Nichols, Nelson Clark (b. 1828), farmer, Fonda, is a native of Union county, Conn., the son of Warren and Matilda Parrish Nichols. In 1846, he went to Worcester, Mass., and found employment as a machinist. In 1853, he married Lucy Jane Patch (b. 1830) and remained there until 1858, when he came to Clayton county, Iowa. In May 1869, he located on a homestead five miles south west of Fonda, and he is still its owner and occupant. He planted fruit trees suited to this section and has one of the fines fruit bearing orchards in this vicinity. He has not yet forgotten the experiences of 1869, when he and his neighbors, William Strauss, C. D. Lucas, and Orlando O. Brown, hauled the materials, for their first buildings, from Fort Dodge. In October that year he paid the man that lived on the bank of the creek, on the Harvey Eaton farm, one dollar to ferry him across the Cedar at Fonda. The wagon box and fixings were put on the boat and the oxen swam after it pulling the wagon through the water with a slough rope.

His family consisted of five children.

Nellie Marie in 187, married Samuel Way, a telegraph operator, and located successively at Alta and Blairsburg, Iowa, and Gasgow, Montana, where he died leaving four children, Frank, Howard, Nellie and Fred. She now resides at Fargo, N.D.

George Newell, (b. 1861), a tinner, married Clara Roberts and located at Fonda. His family consists of five children, Lola, Vere, Opal, Claude, and Roy.

Charles Henry (b. 1863), a carpenter, married Theresa Dorton and lives in Clayton county.

Frank, a farmer, in 1898, married Pearl McGeary, lives on the old home farm and has one child Laura Jeannette.

Cora in 1886, married George Marsh, a painter and decorator, lives at Primgbar, and has a family of five children, Harry, Phoebe, May, Dora, and Joseph.