JOHN DIXON, the founder of Dixon, was born in the village of Rye, Westchester County, N. Y., October 9, 1784. At an early age he removed to New York City, where for about fifteen years he was the proprie­tor of a clothing store. In addition to the success­ful prosecution of business he was untiring in his efforts for the promotion of temperance and relig­ious interests,and in this connection became one of the active members and directors of the first Bible Society organized in the United States. This was organized February 16, 1809, under the name of “The Young Men’s Bible Society, of the City of New York.” While thus engaged, premonitory symptoms of a pulmonary disease manifested them­selves, making a change of climate necessary, and in 1820 he set out for Illinois. He settled near Springfield, Ill. In 1825 Judge Sawyer, whose circuit nominally embraced Northwestern Illinois, requested Mr. Dixon to take the appointment of Circuit Clerk, and remove to the then village of Peoria. The Government decided upon giving Galena mail facilities once in two weeks, and Mr. Dixon got the contract. In order to secure a passage for the mails over Rock River, he induced a man by the name of Ojee—a French and Indian half-breed—to establish a ferry at the point, now known as Dixon. This done, the travel to and from the lead mines so rapidly increased that Ogee’s coffers became full—too full indeed for his moral powers to bear; the result was constant inebriation. To avoid the delays in the trans­mission of the mails which these irregularities entailed, Mr. Dixon bought the. ferry from Ogee, and in April, 1895, removed his family to that point. From that date the place as a point for crossing the river, became known as Dixon’s Ferry. At that time a large portion of the Winnebago tribe of Indians occupied this part of the Rock River country. Mr. Dixon so managed his business relations with them as to secure their entire confidence and friendship, which on the return of the Sauks and Foxes, under their war chief Black Hawk in 1832, proved to be of inestimable benefit to himself and family. He was recognized by them as the “red man’s friend.” He entered the land upon which the most valuable part of the (now) city of Dixon stands, and in 1895 laid it off into town lots. In this connertion it may not be improper to say that all the land thus subdivided were disposed of from time to time, and the avails, instead of being hoarded for individual use, have gone to build up the general interests of the city. In 1840, Mr. Dixon visited Washington with an application for the removal of the land office from Galena to Dixon, and Gen. Scott, and perhaps other army olficers, personal friends of Mr. Dixon, who had become familiar with the topography of the country during the Black Hawk war, promptly interested themselves in his behalf, and instroduced him to President Van Buren, who at once signed the order for its removal. Mr. Dixon’s wife, formerly Rebecca Sherwood, of New York, a lady of superior mental rapacity and energy, shared with her husband the toils and tribulations incident to frontier life. He has witnessed the growth of the "Ferry" from a condition of wild grass and shubery to that of a busy city of 5000 inhabitants, bearing his honored name. He is honored and respected more than any other man who ever lived in this county.

Portraits and Biographical Lee County IL