Events
Date of Baptism: 12 November 1609.
Place of Baptism: Eccles, Lancashire.
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Death: unknown.
Place of Death: unknown.
Relationships
Father: Joshua Dickson.
Mother: Catherine Scholes.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Isabel Shippobothome. Married 4 February 1632/3 in Bolton.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Joshua Dixon (died about 1712) married Ann Browne 3 October 1663 in Manchester.
Sarah Dixon married someone surnamed Farneworth.
John Dixon (baptized 11 February 1636/7 in Prestwich, Lancashire - buried 28 April 1694 in Prestwich, Lancashire) married (1) Elizabeth Holland 28 October 1663 in Prestwich; married (2) Sara Gandy 14 February 1684 in Oldham. Sara was the widow of Henry Hardman.
Elizabeth Dixon (baptized 10 May 1640 in Prestwich, Lancashire) married John Heap 29 December 1664 in Eccles, Lancashire.
Mary Dixon (baptized 11 May 1642 in Prestwich, Lancashire) married someone surnamed Hogges.
Catherine Dixon (buried 16 April 1729 in Rochdale, Lancashire) married Thomas Fyldes 23 August 1666 in Prestwich.
Lydia Dixon (buried 14 October 1695 in Oldham) married John Lomax.
Ellen Dixon married Thomas Heap 11 November 1679 in Middleton, Lancashire.
Evidence
from the Eccles parish registers:
1609 Baptisms
Johannes filius Josua Dicsones 12o die eiusd. [November]
from the Bolton parish registers:
Marriages Feburary 1632
John dikson of prestwich p[ar]ish
Issabell Shippobothome of this p[ar]ish maryed -- 4
from the Prestwich parish registers:
1637
Bapt Febr 11 Johes filius Johes Dickson de Clifton
1640
Bapt Maij 10 Elizabethat filia Johis Dickson de Clifton
1643
Bapt Maij 11 Maria filia Johis Dickson de Clifton
In his 1645 will, Thomas Birch of Openshaw, yeoman, made John Dixon of Clifton one of his executors. The relationship is not given.
In a 1650 church survey of the parish of Prestwich, it was noted John Dixson’s family, resident in Eccles parish, attended the chapel at Ringley.
The 1658 will of Roger Dixon:
In the name of God amen the Twoe and twentieth day of November In the yeare of our Lord God Accordinge to the Computac’on of the Church of England One thousand sixe hundred Fiftie and Eight I Roger Dixon of Ringley in the Countie of Lancaster Yeoman being Amongst many other Causes moved with the Considerac’on of the Frailtie and uncertentie of the Lives of all People in generall and Especially of my owne Life in perticuler findinge my selfe to bee growen into years and Infirmityes whereby I am admonished to make my selfe ready aswell in the preparac’on of my Soule to God as by the Disposic’on of my Earthly substance in this world doe in my perfect and sound Memorie and understanding (Thanks bee given to Almightie God for the same) make ordeine publish and declare this my last will and Testament in manner and forme followeinge (That is to say) First and principally I render and bequeath my Soule to my Lord God and Creator firmely trusting that by the death and passion of his deerely beloved sonne Christ Jesus my Saviour and Redeemer and by his onely mercie and mediac’on for mee I shall Live and partake with his blessed Saints in his heavenly Kingdome of those Celestiall Joyes which of his Eternall goodnes hee hath prepared for his Elect Of which number through his Infinite Grace and mercie I doe Confidently and stedfastly hope and beleeve that I am one; And my bodie & Com’end and Leave to Christian Buriall in such decent sorte as my Executors hereafter herein named shall thinke fittinge And whereas I have alreadie in and by one Indenture or deed of Feoffment beareing Date the Twentieth day of his Instant month of November Granted Enfeofed Confirmed Conveyed or assured unto John Dixon of Golborne in the said Countie of Lancaster yeoman James Dixon sonne and heire apparent of John Dixon the Elder of Farneworth in the same Countie yeoman, Joshua Dixon sonne and heire apparent of John Dixon the Elder of Clifton in the said Countie of Lancaster yeoman, and John Parre of Kersley aforesaid yeoman All my messuage lands tenements and hereditaments in Outwood within Pilkington in the said Countie of Lancaster or elsewhere within Pilkington aforesaid in the same Countie To have and to hould to them and their heires To and for the uses behoofes intents and purposes And under and upon the provisoes Condic’ons and ageements in the said Indenture menc’oned and Conteyned And amongst other thinges therein Comprised and specified In words or the the effect Followinge That is to witt That they the said John Dixon of Golborne James Dixon Joshua Dixon and John Parre and their heires and the survivor of them and his heirs shall and may imediately from and after my decease Receive perceive take and Enioy the Rents issues Revenues profitts and Comodities of the said mesuage tenement Lands and hereditaments (Except as is in the same Indenture in such behalfe Excepted) for and dureinge such and soe longe time and untill that they the said John Dixon of Golborne James Dixon Joshua Dixon and John Parre and their heires and the survivors and survivor of them their and his heires shall and may thereby or therewith or out of the same have Received and had or shalbee otherwise satisfied and paid by or on the behalfe of such person or persons to whome the Imediate use Revercion Remainder or estate of the said hereditaments and premisses shall for the time beinge by force and virtue of or accordinge to anie the uses or Limitac’ons in the said Indenture menc’oned apperteine or belonge All such sum[m]e and sum[m]es of good and lawfull money of England As would amount to satisfie discharge and pay Aswell all such gifts Legacies bequests and sum[m]es of money as I should or shall give leave or bequeath unto anie person or persons in or by my last will and testament (Except the heire Loomes hereafter herein menc’oned) As alsoe all such sum[m]es of money as shalbee Requisite and Convenient for the mayneteinance educac’on and bringeing up of Roger Dixon (second sonne of Joshua Dixon of Ringley in the said Countie of Lancaster yeoman Nephew of mee the said Roger) with readinge writeinge Castinge amounts and such like att the discrec’on of the Feoffees or grantees in the said deed menc’oned untill such time as hee should have accomplished his full age of one and twentie yeares The same sum[me]e and sum[m]es of money last menc’oned to bee first paid allowed and deducted yearely out of everie yeares profitts rents and Revenues before menc’oned before the said gifts and Legacies As in and by the said menc’oned Indenture relac’on thereunto beinge had and made more fully and att large it doth and may appeare. The which said Indenture and all the estates uses and perticulers therein Comprysed I doe hereby Ratifie approve and Confirme accordinge to the tenor purport true intent and meaneinge thereof And I the said Roger Dixon the Testator doe hereby declare my mynd and will to bee That they the said John Dixon of Golborne James Dixon Joshua Dixon (son of the said John Dixon the elder of Clifton) and John Parr and their heires and the survivors and survivor of them their and his heires shall satisfie and pay out of the issues rents revenues and profitts of the aforesaid premisses soe to bee by them Levied raised perceived taken and had as aforesaid (Over and beside for the mayneteynance educac’on and bringinge up of the said Roger Dixon the sonne which is first to bee paid allowed and deducted as aforesaid such sum[m]e and sum[m]es of money unto my Executers hereafter herein named as shalbee sufficient for the payment of the Legacies hereafter herein by me in such behalfe bequeathed The same to bee by them Converted paid Imployed and disposed of in manner and forme followeing That is to witt unto Richard Dixon son of James Dixon of Golborne deceased the sum[m]e of Thirtie pounds and unto the said John Dixon the elder of Farnworth aforesaid the sum[m]e of Tenne pounds And unto Gyles Dixon of the same Tenne pounds And to Henry Dixon sonne of James Dixon of Farneworth aforesaid deceased Tenne pounds if hee bee then liveing And to Margaret Rushton (wife of Edward Rushton of Farneworth aforesaid) Five pounds And to the said John Dixon the elder of Golborne aforesaid Five pounds And to James Dixon (sonne of Joshua Dixon of Clifton aforesaid deceased) Tenne pounds (The same to bee Imployed by his brother John Dixon as hee shall in his discrec’on thinke meete for his the same James best benefitt And to Elizabeth Valentyne (wife of Peter Valentyne) Five pounds And unto all the Children of William Kenyon which hee had by Alice Dixon his late wife, Five pounds Equally and proporc’onably to bee divided amongst them And unto the said John Dixon the Elder of Clifton Five pounds And unto Robert Dixon of Rodes Tennes pounds And unto George Allen and such of his Children which shall live and Enioy his howse in Outwood aforesaid, Twentie shillinges And unto Abell Sharples the elder of Clifton Two pounds besids I forgive him what hee owes mee And I doe likewise Give to bee payd out of the profitts rents and Revenues aforesaid unto everie one whom I am Godfather unto which shalbee liveing att my decease Five shillinges a peece And unto Elizabeth Aspinwall Five shillinges And unto the poore of Outwood aforesaid Thirteene shillinges and Foure pence And unto the poore of Clifton Sixe shillinges and Eight pence And unto the Poor of Kersley sixe shillinges and Eight pence And unto the Poor of Farneworth Thirteene shillinges and Foure pence And my will and mynd is That if within the said places there shalbee anie poore people which are or shalbe anie wayes of Relac’on or kindred unto mee or my wife that then their parts or shares of the said Respective sum[m]es of money given to the poore as aforesaid shalbee double to the parts or shares of anie other of the poore people there And my will and mynd is That the said gifts and Legacies shalbee payd by my Executors in such Order and method for prioritie and posterioritie as my Executors hereafter named shall thinke fittinge Saveinge that the said sum[m]e and sum[m]es of money to be bestowed upon the yearely maynteinance educac’on and bringinge up of the said Roger Dixon the sonne as aforesaid shalbee First allowed deducted and payd out of everie yeares profitts Accordinge to my true Intent and meaneinge before herein menc’oned untill such time as hee shall have accomplished his full age of one and twentie yeares as aforesaid And doe devise give and bequeath the Governement tuic’on educac’on and orderinge of the said Roger Dixon the sonne and of his Estate unto my Executors dureing his mynoritie And I Doe further hereby give and bequeath unto everie of them the said John Dixon of Golborne James (sonne of the said John Dixon the Elder of Farneworth) Joshua Dixon (sonne of the said John Dixon the Elder of Clifton) and John Parre the sum[m]e of Twentie shillinges a peece to bee by them received out of the profitts of my Lands after such time as the aforesaid gifts Legacies bequeasts and sumes of money before menc’oned shalbee satisfied and paid And as touching the disposic’on of all such personall estate as Almightie God hath bestowed upon mee and not by mee formerly given or disposed of I doe hereby publish expresse and declare my full will mynd and Intenc’on in that behalfe as followeth (That is to witt) Itt is my mynd and will that all such debts as I shall happen to owe unto anie person or persons of right or Conscience att the time of my decease (if anie there bee) shalbee duely and truely discharged and paid by my Executors hereafter herein named out of my whole goods and likewise that my funerall expences shalbee by them likewise paid and deducted forth of my whole goods And after my debts paids and funerall expences discharged and deducted as aforesaid Itt is my will and mynd And I doe give and bequeath all and everie the rest and residue of my goods and Chattells of what kind or qualitie soever the same bee. And in whose hands custodie possession or occupac’on they or anie of them shall remaine or bee att the time of my decease unto Margaret my loveinge wife To and for her owne use and behoofe (Exceptinge Five Arkes or Chests Remaininge and beinge att my mesuage or dwellinge howse in Outwood aforesaid to witt one meale Arke; One malte Arke; and three Corne Arkes, which said Five Arks my mind and will is shall remaine and bee att my said mesuage as heireloomes soe longe as anie of the name of Dixons shalbee Inheritors or owners thereof And I alsoe exceptinge all such wood as shalbee fallen & cutt downe att my decease whether Cloven sawen The which said fallen wood whether Cloven or sawen shall remaine and bee to and for the next heire Inheritor or owner of the aforesaid premisses which shalbee after the decease of the survivor of mee the said Roger and of my wife for the use of such heire owner or Inheritor nevertheless my mynd and meaneing is That my said wife shall have the use of the said Arks or Chests soe long as shee houlds or enioys any parte or parcell of the same premisses where the said Arks or Chests shall respectively bee; by force and virtue of or accordinge to the said deed or Indenture beforemenc’oned And I doe Costitute ordeine and make the said Margaret my wife and my loveinge frend Nathan Walworth the elder of Pilkington aforesaid gentleman Executors of this my last will and testament And I doe hartily intreate them to undertake the execuc’on thereof And alsee to take upon them the orderinge governm’t Custody tuic’on and Care of the said Roger Dixon the sonne and of his estate; And I doe make the said John Dixon the elder of Farnwroth and John Dixon the elder of Clifton overseers of this my last will and testament hopeinge they will see the same duely performed. And Lastly I doe Revoke all former and other wills testaments Legacies bequests and Executors by mee in any wise before the day of the date of theis presents made willed bequethed or named. In witnes whereof I the said Roger Dixon the testator have unto this my last will and testament sett my hand and seale the day and year First above written./
Sealed signed published and declared by the within named Roger Dixon the Testator for and as his Last will and testament inthe presence of us
Hugh H Parr
his marke
John Scoales
John Parr
John Dixon the elder is an executor of the 1674 will of Lettice Lomas widow of Worsley, Eccles.
The will of John’s son John:
In the Name of God Amen This Twenty first day of July in the yeare of our L.d God one thousand six hundred ninety three. I John Dixon of Prestwich in the County of Lanc:r Whitster, being infirme and weake of body, but of sound and perfecte minde & memory I blesse god of the same, doe in order for the setlinge of peace and quiett amongste my relacons after my decease constitute ordaine & make this my laste will and Testamt in manner & forme followinge, hereby disanulling & makeinge voyde any other or former wills by mee att any tyme heretofore made. And firste of all I commende my soule into the hands of almighty god my heavenly father and my body I committ to decent and Xian buryall to bee interred att the parish Church of Prestwich or else where it shall please God to appointe att the discretion of my Exrer:rs herein hereaftr named. Trusting to have a glorious resurreccon to immortall life through the onely merritts of Jesus Christ my alone saviour & blessed redeemer. and then as to such outward & worldly Estate as it hath pleasd God (of his abundt Goodnesse) to blesse mee withall I doe order and dispose of the same as herein hereafter followeth. and firste of all it is my will & minde and I doe hereby order and appoynte, that all my Juste and due debts (which att the tyme of my death I may happen to owe to any person or persons whatsoever Togather with my funerall Expences, and the Charges of the probate of my will, bee p:d and discharg:d forth and out of my whole personal estate, and then all the reste residue & remaynder of my whole goods Cattells Chattells debts moneys gold & other cleare personall estate whatsoever and wheresoev:r I divide into three equall parts. One third parte whereof I Give unto Sara Dixon my loveing wife, in lieu and full sattisfaccon of her Claymes to my whole estate. A second third parte whereof I give and bequeath unto Mary Dixon my little daughter to bee pd unto her by my Excet:rs soe soone as shee attaine the age of one and twenty years or lawfull marryage. and I doe order my Excer:rs to make the beste improvemts thereof they can by interest, and yearly to allowe & pay it (aftr my death till shee comes to the age of one & twenty years, or marriage for her mentaynance & education); and for the laste third part of my s:d estate & by mee not yett disposd of. out of the same I give unto my loveing father John Dixon fourety shillings. Itm I give unto William Hardman my stepson Five pounds, and to Adam Hardman & Sara Hardman his brother and sister Ten pounds apeece, and to my Three Excer:rs hereaftr named twenty shillings apeece, and then all the residue and remaynder thereof I give unto my s:d daughter Mary Dixon to bee p:d her by my excer:rs (with interest yearly as afores:d for her mentaynance) so soone as shee attaynes the age of one and twenty yeares or marryage. and if my s:d daughter Mary Dixon shall happen to dye before shee attaines the age of Twenty one years or lawfull marriage. Then all such parte or porcon of my estate as should have beene pd unto her att the tyme afores:d if shee had lived, shall from & immediately aftr her death (onely allowing forth of the same all funer[a]ll charges) bee divided into eight equall parts or shares. which sd eight parts I doe give unto these eight persons followinge share and share alike. To witt. To my loveinge wife Sara Dixon, To my brother Joshua Dixon, To my sistr Sarah Farneworth, to my sister Elizabeth Heape, to my sister Mary Hogge, To my sister Catharin Fyldes, To my sister Lydea Lomax, and to my sister Ellen Heape. They all upon receipt of their shares giveing my Excer:rs a full discharge and lastly I doe Constitute ordaine and make my loveing wife Sara Dixon and my brother in law John Gandy, and my Kinsman John Fox Exrecutors of this my last will & Testam:t hopeing they will see the same faithfully Executed and performed as my truste is in them. In wittnesse whereof I the sd John Dixon have hereunto sett my hands and seale the day & yeare firste above written./.
John [seal] Dixon
Seald signd publishd and declared to bee his laste will & Testamt in the sight & presence of./
Jacob Scholes
John Heyalt
Robt Garbside
[Proved 17 October 1694]
Commentary
John’s parentage
The residence of Clifton (in the parish of Eccles) recorded for John or some of his children enable the identification of a Dixon family living in Clifton in the period:
The Prestwich registers record these baptisms:
1637: John son of John Dickson of Clifton
1640: Elizabeth daughter of John Dickson of Clifton
1643 Mary daughter of John Dickson of Clifton
The 1658 will of Roger Dixon of Ringley makes John Dixon the elder of Clifton an overseer and trustee. The will also mentions John’s son and heir apparent Joshua Dixon, and James Dixon, the son of Joshua Dixon of Clifton deceased.
The 1694 will of John Dixon of Prestwich mentions his father John Dixon, then still alive, and his brother Joshua Dixon, among other siblings. It makes his “kinsman” John Fox an executor.
The 1712 will of Joshua Dixon of Clifton in the parish of Eccles names his son John Dixon, among other children.
The 1727 will of John Dixon of Clifton in Eccles named his children, including a son named Joshua, and made his “cousin”/ “kinsman” John Fox of Rhodes in Pilkington his executor.
In his 1658 will, Roger Dixon made a number of bequests to the Clifton Dixons. These bequests are grouped together in his will, and, combined with information from the Eccles parish registers, they enable us to identify some of the siblings of John Clifton the elder of Clifton (the John Dixon of this page).
Baptisms in Eccles:
1607: Elizabeth, daughter of Josua Dixon
[In his will, Roger left £5 to Elizabeth Vallantine, wife of Peeter Valentine. Elizabeth Dixon married Peter Valentine in 1630 in Eccles.]
1609: John, son of Josua Dixon
[Named by Roger as “John Dixon the Elder of Clifton” as an overseer in his will and left £5.]
1612: Robert, son of Josua Dixon
1614: Alice, daughter of Josua Dixon
[Roger left £5 to all the children of William Kenyon which he had of Alice Dixon his late wife. Alice Dixon married William Kenyon in 1640 in Eccles.]
1617: Joshua, son of Josua Dixon
1619/20: Sara, daughter of Josua Dixon
1624: Roger, son of Josua Dixon
1627: James, son of Josua Dixon
[Roger left £5 to James the son of Joshua Dixon of Clifton, deceased.]
Taking the evidence together, it seems clear that the father of the John Dixon of this page was Joshua Dixon. The first baptism of a child of Joshua in the Eccles register was in 1607. The Eccles register records the marriage in 1606 of Joshua Dixon and Catherine Scholes. The register also records the burial in 1637 of “Katherin, wife of Josua Dickson”.
References
Lancashire & Cheshire Church Surveys 1649-1655 (Henry Fishwick ed.) (The Record Society for the Publication of Original Documents relating to Lancashire and Cheshire, volume 1, 1879).
Parish registers of Bolton-le-Moors (St Peter). Digital images on Ancestry.com accessed 21 May 2020.
Parish registers of Eccles. Digital images on Ancestry.com accessed 25 December 2020.
Parish registers of Prestwich. Digital images on Ancestry.com accessed 25 December 2020.
Will of John Dixon, whitster of Prestwich, Lancashire. Proved 17 October 1694 in the Consistory Court of Chester.
Will of Joshua Dixon of Clifton. Proved 1712 in the Consistory Court of Chester.
Will of Lettice Lomas of Worsley. Proved 1674 in the Consistory Court of Chester.
Will of Roger Dickson of Ringley, yeoman. Proved 1662 in the Consistory Court of Chester.
Will of Thomas Birch of Openshaw, yeoman. Proved 1647 in the Consistory Court of Chester.