Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/95

 NIXON

NIXON

relinquished his possessions in Moravia and with a number of followers immigrated to Herrnhut, Saxony, where he engaged in evangelical work and in 1741 was consecrated to the episcopacy. He immigrated to America in 1749, to fill tiie place of Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, as presiding bishop, who had established a Moravian colony at Savannah, Ga. He remained in America until 1751, when he returned to Eui'ope. He died in Zeist. Holland, May 6, 1772.

NIXON, John, soldier, was born in Framing- ham, Mass., March 1.1727; son of Christopher and Mary (Sever) Nixon, and grandson of Joseph Sever. Christopher Nixon came to Framingham early in 1724, and John joined the troops iinder Sir William Pepperrell in 1745, in the expedition against Cape Breton and in the capture of Louis- burg. He served in the Colonial army, 1745-75, except 1752-55, when he was at his home in Fram- ingham. He was a lieutenant in Capt. E. Newell's company in the expedition to Crown Point, 1755-56 ; was commissioned captain in 1756, took part in the defence of Fort William Henry, Lake George, 1756 ; commanded a company in Col. T. Ruggles's regiment at Half Moon, 1758, and was captain in command of 108 men, 1761-62. He led a company of minute men at the battle of Lexington and commanded a regiment at the battle of Bunker Hill, where he was seriously wounded. He was promoted brigadier-general in the Continental army, Aug. 9, 1776 ; com- manded the forces stationed at Governor's Island in New York harbor, and in the battle of Still- water, commanded the 1st Massachusetts regi- ment, in the army of Gen. Horatio Gates. He resigned his commission in the Continental army, Sept. 12, 1780. owing to ill health occa- sioned by his wounds. He was married, first, Feb. 7, 1754, to Thankful, daughter of Joseph Berry, and secondly, Feb. 5. 1778, to Hannah (Drury) Gleason, widow of Capt. Micajah Gleason and daughter of Josiah Drury. She died, Sept. 26, 1831. General Nixon died in Middlebury, Vt., March 24, 1815.

NIXON, John, patriot financier, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1733; son of Richard and Sarah (Bowles) Nixon. Richard Nixon came with his parents from Wetford, Ireland, to Phila- delphia, when quite young, and married Sarah Bowles, Jan. 7, 1728, and in 1738 built Nixon's wharf on the Delaware river. He was a member of the city council, 1742-56, and was chosen captain of the dock-yard company upon the organization of the " Associators " dur- ing tlie French and Spanish war. John Nix- ofi inherited his father's property ; succeeded to his business in 1756 ; was chosen lieutenant of the dockyard company, and in 1765 was among those who signed the Non-Importation

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Agreement, thus establishing himself among the leaders of the patriot cause in Philadelphia. He was appointed a warden of the port in 1766 and one of the signers of the Penn paper money in 1767. He was a member of the first committee of correspondence ; was a deputy to the provincial conventions, 1774-75 ; was commissioned lieuten- ant-colonel of the 3d battalion of the " Associa- tors," known as " Silk stockings " : became a member of the committee of safety on its re- organization, Oct. 20, 1775, and frequently pres- ided at its meetings, being chairman of the committee on accounts. He commanded the de- fences of the Delaware at Fort Island in May, 1776, and was put in command of the city guard of Philadelphia. He read to the assembled people the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776, and during July, 1776, his battalion saw service at Aniboy, N.J. He succeeded John Cadwalader as colonel of the •' Associators " and joined Wash- ington's army at Trenton, taking part in the battle of Princeton. He was a member of the Continental navy board in 1776 ; in December, 1778, was made one of a committee of three to settle and adjust the accounts of the committee and council of safety, and in August, 1778, was one of the auditors of public accounts. He was an original subscriber to the Pennsylvania bank in June, 1780. to the amount of £5000, and with George Clymer became the custodian of the funds subscribed. They were known as

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directors and handed the cur- rency over to Tench Francis, the factor, to purchase provi- sions for the army. He was also a founder in 1781 of the Bank of North America, a di- rector, 1784- 1808, and its sec" ond president, 1792-1808, suc- ceeding Thomas Willing, who re- signed Jan. 9, 1792, to become president of the Bank of the United States. He married in October, 1765, Elizabeth, daughter of George and Jane (Currie) Davis. His son Henry, who died, Aug. 18, 1840, married Maria, daughter of Robert Mor- ris, and was the fourth president of the Bank of North America, 1822-40. John Nixon was a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, 1789-91. His wife died Aug. 31, 1795, and he died in Phila- delphia, Pa., Dec. 24, 1808.