Robert John Dixon

JOHN LYDALL DIXON IS NOT WILLIAM'S FATHER. John Lydall Dixon's ancestors are not part of this John Dixon and Martha Elizabeth Poythress Dixon line.

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Is this John Dixon the father of William Dixon b 1811? NO

John Dickson in the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Name: John Dickson Arrival Year: 1772 Arrival Place: Georgia Family Members: Wife & Child Source Publication Code: 5996 Primary Immigrant: Dickson, John Source Bibliography: "NAMES OF THE PEOPLE LATELY ARRIVED from Ireland in the Ship Brittania, Jas. Clindinnon, Master." In The Georgia Genealogical Society Quarterly, vol. 5:2 (June 1969), pp. 100-101. Page: 100
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John Dickson in the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Name: John Dickson Arrival Year: 1771 Arrival Place: Savannah, Georgia Family Members: Wife & Child Source Publication Code: 9255.7 Primary Immigrant: Dickson, John Annotation: Hundreds of requests for information from Guild members. Date of emigration and intended destination or date and place of first mention of residence in the New World. Only individuals clearly listed as having emigrated were indexed. Also, for purposes of Source Bibliography: [ULSTER GENEALOGICAL & HISTORICAL GUILD]. "Interest List." In Ulster Genealogical & Historical Guild, no. 9 (1986), pp. 1-42. Page: 9

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John Dickson The following information is from the many years of research of Dr. Julian Curtis Lane of Satesboro, Georgia, the son of Jane Warren Hollingsworth Lane, and the great grandson of George Crawford Dixon. Dr. Curtis shared Dickson/Dixon family information with me back in August of 2000. Dr. Julian Curtis Lane passed away on 19 March of 2009.

1. The information given to me was that Dr. Lane's mother and Martha Dixon (Martha Dixon also related this story to the Poythress digest several years ago) used the name of John Lydell Dixon as their revolutionary war ancestor in order to obtain admittance into the D.A.R. Their intent was to correct this false information once they were members of the D.A.R. However, this never happened. Dr. Lane spent years researching the Dixon/Dickson line and he e-mailed me on 25 August 2000, the following: "By the way I am eighty one now and I so much wanted to get the record straight on John Dickson as my mother got into the DAR on a John Dixon and it was the wrong one, so solely for the sake of my mother I hope I get it worked out. Surely is a 'tough row to hoe' Perhaps you will help."

2. Dr Lane, in an e-mail to me dated 22 August 2000, stated: "...I have only found two John Dicksons, what seems to be father and son, in Burke Co. Ga. and I have personally been thru all the Augusta Newspapers from their beginning until 1835. Once reading on microfilm page by page and once using an index that was being prepared at the time of my first reading." Every place in Georgia that is a depository of records for that time I have searched until I can find nothing I do not have."

3. Dr. Lane, through much research, came to the conclusion that the John Dickson that married Elizabeth Poythress was the child listed with John Dickson and wife on the ship Britannia that sailed from Belfast Ireland October 14 1771 and arrived Savannah Jan. 1772. Dr. Lane told me, in the same e-mail dated 22 August 2000, of a telephone conversation he had with George Crawford Dixon's granddaughter Annie Lee Blackburn Ennis: "I called to tell her that I felt very sure that our ancestor John Dickson came from Ireland and she replied 'I already know that' and when I asked how she knew she replied 'Grandpa told us'. I thought I had some news and to be deflated like that really caught me by surprise and I thought everyone knew but me. I regret not going to see her and finding out more but I did not. I am about like Ivory soap in the feeling I am correct (99and94/100%) but I am well aware it is not absolute. George Dixon and his wife lived with Annie Lee's parents Dr. and Mrs. Blackburn from 1900 until he died. I imagine he told his granddaughters plenty that I could have found out."

4. George Crawford Dixon wrote the following to his granddaughter Jane Warren Hollingsworth Lane: "I, your Grandfather George C. Dixon was born August 30th 1833 and was the son of Wm. Dixon and Jane Dixon. My father, William Dixon was the son of John Dixon who died at the age of 45. He (John Dixon) married Elizabeth Poythress who died at the age of 75 (hard to read may be 76).

5. After the death of his father William Dixon, George Crawford Dixon lived with his granmother Elizabeth Poythress Dixon and her 2nd husband Laban Odom. Dr. Lane e-mailed 27 August 2000 regarding George C. living with his granmother: "...he probably learned quite a lot about John Dickson while there and this is one reason I think Janie (Annie above) Lee Blackburn may have surely known that John Dickson came from Ireland when she told me she already knew it and replied 'Grandpa told us'. My big question is why is it not more knowledgeable among the descendants? Perhaps nobody brought it up."

6. Dr. Lane stated to me that he had personally seen the signature of John Dickson and it was signed as "John Dickson" not Dixon.

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Copied from Mildred Harriett's Rootsweb page: VOICE TEACHER AND MASTER VIOLINIST. Died at age 48. Notes of Unknown author: John dixon's place of residence was in the Newbern District of North Carolina where he taught school. John served as a Private in the American Revolutionary War under Captain Griffith, John McKee's Company of the 1st N C Battalion, commanded by Colonel Thomas Clark. He is on roll dated September, 8, 1778, which shows that he enlisted on June 2, 1777, for three years and which bears the mark "sick at Valley Forge". On the records of the State of Georgia, (Cent list #2, page 95) John drew in the lottery 182.7 acres. In 1804, he married Elizabeth M Poythress, the Poythress family was one of unusual culture and prominence. The Poythress home was, for many years, an outstanding landmark in mid-Waynesboro and stood, until a few years ago when it was razed and replaced by a service station. A stone marker now commemorates its existence. Elizabeth Poythress is remembered by residents of Burke County as being a most gracious, refined and accomplished lady. She was a proficient pianist.

John and his wife, Elizabeth, lived, during the early years of their marriage, in Waynesboro where John was a voice teacher and violin master. He had in his possession an exquisite violin, believed to be a Stradivarius, made in 1700 and brought to this country by John's father and given to his son. It was last in the hands of Dennis Blanchard Dixon of Gadsden, Alabama. When Dennis Dixon died, he had given the violin to a friend. No amount of appealing to a sense of family and common decency or efforts to buy back the instrument has availed. John and Elizabeth later moved to the 68th district of Burke Co where John became a planter.
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Is this the father of William Dixon?

JOHN DIXON, b. 1758 in N. C; d. 1835 in Ga. Served as private, 1st Batt. of N. C, under Capt. McRee and Col. Clark. Married 1796, Elizabeth Poythress ...

Below is the "Synopsis of Information on John Dickson/Dixon, St George Parish/Burke Co. Ga. 1771-1812" by Dr. Julian Curtis Lane, outlining his research, which he shared with me in 2000:

1. 1772 Petition - John Dickson to Executive Council for 200 acres on Rocky Creek adjoining William Downey, St. George Parish,  4 August 1772.  Reference:  Records of the States of the United States F286 1772-1780 Georgia S8 r.11 Original p.#400 Preceding printed No. 75 Library of Congress.

2. 1774 Grant - Granted to John Dickson, Parish of St. George, 200 acres bounded by Josiah Roberts and William Downey, signed by Gov. James Wright 2 August 1774. Reference Grant Book M pg. 180.

3. 1784 Bounty Warrants issued by Executive Council Land Court held in august Ga. -17 May 1784-John Dixon #1525.

4. 1787

a. Warrant - To Thos. Lewis County Surveyor-Burke Co.- admeasure and lay out for John Dixon a tract of land 150 acres in lieu of a warranty heretofore granted him. 5th day of March 1787. Thos. Lewis Junior.

b. Plat - 150 Acres for John dickson. Chain bearers: Samuel Griffin and Joseph Hodge. 20 March 1787 by. Thos Osborne

5. 1794 Grant - By his Exc. George Mathews granted to John Dickson 150 acres-Burke Co. signed by Gov. Geo. Mathews 26 April 1794. Registered 26th day of April 1794. Grant Book BBBB page 835.

6. 1796

a. Warrant - Ga No3 to Robert Osborne Co. Sur. admeasure and layout for John Dickson a tract of land 400 acres by his own 150 acres in lieu of an old warrant on his headright, dated 4 Jan 1796. William Baduly, Thos. Yarborough, William Wynne(?).

b. Plat - 300 acres for John Dickson on Rocky Creek. Warrant dated 4 Jan 1796. Chain bearers: John Dickson, Junior and David Finlay. Surveyed 12 Jan 1796 by R. Osborne, Co. Sur. Certified 4 Feb 1796.

Note: the originial plat states John Dickson, Junior as Chain Carrier, Plat copy in book omits word Junior. It is this document that leads me to believe that there is a father/son relationship and that John Dickson Junior is most likely the child on the ship Britannia.

7. 1796 John Dickson adm. Estate of Alexander Chambers - Augusta Chronicle - 7 Jan 1796 Burke County.

8. 1798 Grant - 300 acres for John Dickson signed by Gov. Jas. Jackson 11 July 1798. Registered 13th day of July 1798. Grant Book AAAAA page 624.

9. Margaret Dixon applies for Letters of Admionistration of John Dixon deceased. Reference: Columbia Museum & Savannah Advertiser 3 March 1801 Burke County.

10. John Dixon applies for Letter of Administration of David Dixon, (believe this to be John dickson, Jr., for Admin of his brother). Columbia Museum and Savannah Advertiser 18 April 1801 Burke County.

11. 1801

a. Warrant - to Isaac Perry to admeasure and lay out unto John Dixon 80 acres adjoining lands of John Dixon (deceased) 6 July 1801. (Believe this to be John Dixon, Jr., adjoining land of his father).

b. Plat - 80 acres for John Dixon on the branch waters of Rocky Creek adjoining land of John Dixon (deceased). Chain Carriers: William Luke and John McCroan. Surveyed 9 October 1801 Isaac Perry C.S.

12. 1802

a. Plat - John Dixon 222 1/2 acres County of Jefferson by order of David Finley being part of 250 acres originally granted to David Finley then County of Burke now Jefferon. Reference: Jefferson County Plat Book 1,2,3,4 1796-1836. Garland Hardwicks C.S. 23 March 1802.

b. Warrant - To John Broome admeasure and lay out for Margarette Dixon 100 acres adjoining lands of John Dixon and Ann Dixon on Rocky Creek 3 May 1802.

c. Grant - Burke County 16 acres May 1802 - Margaret Dixon (widow of John Dixon) adjoining land of John Dixon on Rocky Creek. Note: Edward Poythress had land adjoining the Dicksons.

13. 1803 Plat - Margaret Dixon 16 acres bordering Anna Dickson. Chain Carriers: William Luke and Thos. Dickson. Warrant dated May 1802. Surveyed 18 July 1803 by Thomas Garland

14. 1804 - Believe John Dickson, Junior married Elizabeth Poythress about 1804 - No Records of Marriage. George Crawford Dixon, son of William Dixon and Jane Georgia Ann Perry, said his grandfather John Dixon married his grandmother Elizabeth Poythress and that John Dixon died at age 45. Reference letter written by G.C. Dixon. (Burke County Museum has Elizabeth Poythress as a sister of George Poythress).

• (I believe the John Dixon to be John Dickson, Jr., son of John and Margaret Dickson and who was the child on the ship Britannia.

15. 1806

a. Grant - 200 acres to John Dickson of Burke County Georgia land in Scriven County Georgia. Signed by Gov. Jno Milledge 12th March 1806 Grant Book FFFFF page 339.

b. Deed - John Dixon and Elizabeth Dixon, his wife, sold to Seaborn Jones of Scriven County 200 acres 19 March 1806. Reference: Screven County Georgia Clerk of Superior Court Deed Book A 2-P pages 177-78 1801-10.

16. 1812 - Elizabeth Dixon applies for Letters of Administration of John Dixon deceased, 14 May 1812, Augusta Herald.

17. 1815 Grant - Grant unto John Dixon 80 acres in County of Burke - all lands of other sides by John Dickson, deceased 15th day of November 1815. By his Exc. David B. Mitchell. Reference: Grant Book K.5 Page 220.

18. Elizabeth Dixon married 2nd Laban Odom. Reference letter of George Crawford Dixon.

NOTE: Regarding John Dickson and the absence of records of his name being used in Georgia during the time of the American Revolutin. It should be mentioned that it is very probable that John Dickson of St. George Parish/Burke County Georgia and one of the John Dickson's mentioned in the records of the American Revolution of South Carolina Dept. of Archives may be one and the same. However, judging from information collected thus far there is no way to prove the statement correct or false.

Reference: South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History Alphabetical Index page 9699, Dickson, John, Accounts Audited File No. 1935 of claims growing out of the American Revolution. Dates 1770 c. or later. Entry NBRS, 0015 003 0034 00391 00. John Dickson for Militia Duty. Alternately performed as Private and Sergenat with: Capt. Jno Wilson and Hugh Wardlow Capt Robert Anderson's Return 1779-1782 (This was OLd Ninety Six District) Also Gen. Marion's Brigade in 1781.

NOTE: Unless stated otherwise all references are Georgia Dept. of Archives and History."