General Sir John Nixon

[Magistra]

Hi,

I am looking for information about my great grand father, whose name was John Nixon.  I know that he was a General in command in Turkish Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Basara.  Later he served in India, where he had at least one child, and finally settled in South Africa, where he was possibly involved in the Boer war.  In 1916 he had to leave the army, both due to ill health, and to military invalidation.
I know that he was born in England, and that he died in South Africa (possibly in 1921).
I would like to find out why and when he was knighted, how many children he had, if he had any siblings, etc.  (Basically, I am interested in everything other than his military career in the Arabic countries).  I am also interested in knowing about his predecessors.

This person is of particular interest to everyone in our family, and is known as "the old General," and is both mysterious, and revered.  Years ago I saw photographs of him in my uncle's photo album.  I have also found a picture of him online.

Any ideas?  Anyone?

[piedstilt]

Hi Magistra,

From biographies on the web, it seems your John Nixon was John Eccles Nixon, born 1857.

If you go to familysearch.org and type in the full name and check 'exact spelling' you will see that he was born in Dumcrow, Fermanagh Ireland, to parents John Piggott Nixon and Ellen Sophia Cooper. He married Amy Wilson in the Sept quarter of 1884 (Steyning). I've lost the reference number but you will find it on freebmd. 

Ancestry has a family tree for him going back to 1600 (up to you to check it out for accuracy!), which includes the origin of the Eccles name. If you don't have access to Ancestry you can access this through worldconnect at Rootsweb.

In the meantime I'll see if I can find him on any of the UK censuses.

Cheers,

Ros

[piedstilt]

Hi Again,

No luck with the censuses - but I see there was a daughter (Cecil Amy Nixon) born in India in 1885, so I suppose they must have left Britain after the marriage.

In the 1871 census there is a possible candidate in a John Nixon, born Ireland 1857, who was a band boy at a military camp in Colchester - but who knows ...

Hope this gives you something to play round with.

Ros

[Magistra]

Ros, you're a STAR!!!  You've made my day!  Thanks

[rutti tutti]

Hi there,
i have checked the archives and there does not seem to be any info on him in South Africa or his wife or daughter - did he not die in India?
Ruth

[piedstilt]

Hi again,

This one is good fun!

John Eccles Nixon was born 16 August 1857 and was awarded the Order of the Bath - Military Knights Commanders (K. C. B.) on 19 June 1911.

See PM.

Cheers,

Ros

[Magistra]

This is great information!  Thanks

I am still trying to figure out what happened after John Eccles Nixon had his daughter, Cecil Amy in 1885.  I know that he must have had at least one son, too, whose initials are possibly C.P. (likely a Charles Piggot Nixon), though I can't find much on him.  This person is known to have been able to speak 26 different languages, and had two sons (John, born in 1903, and Plattern [approximate spelling]), and one daughter (unknown identity). 

With your help, I've been able to track seven generations of my family, then there's this gap for one generation with an unknown Nixon, then it's solid again.

[rutti tutti]

OK now I have found a south African connection but it may not be linked! Charles Pigott Nixon divorced his wife in the Transvaal in 1960. Her name was Glenda Maureen Dixon.
Also - a Charles Edwin Pigott Nixon b 25 DEC 1936 so not his son - perhaps grandson died in 1993. There are a number of references in the archives to John Pigott Nixon and an Anthony Pigott Nixon. There is also a marriage in the 1870's for a Charles Eugene Nixon
If you look at the NAAIRS site ( archives) you will see there are references to Charles Eugene Nixon and a death notice for a john Nixon in 1922. Please read all the info at the heading of this list to see hoe the archives work - it is just a reference tool.

I think your best bet is to join the South Africa British mailing list for a short time post your query with ALL the detail you know, no matter how trivial it may seem. There are wonderful folk that are so helpful and I am sure that they will help you.
in the meantime I will carry on digging.
Ruth

[Magistra]

Thanks, Ruth!

Those ones you mentioned are related to me:  Charles is one of my late uncles.  John Pigott and Anthony Pigott are also uncles. 

Charles Eugene isn't related.  I'm not so sure about Charles Edwin...  I'll look into him, though.  Thanks for the heads-up on that one.

The John Nixon who died in 1922 is a relative, yes. 

Thanks again!