to Commandor Gillian"... This is actually Commodore Alexander Gillon of the Navy of S.C. Further, this John Nixon mentioned as Gillon's secretary was Gillon's nephew, through Gillon's sister, who had married Capt. George Nixon also of the SC Navy. This John Nixon was the brother of Hugh Alexander Nixon, MIDSHIPMAN, first of their father's ship, then later served on his (maternal uncle) Commodore Gillon's ship. Proof of the occupations, relations, service, can be found in Hugh Alexander Nixon's application for Rev. War pension. Hugh Alexander Nixon was born about 1765, so the John Nixon in this profile is EXTREMELY unlikely to be the same John Nixon who is the subject of this research note due to the 30 year age difference. One of Hugh's pension papers references HIS BROTHER JOHN'S service as personal secretary to Commodore Gillon. (Per SAR papers, Hugh 1765-1825, son of Capt. George Nixon 1719-1779, son of Henry Nixon 1693-1763)

Sources

1. ↑ The Royal South-Carolina Gazette, 21 Jul 1780, Fri · Page 3
2. ↑ Source: #S208 Book Title: Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 115 : 1915 File
3. ↑ Source: #S260
4. ↑ Source: #S208 Book Title: Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 115 : 1915 File
5. ↑ Source: #S260
6. ↑ Source: #S208 Book Title: Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 115 : 1915 File
7. ↑ Source: #S260

• Information on the John Bentley and Elizabeth (Gayden) Nixon family [1]

• Information on the John Bentley and Elizabeth (Gayden) Nixon family From Pendergrass Family pages [2]

• Descendants of George Gayden by Richard N. Fox on Genealogy.com [3]

• Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. Volume II, K-Z, by Bobby Gilmer Moss. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2009. Page 730 [4]

• Find A Grave Memorial for John Bentley Nixon [5]

• Information on George Henry Nixon, John Bentley Nixon's son, from the Hancock County (Mississippi) Historical Society [6]

See Also

• Geni Profile on John Bentley Nixon [7]

• Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties, Profile on John Nixon [8]

• Free Ancestry page on John Bentley Nixon [9]
• Source: S208 Ancestry.com North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2016;
• Source: S260 Ancestry.com Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012; Repository: #R3 NOTEFind A Grave. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi.
• Repository: R3 Ancestry.com

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 March 2019), memorial page for John Bentley Nixon (1730–1797), Find A Grave: Memorial #153675959, ; Maintained by Reuben Glen Davis Sr (contributor 47098775) Non-Cemetery Burial.

Research Notes section 2

There is a Will referenced below, which is extremely difficult to read, but it appears to be dated March 1797. In one particularly bad section, it appears to be listing his children... "... Nixon, John Nixon, Elizabeth Ballard, William Nixon, Ha????.....?? Nixon an equal part of my worldly estate....", then, "my eldest son ???(may be Travis?) Nixon and Thomas Gardner executors to this my last will and testament", then... "set my hand and seal this ????? day of March 17" (looks like 1797). Robert Brown and Jean Gardner were witnesses.

On the NEXT image, Travis Nixon and Thomas Gardner are mentioned together, when assigning to whom the appraisers will report, so it is most likely Travis who was the eldest son appointed co-exec with Thomas Gardner.
At the bottom of this page (#2) there is a date which appears to be "this 14 Novr Day of our Lord 1797".
The next page (#3) is a list of property and value, and is dated "filed in office 7th February 1799". It also mentions another date, "this 14th day of Novr 1797", confirming the above paragraph.

Sources 2

• Marriage to Ann Mondoza in 1763 in Charleston, SC - "South Carolina Marriages, 1709-1913", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2XK-GF9 : 4 June 2021), John Bently Nixon, 1763.
• Add'l marriage record from different database - Note that if you view the original source document it reflects Charleston, SC., NOT New York - "New York, Church Records, 1660-1954," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGG5-P6W4 : 10 October 2019), John Bently Nixon and Ann Mondoza, 17 May 1763; citing Marriage, Charleston, Montgomery, New York, United States, multiple churches, New York.
• 2nd additional mrg. record from Maryland database - "Maryland, Church Records, 1668-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG2T-D26R : 8 March 2021), John Bently Nixon and Ann Mondoza, ; citing Marriage, Maryland, United States, multiple denominations and churches, Maryland; FHL microfilm .

• Dtr's christening for Elizabeth - "South Carolina Births and Christenings, 1681-1935", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2NP-BYH : 22 January 2020), Jno. Nixon in entry for Elizth. Nixon, 1771.

• Dtr's christening record for Ann - "South Carolina Births and Christenings, 1681-1935", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2NT-474 : 22 January 2020), Jno. Nixon in entry for Ann Nixon, 1771.

• 1790 Census in Lancaster/Fairfield District (borders Kershaw) - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKN-ZQ1

• Approximately 1797 - there is a will which is EXTREMELY difficult to read, due to ink bleed-through from another page, AND probably from a bad film, but you can find it at FamilySearch... Go to South Carolina records, then to "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977", then to "Browse all x# images", then select Kershaw, then select "Estate record books, 1791-1811", then go to image #301. This link MIGHT take you there... https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-J855-M?i=300&wc=M6NW-3NG%3A210905401%2C210905402&cc=1919417

• 1800 Census in Kershaw District, 5m0-10, 1m10-16, 1m45+, 1f0-10, 2f10-16, 1f26-45 - "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5R-23G : accessed 2 November 2022), John Nixon, Kershaw District, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 157, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 49; FHL microfilm 181,424.