My Genealogy Hound

W. A. DIXON, physician, Ripley, is a grandson of William Dixon, a native of Ireland, who with a brother embarked to America and enlisted in the Revolutionary war, where the brother was killed. William Dixon, with a colony, founded a settlement in the territory of Mason County, Ky., in 1789. The colony, (six in number) emigrated to Limestone, now Maysville, Ky., and erected a fort near Blanchard’s Pond, and in 1793, he, with one Cornelius Washburn, crossed the river at Logan’s Gap and built a hut on Eagle Creek, one mile from the river. He lived in this cabin seven years, and finally settled on what was known as the Stephenson lands, now embracing the fertile lands of Henry Martin. He was a man of portly proportions, and was married to Miss Grizzy A. Bell, of Scottish blood, who balanced the scales at ninety pounds. They raised a family of ten children, seven boys and three girls. He was in the service of the Revolutionary war seven years, and resided in this county during the remainder of his life. William Dixon, Jr., the father of our subject, was born in Mason County, Ky., in 1790. He was raised on the homestead, and performed active service in the war of 1812. In 1813 he was joined in marriage to Miss Susannah Hardester, a native of Pennsylvania, who died January 25, 1831. Six children were born to them, five of whom are living. He was again married, to Mrs. Mary (Carr), widow of John Henry, deceased. The land upon which he settled is now occupied by E. Flaugher. He was Justice of the Peace for thirty years, and was widely and familiarly known as Squire Dixon. He acted as a general guardian and collector, having a peculiar faculty for this kind of work, being held in high esteem by the people. His demise occurred in this county September 25, 1867. The subject of this sketch is the youngest son of William and Mary Dixon, and was born in Union Township, Brown County, in 1835. He secured his early education in the common schools of Ripley, and in 1856 entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, and pursued his studies for three years. He attended law school one year at Indianapolis, Ind., and in 1861 was elected to teach the High School of Ripley, and taught one year. He attended medical lectures at the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, Penn., in the winter of 1862-63. From the medical board at Columbus, Ohio, he secured a certificate of qualification and entered the army as Contract Surgeon, with orders to report to Gen. Sherman, at Resaca, Ga. He was assigned duty under the Medical Director of the Cumberland Surgeon, and remained in that department of service until the close of the war. In 1865, he attended a course of medical lectures at the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he graduated the same year. Returning to peaceful pursuits, he began the practice of his profession at Decatur, Byrd Township. In 1874, he removed to Ripley, where he has since followed a successful practice. The Doctor was married in 1861, in this city, to Miss Rebecca C., daughter of E. W. Devore. To this union six children have been born, all of whom are living, viz.: Mary V., Martha, Archie, Jessie, Bettie and Kittie.