A SUCCESSFUL FARMER.
For More Than Three-Score Years Mr. James Edwin Nichols Has Lived an Industrious Life in the Town of Danby, Honored and Respected by Every One.
The face of another member of the noted “Boys’ Club” graces the MIRROR’S first page this week, and it is with much pleasure that we present it and this brief sketch of the gentleman whom it represents to each subscriber, many of them to be filed away with previous and succeeding copies of the MIRROR and handed down to future generations.
James Edwin Nichols was born October 20, 1829, in the town of Hubbardton, Vt., where his parents—Thomas and Hannah Wait Nichols—then resided. When six years of age, however, his parents removed to Danby, and settled on the farm now owned by Daniel Harrington. After residing there for seven years Mr. Nichols’ father purchased what was then known as the Deliverance Rogers farm, situated in the central part of the town of Danby, and where the subject of this sketch now lives.
With the exception of two months after attaining his majority, during which time he peddled tin about the country for the then wellknown firm of Graves St Root of Bennington, and the first thirteen years of his life, Mr. Nichols has lived on the farm above referred to. In 1850, his father died, at the age of fifty-six, and Mr. Nichols settled up the estate and purchased the farm.
In January, 1854, Mr. Nichols was married to Louisa, daughter of Silas Hulett, and four children have blessed the union. The two older boys, Silas and Joel, are now dead, the latter dying only a few weeks ago at South Wallingford, where he was in the mercantile trade, conducting a general store. The third son, George, resides in Rutland. The only daughter and youngest child, Ella, married Mr. R. H. Clark and resides in Boston.
Mr. Nichols held the office of Selectman and Overseer of the Poor successfully for nine years, 1865 to 1872, during five years of which time he was chairman of the board. His townsmen also honored him by sending him to the legislature in 1866 as their representative, in which capacity he served with much credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. Mr. Nichols was also one of the Listers and Assessors for three years, from 1861 to 1864, and was appointed to fill the unexpired term as Town Treasurer upon the death of the late Albert Bucklin, and served in that capacity in a very creditable manner till a successor was duly elected.
Mr. Nichols has, in fact, held all the different town offices with the exception of Town Clerk, Justice of the Peace and Collector of Taxes. He has also been honored with many other positions of trust and responsibility in the settlement of estates and in other matters of a semi-public and private nature. He has been very successful in operating the farm which he still owns, though now letting it on the share basis to others who are younger and more active, and is looked upon as one of the substantial citizens of the town.
As will be noticed by the portrait which appears on our first page, Mr. Nichols bears his age remarkably well —in fact, he appears little older than twenty or twenty-five years ago. He is universally respected by all who know him, and is considered a man of the strictest integrity and sound judgment. May he and his estimable wife pass many more years enjoyably among their many friends here below before being called to their reward in the better land above.