Kelley Dixon
The man who has lived ninety years in this country was born when John Quincy Adams was President of the United States. One of the oldest men of Fayette county is Kelley Dixon, who was born in Bedford county. Virginia, in the year 1823. His life has been replete with interesting incidents and this brief sketch can do little more than mention most of them. As a young man he made the trip overland to California in 1849, but unlike most of those who made the trip. he came back with his pockets full of gold. He promptly invested his money in Fayette county land and is now probably the largest land holder in the county. He has eighteen hundred acres of fine land in Wayne township, being one of the four men of the county to own more than a thousand acres of land.
The parents of Kelley Dixon were I'homas and Margaret (Clance) Dixon, both natives of Kentucky. Early in their married career they moved to Kentucky where Thomas Dixon became the overseer of the slaves on a large plantation. In 1834 Thomas Dixon and his family moved to the state of Ohio and located on tiie river near Ripley in Brown county. A few years later they permanently settled in Fayette county and bought land in Wayne township. Thomas was a soldier in the War of 1812, his father, also called Thomas, being a Revolutionary soldier. Thomas Dixon, Sr., and wife are buried in Kentucky and his son, Thomas, Jr., and wife are buried at Good Hope, in Fayette county. To Thomas Dixon, Jr., and wife were born eight children. Abner, Ellis. Kelley, Susan, Richard, Henry, Jane and Giles. All of these children are now deceased with the exception of Kelley, Giles, Richard and Jane.
Kelley Dixon removed with his parents from Virginia to Kentucky and thence to Ohio, arriving in the latter state when he was eleven years of age. Consequently his education was received in Kentucky and Ohio, but. owing to the limited school facilities of his day. his education was very meager. In 1849, at the time the California gold fever was at its height, he went overland with a party to that state to seek his fortune in the gold mines. They had considerable trouble with the Indians on the way to the west, but finally reached there safely. He met with good success in his mining operations and returned a few years later with considerable gold. The return trip was made by way of the Isthmus of Panama and was filled with many exciting experiences.
On returning to Fayette county Mr. Dixon decided to invest the most of his hard-earned wealth in good farming land and in so doing exhibited good foresight. The land, which was cheap at that time, is now worth several times what he paid for it in the fifties. He has long since retired from active farm life, although he still retains the general supervision of his large estate.
Mr. Dixon was married in 1855 to Armilda Brakefield. who died about six years ago. To this marriage were born four children, Sheridan, Jeanette and two who died in infancy. Sheridan, who died in May, 1914. married Ethel Shobe and has one son, Kelley. Jeanette married first William H. Rodgers. His death occurred in 1901, and they had six children, Kelley, Robert. Ernest, Hamilton, Ola and Mary. Mrs. Rodgers married for her second husband H. D. Hoppes.
Politically, Mr. Dixon has been a Democrat for the past seventy years and has alwavs been one of the advisers of his party in local affairs. He has nevr wished for office, but has frequently assisted his friends to political preferment. He has long been identified with the Methodist Episcopal church and is a consistent member, as was his wife dnring her life time. Mr. Dixon is one of the oldest pioneers of the county and links the past with the present. He is still hale and hearty and can recount many interesting stories of the old days. He is now facing the evening of life and can look back over a long life filled with good deeds and feel that he has not lived in vain, that he has made the community where he has spent so many years the better because of his presence.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)