Any discussion about Murray L. Nixon Fishery Incorporated has to begin with remembering the man who started it all. Murray Leon Nixon Sr. was born in Chowan County, North Carolina on March 20, 1934. His father Joel Cecil Nixon taught him the fishing and farming skills that made Murray into the man who would start this business.

In 1953 Murray married Marian and they had six children starting with Leon followed by Jimmy, Louis, Ricky, Lynda, and Lisa. Other than a brief stint serving his country in the U.S. Army, Murray continued to make his living and providing for his family by fishing the Chowan River.

Murray worked hard to feed and clothe his large family and eventually his hard work turned his way of life into a growing business. By the end of 1967, Murray added the buying and selling other fisherman's catches to his own using only a refrigerator and a pickup truck. As the business grew, it became too big for him to handle alone. So while he was on the river fishing and acquiring other's catches, his wife Marian would haul their fish off to the market.