Hello To All,

I'm seeking information -- particularly any obituaries -- on my g
grandfather the Reverend NELSON CORNELIUS NIX and his wife, my g
grandmother, Sylvia ROBINSON.

I repeatedly have sought information, in vain, on my g grandfather from
websites, SC State University, Benedict College, Mt. Pisgah Baptist
Church in Orangeburgh, and the SC Department of Vital Statistics which
returned my personal check for a copy of his death certificate saying
that they now only accept money orders.  While the following information
is from various published texts on my g grandfather, they contain few
clues that will help me to track information on his parents and
grandparents, or on my g grandmother and her mother (Bella
ROBINSON-BENJAMIN).

ANY INFORMATION WHATSOEVER -- on the churches he pastored, the NIX
family plot at Mt. Pisgah, the 1,000+-acre property owned by Sylvia
ROBINSON (between Springfield and Norway) that was purchased by her
neighbor, a "Gussie" HUGHES, in the 1920s, the HART family ("Bub Willie,
Cousin `Gripper' (Agrippa Hart), and Cousin Charlie") who were her
friends, obituaries, etc. -- WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Nelson (or N.C.) NIX was born 6/10/1865 in Barnwell District and died in
1944 in Orangeburgh, SC.  According to published materials, his parents
were Allen/Alan NIX ("a mechanic") and Charity GILLIARD/GAILLARD (a
Cherokee); his grandparents were Rachael GILLIARD/GAILLARD and Fred
BROWN.  On  December 22, 1983, he married Sylvia ROBINSON whom I believe
was from the Springfield, Norway, Neeses, Denmark area of Barnwell and
Bamberg Counties.  He and Sylvia Robinson had four Bertha Ann (my
maternal grandmother), James (murdered in Pittsburgh, PA--date unknown),
Robert N.C (deceased former US Congressman from Philadelphia, PA), and
Malcolm   For many years, N.C. and Sylvia Nix resided in Orangeburgh at
the home he owned at 123 Amelia Street (corner of Amelia and Treadwell)
which is now a Catholic Brothers Home.  His second wife was Athelma
Rogers of Virginia, then a Librarian at South Carolina State, by whom he
had a daughter, Charity.

N.C. NIX "took his normal course at Claflin, which he completed in
1890.  His college course was divided between Benedict and Claflin, but
completed at the latter, from which he has the A.B. and A.M. degrees,"
and his Doctor of Divinity was conferred at the same time (May 1907) by
Claflin and Benedict

In January 1894, N. C. NIX was ordained as a Baptist minister and served
at the Bushy Pond Baptist Church, of Norway, SC. Andrew's Chapel (place
unknown), which he served for five years (dates unknown); later he built
a new church at Mt. Olive (place unknown), where he remained for ten
years. Antioch one year; Beauty Hill two years; Gethsemane three years,
where a new house of worship was erected.  He then pastored Mt. Pisgah
church at Orangeburg.  That church was rebuilt under his leadership."
[Note from 1993 conversation with my mother:  "The congregants of Mount
Pisgah rushed to complete the church so that Grandmother Bertha's
wedding would be the first held there (c. 1907 or 1908)."]

N. C. NIX was also Dean of Faculty and Professor of Mathematics at what
was then South Carolina State College (now University) at Orangeburg,
where a building is named in his honor.  "When the State College was
organized at Orangeburg in 1896, Dr. Nix was chosen instructor in
mathematics, a member of the first faculty, and has been with the
institution and in that department continuously since. . .  Dr. Nix has
forged ahead in his professional work till he is now Dean and head of
the department of mathemetics at the State College."

The Nix Elementary School at 770 Stilton Road in Orangeburg was named in
his honor in 1958.

He was a member of the "Masons and Pythians, being Chief D. D. G. C of
the latter."

Thanks for any information provided.

Judith