Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/283

 DIXON

DIXON

school for classical studies in Rome, travelling also in Greece, and most of the year following in study at the libi-aries of France and Italy. He was married in 1893 to Alma Dahl.

DIXON, James, senator, was born in Enfield, Conn., Aug. 5, 18U; son of Judge William Dixon. He was graduated from Williams college in 1834, studied law in his father's office in Enfield and practised with him until 1837, when he removed to Hartford and formed a partnership with E. E. Ellsworth. He was married in 1840 to Eliza- beth L., daughter of the Rev. Jonathan Cogswell. He represented his town in the state legislature in 1837, 1838 and 1844, and his district in the 29tli and 30th congresses, 1845-49, as a Whig; and was a state senator, 1849-54. He was president of the Whig state convention in 1854, and was elected a U.S. senator in 1857 and re-elected in 1863, serving, 1857-69. He supported the adminis- trations of Presidents Lincoln and Johnson with equal loyalty, and refused to join the majority of his party in the movement to impeach Presi- dent Johnson. He withdrew from public life in 1869, liaving refused the mission to Russia offered him by President Johnson. He travelled exten- sively in Europe chiefly for recreation and de- voted himself to literary work and study. He received the degree of A.M. from W^illiams in 1837 and that of LL.D. from Trinity in 1862. His poems are included in Poets of Connecticut and in Leigh Hunt's Book of the Sonnet, and he was a contributor both in prose and verse to the New England and other magazines and periodicals. He died in Hartford, Conn., March 27, 1873.

DIXON, Joseph, inventor, was born i-n Marble- head, Mass., Jan. 18, 1799. He was self-educated and early displayed remarkable mechanical in- genuity. His first invention, a machine for cutting files, was made in 1820. He learned the trade of printer, lithographer and wood engraver, and later studied medicine and became an expert chemist. He also studied photography and in 1839 followed up the experiments of Daguerre and succeeded in taking portraits by the camera, api:)lying a reflector to the camera to prevent the reversed position before obtained, which Prof. S. F. B. Morse undertook to have patented for him in England. He built the first double-crank engine and applied it to the locomotion of the engine itself. He first used the process of trans- ferring on stone, used in lithography. He also invented photo-lithography long before it was believed to be of any particular value, and when he found that by it banknotes could readily be counterfeited, he invented and patented the use of colored inks in printing banknotes so as to prevent counterfeiting. His process was vised by all the banks, but without compensation to himself. He perfected the process of makine

collodion for use in photography and claimed to have first discovered anti-friction metal, after- ward known as "Babbitt metal. "" He first demonstrated the practicability of melting steel. He invented the plumbago or grapliite crucible and established a factory for its manufacture at Salem, Mass., in 1827, removing it to Jersey City, N.J., in 1847, where it grew to be the largest of the kind in the world. He also used graphite in the making of lead pencils. He died in Jersey City, N.J., June 17, 1869.

DIXON, Nathan Fellows, senator, was born in Plainfield, Conn., Dec. 13, 1774; son of William and Priscilla (Denison) Dixon. He was gradu- ated from Bi'own university in 1799, was admitted to the bar and settled in Rhode Island, beginning practice at Westerly in 1803. He was a member of the general assembly of the state, 1813-30, and a senator in congress. 1839-42, and died while in office, at Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 1842.

DIXON, Nathan Fellows, representative, was born in Westerly, R.I., May 1, 1813; son of Nathan Fellows and Elizabeth (Palmer) Dixon; and grandson of William and Priscilla (Denison) Dixon. He was graduated from Brown univer- sity in 1833; was admitted to the bar in 1837, and was elected a representative in the 31st con- gress in 1848, serving 1849-51 and having a place on several important committees. In 1842 he was chosen a member of the governor's council and was a presidential elector in 1844. He served as a member of the general assembly of the state, 1840^9, 1851-52, 1855-63, and 1872-77. He again represented his state in congress, 1863-71, serving in the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st congresses. He was married to Harriet Swan. He died in West- erly, R.I., April 11, 1881.

DIXON, Nathan Fellows, senator, was born in Westerly, R.I., Aug. 28, 1847; son of Nathan Fellows and Harriet (Swan) Dixon. He was graduated from Brown university in 1869, from the Albany law school in 1871, was admitted to the bar in the latter year, and practised in Westerly, R.I. He was appointed by President Grant United States district attorney for Rhode Island in 1877, and was reappointed in 1881 by President Garfield, serving till 1885, when he was elected representative in the 48th congress to fill the unexpired term of Jonathan Chase, who liad been elected a United States senator. He was a state senator, 1885-89, and a candidate for nomination as representative in the 49th con- gress, but withdrew when upon the first ballot there was no choice. He was elected, April 10, 1889, United States senator, to succeed Jonathan Chase, resigned. He took his seat, Dec. 3, 1889, and on the completion of liis term of service, March 3. 1895, lie resumed the practice of the law at Westerly, R.I., where he died, Nov. 8, 1897.