 John Franklin Rixey was born on August 1, 1854 in the Catalpa district of Culpeper County, Virginia to farmer Presley Morehead Rixey and his wife the former Mary Frances Jones.His older brothers included Charles J. Rixey (1849-) and Presley Marion Rixey.The son of his younger brother, the banker Eppa Rixey (1857-1917) would become a major league baseball player, Eppa Rixey Jr..