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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
HISTORY OF
CLERMONT AND BROWN COUNTIES, OHIO
— VOLUME II —
1913
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NICHOLS
FAMILY. The name of Nichols has been
identified with the history and progress of Clermont
county from its very earliest settlement.
Nathan Nichols, the progenitor of the Clermont county.
Nichols, who had followed the sea for many years, was the
first inhabitant of this county of that name now so widely
known. He came from his Virginia home with the members of
his family, making the long journey on horseback late in
the Eighteenth century. Nathan Nichols seems to have been
a man of some substance, and on his arrival in Ohio he
bought 1,000 acres of land in Hamilton county, near what
was then Fort Washington, now Cincinnati. After a short
residence there, finding the location unhealthy he
exchanged this land for a tract of equal extent in Monroe
township, upon which he established his home and lived for
the remainder of his life. The house which he erected on
this land, of stone quarried with his own hands from the
earth, was long a landmark in that locality.
Nathan Nichols was the father of thirteen children:
Philip, the ancestor of Judge Perry J. Nichols, William S.
Nichols, John C. Nichols, grandfather of C. B.
Nichols, of
Batavia, and of John Nichols, and George W. Nichols, of
Mt. Washington, Ohio, and Abner, Catherine,
David C,
Elijah G., Nathan, Robert, Elizabeth, Thomas J.,
and Jonathan C. Nichols. Among the descendants of the children
of Nathan Nichols, above named, still residing in this
county are David H. Nichols, now over eighty years of age,
living near the old home in Monroe township, and Thomas J.
Nichols, of New Richmond. Philip Nichols, the grandfather
of Judge Perry J. Nichols, was born July 12, 1785, and
among the children was Thomas L. Nichols, the father of
the subject of this sketch, who died at an advanced age at
his home near New Richmond within recent years. Thomas L.
Nichols intermarried with Evaline Donham, daughter of
Col.
Jonathan S. Donham, a large land holder and a man for many
years prominent in the public affairs of Clermont county. Among the children were the late
Perry J. Donham, long a
prominent lawyer in Cincinnati; E. J. Donham, for two
terms treasurer of Clermont county, from 1880 to 1884, and
R. W. Donham, still a resident of New Richmond.
Judge Perry Jackson Nichols was the eldest child of the
marriage of Thomas L. Nichols and Evaline Donham, and was
born at the family home, on a farm near New Richmond,
March 30, 1839. His boyhood was passed on the farm
and his life was that of most farm boys, giving
assistance in the work of the farm and enjoying such
scant advantages for education as the country schools
afforded. When thirteen years of age his father secured
the contract for the carrying of the mail from New
Richmond in this country to Blanchester, Clinton county, and Deerfield, Warren
county, and the boy, who was in the future to hold so
prominent a place in the community of his birth, took
charge of this work and for several months, without regard
to weather conditions, performed the long journey involved
on horseback twice a week, In after life in referring to
this episode in his career, he spoke of it with
gratification, ignoring the hardships involved and
dwelling only on the pleasure it gave him to reflect that
he had been able thus to assist and make easier the labors
of his father.
In 1856-7-8, he was employed under the direction of his
father, who was a steam engineer, in that business, and
acquired a working knowledge of the engineering trade. In
1859 he attended school at Parker's Academy, and later for
a brief season at the Farmer's College, near Cincinnati.
He then secured a certificate and taught school for two
years, and during his spare time prosecuted the study of
law under the direction of his uncle, Perry J. Donham,
then engaged in the practice of law in New Richmond. At
the September term of the district court, held at Batavia,
in 1861, Judge Nichols was admitted to the practice of the
law and shortly thereafter formed a partnership with Mr. Donham, which continued until the removal of the latter
from New Richmond to Portsmouth. From about 1863 to 1867
he continued in the practice of the law at New Richmond
alone, and in the last named year entered into a
partnership with Judge Frank Davis, which continued until
Judge Nichols was elected probate judge and removed to
Batavia, in 1879. His success as a lawyer was a marked one
from the beginning of his professional career, and this
was due to his native ability, thorough grasp of the
principles of the law and unflagging industry in the
prosecution of his business. In 1865 he was elected mayor
of New Richmond, and served in that office up to 1870. The
period of his service as mayor of New Richmond is marked
in the annals of that town as being the most satisfactory
in improvements accomplished during the life of the
village. The public spirit which was a marked feature of
his character found scope in forwarding improvements of
streets, sidewalks, and in the creation of the beautiful
park, in which the citizens there still take a just pride.
Elected probate judge in 1878, he moved to Batavia, and
since then has been a resident of that town, retiring at
the end of his term to resume the practice of law, and for
a few years was associated in business with Judge Frank
Davis and Thomas A. Griffith. This firm was dissolved by
the death of Mr. Griffith, in 1885.
In 1886 his son, Hon. Hugh L. Nichols, now
lieutenant-governor of Ohio, became his father's partner
and this connection continued up to the death of Judge
Nichols. In 1900 Allen B. Nichols, another son, was
admitted to the partnership.
Judge Nichols was married August 21, 1862, to
Jeannette Gilmore, a daughter of Hugh
Gilmore, a leading merchant of
New Richmond, and Jean Hayes Gilmore.
Hugh Gilmore was a
native of County Down, Ireland, and his wife of County
Antrim. Hugh Gilmore was for thirty years a leading
business man and respected citizen of New Richmond. There
were born to the marriage of Judge Perry J. Nichols and
Jeannette Gilmore, children as follows:
Annie M., who intermarried with
J. C. F. Tatman, now
deceased, whose home is in Batavia.
Hugh L. Nichols, the above named now lieutenant-governor
of Ohio.
Carrie B., who intermarried with
E. W. Buvinger, and who
passed away within a few years after her marriage.
Nellie M., the wife of Dr. Linn Moore, both of whom died
young.
Florence E., who died unmarried.
Allen B., now a leading attorney of the Clermont bar.
All the years of Judge Nichols's professional practice
were fruitful in accomplishment from a professional
standpoint. Almost from the beginning of his career, he,
as a lawyer, was recognized as a safe counselor and
especially strong in the trial of contested cases. Trustworthy in the fullest extent of the term, those who
confided their business to him soon came to recognize in
him not only a professional advisor, but also a personal
friend. There is perhaps no man who ever practiced his
profession in Clermont county who possessed the complete
confidence of those whose affairs he managed to a greater
degree than did Judge Nichols. While his energies were
largely devoted to the business of his profession he loved
literature, and in his reading displayed a rare
discrimination and taste. In books, he loved and
appreciated the best. His love of order was made manifest
in his methodical arrangement, in all business affairs,
and his love of the beautiful was shown in his taste,
amounting to almost a passion for improvements of every
kind. This was especially manifest in his constant effort
to make more beautiful the surroundings with which he
daily came in contact, both in and about his home and
throughout the village where he dwelt.
Judge Nichols continued in his usual good health up to
less than a year before his death, when signs of physical
failing made themselves manifest, and it became apparent
to family and friends that he was the victim of some
insidious disease. Notwithstanding this, his buoyancy of
spirit asserted itself triumphant over physical ails, and
he continued up to a few weeks before his death to give
his attention to the office, of which he was the head, and
it was only then by the urgings of those who loved him
most that he consented to lay aside the cares of business
and retire to the repose of his home, and here in the
midst of his family he passed away, closing a long and
useful life, full of good deeds and rich in material
achievement, on the 18th day of November, 1907.
Source: History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio
- Vol. II - by Byron Williams - Publ. 1913 - Page 25 |
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HUGH L. NICHOLS,
Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, was born at New Richmond,
Clermont county, Mar. 25, 1865. He is the eldest
son of the late Judge Perry J. and Mrs. Jeannette
(Gilmore) Nichols, and through his father a
descendant of Col. Jonathan Donham, a man
prominent in the early days of the county. His
great uncle, P. J. Donham, was for years
recognized as one of the leading and most successful
lawyers in Cincinnati, and other , and other members of
the family achieved distinction in other lines. Up
to his fourteenth year the subject of this sketch lived
with his parents in New Richmond, and began his
schooling there and even at that early age by
proficiency in his studies, gave evidence of his
possession of that strong mentality which has been so
fully manifested in his later career. Removing
with his family to Batavia in 1879, where his father
went to assume the duties of the office of probate
judge, he completed his common school course in that
village, graduating from the high school in the class of
1883.
The year after his graduation he matriculated as a
student at Ohio Wesleyan University, where he remained
for a year, but desiring to complete the study of the
law, which he had already taken up, he entered the
Cincinnati Law School, and in due course was admitted to
the bar, in 1886. Entering into a partnership with
his father, under the firm name of Nichols &
Nichols, he soon demonstrated his ability in the
hard contests of actual practice, taking up almost from
the beginning, the trial of the cases of his firm.
He has perhaps tried more cases in court in the past
twenty-five years than any contemporary member of the
local bar. About 1900 his brother, Allen B.
Nichols, was admitted to the partnership, which
continued until dissolved by the death of Judge Nichols,
in 1908.
The firm which enjoys a large and lucrative
practice, is made up of the two brothers, Hugh L. and
Allen B. Nichols. Few cases of great
importance have been tried in the Clermont courts for
years in which Governor Nichols did not appear as
one of the leading counsel. Adhesion to the
Democratic faith in politics is a tradition in that
branch of the Nichols family to which the
Governor belongs, and his interest in public affairs and
in politics was early manifested. The qualities of
his mind especially fitted him for political management
and leadership, and his abilities in that direction
first had scope in the campaign of 1890, in which year
the Clermont Democracy achieved one of its greatest
victories. A result which was justly largely
attributed to the efforts of the young leader.
Never seeking office of himself, he was nominated and
elected as a member of the Ohio State Senate in 1897,
and served with distinction, but declined a re-election.
His service and abilities then attracted to him the
notice of men of affairs, and in 1898, when only
thirty-three years of age, he was made the nominee of
his party for supreme judge of Ohio. After his
campaign he devoted his attention for several years to
the practice of his profession, until called upon by
Governor Harmon, in 1910, to take charge of his
campaign for re-election. His work in that
campaign, when he marshaled the Democratic force of Ohio
to their greatest victory, is now a matter of history.
On the election of Lieutenant-Governor Pomerene
to the United States Senate, Governor Harmon's
tender of the appointment to the vacancy to Governor
Nichols, was a graceful acknowledgment of the debt
which he felt he owed his manager. During the
session of the legislature which followed, he presided
over the deliberations of the Senate and showed not
only his skill in guiding a turbulent assembly, but also
his devotion to those progressive principles to which
his party is now so completely committed.
When Governor Harmon cast about for a manager
for his presidential campaign the splendid service
rendered by Governor Nichols in the campaign of
1910, pointed him as a fitting man. His work in
that contest from the opening of headquarters until the
last ballot was taken in Baltimore, displayed the
energy, ability and loyalty to his obligations which are
marked features of Governor Nichols's character.
While he did not win in the sense of nominating his
candidate, he showed those qualities which deserve
success.
When the Ohio Democratic State convention met, in 1912,
Governor Nichols, yielding to the persistent
demand by his party associates in the State, consented
to accept the nomination for lieutenant governor, as the
running mate of Governor Cox. At the
ensuing election, he ran third on a ticket containing
ten names, and his majority was over one hundred and
fifty thousand.
As these lines are written, he is presiding over the
State Senate at Columbus. Governor Nichols
was a delegate from the Sixth district to the Democratic
National convention in 1900, and in 1912 a delegate at
large from the State of Ohio to the Baltimore
convention, where he appeared as the personal
representative of Governor Harmon on the floor.
His political career has
been a brilliant one, and those who know the man and his
ability and have watched his career, do not doubt that
the future holds greater honors in store for him.
The true estimate of a man is made by those who for
years have come in contact with him in his daily life
and judged by this test, Hugh L. Nichols comes up
fully to the highest conception of citizenship and
manhood. The esteem in which he is held by his
neighbors and the wide popularity which he enjoys is
based not only upon pride in his recognized ability, but
in the feeling akin to affection born of a knowledge of
his kindly impulses, his quick and sympathetic heart and
his generous and unostentatious charities, which are
limited by neither creed, condition, nor color.
Governor Nichols has been a member of the
Presbyterian church since boyhood, and is prominent in
its work and faithful in his attendance on its services.
His discharge of every duty, public and private, which
has devolved upon him has born the impress of that
high-mindedness which is a distinguishing feature of his
character. Governor Nichols was married in
1887 to Miss Louise Dean Stirling, a daughter of
the late W. B. C. Stirling, an amiable and
accomplished woman, and their beautiful home on Wood
street in Batavia is a center of social activities and
the seat of refined and generous hospitality.
Source: History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio
- Vol. II - by Byron Williams - Publ. 1913 - Page 220 |
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