George Washington Nix was born March 12, 1858 and lived all his life in Berrien or Lanier County, GA. His mother was Margaret Ann Mullis. His father, William Varnell “Varn” Nix, fought in the Civil War, enlisting in Company E 54th Georgia Infantry Regiment on May 6, 1862 in Milltown (Now Lakeland), GA.
In the census of 1860, he appears in the household of William S. Allen, who was a Berrien County miller.
About 1881 George W. Nix married Piety Ann Rowe. She was the daughter of Charlotte Williams and Joseph Josiah Rowe. Her father served as a Private in Company I, 50th Regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry and died of pneumonia during the war. Piety Anne was two years old when her father died.
After marriage George and Piety Ann raised crops and children in Berrien county, GA. Between 1882 and 1902, Piety Ann gave birth nine times.
Children of George W. Nix and Piety Ann Rowe:
Joseph Varn Nix (1882-1963) – served as Sheriff of Berrien County, GA
Eli Lester Nix (1884-1927)
William Frank Nix (1886-1978)
Missouri Arzilla Nix (1888-1966)
Maggie Lee Nix(1891-1921)
Elbert James Nix(1893-1971)
Richard Miles Nix(1895-1978)
Thomas Calvin Nix(1897-1973)
Annie Belle (1897–1973)
Charlie Columbus Nix (1902-2002)
In the census of 1900, the first eight of these children were still at home. In addition, Piety Ann’s mother, Charlotte “Lottie” Williams Rowe was living with the family in 1900. At the time, she was drawing a Confederate Veterans Widow’s Pension of $100 annually from the State of Georgia. The Nix farm was located in the 1148th Georgia Militia District, in the community of “Hill.”
Piety Ann Nix died May 16, 1908.
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The widower George Washington Nix was left with a household still full of minor children and with his mother-in-law, Lottie Williams Rowe.
On July 20, 1909 G. W. Nix married Arkansas Cook Hughes in a ceremony performed by Noah Tyler, Minister of God. Born Laura Arkansas Cook , she was the 54 year-old widow of William Hansford Hughes, and her own children were already grown.
Marriage Certificate of George W. Nix and Arkansas Hughes, July 4, 1909, Berrien County, GA. The marriage ceremony was performed by Noah Tyler, Minister of God. Marriage Books, Berrien County Ordinary Court, Georgia Archives. http://cdm.sos.state.ga.us/u?/countyfilm,189046
Grave marker of Arkansas Cook, b. Nov. 13, 1853 d. Dec. 24, 1911. Born Laura Arkansas Cook, she was the second wife of George Washington Nix. She is buried next to her first husband, William Hansford Hughes, at Empire Cemetery, Lanier County, GA. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=38845663
G.W. and Arkansas made their home in the upper 10th district of Berrien county, where George and his sons continued to farm. The census of 1910 enumerates the household of George and Arkansas, with George’s children Elbert, Miles, Thomas, Belle, and Columbus. Also still residing in the Nix home was Lottie Rowe, mother of his first wife.
The marriage of Arkansas and George Washington Nix was not to endure for long. Arkansas died December 24, 1911. The short union of Arkansas Cook Hughes and George Washington Nix was without issue.
Arkansas Cook was buried next to her first husband, William Hansford Hughes, a few miles northeast of Ray City, at Empire Primitive Baptist Church, Lanier County, GA. The two graves share a single white marble monument.
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G.W. Nix, the subject of this post, married a third time. On March 5, 1912, at age 53 he married Dicy Valeria Tyler Hill, believed to be the daughter of Noah and Lucindy Tyler. She was the 30-year-old widow of Walter W. Hill. She had four children of her own; Bessie Lee Hill, Lewis Felton Hill, Agnes V. Hill, and Walter Hill all under age 10.
Marriage certificate of G.W. Nix and D.V. Hill, Berrien County, GA. Marriage Books, Berrien County Ordinary Court, Georgia Archives. http://cdm.sos.state.ga.us/u?/countyfilm,189046
For at least a short time it is likely that the household of Valeria and George W. Nix was a blended family that included children of his first marriage, his step children, and children by his third wife. But there is little enough published evidence of this connection.
What is known is that Thomas Nix, son of G.W. Nix, married Bessie Hill, daughter of Dicy Valeria Hill on December 24, 1913 in Berrien County, GA. Father and son married mother and daughter.
Marriage Certificate of Tom Nix and Bessie Hill, Berrien County,GA. Marriage Books, Berrien County Ordinary Court, Georgia Archives http://cdm.sos.state.ga.us/u?/countyfilm,189098
As further evidence of the blended Nix family , Lucius and his mother,Valeria, appear together with other children of George Washington Nix in a photograph taken about 1965. Missouri Arzilla Nix, daughter of Piety Ann Rowe Nix, died in 1966.
Dicy Valeria Tyler Hill Nix, Wife of George Washington Nix, and the Nix children, photographed circa 1965. Front Row: Dicy Valeria Tyler Hill Nix, Joe Varn Nix, William Franklin Nix, Missouri Arzilla Nix Ray. Back Row: Lucius Nix, Columbus Charles Nix, Thomas Calvin Nix, Elbert Nix. Lucius was the son of Valeria and G.W. Nix. All others were the children of Piety Ann Rowe and G.W. Nix. (image courtesy of http://berriencountyga.com/)
By the time of the 1920 census, all of the children of George W. Nix and his first wife had left home. George and Valeria owned a home on Washington Street in Nashville, GA. He was self-employed as the merchant of a “fish store.” Enumerated in the Nix household are his step-children (Valeria’s previous children apparently took the Nix surname), and the children of George and Valeria:
George W Nix 60
Velora Nix 40
Felton H Nix 16
Agnes Nix 12
Walter Nix 9
Lucius Nix 6
George W Nix 4
Lucindy Nix 2
Some time prior to 1930, George W. Nix moved his family to Ray City, GA. His son, Eli Lester Nix, resided at Ray City where he managed his own crosstie operation. Eli Lester Nix died in 1927, leaving behind his widow, Eliza Jane, and five small children. Perhaps the loss of his son influenced George W. Nix’s decision to move to Ray City.
At the time of the 1930 census, George W. Nix owned a home in town at Ray City valued at $700, free and clear of mortgage. He was working for hire as a drayman. A drayman was historically the driver of a dray, a low, flat-bed wagon without sides, pulled generally by horses or mules, that were used for transport of all kinds of goods.
The 1930 census enumerated the following in the Ray City household of George W. Nix:
George W Nix 72, Head of household
Velora Nix 48, wife
Gladys Nix 9, daughter
Noah Nix 5, son
As given in the previous post, George Washington Nix Killed by Automobile, G.W. Nix died on February 10, 1932.
After his death, his widow, Dicy Valeria Tyler Nix, continued to live in Ray City, GA. She died there on 7 Oct 1967. She is buried at Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church, Nashville, GA along with many others of the Nix family connection.
Grave marker of Valeria Tyler Nix, b. Dec. 29, 1881 d. Oct. 7, 1967, Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church, Nashville, Berrien County, GA.
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