dixon migrated to the area of snow camp, north carolina from lancaster county, pennsylvania in approximately 1750. he set up a successful gristmill that operated into the 20th century. as a supporter of the resistance to colonial taxation and as a member of the regulator movement, he was a signer of the regulator advertisement, and also was present at the battle of alamance in 1771. in 1781, his home and mill were briefly seized by general charles cornwallis as temporary quarters in the days following the battle of guilford courthouse in 1781.