Nathan F. Dixon II | |
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| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Rhode Island's2nd district | |
| In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1871 | |
| Preceded by | George H. Browne |
| Succeeded by | James M. Pendleton |
| In office March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Babock Thurston |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Babock Thurston |
| Chairman of theU.S. House Committee on Commerce | |
| In office 1869–1871 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas D. Eliot |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Shellabarger |
| Member of theRhode Island House of Representatives | |
| In office 1841–1849 1851–1854 1858–1862 1871–1877 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1812-05-01)May 1, 1812 |
| Died | April 11, 1881(1881-04-11) (aged 68) Westerly, Rhode Island |
| Resting place | River Bend Cemetery Westerly, Rhode Island |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Whig Republican |
| Spouse | Harriet Palmer Swan (m. 1843-1881, his death) |
| Relations | Nathan F. Dixon I (father) |
| Children | 6, includingNathan F. Dixon III |
| Alma mater | Brown University |
| Occupation | Attorney Banker |
Nathan Fellows Dixon (May 1, 1812 – April 11, 1881) was an attorney and bank president fromWesterly, Rhode Island. The son ofNathan F. Dixon and father ofNathan F. Dixon III, he was best known for his service as aUnited States representative fromRhode Island from 1849 to 1851, and again from 1863 to 1871.
He was born inWesterly, Rhode Island on May 1, 1812, the son ofNathan F. Dixon and Elizabeth (Palmer) Dixon).[1] He attended Plainfield Academy inPlainfield, Connecticut, and graduated fromBrown University in 1833.[2] He later pursued the study of law atHarvard Law School andYale Law School.[2] Dixon wasadmitted to the bar in 1837 and commenced practice in Westerly.[2] He was a member of the board of directors of Westerly's Washington Bank, and succeeded his father as president when the senior Dixon died in 1842.[1] He served as president of the bank until his death.[1]
He was a member of theRhode Island House of Representatives from 1841 to 1849 and 1851 to 1854.[2] He was appointed a member of the Rhode Island Governor's council in 1842, one of a committee of legislators who advised Whig GovernorSamuel Ward King as the state coped with an anti-government uprising by Democrats known as theDorr Rebellion.[3]In 1844, Dixon was a presidential elector from Rhode Island; the Whigs lost the national election but carried the state, and he cast his ballot for the Whig ticket ofHenry Clay andTheodore Frelinghuysen.[2]
He was elected as aWhig to the31st Congress (March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851).[2] He was not a candidate for renomination in 1850.[4] He was again elected to the Rhode Island House, as a Republican, in 1858, and served until 1862.[4][5] Dixon was elected as aRepublican to the38th Congress. He was reelected three times, and served from March 4, 1863 to March 3, 1871.[2] In his final term, Dixon was chairman on theCommittee on Commerce.[4] He was elected delegate to the1866 National Union Convention in Philadelphia.[2] He declined to be a candidate for reelection to Congress in 1870.[6]
He served in the Rhode Island House again from 1871 to 1877.[4]In January 1875 he was a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator, but withdrew when the party's caucus in the state legislature deadlocked, which enabled the election ofAmbrose E. Burnside.[7] In March, he was a contender for the Republican nomination for governor, but withdrew in favor ofHenry Lippitt.[8][9] When none of the candidates received a majority in the general election, as required by the state constitution,[10] Lippitt was elected governor by a vote of the state legislature.[11]
Dixon died in Westerly on April 11, 1881.[2] He was buried at River Bend Cemetery in Westerly.[12]
In 1843, Dixon married Harriet Palmer Swan (1816–1896) ofStonington, Connecticut.[13] They were the parents of six children: Nathan (b. 1845, died young);Nathan Fellows (1847–1897); Edward Hazard (1849–1891); Phebe Ann (1852–1941), the wife of James Gore King McClure; Walter P. (1855–1913); and Harriet Swan (1859–1899).[1]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromRhode Island's 2nd congressional district 1849–1851 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromRhode Island's 2nd congressional district 1863–1871 | Succeeded by |
| Commerce and Manufactures (1795–1819) |  | |
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| Commerce (1819–1893) | ||
| Interstate and Foreign Commerce (1893–1981) | ||
| Energy and Commerce (1981–present) | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
