The first member of the Dixson family to come to this area was Simon Dixson, son of Pennsylvania Quaker Thomas Dixson of Lancaster county. After the death of his father, Simon went south in the Spring of 1749, and unloaded his wagon on the bank of Cane Creek. He became discouraged with his new surroundings, and returned to Pennsylvania for a time. When he returned to his Cane Creek cabin, he brought his Mother, stepfather John Stanfield, two sisters, and wife Elizabeth (Allen) Dixson. Simon built a large rock building near Cane Creek, splitting the logs by hand to build the flooring and doors. Close to his house, he soon built the first mill for grinding grain on Cane Creek.
Herman Husbands, whose involvement with the Regulators can be found in the history of North Carolina, married Elizabeth Dixson's sister. They settled in the Sandy Creek section, located ten miles from the Cane Creek settlement. Simon's two sisters soon married. Rebecca Dixson married William Marshall, and Ruth Dixson married John Doane. All are buried in the old graveyard by the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting.
Soon the area filled with settlers, creating adjoining settlements which prospered. However, prosperity could not hide the growing discontent regarding the English laws and the officers who enforced them. Simon was a member of the Quaker church, and a peaceful man. His certificate of membership was produced and accepted at the first Cane Creek Monthly Meeting ever held. At the same time, his brother in law, Herman Husbands had assembled and published a circular to spur the Regulators into open resistance. The circulars were distributed at Simon's mill. Two days after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15th, 1781, the British forces began marching southward. On the seventh day after the battle, the British stopped at Snow Camp, and set up their Headquarters in Simon's house. Since he had helped distribute the circulars, Simon thought it wise to leave his home to the British, and he stayed a few days with a friend named Mebane, in the Hawfields community.
Before entering the house, the British forced the Dixson family to leave. Elizabeth and her children sought refuge in a mill a few hundred yards up the creek. The story goes that Elizabeth, who was a great smoker, forgot her pipe in her haste, and returned for it. The guards loudly refused to let her re-enter the house. The ruckus attracted Cornwallis's attention, and Elizabeth was allowed to fetch her pipe. As she was leaving the house, she passed Cornwallis who was wrapped in a blanket, sitting in a armchair before the fire. While he was warm, his troops were cold and hungry. To make themselves comfortable, they killed about 250 sheep, and 75 cattle belonging to the settlers. They built numerous fires and scoured the country for food. Searching for his missing cow, one of the farmers came into the soldiers camp, and was directed to the butchering grounds. There, he was told he was welcome to the cow's hide, if he could find it. The soldiers finally drove the complaining farmer away, after the cowhide was found, and the farmer's new boots were stolen.
After preparing the meat, the British soldiers decided to go over to the gristmill, and grind all the available grain to carry with them. One of the Dixson boys, upon hearing their plan, slid down under the mill and disabled part of the apparatus. The soldiers were unable to operate the mill. On the morning of March 25th, 1781, the British resumed their march to Wilmington, by way of Pittsboro, and crossing Deep river at Ramsey's mill. A few days after the British left, Simon Dixson died from Camp Fever contracted from some of the soldiers who also died from the same disease while in camp. Simon died while sitting in the same armchair Cornwallis used while occupying Simon's house. The chair is now in the Greensboro Museum.
FREEDOM'S HILL WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH-
Rev. Adam Crooks, the first Wesleyan minister in the South, was going through the South organizing Wesleyan Methodist churches. The first one organized in the South, was built in a place then in Chatham County. This house was built according to the custom of the times, with logs held together with wooden pegs. It was raised between October and the following March, 1848. During this time slavery was an open topic, and Adam Crooks was a great minister who did not believe in it. Thus, on the occasion of the dedication of the first Wesleyan Church in the South, its attitude and open policy were openly declared from its first pulpit. The principal supporters of the movement in the Freedom's Hill Community were Hugh Dixon Macajah and Phoebe McPherson, William Thompson and wife, Simon Dixon, George Councilman, Alfred Vestal and Ira Hinshaw and wife. Because of his antislavery views, Macajah McPherson was hanged by some Confederates. His wife was watching from the porch, and after the soldiers left, she rescued him. He was harmed little, and he lived about 20 years after his hanging.
At many time mobs tried to destroy the meeting house. One mob gathered and damaged the building, but some of the members of the mob were so impressed with Crook's kind spirit and deep consecration that they found no peace until they were led to repentance and confession. Despite the ravages of time the old house still stands as a silent monument to the character of its founder and his loyal supporters. The church remained a strong force in the community until a few years ago when the membership began to decline.
[Written by Juanita Owens Euliss of Snow Camp, North Carolina.]
