George P. Nixon

GEORGE P. NIXON is one of the enterprising members of the business community of Downs, has a large implement house which supplies a considerable part of the territory in Osborne County, and is also the present mayor of that thriving little city.

Mr. Nixon was born in Chicago, Illinois, October 1, 1870. His grandfather was n native of Dumfries, Scotland, but spent most of his active life as a farmer in Pennsylvania, where he died. John Nixon, his son, was born in Pennsylvania in 1830 and grew up and married at Durham, Pennsylvania, where he was an iron worker. During the early '60s he moved to Chicago and was employed in the rolling mills there. In 1871, the year of the great Chicago fire, he moved to an Illinois farm, and in the fall of 1876 joined the tide of emigration to Northern Kansas, locating in Smith County, where he homesteaded a quarter section. He lived on that homestead the rest of his life, and died there in 1886. The quarter section is still part of his estate. He was an unswerving advocate of the republican party and principles, and was a member of the Congregational Church. John Nixon married Matilda McConnell, who was born in the north of Ireland in 1838 and died at Downs, Kansas, in 1914. They were the parents of seven children: Anna G. is the wife of Frank Cole, a butcher living at Downs; Carrie is the wife of T. M. Walker, president of the McPike Drug Company of Kansas City, Missouri; Mary is the wife of U. J. Smith, of Lawrence, Kansas; John W. is district manager for the International Harvester Company at Minneapolis, Minnesota; George P. is the fifth in age; Mable E. is unmarried and a teacher in the public schools at Lawrence, Kansas; Norman W. lives at Downs and travels for the Faeth Iron Company of Kansas City, Missouri.

George P. Nixon was six years old when his parents moved to Kansas, and he grew up on his father's farm and attended the rural schools of Smith County. He remained at home to the age of thirty, in the meantime assisting on the home farm and finally taking charge of it as its responsible manager, and also farming other land of his own. On leaving the farm he was engaged in the implement business at Portis, Kansas, until 1910, since which year his home and business interests have been centered at Downs. He bought the old H. D. Washburn implement business, which he still owns and conducts. He also has a good home in Downs. He was elected mayor in the spring of 1916, and has more than justified the confidence of his friends during his municipal administration. Mr. Nixon is a republican and is affiliated with Downs Lodge No. 204, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Osborne Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Osborne Council, Royal and Select Masters, Downs Lodge of Odd Fellows and Downs Camp of Modern Woodmen of America.

In 1899, at Downs, he married Miss Nancy Ingram, daughter of F. J. and Nancy (Sager) Ingram, both now deceased. Her father was a farmer and later a clothing merchant at Downs, and was always an enthusiastic leader in the local Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Nixon have two children: George Kirkland, born February 17, 1905, in the eighth grade of the public schools, and John Bruce, born October 28, 1912, a primary pupil in the public schools.

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