Texas's Loyal Unionist

John Dix fought for the Texian Army, yet not even family could make him become a Confederate.

- Dan R. Manning

John Dix was born to fight battles, taking his first breath on February 2, 1796. His minuteman father had fought in the first battle, at the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, at the beginning of the American Revolution. When the War of 1812 broke out, Dix joined the fight, as a privateer out of Boston.

After the war ended, Dix spent 10 years sailing on merchant ships in the South Pacific. He even commanded one, until his ship, Cossack, ran aground on New Zealand’s North Island in 1823.

The following year, Dix headed to Michigan Territory and founded Dixboro. He farmed, built a sawmill and gristmill, setup a store in his home and served as the town’s first postmaster.