William Asberry Nichols (1856-1939)

NICHOLS, MCNARY, BIESNICKER, WHITNEY, FISCUS, HONEYWELL, FUNDIS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

From Nevada Evening Journal August 8, 1939 (page 4)

Pioneer Marshall County Man Dies at State Center

State Center, Aug. 8--William Asberry Nichols, 83, a retired farmer living in State Center, and a resident of Marshall county his entire life, died at his home here at 8:30 a. m. Monday, after a long illness caused by intestinal troubles and infirmities of age.

W. A. Nichols was born Sept. 24, 1856, at Burgettstown, Pa. When he was four years old he came to Iowa with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Parker A. Nichols, arriving in Edenville, now the town of Rhodes, in this county, Jan. 17, 1857.

At the age of about eight years, Mr. Nichols' mother died and he lived with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Nichols, until he was 13 years old, when he went to live in his father's home. When he became 17 years of age, he went to live in the home of an aunt, Mrs. Robert Ferguson where he remained for seven years, or until his marriage Dec. 20, 1881, to Miss Annie McNary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John McNary, by Rev. Robert Bruce Clark, minister of the First Presbyterian church of State Center.

Mr. and Mrs. Nichols farmed one year southeast of State Center, on a farm now owned by J. W. Ferguson, and in 1883 moved to the farm south of State Center, now occupied by their son Earl, where they lived until they retired 20 years ago and moved to State Center.

Mr. and Mrs. Nichols celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1931. Mrs. Nichols died May 1, 1938.

Mr. Nichols has spent a long, busy and useful life in the community and the county. He was a member of the Marshall count board of supervisors from 1913 to 1919, and has been president of the Marshall County Farmers' Mutual Insurance association for several years, having served as vice president and member of the board of directors previously, besides being a member of the Marshall county fair board for many years. He also was State Center township assessor for 20 years and has been justice of the peace for about the same length of time.

He was a member and past master of Terrestrial Lodge, No. 276, A. F. A. M., and Cleo Chapter, No. 303, Order of the Eastern Star, at State Center as well as of the Knights Templar and council of the Royal Arch at Marshalltown.

Mr. Nichols is survived by one daughter, Mrs. S. L. Whitney, of Bangor, and four sons, Floyd of Hart, Mich.; Ray of Worland, Wyo.; A. W. Huntington Park, Calif., and Earl of State Center. He also leaves 18 great grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and three sisters, Mrs. Blanch Fiscus, Ten Sheep, Wyo.; Mrs. Grace Honeywell, Seneca, Kans., and Mrs. Alda Fundis, Newark Valley, N. Y. A daughter, Mrs. Grace Biesnicker, died in 1922.

Funeral arrangements are pending the arrival of a son from California. He is not expected to reach here before Wednesday.