The correspondence begins with a message from Russell Dix Whigham (Rusty) to Frances Dix Chapman concerning the details of marriage of  Albert Sidney Dix and Isadora Nicoles. 
 

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit with you at the reunion. Perhaps we can solve some pieces of the "Dix" puzzle on-line.

The only information I could find on the wedding of Granny Dix and Albert Sidney Dix was typed on a 3x5 card by my mother, Mavis Vickery Whigham, and was in with the "Dix Family" pictures with the title "How They Met". It reads as follows: 

Albert Sidney Dix -- born September 1, 1863 in Midway Alabama -- was teaching school in Brewton, Alabama. There he met Francis (Frank) Marion Nicoles, building contractor, through a friend, "Mr. Lovelace". Frank Nicoles' daughters, Isadora and Etta were students at Massey Female College, Tuskegee (later moved to Montgomery and renamed Huntingdon College).

At first I though "Clarinda Iowa" was her name, but it's a city -- perhaps where she was born or where she lived when the picture was made. I've found several variations of the spelling of Jeniluska/Jenaluska and Jenie/Jennie. Any idea which is correct?

Let me know if you get these pictures. If you do, I have a few of your Dad and Mom.

Rusty

Rusty:

Thanks for the info and photos!

Enjoyed the short visit at the reunion, wish I had taken more time to look at all the old photos you had, man it was great to see the old ROCK store and the Rutherford home place, some day we would like to come to Montgomery or at least meet somewhere in between and spend some time looking at old photos.  So many folks at the reunion had albums, letters and photos that time was available to see all, not to mention all the talking, gossip and maybe a few lies.

Thanks again Pal and would like more if possible.
Hello to the family

Bill and Pat
 

Hi Rusty,

"Thanks for the information on Granny and Grandpa Dix's wedding.  I already had some of the dates, etc., but enjoyed learning about "how they met" and their wedding date.  The pictures came out great and I was glad to get them.  I don't believe I have a copy of the one of Grandpa Nicoles, but I think I do have the one of Grandma Nicoles - so thanks for sending them.

Sorry we missed seeing you and your family at the reunion this year.  We were on an Alaskan cruise and just returned yesterday, Sunday afternoon.  Have you and your family been to Alaska?  If not, we highly recommend it.  The cruise was fantastic, not to mention the scenery, floatplane and helicopter rides over icefields, snow-covered mountains, glaciers, etc.

Hope you had a good crowd and lots of fun with the family at the reunion.

Give my love to Cathy and your kids.

Lyn
 

Rusty, the pictures look great. Mom forwarded them to me. Maybe you should try to eventually scan them all and send them to everyone.  I would like to  have as many as I can find. I will then burn them onto a cd for keepsakes. Do
you have any of Nelle Dix (my great grandmother or of grandmother (Etta) Jack (her brother) or Nellgjie (her sister)?

Thanks again, Jeannie

Rusty,

Many thanks for the note and pictures they came in great.  Please send the  ones that you have of my mom and dad.

Thanks Frances

Thanks for the info. on our relatives.  CHARLIE B.
 

Here are a couple of photos of your dad:

Love,

Rusty
 

RUSTY THANKS FOR THE PICTURES THEY CAME OUT GOOD WE HAVE MADE COPIES FOR
EACH OF OUR KIDS. FRANCES WILL GO BACK TO THE HOSPITAL THUR 19TH AT 1 PM FOR
THE NEXT OPERATION I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE RESULTS.

FRANCES AND CHARLIE

Dear Dix Family,

  I received several replies (see above) to the mailing with the photos of Granny Dix's parents.  Some of you asked for more photos of our Dix relatives.  Jeannie said that she wanted to save them to CD.  That's kind'a what I had in mind -- CDROM or Web page (if I have enough space), but it's a slow tedious task.  (My job is really interfering with my hobbies.)  Just trying to arrange the pictures in some sort of order was my first decision.  I've decided to arrange (and scan) them chronologically, then have an index page with links to individual family members.  If any of you have Dix family pictures you'd like to have included I'd really appreciate it if you could scan them (300 dpi resolution .JPG's) and send them to me.  My next sub-project is a  "Who/Where is this?"  I have many photo's that need identification.

Bill Dix and I have been swapping e-mails since the reunion, recalling our mutual memories of the summers we spent in the late 40's through the mid 50's with Ruth Dix and Ralph F. Whigham Sr.  We're planning to meet down in Rutherford when the weather cools a bit.  If anyone else would like to stir some old memories there, you're welcome to join us.

 This time, the information is about Albert Sidney Dix's, parents and siblings.  I hope the tabs survive your mail reader.  Just in case they don't, I'm attaching a WORD file as well.  Maybe you can read at least one of them.

I don't have photos of Albert Sydney Dix or his parents.  I seem to remember one of ASD, in something like a morning coat,  looking very regal, like say... "Prince Albert" .  If any of you have this, or any other photo of him,  I d like very much if  you could send it/them to me.

This discovery of the Dix's being buried in Montgomery was prompted by a note that my Mom wrote (I have no memory of them ever mentioning this to me) about the Dix's in Montgomery:

Alexander Franklin Dix's Sr. grandparents were Ozias and Lucy Hatch Dix of Wilmington VT.  Ozias was granted property for his service in the Revolutionary War.  There is a stone marker commemorating those who served in the war, in the Wilmington Vermont Library.

AFD's father and mother were Daniel Dix, and Dyanthia Butterfield Dix

AFD attended college in Buffalo NY.  He married Helen (Nellie) Beach in Buffalo NY.  They moved to Midway AL (Bullock County Alabama) prior to the Civil War. He was an ordained Baptist minister and school teacher in Midway and Union Springs.  Both buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery AL.

[She] was a student at Wesleyan College, in Macon GA when her father [Albert Sidney Dix] died [December 20, 1901] [These dates were later determined to be wrong.  The correct DoD was December 27, 1910] . The family moved to Montgomery AL, where uncle L. D. Dix was in business.  Another uncle, Philo Dix, was the first YMCA director on Washington St., in Montgomery.  Her Dix grandparents and uncles lived on Felder Ave. in Montgomery.

Until next time,
Rusty
 

               Nelle Dix Smith
               Ruth Dix Whigham
               Francis Albert Dix
               Issalee Dix Dismukes
               Will Allie Dix
               Dorothy Dix Harris
               Eleanor Dix Smith
 

 Winifred Hall
 Helen Hall
  Lillis
  James M.
  E. Winchester
  Sarah
  Helen
  Dorothy
  Nina
  William A.

               Annie Goulding (Dix) Meiers
              Beach Dix
              Albert Sidney Dix
              Daniel S. Dix
              William M. Dix
              Alex Beach Dix
              Mary B. (Dix) m. G.T. McRae
 

Mary Vernon (Dix) Sproles
Nellie Beach Dix
Oliver Dix

E. Jean
Ellen

Madelin Dix Reeves b 03/04/1904
Arthur F. Dix b. 08/23/1906, d. 10/13/1932 

 Directions:  The oldest part of Oakwood Cemetery  spreads out north and east from the intersection of Columbus and Ripley Streets in downtown Montgomery.  The newer addition is called East Oakwood Cemetery and is accessed by heading  east on the Upper Wetumpka Road which begins at the confluence of Columbus and Jefferson Streets.  Turn left into East Oakwood Cemetery.  This is somewhat confusing, in that, the Saint Margaret's Cemetery shares the same entrance.  Graves to the right of the main road are in the Saint Margaret's Cemetery, while the graves to the left are considered East Oakwood Cemetery.  Once in the cemetery, turn immediately to the left, then back to the right at the first opportunity.  This goes up toward the top of the hill and passes between 2 cedar trees.  The Dix plot is near the cedar tree on the left (west) between the road and the Miller marker.
 

Nellie Beach
Wife Of
Rev A F Dix
Born Williamsville NY
Dec 15 1838
Died  Montgomery Ala
April 14, 1909

The heart of her husband
Trusteth in her
Her children rise up and call
Her blessed
 

Rev A F Dix
Born  Wilson NY
July 27 1831
Died  Decatur Ala
October 25 1921

Alexander Franklin Dix Jr.
Son Of
Rev A F & Nellie Beach Dix
Aug 20 1874 - Sept.13, 1899
 

Faithful unto death

Born
June 14 1871
Died
Dec 20 1901
Thy Will Be Done
 

I am curious about the names Dollie and Allie[see below] engraved in the corners of the cement border around the marble marker.  I have used two sources that were in with Dad's (Francis Dix Whigham) family history items.  One is a schematic Dix family tree that goes back to when the Dix's came from England.  The other is a book that Mom (Mavis Vickery Whigham) had made.  Mom mentions a Dollie and a Will Allie as two of Albert Sidney Dix's siblings that are not included on the schematic (done in 1934 or 1935 per a hand written note on it).  I though Mom had "gotten off" a generation until I saw these inscriptions.  Now I thinking that Albert Sidney Dix's son Will Allie (Uncle Billy), was named for Albert's (younger) brother.  Does anyone have any corroborating information?

Update  09/28/2001:  Martha found a book at the Samford University Library titled "The First 150 Years of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery".  In it was a reference  to "Mary Belle Dix (Dollie), daughter of Alexander Franklin Dix Sr."  I had incorrectly assumed that the "Mary" buried with Alexander Franklin Dix Jr., was his wife (we never found anything on AFD Jr.'s wife).  Martha also found in the Alabama State Archives microfilm, under "Dix" and "Clippings", the inscription from the gravestone above with the missing segments.  The letters in red are from the archive records and fills in the missing information from the broken gravestone.

OK, that takes care of the "Who's Dollie?" problem.  Now, this leaves the other name on the border of the gravestone is "Allie".  Since we now know that this grave contains the remains of two of AFD Sr.'s children, and that "Dollie" was the nickname for one buried there, it seems logical to assume that "Allie" was the nickname of the other -- Alexander Franklin Dix Jr. i.e., Allie, short for Alexander Jr.  It seems the "Will" half of "Will Allie" was an incorrect assumption on my mother's part when making the notes.

Case closed!

Thanks to Martha for making this connection!

 
Notes for ALEXANDER FRANKLIN DIX: Excerpt from letter written by his son, L.D. [Daniel] Dix, Mobile, AL to Lucy Farris Heidenreich 29 Apr 1953:

"I do know that when father [Alexander F. Dix] was living in New York prior to the Civil War, he had a letter from his cousin Milton Butterfield, who was at Union Springs [AL], asking him to come to Union Springs and teach with him - which he did. Later, when I was ten years old, or in 1883, we moved back to Union Springs, and Cousin Ed [Edward Milton Butterfield], his wife and three girls were living there - Emmett, Estelle and Sunshine. There were the only kinfolk we had in the South, and so we very jealously claimed kin." "...but I am glad that you wrote me. Where is Emmett? I have a recollection of three very sweet, pretty girls, and Emmett visited our home at Pine Grove just prior to her marriage to Mr. Terrell. I would love to know something of those three girls."

More About ALEXANDER FRANKLIN DIX: Occupation: Teacher, taught in Union Springs with cousin, Milton Butterfield
Residence: Bef. 1860, Removed to Union Springs, AL at the urging of his cousin, Milton Butterfield; NY; 1883 moved back to Union Springs

                          Spouse: 2 January 1861, Helen (Nellie) Beach

                          Child of ALEXANDER FRANKLIN DIX is:

                                         i. L. DANIEL11 DIX, b. 12 February 1873, NY449; d. Aft. 1953, (Mobile, AL).

                                         Notes for L. DANIEL DIX: Excerpt from letter he wrote to Lucy Farris Heidenreich 9
                                         May 1953:

                                         "I remember quite distinctly some seventy years ago when we moved to Union Springs
                                         and the three pretty girls - Emmett and Estelle and Sunshine [Butterfield] - in the little
                                         summer dresses came to see us. The were cousins, and the first cousins we had ever
                                         seen."

                                         "Some ten or fifteen years ago I was quite interested in tracing family lines, but I have lost
                                         my zest for it now, and none of the children are at home to work on it. My boys made the
                                         chart, copy of which I sent you. Since that time, I have gotten quite a good deal of
                                         information about other branches of the family, but I am afraid it will not get put into
                                         shape.

                                         My only remaining brother, Philo [Dix], lives at Deerfield Beach, Fla. He has two
                                         daughters who are married, one living in Connecticut and the other in California.

                                         We had six children, five of whom are living. One married daughter lives in New York,
                                         one married daughter here, and three sons all live in Mobile."

                                         More About L. DANIEL DIX: Occupation: Associate General Agent, The Penn Mutual
                                         Life Insurance Co, The Henry K. Toenes Agency, Merchants National Bank Building,
                                         Mobile, AL450

                                         Residence: 1883, Removed to Union Springs, AL; Mobile, AL.
 

It thrills me that you have gotten interested in our genealogy!!  And are doing such a good job with it. When your folks were cleaning out Pop/Gran's things, your mother gave me a photo of young Albert Sidney.  On back in very old handwriting, it reads: Albert Sidney Dix  Midway, Alabama  Dec 10,1866 Aged 3 yrs 3 mos 9 da. Then in your mother's handwriting the same is
repeated underneath stating that he was born 12/10/1866.  Could DOB of 6/14/71 that you have be incorrect? [Yes]   You can have this to scan if you want.  But I have a personal note from talking to Gran/Pop that gives his DOB as 9/1/1863 [This is correct]. If this is right and you add 3yrs 3 mos 9da, the date given on the photo 12/10/1866 would be the date that the photo was made, not his DOB as your mother assumed.  I thought Grandmother (DOB 1892) had 3 yrs of college.  If he died in her 3rd year of college, she would have had to be 19 or 20 yrs then ,even assuming she went to college early at 16?  So don't you think he would have also had a later death date, maybe 1911 (1892+19)? [Actually December 27, 1910, but Martha is close enough to get extra credit ;-)  Thanks!]

I imagine that Nic Dismukes would be the one to have Isalee's things.  Have you asked if he has any info? I wouldn't mind sending him this info that you have done and asking if he has anything.  He and Billy Jean really are nice folks.  What do you think?   I would love to go to Rutherford when you and Bill go.  Let me know. Let's just quit work so we can do the things we want to before we get too senile to do it!!!!!!!!

Keep up the good work! 

Love,   Martha 
 

At 05:26 PM 8/13/2001 -0500, you wrote:

It thrills me that you have gotten interested in our genealogy!!  And are doing such a good job with it. 

I wish I had asked more questions when Mom and Dad were living.  I'm trying to get this down for John and Suzanne or anyone else who may develop an interest at some point down the road.

When your folks were cleaning out Pop/Gran's things, your mother gave me a photo of young Albert Sidney.  On back in very
old handwriting, it reads: Albert Sidney Dix  Midway, Alabama  Dec 10,1866 Aged 3 yrs 3 mos 9 da. Then in your mother's handwriting the same is repeated underneath stating that he was born 12/10/1866.  Could DOB of 6/14/71 that you have be incorrect?  You can have this to scan if you want.  But I have a personal note from talking to Gran/Pop that gives his DOB
as 9/1/1863. If this is right and you add 3yrs 3 mos 9da, the date given on the photo 12/10/1866 would be the date that the photo was made, not his DOB as your mother assumed.  I thought Grandmother (DOB 1892) had 3 yrs of college.  If he died in her 3rd year of college, she would have had to be 19 or 20 yrs then ,even assuming she went to college early at 16?  So don't you
think he would have also had a later death date, maybe 1911 (1892+19)?

You're certainly right about the numbers not adding up.  The dates I had were from the Dix Genealogy Chart.  It was the only source I had for ASD's dates.  [acutally I had the correct DoB from the wedding information (see the first message) but lost track of it.]  Your numbers make sense, but, assuming the dates on the chart for the other brothers and sisters is correct, we run into a problem with the human gestation period between Albert Sidney Dix and his younger sister, Dimple.

William Beach Dix   born 03/19/1865 
631 days between births
Albert Sidney Dix born 12/10/1866 (?)
129 days between births
Hattie Lillis (Dimple) Dix   born 04/18/1867 

Ole Nellie Beach Dix might have been quite a woman, but I don't think even she could have pulled this off.  ;-)  But again, Dimple's dates may be just as wrong.  I don't know who compiled the chart or where they came up with the dates.  I don't even know where ASD is buried, although, Macon comes to mind for some reason.  I assume that Granny Dix would be buried at the same place.  Maybe another cousin can come to the rescue on this?

Here's a clipping from Grand's Wesleyan Alumnae newsletter confirming your contention about the date ASD died.  She would have been in the Class of 1912 had she been able to graduate with her class.

So, 09/01/1863 (also Ralph III's b'day) seems to be the correct DOB and 1911 seems to be the correct year of his death, but now the month and day are suspect! [See Lyn's message resolving this below]

I'll take you up on the offer to borrow the picture that you mentioned to be scanned.  I'd like to scan ALL of your Dix and Whigham photos.  We'll have to make a weekend of it sometime soon.  Perhaps when you come down for the Rutherford visit, if not before.  Don't you think Maurice would just love to have a scanner? ;-)
 

I imagine that Nic Dismukes would be the one to have Isalee's things.  Have you asked if he has any info? I wouldn't mind sending him this info that you have done and asking if he has anything.  He and Billy Jean really are nice folks.  What do you think? 

I would love to go to Rutherford when you and Bill go.  Let me know. Let's just quit work so we can do the things we want to before we get too senile to do it!!!!!!!!

Keep up the good work! 
Love,   Martha

Rusty,

I have just received and read Martha's response to yesterday's e-mail and can probably clear up some of her confusion and questions.  (I'm the cousin who lives in Macon!)  And as for the Dismukes' family history, Frances has, and sent me, some very complete data on that family with pictures included.

Thanks for your interest and time spent in researching our Dix family history - and especially for sharing it with the rest of us!  What a coincidence, but Shirley Jarrett and I have been swapping memories of the "old days" all summer, also!  I have a few things to add to your Albert Sidney Dix memorabilia, with possibly a few changes, according to my own research and memories (nothing as extensive as yours, however!).  First of all, I do have some pictures of my Grandpa (Albert Sidney) and Granny Dix in their early days.  One of them is probably the one you remember of him in his morning coat, looking very distinguished, and a matching one of Granny Dix, probably made at the same time.  I'm sorry, but I do not have the scanner attachment on our computer, so would have to get copies to you in the old-fashioned way - by U.S. MAIL!  I may even have a picture or two of his parents, but I'm not sure.

I believe I came "full circle" when we moved to Macon, as my mother (the last of his and Granny Dix's seven children) was born here on March 13, 1909.  Now, that brings up a discrepancy in the information you sent us!  My grandfather (and your great grandfather), Albert Sidney Dix, died less than two years after Mama was born, and was buried here in Macon at the Riverside Cemetery, where Granny Dix was also buried in 1951.  The inscription on his tombstone, however, states that he was born on September 1, 1863 and died on December 27, 1910.  (I don't know where the dates you gave came from, but it was impossible for him to have died in 1901, as he and Granny Dix had two more children after that - Aunt Dot and Mama!  Possibly the "0" and "1" were transposed.  Also, Granny Dix's dates were different from the ones you have, and were given on her tombstone as born January 7, 1870 and died March 29, 1951.  I'm sure these must be right as Mama always told me her Daddy died when he was 47 and I remember that Granny Dix died when I was ten and she was 81 (and that would coincide with the dates on the tombstones).  Anyway, Grandpa Dix was Superintendent of the Georgia Industrial Home (a home for orphaned and indigent children) while living in Macon, and also was pastor of a Baptist Church here in Macon (I'm ashamed to say I don't know which one, and have always intended to find out).  After he died, Granny Dix was left with six children still at home (Aunt Nelle was already married and out of the home), and that's when she and her brood moved to Montgomery and where my mother grew up.  It was probably the custom for a widow and her children to be "taken in" by her deceased husband's family in those days.  I believe Alexander Franklin Dix fought with the Confederate Army in the Civil War and it looks like Albert Sidney was born during the Civil War!

My other great grandparents, Francis Marion Nicoles, born 1840 and died 1924, and Mary J. Nicoles, born November 6, 1841 in Covington Co., Ohio and died August 18, 1907 here in Macon (Granny Dix's parents), were also buried here in Macon in the same plot with Grandpa and Granny Dix at Riverside Cemetery.  I guess this suggests that they moved to Macon with my grandparents and their family.  The story goes that Grandpa Nicoles also fought in the Civil War - with the Union Army!  The only other error that jumps out at me (I think) is that Uncle Buddy's name was Francis Marion Dix (after his maternal grandfather), not Francis Albert Dix (I believe, but you could check with Frances Chapman or Bill Dix to make sure).  [It Francis Albert Dix -- confirmed in subsequent messages from Bill and Frances]

Thanks again, Rusty, for your diligence, and I look forward to more info on the Dix's.  The information you have shared is truly interesting - especially the personal excerpts, letters, etc. you dug up!  (By the way, as I was looking over the first information including pictures that you sent earlier, I noticed that you had the correct dates for our grandparents' (or great) births and deaths.)

Love,

Lyn

So, as to the matter of ASD's & IND's dates and where they're buried -- case closed.  THANKS Lyn!!!  I've updated my rendition of the Dix Family Tree with the new dates.  I'll wait awhile for more corrections before sending it out to everyone again. Thanks also for the interesting background information.

Lyn, about the photo of ASD -- DON'T send it U.S. Mail.  It's too valuable to risk losing it.  Just hold onto it until next reunion, unless we can work out a visit before then.  There may be some place in Macon that offers scanning service.  In Montgomery, some of the printers can do it, or perhaps at photo center, and I think places like Office Depot/Office Max/Staples can scan as well.  I think I even saw a scanner in the local Wal-Mart, though it may have been for making copies of photos, as opposed to saving to your floppy disk.  If you can find a place (or know someone who has a scanner that might do it for you) ask for "300dpi resolution" and save in the "JPG" format.

Martha called earlier tonight to say she'd be down this way this weekend and will bring an old photograph (that she's pieced back together) of  Alexander Franklin Dix, Nellie, and their children, including ASD.  I'll send it out next week if all goes well with the scanning.

This time, I'm including a picture of Albert Sidney Dix at about age 3 or 4 years, and a photo from a postcard, of  the/a Baptist Church in Forsyth GA.  The note on the back simply says" Albert Sidney Dix, pastor". The first color photo is of the same church when my dad, Dix Whigham, took his mother Ruth, on a nostalgic trip back to Forsyth in 1975.  The other photo is of Ruth (on the same trip) in front of the house (unknown address) where  she lived as a child or young woman.  Is this where ASD lived and worked before he worked and preached in Macon?  Does any know about when they lived in Forsyth?

More, later

Rusty

Thanks Rusty for all your hard work on the Dix history. I know so little about the older generation. My mother did not know lots either or at least if she told me my finite brain did not retain it for very long.  You know we did not visit very much to see Aunt "Whoopas" family in Ala (her sisters and their families) that I have a hard time putting them all together. I really regret that we did not get to know all of them. I enjoyed Martha's' contribution and cousin Lyn has worked lots on this history  too. Maybe with all this "pulling" together we can get it all down on paper. Thanks again for sending me this info. I'm printing it all. Made frances some copies. She has been visiting me since Sunday and we have had a ball!!!!!!!!! She usually stays with her daughters but this time she stayed with me. 

Take care. 
Love,

Shirley 

Thanks for your encouragement.  With the feedback I'm getting  to my questions, it's been very rewarding.

I've been meaning to ask you about "Whoopa".  Was that your grandmother Nelle's attempt at "sister"?.  If not, do you know where that nickname came from?  I'd love to have you and Charlie send us your memories of Aunt Nelle, and your parents -- where you lived when you moved -- that sort of thing, as well as any memories of Granny Dix.  Bill Dix has sent me some of his early memories of his mom and dad.  I never knew (until this summer) that Bill Dix nearly died of pneumonia at the same time he lost his mother.  My goal is to have  Web pages for each of ASD's and Granny Dix's children and their families complete with pictures and memories.

This seems to have been the summer for cousin reunions.  I think it's great!  We have such sort visits at the Father's Day/Lyn & Tom's anniversary get-togethers, that I afraid this sort of thing has gone lacking until now -- at least for me.  As for keeping the generations straight -- I'm still hazy too, but it's getting clearer the more I learn.  The photographs seem to help me piece the puzzle together. 

I'm afraid we may be nearing the end of available contacts for some of our other cousins.  Martha has a lead on Nic Dismukes, which would cover Aunt Isalee's family (and possibly Aunt Dot's.  We may be able to reestablish contact with Dot's daughter, Laura), but I don't know of any contact for Will Allie's (Uncle Billy's) children, Bill Dix and Ruth Dix.  A search for "Ruth Dix" on the Internet kept hitting on a Dr. Ruth Dix, that's somewhat of an expert on the cherry trees in Washington D.C., but ours is named Mable Ruth Dix (according to my information), and the Cherry tree Ruth Dix, had a different initial. 

Frances is on the mail list, so she'll have that waiting for her when she gets back home too.

Send me more when you can,

Rusty
 

Lyn's notes are great.  Thanks for sending it to me.  I don't believe I have any info on Forsyth. I knew there was something else that I was going to say to you last night: the phone number for Nic is the same as I have. I only have a PO Box address.  It would be nice for him to be "in on this" if he is interested. 

See you Sunday. 

Lyn wrote:

The only other error that jumps out at me (I think) is that Uncle Buddy's name was Francis Marion Dix (after his maternal grandfather), not Francis Albert Dix (I believe, but you could check with Frances Chapman or Bill Dix to make sure).

and your brother Bill wrote:

...Francis Albert Dix born 10-22-1894 died 11-19-46, lung disorder. Mustard gas from the first world war is what I have learned even though he smoked heavy! 

I'm also sure these memories are painful for you, but if you have anything to add about your mother and father I'd like to include your memories as well. 

Now that I've gone completely around the world to get to my point, I'm guessing that Bill knows your dad's name, but Lyn seemed pretty sure.  Will you cast the deciding vote? Is it:

Francis Marion Dix  ?
or
Francis Albert Dix ?

I hope you're recovering well from your latest ordeal.

Love,

Rusty
 

Your grandmother's name Whoopa came from Charlie and me as I remember my mother saying. We could not say "Ruth" so we called her "Whoopa" It seems to me that Ruth would be easier but I think the "R" must have been difficult for us. I will ask Charlie if that is what he remembers. 

I will have to tell you about our trip to Rutherford when we were very young. We "city kids" almost demolished Uncle Ralph and Aunt Whoopa's farm. Charlie caught a frog and promptly put it in Whoopa's churn for safe keeping!!!!!!!! Can you imagine her surprise when she opened it up and started to make butter?????????? Now I went with Uncle Ralph to watch him milk the cows. Boy, was I fascinated and I got so close when the bucket was full and turned it over, spilling ALL of the 
milk. We got on the train a few days later to return to the big city of Atlanta and could hear the sigh of relief as the train left the station. But we always had a wonderful time when we went and Aunt Whoopa  always read to us stories that we enjoyed and I used to sing "God Bless America" for her. Every time we saw her she would ask me to sing that wonderful song. You 
remember now that she was our great aunt but she meant a great deal to us and we learn at her knee.  I can still see the farm house at Rutherford Ala.  We went to the garden and picked those wonderful ripe tomatoes and ate them right in the field. They 
had not been sprayed with pesticides and we didn't even wash them before we ate them.

Mother told me that Uncle Ralph was the postman and delivered mail on horseback for along time. And many times the people on his route could not read and he would take time to read their mail for them just as he delivered it. What a wonderful man he was!!!!!!1 Well, time is flying and my brain has stopped and I'm about to turn into a pumpkin. I will try to find some things 
that you might can use for these web pages. 

Love,

Shirley 

Rusty,

Thanks for the latest Dix newsletter and pictures, especially of the church and homeplace in Forsyth.  Forsyth is only 20 miles from Macon.  Perhaps that was the church our Grandfather Dix pastored while living in Macon at the Georgia Industrial Home, however, they would have had to travel by horse and wagon which would have been pretty slow moving every Sunday morning.  The house that Aunt Ruth was standing in front of may have been the one they lived in at the Georgia Industrial Home.  I understand that the Superintendent's house was just across the street from the Industrial Home campus and I believe my Mama was born in it, however, it is long-gone.  Aunt Ruth was 16 or 17 when Mama was born, and pretty much raised her the first five years of her life, I guess until she met and married Uncle Ralph.  Mama felt very close to her sister, Ruth, and, to answer one of your questions in today's e-mail, Mama always told me that she couldn't say Ruth as a small child, and it came out "Whoopa" (Aunt Nelle was "Sister").  I, on the other hand, couldn't say "Whoopa" when I was learning to talk, and it came out "Aunt Wootsie".  I believe, however, the name "Whoopa" stuck and other family members began calling her that.  Because of Mama and Aunt Ruth's close relationship (almost like mother and daughter), I grew up very close to the Whigham family - and am glad of it!

Rusty, you have renewed my interest in searching out our family history.  When we first moved to Macon (over 20 years ago now), my Daddy told me a little bit about Mama's early years here (I had already known that she was born in Macon, but that's about all.), so I made a trip out to the Georgia Industrial Home and talked with the current Superintendent at that time.  He had no record of Granddaddy's [ASD] having been Superintendent there in the early 1900's, but said he was in the process of trying to complete the history of the Home (they didn't keep very good records back then), and asked me to see what I could find out about my family's connection.  I then went to the Genealogy Room at our city library and, in researching City Directories and census information on microfilm, was able to find out some of what I have told you and more.  I have misplaced the info I wrote down from the microfilm, but plan to go back and research again.  I also could probably find out some information about his pastorage at Baptist Churches in Georgia at the Mercer University Library, and have always meant to do just that.  Now, with your inspiration, maybe I'll do that soon.  Maybe I can also find out if they did, in fact, live in Forsyth before moving to Macon (couldn't be after, because he died here, and the family soon moved to Montgomery).

I, in fact, did know that Bill had almost died with pneumonia (he was six years old) at the same time Aunt Lois died.  In fact, Mama told me that he was delirious and did not even know his mother had died until he regained consciousness and she had already been buried by that time.  Shirley and I discussed that very situation during our on-going e-mail sessions this summer!  I guess you remember that Bert (Albert Sidney Dix, also, named after his grandfather) and Bill lived and grew up with me as my "brothers" after their parents died.  I was five, Bill was seven, and Bert was ten when they came to live with us on Christmas Eve, 1946, and Santa Claus came to see them at our house beginning that year.

I think I have already mentioned that Frances has a very complete history of the Dismukes family,  with pictures, which she shared with me several years ago.  She had been in touch with our Cousin Billy in Florida who sent her some information about his family (Uncle Billy, Aunt Mable, and his sister Ruth), of which I also have copies.  Maybe she can help you with those family lines.

As far as the family pictures I mentioned, I will, in the near future, get some of those together and send copies.  Our son, Mike, has a scanner which I'm sure he will let us use, so we can scan them and send them on to you.

I don't think I told you that our Aunt Nelle and her son, Jack (who drowned when he was fifteen, so none of us knew him), are both buried in the Dix plot at Riverside Cemetery here in Macon, along with her parents and maternal grandparents.  As far as Aunt Dot's family - I stay in contact with her two remaining daughters - Laura and Betty.  We exchange Christmas cards and a little family news every year.  I can send addresses if you want them.  Betty lives in Montgomery and Laura lives in Birmingham.

I have enjoyed the responses you've gotten from other cousins, and thanks for sharing them.  Maybe, working as a team, we can piece this thing together.  Martha did some really good calculating when she figured out the birth and death dates of Grandpa Dix (Albert Sidney)!

More later, and keep 'um coming! 

Love, Lyn

At the time, I was bed ridden with pneumonia in my lungs and the doctor told "PA", my grandfather, "If the boy makes it through the night he might live."  I did!!!!!!!!  I was bed ridden on the couch in the living room where I could see across the room into a bedroom where my mother was dying, TWO tall black men, in white uniforms came into the house and went into the bedroom where mother was and had two long poles with a sheet connected to both, (stretcher) they covered mothers face and wedged the long poles between the head and foot boards of the bed and loaded mother onto this thing, covered her entirely and carried her from the house, as they wedged these poles between the head and foot they scratched the head board badly, I remember as if yesterday, the next time I saw this bed was when we arrived at Aunt Ruth's house and Uncle Ralph showed me the bed, next to the refridge, and said "This is yours and Bert's bed while you stay with us." The scratches were on the left side of the headboard, Martha said at the reunion that she might have this bed and was going to let me know.

Martha came for her promised visit this afternoon and brought copious notes and photographs of the Dix family.  I was so overwhelmed with the new information, that she's promised to come back next month and spend the night so we can assimilate her information.  She has done extensive analysis on the Dix Family portrait (see below).  She also hit upon a possible lead on ASD's time in Macon while searching for "Georgia Baptist History" at Mercer, that Lyn mentioned, above:
http://tarver.mercer.edu/special_collections/default.htm
http://tarver.mercer.edu/special_collections/directions.htm

Good luck with this, Lyn.  We're all anxious to hear what you find!  Martha speculates that perhaps, ASD and family (in the course of changing churches) moved from Brewton AL, to Forsyth GA and then to Macon.  Perhaps Lyn's research will shed some light on this.  Martha also mentioned some connection of Ruth's to Tift College.  A quick search turned up this link:
http://www.alumni.net/North_America/United_States_of_America/Georgia/Forsyth/Tift_College/
that suggests that Tift is/was in Forsyth?  I'll pursue this more later.  Does anyone know?

Now, the piece de resistance:

First, here's Martha's thoughtful analysis of the photograph.  Please correct me on any mistakes make while transcribing this from her hand-written notes: 

I recognize Ruth Dix.  I seem to remember her telling me that she was the one with the fan.  She looked to be about ten years old.  Her date of birth was 06-03-1892.  So this photo was probably made in late 1902 or early 1903. 

Her grandparents, Alexander Franklin Dix, (b. 07/27/1831) and Nellie (Beach) Dix (b. 12/13/1838) (m 1861), are in the center of the photo.  I recognize Albert Sidney & Isadora Nicoles Dix from other photos [to the right of  AFD & NBD in the middle row of adults].
 

Name	(Age in 1902)	DOB	DOM	Age*	Spouse	Age*
Albert Sidney	(39)	09-01-1863	06/18/1888	(25)	Isadora Nicoles	(18)
William Beach	(deceased)	03/19/1865	{died in 1886}	(21)
Harriet (Hattie) Lillis (Dimple)	(35)	04/18/1867	10/20/1892	(25)	James Hall
Nellie Butterfield (Daisy)	(deceased)	10/101869	{died 08/22/1871}	(2)
Mary Belle (Dollie)	(deceased)	06/14/1871	{died 12/20/1901}
L. Daniel	(29)	02/12/1873	07/16/1901	(27)	Annie Stakely	(26)
Alexander Franklin Jr."Allie"	(deceased)	08/20/1874	{died 09/13/1899}	(25)
Paul Finch	(27)	11/01/1875	06/??/1902	(27)	Mary Vernon	(24)
Philo Castle	(24)	09/24/1878	??/??/????	(??)	Elizabeth Hayes	(??)
Thomas Murrell	(22)	06/16/1880	11/12/1902	(22)	Frances Gray	(24)

* These are their ages when they married

In 1902 Albert Sidney had 5 siblings alive.  There six younger couples in the photo, so the number fits.  So which grandchildren were alive in 1902?

*  (At least one date must be wrong -- can't have non-twins that close)

Thomas Murrell Dix & Frances (Gray) Dix and Paul Finch Dix & Mary Vernon (Nix) Dix were newly weds in 1902

Dimple looks pregnant.  She had Nina on 03/101903.  That's why I date the photo at Christmas, 1902

Front row, L-R:  Helen (6), Lillis (9), Nelle (13), Ruth (10), Unknown boy #1, Francis (8),  Unknown boy #2.
2nd row (Children in laps of adults), L-R:  Dorothy (12 mos.), Unknown boy #3, Toddler girl #1, (E. Jean ?), Winifred (3), and Isalee (4).
2nd row (Seated adults), L-R:  James Hall, Dimple (Dix) Hall, Alexander Franklin Dix Sr., Nellie Beach Dix, Albert Sidney Dix, Isadora Nicoles Dix.
Back row:  Elizabeth (Hayes) Dix & Philo Dix, (holding Ellen?), Annie (Stakely) Dix & L. Daniel Dix (holding daughter Annie Golden Dix), Thomas Murrell Dix & Frances (Gray Dix), Paul Finch Dix and Mary Vernon (Nix) Dix

 [There were several erroneous assumptions were made here.  See the AFD-HBD page for the latest guesses]

Unknown boys #1 &#2 -- Martha suspects one of them is E. Winchester Hall (8). 
Unknown boy #3 Could this be James M. Hall (4.5), sitting with his mom & dad?
Toddler girl #1 Martha guesses E. Jean (Philo's).  I'm leaning toward one of Dimple's, perhaps Dorothy -- whose DOB we aren't sure of [RDW].

Martha brought one more surprise, that I'll send next time.

Thanks to all who have helped to add to our collective knowledge about or Dix ancestors.

Love,

Rusty
 

Russ,
Yesterday was great. enjoyed company with you and Cathy and sharing family info.  Don't take the time to send past e-mails to my sister. I will do that for her. She's coming up this weekend to bring Lyndsey some furniture.  Here are some addresses: 

Sarah Dismukes Strickland 
421 Lakeshore Dr. 
Wetumpka  36092 
334-569-3952 
 

Laura (Mrs. Robert G.) Harris Johnson 
3124 Ryecroft Rd. 
Mt. Brook, Al 35223
205 967-0699
 

 If you will give me assignments, I'll do what I can to help.
 

  Have a good week!!!

At 03:43 PM 8/20/2001 -0400, Shirley wrote:
 

Dear Rusty, Thanks for forwarding to me all this news about the "Dix" Family long with the photos. I read with interest the note from Lyn and she is right of course about the name "Aunt Whoopa" Since we never knew Aunt Ruth as anything else we thought we started that name. Now that I think of it my mother always called her "Aunt Whoopa" so the name came before Charlie or me. 
Maybe mother told me that someone in the family could not say Ruth and they started the name.  So we don't take the credit but enjoyed the benefits of knowing this wonderful woman during our lifetime.  Speaking of the Georgia Industrial Home for Children, was it ever located in Butler Ga????? Butler is west of Macon and somehow that town name came up in conversation some time ago? Also the little town of Reynolds is close by too. Have you noticed the different spelling of NICOLES. I know several people named NICHOLS< NICKLES, but haven't see the name NICOLES except in our family. Thanks again, for the  info and I am copying all that I receive from you and others. 
Love, Shirley 

And it's not just their first names -- Will Allie (Uncle Billy) is sometimes written as "William" or "William A."; Nell,Nelle, and in one place Nellie J. (could this be where the inspiration for here daughter's name, Neljie); Isadora and Isalee - sometimes with one "s", sometimes two (Martha has the story of Issalee's name); Several spellings of Jeniluska /Jenie (Holipeter) Nicoles; Francis Albert Dix was known as Uncle Buddy by some and Uncle Bubba by others; and other examples that escape me right now. 
 

And Lyn writes:
From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: Re: Whoopa/Mercer/Family Portrait 
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 18:33:02 -0300 
 
 

Rusty, 
Isn't it interesting that both Shirley and I claim giving Aunt Ruth the name, "Whoopa" (actually, Mama claimed it). I wonder how many other family members think it originated with them or their descendants? 
I'll have to find another way to scan the pictures I have, as I was mistaken. Mike, our son, does NOT have a scanner - just a digital camera on which he can make floppy disks so that he can forward pictures on the computer. I'll figure out a way, however. 

If I remember correctly from the information I obtained from the 1910 Census at our city library, the Dix family moved around to several small Georgia towns before settling in Macon. Forsyth may have been one of them. I also remembered that Aunt Ruth had attended Tift College and was surprised when you gave us the information regarding her attending Wesleyan (Tift College was a Baptist college - Wesleyan is Methodist). Tift College WAS in Forsyth (the campus is still there), but was closed several years ago when Mercer University took it over, then closed it and put it up for sale. This infuriated many local people! Perhaps Aunt Ruth was a freshman at Tift, transferring to Wesleyan when the family moved to Macon. Hopefully I can get back to the city library and Mercer Library before too long to continue my research! 

The picture you sent was amazing! That is one I've never seen! I was disappointed, however, that in sending it the right-hand side was cut off preventing us from seeing at least three members of the family - Isadora Nicoles Dix (Granny Dix) and Mary Vernon Dix being two of them. 
I have never heard the story Bill told of when his mother died. I guess he wasn't as out of it as they thought, if he remembers seeing the undertakers removing her body! What a sad memory for a six year old! 

Thanks again for stirring up all these memories and prompting us to share what we know about our family's beginnings! 
Love, 
Lyn

Sorry for the cropped photo.  Here's a smaller version.  Let me know if this one is OK.

Then from Jeannie,

From: ShortCloggingMom@aol.com (Jeannie Mobley)
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 23:00:55 EDT 
 

Rusty and ALL, 

Thanks for all of the info. I am keying this into my Family Tree Maker software. It catches date mistakes (conflicts) and I've found a few on what you just sent. 

You have Hattie (Dimple) as died is 1892 but all of her kids being born after she died. I KNEW THE DIX WERE AMAZING! :0) 

You have L. Daniel died on July 16 1901 and his daughter Annie being born Oct 22 1902. Unless she was carried for 15 months , one of the dates is wrong. Also, If he died in 1901 he could not have been in the picture in 1902. 

Thanks again, this is interesting. 

Love, Jeannie 
 

The July 16, 1901 date for Uncle L. is his date of marriage -- not date of death -- that Martha used to estimate approximate ages of those in the photograph.  Has anyone done any more face-to-name match-ups?  Where is Uncle Billy?  He should have been 1.5 years old in 1902.

And then the next day:

Dear Jeannie, 

At 11:00 PM 8/20/2001 -0400, you wrote:

You have Hattie (Dimple) as died is 1892 but all of her kids being born after she died. 

You may be interested in how Martha decided which of the two sets of newly weds was which.  She has a photo of Aunt Vernon late in her life.  She had a rather, how shall we say, "distinctive" nose, which matches the one in the portrait on the back row, far right  -- the only person in the whole picture with a wry smile.  Did anyone else notice the glum expressions on the faces of our kinfolk?  There must be some stories there.

Martha told me something else I'd never heard.  Do you know how Albert Sidney died?  Martha recounted that, as a teen, she was picking at a scourge of adolescents -- a bump on her face -- in the presence of her grandmother, Ruth.  Grandmother admonished her in the strongest of terms, NOT to "pick at that bump".  She then went on to tell Martha that her father (ASD) died of toxemia -- commonly known as blood poisoning -- as a result of picking at a bump on his face or neck that became infected.  Of course, this was long before anyone knew about antibiotics. Left untreated, the infection led to his demise. 

It may come as a horrible shock to some, but did you know that we have YAN-KEE blood coursing through our veins?  Along with Martha's treasured Dix family portrait, she found the discharge certificate from (ask the children to leave the room) the Union Army!

The words in italics are written in long hand on the form.  It reads:

To All Whom It May Concern.  Know ye, that Francis M Nichols [sic] a private of Captain Thomas E. McDonald's Company (76) Third Regiment of Colorado Cavalry, one hundred day volunteers who was enrolled on the nineteenth day of August, one thousand eight hundred sixty four, to serve for the period of one hundred days, is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States, this 29 day of December, 1864 at Denver Colorado Territory by reason of expiration of term of service.  (No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist.)  Said Francis M. Nichols [sic] was born in ???? in the state of Indiana is twenty four years of age, six feet ___ inches high, light complexion, blue eyes, light hair, and by occupation when enrolled, a carpenter. Given at Denver Colorado Territory this 29 day of December, 1864.

It is then signed by mostly illegible signatures of those in command.  In the upper left-hand corner is handwritten:
[blurred ink] March 15 1865 and under that, a signature Charles ????ford and below that in a different hand Paymaster ???
What looks to be a dollar amount of 42.35 is written to the right of the graphic.  To reinforce Shirley's point, note the spelling of the last name here.
 

Thanks again for your feedback.

Love,

Rusty
 

Thanks once again for all of the feedback you've provided.  Here's more from your Dix cousins:

At 10:50 AM 8/22/2001 -0400, Shirley wrote:
 

Rusty, just a couple of facts to add to all you have already. My grandmother, Nelle Dix Smith graduated from Bessie Tift College, I do not know when, at least I was always told that she did. Also Nelljie's name came from a combination of Nelle and Jack.  Daddy Jerry, Mama Nelle's 1st husband, was named John Jerry Smith. Some of his family may have called him Jack but at any case, mother told me that Nelljie was named for both parents Nelle and John Jerry Smith.  Mama Nelle would call her husband (when she was mad at him) JOHN JEREMIAH. 

Talk to you later, 
Shirley 

Thanks Shirley !  You've answered one of Lyn's questions (below).  But first, Martha has found some information on Tift College, followed by a note on the subject from Randy:

Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 19:11:03 -0500 
From: Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Tift College

April 19, 2001 
Contact: Lance Wallace at (478) 301-4037 or (800) 837-2911 
or Judith T. Lunsford at (678) 547-6425 or (800) 837-2905

Mercer University's Board of Trustees voted at its spring meeting to change the name of the School of Education to Tift College of Education of Mercer University. The action represented the University's continuing commitment to carrying on the educational legacy of Tift College, an all-women's Baptist college that merged with Mercer in 1986. "Perpetuating the Tift College educational legacy, enduring spirit and Christian ideals as a part of Mercer University has been of major importance, since the merger of these two historic educational institutions," said Mercer University President R. Kirby Godsey. "The naming of the School of Education for Tift College will allow the generations of educators to carry on the Mercer University and Tift College legacy." 

Tift College was founded in 1849 in Forsyth, Ga., to provide a Christian education for young women. Due to growing financial constraints and competitive pressures in student recruitment, in 1986, the Baptist college merged with Mercer University. To continue Tift's educational legacy Mercer established the Tift Scholars, a scholarship program for women attending Mercer's College of Liberal Arts in Macon. "At the time of the merger, Mercer made commitments to Tift alumnae to keep alive the traditions and heritage of Tift College," said Mercer Trustee and Tift College alumna Dr. Sherrill Ragans to members of Mercer's Board. 
"Today's action by Mercer's Board of Trustees has completed the University's promise to the generations of Tift graduates." 
 
 

Subject: Tift College
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 21:21:24 -0400 
From: "Dix, Randy" <crdix@socoesco.com> 

Tift College was in Forsyth. The buildings are right in view of I-75. The campus was for sale. I go up and down I-75 once or twice a week. After reading these e-mails, I think that I need to do some looking around in Forsyth and Macon. I have really enjoyed reading about my daddy's family. 
Thanks for putting some faces and other identifiable to my family history, 

Randy (Bert's son and Bill and Frances' nephew) 

Rusty, 
Thanks for sharing Shirley's last note. I had begun to think I'd gone crazy, or senile, or something and just thought I remembered Mama telling me about the origin of "Whoopa". Anyway, Shirley, thanks for clearing that up! Shirley also mentioned the towns of Butler and Reynolds, GA, and I'm sure either one or both of them were named as Dix residences in the early 1900's in the information I dug up at the local library's genealogy room. I also remember something about Taylor County and I think either Butler or Reynolds are located there. I will try to regather that information soon to clarify some of this. The Georgia Industrial Home for Boys and Girls (now called the Georgia Children's Home) was founded in 1898 here in Macon, and Albert Sidney became its third Superintendent ten years later in 1908. To my knowledge, it was never located in Butler. 
I just want to comment on some of the other names, etc. mentioned in your last e-mail. You questioned where the name Nelljie came from, and you might be right that it was a conjunction of her grandmother Nellie J.'s name, however, I always thought it was a combination of her mother, Nelle's and father, Jerry's names. Shirley, do you know? [see above] I always assumed that the name Isalee was somehow derived from her mother, Isadora's name, but don't know where the "lee" came from. I would love for Martha to share that story with us.

All right Martha, let's have the Is-sa-lee story.

You're still calling Uncle BuddyFrancis Albert Dix. Did you ever check that out? I always thought his name was Francis Marion Dix after Grandpa Nicoles. Frances or Bill, please respond to that! [See below]

Bill sent his father's name to me as Francis Albert Dix.  I was waiting to get confirmation from Frances, but as Debbie writes:
From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2001 09:38:35 EDT 
Subject: Re: Your Father's Name
 

Dear Rusty, 
Since my mother, Frances, has been in Atlanta since 8/2 she has not checked her email until today. But Shirley and I have kept her up to date and copied all the information for her.  She will answer you when she goes home, which will be this Sunday. However, she says her father's name is Francis Albert Dix, but thinks Bill has the 
papers on him, death certificate, etc. Hope this will clear this up. We really appreciate all the information. So 
glad to already hear from Randy and see he is interested. I have forwarded everything to him that I have received from you already. 

Debbie Cook 

From: Dycc16@aol.com 
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 09:10:27 EDT 

Dear Rusty, 
Here are a few more relatives e-mails that I just got from Bill: 
Randy Dix - crdix@southernco.com 
Kevin (Bert's youngest son) - tarnerkevin@hotmail.com 
Annie Dix - dix1@worldnet.att.net (Bill's youngest)
Here is my brother's Chuck Chapman - saltydogclc@aol.com and 
Pam (Dix) Pierce's - cherrytart1221@hotmail.com 
Please put them on your list as I know my brother is very interested in history and Randy was very interested in his family roots years ago. I really enjoy reading all this even though I have no idea who you are talking about. Would you be able to go back and resend your previous e-mails to Randy, since no one in his family has ever received any of them? I know Chuck can look at my mother's and Ann and Pam can read Bills. I don't know if Kevin would be interested or not, we can always try. 

Thanks for all your work.

Debbie (Chapman) Cook 

Now, as Lyn was saying before I interrupted:
 

Thanks for the smaller version of the family photo that had been cropped in an earlier e-mail. This one was perfect, and we could see all of the family members. I had the same question, though - "Where is Uncle Billy?" He would have been around one and a half in 1902 and should have been in the picture as were all the other babies. Aunt Dot (1904) and Mama [Eleanor] (1909) were not born yet. Speaking of the serious expressions on all the faces in the picture, did you notice Aunt Isalee's scowl? 
Speaking of pictures, I looked through some of Mama's old ones and found some great family pictures - several that I think all of you would be very interested in seeing! If I can figure out a way to scan them, I'll send some of them soon.

Yes, I did know how Albert Sidney died, but I wanted to add one more gruesome detail from my mother's version of his death. He not only picked at a pimple on his forehead, he picked at it with a pocket knife! It seems that I heard somewhere that his death was connected to uremic poisoning, possibly a result of the blood poisoning from the infected pimple. 

Thanks for the very impressive discharge certificate you sent in your last letter! I think I had mentioned in an earlier epistle to you that both of my great grandfathers (your great, great grandfathers), Alexander Franklin Dix and Francis Marion Nicoles fought in the Civil War, AFD in the Confederate Army, FMN in the Union Army. I believe the Nicoles family had lived in Indiana and Illinois before migrating south. Don't be shocked, but I think we've got more Yankee blood in our veins than you think, because I believe I remember that some of the information I gleaned 20 years ago from the library had the Dix family living in New York before coming south to Alabama! 
Maybe this week end I can get a better picture of our origins. Anxious to hear more! 
Love, 
Lyn

You are correct about A.F.Dix Sr. and Nellie Beach Dix.  He was born in Wilson NY and she in Williamsville NY.  This is from their gravestones here in Montgomery.

A couple of you have asked about the availability of past e-mails on our Dix discoveries.  I'm working now on posting them to a Web page.  I'll send the URL when it's up. 

Keep up the good detective work.

Love,

Rusty

Rusty:
I'm reading the Memorial Record of;
 

Mr Francis A Dix--   " My Father"
Born October 22, 1894, Alabama
Entered into rest- 12:45 pm November 19, 1946
Place- Lawson V.A. Hospital
Years- 54-- Days-- 27!

Service- Chapel of Hemperley & Sons, East Point, Georgia.  11:00 AM
November 21, 1946.
Also I have the names of the "BEARERS", One of which I met while still working!

Interment, Forest Park, Ga.

Family Record- 
Isadora Nichols-- Mother
Albert S. Dix-----Father

 The signed names of those  who called ( signed the register)  to express sympathy is outstanding, all the old friends from Forest Park and relatives, "COLD CHILLS MAN!!!!!!  Whighams, Dismukes, Smiths& Brundages The list gose on:

You see my Fathers NAME, And I did see my Mother taken from the bedroom where she died and saw the bed that was scratched badly, which I later slept in in Rutherford, Ala.

Thanks for all you have done.

Bill

I'm not sending this to all on the mail list, simply because the transcript is such a large file and the information you may find useful in placing dates for ASD in and around Macon constitutes only a small part of the document.

See if you agree with my analysis:

It looks to me like she brought 13.5 credits from Bessie Tift College Academy.  I'm guessing Tift (at that time anyway) must have been like a prep school for college bound young women (Martha has suggested this earlier).  It looks like that was in the school year, 1907-1908.

She transferred to Wesleyan in school year 1908-1909 and returned in school year 1909-1910.  She had almost completed the first semester of school year 1910-1911 when her daddy died on 12/27/1910 and apparently missing her finals for the semester and receiving no credits for her work.  "Discontinued Christmas No credit for any of these courses"

Can't wait to hear what you can find in your research.

Love,

Rusty

Hey Rusty!

Before I read Shirley's response, I had a vague memory that Aunt Ruth had once told me that both she and Aunt Nelle had gone to Bessie Tift College (later just called Tift College), but I didn't mention it before because I wasn't sure of the memory and was afraid I had just made it up!  Anyway, I guess that clears that up!  Thanks, Shirley, for confirmation of my thoughts on Nelljie's name.

And Martha, I'm glad to know that Mercer is carrying on the Tift College legacy, naming its School of Education after it, however, many Baptists and local people were very angry with Kirby Godsey and Mercer for closing its Forsyth Campus, as it meant a lot to a great number of people!  When they put it up for sale (as Randy confirmed when he wrote of passing it on I-75 with a For Sale sign in front) it was sold twice - the first time to a school called Ebon Academy, a boarding school supposedly for students excelling in academics, however, we later found that it basically served Black students, and for whatever reason, went bankrupt and had to close in just over a year or so.  It was then sold some time later to a school for troubled youngsters, but never opened.  The last I heard, they were hoping that the city of Forsyth would buy it to be used for city functions.  Maybe that's what took place as I've been to two plays on the Tift campus, produced by The Backlot Players, a local theater group, within the last few months, which I think is a very good use for its facilities.  (By the way, both Tift and Wesleyan were/are female colleges.)

Thanks for the info from Bill and Frances regarding Uncle Buddy's name.  I guess that's the end of that, after all these years of thinking his name was Francis Marion!

Well, I'm off this afternoon to the Washington Memorial Library Genealogy Room for more research!  I'll let you know later what I find out!

Love,

Lyn 

Rusty, 

Thanks for the lastest news in the saga of our "Dix" family. It gets more interesting each letter that comes. It is amazing how much history is passed down thru the ages from one family member to another. I too am delighted that the younger generations are interested in this history. I do know that the family has been traced back to the ship they arrived on when they came to this country. And I remember seeing one of the ancestors with the name of Deborah which I thought was an interesting fact.  If I come up with anymore things I will sent them to you. I know I have a letter somewhere in this house from A nursing home in Douglas that was sent by Aunt Vernon Dix to my mother. I just have to locate it again. It caught my eye when I was going thru some of mothers things and my neighbor lived in Douglas Ga as a child and only moved to Atlanta after she married. So I will be looking for that letter and others from Aunt Whoopa to mother. 

Take care, 
Love Shirley 

Thanks for forwarding all of this fascinating information..........  I love it, and appreciate any that you might send in the future.
Annie

Thanks for your note.  I'm quite embarrassed that I have to ask, but are you the daughter of my most excellent cousin Bill and his lovely wife, Pat?  I'm afraid that I've been all too guilty to not getting around to meeting my cousins' children.  It seems like we pretty much just eat with our own little clan and leave at the reunions.  Maybe with the collective interest in the Dix history, we can do better next year. 

Just to help me get to know you a little,  if you're out of school, what kind of work do you do and what are your hobbies?  Are you the youngest of Bill's children?

Thanks again for you note

Cousin Rusty

Hello,

Yes sir, I am indeed the youngest daughter of Bill and Pat Dix. 

I graduated college in 1993.  I am currently teaching third grade at Mt. Carmel Elementary School in Douglasville, Georgia.  I have been teaching for seven years.  I am also working on my Master's Degree at this time.  I should finish it this time next year.  This schedule keeps me very busy........... not much time for hobbies.  I do love to read though.

I bought a book a few years ago on the history of the Dix name, origins, family crest, etc...............  I don't know how accurate it is, but maybe I can bring it to the reunion next year.

Good to hear from you.

Annie

Rusty,

Thanks for sending Aunt Ruth's Wesleyan transcript.  I believe you're right - based on the information given on the transcript, Bessie Tift Academy must have been a prep school for girls (in more recent times it was a four-year college, as I have several friends who graduated from there), however, she may have planned to continue college there until she and her family moved to Macon, where she then transferred to Wesleyan.  The 1908-1909 school term sounds right for her freshman year, and corresponds with the year that her father became Manager (I've been calling it Superintendent, however; will explain in a minute) of the Georgia Industrial Home here in Macon.  On my return to the Genealogy Room at the library yesterday, I checked the 1908 and 1909 City Directories as I had done before (the 1910 directory was missing) and found the following listing:

                            Georgia Industrial Home for White Orphan Boys and Girls - Near Log Cabin Club,
                            on Metropolitan car line - A. S. Dix, Manager

So, apparently 1908 was the year Albert Sidney and his family moved to Macon.  I am disappointed to have to tell you that I didn't find out much new information there yesterday.  I ran through the 1910 Census microfilm, and found our family listing, however, the information was almost totally illegible and so faded out that I could read very little of it.  It is such a long and tedious process that I didn't get to the 1900 Census film (and I believe that was the one I had pulled 20 years ago to get the information I found at that time), and ran out of time.  I plan to go back as soon as I can find time, and check the 1900 Census.  I'm finding that my job is also interfering with my research!  I also still want to go to the Mercer Library to see if I can find a listing of Baptist preachers and churches in this area between 1900-1910, and maybe that will shed some light on the church in Forsyth as well as one here in Macon that he may have pastored.  However, I did look in the Baptist Church listings in the City Directories and did not find him listed as pastor of one of the churches (a few did not have the pastor listed) at that time.

My last resort will be to travel to Forsyth and visit the First Baptist Church there.  Maybe they will have some records that will help us in our search.

Anyway, I'm sorry I don't have any more to tell you this time, but I'll keep digging!

Love,

Lyn

Picking up where we left off:

From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 11:05:55 EDT 
Subject: Philo's House 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
 

Rusty, 
I have a picture of a house that was Uncle Philo's that came to me from Bill Dix in Florida -- built in the 1700's and still stands. I will send you this soon. Also, a Dix genealogy from billy 
Love, 
Frances 

I'd love to see the photo of Uncle Philo's house.  I have a few pictures of Dad's family at a house on a large body of water that I have a vague recollection that my grandmother said was at Uncle Philo's.  Can't wait to see if the same place.  The Web site I posted several days ago with the letter from Uncle L mentioned that (at the time the letter was written) Philo lived in Dearfield Beach FL.  Is this the same house that you have a picture of?

And
 

Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 10:56:30 EDT 
Subject: My Father's Name 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 

Rusty I am at home. We got here Sunday afternoon. My dad's name was Francis Albert Dix 
I have papers I am looking at -- a notice of classification from the army Feb. 27 1943.
Love, 
Frances 

Thanks, Lyn has "said uncle" on this.
 

Hello Martha,

At 04:51 PM 8/27/2001 -0500, you wrote:
 

HI! When you sent out the email of Grandpa Nichols union army discharge, did you send anything written with it? I only got the attachment. In the next email,somebody said something and so I thought that I missed part of that previous one. If you think I got what you sent, never mind. I'm so excited that Randy has gotten involved. I had intended to call Ginny and see if she wanted to get together with Laura Harris Johnson, but Dixie et al came this past weekend and this week has gotten very full too. But maybe
soon. Lyn asked about Isalee's name: "Is" for Isadora, "Sa" for her friend Sarah and "Lee" for another friend with Lee in her name. I don't remember that part of what Gran said.   Hope you have a good week!

http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/e-mails.htm

It will take a while to load, but when it finishes, jump to the end and scroll back up to find it (as well as anything else you may have missed).  If you're looking for a particular word, say "Tift", use the "Edit/Find" feature.  It works best using Netscape (IE doesn't handle the tabs as well -- I think everything else is OK). 

So, is it Issalee or Isalee?

Thanks for sharing that.

Rusty
 

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Fw: WEB page 
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 21:22:10 -0300 
 

Rusty, 
What a great job you've done on the beginning of our WEB page! I do, however, have a couple of dates, etc. I'd like to comment on. It appears that the name under the picture of our great grandmother, Jenie Holipeter Nicoles is a combination of her name and her daughter's name, Isadora. Her gravestone lists her name as Mary J. (for Jeniluska, I'm assuming) Nicoles. 

Thanks. That's been corrected now.
 

The dates of her birth and death, as well as place of birth, I think, are Granny Dix's, her daughter. Her dates are: Born - November 6, 1841 in Covington Co., Ohio and Died - August 18, 1907 in Macon, Georgia as are listed on the gravestone. 

Of course you're right.  Thanks again.
 

I figured out the confusion with Albert Sidney Dix's birth and death dates. According to the information you sent us from their gravestones, those were the dates of Alexander Franklin Dix, Jr., not ASD. 

I think we have that straight now but keep checking on me.
 

I, too, have a set of pictures taken at Aunt Dot's house at Thornfield. I am in them, and Rusty, so are you! I look to be around 12 or 13 which would have been Christmas, 1953 or 1954. You were wondering about Aunt Dot's family history. It pretty much stopped with their family as only one of her four girls married - Laura - and there were no grandchildren. I remember Aunt Dot telling us that Thornfield was the Harris family home and I believe was built around 1820 or so. When she and Uncle Chiles married, they went to live there with his family, and she remembered seeing Indians walking through their yard to their camp which was in the woods somewhere behind their house. Aunt Dot had gone to Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery (as had my mother) where Uncle Chiles was her English teacher. They later married (he was about 20 years older than she, but, as I remember him, was a very fine aristocratic gentleman!). Thornfield has now been sold, and at last notice from Betty and Laura, is being renovated to become either a Bed & Breakfast or a museum. Did you know that Uncle Chiles' younger brother had Downs Syndrome and lived in an upstairs room adjoining his sister, Mimi's room at Thornfield who cared for him until his death at around 40 years of age? Now, remember, there would have been no blood kin between this relative and my Steve. 

Did you know that Granny Dix died at Aunt Dot's house? In 1951 when I was ten years old, Granny Dix was living at Thornfield with Aunt Dot and her family (it was their turn). Granny Dix lived with each of her children for about a year at a time (Dix would have said they couldn't stand her any longer than that!). She had lived with us the year before and she and I were great friends. We fussed and fought like two kids (oh, wait! I was a kid!). Anyway, apparently Aunt Dot called Mama in March, 1951 and said Granny Dix was dying. We left immediately for Thornfield and were able to see her before she died (I think it may have been pneumonia). She must have died during the night or early the next morning, cause we were there for her funeral, then we went back home to Atlanta.

This sounds like some of the same photos that Shirley sent to me.  I had questions on Identifying Dot's daughters -- except for Laura.  I remember her (I think we were born just days apart). I have a memory of being at Thornfield and of Laura trying to pull my eyelashes out!  I didn't know any of the other that you mentioned.  Thanks!

Before I post those pictures though (and start off on another tangent), I want to see if we can pull all of our new found (for me) information together about Albert Sidney &  Granny Dix and their parents together.  I can't believe these folks moved around so much!   I was trying to put together a time line of major life events for ASD.  (Again, sorry about the "Tabs")
 
 

I was thinking we could find out where each of ASD's children were born, it might plot their paths as they moved across Alabama and Georgia.  Did he go to college (to be a teacher)?  Where?  When?  Was he a lay preacher or seminary trained?

When we get most of the blanks filled in, I'll make a separate Web Page for each ancestor including information like that above and including the narratives shared by all who have contributed here.  After ASD and Granny Dix, we can do pages for their parents, then ASD's and Granny Dix's siblings and finally, their children. 
 

The Dix family home where Mama grew up in Montgomery was at 12 Marshall Street. (Now, where did that come from?) Dix pointed it out to us one time when we were in Montgomery. 
Later, 
Lyn 

I went by 12 Marshall Street a few weeks ago -- not the best part of town now.  That's where Dad (Francis Dix Whigham) was born.  I think the address on the house is #20 now.  I want to take a picture of it to see if it matches any in the scrapbooks, but I'm afraid I might be mistaken for the vice squad.

That's it for now.

Love,

Rusty

Dear Dix Descendants

It's been quite a while since our last communication, due at first  to a slowing of information coming in and lately, due to my own busy schedule.  This time we have: 

• Contributions from Shirley, 
• Debbie and Frances straighten us out on Kevin 
• Lynn says "uncle" again on Uncle Buddy's name 
• Martha on the peripatetic nature of ASD 
• Welcome Nelljie's daughter, Alice Newman Shannon 
• This week's GOLD from Lyn and Tom 
• Snail mail from (the Florida,) Bill Dix and Frances 



---


From: Shirtail35@aol.com 
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 21:10:02 EDT 
Subject: Family came From England 

Do you have a copy of the "family tree" that says the Dix family starting with Edward Dix, Married to Deborah came from England with Governor Winthrop in 1630?????? The copy I have was mothers and is incomplete but does have some names, birth dates and marriage dates. I don't know how accurate they are. But I'm sure you have this because someone in Ala must have given it to my mother. And on this paper it names My grandfather John Jeremiah Smith. But his niece Isabelle Smith Buzzett who lives here in Atlanta told me when I asked her if "Daddy Jerry's " name was John Jerry or John Jeremiah, she told me his name was John Jerry. So I just don't know. Isabelle is the daughter of Robert Smith, Daddy Jerry's brother that was a lawyer in Atlanta many years ago.. He died rather young and left a destitute wife with 3 children to raise. The story is that she was Catholic and Robert was not in good standing with the Catholic church, and even though she was broke she had to pay the priest $700.00 to pray Robert out of purgatory. We Baptists' thought that was terrible!!!!!!!. 

Now I have to get off the Smith side of the family. I wondered if you would like to have Alice Newman Shannon's e-mail address I send things to her but she hasn't responded, so I don't know whether she would be interested in the Dix history. I thought I had her address down in my book but it is not there. I will try to e-mail her and see if I can get "a rise" out of her and if she says she wants to get our history by p.c. she can let me know and then I will send her address. Take care and keep up the good work, I am still looking for the letters from Aunt Vernon and Whoopa and I must have put them in a very safe place, because they haven't surface from the "museum" yet. 
Take care, 
Love Shirley 

Thanks for your input here.  Yes, I have the Dix Genealogy chart that you're talking about, and you're right about the errors therein.  That's where I copied the incorrect dates for ASD and IND.    It's hard to tell the accurate information from the bogus, but I thought your mom's (Etta's) and Nelljie's brother was "Jack Jr." and he is listed on the chart as John Jeremiah.    As for Alice, See below.  Thanks to you and Charlie for bringing her into the fold!

Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 09:19:11 -0500 
From: Samuel H Shannon <shannons@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Greetings 
Charlie Brundage has forwarded to me the two most recent e-mail exchanges between you and many of the Dix Cousins. I have quickly reviewed the wonderful archive of information and photos you have already put on the Web page. I love what you are doing and would like to be added to your list. I do confirm that Mom's name is a combination of her parents' names --"Nelljie" from Nelle and Jerry. 

With love, 
Alice Newman Shannon 
(Daughter of Nelljie Dix Smith Newman 
Granddaughter of Nelle Dix Smith Montgomery) 
509 Neilwood Drive 
Nashville, TN 37205 
615-352-1042

Welcome to the search for "All Things Dix".  I have some photos that I think are of your mom as a young girl (with Etta) that I'd like for you to confirm after we fill in a few more missing pieces on  the lives of ASD and IND.  Then, we'll get around to working on their young'uns, who should be a bit more familiar -- to some of us anyway.  Again, welcome aboard! 

From: Dycc16@aol.com 
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 08:42:33 EDT 
Subject: Kevin

I think I told you wrong on Kevin. He is the son of Bert that was adopted and not the youngest son. He has a different last name and I believe it must be Tarner, but Bill and my mother would know for sure. My mind has gone completely blank on the youngest son's name but the others would know. Sorry about this, thanks for all the hard work. 

Debbie Cook 

And, 

From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 11:57:45 EDT 

It is Kevin Tarner he lives in Seattle WA now.   The other boy's name is Kris Dix lives in AL.   I don't have any pictures but Charlie was at aunt Dot's house around new year's eve 1953.  All of the sisters were there and Etta .  I am not sure about Aunt Nelle.   I don't remember the children there.   We were on our way to California. 

Does any one know if my dad went to college?  I heard he did for a while.

Love, 
Frances 

Thanks for straightening me out on Bert's children.  Can anyone help Frances with her question about her father's college attendance?

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: Dix Family Saga 
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 21:35:16 -0300 

Thanks for continuation of the saga. I was not disputing anyone's word on Uncle Buddy's name. I was just looking for information about something I had remembered wrong all my life. After all, Uncle Buddy was Frances and Bill's daddy, not mine, and I had known him simply as "Uncle Buddy". I was only five years old when he died, and just fifteen when I lost my own mother, my source of Dix family information. Also, I hadn't even seen Bill and Frances' response to my question until I received your e-mail on Saturday, August 25th. Anyway, I stand corrected. 
Love, 
Lyn 

Thanks Lyn.  I think you're entitled to one little mistake -- especially considering all of my errors and all of the missing pieces you've helped us resolve.  That's just one more piece of the puzzle in its rightful place.  Keep up the hard work!

Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 20:26:56 -0500 
From: Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Isalee 

I still think that it is "Isalee" [one "s"], but let's get her children in on this. Everything that you have done has been wonderful!!! I have read through the Web site info again and found what I had missed. I plan to go to Samford to Alabama's Baptist history collection and run down info on ASD and AFD, but can't seem to find a day without other things to do. But I will. 

It really doesn't surprise me that ASD would move around that much.Baptist ministers stay presently at churches an average of only 7 years. What's to say it wasn't so back then? 

I'm sure you're right.  It just seems that moving a family of that size with all of their belongings by wagon -- or even if by train -- must have been a bit more involved than renting a U-Haul and driving on paved roads to their new home(s).  You have to hand it to those who lived a century before us.  Nothing was as simple as the things we take for granted every day.  I remember that our Grandmother (Ruth) saying that the US highway numbering system was one of our government's grandest achievements.   Now, I'm starting to realize why.

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: More Dix History 
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 22:08:38 -0300 

I haven't heard from you in a week and wonder if it's because no new information has come in. I haven't had anything new to add until today. You won't believe what my accomplice (Tom, my retired husband who has a lot more time than I do) dug up today! He and a friend took a jaunt to Forsyth, more specifically to the First Baptist Church of Forsyth, this morning and quite by accident showed up at the exact time the "Historical Committee" was meeting! As soon as he told them what he was looking for, they knew exactly who Albert Sidney Dix was!!! They even want me to send them a picture of him for their archives! They are trying to get pictures of all the past pastors of that church and frame them. I told them I have a beautiful one that I'm going to get copied for them and send it right away! Anyway, the following is the account entered in their historical church archives:

Dix, Albert Sydney Born in Barbour County, Alabama, Sept. 1, 1863; baptized at Union Springs, 
Ala., by Jos. Dill; ordained at Butler, Ga. in 1897*; attended Carrick Academy 
and Winchester Normal College, Winchester, Tenn; continued to teach and 
preach for two years after his ordination, then gave his whole time to the 
pastorate, serving the churches at Perry and Forsyth with marked success. 
In June, 1907, he was called to take charge of the Georgia Industrial Home, 
a work which appealed loudly to a generous, sympathetic nature like his, 
and to which he gave himself joyously to the time of his death at Macon, 
December 27, 1910. 
Source: Georgia Baptist Convention 1909-15 Minutes p.63.
* [We also have an ordination date of 02/28/1899 American Baptist Year-Book, under "Ministers Ordained in 1899".  Since we have a specific month, day, & year for 1899, we'll go with that unless we find further corroboration for the 1897 date.  RDW]

1905 was written in the corner. The committee also gave Tom a picture of the original "old building" of the First Baptist Church, Forsyth, Georgia which, I believe, is the same one that you scanned for us. "This picture was duplicated from a church bulletin dated February 16, 1913. The building faced west toward Indian Springs Drive. Date of construction is not certain. The building was torn down in 1922 to make room for the present sanctuary." The present sanctuary is the one that was depicted in the picture taken by Dix when he and Aunt Ruth went down Memory Lane in 1975. 

Perry, which was mentioned as being the location of an earlier church that he pastored, is 30 miles from here. Tom and his friend (who is from Perry) are going down there next week in search of information about that church. If they're successful, maybe I'll have more news to send you! I went back to the library last Saturday, planning to continue my search in the Genealogy Room, but it was closed for the Labor Day weekend! I still want to look at the 1900 Census microfilm again to try to regain the information I found there 20 years ago! I also still plan to visit the Mercer Library to find out which church ASD pastored in Macon! 
Anyway, I thought it was exciting that we found some new facts about the family's time in Forsyth, and information regarding ASD's education. 
Hope to hear from you soon. I'll send more when I can. 
Love, 
Lyn 

And,
 

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: 1900 Census 
Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2001 18:11:35 -0300 

Hi! 
I guess we're still sharing Dix findings - haven't heard from you or anybody in over a week now! I guess you got my e-mail of a few days ago with the news from First Baptist Church in Forsyth. I went back to Washington Memorial Library today and searched the 1900 Census. Didn't find much new stuff but verified a few things that we had already known. Here it is. 

In 1900 the Albert Sidney Dix family lived in Butler, Georgia, Taylor County. 

Albert Sidney and Isadora Dix had been married for twelve years, had four children as follows: 

Nelle, who was 9 years old, born Sept., 1890 in Alabama; 

Ruth, who was 8 years old, born May, 1892 in Alabama; 

 "Albert Francis" (I guess they had it backwards), who was 5 years old, born Oct., 1894 in Alabama; 

Issa Lee (look how they spelled it - I think it must have two s' based on what Martha told us about the origin of her name), who was 2 years old, born Mar., 1898 in Georgia. 

It lists Albert Sidney Dix's birthplace as Alabama with his parents' birthplace as New York. 

Isadora was born in Indiana, her father also was born in Indiana, but mother was born in Ohio. 

It lists Albert Sidney's occupation as Minister, and status of home as rented. 

Nothing much new here, but at least we know they lived in Butler, GA in 1900 (that confirms Shirley's memory of their living in Butler!). That means they must have lived in Perry, GA somewhere between 1900 and 1905, when they moved to Forsyth, GA. Maybe Tom and his friend can find out some more specifics when they visit Perry on Monday. 

Hope to hear from you soon. 
Love, 
Lyn 
 

Lyn,

Thank you so much for the time you and Tom have put into researching the life of ASD and family in and around Macon.  We look forward to any other gems you can dig up such as dates and information on stints in Perry and/or Reynolds GA.  We're slowly filling in the ASD timeline below. 
 
 

A quick search for "Carrick Academy and Winchester Normal College" on the Internet found several links, many of them to microfilm archives of Franklin County Tennessee Historical Society.  Maybe we can press our latest addition to our group, who lives in Nashville, into service.  How about it Alice?

There seems to be a discrepancy on the year of Nelle's birth.  I have two sources (one may have been copied from the other) that say Nelle was born 09/29/1989, while the census shows 1890.  But, if the census was done in 1900 and Nelle was 9 years old wouldn't that put her DOB as 1891?  Help!  Charlie? Shirley? Do you have Aunt Nelle's DOB in any of your records?  Do you know where in Alabama?  Where was Nelle buried? [The census report was wrong -- DoB for Nelle is 09/29/1989.  She is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Macon GA]

And for Frances and Bill -- Do you know where your father was born?

Does anyone know who has ASD's & IND's family Bible?  I was thinking that if records of births and deaths were kept (as they often were) it might resolve many of our questions.
 

Of the cousins not already involved in our collective quest, Bill Dix (the Florida one) is the only one to reply so far.  He wrote that he didn't have much Dix history but he'd look through what he had.  Here is my reply to him:
 
 

Frances also sent some other items that we'll get to eventually.  As I mentioned above, I want to do a Web page for each of ASD & IND's children.  If you have information on your relative that was one Granny Dix's children, start sending them to me.  This would include photos biographies, and favorite memories.

I'll try not to be so long getting the next mailing out.

Thanks again to all who have contributed.

Love,

Rusty
 

I think I've found a work-around for the tab mangling time line chart problem.  Try http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/timeline.htm

Were rapidly closing in on filling in the gaps now.  I intend to add Granny Dix's (pre-ASD) data to this soon.  Of course, if you see a glaring omission there, please let me know.

In this issue, we have: 
 

• Found:  Francis Albert Dix's Birthplace 
• Lyn's thoughts on the previous e-mail info 
• Jeff Shannon joins the group with more GOLD! 
• Shirley and Jeannie send a correction on Nelle's DoD 
• Jeannie sends a "Family Tree" photo solicitation 

September 9, 2001
Bill and Frances,

Right after I sent the Dix Family e-mail out, I was looking back over the information that Frances had sent to me last week.  Right there on the army discharge was your dad's place of birth -- Fitzpatrick AL!!!  That's between Montgomery and Union Springs.  I must have been through there 100 times in my childhood, but never heard this before.  I'll update the ASD time line table on the Web page.

Anyway, you can forget your homework assignment and go back to watching the ball game or sunset.

Love,

Rusty

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Comments on Dix Descendants Digest
Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2001 21:48:38 -0300 

Rusty, 

I was tickled to hear from you tonight with recent comments and responses from the Dix cousins. I had missed hearing from you in the last week or so. 
I, too, have a copy of the Dix Genealogy (family tree) that you and Shirley discussed. Your mother, Mavis, gave it to me years ago. I'm sure by now that Frances has sent you a copy of the comprehensive and very interesting account of the Dix Family "First Generation" from which we claim our roots in England. She had sent me a copy several years ago. 
I'm so glad Alice Newman Shannon is now included in the "search party". Her mom, Nelljie, and my mother, Eleanor, grew up as best friends in Montgomery, their being only a few months difference in age, although Mother was Nelljie's aunt! I have many pictures of them as children there at the old homestead (probably 12 Marshall Street), and one is my all time favorite! I remember Mama showing it to me when I was a child and I just loved it! They were young teenagers and just adorable. I'll share it with the rest of you when I find a scanner I can use. 
I have also thought it amazing how much Albert Sidney and his family moved around, starting with his education in Tennessee, then residences in Alabama and Georgia. I thought people in those days kinda stayed put because transportation was such a problem. Anyway, I guess he moved quite a bit during the last years of his life because of his pastorates in and around Middle Georgia. 
In looking at the ever-increasing time line, I would guess Issalee was born in Butler, GA since ASD was ordained there in 1897 and the family still lived there in 1900, per the 1900 Census, since she was born in March, 1898. Dorothy (Aunt Dot) was probably born in Perry, GA in 1904 since they must have moved to Forsyth, GA in 1905 according to the information Tom found there last week. If I'm right, that leaves Uncle Billy, who was born in 1901. Maybe Tom and his cohort can find out a time line for their move to Perry from Butler when they visit Perry tomorrow. If they did, indeed, live in Reynolds, GA also, that may have been between Butler and Perry. On the map, you can just follow their trail from Alabama into Georgia, beginning with Butler, which is in Southwest Georgia, not far from the Alabama line; Reynolds is just a few miles from there; and Perry just a little further into the middle of the state, but not far from Reynolds. They then must have hopped up a little north of there to go to Forsyth, then back down south about 20 miles to Macon. 
After reading of your confusion about Aunt Nelle's birthdate, I remembered that I had written down birth and death dates from the gravestones in Riverside Cemetery here in Macon. Remember, I had mentioned that Aunt Nelle and her son, Jack, were also buried in the burial plot with Francis Marion Nicoles and Mary J. Nicoles, Albert Sidney Dix and Isadora Nicoles Dix. Aunt Nelle's dates were given as follows: 

Nelle Dix Montgomery 
B. Sept. 29, 1889 
D. Mar. 11, 1964

So, I guess the Census was wrong. She must have been 10, if the Census was taken in January of 1900, turning 11 in September. Jack's dates were:

Jack Smith 
B. Nov. 13, 1917 
D. June 1, 1933

I'll be interested to hear Cousin Billy's reply regarding his and his dad's names. I was wondering if their full name was maybe William Albert Dix (which would mean both of Albert Sidney's sons would have been named for him, with the middle name of Albert), thus shortened to Will Allie? Just a thought.

As for your story about Uncle Billy living in Dublin, GA and working at the Greyhound Bus Terminal: The story is probably true, cause I remember visiting Uncle Billy with my Mama and Daddy when I was about seven years old (this would have been in 1948). We visited him at the Greyhound Station in Dublin, GA. And years later, when Tom and I and our boys moved to Dublin, the Greyhound Station was still there (and maybe to this day), but looking much smaller than I had remembered! 
Wow! Look what happens when we all put our heads together! Hope to have more information soon to help complete the puzzle. 
Love, 
Lyn 

I'm not sure if I have the "First Generation" document that you referred to although, it's entirely possible that it's in a folder somewhere in what used to be the "computer room" but has been transformed into the "Genealogy Room".  If I don't find it, at least I know where I can get a copy now.  I do have a hand written in red ink (must have been some mean ole school teacher) two-sided paper that tells of Aunt Vernon's trip to Bennington and Brattleboro describing the old Dix home in Vermont.  It could be a transcription of the letter that Shirley said she had from Aunt Vernon.  I don't recognize the handwriting.  At the bottom is the name "Erline Robinson"  in different handwriting and below that "Mrs. Lamb".  At the very bottom are telephone numbers for Winifred (Hall?), Dot and Issalee with the format used in the early '60's around here "EM5-6670".  When we get around to that part of our history I'll scan the original and transcribe the text for easier reading.

I'm going with your deduction that Isalee was born in Butler and will add that to the time line.  From above, you wrote:

...Aunt Dot was probably born in Perry, GA in 1904 since they must have moved to Forsyth, GA in 1905 according to the information Tom found there last week. 

Whew! Your reasoning seems sound but  we're getting on pretty shaky evidentiary ground here.  Is this based on the 1905 date that was on the ASD bio from the Forsyth Historical Society?  And you take it that 1905 is when ASD began his ministry in Forsyth?  Can't argue with that but let's make that tentative until we can dig up some hard evidence.  Every little bit helps complete the overall picture.  Thanks for thinking this through!

Rusty

[P.S. Never mind the above comments -- you made me happy with your latest message from Tom's findings in Perry (see below)]

Rusty, Mama Nell was born Sept 29, 1889 and died on March 11, 1964, before 
her 70th birthday [see the correction below] and was buried in Macon on Mach 13, 1964. I think is Rose 
Hill, but not sure. Here's a picture of Jack, Nelljie, and Grandmother 
(Etta). Mom thinks Nelljie was around 16, Grandmother 13, and Jack 9 or 10. 

Since I believe Jeannie sent the photo to everyone on the list, I won't add it here but will add it to the "Nelle" Web page at some future date.  Rusty

From: "Jeff Shannon" <tungtide@hotmail.com> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Cc: shannons@bellsouth.net
Subject: Dix Family Photographs and Info 
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 15:58:22 

Hello Rusty, 
My name is Jeff Shannon and I am the son of Alice (Newman) Shannon. My mom is a Dix cousin and I believe she recently emailed you. Since she doesn't have a scanner, she has asked me to scan some family photos to send to you. Hopefully I was able to get this done properly. So that the downloads will not take forever, I will be sending these attachments in separate emails along with a brief description of who or what is in the attached photo. 
Mom also wanted me to let you know she has also found some more studio photographs which I can scan and send at a later point. 
(These photos are of both Granny Dix' mother and another of her father, another of Albert Sidney Dix, a studio photo of four of Albert Sidney's brothers, a studio photo of Nellie J. Dix as a baby, a graduation photo of Nelle Dix in 1907 from Bessie Tift, a couple of studio photos of Granny Dix at different stages of her life).

Please let me know if you are able to open these attachments- if not, I will have to try to get you these photos a different way. Also, please let me know if they are formatted the way you requested. 
We hope these can be of use to you. 
Sincerely, 
Jeff Shannon

Welcome to the group, Jeff!  You've made a very impressive grand entrance with the photos and information.  The photos came through great, but rather large.  If possible try to keep the small dimension of the photos around 400 pixels.  The pictures look a little better (for printing) at 300 pixels/inch.  If that's a problem, don't worry -- I can fix 'em really easy after they get here.  You've already answered one of our questions.  Shirley had asked earlier if anyone knew when Nelle had Graduated from Tift College.  Thanks , and keep the pictures coming.

Rusty
 
 

(Pictured clockwise): Albert Sidney Dix (Standing in back), Alexander Franklin Dix, Nelljie Dix Smith, and Nelle Dix Smith (holding Nelljie).  Note: Nelljie was born November 7, 1909, so the picture was made sometime in 1910. Please note that this photo has four generations of Dix family.
 
 

L-R:  Ralph F Whigham Jr., Ralph F. Whigham Sr., Ruth Dix Whigham (holding Little Dorothy Harris), Dix Whigham, Eleanor Dix, Isadora Nicoles "Granny" Dix, Jack Smith Jr., Dorothy Dix, Francis Albert Dix, Nelle Dix Smith, Aubrey Dismukes Jr., just to the left of Isalee),  Uncle Aubrey is behind Nelle.  On either side of Isalee, on the back row, Will Allie and Mable Dix.   Nelljie Smith is standing between Aunt Nelle and Aunt Issalee.   Audrey Dismukes (in front of Nelle), Jim Dismukes, Sarah Dismukes, (in front of Nelljie) June (Aubrey, Jr.) Dismukes, and maybe Albert Dismukes.  (I guess Nic, Pat, and Dan were not born yet.)  The other two children on the end may be Bill and Mable's children, Ruth and Billy.  June 22, 1930, at the Dismukes home.
 
 

Granny Dix with her children and her childrens' children (we think). The date of these photos is also June 22, 1930.

 

 
 

---

Image of an unknown person. We believe we recognize her as Nellie (Beach) Dix, the wife of Alexander Franklin Dix. However, the photo had no name or date on it. We thought you might be able to identify her or share it with others who might be able to identify her. This is the last scanned image in this first batch. As I said in the first email, Mom has quite a few more images to scan and send should you be interested. Should you want to contact either of us by phone, my Mom's phone number is (615)352-1042 and my phone number is (615)646-7286. We look forward to hearing from you. 
Sincerely, 
Jeff Shannon
PS- I know my mom is interested in being added to any mailing list regarding the Dix family, as am I. I am adding her email address below.
Alice Shannon's email address: 
shannons@bellsouth.net
_Nellie (Beach) Dix.jpg 

It sure looks like Nellie to me.  Maybe we can get some other opinions on this though.  I reduced the scale from the picture you sent me to save a little memory, but on your original, if you look out the front door, you'll see what seems to be the same porch column as the one of the entire Alexander Franklin Dix Sr. family that photo that Martha Picardy provided.

[Maybe this is a picture was made as she recovered following the ordeal of the group photo -- after all of her sour-pussed family members went back home. ;-) ]

We already have you mom on the e-mail list.  And yes, please send all the photos and documents you have.  Thanks for the offer to send the copy of the "Mama Nelle Letter", but I'll just retype it (unless I get a speed typist to volunteer to do it for me -- hint, hint).  My scanner has the OCR feature, and works really well on crisp clean copy, but I've found that it really gets confused on folded, speckled, and smudged copy.  The text version will save tons of memory and load very quickly.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing that the letter is from Uncle "L" or possibly Uncle Philo.  Frances Dix Chapman sent me a 1989 letter from (Florida) Bill Dix, writing about the Dix Genealogy family tree often mentioned here, in which he mentioned that Uncle L had made several trips to Europe, tracing our roots there.  Also, in the archives, there's a passage written by L, saying that he had spent a lot of time working on the chart.  Wouldn't it have been nice if whoever wrote it, had signed it?

There's one thing we'd like to see if you can find out for us.  We can't seem to find where in Alabama Nelle was born.  Would you see if you have this somewhere?

Keep the good stuff coming,

Rusty

you're right, she was going on 75. I was half asleep and my mathematical 
brain was turned off. Mom and I had talked earlier and was discussing 
grandmother and Nelljie both being 71 when they died and I didn't catch the 
error. Thanks, Jeannie 
 
 

From: ShortCloggingMom@aol.com 
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 17:37:53 EDT 
Subject: Dix cousin's dates 

To All: 

I have the Family Tree Maker software and I'm keying in all of the birth, 
marriage, and death dates as well as full names including maiden names. 
Please send me your family's info as far forward and back as you have. Maybe 
this will start to close the gaps.

Also, if you have a scanner and can scan pictures, this software has a place
for a picture scrapbook of 10 pictures per person. Family portraits, senior 
pictures, baby pictures, what have you?...........Send in jpg file form 
please. 

Thanks, 
Jeannie (shortcloggingmom@aol.com) 

How about file size in pixels and/or inches.  If you'll let us know the image size, it could save you some work.. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Rusty

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com> 
Subject: The Dix's in Perry, GA! 
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 20:40:11 -0300 
 

Rusty, 
I think my collaborators, Tom and Bobby (Tom's friend) have gotten hooked on this research business! They traveled to Perry today, went to First Baptist Church of Perry, and believe it or not, there was A. S. Dix in their historical records! He was at that church in 1901-1902. That was earlier than I had expected, so I guess they went somewhere else between 1902 and 1905 - Reynolds, maybe? Tom plans to check that out and maybe even venture into Butler sometime next week. I guess if they were in Perry in 1901 that Uncle Billy must have been born there. That means Aunt Dot was born somewhere else in 1904. Wow, one more piece to the puzzle! 
I have heard from both Jeannie Mobley and Randy Dix since your last e-mail of yesterday - several times, actually. They both say my computer has a virus, so be sure to check yours. I'll get Tom to see if he can get rid of it tomorrow. It doesn't seem to be affecting my sending and receiving e-mail so far. See what you've done, though, you seem to be the medium that is pulling this family back together, helping us learn more about each other! 
The people at the church in Perry gave Tom several articles regarding the history of their church - some of them even mentioned Rev. Dix among its previous pastors. There was a sheet naming all of the church's former pastors with pictures, when available. A.S. Dix had no picture, although there was a blank space with his name and dates under it, so I guess I'll be sending them a copy of the same picture I sent First Baptist in Forsyth. They included pictures of the original church building which was the one used in 1901-1902. They now have a new, very large building which was built in 1988. Tom and Bobby went by a very early parsonage, hoping that it was the one that A.S. Dix and his family had lived in, however, they met the owner who said it was built in 1907, a little too late to have been lived in by our family. 
Anyway, the beat goes on! 
Love, 
Lyn

Keep feeding Tom what ever you've been feeding him.  He's become our #1 Sidney sleuth.  I'm glad he's taken a shine to this investigation for us.

Rusty, Nelle was 74 when she died on March 11,1964, so I think her birthdddate would be Sept, 29, 1890 or(9-29-1890. She is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Macon Georgia, along with her parents ASD and Isadora and her son Jack Smith. Nelle would have been 75 on her birthday if she had lived until Sept 29, 1964. I think it is neat and ironic that Pam Brundage Nobles' daughter Susanne was born on her great-great grandmother Nelles' birthday Sept 29,1982. Thanks to Cousin Tom and cousin Lyn for all their detective work near and around Macon. Charlie was the one that told me about ASD pastoring a church in Butler Ga. I don't know where he found that out, but he told me after we had gone to our precious Black Alices' funeral in Reynolds 
Ga and we went through Butler while we were there. This is all so interesting, I am enjoying every minute. 

Love Shirley 

That's it for now.  Keep the messages coming,

Rusty

This time we have: 
 

• More insights from Lyn 
• Frances sends info on our early Dix ancestors, Florida Bill Dix, and Isalee 
• Jeannie sends a preliminary Family Tree 
• Alice with more details on Nelle, Jack Jr., 
• Jeff sends more pictures 
• Major new information on Alexander Franklin Dix from Martha 

Thanks to the tenacious efforts of all who have participated, our preliminary Albert Sidney Dix and Isadora Nicoles Dix Time Line is now virtually complete.  Of course, there will be additions and no doubt minor corrections, but the two missing pieces that we left hanging last time:  (1)  "Where was Nelle born?" and (2) "When was ASD at Carrick Academy & Winchester Normal College in Tennessee?", have been been (at least tentatively) answered.  We'll always be searching  the hard evidence -- the documentation -- but the circumstantial evidence is looking very good.

Under the heading of "Lessons Learned", I won't gag everyone's e-mail boxes with graphics anymore -- they're all linked to the Web page.  I'm just starting on the pages for individual Dix's, so it will be a while before we have anything more than just graphics.

Now, to this week's correspondence:

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: Dix Descendant Digest
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 23:31:11 -0300 

Rusty, 

Thanks for the new, easy-to-read Time Line of Albert Sidney and family. Glad Jeff Shannon has joined us and the pictures he sent were great. I also have copies of most of them. I suddenly realized that the picture of the four generations of Dix's must have been made just shortly before Albert Sidney died, depending on how old Nelljie was in the picture. He must have died a little over a month after her first birthday (Mama was eight months older than Nelljie and less than two years old when her father died). 

The pictures of Granny Dix with her family gathered around her, as well as the one with all the Dix siblings and their children were made at Aunt Issalee's, I think. I remember that big front porch, and I believe Mama had told me that the pictures were made at the Dismukes' home. 

I love the picture of Granny Dix in her "Gibson Girl" outfit! I have one apparently made at the same time, but a different pose - same dress, but she has on a little jacket in the one that I have. I also have a matching photo of Albert Sidney Dix, surely made at the same time - same background, etc. These are two of the photographs I have wanted to scan for you. Based on the clothing styles, hairdos, etc., they look like they may have been made around the 1890's. Do you suppose these might have been their wedding pictures (1888)? You do understand that I'm just putting my thoughts down on paper - nothing is written in stone at this point. They're always subject to change as we continue to gather more facts. 

Now, as for the document entitled "Mama Nelle's Letter, Page 1". Since this was sent to Aunt Nelle, it's got to be written by Granny Dix's only sister, our Great Aunt Etta Browning (for whom Shirley's mother, Etta, was probably named)! When I was a child, Mama went to visit her several times over the first few years of my life. She lived in Palmyra, Illinois (I think). She was the only wealthy relative that I ever remember us having, and when she died, because she had outlived her husband, as well as her three children (who must have died young, as there apparently were no grandchildren), she left her inheritance to her only sister's family. Since Granny Dix had already died, her estate was divided equally among Granny Dix's seven children. And since Uncle Buddy was also gone, his portion was divided into three equal parts for his three children. Mama died shortly after Aunt Etta died, and I inherited what was left of Mama's, which helped pay for part of my college education. Possibly this document was a chronicle of the Nicoles family history, which may have been inserted in a letter to Aunt Nelle, thus explaining why there was no salutation, nor signature. In the e-mail I received, there was no Page 2 of Mama Nelle's Letter - Page 1 was printed twice. I'd love to see the rest of it. Of course, the letter was about Granny Dix's family, the Nicoles', however, Uncle Philo and Uncle L (whoever that is!), were ASD's brothers and would be in the Dix family, not Nicoles. 
I agree, the picture of the "unknown person" certainly must be Nellie Beach Dix, and probably made around the time of the one of the entire AFD family that you sent earlier. She looks very much like she did in the other photo, however, I think you're right - she does look like she's contemplating and recuperating after the trying experience of having all those children in the other photo running around! 
Thanks again for continuing to put the puzzle together for us! 
Love, 
Lyn 

Lyn,

That you realized that the "four generations" photo was no doubt ASD's last, again demonstrates your grasp of the sequence of events in ASD's life.  Extra credit for you again.  Thanks also for identifying Isalee's house.  Someone else, perhaps Martha, has also said that was the Dismukes home, so that's settled now.

I agree that the photos of ASD and IND must have been at or very near their wedding.  You're surely right as well about the author of the letter to Nelle.  On closer reading, it's pretty obvious, isn't it?

Rusty

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: Dix Web Page 
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 00:14:13 -0300 

Rusty, 
While I was finishing up my epistle to you, your current e-mail came in. As long as I'm sitting here, I'll just go ahead and respond to a few things. Thanks for noticing the error from last night and sending Page 2 of Aunt Nelle's letter. Many of the photos do not come through on my Web page, however, several did. The picture of Granny Dix and her family did show up, so maybe I can help you identify some more of the people. I had already answered your question regarding whose house they're standing in front of. (Remember, I also have copies of these pictures in Mama's box of pictures.) 
O.K. The "unknown toddler in Aunt Ruth's arms" looks like one of the Harris (Aunt Dot's) girls, probably Dorothy. I believe the man behind Aunt Nelle is Uncle Aubrey (Aunt Issalee's). Nelljie Smith is standing between Aunt Nelle and Aunt Issalee. 
The children on the front row, beginning with the girl standing beside Jack Smith, are: Dismukes children - Audrey, Jim, Sarah, June (Aubrey, Jr.), and maybe Albert. (I guess Nic, Pat, and Dan were not born yet.) The other two children on the end may be Bill and Mable's children, Ruth and Billy. 
It's after Midnight and I have to be at work at 7:15 a.m., so Good Night! 
Lyn 

Thanks again!  I've updated the caption.  See if I have everyone right, now.

Rusty

Frances has sent a packet of material that included  material on the more recent histories of Isalee's and (Florida) Bill Dix's families copied from "plastic comb" bound document.  Someone has done a very good job on this and looks like a possible valuable resource for us.  Frances, do you know who did this and how we can reach them?  Another large document of the genealogy for Edward Dix, going waaaay back.  Perhaps it's a transcription of the Dix Genealogy chart information in tabular form.  Do we know who put this together?  Thanks for all of  the information.  We'll bring this more recent history up again later.

Rusty

Jeannie has sent the preliminary "Family Tree" report in WORD document format. I'm afraid that some of the original formatting was lost on the trip from Word to HTML, but the information is there.   I'm sure she'll welcome additions and corrections.

Thanks for doing this, Jeannie.

Rusty

Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2001 12:42:40 -0500 
From: Samuel H Shannon <shannons@bellsouth.net> 
Subject: Dix family notes

Rusty, again thanks for your sorting, organizing and sharing of such rich Dix family information -- Thus far I have not found any notation about Nelle's birthplace. I do have 9/29/1889 as the date. I offer the following thoughts and questions. A studio photo (Jeff will send copy) of a baby that looks like Moma Nelle -- On the front, it has a studio name in "Brewton, Ala." On the back is a note "Nellie J. Dix, aged 1 yr. 2 mo. 11 days" [November 10,1890 ?].  This makes me think Moma Nelle may have had a middle name -- could she have been named for her two grandmothers (Nellie B. Dix and Jennie Nicoles)??? Also, maybe she was born in Brewton, Ala. where her parents married?? Do we know why they married in Brewton? Were either of their parents living in there? When did they move to Postoak? Where is Postoak? I can't find it on my map. The 1890 Census for Brewton or Postoak might help us.  I have photo of Nelle in her cap and gown (Jeff will send). On the back of photo someone wrote, "Your cousin Nelle, May 28th, 1907, Bessie Tift College, Forsyth, Ga." I remember being told about little Nelle riding in the buggy and going with her Dad to school when she was very young -- so she learned and progressed very fast in school -- beginning at Bessie Tift when she was 16. These dates will fit together if B. Tift was a two year college at that time. I also remember her going back to the 50th Alumni Reunion (Do we know where the old Alumni records are?)

I've reviewed a scrapbook that Moma Nelle made and kept for her son. I thought it would resolve the name issue for him -- and I think it does. Unfortunately, there is no birth or death certificate. It is dedicated to "Jack J. Smith". There are elementary school certificates for "Jack Smith". There is an admission to Jr. High School certificate for "John Jeremiah Smith Jr.". There are several Tech High Honor Roll cards for "Jack J. Smith". There is an insurance policy jacket for "John J. Smith Jr". (Incidentally, this Life policy was issued by "DIX and DIX, Associate General Agents, Mobile, Ala." - A.S. Dix brothers??) There is a photo of Riverside Cemetery grave of "Jack Smith" And newspaper clippings for "Jack" including his being survived by his father, "J. J. Smith Sr." I think this means Nelle's son was known by family and friends as "Jack", but his real name was "John Jeremiah Smith, Jr." I think this also means that Daddy Jerry's real name must have been "John Jeremiah Smith, Sr." 

Rusty, I will see what I can find out about and from the records of the two schools that A.S. Dix attended in Winchester, TN. 
Will share more as I find - love to all, 

Alice 

Alice,

I think the baby Nelle photo is pretty good evidence that she was born in Brewton AL.  The 1890 census should chinch it.  That's still on the "to do" list.  That's a very interesting observation on the name "Nellie J. Dix".  It seems I have seen the initial "J" in some of my resources, but I can't put my hands on it right now.  It makes sense -- the first born being named for both grandmothers, doesn't it? Maybe someone else can confirm this. 

Whence Brewton?  All we have on this is at the very beginning of our e-mail adventure -- Vol. 1, "How They Met".

Re: Jack Jr.'s insurance.  At the very end of our Vol. 2 is this reference to L. Daniel Dix: 

"Associate General Agent, The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co, The Henry K. Toenes Agency, Merchants National Bank Building, Mobile, AL450" 

Postoak AL is a dead town in Bullock County AL that was located at the intersection of county roads 8 & 11.  Try www.mapblast.com and enter "Postoak, AL" in the city/state field.  It's not too far from the Bullock County seat, Union Springs.

As to the schools ASD attended in Winchester TN, see Martha's latest discovery that narrows the dates considerably, below.

Thanks for your invaluable contributions to the cause,

Rusty

From: "Jeff Shannon" <tungtide@hotmail.com> 
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2001 17:59:52 

Dear Rusty, 
Here comes Round 2 of photos. I've tried to make them smaller this time, but in the interest of time I would appreciate your help if the photos need any further adjusting. Since the file sizes are smaller, I will try to attach all of the photos to this email message (I have my fingers crossed). 

The first image is of Mary Jeniluska Nicoles (Granny Dix's Mother); 

The second image is of Francis M. Nicoles (Granny Dix's Father);

The third image is of Granny Dix Etta Nicoles as a young woman (Younger Etta Nicoles) 

The fourth image is of Granny Dix as an older woman (Older Granny Dix); 

The fifth image is of Albert Sidney Dix (Albert S. Dix); 

The sixth image is of four Dix Brothers (Four Dix Brothers) *

The seventh image is of Nellie J. Dix (Nellie J. Dix); 

The eighth and final image is of Nelle Dix at the time of her 1907 graduation from Bessie Tift (Nelle's Graduation Photo). 

 

*  Mom said she's not 100% sure of the identities of these four brothers- any help in identifying would be great; 

I'm sure Mom will have another round of photos for me to scan and email soon. In the meantime we both hope these are helpful to this "very cool" project.

Sincerely, 
Jeff 

Thanks for the pictures, Jeff.  The image sizes are great this time.  The size you did for ASD and IND are just right, but there's no problem resizing any that are slightly larger.  I have to rename the files to a format that works on my Windows/DOS system here at home as well as the UNIX server (8 characters), but your descriptive file names are most helpful while I doing that.  Keep doing what you've been doing.

Rusty

On Friday, September 14, Martha called to say that she had visited the Samford University -- a Southern Baptist institution (formerly Howard College) -- library, found an enthusiastic and skilled expert in the field of genealogy, and gleaned more information on Alexander Franklin Dix. Martha is coming to see me on September 28 and will bring her new-found information.  Apparently, most of the information was microfiche images of long-hand records -- much of which is unreadable either because of poor penmanship or the degeneration inherent with second or third generation copies. Martha writes:
 

Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 18:50:07 -0500 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
From: Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: AFD Bio 

Alexander Franklin Dix 
Biographical sketch
Source: The Ministerial Directory of the Baptist Churches 
Edited by George W Lasher, Published Ministerial Co, Oxford, Ohio 
Copyright 1899 Pg. 214 

Sketch: Dix, Alexander Franklin, 514 Jefferson St., Montgomery, Ala.- 

• Born, Wilson, N.Y. in 1831; 
• Studied University of Rochester, N.Y.; 
• N.Y. State Normal College, 1853; 
• Mary Sharpe College, Tenn., M.A., 1872; 
• Accepted in the same, Chair of Ancient Language; 
• Licensed in 1856 by New Fane Church, N.Y.; 
• Ordained April 18, 1869 at Midway Church, Ala.; 
• Pastored : Enon Baptist Church, 1869, Fairview, Ala 1870; 
• Winchester, Tenn 1871-1878; 
• President of William and Emona Austin College, 1880-1889;* 
• President of Classical Institute, Union Springs, Ala. 1885-1886; 
• Pastored Country churches 1886. 

Information found: Samford University Library, Special Collections Birmingham, Al. 

AFD's stint at Carrick Academy & Winchester Normal College from 1871 through 1878 conveniently coincides the time that ASD was at or near college age. ASD would have been 16 years old in 1878.  We're hoping that Alice and Jeff can find something conclusive.  I plan to check out the address given above, to see if the house is still there and if it matches our photographs. 

Rusty

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com> 
Subject: The Dix's in Butler 
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 21:07:35 -0300 

Hi Rusty! 
Tom and his co-sleuth drove to Butler, GA today to search out Dix activities there around the turn of the 20th Century. They always go to the First Baptist Churches in each town, knowing they would be some of the oldest in the area. First Baptist Church of Butler was no exception. Whereas there was no organized historical pamphlet/book as was found in Perry and Forsyth, the church secretary was able to put her hands on some handwritten notes taken at Church Conference meetings in 1897 - 1900. Our grandfather was mentioned twice in the minutes taken during those years. On May 22, 1897 M.S. Chapman and A.S. Dix, as well as another name that I could not read, were appointed as delegates to the Sabbath School Convention at Tazewell, GA (a tiny town west of Butler). And on July 25, 1900 it states that Bro. Albert S. Dix and wife were granted a letter of dismissal from the church. (Maybe this is when they accepted the pastorship and moved to Perry, GA.) The handwriting on these conference notes is very difficult to read. Anyway, that confirms his association with Butler Baptist Church. 

They also stopped in Reynolds, GA while in that area and asked at the Baptist Church there, but there were no records available. Tom was told that all of the church historical records had been sent off about two months ago to be put on microfiche, but they took our name (and A.S. Dix's) and said they would let us know if they find anything when the records come back. 

Does anyone know where Pine Grove is? I don't know if this is a town, either in Alabama or Georgia, or if it was the name of a home (such as Thornfield, Aunt Dot's and Uncle Chile's home). In going through Mama's box of old pictures, I came across one that Aunt Ruth had written on the back - "I think, Dick Hall and Eleanor out at Pine Grove." It was a picture of two small children, a girl and a boy, sitting in the yard in front of a large house, playing in the sand. If anyone has ever heard our older relatives mention Pine Grove, let me know. 
Note: I just looked back at the picture that Martha shared weeks ago of Alexander Franklin Dix and his family on their (presumably) front porch and noticed that Aunt Dimple's married name was Hall (husband, James Hall), so I guess this could be one of their children. Do you think that Pine Grove could have been the name of Alexander Franklin and Nellie Beach Dix's home? You Alabama cousins, see what you can find out! 

We still have a gap from 1902 - 1905 at least, so I'll keep on digging! And I still think ASD had a church here in Macon, at least part time, while at the Georgia Industrial Home. This assumption is based on something that Aunt Issalee wrote me years ago, right after we moved to Macon. I'm gonna find that letter some day and share it with you! I never throw anything away! (Just imagine what my house looks like!) 
Love, 
Lyn 

I came across this while searching (www.google.com) the Internet for "Alexander Franklin Dix".  Apologies for getting off track for a moment, but wanted to save this for when we get back around to doing the Web page for ASD's Parents & Siblings.

Alexander Franklin Dix -- Not ASD's father, but his nephew.  Son of Paul Finch Dix and Mary Vernon Nix, grandson of Alexander Franklin Dix and Nellie Beach Dix.  If you have a copy of the often referred to, Dix Genealogy chart, you can find the names listed below on the right-most side of the horizontal line near the bottom of the chart.  Here's the link and copied information (with my comments in brackets).  http://www.onlinemadison.com/august13/deaths.html

Deaths 
 

Alexander Franklin Dix

MADISON [MS]- Alexander Franklin Dix, 90, a retired executive with the Boy Scouts of America, died of congestive heart failure Friday, Aug. 7, 1998, at St. Catherine's Village in Madison. [Born 06/16/1908 (according to the Dix Genealogy chart)]

Services were held Wednesday from the chapel at St. Catherine's with the Rev. Bruno Schroeder officiating. A private committal service was held by the family at the Lena Cemetery in Leake County. Mark E. Seepe Funeral Directors and Crematorium of Jackson [MS] handled arrangements.

"He asked that we celebrate his long life, with its heartbreaks and joys, its failures and successes," said his brother-in-law [brother of AFD's wife Frances Hendrick Dix], Dr. Jim G. Hendrick of Jackson, "But a life dedicated to the inherent worth and dignity of every person - with concern for justice and compassion."

A Montgomery, Ala., native, Mr. Dix's service in local, regional and national Scout roles dated from 1920, when he joined a Scout troop as a tenderfoot. He received his Eagle badge in 1925. Following graduation from Berea College in Kentucky, Mr. Dix attended the National Executive Institute of the Boy Scouts of America in Mt. Kisko, N.Y., and moved into national leadership roles.

He first served as assistant scout executive of a 16-county council headquartered in Little Rock, Ark. He served as scout executive in Lakeland, Fla., and Greensboro, N.C., before becoming deputy regional executive in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing some of the earliest national leadership for black scouts in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia.

For seven years, he served as special deputy regional executive in Atlanta, serving North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. In 1948, he became assistant executive director of field operation of the Chicago Area Council before moving to Spokane, Wash., as executive of the Inland Council.

From 1958 until 1963, Mr. Dix served as executive of the Oakland, Calif., Area Council, giving leadership to the complex merger of the Oakland and San Francisco operations into the San Francisco Bay Area Council.

He then became assistant national director of field operations for the National Council BSA. For 18 months he was stationed at Coral Gables, Fla., to address the great influx of Cuban refugees following Castro's rise to power. Later he worked with the regional office in Oak Brook, Ill., serving Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. 

In 1973, Mr. Dix returned as assistant regional executive. He and his wife, the former Frances Hendrick of Lena, moved to Gulf Hills at Ocean Springs, where he became active in civic and environmental work. He was a member of the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce; executive board, Pine Burr Area Council BSA; and the Jackson County Democratic Executive Committee. An active member of the executive committee of the Gulf Coast Sierra Club, he was well-known for his forceful letters to the editors of local papers. He attended First Presbyterian Church.

An avid reader, Mr. Dix donated his large collection of books to the Ocean Springs Library when he moved to Madison. A Rotarian since 1935, he belonged to the Madison Rotary Club.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Dix is survived by his sons, Dr. Edward Keith Dix of Wooster, Ohio, and Paul Hendrix Dix, a freelance photographer of Livingston, Mont.; sisters, Nelle Dix Wade of Jackson and Mary Vernon Sproles of Arlington, Va.; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Pine Burr Area Council, BSA, 6316 Highway 49, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.

Well, that's it for this time.  Thanks for keeping me busy,

Rusty
 

Dear Dix Descendants 

You guys are making me so proud!  What started out as a simple request for help on identifying some photographs, has evolved into  a full-blown research project on our family history.  This time, we have continued discussions on: 

• Pine Grove 
• Alexander Franklin Dix's Time Line 
• More Contacts from Frances 
• More information on ASD's time in Middle GA 
• Alice finds hard evidence on AFD and family in Winchester TN. 

Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 19:47:49 -0500 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
From: Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: AFD et al
 

Rusty- I had another fun day at Samford filling in the chart on AFD. He sounded wonderful. I wish I had gotten Gran [Ruth] to talk about him. 

About Nelle:   The 1890 census burned, so any verification of her birth place would have to be done in Georgia in the 1900 census and it would probably only say "Alabama". The only other way would probably entail a trip or call to Escambia County . 

I found the James Hall family on the 1900 and 1910 census and verified births down through Winifred, but there were only ages in the 1910 census and when I relooked at the dates and the Dix family photo, I could not come up with anything new. 

One other interesting find:  the ordination service of William Beach Dix some year+ before he died.Do we know why he died so young? I could not find Philo or L. Daniel families in the 1900 or 1910 census.Do we know if they were in Montgomery then? They should have been as I found that AFD/Nellie joined Mtgy. First Baptist in 1897. 

Martha, 

Thanks for pursuing this.  Lyn has already checked the Georgia 1900 census and you're right -- just lists "Alabama" as Nelle's birthplace.
We may have to seek out some of the Mobile AL Dix's to find out the answer to your question about WBD.  Regarding the omission of  Uncles Philo and L., see Alice's comments below.  What are we to make of this? 
 

From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 08:26:19 EDT 
Subject: Re: Dix Descendants Digest Vol. 11 
 

Rusty,

I got this from Bill Dix in FL IN 2/25/97.  His daughter-in-law did it.  She would like anything that you find out. 

BETH DIX 
11855 66th St. North 
West Palm Beach, FL 33412-2047 

There was a Robert E. Dix in Stone Mountain GA that would like to know something. I don't think he was any of us. Shirley could see if he still lives there. His phone number was 404-292-3480. 

FRANCES 

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com>
Subject: Today's Dix Digest 
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 23:24:53 -0300 
 

Rusty, 
I am so excited about our progress in our genealogy search - and thanks so much for today's edition! Alice asked where the old Tift College Alumni records are. I'm sure they're housed in the Archives at Mercer University Library. I'm in the process of doing some research there and will see what I can find regarding Nelle and Ruth Dix while students at Tift. 

Now that we've broadened our horizons by drawing in our Tennessee kin, we're really getting quite a clear picture of "The Life and Times of Albert Sidney Dix." This is fascinating - and apparently goes on and on! With you and Martha digging up Dix history in Alabama, Lyn and Associates keeping the trail hot in and around Middle GA, and the Newmans' searching the hills of Tennessee, we've hit upon a gold mine! - and it's all coming together!

The photos Jeff sent are great! I don't believe I've ever seen a picture of my Great Grandmother, Jennie Nicoles, before - unless one of the photos I have of an older woman with a young girl (probably one of her granddaughters, although I can't identify her) is she. "The Four Dix Brothers" is a hoot, and I'm afraid I can't be of any help here! Aunt Nelle's graduation photo from Tift College is priceless! 
The information that Martha gleaned from Samford University Library is incredible! I knew we were a pretty smart bunch, but we must have really had some impressive ancestors! I am amazed at how well educated our Dix relatives were back then - and such prominent citizens! 

The obituary of Alexander Franklin Dix's death (our cousin) was really interesting - and what an impressive record in Scouting! I guess his sister, Mary Vernon Sproles, may still be living. I think we stopped at their house in Arlington, VA for a visit on a trip to Washington and New York when I was fifteen! Mary Vernon and Mama must have been pretty close growing up. 
Keep 'um coming! 
Love, 
Lyn
 

In a previous message, you asked about "Pine Grove".  I don't know if it's the same one but L. Daniel Dix referred to it (see the end of Vol. 2 -- my source at <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~butterfield/franke5.html> ) as "our home in Pine Grove" when writing about the AFD family's time when the had moved back to Union Springs circa 1883.  I entered "Pine Grove, AL" in Mapblast <http://www.mapblast.com/>.  There are nine Pine Grove's listed for Alabama!  I thought I'd hit onto something when I clicked on the 1st one which was located very near Midway AL.  But then when I clicked on the 4th listing on the top row, it pointed to a location that is now part of greater Mobile AL, where Uncle L. lived after he left Montgomery.  But, if Eleanor was a young girl ~1915, Uncle L. still (I think) lived in Montgomery, as did his father Alexander Franklin Dix..  So, you still don't know where Pine Grove is, but it was an interesting adventure!

Rusty
 

Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 20:07:29 -0500 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
From: Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Pine Grove 
The Alabama Baptist dated 10-13-1892 says: 
 

"We have received an invitation from Rev. and Mrs A.F. Dix to be present at the marriage of their daughter Dimple to James Madison Hall, Thursday afternoon October 20th at their home, PINE GROVE, Ala." 
There is a Pine Grove, Ala located on the map some 5 miles southwest of Midway, Alabama where we know AFD belonged/served before and after living in Tenn. So I would say this is where they lived rather than living in Midway community. I'll send this to Lynn. 

Looking forward to our "roots" weekend!

Martha 

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Pine Grove and Mercer Library 
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 21:17:00 -0300 
 

Rusty, 
Thanks so much for your diligence in your search for Pine Grove. In the picture possibly taken at "Pine Grove" of my mother, she could not have been more than two years old (both she and the boy Aunt Ruth thought was Dick Hall), which could not have been long after her father, ASD, died. This would have placed them there sometime in 1911. Maybe someone else can give us more insight into this mysterious place (Alice?, Shirley?, Martha?). 

And guess what???? I've filled in more of the gaps! I had found out that Archives at Mercer University Library are not open on weekends, in fact, are only open during the time I'm at work! But, I have a friend who works in Archives who offered to do some research for me. She found several sources listing Albert Sidney's name, made copies and sent them to me! I've just received them today. ASD was listed in several documents as having been ordained on February 28, 1899 in Butler, GA. This is a discrepancy from our original date of 1897, but I tend to think the 1899 date is correct as it was documented on several lists. The first was a list from the 1900 American Baptist Year-Book, under "Ministers Ordained in 1899". Then, from the 1912 American Baptist Year-Book, listed under "Ministers Deceased, 1911", was Dix, A.S., Macon, Ga., Jan. Of course, this wasn't quite right as he died in December, 1910 - but, close enough, I guess. 

The next article was taken from the March 6, 1899 "Christian Index" and reads as follows: 
ORDINATION - The ordination of Bro. A.S. Dix to the full work of the ministry took place Feb. 28th. The presbytery consisted of the writer, J.J. Farmer, A.J. Moncrief and A.F. Dix. [Note: Does this mean that his father, A.F. Dix, participated in the ordination?] The Butler saints have a right to be proud of sending out into the world a man as well prepared for the high calling as Bro. Dix. he has accepted the care of one church and we have no doubt he will have to leave his college for another. 

Yours in Christ, 
A.F. Hart Oglethorpe, Ga.

Then, in the Minutes of the Rehoboth Baptist Association, held with Reynolds Baptist Church, Reynolds, Georgia - October 10th to 12th, 1911 was the following report: 

REPORT ON DECEASED MINISTERS
Your Committee on Deceased Ministers find that we have cause for great thankfulness to our Heavenly Father for His goodness in sparing the lives of our ministerial brethren through another year, with the exception of one.  With sadness we record the death of our beloved Brother Albert S. Dix, who passed beyond the River December, 1910, at his home in Macon, Ga. 

Brother Dix was born in Alabama, receiving his education there (apparently this was not quite accurate), and in early manhood devoted his time to the Cause of Christ. Teaching twenty-one years, six years in Taylor County. He came to this Association about fourteen years ago [1897 ?], preaching and visiting nearly every church in this Association. He was in full sympathy with our work. In his death, our Association loses a faithful friend and worker. 
With reverence we bow to the will of God, and a blessed memory follows him. 
J. W. Tittle 
J. C. McDonald 
J. Freeman Hart, 
Committee 

She also sent me pages from the Georgia Baptist Convention Minutes for each year, beginning with 1902 through 1909. There was a complete listing of Baptist preachers in Georgia for each year. They are as follows: 
1902 Dix, A. S., p. . . . . .Perry 
1903 Dix, A. S., p. . . . . .Forsyth 
1904 Dix, A. S., p. . . . . .Forsyth 
1905 Dix, A. S., p. . . . . .Forsyth 
1906 Dix, A. S., p. . . . . .Forsyth 
1907 Dix, A. S., . . . . . . .Macon 
1908 Dix, A. S., . . . . . . .Macon 
1909 Dix, A. S., . . . . . . .Macon 

Here's where we filled in one gap - It appears that the Dix family moved from Perry First Church to First Baptist Church of Forsyth in 1903 and were there until they moved to Macon in June, 1907. However, the fact that he is still listed as a pastor in Macon in the Georgia Baptist Convention Minutes during the years of 1907, 1908, and 1909 probably confirms my belief that he pastored a church here in Macon, at least on Sundays. She still was not able to get me any information regarding which church, however. I need to do a little more digging! 

Then, listed in the 1911 Georgia Baptist Convention Minutes, was the article I shared before that Tom had obtained from the Baptist Church in Forsyth. It was listed under the heading, OUR DECEASED MINISTERS, "Some Are Fallen Asleep". This is where his ordination date was given as 1897, but I do think this date is incorrect. 

My friend also sent pages taken from the ANNUAL of the SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION of 1899 under ORDINATIONS: Dix, A. S., Oglethorpe Co., Ga., Feb. 28, '99. (I don't know where Oglethorpe Co. comes in - I thought he was ordained in Butler, which is in Taylor Co.) He was also listed in the ANNUAL of the SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION of 1900 as pastor in Butler, and in the ANNUAL of the SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION of 1907 as pastor in Forsyth. 

Anyway, my friend "done good!" 
Love, 
Lyn 

You've come through again!  As usual, my $0.02 worth:  First, about Pine Grove (see Lyn's, Martha's, and my messages above).   Since our last Digest, I visited the address that Martha found for ADF in Montgomery -- 514 Jefferson St. (which, incidentally, only about 4 blocks from where he is buried) and was disappointed, but not surprised, to find that at this address is now a business that looks like it was built in the 1950's.  There are several houses of the same vintage as the one in the portrait located in the surrounding blocks, but many have been relocated there in the past ten years as part of the "Old Alabama Town" project.  I thought briefly that the house in the portrait may have been at Pine Grove, but our original conclusion that it was in Montgomery seems to hold up per the AFD dates below:

The time line seemed to work very well for ASD.  Let's see if we can do the same for Alexander Franklin Dix. 
 

 1880-1889 - President of William and Emona Austin College [This is either a typo or possibly some overlapping, depending on where the college was located.  So far, searches for "Emona" have turned up nothing] Later [Other records indicate that the AFD family moved from Winchester TN to Stevenson AL in July, 1880, then back to Union Springs AL in 1883.]

(?A)   It would make more sense if AFD and Nellie married 1st then moved to Alabama. 

(1) Information found: Samford University Library, Special Collections, Birmingham, AL. 
(2) Uncle L. Daniel Dix's letter 
(3) The Alabama Baptist dated 10-13-1892 
(4) Winchester TN First Baptist Church records 

 Martha is also working on a AFD time line, but has been unable to send it to me.  Her keyboard suffered some, uh,  "percussive maintenance" when her recalcitrant  mail editor refused to display what she was typing, and caused her file to be "read only".  We've all been there, huh? ;-)

Martha, Ginny, Bill and I are planning a trip to The old Whigham home place in Rutherford AL,  this Saturday and if time permits, will swing by Midway AL and Pine Grove in the remote chance that we find a clue there.

One other question about ASD pastoring a church in Macon. Referring to the dates above e.g.

1902 Dix, A. S., p. . . . . .Perry 

1907 Dix, A. S., . . . . . . .Macon 

Martha came across the same thing researching AFD.  She found out (or inferred) the "p" following the name, stood for "pastor".  Do you think this could be the same thing  with ASD -- the absence of the "p" implying that he was not a pastor in Macon?  Maybe someone can find out for sure what the "p" stands for.

Please pass along our thanks to your friend and again to you for sharing this with us,

Rusty

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Gaffes and Boo Boos 
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 21:51:14 -0300 
 

Rusty, 
I just received your corrections and additions to last night's Dix edition. I also have the picture you and Jeff labeled as "Granny Dix as a Young Woman", but in my copy, she is with another man, other than our grandfather, ASD. I have always thought this was a picture of her sister, Etta Nicoles Browning (the man in the picture being her husband, Mr. Browning!). 

Thanks for attaching Jeannie's Dix Family Tree. In the next few days I will go through and complete some of the information given, especially that of my family, as well as make a few corrections that I noticed. Jeannie, you've made a good start, so maybe we can all pitch in and help you fill in the missing information.
Love again, 
Lyn 

This photo of "Granny Dix as a young woman"/"Etta Browning" is giving me a mild case of whiplash.  I have the same photo and thought it was Granny Dix, until Frances told me at the reunion that it was Etta Nicoles Browning.  Then Jeff sent the photo, I reversed position and told Martha we'd made a mistake. Now it's ENB again.  Your photo (with what we're assuming is her husband) is strong evidence.  Does anyone else out there have additional information?  I have photo of ENB as an older woman and it certainly could be the same as the photo.  At the bottom of the picture is written in my mother's [Mavis] hand:  "Etta Nicoles Browning and Jessie (companion)".  On the back, in someone's handwriting I don't recognize, is written:  "Aunt Etta and Jessie on our front steps".  Does anyone recognize the house?

Thanks,

Rusty

Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001 09:42:48 -0500 
From: Samuel H Shannon <shannons@bellsouth.net> 
Subject: Dix Descendents 

 
Rusty and all, 

Here's what I've learned about the AFDix family and ASDix in Winchester, TN during the 1870's. The Winchester First Baptist Church records list Alexander Franklin Dix as the minister from Oct. 22, 1871 to Sept. 7, 1877. Then he was "recalled" Nov. 2nd 1877 with no record of when he stopped this 2nd time. (There are two other ministers incompletely listed in 1878 and 1879 and with another minister clearly beginning in 1880). (Source: The current church secretary. She is mailing me a pamphlet containing this and other historical information about the church.)

The 1880 Census Report for Franklin Co.(including Winchester) gave the following information for the family: 

Head of Household:
Alexander F. Dix age:48-Baptist Minister born N.Y. 

Others: 
Nellie B. Wife 41 born N.Y. 
Albert S. Son 16 Ala. 
Wm B. Son 15 Ala. 
Hattie D. Dau 13 Ala. 
Mary B. Dau 8 Ala. 
Daniel Son 7 Tenn. 
Alexander F.Son 5 Tenn. 
Paul Finch N.R. 4 Tenn.
Philo C. N.R. 1 Tenn. 

(Many of the ages seem off a little for 1880. Do we know why the two youngest children would be listed as "no relation"?) 

Source: TN State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN)

There are 3 schools and colleges that were in Winchester that AF Dix and/or the children were associated with that I found out some information for: 

1. Mary Sharpe College was founded in 1850 and closed in 1896. It was a very well known "Latin and Greek" liberal arts college for women, supported by Baptist Churches. I found no specific records of who taught there, but I think it is logical that he taught there for several years after 1872 and maybe by some special arrangement he received an M.A. degree there in 1872. (Sources: Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, Nashville, TN. and the Franklin Co. Historical Society, Winchester, TN.)

2. Carrick Academy was the state chartered school for Winchester from 1809 until 1878. It offered mainly high 
school edu. for boys, but also had some "primary" and "grammar" male students. A printed report for Carrick 
Academy for 1876-77 listed students alphabetically, including: Albert Dix and William Dix. There was no listing 
of faculty and this is the only year report found for C.A. 

3. C.A. merged into a new school in 1878 - Winchester Normal School and College. It was open to girls and boys and offered 2 years of college (an AB degree), as well as high school, primary and grammar level classes. It opened in in 1878 and finally closed in 1915. A printed report for "Winchester Normal" for 1878-79 has a faculty listing which includes: "A.F. Dix, Professor of English and History" and a note that he "Will not teach next year". It also lists students alphabetically including: Albert Sydney Dix, Daniel Dix, William B. Dix, Hattie L. Dix and Mary Belle Dix. 

The printed report for 1879-80 for "Winchester Normal" does not include AFD as a faculty member, but the student list includes: Albert Sidney Dix, Willie B. Dix, Hattie L. Dix, Mary Belle Dix and Daniel Dix". (Source: Books and School Materials at Tenn. State Library and Archives, Nash., TN)

Pulling together the two biographical sketches (from Lynn and Martha) and these records I found for Winchester and Franklin Co., I think we might infer the following for AS Dix time line --

1871-78 Jr. & Sr. High Winchester, TN Carrick Academy 
1878-80 College Winchester, TN Winchester Normal College

I hope this helps confirm and fill in a little for AS Dix. If in the future we work on AF Dix time line, some of this will 
help. Let me know if I need to clarify any of this -- 

Alice

Alice,

As you can see, it has already helped!  Thank you so much for doing this.

I'll be out of town until Thursday evening.  I'll work on updating Web page e-mail file and the AFD time line when I return.

Thanks again to everyone,

Rusty
 

This time we have: 
 

• Photo of "Granny Dix as Young Woman" is actually Etta (Nicoles) Hanshaw/Browning 
• Documented dates for AFD in Tennessee 
• Aunt Dorothy's birthplace found 
• Mary Belle "Dollie" Dix mystery solved 
• The "Allie" mystery solved 
• The "Daisy" mystery solved 
• A Visit to Pine Grove 

Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 16:11:17 -0500 
From: Samuel H Shannon <shannons@bellsouth.net> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Subject: DDD, Vol. 12- Responses and Additions 

Rusty and all: 

Re: Photo of "Granny Dix as Young Woman" - I relooked at notation on my photo - it's my handwriting with no other notes (If Mom were dictating and I was writing, Mom would have shared more information that I would have written.) I believe that was a bad assumption on my part.  I'm pleased to know it's Aunt Etta Browning and all of what Lynn shared about her. 

Re: AF Dix Time Line - The current secretary of the First Baptist Church of Winchester did send the promised booklet, "Constitution and By-laws" (printed 1967). The listing of Pastors 1843-1967 is a little more precise than I heard over the phone - 
Rev. J. L. Loyd...................Jan.1869-Jan.1870 
* Rev. A. F. Dix ................Oct.1871-Sept.1877 
Rev. A Van Hoose.............Sept.1877 
(No record of any service) 
* Rev. A. F. Dix (2nd Call).Oct.1877-1878- (Oct.?) 
Rev. J. J. Burnett................Oct.1878-Nov.1879 

One note in the booklet history is indefinite, but might help us have a feeling for why and how A.F.Dix was spending his time pastoring and teaching after moving to the church and Winchester in the fall of 1871. It says: "After the civil war, due to damage of Mary Sharp College,...The students met for some time (?) in the basement of the church for their classes. (At least we know the church and the college had a close relationship.)  One of the archivists here in Nashville suggested that Mercer College might have the faculty and student records for Mary Sharp College as well W and E Austin College, etc. Maybe Lynn's friend might check on these as well. 

Another AF Dix time line suggestion for checking - One librarian mentioned that there are two civil war record notations for AFD. Does anyone have that information? [see below] Note: the child, Mary Belle listed several times in Winchester records - do we have her listed on Family Tree? [This is Dollie.  Our sources are Martha's notes from an interview of family history as told by Ruth Dix Whigham, and "The First 150 Years Montgomery's First Baptist Church" by Lee N. Allen ; see below -- RDW]

Re: A S Dix Time line:  On the dust jacket of Dorothy Dix Harris book of poetry, "Plateau Pauses and Other Poems" (1970), Dorothy's birthplace is listed as Forsyth, Ga. Also, Dorothy's second book of poetry, "BORN TO DANCE and Other Poems" (1971) is dedicated to her mother, Isadora Nicoles Dix and the first poem in the book, "Born To Dance" is about Granny Dix. Does 
everyone have copies of these books and the poem? If not, we can scan the poem and send.

What wonderful things people keep finding and sharing! 
Alice 

Alice,

Thanks again for your many contributions.  They'll be incorporated into our existing body of knowledge.  This is the first I've heard about Aunt Dot's poetry book.  As to the offer to scan the poem(s) and perhaps the dedication, I'm sure everyone here will agree that we'd love to see them.

Among the many items Martha found at the Alabama State Archives are two of AFD's Civil War documents -- a three-page application for Confederate pension and a one-page Confederate Military Record.

Thanks again ever so much,

Love,

Rusty

The following are some notes that Martha Whigham Picardy had the foresight to make when interviewing her grandmother, Ruth Dix Whigham.
 

The old Dix homeplace is on Highway 9 in Wilmington VT, on Dix Road.  Ozia Dix lived here.  After the revolution, he moved from VT to Buffalo NY.  Mrs. Charles (Dorothy) Turner lives there (a friend of Mary Vernon). 

...[Ruth Dix Whigham's], grandfather, Alexander Franklin Dix Sr., came south to Midway AL to teach.  He went back to Buffalo for a wife.  Married Helen Beach.  They had ten Children. 

One of the resources that Martha found at the Samford University Library  was a book titled "The First 150 Years Montgomery's First Baptist Church" by Lee N. Allen.  This excerpt is from pages 148-149.
 

"Mary Belle Dix, better known as Dollie, departed in February 1918* to work among the Chinese of California as a missionary. The daughter of the Rev. A. F. Dix, a New York-born minister and educator who had retired and moved to Montgomery, she had become a member of the church in 1896. She served as her brothers had in Sunday School and BYPU. Always of frail constitution, she died shortly after leaving." 

I had incorrectly assumed that the "Mary" buried with Alexander Franklin Dix Jr., was his wife (we hadn't found any evidence that AFD Jr.was ever married).  Martha also found in the Alabama State Archives microfilm, under "Clippings", the inscription from the gravestone mentioned above complete with the segments missing from the AFD Jr. gravestone described in Vol. 2 -- complete with missing words and letters.  The letters in red are from the archive records and fills in the missing information from the broken gravestone.
 
 

OK, that takes care of the "Who's Dollie?" problem.  Now, this leaves the other name on the border of the gravestone -- "Allie". 

Since we now know that this grave contains the remains of two of AFD Sr.'s & NBD's children, and that "Dollie" was the nickname for one buried there, it seems logical to assume that "Allie" was the nickname of the other -- Alexander Franklin Dix Jr. i.e., Allie, short for Alexander Jr.  It seems the "Will" half of "Will Allie" was an incorrect assumption or confusion with Uncle Billy's name (a generation later) on my mother's [Mavis Whigham] part when making her notes in the family history book..

Cases closed!

Thanks to Martha for making this connection!

On the next morning, September 29, Martha and I met with my sister, Ginny, and cousins, Bill & Pat Dix and visited sites around Rutherford AL, where our grandparents (Bill's Aunt Ruth & Uncle Ralph) lived until the mid 1950's.  We were hosted by Hugh Upshaw -- best buddy of Bert & Bill during their summer visits there, who owns most of the property now. We thoroughly enjoyed the day.  As Bill & Pat headed back to Douglasville, Martha, Ginny & I made a side trip to Midway AL in hopes of finding something either at the Baptist cemetery there, or perhaps in Pine Grove.

Before this weekend, all we knew about "Daisy" Dix was the name.  Well, actually we knew more, but we didn't know we knew.  We knew about this "other person", Nellie Butterfield Dix, 10/10/1869 - 08/22/1871, sister of ASD.  In the cemetery behind the Midway Baptist Church, we found the graves of James Hall and his wife Harriet [Hattie] Lillis (Dix) Hall [Dimple].  We were headed out of the cemetery when eagle-eye Martha spotted a small marble headstone inlaid in a larger crude brick marker with the following inscription:
 

We'll, we'd found the elusive Daisy!  Upon arriving back at home I proceeded to update some of the e-mail archives to reflect our new information when I realized that Daisy had the same birth & death dates as Nellie Butterfield Dix.  Nellie Butterfield WAS Daisy.  AFD & NBD nicknamed their girls with the alliteratives Dimple, Daisy, and Dollie Dix.

As we left Midway, we drove to Pine Grove.  Nothing much to report here.  We saw what must have been some old home sites, but no old homes.  The day before, Martha had found a photo in one of my piles of photos that had a caption:

This was written in Mavis Whigham's hand writing. I don't recognize any of the faces (dad, mom 4 girls & 3 boys) from the 1902 portrait.  It's a two-story house with the porch running all the way around the first floor; round columns about every 6 - 8 feet.  The second floor had a balcony that extended over the first floor porch roof.  The second floor had a hip roof with two chimneys.  We didn't see any houses or even any two story chimneys.
 

Next time, additional transcripts related to the Dix's from TheAlabama Baptist archives, more from the book, First Baptist Church of Montgomery, First 150 Years, and more on Etta Nicoles Hanshaw/Browning. 
Hanshaw

Dear Dix Descendants, 

Happy Holidays to all.   No, I haven't been hiding in a cave in Afghanistan. One of my excuses for the extended hiatus has been the weather.  Not because it's been bad, but because we've had perfect weather for all of October, November, and so far, December, I had a chance to catch up on some yard work and house painting.  I've also been busier than usual at work and with other commitments.  Perhaps now that it's getting dark so early, and cold out, we can get back to the business at hand.  Here's what we have for this edition of the Dix Descendants Digest: 
 

• Selected transcripts related to the Dix family from The Alabama Baptist archives, 
• More "Dix" allusions from the book, First Baptist Church of Montgomery, First 150 Years 
• Cousin Cousins 
• F. Scott Fitzgerald connection? 
• Updated AFD/ASD Timeline 
• Frances sends photos 
• Lynn sends Nelle's Autograph 
• Letter from (Florida) Billy Dix 

Alabama Baptist index http://library.samford.edu/gateway02/english/
Type in "Dix" in the search window for the listing (but not the articles themselves) of all references to "Dix"

Research notes on Alexander Franklin Dix & Family from "Alabama Baptist" Newspaper (On record at Samford University Special Collection at Davis Library.  Researched  and transcribed by Martha Whigham Picardy on September 26, 2001)

JULY 26, 1883 pg.2 col 3 : 
" Rev. A.F. Dix of Stevenson, Ala. has been unanimously elected Principal of the Union Springs Institute and has bee accepted. A most fortunate selection"

SEPT 4, 1884 pg 1 col 5:
"From Midway we began a series of meetings at Midway on the first inst. Which closed on the third Sunday inst.  The church was very generally revived and six were added to our number one by letter and five by experience and baptism. Bro. S.M. Provence, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Columbus, Georgia, did most of the preaching during the first week and Bro. AF. Dix, of Union Springs, did all the preaching during the second week, excepting one sermon. Bro. Provence completely won our hearts to himself and we believe he drew us nearer the Savior by his able preaching of the blessed truth of God. Bro. Dix had once lived here and began to preach whilst teaching at this place some 13 years ago and had the heart of the people- to himself to start with. All his sermons were carefully squared by the doctrines of grace and were very strengthening and convincing. No one can feel more grateful to these beloved brethren than the pastor W.S. Rogers,  August 22, 1884"

MARCH 19, 1885 pg.3 co13: 
ORDINATION On last Sabbath night, 8th inst., by order of the Baptist church of Union Springs, Ala., young brother W. B. Dix ]MWP note: AFD's son William Beach] was regularly ordained to the office of Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The following brethren were chosen as the presbytery, viz: Elders James H Wright, M.N. Eley , A.F. Dix and J.O. Hixon. Bro. James H. Wright, the pastor of our church here, preached the ordination sermon: and well did he perform his part of the work.  His sermon was concise, terse, pointed and emphatically scriptural. It was delivered and impressive manner, indicating the influence of its truth upon the heart of the speaker and deeply affecting his hearers.  The examination of the candidate was conducted by the writer and though brother Dix is but a boy, only nineteen years of age and though he has been preaching only a few months, yet, his answers to all the questions asked him were given with a promptness, clearness and fullness which showed unusual thought and investigation for one of his age. The ordination prayer was given by Elder M.N. Eley, whose advanced age and ripe piety fitted him especially for so solemn and sacred occasion. With great unction and fatherly tenderness, he invoked the divine blessings upon our young brother in the future labors and trials of his chosen office. The charge was delivered by Elder A.F. Dix. The father of the candidate: and as he briefly alluded to the precious scenes connected with the Christian life of his loved boy, the satisfaction with which he received him into the church and baptized him with his own hands, the pleasure with which he had witnessed his discharge of duty and his pious life until the present, and the joy and gladness with which his soul was thrilled as he witnessed his present advance to meet the demands of a more consecrated life in a higher office and as he so earnestly told the son of the duties and obligations of the sacred office of the Christian minister, tendering him the Bible as his only safe guide and inviting him to look hopefully to God as his help and defense, all felt that it was an occasion that did us good. The presbytery then gave to the candidate the right of fellowship, in which service the church was united. While singing "Nearer God To Thee"; after which the candidate pronounced the benediction. Thus closed a Sabbath night's service which we hope mat greatly improve the peace and prosperity of Zion, and advance the glory of our Master in this world and in the world to come. Yours fraternally, J.O. Hixon, Chairman Presbytery Union Springs March 10, 1885."
[MWP note:  WB Dix died 17 months later on 8/27/1886]

JUNE 10,1886 pg 3 co14:
"CENTENNIAL ASSOCIATION The general meeting of the Centennial Association convened with Greenwood Church on Saturday, May 29, 1886 at 11 o'clock a.m. the introductory sermon was preached by Elder AF. Dix. After which Elder A.F. Dix was elected moderator... Committee on Programme reported and report adopted as follows: QUERY-What shall be done to restore the temporal and spiritual prosperity of country churches? Discussion to be opened by Elder AF. Dix, in a speech of twenty minutes followed by general discussion. Adjourned at 4 o'clock, after which Mrs. A.F. Dix, Secretary for the Women's Work in the Centennial Association, under which the Baptist State Convention, will address the ladies…… 

APRIL 7,1887 pg 1 co14:
CARD OF THANKS FROM MIDWAY CHURCH
Further, we have secured the services of Bro. A.F. Dix for one-fourth of his time, and we think we have one of the best pastors in the State, for he has a mind to work, and knows how to work in the Master's vineyard. He preaches five sermons for us every time he comes to us , and we are told he does the same for the other three churches, viz: Fairview, Aberfoil and Liberty, in all about 20 sermons a month and they are gospel truths and not anecdotes or fancy imaginations. Also, we desire to thank the Ladies Aid Society of Union Springs and the Executive of the Centennial Association, for their assistance towards his support... ...(Signatures)

JUNE 27, 1889 pg ? col6: 
From a private letter to the senior [Alexander Franklin Dix] from sister Dix, of Pine Grove, he extracts the following:  Our eldest son, Professor A.S. Dix, and his wife [Isadora Nicoles] have come home for the summer after a year at Anderson, Tennessee.  On last conference day they united with our church  the former by letter, and the latter by experience, and Mr. Dix had the pleasure of baptizing her, and also Mrs. Ann Huffman on the first Sunday.  Truly, God is good to us .  We are rejoicing that he has put it into the hearts of some of the sisters of the First Church of Montgomery to give us money enough to sell our church over head.  May they realize, that the blessing of giving is as great as that of receiving. 

SEPT 29,1992 pg 2 co12:
 And now comes the information that $4000 has been subscribed for a racing course in this city in November. A sad commentary upon a city that couldn't, or wouldn't, subscribe a few thousand for a public library and yet will give thousands for the purpose of training men in betting and gambling. This means, not an uplifting but a decline in the moral condition. Surely no Christian will sell his influence for such a demoralizing schemes to make money. If any there be whose names are on our church rolls, let the work be done quickly. The churches must not be held responsible for gambling. Rev. A.F. Dix remembers that some time preceding the civil war the churches of New York, and other northern states, were little more than recruiting stations for the army. The portrait of Jefferson Davis hung in many churches as their patron saint. After political sermons came the bloody war. There is great danger ahead when the preachers, who should be the leaders in every good word and work, turn political leaders and feed their flock on hatred for others. The servants of God should beware how they deport themselves during days of political strife and bitterness. Let the Word of God be faithfully preached; let the religion of Jesus be the influence to heal the differences between, brethren, and self-seeking demagogues will work too little purpose.

OCT 13,1892 pg 2 col 4: 
We have received an invitation from Rev. A.F. Dix, to be present at the marriage of their daughter, Dimple, to James Madison Hall, Thursday afternoon, October 20th, at their home, Pine Grove, Ala. 

SEPT 20, 1894 pg 2 c0l 4:
A few days since as Rev. A.F. Dix and Bro. W.C. Jordan, of Bullock county, were driving along the road, each in his buggy, the horse of the one in the rear took fright and ran against the buggy in front. The horse attached to that vehicle was frightened and also ran.  Both brethren were thrown out and were badly hurt, but not seriously. While our sympathies are extended, we also offer congratulations that the result was not more serious.

MAY 16, 1895 pg 3 col2: 
MONTGOMERY CHURCHES -Bro. A.F. Dix preached for us last night. Among the other good things in his sermon, he pressed the thought that we should not forget to pray God to bless our missionary contributions.

NOVEMBER 25, 1897 pg 3, col 2:
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH -" Last Sunday, also in spite of the yellow fever scares and exodus, he preached Dr. Eager preached to fine audiences morning and evening. There were additions to the church on both Sundays, among whom, by letter, were Rev. A.F. Dix and wife from Mount Zion church, Eufaula association."

DECEMBER 16, 1897 pg 3 col: 
"Services at night were in the interest of young men. Addresses were made by Rev. AF. Dix ……
 
 

Selected excerpts related to the Alexander Franklin Dix family found in:

The First 150 Years
Montgomery's First Baptist Church, 1829-1979
by Lee N. Allen
First Baptist Church
Montgomery, Alabama
1979
(Researched and transcribed by Martha Whigham Picardy on September 26, 2001)

Baptist Young People's Union  [p.139]

By 1900, when records again give a glimpse of the church BYPU,
Paul Dix was president, J. N. Willis vice president, and R. J. Myers
secretary. Dix, who was director of the YMCA in Montgomery, 
emerged as a leader in state BYPU work, having been elected a first 
vice president in 1899 and 1900. Starting in 1900 he wrote a column 
for the Alabama Baptist on young people's work. He was also 
president of the city BYPU organization in 1900. "

 Licenses and Ordinations

In the latter years of the nineteenth century several members of
the church were called into vocational Christian service and were
licensed or ordained, or both, by First Baptist. 

Mary Belle Dix, better known as Dollie, departed in February
1918 to work among the Chinese of California as a missionary. The
daughter of the Rev. A. F. Dix, a New York-born minister and
educator who had retired and moved to Montgomery, she had
become a member of the church in 1896. She served as her brothers
had in Sunday School and BYPU. Always of frail constitution, she
died shortly after leaving.  [p.149]

 [1900-1917, p.159] 

Church Officers

When Stakely came, Maxie D. Pepperman was church clerk, a
position he held through 1912. He was followed by Herbert:
Coleman (1913-16), C. D. Tallman (1917-18), and W. B. Davidson
 (1918). The church had a succession of treasurers 1900-20. These
were George G. Miles, A. J. Jones, T. Murray Dix, Henry F. Martin,
L. H. Moore, Clarence N. Jones, and H. W. Parrish.

 On a series of Monday evenings a Mrs.
Thornton taught teachers and prospective teachers. Those who
received diplomas after six months were Mrs. Nannie Bost, Marie
Burch, Mrs. Michael Cody, Mrs. H. D. Cannon, Mrs. S. B. Davis,
Annie Maud Dawson, Paul F. Dix, Spright Dowell, Mrs. Tennie W.
Humphrey, Mrs. Lee S. Jones, Emma Landridge, Mrs. Mary D.
Layton, Florence Norwood, Mrs. Fitzgerald Salter, S. Tilden
Shanks, and Elizabeth Wright.  [p.162]

Baptist Young People's Union

Baptist Young People's Union officers in 1901 were Edward L.
Davant, president; T. Murray Dix, vice president; R. J. Myers,
secretary; Annie Stakely [Lell's future wife], corresponding 
secretary; and J. C. Williams, treasurer. During the next several 
years presidents included John R. Waters, Blount F. Davidson, 
Charles W. Sharman, E. H. Finch, and John W. Lamar.

First Baptist dominated the state BYPU convention in 1901. Paul
F. Dix, as first vice president, presided in the absence of Dr. T. W.
Ayers, and gave several addresses. E. L. Davant, T. Murray Dix,
Maud Pepperman, Janie Lou Rives, and Dr. Stakely presented
papers. In 1906 Davidson was elected third vice president at the
state BYPU convention. In response to his invitation, the next
convention met in Montgomery, and Davidson was elected secre-
tary-treasurer, a post he held for four years. The churches of
Montgomery organized a city BYPU in 1906. Davidson, E. L.
[p.163]

...Davant, members of the Dix family, John W. Lamar, and Mrs. John
R. Waters at various times served as officers.
BYPU consisted of a single union which met an hour prior to the
evening worship. 

Women's Work

...Without exception the
contributions of First Baptist exceeded those of any other church.
The Missionary Society also sustained three mission study organi-
zations for young people. Royal Ambassadors and Girls' Auxiliary
were created in 1914. GAs were organized by Mrs. W. H. Samford.
Charter members were Mary Bennett, Lurline Pearson, Katherine
Samford, and Bessie Savage. Sunbeams, established in 1888, was
led by Dolly Dix, Miss Cheney; Mrs. Jonn:M. Savage-- Miss Agnes
Barclay, Mrs. Johnnie M.Spear, Mrs. E. E. Cobb, and Mrs. Reuben
Kolb. The children met Sunday afternoon, although meetings in
summer were suspended on account of the heat.  [p.164 ]
 
 

Cousin Cousins is now 80 years old. His mother was Helen Hall Cousins; her mother was Hattie Lillis (Dimple) Dix Hall.  I called him to see if he did, in fact, have the diary (that would have been an invaluable resource for our research).  He remembered seeing the diary, but didn't know where it was or who had it.  Here are some highlights of our telephone conversation: 
 

• Alexander Franklin Dix named his first born son, Albert Sidney Dix, for the Confederate General that he served under, Albert Sidney Johnson. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USACWjohnsonA.htm AFD was a chaplain in the Confederate army.  [This is not supported by any documentation that we've found, but it at least satisfies a hope by Martha, that a minister shouldn't be a combatant.] 

• Winifred Hall had the Confederate marker added to ADF's gravestone. [Another Internet source stated that the markers were provided by the Sophie Bibb Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, so maybe Winifred was a member of that group.] 

• The Hall home at Pine Grove burned several years ago.  He remembered the house.  Chester [Winchester?]Hall was the last to live there.  He remembered a "horse step" with the date 1912 in front of the house.  House was on the right coming from Midway.  It had four chimneys.  [Just in case I'm not the only one who didn't know what a "horse step" is, it's a cut stone used to assist riders up to the stirrup.] 

• Uncle L.'s daughter Annie Dix Meiers had written a book about her Dix family roots. [I found an address for her on the Internet: Annie Dix Meiers, 601 W 115th St Apt 106, New York, NY 10025. Born in 1902, she'd be 99 years old now, but I'll give it a shot.] Update:  See Dix Descendants Digest Vol. 15! 

I've combined the AFD and ASD timelines.  I've already noticed errors and missing entries, so please help me out here.
 

We're waiting to hear from the Frist Baptist Church in Reynolds to see if they have information on ASD's stint there. 

1880-1889 - ASD, President of William and Emona Austin College [This is either a typo or possibly some overlapping, depending on where the college was located.  So far, searches for "Emona" have turned up nothing] 
 

(1) Research notes on Alexander Franklin Dix & Family from "Alabama Baptist" Newspaper 
(2) Uncle L. Daniel Dix's letter 
(3) First 150 Years Montgomery's First Baptist Church, by Lee N. Allen 
(4) Winchester TN First Baptist Church records 
(5) Alabama State Archives "clippings", murray1.jpg & murry4.jpg 

Rusty 

Frances mailed me some photocopies of some of the rarest photographs that we've seen as well as several more recent photos that will go on the Web pages later.  Keep in mind that these are copies of copies, and that when we get the originals to a scanner, they'll look much better. 
 
 

Issie J. Dix (Issadora Jennie Dix)	Albert Sidney Dix

Thanks Frances! 

Lynn writes: 

Rusty, I guess you thought I had gotten lost, but have just had some very busy weeks at work - then just too tired to try to think when I got home. But Tom has been doing his homework with three visits to the Mercer Library, gleaning more information on our Dix ancestors. First, I want to comment on the last two volumes (12 and 13) from the Dix Descendants Digest that you sent earlier. I was hoping you'd be able to find the house at 514 Jefferson St. in Montgomery to confirm that the famous "family portrait" had been taken there! Would have loved for you to have been able to take pictures of it as it would have looked today. The information on AFD and family that Alice gleaned from her sources in Winchester and Nashville, TN are amazing! I especially enjoyed learning about his work at Mary Sharp College, as well as info on Carrick Academy and Winchester Normal School and College. Yes, I do have copies of Aunt Dot's poetry books, however, there are three!! Her first book, Lift the Wine Cup High, was published in 1969 in memory of her late husband, our Uncle Chiles Harris, and dedicated to their daughters - Dorothy, Mary Chiles, Betty, and Laura. Since we know that Aunt Dot was born in 1904 and had found that Albert S. Dix was pastor of Forsyth Baptist Church from 1903-1907, it was pretty obvious that Dot was born in Forsyth. So that confirms Alice's observation from the dust cover of Dorothy's poetry book. Also, I have a photo of Aunt Dot as an infant and the studio inscription on the bottom corner says Forsyth, Ga. "Dorothy Dix" is written on the back of the picture in a child's handwriting. 

Martha's findings in the Alabama State Archives of AFD's Civil War documents are treasures, as are her discoveries re: the inscription on the gravestone of two of AF and NBD's children, "Dollie" and "Allie". (The name, Will Allie, must be derived from two of their children's names, William and Allie, or Alexander.) I wonder if Uncle Bill's real name was William Alexander, or just Will Allie? Maybe cousin Bill from Florida could help us with that, unless someone already knows the answer. One thing about the dates and biography of Mary Belle (or "Dollie") Dix doesn't "jibe". The excerpt from the book of the history of First Baptist Church of Montgomery states that Dollie "departed in February, 1918 to work among the Chinese of California", but her gravestone gives her date of death as December 20, 1901! (Could her departure date have been 1898, instead?) 

The Dix cousins' "day in Rutherford, Alabama" sounds like quite a "walk down memory Lane"! And your trip to Midway and the cemetery there was really quite productive! After seeing the picture you attached of the James Hall family at Pine Grove, I realized this is the same house and yard depicted in the picture I have of the two children playing in the sand on which Aunt Ruth wrote - "I think , Dick Hall and Eleanor out at Pine Grove." Since Martha had reminded me that AF and NBDix had moved into Montgomery by 1899, I had decided this picture could not be of my mother, as she wasn't born until 1909 and didn't move back to Alabama until 1911. However, what if, when Dimple's parents (AF & NB) moved into Montgomery in 1899, Dimple and her growing family (the Halls) stayed on in the old "homeplace" at Pine Grove. Dick Hall is not mentioned in the listings of Dimple's children that we have found thus far - but what if he was one of their children born later and was around my mother's age? In that case, Aunt Ruth's assumption could be right and the picture taken around 1911. But now I'm confused about the caption under the photo you sent in your last e-mail of the Hall family. James Hall was Dimple's husband, and I'm assuming Dick was their child (maybe named after James' father) - however, the caption states, "James Hall's father Dick, Midway, Ala. (Pine Grove) about 1900." Which one would be James' father, Dick? And who are all these children?   In an earlier edition of Dix findings, you had commented on the list of churches and years that ASDix served in Perry, Forsyth, and Macon churches as listed in the Georgia Baptist Convention Minutes for those years. You and Martha had noted that for the years 1902-1906 in Perry and Forsyth there was a small "p" after AS Dix's name, but none for his years in Macon. You wondered if the "p" stood for "pastor", indicating he was not a pastor in Macon. You are probably right, as I noticed that some of the pastors had D.D. after their name, I assume for Doctor of Divinity.   It appears, from Tom's research, that our grandfather did not pastor a church while in Macon, however, was a very active, prominent member of a church here - and this is the most unbelievable part - Vineville Baptist Church, which is the church Tom and I, and our family, have been members of for 22 years!   The major part of his church work while in Macon was with the Rehoboth Baptist Association of which churches in Perry, Forsyth, and Macon were all members. A.S. Dix was listed as a member of the Executive Committee each year from at least 1906 to 1910, submitting reports on "Woman's Work in the Churches" one year, a member of the Steering Committee another, as well as Chairman of the Committee on Missions, writing a "Report on Missions" for that session. The following is an excerpt from the 1907 Minutes as a tribute to the work of A.S. Dix: 

  "We, your Committee, will call the attention of the brethren to the Georgia Industrial Home, under the strong and vigorous management of Rev. Albert S. Dix, located near the city of Macon and in the bounds of this Association. This home cares for children who are not eligible in our denominational orphanage, and yet these children are God's lambs whom we should care for. Shall we turn away from their outstretched hands and remember them in our prayers and in our contributions, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus who said "It is more blessed to give than to receive." 

And in 1908 the following was written: 
 

"Though not connected with our denomination, we cannot forbear to mention the Georgia Industrial Home, of which our brother, Rev. Albert S. Dix, is general manager, and the Hephzibah orphanage, Rev. T. W. Callaway, president, both situated near Macon, and within our Association. Both these institutions are doing noble service in behalf of children who need help as greatly as any, yet are not eligible to be received into any other Homes. May the blessings of God rest upon them in their work. 

A.S. Dix was Chairman of the Executive Committee at least one year, and the Secretary for several years. I have copies of very lengthy, comprehensive Minutes, "Respectfully Submitted by A.S. Dix", and presented at the Associational Meetings which were held apparently once a year. He also served on other committees such as the Committee on Order of Business, Chairman of Committee on Young Peoples' Work, as well as one of the messengers to the Georgia Baptist Convention in 1908, and was alternate preacher of the Introductory Sermon for that year's Associational Meeting. He preached the Introductory Sermon in the 1909 Session. It was also listed that "A.F. Dix from Alabama, father of our brother, A.S. Dix" was present at one of the sessions in 1909. 
A.S. Dix apparently preached the Introductory Sermon in 1910 when the meeting was held in Perry - probably because he had been a former pastor of Perry Baptist Church. 
The 1911 Minutes took on a different note with the following from the Report of the Executive Committee: 
 

"We record in the feelings of personal bereavement the passing of Brother A.S. Dix from his labor among us to his reward with our God. He was a useful minister in the churches, a father to the helpless in the Georgia Industrial Home. He found time, and gave pains to the detail work of this Committee in a way that greatly promoted the welfare of the Association." 

Tom also asked my friend in Archives for student records from Bessie Tift College. The following is from "The Bessie Tift Journal" of the Class of 1907. (Shirley and Alice will probably find this especially interesting.) 

Personal Data was listed for each girl in the senior class. The entry for Nelle Dix gave her Height as 5 ft., 5 in., Weight - 130 lbs. Hair Color - brown, Pet Name - "Fatty", Favorite Expression - "My dear, dying congregation", Daily Occupation -Going to the P.O., Ambition - To get married, and Ultimate End - Teaching Orphans. From the "Last Will and Testament": "To Myrtice Bennett we leave Nelle Dix's extreme verbosity and loquacity, and to same Myrtice Bennett, her distinction of being a preacher's daughter." 

Under 1907 Superlatives was listed: "The wisest - Nell Dix". From "Class Confessions of '07" was listed: "Nell Dix - Reading letters every morning during chapel exercises." 

From a document entitled "Graduates of Bessie Tift College" - 1854-1929 - listed under "Class of 1907 - A.B. Degree" was: 
 

Dix, Nelle - Mrs.. T. E. Rowden 
154 Atlanta Ave., Atlanta, Ga. 

Now, apparently, this info was compiled in 1929, but I'm a little confused about her married name at that time. I knew that Aunt Nelle had a husband between Jerry Smith and Walter Montgomery, but for some reason, I thought his name was Browning (like our Great Aunt Etta's). I don't believe I've ever heard the name, T. E. Rowden. Shirley, Alice can you enlighten us? 

I don't believe Aunt Ruth was in college in 1907, but Tom did find out that Bessie Tift Academy was a prep school for girls (equivalent to high school, I guess) and associated with the college. Rusty, I believe the transcript from Wesleyan College that you shared indicated that Ruth Dix was a student at Wesleyan Academy in 1907-08 - thus entering the college in 1908 (making her a Junior in 1910 as has already been established). 

Tom found information indicating that Bessie Tift was earlier known as Monroe College (Forsyth is in Monroe County). An article from the "Monroe College Monthly" lists A.S. Dix as being responsible for soliciting funds from several surrounding counties for a building campaign at Monroe College - time limit being July 1, 1904. I'm a little confused about the dates of Monroe College vs Bessie Tift. 
Alice had mentioned that we may be able to find records from Mary Sharp College and W and E Austin College at Mercer Library, but Tom was told our best bet was to search the Internet for this information. 

Rusty, I have a very exciting and unique surprise to share with all of you (and a funny story to go with it), but I'm going to have to mail it to you in hopes that you can scan it for the rest of the cousins. I'll try to do this real soon. 
Well, I guess that's all I know for now. 
Your ever lovin' cousin, 
Lyn 

Lyn also sent this follow-up as promised in the paragraph above:

Rusty,

At least two years ago, I was visiting a friend in her newly restored Victorian home when I saw a very old Victorian Autograph Book on the coffee table in her home. My friend explained that it had belonged to her grandmother and that she had lived in Perry, GA. As I thumbed through it, I came across an autograph signed by Nell Dix. I exclaimed that was my aunt's name, but decided it couldn't be Aunt Nelle because I didn't think the family had ever lived in Perry. Then, of course, during our research of the last few months, we found out that the A.S. Dix family had in fact, lived there in 1901-1902. If you'll notice the date on the autograph, you will see that it was dated Nov. 19, 1902. That would have made Aunt Nelle 13 years old at that time, and my friend's grandmother was around the same age. So, more than likely, the book was autographed by our Nelle Dix!

I have enclosed a copy of the signature, as well as a copy of the cover of the autograph book which looks to be carved out of ivory. I don't know if you can scan the signature to send to the other cousins, but thought it was worth a try!

Love,   Lyn

A while back I had written a letter to (the West Palm Beach Billy Dix) looking to fill some gaps in the family history.  Below is his reply.  He included several photographs of himself, his wife, Joyce, their sons Bert and Frank and their families, several obituary clippings and a line drawing of the Dix home in Vermont.  Rather than include them here, I'll put them on the "Will Allie Dix" page when I get that far along with the project.  Here's cousin's Billy's reply:

10-24-2001 
Rusty,

Sorry it took so long to get a few pictures together.  I have some of Mom and Pop.  They are stuck in albums.  I can’t get them out without tearing them.  Will try later.

Yes, Pop is Will Allie Dix, I am Will Allie Dix Jr.  I am also Billy Jr., Little Bill, I also answer to “Hey You”.  Pop was born in GA.  I don’t know what town or county.  To get his Social Security Number, Aunt Ruth and Aunt Nelle had to write and swear that he was born;  when and where.  We drove by the place once.  All that was left was a big oak tree and a hog ?????

I don’t know when Pop dropped out of school to work,.  He did spend the summers with the Hall’s  which ones, I don’t know.

As he got older he was a soda jerk in one of the drug stores on the main street [Dexter Avenue ?] of Montgomery.  He had to give this up. The water made a fungus on his fingers.

Pop worked for the railroad in West Point GA.  He would go to Montgomery by train at times.  Pop was a ticket agent and telegrapher.  I don’t know if he stayed in Montgomery or with Aunt Issalee, but while he was hunting for squirrels in the woods, he met Mom (Mable).  He gave her the squirrel and they seemed to gel.  What year they were married, I don’t know.  They lived in West Point GA.

I was born in Lagrange GA.  When the farm was bought in Cusseta, I don’t know.  When the recession hit, Pop lost his job with the RR and the farm.  We went to Montgomery or Chisholm to stay with Mom’s folks (Yarbrough).

As the times got better, Pop got a job in Macon as a ticket agent for Greyhound.  From Macon to Jacksonville FL, and back to Macon.  I do know we got to West Palm Beach in 1936.  While I was in the Air Force, he worked and lived in Orlando FL.

While I was in college, they moved and worked in Albany GA.  Pop got a station of his own in Dublin GA.  Pop worked and saved his money, and when they had enough, they came back to West Palm Beach and bought a house with three apartments in back.  Pop worked in FT. Lauderdale off and on until he retired.  Mom died first.  I did what I could for Pop.  I had to call Sis (Ruth) and she could take care of him for half what it cost here.  Pop died in Crawfordville with Sis. 

For me, I was born in LaGrange [GA].  I have been everywhere Mom and Pop went.  Graduated in 1942.   Entered the service in the Air Force (13th Air force, 42nd bomb group, 70th Bomb Squadron), as a flight engineer (they had to call us something) on a B-25.  Sixty-two missions and I was sent home.  I tried college for two years.  I found out I would have to make my living with my hands and back.   I was a roofer for the last 19 years.  I was with the School Board in West Palm Beach.  Retired in1988.

Joyce was born in West Palm Beach ,July 17, 1924.  She went to college at FSU.  She has a Masters in biology. She taught for 32 years.

Sis (Ruth) was born in Cusseta in October, 1926.  As I said, we went everywhere Mom and Pop went.  Sis graduated in West Palm Beach (1944 or 1946?) Went to FSU and became a school teacher.  Taught school here  in West Palm Beach for a few years and went to Crawfordville and taught until she retired.  Well, so much for us. 

Rusty, in reading all the material Frances sent me, someone said granddad picked 
a pimple with a pocket knife and got infected.  Pop told me he stepped on a nail at the construction site and got the infection.  The doctor did not tell Granny Dix [or] anyone about this.  All I can say from reading, Frances mentioned the Dix men did not work much  just stay home and make kids.

I have never written so much in my life.  No book report was ever this long.  Good luck in all this,

Billy

And, in a separate note: 
10-27-2001

Rusty I’m putting all this in the post office tomorrow (Sunday).  If you rode in my Ford “woodie” station wagon, Joyce & I lived here at 1021 Avon Rd.  No, I don’t remember.  I have said that a lots.

As many times as we came to Montgomery, Pop never said a thing about Oakwood Cemetery.  I do know about the Yarbrough plot in Prattville. 

Love to you , your Sis and kids,

Joyce & Billy

Well, that's it for this edition.  I still haven't touched the Montgomery Public Library, or the Union Springs Library, and I still want to tap our living resources further as well.

Help keep me on my toes,

Love and Merry Christmas,

Rusty
 

• Shirley clears up the question Nelle's second husband 
• Feedback from Lyn 
• We've Found Uncle Lell's daughter, Annie Dix Goulding & Our Most Recent New-found Cousins
• Trying for an e-contact to the Will Allie Dix descendants
• More on Mary Sharp College from Martha
• Web Page Progress & Help Wanted 

Thanks for the Dix update. I am printing all of this so I can read it without straining my eyes....... Now you asked about Mama Nelle having a husband between John Jerry Smith and Walter C. Montgomery....... Yes there was a time when Mama Nelle was practically destitute being divorced and raising 3 children alone. She met Tom E Rowden I don't know how but he had lost his wife in death and was desperate to have someone take care of him and his children. So, in order for both of them to survive, I think it was a marriage of convenience. I do know that mother remained good friends with one of the Rowden sons and his wife for many years. I have pictures of these two couples on a trip to Grant Park in Atlanta when they were young married couples with no children, or actually the pictures may have been made before they married... The son was Fred Rowden and his wife was Lottie Rowden.

Tom Rowden Jr was a missionary with the Southern Baptist Mission Board for many years. I cannot remember the country he served in but somewhere in this house is a book written by him about his work.... I remember reading on some legal paper that Mama Nelle divorced Tom Rowden as well as John Jerry Smith........ I hope this will fill in some of the blanks... Thanks again to you , Martha, Lynn and Tom for all your hard work. We hope you all have a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas.... 

Love 

Shirley 

Hello Lyn,

You wrote:

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: Re: Dix Descendants Digest Vol. 14 
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 19:17:09 -0400 
Rusty, 
What a nice Christmas present! Thanks so much for compiling all the information you had received recently and sharing with us at such a busy season of the year! It seems like Martha has really been busy gathering information on A.F. Dix! I hope you and your family had a great Christmas, and can relax now that it's over. I certainly plan to try to! 
The letter from Billy Dix (from Florida) was interesting. I had never heard the story about Grandfather Dix (Albert Sidney) stepping on a nail at a construction site. The pimple story was the only one I'd ever heard anyone mention (my mama and Aunt Ruth, mainly). I'd love to know which one is correct. I guess the blood poisoning part still stands, however. If the doctor "never told Granny Dix or anyone else" what really caused his death, then where did Uncle Billy get the story? 
Thanks again for "heading up" this project! Hope you and your family have a great New Year! 
Love, 
Lyn

As to where he heard the alternate story of ASD's demise, I can only assume that it was from his father [Ooops... You said Uncle Billy -- I was thinking cousin Billy].  It's not unreasonable to think that "the authorities" would seek to "protect" the genteel women folk from the horrid truth, although, either story is equally ugly unless "the nail" story would make it seem like more of an accident than the self-inflicted "knife" story.  Again I'm reminded at both the amazing accuracy and complete fallibility of  human memory.  We'll "stick" with the knife version for now, if for no better reason than consensus.

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: AFD/ASD Time Line 
Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2001 11:44:28 -0400 

Rusty, 
I've just read over the updated Time Line and am impressed with all the information you've compiled there. In scanning it, the only dates that jump out at me that did not make the revision is the date that A.F. Dix and family moved to Forsyth, GA where he was pastor of Forsyth Baptist Church. It still reads that they moved to Forsyth in 1905 as assumed earlier, however, we found that they must have moved there in 1902 or 1903 and were there through June of 1907 when they moved to Macon. I haven't studied the other dates, but see no obvious errors. Keep up the good work! 
Love and Happy New Year, 
Lyn

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: A.S. Dix vs A.F. Dix 
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002 19:56:35 -0400 

Rusty, 
I just read over my last e-mail to you of a few days ago and realized I had put A.F. Dix when referring to the family moving to Forsyth, GA in 1903. I'm sure you knew I meant A.S. Dix, not A.F. Dix, but just thought I'd clarify it. Guess I'd just had too much Christmas when I wrote that note! 
I guess you've probably had lots of snow in the last two days like we have. You probably had even more than us (we had 3 or 4 inches), but we see it so seldom and have thoroughly enjoyed it! It has been beautiful! It also allowed us to extend our Christmas Holidays by two more days! I was supposed to have gone back to school today, but schools were closed today and tomorrow due to the snow. 
Hope to hear from you soon. 
Love, 

Yep, I caught that one, but it doesn't take off from you over-all average if you catch it before the teacher does. ;-)   I think I mentioned that I'm going back through all of the e-mails searching by dates to correct and fill in the timeline.  I'm only up through the 1870's now, but will keep your correction in mind when I get to the 1900's.

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: ASD & IJND web pages 
Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 22:35:53 -0400 

Rusty, 
Thanks for including me as one of your "star students." It's quite an honor to be grouped with such "distinguished historians" as you and Martha! And what a privilege to be among the first to read your first drafts of the Albert Sidney Dix and Isadora J. (Nicoles) Dix web pages! 
I think what you have in mind, as shown in the work you've already done, is fascinating and I look forward to your later editions and ongoing progress.
I, like Martha, would love to help you in any way I can - so give me a project, and I'll do my best! I wish I lived nearer Alabama, and had more time, so that I could make some of the visits and inquiries you've mentioned. 
But, for starters, re: your question, "Where is Thornfield?" - maybe I can get you started with what I know. It is in Robinson Springs, near Elmore, Alabama. The property, and later the house, was sold some years ago, and according to Betty and Laura, is being restored (and I'm so thankful for that!) and will be opened as either a museum or a bed and breakfast. I don't know how they're coming along with that project, but would love to go see it! It seems like it should be completed by now, but I guess either Betty or Laura could fill us in on that. 
And, as long as we're talking about Thornfield and Aunt Dot, I wanted to comment on one other small item. On the ASDix & IJNDix web page, under "Descendants of..." - Aunt Dot's name was Dorothy Dix Harris - Chiles was our uncle's first name. (I'm sure you knew this - just a brain glitch like my recent "AFD" instead of "ASD"!) 
Well, keep up the good work and I look forward to hearing from you again soon. 
Love, 
Lyn

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
Subject: More Dix Descendants Observations 
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 23:14:05 -0400 

Rusty, 
I just had a few minutes to open some more of the items in your ASD/IND web page from this weekend's e-mail and did not realize you had been able to scan the ivory autograph book cover and Nell Dix's autograph! They came out beautifully! The cover was much better than the copy I had sent you! I can't wait to show them to my friend, Tip, whose grandmother was Aunt Nelle's friend in Perry, and to whom the autograph book belonged. 
When I took another look at the "Descendants of ASD and IND," I noticed that this time Aunt Dot's name was listed as Dorothy Dix Harris, NOT Dorothy Dix Chiles. Did you change it already, or am I losing my mind? 
Anyway, when I opened Aunt Dot's web page, I realized I also have the same set of pictures taken at Aunt Dot's Christmas Party at Thornfield sent to you by Shirley. I believe you're probably right - the pictures were probably made around Christmas of 1953 or 1954. 
In the picture where there was a discrepancy regarding the women in the photo, I think they were as follows: Mary Chiles Harris, Aunt Ruth, Elizabeth (Betty) Harris, Aunt Dot, and yes, the hair looks red to me - I think it was Mavis. 

Until next time. 
Love, 
Lyn

You're not crazy -- I made the Chiles/Harris correction right after I received your message.  Thanks for helping me not look too bad in front of the others.  I've added the "Eleanor" photos to the "Eleanor" page.  I'm sure you have others and I would welcome both the photos (when you can have them scanned) and commentary and memories of your Mom and Dad.  It's really easy to "paste" text and captions with the pictures and text takes only an insignificant amount of memory compared to photos.  This is where you can lend a hand for now.

I knew that Thornfield was in Robinson Springs, but I don't know where in Robinson Springs.  I'm guessing that either Martha or Nic Dismukes can lead me there.  Also, while I was moving the Christmas 1953 Thornfield images from one directory to another for the Web page, the files were corrupted.  Soooo,  I'll need either you or Shirley to try to get them to me again.

Sorry to be so tardy in replying -- thank God for cold rainy days!

Love,

Rusty 

As I mentioned in the Dix Descendants Digest, Volume 14, I wrote to L.Daniel's first born in hopes of opening another door in our search.  Here is the letter: 
 

Sunday, January 06, 2002

Mrs. Annie Dix Meiers 
601 W 115th St Apt 106 
New York  NY 10025

Dear Mrs. Meiers (or anyone who can help with our Dix family history),

My name is Russell Dix Whigham, writing to you from Montgomery AL.  I have recently, with the help of several of my Dix cousins, been looking into the Dix Family history.  I found your name on the Internet and was hoping that you could help us with the Dix history. 

Are you the daughter of L. Daniel Dix and Annie G. Stakely Dix?  If so, another cousin, Charles Cousins (his mother was Helen Hall Cousins; her mother was Hattie Lillis [Dimple] Dix Hall) of Wetumpka AL, mentioned that you had written a book on the Dix family history.  Our lineage is back to Uncle L’s oldest brother, Albert (Bert) Sidney Dix. 

We have two different spellings of your maiden middle name, Goudling and Golden.  Which is correct?  Was this your mother’s maiden name?  Is the book mentioned above still available?

If you have access to the Internet, you can see the fruits of our Dix family research at: 

At the bottom of the homepage is a link to e-mails.  This is a running account of our research.  The other pages are very much under construction.

My e-mail address is rwhigham@mindspring.com 

Please let me know if I have reached the right Annie Dix Meiers.

Sincerely,

Russell Whigham 
518 Seminole Dr. 
Montgomery AL 36117-4043 
334-271-3684 
rwhigham@mindspring.com 

Saturday, January 12, 2002, 2:15PM
 

I just received a phone call from Ellen McRae, niece of Annie Dix Meiers, in New York.  After a brief introduction, Ellen, who lives in North Carolina and visiting her aunt for the weekend, put her/our "Aunt Ann" on the line.  She's 99 years old and has lost her sight, but still mentally sharp and maintains a keen interest in our family history.  It helped me put things in perspective when I looked again at the 1902 AFD family portrait, Dix Descendants Digest, Volume 4 , and saw Aunt Ann in her father's arms and identified as #2 in the 1906 family photo in Dix Descendants Digest, Volume 14.

The connection to Albert Sidney Dix is through ASD's brother Daniel Dix:

Daniel Dix   (B. 02/12/1873) Married (in 07/16/1901) Annie G. Stakely (B. 08/04/1876) 
Their children: 
Annie Goulding (Dix) Meiers (Aunt Ann) 
Beach Dix 
Albert Sidney Dix 
Daniel S. Dix
William M. Dix 
Alex Beach Dix 
Mary B. (Dix) m. G.T. McRae Sr. 
  G. T. McRae Jr. (Ellen's Uncle Tommy) 
  Daniel McRae  (Ellen's Dad) 

I talked with Aunt Ann (someone please help me with the number of "greats") for about 45 minutes.  Among the things I learned were: 

The name AFD and NBD gave their sixth child was "Daniel", not "L. Daniel".  His older sisters, Dimple & Dollie, in their attempt to say "Daniel" mispronounced it as "Lell".  He grew fond of his moniker and took it as part of his name.  (I believe Charles Cousins said that he was known throughout Mobile as "Daddy Dix"). 

I asked about the "N.R." (No Relation) [see Dix Descendant Digest, Vol. 12] that Alice found next to the names of  Paul Finch Dix and Philo Castle Dix in the 1880 Census Report for Franklin Co.(including Winchester TN).  Aunt Ann said that she too had heard this, but further investigation revealed that the two boys were in fact, the children of AFD and NBD, apparently an error in the census. 

She confirmed the existence of the book that Charles Cousins mentioned that she had written on the Dix Family History, would have a copy sent to me.  Her sons Tommy and Daniel had also done some research on the Dix family and would share their information with us. 

She mentioned Hartford CN as site of Dix history and mentioned that the librarian there knew where one of the first generation of Dix's in America lived. 

She remembered traveling from their home in Montgomery to visit with the Hall's at Pine Grove. 

She remembered Uncle Murray as the most "commercial and business-like" and Uncle Philo as the nicest and kindest of her Dix uncles. 

I was so taken aback by the call, and exhilarated by Aunt Ann's lucidity, that I was unable to absorb all that she was telling me.  I'm sure she would welcome a call if anyone had questions for her.  212-749-7709

Here are latest recruits in our quest:

Thompson (Tom) McRae Jr.  (Ellen's Uncle Tommy)
8801 Holiday Dr.
Charlotte NC 28215
704-536-9121
<HapEFella2@aol.com>

also a second residence at:

594 Water Fall Rd
Millers Creek, NC 28651
336-973-4721

McRae, Daniel D  (Ellen's Dad)
5254 Balsam Ave
West Melbourne, FL  32904
321-723-5266
<dmcrae@spacey.net> 

also a second residence at:

McRae, Daniel & Marilyn
15400 Gulf Blvd
SAINT PETERSBURG, FL  33708
727-393-0333

Ellen McRae (Great-great granddaughter of L. Daniel Dix; same generation as me, RDW)
2316 Bane Rd.
Efland NC  27243
919-732-6528
<momus@apexmail.com>

Annie Dix Meiers ("Uncle Lell's" daughter)
601 W 115th St Apt 106
New York  NY 10025
212-749-7700

To: Ellen McRae <momus@apexmail.com>
From Russell Whigham <rwhigham@mindspring.com>
Date: January 13, 2002
Subject:  Greetings to my new found Dix cousins!

Dear Ellen, 

What a thrill it was to receive your call yesterday.   Thank you so much for contacting me and putting me in touch with Aunt Ann.  Perhaps you can imagine my surprise, as I had thought the chance of actually talking to a member of her generation was extremely small.   It's been so difficult in our search, to get accurate information.  Because of the lack of names, dates and locations on the few photographs we have, we've been forced to may several assumptions in our Dix history.  One exception was my fortuitous find of  Uncle Lell's 1953 letter that I found at:  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~butterfield/franke5.html and included in our e-mail correspondence that I call the "Dix Descendants Digest" (DDD) Volume 2.

I hope that you will be able to help us fill in some gaps and shed some light on events previously unknown to us.  There seem to be contradictions with the identification of  the members of Alexander Franklin Dix's family.  As I mentioned in our conversation, the most useful information for you at this time, will be in the Timeline and E-Mail sections of the Web page.  Much of our discussion is on Albert Sidney Dix, AFD's oldest son, but in the search for this, we were naturally led to events in the life of AFD and the entire family.  I'm currently in the agonizingly slow process of combing through the e-mails searching for dates by decades to correct and complete our timeline.  I'm only up through the 1870's now.

Introductions: 
Here are the cousins who have participated in our research.  I hope with the aid of the Dix Genealogy Chart that you might be able to make the connections.

rainbows@hemc.net (Charlie Brundage):  Albert Sidney Dix; Nelle (Dix) Smith/Rowden/Montgomery/ Etta (Smith) Brundage/Charlie Brundage Jr. 
Pammy145@hotmail.com (Pam  & Jim Noble)  Charlie and Barbara Brundage's daughter 

Shirtail35@aol.com (Shirley Jarrett):  Albert Sidney Dix; Nelle (Dix) Smith/Rowden/Montgomery; Etta Smith Brundage/Shirley (Brundage) Jarrett 
ShortCloggingMom@aol.com (Jeannie Mobley): Shirley (Brundage) Jarrett's daughter 

shannons@bellsouth.net  (Alice Newman Shannon):  ASD/Nelle (Dix) Smith/Rowden/Montgomery/Nelljie (Smith) Newman/Alice Newman Shannon 
tungtide@hotmail.com (Jeff Shannon) Alice's son 

dixiebell2@juno.com (Bill Dix):   ASD/Francis Albert Dix "Uncle Buddy"/William E. "Bill" Dix 
dix1@worldnet.att.net  (Annie Dix):  Bill Dix's daughter 
cherrytart1221@hotmail.com  (Pam Dix Pierce):  Bill Dix's daughter 

crdix@southernco.com  (Randy Dix):  ASD/Francis Albert Dix "Uncle Buddy"/Bert Dix/Randy Dix
tarnerkevin@hotmail.com  (Kevin Tarner):  Bert's adopted son

FRANLO0105@aol.com (Frances and Charlie Chapman):  ASD/Francis Albert Dix "Uncle Buddy"/Frances Dix Chapman 
sunnyAtl57@aol.com (Donna Summer):  Daughter of Frances Dix Chapman 
Dycc16@aol.com (Debbie Cook):  Daughter of Frances Dix Chapman
saltydogclc@aol.com (Chuck Chapman):  Son of  Frances Dix Chapman 

tsimonton@earthlink.net (Tom & Lyn Simonton):   ASD/Eleanor (Dix) Smith/ Lyn (Smith) Simonton

rwhigham@mindspring.com (Russell Whigham):  ASD/Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Dix Whigham/Russell "Rusty" 
whighjr@bellsouth.net (John & Amy Whigham):  Russell's son and his wife Amy 
suzanne.whigham@mindspring.com (Suzanne Whigham):  Russell's daughter 

JIMTUCKER2@aol.com (Jim & Ginny Tucker):  ASD/Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Dix Whigham/Virginia "Ginny" (Whigham) Tucker & husband, Jim 
amybutler@bellsouth.net (Amy and Andrew Butler):  Ginny & Jim's daughter and her husband Andrew 
Jimbo.Tucker@Northpoint.org (Jimbo Tucker):  Ginny & Jim's son, James A. Tucker III 

mpicardy@mindspring.com (Martha Picardy):  ASD/Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Ralph Whigham Jr./ Martha (Whigham) Picardy 
tpicardy@mindspring.com (Thomas Picardy):  Martha's son 

navemac@theataris.com (Evan McIntyre)ASD/Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Ralph Whigham Jr./Alma Dix "Dixie" (Whigham) McIntyre/ Evan

Questions:

We've referred to your great-great-grandfather as Daniel, L. Daniel, and L.D., but I didn't know the story of  "Lell's" until Aunt Ann told me.  Is this the correct spelling?

We have your grandmother's name simply Mary B. (Dix) McRae.  Could this be "Mary Belle" and was she named after  Alexander Franklin Dix's daughter, Mary Belle, aka Dollie?  There's a photo made (we think) in 1906 at the 12 Marshall Street address here in Montgomery [DDD Volume 14]  that has the names Dollie and Annie as two of the children.  If my assumptions are correct, was your grandmother also known as "Dollie"?

There's an earlier 1902 photo [Volume 4] that we had lot's of  fun figuring out who's who.  Do you have similar photos that would corroborate our assumptions?

Can you identify the Four Dix Brothers in DDD Volume 11 ?

I'm sure there'll be more questions, but this should keep you busy for a while.  Before I worry Aunt Ann with questions that you may have already resolved, please send me what you have related to AFD and his family.

One last comment -- I have seldom felt such an immediate bond with anyone as I did with you and Aunt Ann.  This happened once before when Alice Newman Shannon and her son Jeff Shannon joined our discussions.  In both cases, although we've never met (that I'm aware of) we knew each other.

Thanks again for your help.

Love, 

Rusty

On January 31, 2002, I found my mail box, a large package from Ellen McRae.  Inside, I found a copy of Aunt Ann's Scenes from My Life, and almost half a ream of documents on the McRae/Dix genealogy. 

February 1, 2002 
To: momus@apexmail.com (Ellen McRae) 
Subject: Dix Information Received 
Cc: HapEFella2@aol.com (Tom McRae Jr.), dmcrae@spacey.net (Daniel D. McRae) 
 

Hello Ellen, 
What a great surprise to find your package in the mail box. I've looked through all of the documents and have read Aunt Ann's book. I've found many items of interest to me, and I'm sure, the others pursuing the Alexander Franklin Dix descendants. Most notable was the clarification of your grandmother's name and nickname being the same as Lell's sister, Mary Belle "Dollie" Dix. Charles Cousins had mentioned that Dollie had married a man who was in the Merchant Marines. We now realize that he was speaking of your grandmother -- NOT Lell's sister, who we knew died as a young woman, and had never married. 
I want to reimburse you for the cost of Aunt Ann's book, the copied documents and postage. Please let me know the price of the book. I have several questions: 

· Are more copies of Scenes from My Life available? Whom should we contact? 
· Do the documents you sent exist in digital form? Where could I get them? 
· I'd like permission to post excerpts of the book on our Web page. Should I contact Aunt Ann about this, or someone else? 
· Did you compile the McRae/Dix Genealogy? Is this in "Family Tree" format? I'd like permission to use this, with proper attributions, as well. 

Thanks so much for your time,

Rusty 

Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 13:38:28 -0800 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
CC: khjklujn@netscape.net ,
dmcrae@spacey.net ,
dennychamac@juno.com ,
HapEFella2@aol.com ,
dandmcrae@aol.com ,
marymac611@aol.com ,
Parrottdad@aol.com ,
Jamie@acpub.duke.edu 

From: "ellen mcrae"<momus@apexmail.com> 

Subject: Re: Dix Information Received 

Hi. I'm glad the material arrived ok. The book was one of several copies Aunt Ann gave me several years ago when she was still hoping that I would have children (!). So there's no cost there. She had asked me to send one of my extras as she's run out of extras at her house so I'm assuming that's all there is unless she does a reprint. If there's a crowd at your end that would like some and you can give me an estimate of how many, I'd be glad to check with her to see if she'd be willing to consider a reprint (or you can for that matter-she really enjoyed talking with you). The other material is copied from stuff Uncle Tommy (Tom McRae) compiled. I'm guessing he has it on computer. You should check with both Aunt Ann and Tommy for permission to post the info on your website, I guess. As far as I know, the info is not in Family Tree format although, again, I'd suggest you check with Uncle Tommy. I'm hoping to enter it into a Master Genealogy program as I am finally getting a computer at home that can handle that program. I'll be glad to share anything that comes of that project. No cost for anything. It's my chance to pass on what others have shared with me at no cost. Just do the same. It's fun to have this connection now and I'm impressed with the website. Thanks for the energy you're putting into this. 
Until next time-- 
Ellen

02/17/02
Hello Ellen,

I have tried on two separate occasions to call Aunt Ann.  The number I have for her is, 212-749-7709.  An very polite older lady answers, but has twice told me that I had the wrong number.  I thought I may have just caught her at a bad time or didn't make it clear who I was the first time, but now I think I must have written down her number incorrectly.  Can you send it to me?  I have a few questions about her time here in Montgomery, and wanted to ask permission to use excerpts from her book.

Thanks again,

Rusty

Hi. Her phone number is 212-749-7700. Did I get it wrong on the list I sent you? Oops. She's in the hospital though right now. She had a heart attack yesterday. She's stabilized though-amazing at 99! She'll probably be going home soon. Ellen

Aunt Ann's phone number is 212-749-7700. Maybe you'll have better luck with 
that number.
Tom McRae(Aunt Ann's nephew) 

Ellen & Tom,

At 09:05 AM 2/18/2002 -0800, Ellen wrote:

Hi.  Her phone number is 212-749-7700.  Did I get it wrong on the list I sent you?   Oops.  She's in the hospital though right now.  She had a heart attack yesterday.  She's stabilized though-amazing at 99!  She'll probably be going home soon. 

Ellen

Thanks for straightening me out -- it was my error, not yours.  I just found the address list that you included with Tom's extensive Dix genealogy information.  Please let me know how Aunt Ann is doing and when you think she'll be up to taking a call.  If you talk to her, please send her my best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Here are some of the things I want to ask.  I've attached two photos (see my assumptions below).  Can you confirm my guesses?   If you think these photos may have been taken at Fairhope, I have a few others of my father and uncle Ralph along with some lovely young ladies, that seem to be taken on the same trip.  Also, if anyone on your branch of the family tree has any photographs of the Dix's time in Montgomery, I'd love to have them included with our project.  If you can help me with any of these, please do.

Questions for Aunt Ann:

Permission to use selected sections on the Dix family history from Scenes from My Life, with attribution, of course.  This would be almost exclusively for the consumption of the cousins involved with our little research project, but would be included on the Web page for the world to see. 

When did Lell move to Montgomery from Pine Grove?  What were the circumstances?

Did he come with AFD & NBD in the late 1890’s, or before? 

Lell & Philo were here in 1910.

Lell, Philo, and Paul all worked at the YMCA?  On Adams Street?

Where was your first house in Montgomery?  (Aunt Ann was born in 1902)

Mary Belle was born (12/23/1904) when you lived at 10 Scott St.  Was it on the corner of S. Court and Scott?

It’s no longer there, but a house numbered “22” in that block is a well maintained 2-story house with a Victorian tower and conical roof.  Do you remember it?  Was it next to your house in on Scott St.?

You mentioned a house after the Scott St. (& before 12 Marshall St) house where you and Dollie played “Doodle Bug” under the porch.  Do you remember the address?

You then moved to 12 Marshall St.  What year was that? 
Were AFD & NBD already there or move later?

We think  Albert’s widow, Isadora and her children moved to 12 Marshall St. ~ 1911.  Who was living there then?

I have two photographs , one of a boat that looks very much like the “Apollo” photograph in your book, and another that looks like it could be Lell with my grandmother, Ruth Dix Whigham. The quality of the photographs are poor, but I'm basing my assumption on the fact that the man seems to be wearing glasses and a vague recollection that my grandmother had told me the photo was "Uncle Lell" when I was just a lad.  The house appears to be built over the large body of water, that I'm assuming is Mobile Bay.  There's a wooden boardwalk to the house.  I was wondering if these were taken at  Fairhope.  The time frame seems a little off.  My father, Dix Whigham, looks to be about 5 years old  putting the date around 1925.  Did Lell’s family still have a home in Fairhope then?

I've recently learned that Fairhope was founded as a utopian community with something called the “Single Tax Association”, that amounted to a socialist community with a very progressive school.  Do you remember anything like this? 

Thanks again for your help,

Rusty

Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 17:23:32 -0600 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
From: Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Mary Sharp College
 

I was cleaning out my email and found this. It must have come on a day I 
didn't open any mail from someone that I didn't recognize the name:From: 
"Kassandra Hassler" <khassler@mail.state.tn.us> 
To: <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Mary Sharp College:

>>> Chaddra Moore 10/04/01 02:32PM >>> 
Dear Ms. Picardy:
Thank you for writing. Mary Sharp College was located at Winchester, 
Tennessee in Franklin County. According to Raymond Alfred Finney's article 
"A History of the Private Educational Institutions of Franklin County, Pt. 
1: Mary Sharp College", published in the January 1980 issue of the FRANKLIN 
COUNTY HISTORICAL REVIEW, the school was founded by Reverend James Robinson 
Graves and A. S. Colyar. Originally chartered as the Tennessee Female 
Institute in 1848 and incorporated as the Tennessee Baptist Female 
Institute in 1852, the facility was incorporated as Mary Sharp College in 
1857. Initially successful, the school closed temporarily during the Civil 
War, and after reopening never regained the high enrollment it had 
previously enjoyed. Mary Sharp College closed permanently in 1896. 
The records of Mary Sharp College are not part of our collection, and 
we cannot state with certainty that they have survived. The Franklin County 
Public Library or Franklin County Project Preservation might be able to 
assist you in this matter. They can be reached at the following 
addresses:
Franklin County Public Library, 105 South Porter Street, Winchester, 
TN 37398-1546, Phone: (931) 967-3706.
Franklin County Project Preservation, Franklin County Historical
Society, Jeanne R. Bigger, 118 South High Street, Winchester, TN 
37398, Phone: (931) 962-1474.
Our holdings do include catalogs for the years 1858, 1859, 1861, 
1868-69, 1871, 1871-72, 1873-74, 1878=79, 1885-86, 1893, and 1894-94. These 
provide information about the college's costs and rules, list course 
offerings, the names of students and faculty members, etc. If you are 
interested in a specific individual we will be happy to check these items 
for that person's name.
We regret that we have been unable to locate any information 
concerning a William and Emona Austin College. A facility called Austin 
Academy was chartered on April 5, 1880 (Charter Book C, Page 456), but no 
persons named Austin are listed among its incorporators. The 
charter indicates that the school was located in McNairy County, but we 
have no further information concerning it. 
We hope that you find this information helpful. Please let us know 
if we may be of any 
further assistance.
Response Prepared by Chaddra Moore 
Public Services Section

>>> Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 09/16/01 08:31PM >>> 
I am looking for info on Mary Sharpe College located in your state in 
1872.Where would I find records from this school? Also was there a William 
and Emona Austin College located also in Tennessee in 1880?Thank 
you,Martha Picardy 

This is a copy of a letter that I sent to cousin Will Allie "Billy" Dix Jr.'s older son, Robert and his wife, Beth:
 

Thursday, February 28, 2002

Bert and Beth Dix
11855 66th St. North
West Palm Beach FL  33412-2047

Dear cousins,

Our mutual cousin, Frances “Franlo” (Dix) Chapman sent your address to me.  I’m writing to see if I can enlist your help with some Dix history that some of the other cousins  so far, mostly from the Albert Sidney and Isadora “Granny” (Nicoles) Dix and his parents, Alexander Franklin and Nellie (Beach) Dix line, but recently from ASD’s brother’s, Uncle Lell’s family  have been piecing together.

Frances had included a few photocopied pages of Beth’s book on our Dix heritage.  Excellent work!  Is that “Family Tree” software?  I’ve also recently had correspondence with your dad/dad-in-law, (hereafter referred to as “cousin Billy”). 

Most of our collective research has been via e-mail.  Cousin Billy put a lot of effort into the long, hand-written letter that he sent to me, but I struggled typing the transcription for our e-mail.  He had asked to see the fruits of our labor, but I haven’t found the time to print and mail the entire body of work.  Some of the photographs that he sent to me included a photograph of Bert, Frank, and Joyce in the “computer room”.   I’m hoping that you can help make the exchange of information a bit easier.  I was wondering if you could get him to have a look at the Web page I’ve started.   .

I’d like to add you and your brother Frank (as well as any others that you think might be interested in following our family search), to our e-mail list.  It would also help if you could reply to this message via e-mail.  The Web page is still in a rather primitive state.  The most useful parts right now are the running e-mail exchanges and the timeline that we’ve constructed by piecing parts of the puzzle together.  Links to both of these are at the bottom of the title page.  We also welcome corrections to our many assumptions.

Are any of Beth’s books still available for the other Dix cousins?

Would it be possible for you to scan and attach any photographs that you/he might have of  Will Allie Dix Sr. and Mable?  And, if you have them, we’re especially interested in any photographs of Albert Sidney and “Granny” Dix or their parents and siblings.

I think we may be second cousins, and that cousin Billy and I are first cousins, once removed, but I still don’t have a firm grasp of how all that goes.  My father was Dix Whigham.  His mother was Ruth (Dix) Whigham, older sister of your grandfather, Will Allie Dix Sr. 

We look forward to hearing from you soon,

Love, 

Rusty

Russell D. Whigham
518 Seminole Dr.
Montgomery AL 36117-4043
334-271-3684
rwhigham@mindspring.com 

Web Page Progress:

I've gone back through all of our previous correspondence and updated the AFD/ASD Timeline.  Please look it over to see if you find any errors or corrections that need to be made.

One thing that did jump out at me as I was doing this.  Remember that Martha had found that AFD was "President of William and Emona Austin College, 1880-1889" and that I had commented: 
 

This is either a typo or possibly some overlapping, depending on where the college was located.  So far, searches for "Emona" have turned up nothing 

AFD's stint at  William and Emona Austin College1889 date can't be correct based on the locations and dates that follow.  Perhaps these are the dates of the schools existence? 

As you can see from the timeline, this is between the time they left Winchester TN and before they returned to Union Springs AL.  This is the same time that they were at Stevenson AL.  Perhaps Stevenson was the location of William and Emona Austin College, and that's why they were there.  I'm guessing that the dates 1880-1889 were for the school, as they had moved back to Union Springs in 1883.

I've added a few more photos to the Web pages, mostly on the FMN/IND, Uncle Buddy, and Eleanor pages.  Many of the one ones on the Uncle Buddy page were scanned from Xerox copies of photographs, and while I was able to enhance the a little using PhotoShop, they'll look much better when were able to have the photos scanned. 

Now, here's where I need your help: 
 

1) If you have photos of any of the three generations from AFD/NBD, their children, or grandchildren, that aren't on the web pages, I need the scanned images.  300 DPI in .JPG format.  If, you don't have access to a scanner, I've learned that Kinko's offers this service.  As a plan "B", Walmart has a scanner for making copies of the originals, that you could send to me to be scanned.

2)  To supplement the photos, I'd like for each of you to write what you remember about your Dix parents and grandparents (I won't have enough disk space for later generations), from your earliest or favorite memories, cities and address where they lived and when, where they're buried, and so forth.  If you've already done this in or e-mails, I'll copy from those. 

3)  For all of those on the mail list, I'd like a brief bio with your pedigree back to ADF.

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp
Mary J. HOLLIPETER 

Sex:  F 
Marriage:
Spouse:    Francis NICHALS 
Marriage: 8 Sep 1863, Miami, Indiana 

I'm slow, but we're getting there.  My goal is to have the ADF and ASD pages pretty much wrapped up by the time of the Dix reunion in June. Then we can concentrate on ASD and IND's children and ASD and IND's siblings.  Who knows what else we'll wrest from yet unknown sources.

Until next time,

Love,

Rusty
 

Dear Dix Descendants, 

In this edition: 

• Great-grandmother, Shirley, is moved back to the correct generation 
• The Latest Little Dix Descendant 
• Another Wrinkle in the ASD Timeline 
• More from Annie Goulding (Dix) Meiers and Her Book 
• Alice and Jeff Send More Aunt Nelle and Aunt Dot Photos 
• Frances Sends More Photos 
• Will Allie (Billy)Dix Jr. 

Hello Shirley,

On Sun, 3 Mar 2002 19:19:15 EST, you wrote:

Dear Rusty,

Thanks so much for Volume 15. I have printed it so i can sit and read it and re-read it..... I did notice when you were making the outline for cousin Ann that you referred to me as Shirley Smith instead of Shirley Brundage ... But then again I always claim to be one of the "Smith Girls" so it is o.k. You have really been working and the "ripples in the pond" get wider and wider!!!!!!!

 I would like to annouce that Joe and I are great-grand parents of a precious little boy JARRETT EDWARD WHITAKER. He came into this world Monday February 25th at 9:18am weighing 6lbs 11ozs, 19 1/2 inches long.. His parents are Krisy and Harry Whitaker and they have decided they will keep him!!!!!!!!!! He has had some problems with jaundice but is now sleeping on a "light bed" that is supposd to take away the jaundice. This litle one 
is the first male child in our immediate family in 43 years, Jeff being the last male child. We thank God for His care as Kristy had gestation diabetes during her pregnancy but the baby is fine. Many prayers were lifted up for this little one and still being lifted up to God for Jarrett's health. 

Guess what?????? Another name to add to the Dix lineage.  One other thing, when I was telling you the history of Mama Nelle's marriage to Tom Rowden, I said that Tom Rowden Jr was a missionary, That was incorrect..... Tom Rowden had a son Paul and it was Paul Rowdens son, Paul Rowden Jr. who was the missionary... I will send you a death notice of Paul Rowdens Jrs, wife who was active in Baptist work even after Paul Rowden Jr died in 1960... Now this info really doesn't affect our Dix history because this all comes from Mama Nelle's second marriage and they are no blood kin to us. 

Thanks again and we will wait to hear of new chapters in our interesting history.
Much Love,..... 
Shirley 

Thanks,

Rusty

[Thanks to Shirley and Jeannie, the aforementioned photographs are on Aunt Dot's page:  http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/dot.htm ]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Jeff Shannon" <tungtide@hotmail.com> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Cc: shannons@bellsouth.net 
Subject: More Goodies from Mom!! 
Date: Fri, 08 Mar 2002 08:57:33 

Hello Jeff,

At 08:57 AM 3/8/2002 +0000, you wrote:

I have attached quite a few scanned images that Mom asked me to send to you. I will list them in this text, along with questions about 2 of them (Mom will be emailing you as well).

1. Ozias Dix Gravestone - Photo taken in 1973 at the Old City Cemetary in Wilmington, Vermont. "Died Dec. 29, 1835"
2. Ozias Dix Homestead - Current house (Summer 1973) at Ozias Dix homestead,includes one room from the original house (under the low chimney on the left side of photo).On Dix Road in Wilmington, Vermont.

3. Dorothy Harris & Dad -The photo says "Dorothy Harris and her Daddy when she was about 8 mo. old". Mom was wondering if this is Dorothy Dix Harris or her daughter (also, is this Chiles Harris in the photo)..

4. Dorothy Harris - Photo of the same child at 8 mo. old. Same question applies.

Again, these are great.  Yes, that is Chiles Harris and his and Aunt Dot's baby girl, Dorothy.  Along with the family photos that my dad had, was a box of Aunt Dot's photos and several newspaper clippings of the Harris family accomplishments, of which, there were many.  There are two photos of Chiles Harris, later in life, but definitely him. 

15. Plateau Pauses Table of Contents, p. 2 & 3 did not survive the e-mail journey.  Please resend it. 

The others were received, but in several different sizes.  I'm afraid my rule of thumb for image sizes will have to be bent on these.  Some are just below the threshold of being legible. I know it's a lot of trouble, but in this case, could you rescan the book pages at full scale or at least 500 pixels on the long side and resend them?  The second "BTD dedication" that you resent is fine -- partly due to the larger text size, but in the interest of keeping all of the pages the same size, could you re-scan it for the third time?

Again, I hate to be so picky and I know you were just trying to keep the sizes as small as possible as I had asked previously.  Sorry to put you out like this.

I'm sending this email to Mom as well, and I'm sure she will want to ask more detailed questions as well as comment further on these images.
Rusty,if you need any of these images sized differently just drop me a line.
Sincerely,
Jeff Shannon

Your cousin,

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 09:45:25 -0600 
From: Samuel H Shannon <shannons@bellsouth.net> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Subject: Dix Pix and Timeline 

Hello Alice,
At 09:45 AM 3/12/2002 -0600, you wrote:
 

Rusty,
     In Moma Nelle's things, I found an old letter she had saved.  It was postmarked "Aug. 25, 1900, Glennville, Cal" and addressed to "Misses Nellie and Ruth Dix, Knoxville, Georgia."  The letter is from "Aunt Dollie".  Among other things, Dollie writes that she is "anxious to hear how you like your new home.  I know you miss your Butler playmates...".  I think this could mean that the ASD family moved from Butler to Knoxville, Ga. (not Perry?) sometime in 1900. This could also mean that Will Allie was born in Knoxville???

This is the first time we've had a city in California where Dollie was serving as a missionary!

Just as with the other Alice, the peregrinations of the ASD family becomes "curiouser and curiouser".  The stint in Knoxville GA must have taken place, however briefly,  between the Butler and Perry .  I found Knoxville GA on a map -- it's west of Macon and south of Forsyth.

As to Will Allie's birthplace, I haven't heard back from Billy Dix Jr.'s son, Robert "Bert" Dix.  I was counting on him to be our e-mail connection in our search. 

Here's a partial list of our findings around 1900:

[From DDD Vol. 9 ]

                From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
                  Subject: More Dix History 
                  Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 22:08:38 -0300 

You won't believe what my accomplice (Tom, my retired husband who has a lot more time than I do) dug up today! He and a friend took a jaunt to Forsyth, more specifically to the First Baptist Church of Forsyth, this morning and quite by accident showed up at the exact time the "Historical Committee" was meeting! As soon as he told them what he was looking for, they knew exactly who Albert Sidney Dix was!!! They even want me to send them a picture of him for their archives! They are trying to get pictures of all the past pastors of that church and frame them. I told them I have a beautiful one that I'm going to get copied for them and send it right away! Anyway, the following is the account entered in their historical church archives:

Dix, Albert Sydney Born in Barbour County, Alabama, Sept. 1, 1863; baptized at Union Springs, Ala., by Jos. Dill; ordained at Butler, Ga. in 1897*; attended Carrick Academy  and Winchester Normal College, Winchester, Tenn; continued to teach and preach for two years after his ordination, then gave his whole time to the pastorate, serving the churches at Perry and Forsyth with marked success. 

In June, 1907, he was called to take charge of the Georgia Industrial Home, a work which appealed loudly to a generous, sympathetic nature like his, and to which he gave himself joyously to the time of his death at Macon, December 27, 1910. 

Source: Georgia Baptist Convention 1909-15 Minutes p.63. 

* [We also have an ordination date of 02/28/1899 American Baptist Year-Book, under "Ministers Ordained in 1899".  Since we have a specific month, day, & year for 1899, we'll go with that unless we find further corroboration for the 1897 date.  RDW]

No mention of Knoxville here. They were listed in the 1900 census as living in Butler, but we don't know when in 1900. 

        From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
                  Subject: 1900 Census 
                  Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2001 18:11:35 -0300 
 

Hi! 
I guess we're still sharing Dix findings - haven't heard from you or anybody in over a week now! I guess you got my e-mail of a few days ago with the news from First Baptist Church in Forsyth. I went back to Washington Memorial Library today and searched the 1900 Census. Didn't find much new stuff but verified a few things that we had already known. Here it is. 

In 1900 the Albert Sidney Dix family lived in Butler, Georgia, Taylor County.  Albert Sidney and Isadora Dix had been married for twelve years, had four children as follows: 

• Nelle, who was 9 years old, born Sept., 1890 in Alabama; 
• Ruth, who was 8 years old, born May, 1892 in Alabama; 
• "Albert Francis" (I guess they had it backwards), who was 5 years old, born Oct., 1894 in Alabama; 
• Issa Lee (look how they spelled it - I think it must have two s' based on what Martha told us about the origin of her name), who was 2 years old, born Mar., 1898 in Georgia. 
• It lists Albert Sidney Dix's birthplace as Alabama with his parents' birthplace as New York. 
• Isadora was born in Indiana, her father also was born in Indiana, but mother was born in Ohio. 
• It lists Albert Sidney's occupation as Minister, and status of home as rented. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Nothing much new here, but at least we know they lived in Butler, GA in 1900 (that confirms Shirley's memory of their living in Butler!). That means they must have lived in Perry, GA somewhere between 1900 and 1905, when they moved to Forsyth, GA. Maybe Tom and his friend can find out some more specifics when they visit Perry on Monday. 

And, from DDD Vol.11: 

From: "TOM SIMONTON" <tsimonton@earthlink.net> 
             To: <rwhigham@mindspring.com> 
             Subject: The Dix's in Butler 
             Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 21:07:35 -0300 

Hi Rusty!

Tom and his co-sleuth drove to Butler, GA today to search out Dix activities there around the turn of the 20th Century. They always go to the First Baptist Churches in each town, knowing they would be some of the oldest in the area. First Baptist Church of Butler was no exception. Whereas there was no organized historical pamphlet/book as was found in Perry and Forsyth, the church secretary was able to put her hands on some handwritten notes taken at Church Conference meetings in 1897 - 1900. Our grandfather was mentioned twice in the minutes taken during those years. On May 22, 1897 M.S. Chapman and A.S. Dix, as well as another name that I could not read, were appointed as delegates to the Sabbath School Convention at Tazewell, GA (a tiny town  west of Butler). And on July 25, 1900 it states that Bro. Albert S. Dix and wife were granted a letter of dismissal from the church.  (Maybe this is when they accepted the pastorship and moved to Perry, GA.) The handwriting on these conference notes is very difficult to read. Anyway, that confirms his association with Butler Baptist Church. 

This is where we assumed they moved to Perry.  It now looks like Knoxville was the next move.  As we've already seen the census records leave a lot to be desired as to absolute accuracy.  Maybe we can get Tom and his friend to check out the First Baptist Church in Knoxville GA.
 

I have two sets of of the two poetry books by Aunt Dot.  We only need to have one set.  I had decided to mail you one of the sets to have in the Dix Archive you are collecting and keeping. 

Also, I have made "Xerox" copies of several old letters/documents from Moma Nelle's things (including the Aunt Dollie letter noted above) and a couple of letters from my mother's things that seem to be significant Dix-Nicoles documents that you should have copies of.

I propose Jeff not rescan the pages from the two poetry books. I will mail these things to you right away.  You can then review the books and help decide what should be scanned and shared with all.  Please let me know what you think of this plan.

Alice

P.S. You should feel free anytime, for any reason, to edit anything I write to you before including in a DDD or the e-mail pages.

Thanks again, for sharing your findings with us.  I hope you and Jeff will try to come down for the reunion in June.  Did you get the announcement from Shirley a few months ago?

Love, 

Rusty
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, March 9, 2002

Hello Ellen,

At 09:35 AM 2/21/2002 -0800, you wrote:

Hi, again.  I just talked with Aunt Ann.  She is doing very well and will be going home tomorrow (Friday).  She would be very interested in talking with you about what she can remember about Montgomery.  She got tickled when I read her your comment about Fairhope being essentially a socialist community, but she said it was pretty progressive at the time.  Her brother Albert's daughter, Eleanor Ann, who is mentally retarded was sent to school there because the public schools were just promoting her socially and not teaching her.  Eleanor Ann ended up working as the receptionist for Uncle Albert's medical office and was very competent at it.  Aunt Ann is going to check on whether it's possible to get reprints of her book for you.  She's looking forward to hearing from you either at the hospital today or at home after tomorrow.

I finally talked with Aunt Ann this afternoon.  Actually, I think she's my "first cousin, twice removed", but Aunt Ann has a nice sound to it and is a heck of a lot easier to say.  She seemed to be recovering nicely and seems determined to celebrate her centennial birthday this fall.

She graciously consented to letting me quote extensively from the Dix history portions her book, but was unable to remember the details of her years in Montgomery beyond what she had already written.  I knew she wouldn't remember the specifics first hand, but was hoping the she might recall her parents memories of specific addresses etc.

She mentioned that you were returning for another visit next weekend.  I taped the program on Fairhope that I mentioned.  I don't know if the young man who stays with her has a VCR, but if so, thought the audio from the tape might evoke some memories of her time there.  I'll put it in the mail to you Monday.  If there's no VCR at her apartment, don't bother returning the tape -- just use it to tape over for your own use.  Here's the link to Web page about the program.

http://www.cptr.ua.edu/fairhope/index.html

Thanks again for your help,

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have scanned the first five chapters of Ann Meiers' book, Scenes from My Life and have attached them as a .DOC file to this message.  Below are a few of the more interesting selections as they pertain to our investigation, including how she is related to the Dix's on both sides of her family! 
 

• Early years: 

In 1908, when I started school in Montgomery,
Alabama, my father was the secretary of the local Y.M.C.A.
He rode to work on horseback, on Monty, the horse that he
had "broken"--that is, tamed, domesticated, trained to be a
civilized horse. I would sit behind him, straddling Monty's
back, holding him around the waist. He would lift me off at
Miss Gussie Woodruff's School and ride on a block or two to
the Y.M.C.A.

When the school day was over, I would walk to the
Y.M.C.A. and wait for him to go home. Monty would be
hitched to a post at the curb, patiently waiting for his riders.
Monty was a gentle horse, as well mannered with a 
buggy as with a rider. When my father took my mother out --- 
or more of us children -- he would hitch Monty to the buggy,
and we would ride as proudly through the streets of
Montgomery as families do today in their Fords and
Oldsmobiles. Though the buggy had a top, and curtains could
be attached to the sides, a ride through the rain was not
altogether a dry experience.

Since the family was growing --now with three boys
added to the two little girls -our father, who had been
secretary of the Y.M.C.A. in Montgomery, decided to accept
a position as District Manager of the Penn Mutual Life
Insurance Company in Mobile. So in 1912, when Dollie was
eight years old, the family took the train south to Mobile. 
 

• Dix Ancestors 
• AFD's Decision to Join the Confederacy 
• How Annie is related to the Dix's on by parents 

My sister-in-law, Eleanore Norby Dix, (wife of my
brother Albert), on her trip to New York City, was delighted
to find the names of her parents from Sweden commemorated
among those who entered this country through the reception
hall of Ellis Island, in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty in
New York Harbor. But, alas, none of mine are there. They
were already in this country many years before the Statue of
Liberty was erected in 1886 and the Reception Center was
opened on Ellis Island in 1892.

True, mine did not come on the Mayflower in 1620.
They came in 1630 with the Puritans under Governor John
Winthrop, and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony
where Boston is today. Our earliest Dix ancestor who came
with this group was Edward, whose name was spelled Deekes
on the ship's manifest. He and many others had come to these
shores seeking freedom of religion. But they soon learned that
the Puritan government of Winthrop was as intolerant of
dissenters as the English government had been of the Puritans;
so they pulled up their stakes and moved west, where they
founded the town of Wethersfield on the bank of the
Connecticut River.

        A few years ago, I visited a friend in Hartford. My
hostess drove me to near-by Wethersfield, where the town
historian showed us the land where John Dix had lived.
Adjoining it, the historian said, was the property of John
Wadham. Not surprisingly, John Dix Jr., fell in love with one
of his neighbor's daughters, Sarah Wadham, and married her.
Their son, Moses, was born in 1724, almost one hundred
years after their first ancestor had come to the New World.

So through the generations of Dixes succeeding John Jr.,
through Moses and Ozias and Daniel, Alexander Franklin Dix
was born in 1831, marking the two hundredth year that the
Dixes had lived in America. By this time, the Dix family had
moved even farther west into the state of New York. The
family of Daniel and Dyanthia Dix consisted of three
daughters and one son, Alexander Franklin, born in Wilson,
N, Y. The boy grew to be a scholar, a student and teacher of
Latin and Greek, a student at the college in Albany and the
University at Rochester and an ordained Baptist minister. He
fell in love with a girl of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, Helen
Beach, lovingly called Nellie, and married her on January 2,
1861.

Though this was only nine days before the state of
Alabama seceded from the Union, January 11, and the
situation in that Southern state was rather uncertain, he had
already promised to accept a position as teacher of Greek and
Latin in a Female Seminary (i.e., girls college) in Midway, a
small town not far from Montgomery; so he and his bride
embarked upon their trip South, and began their home in that
Southern town. 

More states seceded from the Union, and established die
Confederate States of America with its capital at Montgomery.
War broke out between the Confederate states and those that
remained with the Union in the North, the so-called Civil War.
Most Northern people considered it a war begun by the South
to retain slavery as legal. But Alexander Franklin Dix believed
that the war was not about slavery, but about a principle that
he had held in New York and brought with him to the South,
States Rights. He abhorred slavery, never had a slave, and
considered it immoral. But he believed that a state had the
right to leave the Union if it wished, and not to be compelled
by force of arms to remain. I remember as a girl how angry he
was when anybody suggested that he had fought to retain
slavery.

So Alexander Franklin Dix in Alabama, like Robert E.
Lee in Virginia, had to choose between two loyalties: loyalty
to the Federal Government or loyalty to his state. Both men
chose their state.

This was especially sad for Alexander Franklin. His
mother had died when he was only two years old, but his
father was still in the North, as well as the husbands of his
sisters and the brothers of his wife. If he joined the
Confederate army, he would be fighting against his brothers-.
in-law, all of whom he loved.

However, he joined the Confederate army, and in the
second year of his marriage was fighting in the battle of Shiloh
in Mississippi, under the command of General Albert Sidney
Johnston. His first child was born the next year; and as
evidence of his admiration for his general, he named the baby
Albert Sidney Dix.

It seems that five of his ten children were born while the
family lived in Midway. There he taught school and served as
pastor of the small Baptist church. After about nine years, he
was offered a better position at Mary Sharpe College in
Winchester, Tennessee. There the remaining five children
were born, including my father, Daniel, and his brothers Philo,
Paul and Murrie. His sisters, Dimple and Dollie --aged
respectively, six and two --called their baby brother Lell, and
this became the name by which he was known by family and
friends. In later life, he adopted Lell as his first name and was
officially known as Lell Daniel Dix.

After finishing his service at Mary Sharpe College,
Alexander returned with his family to the Midway area in
Alabama. The largest town in the area was Union Springs,
where he became pastor of the Baptist Church.  A fellow
clergyman was the Reverend Francis McMurray, pastor of the
Presbyterian Church. His daughter, Mary McMurray Stakely,
had daughters nearer Lell's age: and the two families became
friends. One daughter was Annie Goulding Stakely, three
years Lell's junior.

As the years passed, Lell finished his schooling at Troy
Normal School, a junior college in Alabama, and became the
secretary of the YMCA in Montgomery. Annie Goulding
attended Cox College in La Grange, Georgia, first as a student
and then as teacher of art and astronomy. Their friendship
ripened, and they were married in 1901. They thus achieved a
most amazing coincidence, unknown to them at the time.
The reader will remember that in Wethersfield in the
early sixteen forties, John Dix and John Wadham were next-
door neighbors, and their families were united by the marriage
of John Dix, Jr., and Sarah Wadham.

Two generations later, John, Jr.'s, grandson, Ozias,
moved up the Connecticut River and settled twenty miles west
in Wilmington, Vermont. There he built a house that is still
standing. By the next generation, the son of Ozias, Daniel, had
moved his family to New York State. But the Wadhams
remained in Connecticut during the generations of John, Jr.,
Noah, Jonathan, and Susannah, who married Nathan
Holbrook.

        Soon after the turn of the century, 1800, a young
Presbyterian clergyman from Georgia, Thomas Goulding,
came to study at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut
By some chance, a daughter of Susannah Wadham, Anne
Holbrook, and Thomas Goulding met and became friends.  In 
1806 when Anne was twenty years old, they were married
and left Connecticut to make their home in Georgia.

By all accounts, the Reverend Thomas Goulding, D.D.
and his wife, Anne, were an unusually attractive and desirable
young couple. Two of their parishioners and friends,
Governor and Lady Houston, presented them with a beautiful
lion-footed mahogany table from England, which has become
a prize possession in my family. At the death of Anne
Goulding, the table passed to her grand-daughter, Mary
Stakely, who in turn passed it to her daughter, my mother,
Annie Goulding Stakely Dix. Now I, another Annie Goulding,
though four generations removed from the original Anne
Goulding, am its proud possessor.

There was only one generation of Wadhams in Georgia
that of Anne and Thomas Goulding. Their daughter,
Charlotte, married the Reverend Francis McMurray and made
her home with him in Union Springs, Alabama. Charlotte’s 
daughter, Mary Stakely, was the mother of Annie Goulding
Stakely, who married Lell Dix. Thus the two lines that had
been united by marriage in 1709 and then separated by a
thousand miles and almost two centuries were again brought
together in 1901 by the marriage of the Wadham daughter,
Annie Goulding Stakely, and the Dix son, Lell Daniel Dix.

Ann knew nothing of any other family members living at 12 Marshall St.  She said AFD & NBD lived nearby but not at 12 Marshall with her family.

Neither did she know anything about her father's brothers, Philo and Paul, working at the YMCA in Montgomery as mentioned in the book First Baptist Church, the First 150 Years and in my mother's notes. 
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Cherry Tart" <cherrytart1221@hotmail.com> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Subject: Re: Dix Descendants Digest, Volume 15 
Date: Sat, 09 Mar 2002 11:28:36 -0500 

Rusty,
I sure am grateful for your hard word on the ancestry and history of the Dix Family. I am totally fascinated by the processed you all have been able to us and the coming together of minds that otherwise might not have contact with one another. This is great! I've not had a chance to read through all 15 volumes as of yet, but I love it, and I appreciate it.
I look forward to much more fascinating information coming from you in the future, both via email and at the 2002 Family Reunion.

Again, thanks!

Pamela Dix Pierce

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Pam,

Thanks for your kind words, but I couldn't have done any of this without the help and support of all the other cousins and this wonderful new technology. 

Your Dad wrote that he, Butch, and Randy made a visit to our old stomping grounds in Rutherford awhile back, and mentioned that you and Annie wanted to see what little is left of the place.  It's mostly memories for Bill and I, but they remain some of the fondest memories of our lives.  I had written him a week or so ago, to see if he wants to go back before the underbrush (and snakes) return with the warm weather, but I don't think he's checked his e-mail in awhile.  See if you can get him back to the keyboard and work out a day for another visit.

Thanks again for your note.  I'm looking forward to our next visit.

Love, 

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2002 14:40:36 EST 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
 

Hi Rusty, 

The pictures are in the mail to you. It has been so long, I don't know if you want any of then or not. 

Francis A. Dix and Miss Lois Turner of Atlanta, GA. were married, June 11, 1932. at Capital View Baptist Church , 515 Manford Rd. S. W. Atlanta, GA. 

Francis' and Lois' first address was 625 Elmwood Dr. N. E. 

In a letter they got from Aunt Vermon written July 11, 1932 she said that 

"...hard times had driven the three Dix boys to matrimony and I am glad, for I didn't wont them to be selfish old bachelors. My two new daughters are very fine, so I am quite proud of the new dix's." 

[Do you know who the other two are?] 

"I hope that you will be as happy as Uncle Paul and I these thirty years." 

 She speaks of Grandpa Dix. 

Francis and Lois at 899 boulevard N. E. 

Frances and Bert were born in an Atlanta, GA hospital. 

We moved to Forest Park, go before I started to school. 

Bill was born in Forest Park GA. We lived in two homes there but I don't know the address. We lived there until our parents died........

Francis A. Dix b. 10/22/1894 Janie Lois b. 9/22/1908 11 

Hello Frances,

Thank you so much.  I'm sorry I didn't let you know that they arrived safely the day I received them.  I hope you haven't been too anxious.  I thought I would be able to scan them and put them on the Web pages in a day or so, but it wound up taking over a week.  They're all up now, along with several new photos from Alice Shannon. 

Alice also sent me copies of two of Aunt Dot's poetry books. Her son, Jeff had tried to scan the covers and table of contents, but they didn't scan well, so she sent the books to me.  I'll be re-doing the ones on Aunt Dot's Web page.  I also have a box of photos and newspaper clippings related to Aunt Dot's family.  I still haven't heard from Laura, but Martha and I plan to visit with Betty Harris sometime early next month, along with Sarah Strickland, Ruby Dismukes, and Charles Cousins, our only known Hall descendant, in  early April.

Our latest new discovery/mystery, is a letter from Dollie Dix in Glennville California, post marked Aug. 25, 1900 to Nellie and Ruth Dix in Knoxville GA   Dollie mentions, among other things, the she "bets they miss their Butler playmates". We never  knew they lived there and opens the possibility that Uncle Billy may have been born there.  Knoxville GA is near Macon and Forsyth.  I still haven't had an reply from (Florida) Billy Dix's son Robert "Bert" since I wrote over a month ago. I've asked for help from Lyn and Tom on the Knoxville address, but haven't heard from Lyn since Christmas.  I hope everything is OK.

Francis' and Lois' first address was 625 Elmwood Dr. N. E. 

Is this the home in any of the photos on your Mom and Dad's page?  http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/fad.htm

In a letter they got from Aunt Vermon written July 11, 1932 she said that

"...hard times had driven the three Dix boys to matrimony and I am glad, for I didn't wont them to be selfish old bachlors. My two new daughters are very fine, so I am quite proud of the new dix's."  I hope that you will be as happy as Uncle Paul and I these thirty years." 

[Do you know who the other two are?] 

I'd like to have a copy of Aunt Vernon's letter and any other letters you might have.

Francis and Lois at 899 boulevard N. E. 

Is this the home in any of the photos? 

I put the two Dix Family Reunion photos on the ASD-IND Web page: 

http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/asd-ind.htm

I think you mother is holding your baby brother Bill (Granny Dix is holding him in the first picture), in the second of these.  I assumed that would make the year about 1939.  Does that seem about right to you?  Do you remember this?  Is that you sitting next to Granny Dix?  Do you know which of the little boys is Bert?  Is this at my grandparents home in Rutherford?

What year is the photo of you with Charlie and Shirley Jean?  From the looks of that "airplane" collar Charlie has on, I'm guessing mid-fifties.

Thanks again for sharing the pictures with the rest of us.  If you see any that you sent to me without giving you credit, let me know which Web page and which photo so I can add it.  Again, the usual disclaimer -- All if the Dix Web pages are works-in-progress.  I'm still just trying to get photos scanned and placed on the appropriate page(s).  If you want the pictures back before the reunion, just drop me a note.

Love,

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 15:22:59 EST 

Hi Rusty, 

Glad you got the pictures. No, I don't need then back until the reunion. I won't be much help with all that you ask me. My mom and dad lived at 625 Elmwood Dr N. E. When they got married. Bert and I must have been born when they lived at 899 boulevard N. E. 

Alexander Franklin Dix b. 6/26/1908 m 8 Sept. 1931 Frances Hendrick 
Philo Castle Dix b. 9/24/1878 m Elizabeth Hayes m. 6/26/1934 Jean Doctor. 
 

Bert is on one side of Granny Dix and I am on the other in one picture. Aunt Isalee had two boys younger than me, Do you know them? I don't know if the picture was taken at Aunt Ruth or Aunt Isalee's house. 

I moved in with Etta B. in late Nov. 1946.  I think the picture was made before the 1950. Shirley and I got married in June 1953. 

I am very sorry that I cant help but I did not learn much about my dad. You know that Granny did will me gold wedding band. Debbie wears it to day. My dad loved his mother very much and she loved him. He was the last one to get married he wanted to take care of his mother. 

Love Frances 

P.S. The letters are in the mail.  That is all I have.

From: "Cherry Tart" <cherrytart1221@hotmail.com> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Subject: Re: Dix Descendants 
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 11:13:17 -0500 

Rusty, I will certainly do what I can to persuade dad to get back on the keyboard and chat with you about a trip back to Rutherford with me and Annie....I'm currently working for the railroad (NS) and I work a Tuesday thru Saturday rotation, which puts me off on Sundays and Mondays, so with Annie working a M-F job, it will make it difficult for us to be able to "agree" on a convenient travel day; however, I will be promoted to a job that requires a M-F timeframe in April, so maybe we can do it on a Saturday during April....
I, too, look forward to the reunion this year, as I've been absent a few years due to working on Saturdays and not having anyone to work for me. For preserving reasons, I printed out all 15 volumes of information, have taken them home, and have placed them in an album within coverings so that I can protect them, as I love looking at the pictures of my ancestors and their home places, my dad, etc. In fact, I'd love to learn more about my dad's father's wife's family (Uncle Buddy's wife, Janie Lois), but don't know if anyone is around that could help me with it....
You have a great day, and yes stay in touch!
Pamela

Date: Sun, 03 Mar 2002 15:49:49 -0600 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
From: Martha Picardy <mpicardy@mindspring.com> 
Subject: Rutherford 
 

.... All the info from Aunt Ann was a wonderful find. I hope you'll have me down to look at it too. I smiled when I read of the second "Dollie". I just had visions of the 1st (what I imagine to be)a slip-of-a-girl, Dollie, being so amused that she was the one to give her ancestor-researchers such a puzzle. 

...I still feel such excitement knowing as we continue that there is more of the puzzle to be found. I wish we could find more of the Hall family. I still feel like they have some real treasures.

Dear Alice,

At 04:21 PM 3/19/2002 -0600, you wrote:

Rusty,
     Thanks for letting me know that the books and letters arrived safely.  That surreal feeling is what I feel too -- especially reading
many of the old letters, but it's there, too, in seeing the folks in the old photos and now feeling I know them some. 

"Links" that I couldn't make work -- 

1) In the DDD Vol 15, the Web page address link you included in the letter to Bert and Beth Dix brought an error message and in the "Web Page Progress section" the "AFD/ASD Timeline" didn't work. 

2) In the Erratum & Addendum to Vol 11  (Which I couldn't find in the e-mail section of the Web pages) I couldn't get to the "...famtree" which I would like to look at as an alternative with different formatting to Jeannie's Family Tree. Is it still available?

I think I've fixed these links.  Let me know if you're still having trouble.  I'm sure there are others.  It will probably be better to use the archived DDD's on the Web page rather than trying them from the original e-mails.  I appended the "Erratum & Addendum to Vol. 11" at the end of that volume. Just let me know of any other broken links as you come across them. 

The WORD version  of Jeannie's "Family Tree" is attached [Jeannie, let us know if there's an updated version], and the link to the archived version (I couldn't duplicate all of the formatting) should be working now.

    I did go look at what you've done on the Mary Belle (Dollie) page.  It looks great.  How wonderful that you have one of her paintings and have included a photo of it -- another special way for us to get to know this young woman who died so young.

Everytime I go look at the Web pages, you have added something new.  On the Nelle Dix page, the photo of Nelljie holding baby that
Frances submitted -- the baby is me and it was made in Chattanooga in 1938.  I sent the photo of Nelljie in Nelle's graduation dress because it shows the dress better.  I still have the dress.  It was handmade by someone in the family.

I have a few more photos that might be appropriate for Nelle's  Web page(s).  Do we need to be concerned about how many photos we send?  I'm sure there must be a limit to the space available.  Will you exercise judgement about what to include if we send too many for the space?

My immediate goals include scanning the pertinent selections of Annie Goulding (Dix) Meiers book Scenes from My Life ,  scanning the few photos, letters and newspaper clippings from Aunt Dot's family, and last, but not least, making a Web page for my own grandmother, Ruth Dix Whigham.  Martha and I are planning to visit/interview Elizabeth "Betty" Harris, Charles Cousins (to see if we can make some "Hall" connections -- perhaps even find the diary of Nellie Beach Dix), Sarah Strickland and Ruby Dismukes early next month.

     Also, I found an old photo from Moma Nelle's things of a lovely young girl (she looks to be about 10) that I don't recognize.  On the back it says "To Nelle from Hilda - Merry Christmas, 1916".  I wonder if anyone knows who this might be - One of the family members?

Until next time -- Alice

I don't know of a Hilda.  Perhaps she'll turn up later.

Thanks again for your help,

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 11:29:34 -0600 
From: Samuel H Shannon <shannons@bellsouth.net> 
Reply-To: shannons@bellsouth.net 
Subject: A few Web page changes 
Rusty, 
 

I've noticed a few small things you probably want to correct when you get a chance -- 

On Nelle's page: The year the photo of little Ruth, Buddy and Nelle was made - I think it should be 1886. 

On the A.S. Dix page of timeline listings: 
1)  There are two listings of Nelle's graduation from Tift -- Should be the 5/28/07 listing; 
2) You have Nelle giving birth to Nelljie (11/7/1909) and to Jack (11/13/1917) - Need to add her giving birth to Etta Viola Smith (1/5/1913); 
3) You have T.M. Dix death as in 1921 -- I think it should be 2/1/1929; 
4) If you know the death date for Francis Marion Nicoles it should be added to this listing and the timeline on A.F. Dix page, I think. 

I love watching the results of the great photos people have sent and you have found and are arranging on the various pages. 

Love, 

Alice

Hello Alice,

I corrected these on the main timeline page as well. I pasted these copies of the timeline here and on other pages, thinking it would serve as a guide when the time comes to convert the information into paragraph form for the finished product. All of the places I messed up in the e-mails will serve as a record of our struggles. ;-)

2) You have Nelle giving birth to Nelljie (ll/7/1909) and to Jack (11/13/1917) - Need to add her giving birth to Etta Viola Smith (1/5/1913);

Thanks for being my "fact checker" and proof-reader. Factual mistakes and even the typo's will be copied and spread like kudzu if they aren't caught. So, please, if --- I should say when you find other errors, let me know.

Thanks again,
Love,

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Jeff Shannon" <tungtide@hotmail.com> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Cc: shannons@bellsouth.net 
Subject: More Photos 
Date: Mon, 08 Apr 2002 04:41:45 
 

Hi Rusty, 
I've scanned some more photos for Mom for you to consider for the Nelle Dix Smith web page. Please note that the files have been named to ease my convenience in finding them once they are formatted and are amongst the rather large amount of images I have in my hard drive (i.e- in other words, please feel free to rename these files on your end if it would make organizing them easier in your database).

1. Faculty and Staff.JPG - Faculty and staff of Stuart Robinson School, Blackey, Kentucky, 1923. Nelle Dix Smith, cook for school, front row left.
2. Etta, Jack & Nelljie, 1924.JPG - kinda explains itself :)
3. Etta, Jack & Nelljie.JPG - not sure of date.
4. Jack (John Jerry)Smith.JPG - not sure of date.
5. Wedding Photo, Raymond & Nelljie.JPG - Wedding photo of Raymond Dee Newman, Sr. and Nelljie Dix Smith Newman, Marrietta, Ga., January 2, 1934
6. Wedding Photo, Charlie & Etta.JPG - Wedding photo of Etta Viola Smith and Charlie Brundage (place and date not on photo) 5-31-1930
7. Brundage House, 1945, #1.JPG - Moma Nelle, Walter (Pop), Shirley Jean, Little Charlie, Alice and Baby Dee, at the Brundage house in Atlanta, February, 1945.
8. Brundage House, 1945, #2.JPG - The Newmans: Raymond, Sr., Nelljie, Baby Dee & Alice. Same date and place as previous photo.
9. Brundage House, 1945, #3B.JPG - The Brundages: Etta, Little Charlie, 

Big Charlie and Shirley Jean. Same date and place as previous photo.

I'm sending this to Mom as well and I'm sure she'll be in touch soon with more information.
Happy Sorting! 
Jeff

April 9, 2002

Hello Jeff and Alice,

Thanks for the latest batch of photos.  The image sizes were just perfect!  The only editing I did was to change, or perhaps more accurately, changed them back, to black & white images, for a couple of reasons:

1)  smaller image file sizes and,
2)  most of the originals were probably in black & white.

I have included these latest images on the "Nelle" Web page.  If you can come up with the missing dates, or do the best you can estimating these dates, I'll arrange them in chronological order to facilitate the narrative when we get to that.  Alice, if you have the time and are so inclined, I'd sure appreciate your pitching in on this.  We'd also be interested in knowing the circumstances of all of the locations that Nelle lived.

I've also added a photo captioned "Two Jacks" that was in my grandmother's photo album.  There's a fairly strong resemblance to my father, Francis Dix Whigham, but the caption could suggest that it's your uncle Jack and a dog named Jack.?  Have you ever seen this photo before?

Thanks as always,

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 14:42:08 -0500 
From: Samuel H Shannon <shannons@bellsouth.net> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Subject: Nelle Web Page 
 

Rusty, 
Thank you for your e-mail Re: More Photos. You are so super to move so quickly to get them on the Web page. The originals of the 3 photos in color (taken at Brundage house in Atlanta, Feb. 1945 ) were in color, so Jeff just sent them as they were. If we send any other photos that are in color, can you easily convert them to black and white? 

On a legal pad I have roughed out a chronological outline of what I know about events in Moma Nelle's life -- she did move about a lot and I have a lot of holes in my knowledge. I'll try to type the outline into the computer and send it to you. I'm hoping that Shirley and Charlie and maybe Frances and Lyn can fill in the holes. I think this may help some with the chronology and writing of our special rememberances of times with her that you requested. 

The "Two Jacks photo is precious. There is a copy of it in the Album that Moma Nelle kept for Jack's life, so I'm sure it is a photo of Nelle's son. There is no date on it, but it is next to photos I recognize as in Blackey, Ky. --so I think it was made in Blackey and 
from Nelle's journal notes I know they were in Blackey from 1921 (probably fall) to 1923 (probably spring). I'll get the outline in the computer and sent soon -- and I'll help with your other requests as best I can.

Alice

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Jeff Shannon" <tungtide@hotmail.com> 
To: rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Cc: shannons@bellsouth.net 
Subject: More Pictures 
Date: Wed, 08 May 2002 17:47:16 +0000 
 

Dear Rusty, 
Here are some more pictures from Mom to be considered for Nelle's web page. I will list them with the information I have on the photos- though I am sure Mom may want to follow up with more details once she sees I have finally got these images scanned (we've been pretty busy for a few weeks now..sorry about the delay Mom:)  Anyway, here goes...

1. Etta, Nelle, baby Jack & Nelljie- Jack was born 11/13/1917, so this photo must be from early 1918.
2. Jack and Pa Nicoles- his great grandfather (around 1921)
3. Nelle, Etta, Nelljie and unknown with Jack- (in the right front) Any help identifying "unknown" would be great! Blackey, Ky (1921-23)
4. Nelljie, Etta, Nelle & Jack- Blackey, Ky (1921-23)
5. John Jerry Smith with Jack, Nelljie & Etta- when Jerry returned from WWI- 1919.

If you have any trouble with the images, just drop me an email. 

Jeff

From: Russell Whigham
To: Jeff Shannon
Date:  May12,2002

Hello Jeff,

Sorry to be so slow responding.  I finally moved the latest pictures over to the Nelle page.  I keep trying to wrap up the next Dix Descendants Digest, but there never seems to be time.  The past few weekends have been spent going through the Montgomery City Directories from 1895 through the early 1930's when our line of  Dix's ceased to be listed.  There are several critical years missing.  I hope to find them in the State Archives microfilm.  I'll save this for a later DDD.

Thanks for the scanning and size editing -- you're saving me lots of time.

I sure hope you and your mom will try to come to the Dix reunion on June 15.  Did you get the information sheet from Shirley?

Thanks again for your contributions,

Rusty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Shirtail35@aol.com 
Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 22:01:04 EDT 
To: dixiebell2@juno.com, crdix@socoesco.com, ShortCloggingMom@aol.com, 
mpicardy@mindspring.com, rainbows@hemc.net, JIMTUCKER2@aol.com, 
rwhigham@mindspring.com 

From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 15:34:08 EDT 

WILL ALLIE DIX JR., OUR COUSIN IN WEST PALM BEACH FLA DIED UNEXPECTEDLY IN HIS SLEEP SATURDAY MORNING, 5-11-02.  NO SERVICES WILL BE HELD.  HE WILL BE CREMATED. THIS IS ALL WE KNOW AT THIS TIME.  HIS SISTER RUTH DIX CALLED US THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE MESSAGE. 

LOVE, FRANCES

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Billy's sister, Ruth; Billy's wife, Joyce; and Billy's sons and grandchildren.  We were fortunate to have made contact with Billy and to have had his input into our search of the family history. 

Hoping to see everyone at the reunion at Cheaha on June 15,

Rusty

P.S.  I just checked the Google search engine for "Alexander Franklin Dix" and "Albert Sidney Dix".  They've found us!  Who knows what doors this will open.
 

• New Web Address 
• Montgomery City Directories 
• Etta (Nicoles) Hanshaw/Browning's letter to Nelle and the Holipeter Family Connection 
• Dix Family Life Passages 
• Dix Family Reunions 
• New Connections for Paul Finch Dix, Mary Vernon (Nix) Dix 
• New Connection for Issalee 
• Bullock County 
• Meet Your Dix Cousins 
• In Closing... 
• New Web Address 

The Dix Family Web pages are now on the RootsWeb servers at: http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/ .  RootsWeb offers unlimited "free" server space for genealogy and family history sites, but comes at the price of advertisements at the top and bottom of each page.  I hope you find that they don't interfere too much.  Because of the volume of new material uncovered since our last Dix Descendant Digest, I have opted, where possible, to have links to the new information, rather than include the entire work here.
 
 

A trip to the Alabama State Archives and History building here in Montgomery, has shed much light on the lives of our Dix ancestors who lived here.  The Montgomery City Directories are available on microfilm for most of the years we're interested in, which has enabled us to create a timeline for those years. You can view the excerpts and comments at:  http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/director.htm .  Related to this, is a Web page that attempts to determine which address should go with photographs of houses we have.  As always, if you see errors or have additional information, we'd like to know about it.
 
 

The first copy of this letter from Aunt Etta to her niece, Nelle Dix, that Alice and Jeff sent us was in a graphics format.  The information here is not new, but it's been transcribed so now it's also in a text format which is necessary for Internet search engines to locate key words.  This paid off when Dawnette Thompson, moderator of the Hollopeter mail list, found it and sent the following message: 

From: RbnGdfello@aol.com 
Subject: Hollopeter/Holipeter genealogy 

Hello,

I read with interest your information regarding Mary Jeniluska (Holipeter) Nicoles. I know you are researching Dix lines, but would you like to compare notes regarding your Holipeter connections? I believe I have some information regarding your line. Etta's letter to her niece provides some tantalizing hints that may connect with the information I have been gathering regarding two Nicoles/Holipeter lines in my Hollopeter database. By any chance, do you have any information regarding a Mariah (Nicoles) Holipeter? I believe she was the wife of the "Jake" Holipeter mentioned in Etta's letter. I wonder how she fits in with your other Nicoles . . .

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
 

Dawnette Thompson 
~List administrator, HOLLOPETER-L 
~Coordinator, HOLLOPETER Genealogy Project: 
http://www.geocities.com/dawnettet/hollossp.html 

Thanks for contacting me.  I had thought this was a dead end.
 

I'll be leaving town for several days in the morning and will pursue this more when I return.  The only thing I found doing cursory searches on the Web was:  http://www.napernet.com/bobh/thfr/outline.html which I'm sure you already know about.  There are several Jacob's listed there, but no Mariah.

I was thinking I had another link, but can't find it right now.  Will look further when I return.

Thanks again,

Russell 

I subscribed to the Hollopeter mail list, to which Dawnette wrote:

        We have a new subscriber to the list.  R. is researching the family of Mary 
          Jeniluska "Jenie" (Holipeter) Nicoles (1841-1907).  We have a lot of work to 
          do to prove my hunch, but I suspect that Jenie is the same as "G. Hollopeter" 
          on p. 23 of THFR, daughter of John Hollopeter (1813-1841), who descended from 
          the line of John Hollopeter, son of Matthias the first.  Will keep you 
          posted.

          Regards,

          Dawnette

Me again: 

Thanks for the welcome, Dawnette.  I haven't had a chance to look at all of your links.  See if the following is of any help.
 

Below is a condensation of all that I know about my G-G-grandmother.  Details are from the letter written by Etta (Nicoles) Hanshaw / Browning on her family history at:  http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/fmn-jhn.htm (near the bottom of the page). 

Mary Jeniluska (Holipeter) Nicoles (pronounced - HOLLY-pay-ter) 
Born near Dayton, OH (Covington County) on November 6, 1841 
She had two brothers, Jake [Jacob]and Will [William] 
Married Francis Marion Nicoles September 8, 1863, Miami, Indiana * 
Daughter, Isadora Nicoles born in Plymouth IN; 01/07/1870 (My Great Grandmother) 
Daughter, Etta A. Nicoles born in Plymouth IN; date unknown 
Died August 18, 1907, Macon GA 
Buried, Riverside Cemetery, Macon GA

Maiden name:  Murray, first name unknown (of Pennsylvania Dutch descent). Later married a man by the name of Billheimer. 

She had a brother, Sam Murray.
They (Jenie and Jake) were taken in by a childless couple, Allen and Betty Stewart, then living near Dayton Ohio, presumably, after their father's death. 

Francis M. Nicoles and Jenie lived in the following cities:  Plymouth, IN and Auburn IL 
About 1881 moved to Clarinda Iowa 
In 1884 moved to Brewton Alabama 
Moved to Macon GA

Mary J. HOLLIPETER 
Sex:  F 
Marriage: 
Spouse:    Francis NICHALS [sic]

Looking forward to learning more,

Russell 
 
 

On the happy side, we've had two Dix family weddings and several special anniversaries:

Weddings:

Alice Shannon wrote: 
 

Jeff and his fiancee, Diane, will have their wedding on June 12th, 2002 (the Wednesday before the reunion). Even though it is a very small, intimate wedding here in Nashville, set so Jeff's and Diane's immediate family members can be here, it continues to require lots of planning and coordinating.  We think we all will be involved with our new-family activities on Saturday --while the Dix Descendants gather at the reunion. For sure, we'll be thinking about you all -- wishing we could be in both places. 
Much love, 
Alice 

Anniversaries:

Lyn and Tom Simonton celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary this summer. In a reply to my query about this, Lyn wrote:

Tom and I were married in Newnan, Georgia on June 15, 1963, making our 40th wedding anniversary this summer. Last year's reunion actually fell on June 15th, our 39th anniversary. This was exactly the way it fell on our actual wedding day, and was the day before Father's Day that year, also. We are celebrating our 40th as well as my retirement by taking a two-week Scandinavian cruise in July. 

Franlo and Charlie Chapman, Barbara and Charlie Brundage, and Shirley and Joe Jarrett all celebrate their 50th anniversaries this year.  Charlie and Franlo were married June 11, 1953 at Grant Park Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA; Charlie and Barbara were married July 3 1953; and Shirley and Joe were married June 5,1953.  See the group photograph of these love birds in December of 1952.

Deaths:

We are all saddened by the passing of cousins, William Earl "Bill" Dix, Annie Dix Meiers, and Joyce Dix, widow of Will Allie (Billy) Dix Jr.  I cherish the memories of my time with Bill and the more recently, the conversations with Ann Meiers, who died just two months short of her 100th birthday.  It was through my contact with Ann (oldest daughter of Uncle Lell) that we met Ellen McRae and subsequently, through Ellen,  Ed Sproles Jr. and Mary Vernon Sproles, daughter of Paul Finch Dix.   The unexpected loss of these three adds renewed emphasis to our search for family contacts. 

Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 06:50:15 -0800 
From: "ellen mcrae"<momus@apexmail.com> 
 

Dear Rusty: 
Aunt Ann died Thursday evening (08/22/2002)at St. Luke's Hospital in New York. She had a brain hemorrhage sometime during the night at home on Monday and didn't regain consciousness. Per her wishes, her body was donated to Mount Sinai Medical Center for research so there will be no funeral. However, also, per her wishes, a memorial gathering is being planned for somewhere around her 100th birthday (in October) and if you or anyone down there want to be kept posted on plans, let me know. 
 

I talked with Mary Vernon Sproles in Arlington, VA to tell her the news. She is eager for contact to give family information and I told her about you (she said, "Oh, Ruth's grandson.") I don't know if you've contacted her already but she seems like a good resource for info. She is also still in contact with Jean Dix Allaway, Uncle Philo's daughter in Boston. 
Best wishes, 
Ellen McRae 

Then Frances wrote: 

From: Franlo0105@aol.com 
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 09:41:41 EDT 
Subject: Joyce Dix 

I just found out this week-end that Will Allie Jr. Dix’s wife [FL] had died. I don’t know when. I talked to Ruth Dix.  She has been sick and is still sick . She is still upset about her brother. She doesn't know what they did with his ashes. She did not get a copy from the newspaper. She has not been able to go down there. She had someone to take her but she could not go. 

Love, 
 

Frances 
 

And finally, thanks to Franlo, Shirley, Pam, Butch, Annie, and Pat for keeping us updated on Bill's final days.  We sure miss him.
 
 

We enjoyed near perfect weather for our 2002 Dix reunion at Cheaha State Park.  Good fellowship and favorite dishes abounded as always.  Lyn and I spent the day going through her Dix family photographs, that she graciously loaned to me for scanning.  We missed having Bill and his family with us.

This year's 40th Dix reunion, which began with Lyn and Tom's wedding, will be at the George Tanner State Park in Carrollton GA., on June 14.  Thanks to Shirley Jarrett for her tireless efforts as the driving force to make this happen each year.  If you're not on Shirley's reunion mailing list, send your name and address to her at: Shirtail35@aol.com .
 

From: ellen mcrae <momus@apexmail.com> 
To: <HapEFella2@aol.com> 
Cc: <rwhigham@mindspring.com>; <ess@alum.mit.edu> 
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2002 3:06 PM 
Subject: re. Mary Vernon Dix Sproles 

Hi, Uncle Tommy: 
Hope all is well with you and everyone there. I've been talking with Mary Vernon Dix Sproles (703)243-3310 in Arlington. She is one of Aunt Ann's and your mother's cousins. She says Paul Dix was her father and that she was in 
Mobile when you were born. She would like to talk with you and I gave her your phone number and Dad's. She's also interested in talking with Russell Whigham and says her son Edward is doing some genealogy work. So I'm cc'ing this to both Russell Whigham and Edward Sproles in hopes that everyone can get everyone else's email addresses in one swell foop. I'm headed to Washington next week and then up to New York for the weekend to continue the packing up process. Mary Ann and Nejdeh are arranging a memorial service in New York and I think Aunt Eleanor and Linda Dix are arranging one in Mobile so it appears there will be something for everybody. See you or talk with you eventually. 
Ellen 

Ellen, 
Thanks for this email and for talking with my mother. She had hoped that she could see Annie this fall.

On genealogy, Mom gave me a copy of the old Dix family tree, what I know is largely from that document that you probably have seen. Also, my Uncle Frank Dix did some research. My mother also gave me a good sized box of 
papers and photos on the family that has some newspaper clippings and a few letters from the family. I started putting my info in a DOS program some years ago, I haven't upgraded or tried to share the info other than hard 
copy. let me know if you are interested.
 

I asked my mother to share some of her memories of the other people on the family tree, I shall append that file.[See below] Please correct as appropriate. It looks like is should change spelling of Whigham.

If any of you come this way, please come and visit. My house is located about 10 minutes away from Princeton and Trenton. I have a guest room available with twin beds. It takes a little over 1 hr to get into NYC on the commuter train from here.

Ed Sproles 

Albert Sidney Dix (b.1863) died before Mom was born, so she knows little about him. His wife, who Mom calls "Aunt Issie", hosted Mom on a visit to their house when Mom was about 10 years old. The family tree indicates that they had seven children who are: 

Nelle married a man (name Smith) who went to Europe during WW I.  They had 2 daughters, Nelljie and Etta and a son who died before 1941. Nelle and her husband divorced when Nelle's husband brought a French woman home with him from Europe.

Ruth (b.1892) married Ralph Whigham and had one son named Dix Whigham and a second son named Ralph. Mom relates that the family characterized Ruth as "very smart". Dix Whigham visited Vermont one summer while Mom and Dad were staying there. 

Francis (b.1894) married Lois Turner and they had 2 sons. Francis and his brother Billy supported the family after their father died.

Issale (b.1898) married a farmer Aubrey C. Dismukes , lived on the farm in Prattville, Alabama, and had several children.  She went to college. After some years, the farm became valuable due to urban growth of Montgomery and they became wealthy from the land value. Mom remembers that the farm was very prosperous. Issale and her husband came by to see Mom's family in Decatur on one of their many trips. They had their young boy with them as he had a broken arm and they would not leave him at home. He was delighted as he was the only child to get to go on the trip!

Billy (b.1901) married Mable Yarbrough. Mom remembers visiting while Billy was dating the woman that he later married. He had bought a fancy box of stationery for her birthday, the biggest box Mom ever saw with various colors of paper and envelopes to match each. 

Dorothy (b.1904) married Chiles Harris and they had 4 daughters, only one of whom ever married. Chiles was head of the English department in the Montgomery schools (Sidney Lanier High School). Dorothy attended Judson at the same time as Madeline, Annie and Dollie. 

Eleanor married Reginal Smith and they had a daughter named Lyn. Eleanor lived in Atlanta at the same time that Mom and Dad lived there. Mom's Uncle Philo said that Eleanor was the "flapper" of the family. Eleanor worked as a secretary in Atlanta. 

Hattie Lillis Dix (Aunt Dimple) (b.1867) married a wealthy cotton farmer named James Hall and they had 11 children according to the family tree. They lived in a big house in Pine Grove, Alabama, and later in Montgomery. Her children: 

Lillis (b.1893) married ____. Mom met her once, she was already married at that time.

Sarah died at birth or as an infant.

Helen married Dr. Samuel Cousins and, according to the family tree, they had 5 children. Nell knew one of their children, a son, while she attended Judson. He dated one of her friends, but he was killed in WW-II. They lived in Wetumpka, Alabama.

James, II, lived in the house at Pine Grove, married, and they had about 5 children.

Winifred (b.2-13-1899) never married, worked as a school teacher in Montgomery. She went to college at Montevallo where Mom went.

William (b.1901) married and had one son according to family tree

Dorothy (b. 1902, d. 1994) married Earl Cruthis, they had 3 children, she lived in East Lansing, Michigan, at the time of her death. Dorothy lived with Mom's family in Decatur in 1925 when she came to teach school. Mom's mother directed that Mom and Nell call her "Cousin Dorothy" as she did not think it proper for Mom and 
Nell to call her "Dorothy" while her students called her "Miss Hall." Aunt Frances, Uncle Murray's wife who lived next door, died during the year and Madeline was off at Judson so Dorothy moved over to Uncle Murray's home to run the house as Mrs. Gray, Madeline's grandmother, was crippled and blind and lived with them. Of course there was plenty of help but they needed a "lady of the house".

Nina (b.2-10-1903) was a school teacher. 

Lucile worked as a nurse, married, and died not to long afterward. 

Richard was in the service during WW II. Grandmother (Mary Vernon Nix) corresponded with him while he was overseas. Mom remembers that he wanted a "dollar watch" and grandmother sent him one. He married after the war. Mom characterized him as a very nice person. 

Uncle "Lell", L. Daniel Dix (b.1873) worked for the YMCA as secretary in Montgomery. He moved to Mobile, Alabama, about 1912 and worked for Penn Mutual Insurance. Apparently his business was quite profitable because he sent the children to expensive colleges. He was active in the Rotary Club holding important offices. He married Annie Stakely and they had 6 children. 

Annie G. Dix who married Dr. Joseph Meiers and lived in New York.

Mary B. Dix (Dollie) (b.1904) went to Judson at the same time that Madeline attended. She married Thompson McRae who was a preacher, but also entered a business during WW II and became fairly well to do. One of her sons went to MIT, worked at Cape Canaveral and had several children.

Daniel S. Dix (B.1907) went to W-L and graduated with very high grades. He returned to Mobile to work in the insurance business and shortly thereafter jumped out of the office window committing suicide.  [W-L - Washington and Lee?]

William McMurray Dix graduated in Chemistry from W-L, earned a masters at Brown. He had no natural children, but adopted one child. He died around 1988. [W-L - Washington and Lee?]

Albert Sidney Dix (b.1911) went to Howard University (now Samford) in Birmingham, then went to U. of Chicago Medical School. He met his wife, Elenor, a nurse, there. They had 2 daughters. His rock collecting is legend, see obit.

Alexander Beach Dix married Alice Webb. They had twin boys and a third son, names Dan, Lell, and ___. "Beach" died in Feb 1992. Mom said 'Beach was a lot of fun'. 

Paul Finch Dix (1875-1938) married Mary Vernon Nix. They had five children, 

Oliver Paul Dix: May 22,1903 - July 31, 1981 

Susan Elizabeth "Susie" Dix: February 9, 1906 - October 4, 1917 

Alexander Franklin "Frank"Dix:  June 26,1908 - August 7,1908 

Mary Vernon (Dix) Sproles: November 13, 1912 - 

Nell Beach (Dix) Wade: October 3, 1916 - July 16, 2001 

Jean married Howard Allaway and they had three children, Betsy, Jim and Tom. Howard worked as a technical writer and editor, including serving as editor of Popular Science and later as editor of publications for NASA. They lived in Stamford, Connecticut, Washington, DC, and the Boston area. Jean graduated from Mt Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass. Jean earned a Ph.D. from Yale and was assistant to the Assistant Librarian of Congress as an editor in Washington, D. C.

Ellen graduated from Mt. Holyoke College and married Harlan Robinson. They had two sons, Harlan and John. Ellen and Harlan divorced and Ellen married Art Cone. She and Art lived in Southern California at the time of Art's death in 1992. Ellen died about 1994. 

Madeline lived in Decatur her whole life. For many years, she maintained a summer home in Ridgecrest, NC, and later in Black Mountain, NC. She married Mr Reeves, a Baptist minister, and had one step-son.

Arthur grew up in Decatur. After his parents died, he and Madeline inherited the insurance and real estate business in Decatur in which Mom's father worked. Arthur owned a Packard automobile. He disappeared and was missing for one or more days. He was found in his car in a remote area, dead, by intentional carbon monoxide poisoning. 

From: "Ann Howell" <ahowell@net1inc.net> 
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 23:00:42 -0600 
Hi Rusty, 
 
 

I am Ann Howell, daughter of Audrey Dix Dismukes McLelland, granddaughter of Isalee Dix Dismukes, and great granddaughter of Isadora Nicoles Dix. 

My son, Tim, who is interested in genealogy, and I have just stumbled across the wonderful website at rootsweb.com that some of the rest of the clan put together. I am so impressed and delighted with what you all have done with the ancestry. 
I had just been bemoaning to Tim all those missed opportunities that are gone forever of asking the elders about the family etc. and had been trying to write down the few bits and pieces that I remembered from my past. 

Tim did a search on the computer and wham! bam! there it was with pictures and stories. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for all of you who expended time and effort to capture the past. 
 

Here are a few items I may be able to add to the record.....that is, if you are still adding to the site. 
This is from the book, "History of Escambia County": 
It tells of the building and planning for the Brewton Collegiate Institute. 

A lot was on Belleville Avenue was chosen and Charles Sowell erected a fence and planted oaks. Professor Walter R. Thompson, a Mississippian moved immediate to Brewton in the capacity of headmaster. The building was a two story structure constructed of heart-pine lumber. It was a private school, supported by student fees and stockholder certificates. The Brewton Collegiate Institute opened in September 1886, and was at once accepted as a college preparatory and vocational institution, consisting of both grammar and high schools. Prof. A.S. Dix presided over the intermediate class of males, Mrs. Kate M. Gage over the same grade of females. Miss Annie Clay presided over the primary department and Miss Dimple Dix's domain was the music department. 

So......at one time both ASD and his sister Dimple were here. 
 

When my great, great Aunt Etta died, Isadora's sister, my grandmother, who I always called E, inherited certain items. 
I went with her to Illinois to get them. My mother died Dec. 5th, 1986 and my grandmother died Dec. 10th, 1986 so some of the items have come to me. I have the china that was ordered for ASD and IND for their wedding. It is Limoges and is hand painted. The pattern is wild flowers but no two plates are the same, yet they all match beautifully. 

I also have some books that belonged to ASD and that have his signature and the date.  One of the books from Aunt Etta is a composition book that is a record of the Magnolia Circle Literary Society that was held in Brewton, AL. It was organized Friday evening, Sept 28th 1887. The bylaws were written and signed by the members. Among those are Albert S. Dix, Etta Nicoles, and Issie Nicoles. Dimple is also listed as a member but did not sign the bylaws. 
 

So....these young people were meeting once a week at various members houses during the fall and winter of 1887 and the spring of 1888.  The first meeting was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Nicoles. Etta was elected Secretary so all the writing in the book is in her hand. 

Since this email is getting to be way too long, I will send it off now. There may be a few other things I could add, if you are still working on the website. 

It is good to talk with you even over the internet. 

Ann 
ahowell@net1inc.net 

I'm so glad you found the Web page!  Until tonight, we didn't know of any of Isalee's descendants who could make online contributions to our little project.   We're glad to have you join in the search.  Do you have e-mail address for any of the other cousins from your grandmother's line? 

Lately, we've been concentrating on ASD's parents and siblings after establishing contacts with their descendants.  I don't know if Tim has ventured into that generation, but we do still have a few of the oldest cousins, well, two now that Uncle Lell's daughter Annie died this past fall.  Paul Finch Dix's daughter, Mary Vernon (Dix) Sproles and Uncle Philo's daughter, Jean Allaway, are still living.  I had nice conversations with Mary Sproles Saturday and again tonight.  Her son Ed has been keeping me busy with invaluable documents, letters and photographs.  Our cousin, Martha (Whigham) Picardy and I have been trying to find a weekend that's open for both of us to visit the older local cousins, but so far, it's still on our to-do list.

I think our parents were very close in age.  Would you check the "Who is This?" page to see if you recognize anyone?  Is that your mother at the very bottom?  How about "u-0030.jpg Studio portrait of baby girl in white dress with hand at mouth."? 

Where do you live?  It seems like I've seen the McLelland name on some family history research that Franlo sent to me a year or so ago.  It's in a box here somewhere.  At least I know who to ask for permission when I get back to that. The information you sent on the Dixes in Brewton, is pure gold!  By all means, keep things like this coming.  Any old photos, letters, or memories are still needed for the Web page.  Do you (or Tim) have a scanner?   Credit for anything that you send will be given on the Web pages.

We had heard the story that Bert & Issie met and married in Brewton, but the Alexander Franklin and Nellie Beach Dix family Bible has the location of their marriage in Decatur and I could find no record of their marriage at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/al/escambia/vitals/marriages/a.txt .  We know of no other connection to Decatur at that time, and were guessing that this was just wrong.  But, I've learned a lot about assumptions since I started this. ;-)

I'll add the new (to us) information to the Web page, ASAP.

It's past my bedtime.  I'm looking forward to learning more from you soon.

Thanks for writing,

Rusty

From: "Ann Howell" <ahowell@net1inc.net> 
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 01:22:56 -0600 

It was great to hear from you so quickly. It is way past my bed time too so I'll be brief with this. 

I live in Brewton, AL. I have always been amazed at how my past has intertwined with Brewton. I did not know until we found the web site that AFD had also lived in Brewton for a time. 

ASD and IND came from two other places to meet in Brewton. Then they moved away when the family was young. 
When my mother graduated from Montevallo, her first teaching job was in Brewton. She met my father and they married at her home in Montgomery......the big house on top of the big hill....between Montgomery and Prattville. During the war she stayed some of the time in Brewton with Daddy's family and sometimes with her family. After the war, they set up housekeeping in Brewton and we have lived here ever since. 

I believe both pictures of the blond baby are pictures of my mother. I think copies of those pictures are in her baby book that I have. 

Good night, 
Ann

Hello Ann,

RE: AFD in Brewton,  I must have mistyped.  I think I meant to say ASD.  I don't remember that "Bert's" parents lived in Brewton.  I'll go back and check.  Do you happen to remember where that reference was?

If you have time, could you see if you can find any record of ASD and IND's marriage there?  Do you know if the Brewton newspaper has archives back that far?  I suppose it's possible that they returned to Midway for AFD to preform the ceremony.  If I ever find a day to get over to Union Springs, I'll see if there's any information there.

I believe both pictures of the blond baby are pictures of my mother.  I think copies of those pictures are in her baby book that I have.

If it's still standing, could you give me directions to the Dismukes house where you mother was married.  Do you have pictures?  Martha told me that the Dismukes home was in Prattville, right next to the cemetery where Isalee (spelled "Issalee" on her grave and "Issale" in her own handwriting on a letter that we have!?) and Aubrey Sr. are buried.

One more question (for now) -- Do you have the author's name for the book History of Escambia County?

Looking forward to hearing from you again,
Rusty
 

From: "Ann Howell" <annh@magbelle.com> 
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 01:39:27 -0600 

Hello, again, Rusty, 

It seems that you are a night bird as I am. :-)

I may have misread AFD for ASD for being in Brewton. I have read so much lately, I can't keep it all straight. I have not been able to find a web site similar to yours for the Dismukes, but I have unearthed Aunt Bernice's two inch thick research w/some pictures of the Dismukes clan so we more or less know who we are through my mother's family 
I am diligently looking for pictures. My sister Joy, who is unmarried, lives in the house where Mother and Daddy lived and most of the pictures are stored there. She loves this sort of thing so she is all fired-up to locate and go through the pictures. I have looked through some I have but most are just snap shots and I'm not sure they will scan well. I have the obligatory four generations picture with Granny Dix, E, Mother and I which would be nice to send. I have several others too. It may take a little while but be assured we will find them. After E's death, Sarah and Dan got most of the pictures that did not pertain to a particular child. Joy or I will contact them and either go to them and go through the pictures or ask them to send them. 

Brewton has a fairly active historical society and maintains an "Alabama" room at the local community college. They have many records on microfiche. I have been there and searched the marriage records for the latter part of 1880 for ASD and IND. I did not know the year of their marriage until I found your web site. There is no record of the marriage in Escambia county. There was a newspaper in Brewton during that time and the issues are on microfiche. I have used them researching other family members on my husband's side. I need to go back and see if the Dixes or Nicoles made the papers. There was quite a bit of social news so I wouldn't be surprised. 

Getting you a picture of the china would be no problem. I have a digital camera and can do that with fine. I will see how the composition book scans. The ink is fading, but I will see if I can scan it and then type you a transcription.

The Dismukes house is no longer standing. Every time I go by there it makes me so sad I almost cry. Granddaddy was a farmer all his life as far as I know and they lived in that house until his death. I'll check on this with Dan, but I think I'm correct in that he worked for McQueen-Smith Farms. The house was part of the farm and did not belong to Granddaddy. They bought what was known as the river place and always thought to build and move there when he retired. They must have come to that house when they married or soon after because I have seen pictures with various children, including my mother who was the first-born at the house. Granddaddy farmed huge acreage, mostly in cotton. He also had cattle. It has been so long since I have been by there, but I think you turn by the Holiday Inn from I-65 and it is on that highway going toward Prattville. When I was little it was such an adventure going to E's house. I would watch out the window of the car until I could spot the long steep hill with the big oak trees at the top. It seemed to be a quarter to a half mile from the highway up and up a red clay road. There would be cotton planted from the highway up to the beginning of the big yard. The house seemed huge to me. I remember at night you could sit on the porch and see a drive-in movie screen over in Montgomery.

Granny Dix lived with E there for a good while. I don't know if the children had an arrangement for her living with one or another of them for a time. I can remember her though. Her bedroom was separated from the rest of the house by the dining room and kitchen. She was so sweet tempered and never complained although I seem to remember that she was in pain.

After Granddaddy's death, E bought the little house in Prattville. Granddaddy was buried in the little graveyard of Rocky Mountain(?) church just a little further up the red clay road from the farm house. A few years later E had his grave moved to the cemetery right behind her house and that is where she is buried. For a while, Nick (William Nicoles Dismukes) took Granddaddy's place in farming and lived in the big farm house. He lived there with his wife and children. 
At some point he stopped farming for M/S and moved from the house. Some time later the house was torn down and a large, but flat, ranch type house was built on the hill. It just does *not* look right. 
I'm sure there must be a picture of the house somewhere. I will look. It forms the background of many pictures but you can't tell much about it from various close-ups.

The History of Escambia County Alabama was written by Annie C. Waters and was published in 1993, the ISBN is 
0-87152-463-5. 

I have probably told you more than you ever wanted to know so I'll find my bed now. :-)   Just be assured that E's progeny will be at work so that her section won't be so bare. 

Ann 

Rusty, 
This is a picture of the Dismukes' house on the hill. If you have any suggestions for making the files smaller let me know. I haven't done much emailing with the scanner pictures. 
I'm not going to do any more until I hear from you if it got through O.K. and if I need to do something to make the file smaller. 
Ann
 

Dismukes Home #2

The photo is just fine.  It is a little too large, but I can easily scale it down to fit the Web page and I'd rather have it that way.  That way, I can maintain the maximum detail balanced against fitting it on the page.  Keep doing the others just like this one.  300 DPI resolution is fine for the Web page, but if you'd like to print higher resolution copies of the originals for yourself or others, that's fine too.  I can work with that just as easily -- it just takes a bit longer to send/receive.   I just appreciate that you are doing this for us.

I do have a few pictures of the Dismukes line that Lyn Simonton (Eleanor's daughter) loaned to me.  I'll put those up this weekend and let you know so you won't have to send any duplicates.  I'll need the dates (or approximate dates) with names and locations for these.  If there are captions on the backs of any, please type this inside quote marks.

From our timeline:  03/24/1898 ASD's daughter, Isalee born in Butler GA (Location inferred from surrounding dates)

Is this correct?

Have to go to work.

Thanks again,
Rusty
 

Hello Ann,

Check out http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/issale.htm

These (except for several images of the house at the bottom) are all we have of Issale/Issalee/Isalee -- is there a family consensus on the spelling?

Please look it over and send me a list of corrections that need to be made or any suggestions that you may have.  As you'll see, all of these are after your grandmother was in late adolescence, or as an adult.  If you have any of her as a child, they would be nice additions.  Same of the other family members when they lived in and around Macon, as well as any of Granny Dix.  The older, the more valuable.

Where is the newer house (at the bottom of the Web page) located? 

Do you know who I'm talking about when I mentioning names of our generation of cousins: Martha, Lyn, Franlo, or do I need to make introductions when I speak of them?

I was born September 4, 1945.  I have the vaguest of memories of having frozen custard at some Dix gathering back in the late '40's.  For some reason, I've always thought it was at the Dismukes home, but I don't really have any other memory except for how good it was -- and probably an "ice cream headache". ;-)

My father, Dix Whigham, was closest to Aubrey Jr. who we called "Diz" (and his son, "Dizzo"), but I recall that he felt a special fondness for Audrey -- the sister he never had -- because they were born only days apart.

Looking forward to lots of images and stories now,

Rusty

From: "Ann Howell" <annh@magbelle.com> 
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 02:05:59 -0600 

Hi Rusty, 

E's web page is looking much better. It's late so I will wait until tomorrow to go into any detail. 
I have spelled E's name Isalee. I have looked back through some of Mother's letters to and from her and it is always spelled Issalee so I suppose that is correct. When I was born she did not want to be called any of the Granny, Grandmother type names. Dan is just four years older than I am so she must have thought she was too young for those names. They tried to get me to call her Lee, but it came out E. That's what all the grands and even some of her children used when they spoke of her. 

I was born January 11, 1944 so I am a little older than you. I was born in Montgomery and went home from the hospital to the Dismukes farm. My dad was in the Air Force so I spent more time there than in Brewton for the first three or four years of my life. The Dismukes house has always been the home of my heart and Granddaddy meant more to me than just a grandfather. Because my father was away, Granddaddy was the one who rocked me and told me stories and took up time with me. I was devastated when he died. I was just seven. 

Every summer there was a huge gathering. Neighbors, family, workers...all came. There was a shed a ways from the house, the workers dug a big hole and put a dressed hog on bricks. It baked for more than a day, it seems. There was always ice cream. This may be the time you are remembering. 

I am still checking into the information of the Dismukes home. Of the eight children of E, only four are still living. 
I thought Sarah would be helpful, but she is in very ill health and she was not interested in even discussing the past. When Joy asked her about the pictures, she said that she knew she had some, but she didn't know where they were. 
I think she has most of the very, very old pictures. The ones that would be of E as a child or of a young Granny Dix. 
I have been emailing with Albert, but he is not much interested in family history either. He did identify himself in the 1930 family reunion picture as the chubby blonde boy who someone thought might be him. 

I sent him as email tonight with a bunch of questions but I don't know if he will answer or not.  I called Dan but did not get an answer, but I will try later. I will do my best, but the going gets tough when the primary sources don't care to share. 
Anyway, from Aunt Bernice' s Dismukes's history, the house was built in 1890 by James Jackson Dismukes, and came to Granddaddy after he died. This *was* the Dismukes home place. At some point.....I am still trying to get this info-for myself rather than a Dix history.....Granddaddy sold the land to McQueen/Smith Farms with the stipulation that the home place and the surrounding land stayed with the Dismukes as long as a Dismukes wanted to live there. It remained with the Dismukes until late 60's early 70's when Nick left the farm. 

The last newer house at the bottom was where E lived from the time she left the farm until she died. After her death it was sold. 

Joy lives here in Brewton in the house Mother and Daddy built. 

I don't believe that I have met any of the "cousins" although it is possible. I am able to figure out who you are mentioning by checking on the website for the most part. 

It is good that you put up the pictures you already have of the E bunch. I have most of those pictures too. As you said there is no need to duplicate. I may not be able to do much more with pictures unless Dan has some and is willing to share. I will try to get you pictures of the china and the Magnolia Circle book and any of the older items you might find interesting. Do *not* feel that you need to put everything I send you on the website. Some things might just be of interest to you or/and the cousins and might not have a place on the web site. 
I have really enjoyed emailing with you. 
Talk to you later. 
Ann

December 2, 2002 
To:  warriors752002@yahoo.com 
From:  rwhigham@mindspring.com 
Subject:  BullockCt., AL

Hello Ms Gantt,

I found the link to your Bullock County Web page http://www.rootsweb.com/~albulloc/ on RootsWeb Review.  I have been looking into my paternal grandmothers family DIX which includes two different stints in Bullock County, namely Union Springs, Midway, and Pine Grove.  The Bullock county connection begins with my GGgrandfather, Alexander Franklin Dix, who came to the South in 1859; stayed through 1871; returned in 1883 and stayed until moving to Montgomery in 1897.  Two of his daughters are buried in the Midway Baptist Church cemetery.  Hattie Lillis "Dimple" (Dix) Hall, married James Hall and live all of her adult life in Pine Grove. 

The Web page I've started is little more that a repository for any information I can get right now, but my goal is to put the family history in a narrative form ... some day.  You can find it at:  http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~albertsidneydix/

The Bullock County references are condensed in the link at the top of the main page called "Timeline".  I haven't even been to the library in Union Springs yet, but hope to see if I can find and references to the "Classical Institute" , when the Rev. Joseph Dill may have served as pastor at the Baptist Church in Union Springs. 

Looking forward to learning more about their time in Bullock County,

Russell 

[So far, I've had no reply from Ms Gantt.]
 

Since our circle of contacts for our Dix cousins has grown considerably, I thought it might be helpful to list them here.  If you know of someone who would like to be added.  Conversely, if you'd rather not be included on the list, just let me know.

Albert Sidney Dix's Descendants:

rainbows@hemc.net (Charlie Brundage): Nelle (Dix) Smith/Rowden/Montgomery/ Etta (Smith)Brundage/Charlie Brundage Jr. 
Pammy145@hotmail.com (Pam  & Jim Noble)  Charlie and Barbara Brundage's daughter 

Shirtail35@aol.com (Shirley Jarrett):  Nelle (Dix) Smith/Rowden/Montgomery; Etta Smith Brundage/Shirley (Brundage) Jarrett 
ShortCloggingMom@aol.com (Jeannie Mobley): Shirley (Brundage) Jarrett's daughter 

shannons@bellsouth.net (Alice Newman Shannon):  Nelle (Dix) Smith / Rowden / Montgomery / Nelljie (Smith) Newman / Alice Newman Shannon 
jjshannon@yahoo.com (Jeff Shannon) Alice's son 

dixiebell2@juno.com  (Pat, wife of Bill Dix) : Francis Albert Dix "Uncle Buddy"/William E. "Bill" Dix 
dix1@worldnet.att.net (Annie Dix):  Bill Dix's younger daughter 
cherrytart1221@hotmail.com (Pam Dix Pierce):  Bill Dix's older daughter 
captaincolorone@netscape.net (Butch Dix) Bill Dix's son

crdix@southernco.com (Randy Dix):  Francis Albert Dix "Uncle Buddy"/Bert Dix/Randy 
tarnerkevin@hotmail.com (Kevin Tarner):  Bert's adopted son 

FRANLO0105@aol.com (Frances and Charlie Chapman):  Francis Albert Dix /Frances Dix Chapman 
sunnyAtl57@aol.com (Donna Summer):  Daughter of Frances Dix Chapman 
Dycc16@aol.com (Debbie Cook):  Daughter of Frances Dix Chapman 
saltydogclc@aol.com (Chuck Chapman):  Son of  Frances Dix Chapman 

tsimonton@earthlink.net (Tom & Lyn Simonton):   Eleanor (Dix) Smith/ Lyn (Smith) Simonton 

rwhigham@mindspring.com (Russell Whigham):  Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Dix Whigham/Russell "Rusty" 
whighjr@bellsouth.net (John & Amy Whigham):  Russell's son and his wife Amy 
suzanne.whigham@mindspring.com (Suzanne Whigham Cheek):  Russell's daughter 

JIMTUCKER2@aol.com (Jim & Ginny Tucker):  Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Dix Whigham/Virginia "Ginny" (Whigham) Tucker & husband, Jim 
amybutler@bellsouth.net (Amy and Andrew Butler):  Ginny & Jim's daughter and her husband Andrew 
jimbo_tucker@yahoo.com (Jimbo Tucker):  Ginny & Jim's son, James A. Tucker III 

mpicardy@mindspring.com (Martha Picardy): Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Ralph Whigham Jr./ Martha (Whigham) Picardy 
tpicardy@mindspring.com (Thomas Picardy):  Martha's son 

navemac2001@aol.com (Evan McIntyre): Ruth (Dix) Whigham/Ralph Whigham Jr./Alma Dix "Dixie" (Whigham) McIntyre/ Evan 

ahowell@net1inc.net  (Ann Howell) daughter of Audrey Dismukes, grandaughter of Issalee Dismukes

“Lell” Daniel Dix's Descendants

HapEFella2@aol.com (Tom McRae Jr., son of  Mary Belle "Dollie" (Dix) McRae) 
dmcrae@spacey.net (Daniel D. McRae, son of  Mary Belle "Dollie" (Dix) McRae)) 
momus@apexmail.com (Ellen McRae. daughter of Daniel McRae)
dennychanac@juno.com  (McRae, Dennis)
khjklujn@netscape.net  (McRae, Danny)
 

Paul Finch Dix's Descendants

JoanieTwo@msn.com  (Joan Dix Smith, Oliver's daughter, Paul's granddaughter, Lives in Huntsville area)
kensuinoh@comcast.net   (Ken & Suzy Demirjian, Suzy is Joan Dix Smith's daughter, Paul's great-grandaughter)
vamoe@rhtc.net  (Ginny Moe, Joan Dix Smith's daughter, lives in Rock Hill, SC)

SCleveland@CabanissMobile.com  (Suzanne Cleveland, Oliver's Daughter, lives in Mobile) 
stefan@artistservicesinc.com  (Stefan Cleveland, Suzannne Dix Cleveland's son  Lives in DC) 
daughteremo@opusnet.com  (Elizabeth Cleveland, Suzanne's daughter)

pauldix_208@yahoo.com    (Paul Dix, Frank Dix's son, lives in Montana, presently in Nicaragua)
kdix@ceva.net  (Keith Dix, Frank Dix's son, Lives in Virginia, near Charlottesville)

ess@alum.mit.edu  (Edward Sproles, son of Mary Vernon Dix Sproles)

deltadream@juno.com  (Nell Wade, Cissy Nell's daughter)
jwadeii3201@aol.com    (John Wade, Nell's son)
mim9010@aol.com      (Miriam Wade, John's daughter, Nell's grandaughter )

FDWJR6755@aol.com  (Floyd Wade, Nell's son)
 rwade56628@aol.com    (Rebecca Wade, Floyd's daughter, Nell's grandaughter)
kellyw0208@aol.com    (Buck Wade, Floyd's son, Nell's grandson)

Philo Castle Dix’s Descendants

hhrobinson321@comcast.net  (Harlan & Linda Robinson, Ellen Dix's son, Philo's grandson, Arlington, VA) 
AChrobin@us-state.osis.gov    (Harlan Robinson, Ellen Dix's son, Philo's grandson, Arlington, VA) 
linda_robinson@dai.com   (Linda Robinson, Harlan's wife)

JimAllaway@aol.com    (Jim Allaway, Jean Dix's son, Philo's grandson)
elizabeth.davis@umb.edu   (Betsy Davis, Jean Dix's daugher, Philo's granddaugher, lives on or near Cape Cod)

Hattie Lillis “Dimple” (Dix) Hall’s Descendants

jlyon@Hiwaay.net  (Mike Lyon and Caroline Harriette (Hall) Lyons)
 

Ed Sproles Jr. has sent enough new material to justify a volume of its own, which will follow soon.  The help I'm receiving from you all, is summed up by this, from Martha Whigham Picardy:

... The thing that always strikes me is: each of us contributes just a piece or two and the picture of our past family enlarges and they become more real to us. I 
grow to appreciate their lives and the character and value of just good living that they passed on, in part, to shape who we are.
 

Until next time,

Rusty