Hon. Zachary Taylor Nixon

NIXON, FUNK

Posted By: Rebecca Foster (email)
Date: 8/22/2015 at 18:02:08

OBITUARY OF HON. Z. T. NIXON

Former Well Known Crawford County Citizen Who Later Moved to Dakota, Died January 20th.

MEMBER DAKOTA LEGISLATURE.

Moved to Crawford in 1872 and to Dakota in 1902—Honorable and influential Citizen.

Hon. Z. T. Nixon, a resident of Crawford county for thirty years, died at his home at Corsica, S. D., on Thursday, January 20th, after an illness of more than two years' duration. The news of the death of Mr. Nixon will cast a deep gloom among his many friends in Crawford county who had been so closely associated with him for so many years.

A copy of the Corsica Globe, which reached this office, had the following to say in regard to his death, which will be of interest to many of our readers who were acquainted with this estimable man:

Hon. Z.T. Nixon died at his home in Corsica last Thursday afternoon, Jan. 20, 1916, after a lingering illness of almost two years’ duration. About thirty years ago Mr. Nixon suffered a severe attack of pneumonia which left him very weak and for some time his life was despaired of during the sickness. After the sickness he was left with a bad cough and any little cold that he would take would greatly irritate this. About two years ago when he was at Rochester, Minn. with It is wife, who died there, he contracted a severe cold and pneumonia set in. This disease was checked, but lie was left in such a weak condition that he never recovered and from month to month thereafter kept getting weaker until the end came last Thursday.

Zachary Taylor Nixon was born at Lyons (now Clinton) Iowa, on July f8, 1849), and died at Corsica on Jan. 20, 1916, being at the time of his death, 66 years, 6 months and 12 days of age. At the age of twelve years he moved, with his parents to Charlotte, where he attended the public schools and gained some experience in a general store. In 1872 he moved onto a farm in Crawford county and on Sept. 29, 1873,. he was united in marriage to Miss Lois Hall, to which union six children were born, four of whom are still living, namely: Herbert L. Nixon, Mrs. Eunice M. Funk and Allison H. Nixon, of Corsica, and Floyd A. Nixon, of Stickney. Earl B. died in infancy and F. Burr Nixon lost his life in a railroad accident in 1903.

From Crawford county Mr. Nixon and family moved to Douglas county in 1902, where they, located on a half section of land southeast of Corsica, and where they resided until 1910, when they moved to Corsica, where Mr. Nixon, together with his son, Herbert. bought out and conducted a hard ware and machinery establishment. The business was kept up until a few, months ago when Mr. Nixon and son sold out. On Jan. 28, 1914. Mrs. Nixon died and since that time Mr. Nixon has been practically an invalid and although everything possible that loving hands and physicians could do was done, he did not improve in health, but kept getting weaker.

Mr. Nixon was an honorable citizen, and a loving and faithful husband and father. He was greatly interested in educational and political affairs in the community in which he lived and faithfully served on school and town ship boards and for two terms (1911 and 1913) represented Douglas county as a member of the state legislature.

In business affairs he was successful and was a man that held the friendship and faith of all who knew him. He will be greatly missed, but the world has been made better by his having lived here and taken active part in all important affairs.

The funeral was held on Saturday, short services being conducted at the house in the morning and the remains taken to Armour where funeral services were conducted at the Congregational church, Rev. Williams conducting same. The remains were laid to rest beside the body of his wife in Pleasant Ridge cemetery.

Besides the above" mentioned children, two sisters, Mrs. E. R. Hall and Mrs. E. T. Shirtcliff, of Lacomb, Alberta, Canada, are left to mourn his departure.

Source: The Denison Review, Denison, Crawford, Ia., 02 Feb 1916.