Judge Francis L. Nichols
|
Name | Relation | Marital Status | Gender | Race | Age | Birthplace | Occupation | Father's Birthplace | Mother's Birthplace |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Francis L. NICHOLS | Self | M | Male | W | 74 | NY | Ex Judge Associate | RI | CT |
Jennett NICHOLS | Wife | M | Female | W | 72 | NY | Keeping House | CT | CT |
George F. COLBY | Nephew | M | Male | W | 31 | OH | Laborer | MA | NY |
Clara H. COLBY | Niece | M | Female | W | 26 | MI | At Home | AR | AR |
Moriah ST. CLAIR | Sister-in-law | W | Female | W | 39 | NY | At Home | CT | CT |
National Archives Microfilm Number T9-1042, page 4C |
From: "Norway Tidings," Sept. 1, 1887
"Many of our old readers will remember Leach Nichols, a native of this town, who followed Horace Greeley's advice "Go West, young man," long before it was given. He left Norway sixty-eight years since, when but 14 years of age. A few years later he located at Toledo, Ohio, where he secured wealth and honors. He now resides at Eaton Rapids, Mich. He has not forgotten his mother town and we hope to see him at our Centennial. In a recent letter he relates the following remarkable dream: "I dreamed that I was in Norway and that there were wonderful improvements going on there, - old buildings torn down and new ones erected in their place. I noticed the old Presbyterian church and the Frederick Mason house being over-hauled. I told some one near me that I was at the raising of both those buildings, remembering it as distinctly as though it was but yesterday. One large stone foundation was being laid on the side hill near where Dudley Smith once lived; it seemed to include an acre of ground. I was told it was for a flower garden with fine drives and walked, and being built by a German of great wealth. Now if anybody in the world is prophet enough, or the son of a prophet, that can interpret this wonderful dream, I would like to have them do it." Who knows but what a "boom" will strike Norway yet."
From: "Norway Tidings," Centennial Number
Letters of regret for not being able to attend the September 7, 1887 Norway Centennial included that of Judge Leach Nichols. However, Judge Leach provided a photograph of himself. Non-county residents in attendance at the Centennial included A.J. Nichols, Ohio, and Joseph "Bushneil", Auburn, NY.
From: "Norway Tidings," August 1888
"We have some "grand old men" for correspondents. Dr. Wm. Mather has been heard from, and will doubtless favor our readers again. Judge Francis L. Nichols will be remembered as "Leech" Nichols and for a short time was a merchant in our village of the firm of Stevens & Nichols. He "went west" at the right time and has been a most successful man. The second letter from Gaylord N. Sherwood shows the intense interest he feels in our local history. He was born in the "Hardscrabble" district of Fairfield, lived in Norway for a few years, taught school at Newport, and afterwards became a partner with A.H. Buell in the mercantile business of Syracuse and elsewhere. He writes a clean, handsome hand, that beats any of our old time correspondents."
EATON RAPIDS, Mich. July 10, 1888
EDITOR NORWAY TIDINGS: I was much interested in your July number, especially in the school roll of Miss Loomis. I knew nearly all the names on that roll. It was in that ancient school house that I learned my A.B.C.'s, taught by Selah Griswold in 1810. My father joined farmed with Silvanus Ferris, at this time, but he soon after traded farms with Nathaniel Salisbury and moved down near the state road. I recollect one of the Austin boys who lived with Col. Jared Thayer, who often frightened me as I passed to and from school. Before the war of 1812 my father bought a tavern stand of John Pinney at the intersection of the Jersey field and state roads and kept tavern during the war. I remember of seeing the large cannon that passed our tavern on the way to Sacketts Harbor, and once a regiment of soldiers halted in front of our house for dinner. I was stationed in the garden to keep the soldiers from stealing the vegetables, but gave them all the onions they wanted. A school house was only a few rods distant from father's tavern, where I went to school winters until I was fourteen years old, when my father traded his farm and tavern for 800 acres of wild land in the town of Antwerp, N.Y. The next five years I did not attend school. About 1819 my father traded his Antwerp property for a farm in Fairfield on Lawton street, when I got to leave to attend a select school at Newport one quarter and afterwards another quarter at the Fairfield academy, boarding at home and carrying my dinner. These two terms completed my education.
I well remember the Corp family; the names of the children were Isaac, Caleb, Betsey, John, William, Rebecca and Lucinda. Caleb and Rebecca were apt scholars. Caleb afterwards studied medicine and attended lectures at Fairfield in 1826, when I was clerk in the store of Geo. Kretsinger at $5 a month. Caleb Corp was awkward in appearance and bashful; the students made much fun of him on account of his appearance, but when examination day came he was ahead of them al, and graduated at the head of his class. I know not how he succeeded in the practice of medicine; think he went to Courtland county as did his brothers John and William.
I visited Norway in August, 1885. A large number of my relatives and old friends rest in your village cemetery. From you village I went via Gray to what was once Jackson's Mill and thence through the Barnes district to Dairy Hill school house. Looking through the window I verily believe I saw the same old box stove that was in use 75 years ago. A nail pulled from the siding as a keep sake, I bid good bye to the old school house, and passed on to visit my birthplace in the south meadow of the farm now owned by Oney Smith; the barn that my father built remains, but all else how changed, except the little brook gurgling along down between the hills, where once I took delight in fishing for trout. From thence the Wanton Sweet farm and the graves of the Sweet family were visited, also an old neglected grave yard where lie my uncle Maze Nichols and wife, and cousin Horace Nichols. The old Dr. Todd place and Burrells Corners were noted on my way to Little Falls. But a word more of Dairy Hill and its school house. One of the old teachers named Charles King I remember well; he was a confirmed old bachelor and it is said the reason he gave for not marrying was that three things connected with married life he did not like to do, viz: split wood, churn, and rock the cradle. Dudley Burwell was another of the famous teachers of that old district. He was an eminent lawyer, but quite eccentric during the latter part of his life and died at Little Falls. I knew Col. Daniel Wright and Capt. Jared Smith, the latter was one of Norway's prominent men and held the office of justice many years. He unite din marriage my cousin Betsy Gardner with Alvah Tanner. I was at the wedding. My father Shibnah Nichols succeeded Capt. Smith as captain. My father was ordered to march to Sacketts Harbor to meet the red coats, but the order was countermanded before reaching their destination. I recollect most of the men in his company. This letter is too long but when I get on the subject of the days of "Auld Lang Syne," I don't know when to stop. To-morrow I expect to celebrate my 83d birthday; hale and hearty.
FRANCIS L. NICHOLS.
BUFFALO, N.Y., June 31, 1888.
DEAR SIR: The July number of TIDINGS is at hand and again it carries me away back to my boyhood days. In that military document I see many familiar names. Lieut Shibnah Nichols, Jacob L. and John Sherwood were my uncles.
I recollect well the old school teacher Charles King. Arphaxed Loomis was one of my early teachers, and I received a nice letter from him a few days before he died.
Dr. Lyman H. Wilson I kew long ago, and all the Wilson children except him were my scholars at Newport.
I remember Almira Sheldon wife of Benjamin Hurd, when a girl; her brother Giles J. Sheldon and myself were students at Fairfield academy away back say 70 years ago, and roomed together. Finally a great many named in the paper I remember well, and I assure you NORWAY TIDINGS helps me to live over my young life again.
Very truly yours,
G.N. SHERWOOD, nearing 84 years.
Sources: "History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio." Clark Waggoner, editor. New York and Toledo: Munsell & Company, 1888, and "Norway Tidings," privately printed by The Kuyahoora Valley Historical Society, 1987.
Back to Town of Norway Section Back to Meet Your Ancestors Section Back to Herkimer County NYGenWeb Created: 11/17/03 Copyright © 2003 Herkimer County NYGenWeb All Rights Reserved. |