Surnames: MORTON, PALMER
Bio-Sawyers
JOHN WILLIAM NIXON--From the beginning of its experience as a live,
progressive city, and for many years past, San Jose has been famous
throughout all the Pacific slope for both its well organized
institutions of education and its high educational standards and
influence in the development of popular culture. Leading among the best
conducted of these notable organizations is unquestionably Heald's
Business College whose scholarly and gifted manager, John William
Nixon, occupies an enviable position in the history of California
pedagogy. He was born in Cumberland, MD., the son of Thomas Nixon, a
business man, who married Miss Agnes Morton, and the devoted parents
both passed away while our subject was still a child. However, his
mother had inculcated in his mind the necessity of an education. By
perseverance, self-denial and surmounting obstacles, he was able to
work his way through the public schools and high school and then
matriculated at the State University of Iowa from which, in 1897 he was
graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science, while two years later
he received the degree of Bachelor of Law from the same university.
Upon leaving the university, Mr. Nixon accepted the principalship of
the Garrison, Iowa, high school and later became identified with
Elliott's Business College of Burlington, Iowa, at that time one of the
largest business colleges in the country. Later he moved to Texas and
practiced law for a time in Dallas. On coming to California in 1907 he
became identified with the Heald Business College organization. Heald's
Business College corporation had at that time acquired an interest in
the old San Jose Business College and Mr. Nixon was placed in charge.
He immediately proceeded to effect a consolidation of the San Jose
Business College and the Pacific Coast Business College which in turn
had absorbed the Garden City Business College. The deal was soon
consummated, and the consolidated school transferred to Heald's
Business College. From a very small school he has built up and extended
its reputation and influence as a live institution, success having
attended his labors until it has become known everywhere as one of the
most exacting of business colleges in the state, in its high standards,
while it is also one of the most helpful to its students, affording
every encouragement and legitimate aid to those ambitious to climb and
improve their conditions in life. Students come from many parts of the
United States to attend this institution. Heald's Business College is
the only business college in the city of San Jose, and specializes in
all the commercial branches. The appreciation of a highly intelligent
public may be seen in its splendid enrollment of more than 500 students
during the past year.
Since his identification with the Heald organization, Mr. Nixon has
been a member of its board of directors, and for several years past has
been the treasurer of the corporation. Mr. Nixon was active in the
various Liberty Loan and war drives during the World War, receiving
special mention from the War Department for his services. He is a
member of the Chamber of Commerce, and an active director in the Y. M.
C. A. He was chairman of the Campaign Committee that put over so
successfully the campaign for the new Commercial Club, and it is
needless to say that he seeks to make his association with these
excellent organizations mean something to the community. He is a
director in the People's Thrift Bank and also a director of the Lions
Club of San Jose. He is a practical rancher with extensive interests in
rice lands, general farming, and fruit culture, and was among the first
to engage in growing cotton in the south San Joaquin Valley, and has
developed a fine eighty-acre fruit ranch consisting of citrus and
deciduous fruits, near Porterville, which was only a wheat field when
he acquired title thereto.
Mr. Nixon is fond of fishing and outdoor life, making many camping
trips to the mountains during the summer months. He is a member of
Fraternity Lodge No. 399 F & A. M.; Howard Chapter No. 14 R. A. M.;
San Jose Council No. 20 R. & S. M.; San Jose Consistory No. 9,
Scottish Rite bodies; Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. of San Francisco,
and with his wife is a member of San Jose Chapter No. 31 O. E. S., and
an officer in Rose Croix Shrine No. 7, White Shrine of Jerusalem. He
was married December 27, 1899, to Mayme E. Palmer, an accomplished
lady, who is an active director in the San Jose Woman's Club Day
Nursery and other women's organizations. Mr. Nixon has always taken an
active part in local politics, having been a member of the County
Central Committee of both Republican and Progressive parties.
Transcribed by Joseph Kral, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. pape 399
SANTA CLARA COUNTY- The Valley of Heart's Delight