Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 1072

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 534

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 604

E. H. NICHOLL, druggist and pharmacist, was born Oct. 10, 1887, at Brownhelm, Lorain county, the sixth child of James and Jane (Lawson) Nicholl.
     When our subject was four years of age his parents moved to North Amherst, where he attended school and studied pharmacy.  They are prominent representative citizens of that place, and the father, who has always been interested in the stone business, is now general superintendent of the Cleveland Stone Co.  At the age of seventeen E. H. Nicholl went into partnership, in the drug business, with J. F. Uthe, who died two years later, when Mr. Nicholl continued alone in the business.  Shortly afterward, owing to ill health, he took a trip through the southern States, returning greatly improved.  He is an active member of the Ohio Pharmaceutical Association, and is licensed by that State.
     In 892 he married Miss Anna Miller, of North Amherst, and they have one child, Alson.  Politically Mr. Nicholl is inclined toward the Democratic party, but does not take much interest in political affairs, as he spends the great part of his time in study and in making his business a success.  He is a member of the K. of P. and K. O. T. M. Lodges, and is one of the leading, progressive and enterprising young men of North Amherst.  In the spring of 892 he was elected member of the town council for a term of two years.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 1065

A. W. NICHOLS, one of the most progressive and intelligent of Lorain county's agriculturists, and whose magnificent farm of two hundred acres is among the most fertile of Grafton township, comes of English-Welsh ancestry.
     He was born July 3, 1828, in York township, Livingston Co., N. Y., a son of NATHANIEL NICHOLS, who was born in Rodman township, Jefferson Co., N. Y., May 7, 1806, and whose father, also named Nathaniel served in the Revolutionary war.  The father of subject was a tanner and shoemaker, at which latter trade he served a regular apprenticeship.  On Sept. 16, 1827, he married Dorcas E. Bailey, who was born Mar. 29, 1804, in Elmira, N. Y., of Huguenot and Dutch extraction, daughter of Benjamin and Polly (Burr) Bailey.  After marriage they made their new home on a piece of land owned by his brother Albion, where for a time he followed his trade.  While they were residing in Livingston county, N. Y., one son, A. W., our subject was born to them.  Later they moved to Cattaraugus county, same State, and made a temporary settlement in Dayton township, where the father bought fifty acres of land.  Here two children were born to them:  Martha E. born July 2, 1831, married to Milton Adams, and they now live in Eaton county, Mich.; and Mary A. born Dec. 27, 1834, married first to Orange Adams, after to Samuel Denison a ranchman near Wellborn, Texas.  From Cattaraugus county the family moved to Nunda, Allegany (now Livingston) Co., same State, where two more children were born, viz.: Rollo A. born June 7, 1838, who during the Civil war, while a bookkeeper in Huntsville, Ala., was forced into the Confederate service, and rose from the ranks till at the battle of Spottsylvania C. H. he found himself an officer on Gen. Buell's staff; at the engagement he was taken prisoner by the Federals, and in the spring of 1864 he enlisted in the Union army, in which he served as commissary for the U. S. Government, and died in 1880 at Florence, GA., where he was buried.  The other child who came to them in Allegany county is Ellen, born Sept. 25, 1843, married to Don Carlos Van Dusen now of Oberlin, Ohio.
     In 1843 Nathaniel Nichols came alone to Ohio, and deciding to settle in Grafton township, Lorain county, he purchased in the eastern part fifty acres of wild land at ten dollars an acre.  In the following fall the family joined him, and they set to work to clear the land and make all necessary improvements, building a substantial log house for a dwelling.  After some years the father moved to Columbia township, same county, whence after a time he returned to Grafton township, and made a final settlement in the southern portion of same.  For a season he was a resident of La Grange township (also in Lorain county), and he died in 1883 in Hinckley,
Medina Co., Ohio, where be was sojourning with his daughter Ellen.  His wife preceded him to the grave some years, dying in La Grange township, and they now lie buried in the Western Cemetery in that township.  After coming to Ohio Mr. Nichols followed farming chiefly, and to some extent his trade, shoemaking.  Politically he was originally a Whig, but died a Democrat.  He was a very liberal and hospitable entertainer; in his religions views he was partial to the M. E. Church, while his wife was an Old-school Presbyterian, and their home was always open to ministers of all churches.
     A. W. Nichols, the subject proper of this sketch, received but a limited education at the public schools of his boyhood days, and was reared to farm work.  Being bright at his studies, and an apt scholar, he made considerable progress by private reading, and became skilled in mathematics.   When he was a small boy he was adopted by a bachelor uncle, Albion Nichols, and a maiden aunt, Esther Nichols, who lived together and carried on farming.  In 1844 he came to Ohio, andspent his first winter in Lorain county.  In the following year his uncle and aunt came to Grafton township, and here bought sixty acres of wild land from James Turner, being the farm our subject now owns and lives on, and where he has since resided, for he at once made his home with his benefactors.  For some years before their death - they lived to advanced ages - he had the entire management of their farm, and when they died he succeeded to the property.  He has prospered in all his undertakings, and is now the owner of 200 acres of prime land.  In May, 1883, his residence was burned down, but he at once set to work and built a yet finer one, which he calls '‘Hurricane Hail.”
     On Feb. 22, 1870, prior to the death of his uncle and aunt, Mr. Nichols was united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth H. Durkee who was born Apr. 14, 1835, in Eaton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, a daughter of John Gamble, a native of Yorkshire, England, and his wife, Mary Curtis, of Boston, Mass.  Politically our subject has been a Republican since the organization of the party, and has held several township offices of trust.  He is a member of the F. & A. M., Lodge No. 399, at LaGrange, and of Marshall Chapter, Elyria.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 743

ARTHUR W. NICHOLS (deceased) was born in Eaton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, July 2, 1854, a son of Mason E. and Joann (Mead) Nichols, the father of native of Crown Point, Lake Champlain, whence in 1832 he came with his parents to Portage county, Ohio, to Eaton township in 1851, and to Elyria in 1876.  He was a farmer by vocation, a Republican in politics, and a member of the Disciple Church.  He married Miss Joann Mead, who was born in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., July 16, 1833, and they had a family of five children, of whom one died in infancy; the others are all living, with the exception of the subject of this sketch.  Mrs. Joann Nichols died Nov. 9, 1864, and in 1865 Mason E. Nichols was united in marriage with Mahala Cousins.
     Arthur W. Nichols received his elementary education at the common schools of his native township, after which he attended school at Oberlin and Delaware, Ohio.  After pursuing a law course in Chicago, Ill., he located in Elyria, Lorain Co., Ohio, where, in 1880, he commenced the practice of law, carrying on at the same time an insurance and money-loaning business; and had he lived he would have made his mark in the legal profession.  He died Dec. 26, 1886.  Mr. Nichols was a member of the I. O. O. F., Royal Arcanum, Chosen Friends and Good Templars, in which latter Society lie was grand secretary of the State Lodge for several years, and he visited Washington, D. C., and Toronto, Canada, as a delegate of the Order.  In religious connection he was a member of the M. E. Church.  On Oct. 18, 1882, Mr. Nichols was united in marriage with Miss Nettie Squires, of Lorain county, Ohio, born in 1862 near Elyria, a daughter of Anson and Lydia (Richardson) Squires, the father born on the Canadian shore of Lake Champlain, N. Y., in 1822; when a small boy he came with his parents to Lorain county, Ohio, where he passed the rest of his days, |dying Apr. 9, 1872, in Elyria, to which town he had retired from his farm.  He was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Methodist Church.  Mrs. Nichols has one child, Mason A., a bright and ! interesting boy, who was born Sept. 9, 1883.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 805

D. C. NICHOLS, one of the well-to-do, native born farmer citizens of LaGrange township, is a son of James Nichols, who was born Aug. 9, 801, in the State of Rhode Island.  When six months old James was brought by his father, Stephen Nichols, to Washington county, N. Y., and there remained until eighteen years of age, when he went to Jefferson county, N. Y.  His parents followed him to that county some time afterward, and there passed the remainder of their lives.
     James Nichols was reared to farm life, and his education was received in the common schools.  He was married in Jefferson county, N. Y., at the age of twenty years, to Miss Leonora Johnson, who was born in that county Feb. 14, 1803, daughter of Joshua and Experience (Tibbals) Johnson, who were natives of Connecticut, and early settlers in Jefferson county, N. Y.; the father died at the home of our subject, D. C. Nichols, in LaGrange township, Lorain Co., Ohio; the mother died in Michigan.  While residents of New York State children were born to James and Leonora Nichols, as follows: Eliza, now the widow of Bennett Rockwood, of Pittsfield, Lorain county; Cyrus, who died in LaGrange township, Oct. 19, 1891; George, who died when three months old; Philander, a carpenter of Wellington, Ohio; Sarah, who married Dittamus Johnson, and died in LaGrange; Alfred, a carpenter of Lorain, Ohio; and Cordelia, Mrs. William Disbro, of Cass county, Iowa.  James Nichols followed farming in New York State, and also worked as a lumberman in the pineries, he owned a small place, which he sold, and in June, 1836, came west to Ohio, via canal to Buffalo, and thence by lake to Cleveland, from which city lie was driven to LaGrange township, Lorain county, where his father-in-law had located some years before.  The roads were almost impassible, and it was only after much work that they reached their destination, where for a short time they made their home with Joshua Johnson.  Mr. Nichols purchased a tract of land containing fifty acres, on which he made payments, and by hard labor had partly cleared; in spite of his toil he lost his home through an unscrupulous land-dealer.  Not being discouraged by his misfortune, however, he purchased fifty acres lying south (the farm on which our subject now resides), which he finally succeeded in paying for, by hard labor, such as chopping and clearing the land, raising what crops he could, and also going to the northern part of the county, where he chopped four-foot wood at two shillings per cord.
     After coming here the family was increased by the following children: Miranda, a resident of South Dakota, the widow of Garrison Archer, who was drowned while going to the war, as a recruit; Ozias, who died when five years old; Stephen, a resident of Cass county, Iowa; and D. C., the subject proper of this sketch.  After coming to Ohio Mr. Nichols engaged exclusively in agriculture, made for himself a comfortable home, and became a respected, well-to-do citizen.  He died on the homestead in May, 1872, his wife Sept. 5, 1864. and both lie buried in LaGrange cemetery.  Though Mr. Nichols never made any profession of religion he was a thorough Christian; Mrs. Nichols was a member of the Methodist Church.  In politics he was a stanch Republican.
     D. C. Nichols, whose name appears at the opening of this sketch, was born May 13, 1847, in LaGrange township, Lorain Co., Ohio.  He received his education at the common schools of the neighborhood of his birthplace, and then remained on the home place, engaged in agricultural pursuits, to which he had been trained from boyhood.  On Jan. 28, 1869, he was united in marriage with Miss Jeanette Holcomb, who was born Oct. 5, 1845, in LaGrange, a daughter of Asahel and Fannie (Hastings) Holcomb, who were from Jefferson county, N. Y.  After marriage the young couple located on the farm where they yet reside, and which he now owns, consisting of 113 acres of land highly improved and equipped with all necessary buildings, etc.  To Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have been born children as follows: Charles H. (attending school), Guy S., Claude M. and James A. (all three living at home).  In politics our subject was a Republican until 1876, when he became a Democrat.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 761

GEORGE E. NICHOLS, dealer in real estate and insurance, is a native of New Hampshire, born in Londonderry, Oct. 7, 1819.
     His father, REUBEN NICHOLS, was born in Londonderry, H. H., in 1787, and in 1811 was married to Miss Asenath Senter of the same town.  He was the son of Jacob and Sally George Nichols natives of Massachusetts, who removed to Londonderry, N. H., where they died.  They had twelve children - seven sons and five daughters - of whom Reuben was the youngest, and they all lived to be from eighty-four to ninety-six years of age except one who died young from the effects of an injury.
     In October, 1827, Reuben Nichols, father of George E. Nichols, left New Hampshire with his family, and started for the wilds of the West, to seek a home.  On reaching Pike Hollow, Allegany Co., N. Y., the family made a halt while the father proceeded to Lorain county, Ohio, on horseback, where he secured a farm six miles south of Elyria.  He then returned to his family, and they set out for their new home, reaching Elyria Mar. 28, 1828.  They first located at Butternut Ridge, then almost a dense wilderness, remaining there nearly two years, and then removed to Elyria, where in  1830 Reuben Nichols purchased the "Old Eagle Hotel."  In 1832 he commenced building the new hotel called the "Mansion House," and this he kept until 1839, when he sold it.  At that time it was one of the finest hotels west of Buffalo, N. Y.  While keeping this hotel, he hitched four horses to a lumber wagon, and conveyed John J. Shipherd and others to the present site of Oberlin, their first trip to that locality, to found a school.  After selling out the
“Mansion House” he moved his family to Oberlin in order to have his children educated.  In 1842 he returned to Elyria, where he passed the remainder of his days, making business changes in property from time to time.  He died in 1871, having lived eighty-four years, an honest, upright and just man; a lifelong Democrat in politics.  His wife died in November, 1870.
     George E. Nichols, the subject proper of this sketch, after receiving a good education settled in the mercantile business in Elyria, where he remained for a number of years.  In 1852, under Franklin Pierce’s administration, he was appointed postmaster at Elyria, and after serving four years resigned Mar. 5, 1856, for political reasons.  During this period (1854) he was appointed one of a committee to proceed to Nebraska to try and have it become a Democratic State.  He had a land office at Washington, D. C., and a large amount of land under his control; and though he made many trips to Nebraska, he did his chief land office work at Washington.  This he continued in several years, having influential friends and finding good opportunities which he improved.  He was interested in bringing the first printing press to Omaha, and assisted in the establishment of a paper there.  Of recent years Mr. Nichols has given his attention mainly to the real-estate business, with his home and office in Elyria, Lorain county, and has met with marked success.
     In November, 1843, he was married to Miss Angeline D. Elliott, daughter of Rev, Joseph Elliott, Baptist clergyman, and two children have been born to them:  Ella Gertrude, wife of William Millspaugh, of Middletown, N. Y., and Lelia May, wife of Seymour Cromwell Prentiss, of Detroit, Mich.  They have four grandchildren - George Marcus Millspaugh and William L. Millspaugh, of Middletown, and Marion Louise Prentiss and Edith Rouse Prentiss, of Detroit, Mich. - and two great-grandchildren.  On Nov. 22, 1893, Mr. and Mrs. George E. Nichols celebrated their Golden Wedding at the home of their daughter, Ella Millspaugh, in Middletown, Orange Cc., N. Y., referring to which interesting event a Middletown (N. Y.) paper of same date contains the following:

     Fifty years ago to-day, Mr. and Mrs. George E. Nichols, of Elyria, Ohio, were united in marriage.  They are spending the winter at the residence of their daughter, Mrs. William Millspaugh, on Orchard street in this city.  Mr. and Mrs. Millspaugh do not propose to let so important an event pass without proper recognition, and accordingly have invited a number of intimate friends of the family and the acquaintances Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have made during their visits to this city, to join with them in celebrating, in a quiet way, the golden anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Nichols’ marriage.
     Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have been singularly blessed during their half-century of married life.  They have been permitted to enjoy a reasonable measure of worldly prosperity, and have reached the allotted age of man in good physical and mental health.  Two children have blessed their union  - Mrs. Millspaugh, of this city, and Mrs. Prentiss, of Detroit; they nave four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and there has never been a death in their family, nor in those of their children.  There are few who are permitted to look back over fifty years of married life, and fewer still who can survey the past with greater reason of thankfulness,  The friends of Mr. and Mrs. Nichols in this city and elsewhere will wish them many happy returns of their wedding anniversary.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 581

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 761

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 743

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 805

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 581