Person Record

Metadata

Name

Rixon, Eleanor

Othernames

nee Eleanor Walney? Watney? Rixon
Was her nickname Ottie Rixon?

Born

08/28/1879

Birthplace

Sydenham Twp., Grey County, Ont.

Places of residence

Leith, Sydenham Twp., Grey County, Ontario
894 5th Ave. East., Owen Sound, Ontario (prior to 1909, this address was known as 67 Boyd St.)

Father

Joseph Henry Rixon (usu. known as Henry)

Mother

Helen Rixon (neé Ainslie)

Nationality

Canadian

Education

Leith School
O.S.C.I.? (the Owen Sound Collegiate Institute was located close to her residence)

Notes

Eleanor had a sister, Laura Rixon, whom she lived with when she was older, in their family residence at 894 5th Ave. East, Owen Sound. Their father, Henry Rixon, had emigrated from England in 1860, and worked for a while as a distiller at Leith. He married Helen Ainslie in 1866. Eleanor Rixon was a grand-daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adam and Isabella Ainslie of Leith. The Ainslies had formerly resided at Galt, and had been well-to-do. Adam Ainslie had operated a distillery and mill at Leith for a while. In 1888, the Rixons, along with Adam and Isabella Ainslie, moved to Owen Sound, Ontario, to a stone residence at 67 Boyd St., but the family often summered in later years at Leith.

When Eleanor was born in August 1879, her father Henry was currently working as a ship's purser aboard the S.S. CITY OF OWEN SOUND. This was a vessel that was built at Owen Sound. The Maitland brothers, James C. and Alex, also served as Pursers aboard this ship. Henry Rixon later went into a business partnership with James C. Maitland and created "Maitland & Rixon" at Owen Sound (they supplied ships or lumbering camps with goods, and had a wharf). Eleanor's father, who was listed as a "Farmer" at Sydenham in the 1881 census, eventually moved his family to Owen Sound c. 1888, and was involved in the lumbering trade (Rixon, Ainslie & Stoddart Co.)

The Rixon family cottage at Leith, Ontario is pictured in a post card view (1971.081.014), called "Within An Arboured Nook".

In the 1901 census, the family was at 67 Boyd St. and Eleanor's father was listed as a "Lumber Merchant". Her uncle, Capt. John G. Ainslie, also resided with the family at that time (he was a business partner of Henry's).

Eleanor received some instruction on painting circa 1910 from a Miss Annie Bell, who also taught china painting.

The Rixon sisters used to cottage at Leith. There is a 20th-century archival image of them at Leith (taken in 1952). See 1984.028.001 & 002. They had a golf course at Leith. Their family cottage was later torn down.

The Rixon burial plot is at Leith Cemetery (behind the Leith United Church), in the former Sydenham Twp., and includes the following:
William Augustus Rixon (b. 1869-d. 1892)
Henry Rixon (father) 1838-1920 [Note that this differs from the 1901 census record of 1837]
Helen Rixon (mother) 1847-1913
Ada A. Rixon 1874-1894
Ella A. Rixon 1871-1918
Alex A. Ainslie 1850-1887
Adam Ainslie 1807-1897
Isabella Ainslie 1828-1918
John Ainslie 1858-1923
Laura Rixon 1876-1963
Eleanor Rixon Dec. 27, 1973
William M. Burr 1861-1931
Frank Broderick 1856-1915
J. Jane Broderick 1867-1933
F. Rixon Broderick 1895-1958

Francis Rixon Broderick was born on November 13, 1895 at Chatham, in Kent County. He was usually known as "Rixon" Broderick. His mother was "Totie" Rixon, who had married a merchant named Francis Broderick. Rixon Broderick worked as a salesman in Toronto before his marriage on June 23 1928 to Mary Helen Nairne Lee (she was usually known as Nairne). Rixon and Nairne used to reside in the 1950s at Leith, and her father, Fred W. Lee, resided with them for a while. After Rixon passed away, Nairne later married Harry Dane. Rixon and Nairne had a son, Lee Rixon Broderick (his lifedates may be 1931-d. 2003?)

Miss Ottie Rixon, the last of her family, provided towards the enlargement of the Leith Cemetery (HISTORY OF SYDENHAM, 1967).

Occupation

Artist?

Publications

-Cathcart, Ruth, HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION, pp. 162-163.
-Ross, Allan, REMINISCENCES OF NORTH SYDENHAM, 1924, mentions the Rixons
-Birth Record 006902

Relationships

Sister: Isabella Jane Rixon (Totie), b. 1868? (Mrs. Francis Broderick)
Brother: William Augustus Rixon b. 1869-d. 1892 (fell overboard and drowned while working aboard the CPR ship ALBERTA)
Sister: Ella Ashton Rixon, b. 1871, also known as Miss Lillie Rixon died in September, 1918 (had been an invalid all of her life)

Sister: Ada Rixon Rixon, b. 1874
Sister: Laura Rixon, b. Aug. 26, 1876

Grandmother: Isabella Ainslie (neé Miller)
Grandfather: Adam Ainslie