FAMILIES OF THE PICKFORD AREA |
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Mr. and Mrs. Barney Nettleton and one son, Sam, came to this atea in 1881 and settled one mile south of Pickford. They then moved across the swamp and lived there eight years. Another eight years was spent on the former Orville Bawks' farm. They finally moved into Blairville, buying the farm now owned by a son, Frank. In 1884 Mr. Nettleton brought the first team from Cedarville.
There were three sons and four daughters in this family: Sam, Annie, Frank, Robert, Nettie, Ethel, and Olive Belle.
Mrs. Nettleton was one of the first two members of the first Presbyterian Church. She died in 1904. Mr. Nettleton remained very active until the time of his death in 1945 at the age of 97.
SAMUEL NETTLETON married Laura Blair in 1909, started farming in Blairville and they lived there all their married life. Sam died in September, 1972, but had been living on the farm which they originally settled. Mts. Nettleton died Oct. 1, 1948. They had 7 children. Russell never married and still lives at his home. Harry married Hazel Hancock and they had four children: Linda (Mrs. George Bureak) of the Soo; Frederick James (deceased); and twin girls Charleen and Colleen, at home. Mary (Mrs. Herman Anderson) had 8 children: Laurel (Mrs. Donald Hoolsema); Ferne, at home; Hugh, who is married and lives in the Rudyard area; Grace (Mrs. Floyd Smith) of Bay City, Michigan; Pearl (Mrs. Wallace Bennett) of Sault Ste. Marie; Violet, who who makes her home in Texas; Herman, Jr., who is married and lives in Bay City; and Harold, who is married and lives in Escanaba. Glenn married Gertrude Kamper and they had 6 children: Lavonne, who is employed in Grand Rapids; Alice Kay, a nurse in Grand Rapids; Trenda, Arlene, Bert, and Morris at home. Eva, (Mrs. Lionel Anderson) of St. Paul, Minnesota, had three daughters: Wanda is married and living in Mapleton, Minnesota; Laura Jean is married and living in St. Paul; and Heather Lynn is at home. Edna married Kenneth Bawks and also lives in Pickfotd and their three children, Wayne, Ada, and Adrianne, are all at home. Barney married Marjorie Kamper and they had seven children: Loreetl (Mrs.Ron Case) lives in St. Paul; Rodney is married and lives in Lansing; Stanley, Jane, Joyce, Sam, Jr., and Russell are are all at home. This makes a total of 31 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren born to Samuel and Laura Nettleton.
ANNlE married Robert Williams and had 7 children, 31 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren.
FRANK married Martha Wilson (deceased) and they had four sons: Donald, Jack, Leo, and Ted. Donald married Deloris Rye and they have five children: Jerry, who is married with two children and lives in DeTour; Barbara (Mrs. Ted McGlinch) who has three grandchildren; Sandy, Vickie, and Danny at home. Don farms, carries mail, lumbers. He won the Upper Peninsual light horse hauling championship for 1969 and 1970. Jack married Illa Mae Graham and they have one son, Robert. Jack works for General Telephone. Leo married Irene McDonaldand they have three children, Ronald, Ray, and Marlene. Leo farms east of Pickford. Ted married Winifred Smith and they had six children; Kathy, Laura, Debbie, Mike, Tracy, and Scott. Ted is a civilian employee at Kincheloe Air Force Base.
ROBERT never married and is now in a rest home at St. Ignace.
NETTLE (Mrs. Herb Beacom) is now deceased.
ETHEL (Mrs. Archie Anderson) has 1 son and 3 grandchildren. OLlVE BELLE (Mrs. Harold McDowell) has three children.
Almost all of the more than 100 descendants of Mr. and Mrs. Barney Nettleton still live in the Pickford area.
William Nixon and his wife came to Pickford about 1886. They came from Grenville, Quebec, near Montreal. They settled on the present Forrest McCord farm. The first big job facing them was to clear the land and plant their crops. For the most part, however, they worked in the woods.
William and his wife had 8 children: ELLA, HERB, ERNEST (these three born in Canada),BERT, CLARA, GILBERT, LAURA, and DEWEY, all born here. When there was time the children went to school and they had a long distance to walk.
Two of the 8 children are now living: LAURA (Mrs. Madil) lives in Pontiac and DEWEY lives in Sault Ste. Marie.
UPDATE 09/25/99: Submitted by Dee Nixon djnixon@duluth.infi.net
William Elgin Nixon was born 13 April 1854 in Grenville, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada, the son of Michael Nixon & his wife Hannah Tomkins. [Source: Birth/Baptism extract from Church of England, Greenville, St-Jerome, folio four]
On May 4, 1880, William married Elizabeth Steele, daughter of Archibald Steele, Sr. & his second wife Jane Tomkins. [Marriage Extract, Church of England, Greenville, St-Jerome]. While still living in Grenville, Quebec, Canada they had the following children: Catherine (Ella) Nixon, born March 23, 1881; William (Ernest) Reed Nixon, b. March 1, 1883; (Herbert) Clarence Steele Nixon, b. July 30, 1885.
According to the Petition For Naturalization, William Nixon, William emigrated to the United States from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada on or about the 10th day of May, 1885 & arrived in the United States at the port of Sault Ste Marie, Michigan on the 10th day of May 1885 on the ferry. He declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on the 23rd day of December 1920 at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan in the Circuit Court of Chippewa County, Michigan. It appears his Oath of Allegiance was signed the 22nd day of September 1923 & is Certificate of Naturalization No. 1890052, issued on the 24th day of September 1923.
After William & Elizabeth's arrival in the United States, they had the following children: Bertram Hoyt Nixon, b. February 20, 1888 at Pickford Twp; Clara Grace Nixon, b. April 1, 1890 at Pickford Twp; John (Gilbert) Nixon, b. January 18, 1893 in Pickford Twp; (Laura) Ethel Elvira Nixon, b. July 27, 1895 at Pickford; & (Dewey) Hobson Nixon, b. February 8, 1898 at Pickford.
The 1881 & 1900 Census lists William as a farmer but we do have pictures of him logging, also. William & Elizabeth were divorced June 3, 1908 at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. William then married Letisha (Darcy) Gray on November 3, 1920 in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan; they had filed for separation but before any court action was taken he died on December 3, 1923. William is buried at Bethel Cemetery, Pickford Twp, Chippewa, Michigan. His first wife, Elizabeth, is also buried at Bethel Cemetery. Elizabeth died December 20, 1924 at the home of her son Herbert Nixon in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.
The following is the obituary for Mrs. William Nixon [the first Mrs. Nixon]: "Mrs. Eliza Nixon. Mrs. Eliza Nixon, age 70, of Pickford died at the home of her son, Herbert Nixon, 908 Minneapolis Street, Saturday, December 20, at 9:25 p.m. Her death was due to old age & a general breakdown. Mrs. Nixon is survived by four sons, Herbert & Dewey of the Sault & Ernest & Bert of Pickford, one daughter, Mrs. Samuel Mitchell [sic] [but it should read Madill] of Algoma, & many brothers & sisters. Mrs. Nixon was born in the province of Quebec & came to Pickford when quite young being one of the prominent pioneer citizens. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 1 o'clock in the Pickford Methodist Episcopal church. Burial will be made in Bethel Cemetery."
William & Elizabeth (Steele) Nixon's children:
* Catherine Ella Nixon, b. 23 Mar 1881 in Grenville, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada, disappeared Abt Apr 1901 &she was never located nor was her body ever found. There are many rumors but the family believe she died during a flood in Missouri as she was teaching school in that area; however, this has never been proven.
* William (Ernest) Reed Nixon, b. 01 Mar 1883 in Grenville, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada, m. 27 Apr 1914 in South Dakota to Nellie K. Reynolds. This couple didn't have any children. According to Emest's naturalization papers, [He] left Owen Sound, Ontario on 18 May 1887 & emigrated to the United States. On 20 May 1887 he arrived at Sault Ste Marie, MI on the vessel ATHABASCA with his parents. Emest's obituary states, "... The couple had lived most oftheir life in Pickford where Mr. Nixon was a carpenter. He was a member of the Pickford Methodist Church &the Odd Fellows Lodge of Sault Ste Marie.... According to the 1900 Chippewa county census, Emest's mother, Elizabeth, lived with him at that time." Ernest died on 28 Jun 1865 at the home of his nephew in Pickford; his wife, Nellie d in Newberry State Hospital, Pentland Twp, Luce county, MI on l0 Jan 1952. Both Ernest &Nellie are buried at Bethel Cemetery, Pickford Twp, Chippewa county, MI.
* Herbert Clarence Steele Nixon, b. 30 Jul 1885 in Grenville, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada, m. Belle Priscilla Armstrong, (b. 04 Apr 1891 to Charles C. &Catherine (Kerr) Armstrong) on 07 Jun 1907 at Pleasant Park, Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI. Herbert d. 07 Dec 1970 at War Memorial Hospital; Belle d. 05 Feb 1963 at War Memorial Hospital &both are buried at Donaldson Cemetery, Bruce Twp, Chippewa, MI. This couple had seven children:
o Mervin Herbert Nixon, b. 10 Nov 1907 at Pickford Twp, m. 02 Jan 1930 to Pearl McConkey, daughter of Richard H. &Mae A. (O'Brien) McConkey. Their three children:
* Phyllis Jeanne Nixon, b. 22 Sep 1931 at Sault Ste Marie, MI, d. 22 Sep 1934 at Sault Ste Marie, MI of a cerebral hemorrhage. Phyllis is buried at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens, Bruce Twp, Chippewa county, MI.
* Barbara Ann Nixon m. Bertram D. McKiddie, son of Joseph Neil &Agnes Iola (Mitchell) McKiddie and have three children: Tammy, Vicki &David. Tammy m. Ronald J. Beacom &their children are Clark &Betsy Beacom; Vicki m. Jeffrey Konczak.
* Francis Elgin Nixon m. Judith A. Lockhart, daughter ofMervin &Janice (Batho) Lockhart. They have three children: Richard, Lori &Randall (Randy).
Mervin was an lnternational Harvester Dealer; Pearl was a schoolteacher. Mervin d. 21 Jul 1977 at Little Traverse Hospital in Petoskey, Emmet county, MI; Pearl d. 06 Jul 1994 in Northern Michigan Hospital, Petoskey, Emmet, MI & both are buried at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens, Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI.
o Orvis William Charles Nixon, b. 07 May 1909 in Pickford Twp, m. Evelyn Bernice Margaret Carlson, daughter of John &Louise (Lind) Carlson, on 26 Sep 193 1 in Norway, Dickinson county, MI. Their only child, a son, Donald Herbert Nixon m. Angeline Mae Salem, daughter of Samuel Assad &Sadie (Ansara) Salem. They have one child: Gregory Donald Nixon.
Orvis was a carpenter; Evelyn was a tour guide. Orvis d. 29 Sep 1983 at War Memorial Hospital; Evelyn d. 08 Feb 1990 &both are buried at OaMawn Chapel Gardens, Bruce Twp, Chippewa, MI.
o Theora Belle Nixon, b. 15 May 1911 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI, d. 02 Oct 1987 at her home in Sault Ste Marie, MI. Theora never married; after the death ofher mother, Theora took care ofher father. Theora is buried at Donaldson Cemetery, Bruce Twp, Chippewa, MI.
o Mable Ethel Nixon, b. 08 Feb 1913 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI, m. Melvin O'Dell on 17 Apr 1935 in Canada. They were divorced in 1943 & from the time ofher divorce, Mable lived with & helped care for her father along with her sister Theora until her death. Mable retired from Montgomery Wards in Sault Ste Marie, MI where she was a sales clerk. She is buried at Donaldson Cemetery, Bruce Twp, Chippewa, MI.
o Grace Elizabeth Catherine Nixon, b. 26 Mar 1916 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI, m. Robert W. Matthews, b. 27 Apr 1916 at Broken Bow, McCurtain county, OK, son ofOliver H. & Sadie (Eslinger) Finley Matthews on 18 Oct 1941 at Sault Ste Marie, MI. Bob was a lock tender at the locks in Sault Ste Marie; Grace was a homemaker. This couple never had children. Bob d. 22 Feb 1994 at his home in Sault Ste Marie, MI; Grace d. 02 Jan 1991 at War Memorial Hospital, Sault Ste Marie, MI. Both are buried at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens, Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI.
o Cecil (Elgin) Nixon, known as Elgin Cecil Nixon, b. 27 Aug 1919 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, M1, m. Gertrude Elayne Niemi, daughter ofEdward & Hilma (Raukko) Niemi, on 27 Jun 1942 in Lake Charles, Vernon Parish, LA.
Elgin served during WWII; he was with the 7th Armored Division who captured over 60,000+ by April 20, 1945. The following is quoted from the Sault Evening News: "Cpl. Elgin C. Nixon . . . has sent home an 11th Corp paper from Waldurn, Germany, where he is stationed. The paper tells ofthe activities ofthe Seventh Armored division ofwhich he is a member.... The Seventh Armored division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Robert W. Hasbrouck, began its activities in Fiance and silenced it guns on V-E Day. In those nine months the division forged many unequalled combat records and a string of 'firsts' that extend from the rivers of France to the Baltic Sea. It spearheaded Gen. Patton's Third Army after the breakthrough at St. Lo, and in 21 days the armored columns ofthe division raced 600 miles, a record of sustained speed and aggressiveness which has never been matched. It made the initial crossing ofthe Meuse River and the upper Seine and was the tirst to reach the banks of the Moselle River, liberating the towns of Chateau-Thierry, Reims and Verdun. When the Allied summer offensive came to a general halt at the end of August, units ofthe 7th were dug in farther east than any other American troops. Its mission in France completed, it moved north to Holland to guard the vital hinge between Field Marshal Montgomery's 21st Army Group and the American First Army. It was the initial American division to move into the Bulge, and one ofthe last to withdraw. It captured the entire Panzer corps in the Ruhr pocket. Units of the Seventh were first to reach the Baltic Sea and first to contact the Russians north ofthe Elbe River. In addition to its 'firsts' on the battlefield, the Seventh Armored captured more prisoners than any other armored division in the ETO."
Elgin & Gert's children:
* Michael James Nixon m. (1) Colleen Smith [divorced] & had two children: Jeanette Elayne & Sheri Ann; present wife (2) Joan Van Blarcom. Jeanette m. Mark Pranga & they have two sons: Shane Michael & Dylan Charles Pranga.
* David Charles Nixon m. (1) Gayle Barker [divorced] & had two children: Daniel Andrew & Douglas Michael; present wife (2) Dixie (Peterson) Eklin.
* Dennis Edward Nixon m. (1)Barbara Courier [divorced], no children; present wife (2) Debra Cooper. Dennis & Debbie have two daughters: Jamie Leigh & Robyn Michelle. Jamie has a daughter, Mikayla Ashley Nixon.
* Ronald Herbert Nixon m. Janita (Peterson) Christenson & divorced. No children.
Gert d. 14 Dec 1963 at their home in Sault Ste Marie, MI; Elgin d. 25 Oct 1993 at his home in Sault Ste Marie, MI. Both are buried at Donaldson Cemetery, Bruce Twp, Chippewa, MI.
o Harry Elwood Nixon, b. 20 Aug 1921 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI, m. Bessie (Viola) Evans, b. 06 Sep 1916 at Bay Mills Twp, Chippewa, MI, daughter ofJohn David b~. Mary Matilda (Van Luven) Evans on 07 Feb 1942 at Sault Ste Marie, Chippewa, MI. Three children were born to this union:
* Diane Elizabeth Nixon m. Raymond Robert Jaroneski. Their children: Cheryl Lynne & Kimberly Anne Jaroneski. Cheryl m. Michael Tichenor.
* Kenneth Elgin Nixon m. (1) Diane Hopp; (2) Deborah Lynn Haywood.. Kenneth's children: Shannon Gwyn, Heather Lynn & Eric Kenneth Nixon.
* Susan Elaine Nixon m. David Wyatt & have one daughter, Angela Marie Wyatt.
Harry d. 30 Jun 1988 at War Memorial Hospital & is buried at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens, Bruce Twp, Chippewa, MI. Viola lives in Brimley, MI.
* Bertram Hoyt Nixon, b. 20 Feb 1888 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI, m. Selena Bernice (Portice), daughter of George & Esther (Barber) Portice, 20 Aug 1913 at Sault Ste Marie, MI. Eight children were born to this marriage:
o Forrest Oswald Nixon, b. 30 May 1914 at Pickford, MI m. 01 Jan 1942 to Leila Bernice (Tate). Their son, Larry Nixon m. Judy Johnson. Forrest d. 25 Oct 1982 & his wife d. Aug 1983.
o Marie Selena Nixon m. Ford Stephan Long. Ford d. 07 Oct 1997 at Sault Ste Marie, MI.
o Clarence Alvin Nixon, b. 18 Aug 1917 & d. 03 Jun 1922 at Pickford Twp, MI. Clarence's obituary gives the following, "Clarence Alvin Nixon, son of Mr & Mrs Bert Nixon, of Pickford, age five years, passed away at noon Saturday, June 3, 1922. Until April he was a healthy, active boy. The immediate cause of his death was acute meningitis. . . ." Clarence is buried at Bethel Cemetery, Pickford Twp, MI.
o Clifton Bertram Nixon m. (1) Ella Margaret Griffin & after her death m. (2) Anita Josephine Richards. Clifton & Ella's children:
* Robert Clifton m. (1) Alice Shirley & had a daughter, Amanda Lynn; (2) Karrin Bayer & had a son, Erik Robert.
* David Forrest m. Kaye Louise (Ferguson)& has two daughters: Sonya Lynn &. Jennifer Kaye.
* Wendel Lewis m. Judy Carol (Taylor) & has three children: Michael Griffin, Taylor Michelle, & Ella Margaret.
* Rebecca Sue m. Jon Davis & has two children: Cara Jane & Kirby Lynn.
Ella (Griffin) Nixon d. 15 Mar 1971 at Ocala, FL and is buried there. Anita(Richards) Nixon has passed away..
o Merlin M. Nixon, b. 20 Jun 1920 in MI & d. 23 Aug 1921.
o Vivian Clara Nixon m. Francis Nalley, son ofHarry & Jennie (Pogue) Nalley. Their children:
* Charles Clifton m.(l) Roberta Hudgent (2) Marilyn Savage. Charles' children: Richard & Roberta Nalley.
* Jackie Francis m. Nancy Nindorf& they have a daughter, Jennifer Susan Nalley.
* Tomas Douglas m. Joan Belky & have two daughters, Jacolyn & Kaitlyn Nalley.
* Susan Marie m. Bob Wilson.
Francis d. 17 Jan 1998 at Rogersville, Hawkins county, TN.
o Eva Elizabeth Nixon, b. 14 Mar 1924 at Pickford Twp, MI & d. 30 Aug 1925 at Pickford Twp, MI. She was 1y 5m 16d at her death.
o Douglas Keith Nixon, b. 01 Jul 1927 at Pickford Twp, MI, m. (1) Verna Mae Grisa, (2) Althea Marie Burton. Douglas & Verna's children:
* James Douglas m. Judy Shoemaker. Their children: Jeffrey Lee, Jerald James & Ryan Joseph Nixon.
* Jeffrey Mark m. Nancy Munroe.
* Joel Lynn m. Marlene St. John. They have a son, Lee Adam Nixon.
* Pamela Mae.
* Clara Grace Nixon m. David Alexander McKenzie, son of Duncan & Annie (Daley) McKenzie, 14 Dec 1910 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI. They had one son, Cyril Alvin McKenzie, b. 24 Jan 1912 in Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI & d. 17 Jul 1934 in an accident at Pickford, MI. Cyril, a graduate of Pickford High School, is buried at Bethel Cemetery, Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI
* John Gilbert Nixon, b. 18 Jan 1893 & d. ofinfantile paralysis on 09 Aug 1901 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI. John is buried at Bethel Cemetery, Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI.
* Laura Ethel Elvira Nixon, b. 27 Jul 1895 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI, m. 04 Apr 1916 at Sault Ste Marie, MI to Samuel Stewart Madill, b. 07 Apr 1885, son of Benjamin & Elizabeth (Thompson) Madill. Their children:
o Majorie Elizabeth m. Myron Hazen Lockhart, son ofWilliam & Maude (Hillock) Lockhart. They have two children: Heather Sue & Kirk W. Heather m. Gary McPherson & Kirk m. (1) Beth Dennis, (2) Kathryn Wickward.
o Muiel Geneva m. Robert Mineweaser, son of Leo & Vera Mineweaser. They have three children: Robert L., Gerald R., & Connie Mineweaser. Connie m. Joe Lads.
o Cletus Stewart m. (1)Marie Sheldon. They had the following children: Dennis M. & Sharon M. Madill. Dennis m. Mary Yape; Sharon m. Michael Hamberg.
o Woodrow Samuei m. Agnes LaValley & had the following children: Karen, Judy, Gary, David, Laurie, Linda. Karen m. Edward Bronsen; Judy m. Garth Feeney, Laurie m. Lon Peters & Linda m. ? LePere.
o Shirley Minetta m. Melvin Hugo Dorries. They had three children: Melvin Linde, Randall Lee & Deanna Lynn.
* Dewey Hobson Nixon, b. 08 Feb 1898 at Pickford Twp, Chippewa, MI, m. 28 Mar 1921, Stella B. Michalski, daughter of Peter & Mary (Wizkowski) Michalski. Their children: Chesley E. & Gerald J. Nixon.
o Chesley E. m. Ruth ? & had four children. Chesley was wounded badly during WWII; he retired from the Veteran's Administration in Alexandria, VA. Chesley was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
o Gerald J. was married [wife's name unknown] & had a daughter, Annette April Nixon. Gerald was a police officer in Sault Ste Marie, MI. He was a Sergeant when he retired from the police force.
William (Bill) O'Neil came here from Ailsa Craig, Ontario, before 1882. He purchased 160 acres of woodland three and one-half miles west of town (Elda and Ellott Cottle) lived on the west 80; Marion and Stanley Harrison did live on the east 80. The road had considerable corduroy and part-way he found it so swampy it was necessary to travel on the ridge south one-half mile of the town line, across the Jackson farm (Beatrice and Everett Hardson's farm) and the Moore farm. This hill is still known as "Moore Hill". Percy Harrison and Timothy Greenough own this farm.
He had a house built and 60 acres cleared on his farm when his sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth and Charles Harrison, atrived with their family in 1888. (Mrs. Harrison was so anxious to reach her brother's home, she walked the last three-quarters of a mile without following the ridge, and she was soaked to her knees.
Bill, not married, lived alone after the Harrisons moved in 1894 to their 160-acte farm lying directly east of his. In 1906 Bill was digging a well on the William Brundson farm (father of Newman, William John, Sarah (Mrs. Pollick), Elizabeth (Mrs. Fred Wallis), Martha (Mrs. Hiram McDowell), and Emma (Mrs. John Dunbar). The farm is west of the Cottle Cemetery. He dug until he struck a rock and, unable to remove it, he dug a second basin, throwing the earth into the first. He and the man helping him (this is not certain, but several today believe it was Hiram McDowell) were using a windlass after digging a considerable depth. Bill met an untimely death - the sand gave way between the two holes and he was covered. It was customary to wood curb as the holes were deepened, but no curbing was used here. His nephews and several neighbors dug that afternoon and all night before reaching him. They found him standing in the bucket with his hands on the rope as if he had been preparing to be lifted to the surface.
His body was taken back to Canada for burial. Elizabeth and Charles Harrison purchased his farm. Later their sons, Lewis and Charles Alexander, purchased it.