Nicholls, Cyrus (1858-1926)

NICHOLLS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/15/2016 at 23:43:34

Advocate Tribune newspaper, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, Feb 15, 1906, front page
Biography of Cyrus Nicholls, written by George E. Epps

Cyrus Nicholls, the subject of this memoir, was born in the month of October, 1858, in a little log house one mile north west of Palmyra and a few rods southeast of where J. H. Miller now lives. He was to the writer’s mind fortunate in being born in the month of October, the most charming month of all the year. According to the astrologers his horoscope reveals a successful life. He was fortunate in being born in a log hut for the reason that children born in log houses are more apt to develop robust constitutions than those born in our modern homes. He was fortunate in being born a pioneer, born in a period when it required the united efforts of the whole family to keep the wolf from the door. The strennous life of his boyhood laid the foundation for the strength of his manhood. Forty seven years have come and gone since Cyrus was a baby. Forty seven years is a long time in the life of an individual, but a short time in the great achievements of the past. His old father and mother who trained him in habits of industry and frugality have been freed from the toils and struggles of pioneer life, the old log cabin with its stick chimney, its one door and one window has served its purpose in the evolution of time and passed away. The old rail fence has been replaced by the woven wire fence made from threads of glittering steel. One of the many grand achievements of human thought which is constantly but silently pushing the realm of the actual into the realm of the possible. The old pole shed covered with slough grass has been replaced by barns which the old pioneer would have considered a palace compared with the hut in which he lived. After a few months residence at the place of his birth, his parents moved to the farm where he now lives. Here his life has been spent. Our acquaintance with him began when he was ten years old. The writer was a school teacher wielding the rod in the old schoolhouse located in the northeast corner of the grove where Dow Henry now lives and young Cyrus was one of my pupils. He was studious but his favorite study, and that in which he made the greatest progress, was mathematics. I remember that I offered as a prize to the boy who made the most progress in the study of arithmetic, a new slate and a long pencil. Young Cyrus won the prize. For a number of years he attended my schools and always ranked high in mathematics and my thirty years of experience in the schoolroom leads me to say that the boy or girl who loves the study of mathematics lays a good foundation for success in life and escape the demoralizing effects of the novel reader. They always derive more pleasure in the solution of problems than in reading yellow backed literature. At an early age young Cyrus evinced a disposition to paddle his own canoe and fight his own battles. Some of the boys said that when he got into a scrap he would bite like a rattlesnake and sting like a bee. Mr. Nicholls has always been blessed with good health; he is a man of great strength and great endurance. With an optimistic turn of mind he sees the bright side of the picture. On the 19th day of May 1881 he was married to Miss Belle Patent. Four children, two boys and two girls have been born unto them. The eldest daughter, Nellie, is married, George, Guy and Olive are at home with their parents. When a man takes unto himself a wife he takes the most important step in his life. If he makes a wise choice his life will be blest. But if he makes an unwise choice he will be like the man who built upon the sand. Mr. Nicholls was fortunate, being blessed with good health and again he was blessed in securing a faithful helpmate and congenial companion. At the time of his marriage he bought eighty acres of land adjoining his father on the west. Here he lived until the death of his mother when he moved into the house with his father where he has since lived. His father died five years ago. Cyrus bought the interest of his brothers and sisters in his father’s estate. Since the death of his father he added to the old homestead by purchase until he now owns 665 acres of the first class land. When the farm came into his hands there were three barns on the place. The barn at the home being 40 X 40. The other barns were smaller. In the last two years Mr. Nicholls has built two barns. One is the grain and stock barn combined 50 X 50. Last year he build a hay barn 43 X 80 feet. This barn will hold 100 tons of hay, joined to it is a shed and corn crib 20 X 80 feet. Watt Butterfield, another one of my old pupils and, by the way, one of the best mechanics in Warren county, built the barns for Mr. Nicholls and is engaged for the coming season to repair and enlarge Mr. Nicholl’s two smaller barns. “Uncle Cyrus” as he is called is not a specialist but an all purpose farmer. He raises corn, fall wheat, oats and barley in grain line. He raises horses, cattle and mules. For some years he would raise cattle, get them ready for feeding and sell them to feeders; but of late years he had been feeding from one to three car loads of cattle each year. When ready to market he sells to shippers. He has been very successful in raising and preparing draft horses for market. It has been his custom to break the colt, work him until he is five years old when he is fatted and sold. The boys tell a good story on Uncle Cyrus but I cannot vouch for the truth of the story. They say he sold a horse and agreed to deliver him in Des Moines on a certain day. When the day came for delivery he arose early, finished his chores, ate his breakfast, and started for Des Moines. When he got a mile north of Palmyra he discovered that he had left his horse at home. This necessitated a return for the horse and of course made him a little late for dinner in Des Moines. Cyrus Nicholls is an early riser and retires when there is nothing else to do. He is a worker not from necessity but choice. The men who spin, and weave and plow and sow are the men who reap and add to the wealth of a nation. Work is conducive to health and long life, work hurts no man, hundreds die from worry and the rust of idleness, where one dies from over work. Laziness is a disease and the man who overcomes a tendency to loaf and spend his time in idleness is a hero. When old mother Eve centuries ago went to the orchard to get apples to make apple sauce for old father Adam, she made the mistake of her life when she sat down under the tree and gossiped with the snake. When man is idle the devil is always at work, when man is at work the devil is idle. Cyrus Nicholls could have gone west when a boy or spent his first earnings in buying a buggy, stayed at home and killed the old man’s horses, but he chose to stay at home and work and lay the foundation for one of the best homes in Warren county, he bought his first buggy a few years ago. Only forty seven years old, he is still a young man in the prime of life, strong and vigorous. His past experience has given him a knowledge of the business affairs of life which will enable him to add to his already large accumulations of this world’s goods. He has already crossed the river with his real estate; time alone will reveal his stopping place. Uncle Cyrus is not a member of any church. He does not affiliate with any secret or fraternal society. He is not bothered with catechisms or pass words. He is an active member in good standing of the democratic party. When a man is safely anchored in the democratic party he is not likely to be bothered with filling an office so we leave him in his haven of work in the enjoyment of life as he sees it. Adieu Uncle Cyrus