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ROBERT CAMPBELL
DIXON, JR.
ROBERT CAMPBELL DIXON, JR., one
of the leading architects of Union Hill and Eastern New Jersey,
is of English and Scotch parentage, being the son of Robert and
Margaret (Campbell) Dixon and a grandson of Robert Dixon, Sr.,
and Hannah Lawson. His maternal grandparents were John and Isabel
(Anderson) Campbell. His father was born in Nicholforest, Cumberland,
England, and his mother in Perthshire, Scotland. Some of his
ancestors were prominently engaged in the East India service,
others filled important positions of trust, one branch had a
representative in the English Parliament in the person of Sir
Wilfred Lawson, and others occupied posts in the Church of England.
The Dixon and Lawson families have been for generations conspicuous
in civil, military, governmental, and professional affairs, contributing
to their respective communities a wholesome influence, and achieving
for themselves distinction as men of learning and ability.
Mr. Dixon was born in New York City
on the 15th of May, 1857. He attended the public schools of Poughkeepsie,
N. Y., until he reached the age of about fourteen, and afterward
pursued his studies in private schools, developing a naturally
strong and brilliant intellect, and laying the foundation for
an honorable career. He completed his literary education at Riverview
Military Academy and finished with a business course, graduating
from Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie. A large part
of his early education was intended to fit him for a military
career, but he turned his attention to architecture, and in the
early part of 1876 entered the office of D. & J. Jardine,
architects, of New York City, as a student. He continued with
them a little over four years, after which he was for a brief
period in the office of J. C. Cady & Co. In 1883, having
received important work in competition, Mr. Dixon engaged in
business for himself as a practical architect, and has ever since
been devoted to his profession, achieving marked success and
a notable reputation. He has had an office in New York City for
about fourteen years, and many important public and private buildings
have been erected from his designs. The town hall, the Palma
and Columbia Club houses, public schools, many church edifices,
and numerous other principal buildings in Union Hill, N. J.,
have been built by him. All of these show great artistic taste
and practical skill, and represent some of the finest and choicest
work in the country.
In political matters Mr. Dixon has
been an active and influential leader since about 1884, serving
frequently as delegate to local and State Democratic conventions,
and being at the present time a member of the Board of Education
of Union Hill, of which he was formerly President. He is a member
and at times served on important committees of the Columbia Club
of Hoboken, and has also been a member of the Palma Club of Jersey
City for several years. He was one of the organizers of the New
Jersey Society of Architects and has held some of its most important
offices. He is also an associate member of the American Institute
of Architects, a member of the Central Democratic Organization,
a warden of Grace Episcopal Church of Union Hill, where he resides,
and a member of Columbia Lodge, No. 151, Knights of Pythias.
He is a public spirited, enterprising citizen, a man of broad
and liberal culture, and is and has been prominently identified,
with many of the leading charitable organizations.
Mr. Dixon was married September
22, 1886, to Sadie Gardner Morgan, only daughter of James G.
Morgan, of Union Hill, N. J.
Source: Genealogical
History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey, Editor,
Cornelius Burnham Harvey, The New Jersey Genealogical Publishing
Company, 1900, pages 136-137.
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