Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon came from a family with a strong heritage. His father's side of the family were Methodists originally from Scotland. Then, in the early 1600s, they migrated to Ireland, and to America in the 1730s. His grandfather, George Nixon, died in the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil war. Richard's father, Frank Nixon, was born in Ohio. His mother died when he was only 7, and he left home when he was only 14. He went from town to town doing odd jobs and eventually made his way to California where he met his future wife, Hannah. Nixon's mother's side of the family was originally from Germany. They then migrated to Engl