FREDERICK NICHOLS

Fred Nichols, as he was known to his many friends, a long time fruit grower and gardener here in Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska, was down town on business April 7, 1914, about 3 p.m. After going home he carried in some wood and watered his horse and died in less than an hour of heart failure.

He was born in Germany 80 years ago June 16, was married to his present wife in Ohio in the sixties and leaves a wife and seven grown children, Charles in Ohio, Mrs. Thomas Swift (by a former marriage), George and Mary in Omaha, Mrs. Herman Wolff of Ithaca and William and a widowed daughter, Mrs. Irwin Ambler, at home.

He came to Ft. Calhoun in January, 1881, and for a time kept the old Tew hotel until he bought the old Judge Doane block, where he died, and was our neighbor for about twelve years and a good neighbor. When this writer was very sick fourteen years ago he was as anxious for our recovery as an own brother could have been.

About thirty years ago in skinning a dead animal, he got a peculiar form of blood poisoning in his hand that destroyed most of his ability to labor, cost hundreds of dollars for medical attendance and an amount of suffering no one can estimate. In the hundreds of times we have talked with him he scarcely ever complained of his suffering, only his inability to labor for his family.

He was buried in his wedding suit he wore in the 60’s, reviving an old custom of years ago now almost obsolete. The children were all at the funeral except Charles of Ohio. Rev. Dr. Ramsay of the Omaha university preached the sermon. Mrs. Charles Sierk, Mrs. Charles Rathjen and Mrs. Edward Brenner sang the anthems. The flowers were many and beautiful. The weather was fine and the attendance large.

Among others present were Guy Grosjean, Gus Newstrom, Mrs. Gruhdman, Mr. Laughland and daughter, Tomas Swift, Mrs. Downy, Mr. and Mrs. Englander, J.H. Dorsey and A.S. Carter of Omaha; Mrs. Henchman, Mrs. Frank Brooks and Fred Bugeon of Blair; Fritz Heise of Harlan, Iowa, and others.

The pallbearers were Wm. Hardy, Fred Jipp, Harry Rohwer, William Frahm, Frank Smith and Henry Koepke.

Grandma Nichols and all the other members of the family wish to thank their many kind neighbors and friends for help and sympathy in the time of need.

W.H. Woods.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~