of
Muscatine County Iowa
1879
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1879 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Historical Section, 1879, pages 580-583
NICHOLS. This town was so named by Benjamin F. Nichols, in honor of his father, Samuel Nichols, who subscribed liberally for stock to the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad Company, and donated to them the right of way through his land, in consideration that they build at this point a depot on land also presented by him for that purpose. It is situated in the center of what was once known as Elephant Swamp. To speak more properly and be explicit, it is located in Section 15 of Pike Township, on the line of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad and a branch thereof, called the Muscatine & Western. The lots were surveyed by George Bumgardner, County Surveyor, and the plat was filed for record June 22, 1871, by Benjamin F. Nichols, owner of the town site. Several small buildings were erected and some moved into the place prior to the recording of the town plat. The first building of any pretensions was constructed in 1871, by Dr. S. H. Smith, and used by him as a drug store and dwelling. The first house built on the survey waS owned by William Schelpaper and rented to James Carney, who kept in it a general stock of goods. On the night of carnival, 1871, through the careless handling of a lamp near powder, the entire building was blown to atoms, though the inmates escaped uninjured. When the Muscatine & Western Railroad was finished to this point in 1873, the company laid out an addition to the town and called it the Railroad Addition. In 1875, a second addition was made by T. Nichols. A commodious depot has been erected at the junction of the two railroads, and a good stock-yard built by the B., C. R. & N. R. R. The post office was established at Nichols, October 14, 1870, and Benjamin F. Nichols, appointed Postmaster, which office he still retains. Previous to this period, the office had been kept in Samuel Nichols' house, and was called Lacy; it was the first one in Pike Township and had been in the same family for over twenty years, when the change of location and name was made. To-day Nichols Station is a flourishing town of over three hundred inhabitants, doing an extensive country and large stock and grain shipping business. It can boast of several fine brick business blocks, a good school and four substanstial church edifices. It also enjoys the reputation of being a well-regulated place in all respects, though it has never been incorporated. The surroundings consist of beautiful rollihg prairie and rich bottom land, with soil as rich and fertile as any in Muscatine County. Just one-half mile east of town the little stream of Jordan meanders southeastward, emptying into Wapsinonoc Creek, which flows into Cedar River. An elevator was built in 1872, and a flouring-mill in 1876, by Nichols & Bro. The business of the place is represented as follows, viz.: Two general stores, two drug stores, one physician, one steam manufactory of wagons, pumps, churns and broom-handles, one saw-mill, two blacksmith-shops, two shoemaker-shops, two millinery establishments, one harness-shop, one bakery, one meat-market, two hotels and one livery-stable.
SCHOOL. Nichols belongs to Pike Township School District No. 6. The present fine two-story brick schoolhouse was built in the summer of 1872. The lower story was occupied the following winter as a school, which was taught by Miss Mollie Billick. The graded system was introduced in the fall and winter of 1875-76., and has proven both satisfactory and successful. Since its introduction, both stories of the school-building have been used. The present attendance averages seventy-four scholars. The present teachers are Franklin Gilbert and Mary E. Gilbert, the former's wife. The first log schoolhouse in Pike Township was built in 1849, and taught by a Mr. Hart, from Ohio.
CHURCHES. The Christian Church was organized as an independent society in the fall and winter of 1873-74. The present house of worship was erected in the summer and fall of 1874. Previous to this time, the congregation worshiped in schoolhouses, and were preached to by Rev. John Powell, of Columbus City. The first resident minister was Rev. J. H. Painter. The Church is now without a Pastor; its present membership is about forty.
The German Evangelical Protestant Church was organized by Rev. K. F. Obermann, in 1874, with the following heads of families as members: Nich. Lentz, John Schomberg, Nich. Scheuermann and others. The church-building was erected in 1876, and is valued at $1,500. The congregation at present consists of twenty families. Connected with the Church is a flourishing Sunday school, with an average attendance of fifty. After two changes in the pastorate, Rev. Obermann has returned to the charge.
The Roman Catholic Church was built in 1874, and was attended to by Rev. Father Nicholas Dugan, of Wilton, until February, 1877, since which time Rev. Father William Purcelle has been its resident Priest. It is a fine brick building, 32x50 feet, and 25 feet high. It is one of the ornaments of the town of Nichols, as well as of religion. The present membership is 109. The Church property, including the Priest's residence, is valued at $4,350.
The Methodist Protestant Church was organized in 1875, with the following original members, viz., William Vantuyl and wife, Miss Jennie Worden, Arnold Bliss and wife, Amos Ames and wife. The first Pastor was J. A. Bolton. The house of worship was built in 1875, under the direction of William Vantuyl, who contributed more than all others to the success of the enterprise. The church-building cost $2,500. The congregation at this writing consists of thirty-five members. William Swain is the present Pastor. He is also Pastor of a flourishing church five miles north of Nichols, known as South Prairie Chapel, erected in 1862. Among its earliest members were, and are yet, Pliny Nichols, Ira Nichols and wife, John Purvis and wife, Stephen Chase and wife, now living. Rev. William Purvis, first a member and afterward Pastor of this Church, is deceased. The present membership is fifty, and the value of church property $1,800. Connected with both this Church and the one at Nichols, are large and interesting Sabbath schools.
The Temperance Reform Club of Nichols was established February 22, 1878, with about one hundred members. Its first officers were Benjamin F. Nichols, President; John Hooley, Secretary; M. Rummery, Treasurer. The present officers are Benjamin F. Nichols, President; Frand Ronimouse, Secretary; Sidney Mansfield, Treasurer. The present membership is about two hundred and forty. The Club holds its meetings in the Methodist Church.
LODGE. Nichols Grove, No. 7, of the United Ancient Order of Druids; was instituted by dispensation July 24, 1876, and chartered June 12, 1877, with the following charter members: William Schelpaper, L. Kern, F. Hager, J. Eisman, A. Schmidt, William Ditrich, William Loeb, H. F. Clausen, William Bauer and C. Weisfulg. The first officers were J. Elsman, E. E.; H. F. Clausen, U. E.; William Schelpaper, Treasurer; F. Hager, Secretary. The present officers are William Schelpaper, E. E: H. F. Clausen, U. E.; John Eisman, Secretary; L. Kern, Treasurer. This is a German Grove, wherefore the official positions are abbreviated according to the German acceptation. The present membership is eighteen. The Grove meets in Druid Hall every first and third Monday in each month.
INCIDENTS. In the fall of 1838, Samuel Nichols and H. H. Winchester came from Ohio to what is now Pike Township, on a prospecting tour, and bought a claim of a party named Carother, who, with his family, consisting of nine persons, was undoubtedly the first settler in Pike township, and built there the first log cabin, which still stands, in Fred Hetchtner's field, about two and a half miles east of Nichols. After entering one-half section of their claim, located in the Dubuque District, and which came into market in 1838, our two prospectors returned to Ohio.
The following spring, 1839, Gamaliel Oles, Dr. B. S. Oles and H. H. Winchester, and their families, emigrated from Ohio to this point, coming by boat, and arriving at Bloomington, Muscatine Co., June 3, 1839, while Samuel Nichols, whose wife had died in Washington County, Ohio, leaving him with five young children, came alone, on horse-back.
Gamaliel Oles bought a claim of John M. Kidder and built upon it a log cabin, into which he moved his family in July, although it had no floor and was only partially roofed.
Dr. B. S. Oles went to Bloomington after one year's sojourn here. There he practiced medicine until 1849, when he left, in company with Judge Hastings, for California, and died in Washington Territory in 1865, while surgeon in the United States service.
Gamaliel Oles states to the writer that at the time of his coming only four families lived in Pike Township. namely, two called Carother, one Adams and one Kidder.
During the first four years the township did not increase in population; some moved away, so that only four families remained.
Mr. Oles says Rev. McVay organized a Methodist class in his (Oles') house in 1844, and preached there the first year, to a membership of eight. After the log schoolhouse was built, in 1849, religious services of all denominations were held there.
The present township officers are as follows: Samuel E. Walcott and Aaron Canott, Justices; A. J. Stafford and John Miller, Constables; J. B. Horton, Assessor; James Ryan, Clerk; Benjamin Black, M. L. Corner and A. Hiebing, Trustees.
John M. Kidder was appointed the first Justice of the Peace in Pike Township by the Governor, and Gamaliel Oles was the first one in the township elected by the people.
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