Alexander Dixon Alexander, commonly known as Dixon, was the first son born to William Alexander and Robina Dixon in 1853. They lived in Kirkliston, West Lothian,
Scotland which is now part of the city of Edinburgh. William
Alexander had three sons from his first marriage, William (1840), John (1845), and James (1850). As a widower, William married Robina Dixon in 1852 who was ten years his junior. The family emigrated from Scotland to Canada around 1854. Their sons Philip (1856) and Robert (1860) were born in Canada West.
By the time the 1861 census was taken, the family was living in Mornington Township, on Lot 14 Concession 4, near Milverton, where William was farming. According to the census, the family were living in a two storey frame house which was in contrast to most of their neighbours who were living in log dwellings. William died shortly after the 1861 census was taken, leaving Robina to care for the family.
Ten years later, Robina was head of the household and, William, the eldest son, had left home but the other five boys were living with her and farming the land. In the 1881 census, Robina's occupation was listed as a "farmeress". Only the youngest, Robert, was attending school.
Gradually, the older boys moved away and by 1891, only Dixon was living with Robina on the farm. Robina was 77 at the time the census of that year was taken, and Dixon was listed as head of the household.
1892 brought more change when 40 year old Dixon married 27 year old Florella Whaley. She was the daughter of James Whaley and Mary Ann Lowrey who had both been born in Ireland. Like Dixon, Florella also came from a large family with five boys and two girls.
Dixon's mother died four years later in 1896. The farm was sold, and he set up a business in Milverton as a general merchant. Dixon's and Florella's first daughter, Robina Dixon Alexander, named after her grandmother, was born in1897. Three years later, their second daughter, Mary Edith Alexander was born. The family had remained in Milverton for thirteen years when Dixon bought the lot on Earl Street. Construction of the house was completed in 1911. The family lived there for three years. In 1914, the house was sold to Thomas Jones, a marble cutter, and the family moved to Broughdale just north of London.
According to the 1921 census, Robina, 24, was working in a bank and Mary Edith, 21, was a bookkeeper. Ten years later, the 1931 census noted that the family had moved to London at 251 Grosvenor Street which was across from St. Joseph's Hospital. Florella died in 1932, and Dixon two years later. Both are buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in London.