Another family which settled in the Pigeon Creek community near Oakey Streak in Southern Butler County, Ala., were the Nixes. The earliest ancestor found on Ancestry.com was John Nix who was born in 1611. Although his place of birth was not shown, he was residing in British Barbados when his son James John Nix was born in 1642. John was married to Sarah Elizabeth Lewis (1614-1680). John lived until 1650 and appears to have died there in British Barbados.

John’s son, James John Nix, was married in 1685 in Barbados to Mildred Elizabeth Lewis who was born in 1665. They apparently migrated to America and settled in New Kent, Louisa County, Va., about that time. Their son, Edward Nix, was born in Virginia in 1686, and James John died there in 1687. Mildred Elizabeth Nix was later married in 1699 in Virginia to Abraham Venable. She died in1702 in Hanover, Va.

The name of Edward Nix’s wife was not found, but they had a son, William Nix, born in 1706 in Virginia. At some point, Edward migrated to Camden District, S.C., where he died in 1776. William was married to Unice Olson (1729-1757), and they became the parents of Edward Olson Nix, who was born in 1752 in South Carolina. Edward Olson Nix was married to Amillia Akens (1755-1797), and he later migrated to Georgia where he died in 1816 in Twiggs County.

Edward and Amillia were the parents of Elijah William Nix, who was born in 1792 in Oglethorpe, Ga. He was married to Martha Elizabeth Edwards (1793-1850), and he died in 1848 in Catahoula, La. Elijah and Martha were the parents of another Edward Nix who was born in 1817 in Oglethorpe, Ga. This Edward was married in 1839 in Russell County, Ala., to Jane Perry, daughter of John and Ruth Perry. Jane was born in 1820 in Wake County, N.C., and died in 1904 in the Oakey Streak community of Butler County, Ala. Upon her marriage, Jane’s parents gave her a slave named Charlotte. At that time, Charlotte had two infants, Adam and Cary, and she later had three more children: Mose, Mclinda and Henryetta. These children would later use the surname of Nix.

Among Elijah and Martha Nix’s other children were William Heflin, b. 1834, m. Mary Grayson Herlong; and Saphronia, b. 1837, d. 1927, m. (1) Samuel Bedgood (2) Wiley Wren.

Edward Nix and family were found in Marengo County, Ala., at one time. They were in Macon County in 1850 and had migrated to the Oakey Streak community by 1860; he enlisted from there for service in the Confederate Army. Edward became a corporal in Company C, 33rd Alabama Infantry Regiment. He was killed while he was searching for his son, John Nix, also a Confederate soldier, in Cleveland, Bradley County, Tenn. He was buried in the Confederate Cemetery there in Cleveland. After his death, Jane and their children continued to reside in Oakey Streak where she remained a widow for more than 40 years.

Edward and Jane Nix were the parents of the following children: John Edward, b. 1844, d. 1864 during the war and single; Saphronia, b. ca 1845, m. William H. Rose; Ruth Amaryliss, b. 1846, d. 1932, m. John Dickinson DeLoach; Theodoshia, b. 1849, d. 1941, m. William M. “Bill” Spear; Mary F., b. 1854, d. 1931, m. Marion Lee; and Dow Perry, b. 1857, d. 1945, m. (1) 1880 Lula Eleanor Owen (1856-1886) (2) 1886 Rowan Almaine Anna Owen (1852-1913).

Since John Edward died single at age 20, daughter Saphronia was the next oldest child, and she was married to William H. Rose. They made their home near Oakey Streak at the former Bannister Place. They were the parents of a son named John Rose who married Emma Brooks. John and Emma were the parents of the following three children: Ella, Willie and Eugene.

The next daughter, Ruth Amaryliss Nix, was born in 1846 and was later married to John Dickinson DeLoach. They were the parents of the following children: James Daniel, b. 1882, d. 1942; Clara Daisy, b. 1884, d. 1967, m. William Albert Pledger; William Oscar, b. 1885; and Amaryliss Nix, b. 1889, d. 1971, m. William Marion Welch.

The next daughter, Theodoshia Nix, was born in 1849, and was married to William M. “Bill” Spear. Theodoshia died in 1941 and was buried in the Consolation Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in the Oakey Streak community. At Bill’s death, he was buried near Red Level. They were the parents of the following children: Eva Jewel, b. 1876, d. in infancy; James Edward, b. 1879-1968, m. Lee Hammond; Amaryllis, b. 1881, m. Major Jones; William Dow, b. 1883, d. 1962, m. Epsie Owen; Mary Smith, b. 1886, invalid; Dempsey Claudy, b. 1889, m. Pearl Johnson; and Andrew Jackson, b. 1892.

The youngest daughter, Mary F. Nix, was born in 1854 and was married to Marion Lee (1850-1935), son of Hillary Lee Sr. and Cecilia Cannon. The family lived in Oakey Streak where Marion was a planter and a member of the Dawson Masonic Lodge. They were the parents of the following children: Irene, b. 1875, d. 1900, single and was a teacher; Eugene, b. 1880, d. 1944, m. Mary Boyette (1880-1938; Willie C., b. 1886, d. 1972, m. (1) Carrie Greene (2) Ethel Esther Parker; and Clara, b. 1891, m. Simon Clark.

The youngest son, Dow Perry Nix, was born in 1857 and was first married in 1880 to Zula Eleanor Owen (1856-1886), daughter of Robert E. Owen and Caroline Elizabeth Greenway Crittenden. They resided in the Pigeon Creek community and had the following children before Zula’s untimely death in 1886: Clauda Herbert, b. 1882, d. 1967, m. Martha Virginia Sims; Robert Edward, b. 1883, d. 1953, m. Ludie Frances Sims; Essie Verna, b. 1884, d. 1966, m. John William Hickman; and Mary Etta, b.&d. 1886.

Following Zula’s death, Dow Perry Nix was married in 1886 to her sister, Rowan Almaine Anna Owen (1852-1913). Of course, Rowan helped rear her sister and Dow’s young children and later became the parents of the following of their own: Oscar H. Sr., b. 1886, d. 1971, m. Eula Mae Russell (1894-1953); Arthur A., b. 1887, d. 1888; Laura Anna, b. 1889, m. 1912 Johnny Leroy Goodson; Alma A., b. 1891, d. 1975, single; and Cora Mae, b.&d. 1893.

Many additional descendants of this family may be found in the book, Oakey Streak—A Historic Landmark.

Sources for today’s story include Ancestry.com and Fern Sulphin Nix’s book, Oakey Streak—A Historic Landmark. Fern was a descendant of the family being featured today. She was the daughter of Oscar H. Sr. and Eula Mae (Russell) Nix. Many families and the citizens of the Oakey Streak community and surrounding area have benefited by Fern’s research and publication of her book. 

Anyone who might discover an error in the above data is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, Ala. 36420; 334-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.