Dixon was among the powerful and wealthy men who helped develop southern West Virginia's bituminous coal bearing-region during the late 19th and early 20th century.
In 1877, came to the United States, the 21-year-old was employed working for his uncle, Fred Faulkner, a mine owner in the rapidly emerging New River Coalfield in Fayette County, West Virginia.
Dixon was also involved in building the Piney River and Paint Creek Railroad which ran through the City of Beckley to the large Cranberry mine.
The new management of the New River Company moved quickly to disassemble the White Oak Railway, leasing and then selling portions to each of the two larger railroads, transactions which were completed by 1917.
[4] In its heyday, the Price Hill mine employed 450 men and produced 480,000 tons of coal annually, continuing operations until about 1940, when it closed.