Beckwith, H. W. History of Fountain County, Indiana. Chicago: HH
Hill, 1881, p. 327-328.
Marshall Nixon, dealer in implements, grain, lumber, brick, staves and
heading, and shipper of live stock, Veedersburg, one of the leading business men
in this part of the state, was born in Racine county, Wisconsin, in 1847, and
is the son of John and Maria Nixon. The former was a native of Ohio, and
emigrated to Wisconsin in the time of its early settlement, while the red men
were yet plenty in the forests, and there raised a family of nine children,
seven of which are living; one died in the late war, another was discharged from
the service because of ill health. In 1866 Mr. John Nixon went to Idaho, and
was shot in his door by the Indians, in his fiftieth year. Marshall Nixon’s
mother, a native of New York state, now lives in Racine, Wisconsin. Marshall
Nixon remained on the farm with his father, working in the summer and attending
the district school during the winter, till he was sixteen; then he came to
Attica, this county, and went into the employ of his uncle, P. S. Veeder,
under whom he received his business education, with the exception of some two
months’ instruction at Eastman’s Business College, of Chicago, Illinois. While
in the employ of P. S. Veeder he lost no opportunity by which he could earn
something, and not infrequently assisted at unloading cars and canal-boats
after his day’s work was done for his employer. Thus, by economy and industry,
he soon was able to conduct business for himself. He engaged in buying and
shipping poultry and scrap iron, not largely but with success. In 1872, in
connection with P. S. Veeder, he came to Veedersburg, while it was yet in its
infancy, and opened the first warehouse and lumberyard in that place. This
prospered, and in 1874 he, with James Martin, of Attica, who sold his interest in
1877, added farm implements to his business. In 1877, in partnership with
John Lightle, he added a stave and heading factory. In 1879, in connection with
Mr. Bogan, added brick-making; all of which have proved profitable. In
addition to these he has been engaged since he located here in buying and shipping
live stock, and is operating a tight-barrel factory in Peoria, Illinois, and
was engaged for a time in the grain trade at Mount Pulaski, Illinois. In
his employment at this time are 150 men. He was married in 1877 to Miss
Florence Cade a native of Fountain county, and daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth
Cade, By this union he has one child, Clarence V., now two years old. His wife is
a member of the Presbyterian church. He is a member of the Veedersburg
lodge, A.F. and A.M. Is a strong member of the republican party; was candidate for
the office of state representative in 1878.
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