John Albert Nixon

  General Notes:

John's birth and death dates are from his death certificate.

John served the Union in the Civil War. John enlisted in the 110 New York Infantry Company C on 8 Aug 1862. He was discharged on 30 Jun 1865. He served 2 Yrs 10 Mos 22 Days.

The 1870 Census lists a Real Estate value of $2700 and a Personal Estate valued at $780. Their post office was located in Laingsburg, Sciota Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan.

Both of John's parents are listed as foreign born (England).

The location of the Nixon farm on a 1875 map of Sciota Township was a few miles north north-east of Laingsburg. The land is hilly with farms and trees. Many of the roads are still narrow and unpaved. From the intersection of W Hibbard Road and Putnam Road, the farmhouse was located about 1/4 mile south on Putnam on the east side of the road. The farmhouse sat on the northwest corner of 40 acres of land. There is currently a home that appears to be in the same location as the Nixon farmhouse. If you continue south another 1/4 mile you will reach Putnam Cemetery on the west side of the road. This is where Anna Nixon is buried. If you continue south another 1/2 mile, on the east side of the road is another 40 acres owned by John Nixon. You would be at the northwest corner of the property. Further south you would come to the intersection of Putnam and W Bennington Roads.

A 1895 map of Sciota Township shows John Nixon owning 94 acres directly southeast of the intersection of W. Bennington Road and Leland Road. At this time he no longer owned the land shown in the 1875 map.

Three of John and Anna's children are buried, with Anna, in Putnam Cemetery. They are Rosa, Giles and James. The grave of John Nixon is not in this cemetery. John was married a second time after Anna's death and he was buried in Middlebury Cemetery. Anna died in 1899, John remarried in 1900, and he died in 1902.


THE EVENING ARGUS
Owosso, Michigan, Wednesday, April 28, 1909
TO SAVE FARM
Heirs of Late John Nixon of Sciota Allege Place Is Deteriorating and in Danger
PLACE IS WORTH $5,000

Receiver Is Needed, Heirs Assert To Take Management From Widow Who Has Been Unsuccessful
Corunna, April 28 - A bill was filed in the circuit court today by heirs of the late John Nixon of Sciota township asking for a receiver to look after the farm left by the deceased, which is now in charge of his widow.
The bill is filed at the instance of Rev. G. Nixon of Detroit, Albert J. Nixon of Owosso, and Mrs. Herbert Leland of Sciota, sons and daughter of the deceased. They allege that when Mr. Nixon died, he left a farm of the value of about $5,000, of which it was provided by his will, the widow was to have the use during her lifetime. It is alleged that after Mr. Nixon's death the barn on the property burned, and that the fences are now all down, and several acres of nice timber have been cut. Furthermore, it is averred that the taxes on the place have not been paid for a long time, and that the property is advertised to be sold for taxes in May.
Under the law, the heirs contend it is the duty of the heir having the use of the property to keep it in repair and to pay the taxes. The receiver is expected to take steps to restore the place to condition and straighten out the alleged tangle in which the widow finds herself by looking after rents and profits.
It is claimed that the farm has deteriorated over a thousand dollars in value since Mr. Nixon's death.

The land in question above is the 94 acres directly southeast of the intersection of W. Bennington Road and Leland Road.

John Nixon died of Capillary Bronchitis. He is buried in Middlebury Cemetery, Shiawassee County, Michigan. The cemetery is located on the south side of Krouse road between S Warren Road and Leland Road. A rough estimate of the location would be 8 miles west of Owosso.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Occupation: Farmer, 1870, Sciota Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan. ¹⁸²

2. Cemetery: Middlebury Cemetery, Shiawassee County, Michigan.

3. Picture: John Nixon Land. In 1875 John Nixon owned two 40 acre parcels of land in Sciota Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan. This 1875 plat map shows their locations.

4. Picture: Nixon Framily Stone. This is the marker for the Nixon family plot. Individual members have their own headstone next to it.

John married Anna E. Austin, daughter of Daniel Austin and Ann Steadman. (Anna E. Austin was born on 1 Sep 1828 in New York, died on 15 Apr 1899 in Victor, Clinton, Michigan, United States and was buried in Sciota Township #2 (Putman) Cemetery, Shiawassee County, Michigan.)

John next married Margaret J. Herbison on 1 May 1900 in Shiawassee County, Michigan. (Margaret J. Herbison was born on 31 May 1852 in Lenawee County, Michigan ²¹⁰ and died on 6 Jan 1946 in Shiawassee County, Michigan.)