BIO: George W. DIXON, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 275-276. _________________________________________________________________ GEORGE W. DIXON, road master, master mechanic, and train master of the Pittsburg, Lisbon & Western R. R., whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, resides in a pleasant cottage in New Galilee, Pa., and has spent the whole of his active life in railroad service. Mr. Dixon was born in Dalton, Luzerne county, Pa., March 26, 1852. He received a limited schooling there, being taken from school when ten years old. At that early age, he began to work on the railroad, carrying water for the section gang. When large enough, he commenced work on the section, and continued in that capacity until April, 1869. After spending one year on the steam shovel, he was employed the year following on the D. L. & W. R. R.; June 11, 1871, he was placed in charge of the track gang on the New Jersey Midland R. R. The track under his care was thirty-seven miles long. A short time afterward, he was appointed assistant road master on the same line. In June, 1874, Mr. Dixon commenced work on the New York Central R. R. and had charge of laying the tracks of the third and fourth lines on the Rochester and Syracuse division. The following year, however, he was induced to return to the New Jersey Midland R. R., where he was placed in charge of 87 miles of track. He remained on that road until 1881; at that time he went to Warren, Pa., and accepted a position as superintendent of a construction train on the Western New York & Pennsylvania R. R., between Warren and Salamanca. He held that important post until 1882. His next move was to engage with the road with which he is still connected. He was first superintendent of track-laying and overseeing the building of the road. When the road was completed, he was appointed superintendent, which position he held until 1887. Later, the road changed hands and Mr. Dixon remained as conductor. In 1893, he was appointed to his present important position as roadmaster, and has the entire charge of building tracks, bridges, locomotives, and everything outside of general office work. He is also master mechanic and train master. The subject of this record is a son of B. D. and Ruth A. (Calvin) Dixon, and grandson of John and Christiana (Ireland) Dixon. John Dixon descended from an old Connecticut family. When a young man he located in Luzerne county, Pa., where he bought 100 acres of land. He followed farming all 276 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES his life. His union with Christiana Ireland resulted in the birth of a large family of children, of whom Mr. Dixon's father was the second born. B. D. Dixon, this gentleman, was born in Dalton, Luzerne county, Pa., in October, 1826. After attending the public school, he learned how to till the soil, and followed that line of occupation until 1857, when he began railroad work. After working in the carpenter gang for a short time, he was promoted to be section foreman, and then to be supervisor, in charge of the track-laying gang. Ruth A. Colvin became his wife. She was a daughter of George Colvin, and was also born in Luzerne county, in 1824. Seven children resulted from this union. They are: Mary, now deceased; Caroline (Waldron); Emily M. (Latimer); George W., the subject of this biography; Florence A. (McCullom); Frank; and John, who died in infancy. In politics, B. D. Dixon was a Democrat. Religiously, he was an active member of the Baptist church. He died in 1885, but is still survived by his widow. George W. Dixon was joined in marriage with Margaret A. Poole, a fascinating daughter of William Poole. Mrs. Dixon was born in Morris county, N. J., May 10, 1856, and received her mental training in the public school. Her marriage resulted in the birth of eight children, namely: Caroline A. (Beeson); Georgiana (Harris); Frank D.; Mary (McCowin); Howard G.; Irene, a student; Nellie; and Cornelius. Mr. Dixon is faithful to the interests of the Republican party. He has served as school director and as a member of the council. He is a faithful member of the M. E. church. Socially, he is a member of Meridian Lodge, No. 411, F. & A. M., at Darlington, Pennsylvania.