John Nixon (1724-1815) was an American brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
He was born in Framingham, Massachusetts on March 1, 1724 to Christopher and Mary Nixon. On February 7, 1754, John Nixon married Thankfully Berry also of Framingham. In 1755 he served in the Massachusetts militia during Sir William Johnson's campaign against the French during the French and Indian War.
In 1775 Nixon had moved to Sudbury, Massachusetts and was a Captain of the town's Minutemen whom he led at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. He and his men fought at Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, his unit was one of the last to leave the field. After the battle Nixon was promoted to Colonel of the 6th Massachusetts Regiment. Col. Nixon's regiment was placed into Gen. John Sullivan's brigade and took part in the New York and New Jersey campaign during 1776. On January 1, 1777, Nixon was given the rank of Brigadier General and would command a brigade in the Saratoga Campaign. Gen. Nixon's brigade consisted of the 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th Massachusetts Regiments and reinforced by Cogswell's Regiment of Militia, Gage's Regiment of Militia and May's Regiment of Militia before the battle of Battle of Bemis Heights in October of 1777. His brigade took part in the final assault; during this assault a cannon ball passed so close to his head that his sight and hearing were affected the rest of his life. Nixon resigned his commission September 12, 1780.
General John Nixon moved to Middlebury, Vermont in 1806 and died there on March 24, 1815.
General John Nixon Elementary School in Sudbury, Massachusetts is named in his honor, as is Nixon Road in Framingham, Massachusetts.