Benjamin F. Nichols

As printed in 1889

ENJAMIN F. NICHOLS, a prominent farmer and extensive stock dealer of Muscatine County, Iowa, and one of the pioneers of 1840, was born in Fayette County, Ohio, on the 5th of September, 1826, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Rodgers) Nichols, both of whom were natives of Virginia. From that State the parents removed to Ohio at an early day, and subsequently became residents of Iowa. In 1838 Samuel Nichols made a trip to this State, and selected as a site for his future home a tract of land in Pike Township, Muscatine Comity. Returning during the same spring, he remained in Ohio until the spring of 1840, when, accompanied byr our subject, he again came to this county, to which the family removed the following fall. At that time there were five children in the family, but only two are now living: Benjamin F., of this sketch, and Townsend, one of the most extensive land-owners of Muscatine County, now residing in Chicago. He is a member of the Board of Trade of that city.

lu 1850, stirred with the excitement caused by the discovery of gold in California, our subject made a trip to the mines, going by way of New Orleans, and for nineteen years he was traveling over the country, returning home about 1870. Muscatine County, on the loth of October, 1872, he was united in marriage with Susan M. Jenkins, who was born April 20, 1847, in Ohio. They” are the parents of one son, Townsend, who was born Feb. 20, 1874, and is a most promising young man, now having charge of all the family interests. Mr. Nichols is one of the extensive land-owners of this county, having in his possession 1,100 acres of land, which is located in Pike Township. lie is also one of the largest stock-raisers in this section. In 1880 he began the breeding of Short-horn cattle, in which he has been remarkably successful, and now has a herd of 1 00 of a most excellent grade, upon his farm. Mr. Nichols has always taken a prominent part in public affairs, has aided largely in the upbuilding of the community where he re sides, and in his political sentiments is a stalwart supporter of the Democratic party.

The portraits of the pioneers of Muscatine County form a prominent feature of this work, and as such we take pleasure in giving those of Benjamin F. Nichols and his estimable wife.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Muscatine County, Iowa (1889). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.