Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Rev. Charles Wilbur De Lyon Nichols, philanthropist and author, is the only son of the late Gerge K.neeland Nichols, of Bridgeport, and lived at Nichols, his birthplace, until his seventh year; then attended schools at Rochester, N. Y. , for eleven years, commencing the study of Latin at eight and of Greek at twelve years of age. He graduated at De Graff's military school, where he was a pupil of Clark, the grammarian, and finally at Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Mass. , tak- ing high honors in the classics. Three ye irs were then devoted to the study of vocal music and the ancient classics, until Mr. Nichols' entrance at the Johns Hopkins University, during the summer vacations of his course there attending lectures on the philosophy of Hegel at the Concord 40 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Summer School of Philosophy, under the United States commissioner of education, the Hon. William T. Harris, LL. D. A thesis written by Mr. Nichols at that time was forwarded by Dr. Harris to Scotland, to the renowned author of T/n- Scent of Hcgcl, as a specimen of what American students were doing on speculative lines. Mr. Nichols' theological training occupied five years — two in the study of ethics and speculative theolog}' at Seabury Divinity School, Minnesota, and the regular three-years' course at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church, New York City. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Henry C. Potter, at St. Thomas' Church, New York City, and to the priesthood at the Church of the Holy Com- munion of that city. During his diaconate, the Rev. Mr. de Lyon Nichols was assistant to the Rev. Dr. E. Edwards Beardsley at St. Thomas' Church, New Haven, also attending lectures on the philosophy of religion at Yale Divinity School. He was then called to be rector of S^. Stephen's Church on the historic Bentley Manor, an out- lying portion of the William H. Aspinwall estate, on Staten Island, New York city. Having im- ported some of the ideas of Henry R. Haweis, the London divine, the author of Music and Mor- als, the Rev. Mr. de Lyon Nichols' Parish was widely known as "The Aesthetic Parish of Staten Island ", and its Easter and Twelfth Night festival services were attended by throngs from a radius of more than ten miles. Mr. Nichols was a contributor to the memorial birthday volume presented by Americans to Sir Michael Munkacsy, of Paris, the renowned painter of "Christ before Pilate." For four years he was chaplain of the Department of Public Charities, New York Cit}', and he has made a highly suc- cessful dash into literature, ' 'The Greek Madonna" written under the noin dc plume " Shelton Chauncey," having passed through several editions with a wide circulation in England and on the continent of Europe. He passes three months of each year in literary seclusion at Bridgeport, where he is now completing the MS. of "The Decadents", his story of Blackwell's Island and Ne.vport, into whose plot a pretty sketch of Nichols, his birthplace, is interwoven. Rev. Mr. Nichols is also the author of "The Park City Peerage," a genealogical volume. For one month of each year he sojourns at New- port, the remainder being passed in New York City occupied with various philanthropic institu- tions, and as Vicar of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Rev. Mr. Nichols is the founder of the New York Sunday Kindergarten, backed by men and women of National repute, and where the system of religious artistic symbolism, of which he is the originator, is brought to bear upon the lives of tenement-house children. He is to inaugurate a much greater philanthropic under- taking on Cathedral Heights, New York City, after an e.xtentled sojourn in Europe. JOHN BEACH NICHOLS, Sr., (deceased), was at the time of his death one of the oldest living members of this distinguished family, and for many years was a leading agriculturist of the town of Trumbull, Fairfield county. Born August i6, 1817, our subject was a son of John Nichols, and a grandson of Andrew Nichols, who was a native of Nichols, and fol- lowed farming there throughout his life. At the age of thirty-five he married Hepsey Curtis, by whom he had ten children: Silas, Robert, John (sketch of whom follows), Isaac, Sally, Nlary, Patty, Hezekiah, Abiah and Nathan. John Nichols, the father of John B, Nichols, Sr. , was a lifelong resident of Nichols, and in early manhood purchased farming land from the Fairchild's, where he built a house and estab- lished his home. Politically he was a Whig, and like the other members of his family he was prominent in the Congregational Church at Trumbull. He was twice married, first to Mary Curtis, by whom he had three children: Abiah, born June 6, 1793; Roswell, born December 1, 1801 ; and Sidney, born December 3, 1807. The mother of these died May 8, 181 i, and for his second wife John Nichols wedded Ruth Beach, daughter of Daniel Beach, of Daniels Farms, town of Trumbull^ and by her had five children, whose names with dates of birth are as follows: Ruth Ann, April 19, 1813; a son that died in in- fancy; John Beach, Sr., August 16, 1817; Coin- fee Maria, March 21, 1820; and Mary H., Feb- ruary 8, 1S24. All of the above are now de- ceased except Ruth Ann, who is a resident of Elgin, Illinois. John Beach Nichols, Sr., always made his home at Nichols, where' he owned a fine farm. As a citizen he showed much public spirit, and for many years he had been an active supporter of the Congregational Church at Trumbull. In local politics he was influential as a member of the Republican party, serving as selectman, as- sessor, and member of the board of relief. He was married three times, first November 18, 1840, to Mary R. Brinsmade, who was born February 14, 1820, and they had two children: Horatio Brinsmade, born May 9, 1845, inSrried Laura Fairchild, and died October 19, 1875; and John Wickliff. born April 13, 1847, died '.-■.i.l-.. .A- I • ('•'■'• ■.' I JOHN B. NICHOLS. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 41 July 25, 1853. The mother of these passed away February 23, 1849, 3-"^ for his second wife ^fr. Nichols wedded, March 23, 1850, Har- riet E. Brinsmade, who was born July 5, 1S16, and died June 19, i860, without issue. For his third wife Mr. Nichols married, August 17, 1S64, Catharine E. Plumb, who was born February 4, 1833, and died August 29, 1879, leaving two children: John Beach, Jr., born May 22, 1866, married January 28, 1894, and is now engaged in farming and dairying; and Catharine May, born March 5, 1876, married June 8, 1898, to Lester Shelton, of Booth Hill, town of Hunting- ton, Fairfield county. On May i, 1899, John Beach Nichols, Sr., died at Nichols, Trumbull, aged 81 years, 8 months, 15 days. ISAAC ELBERT NICHOLS, a prominent ag- riculturist of the town of Trumbull, is highl)' esteemed among a wide circle of acquaintances, his sterling qualities of character commanding the respect of all who know him. Mr. Nichols was born at Nichols. Conn., February 10, 1827, a son of Isaiah Nichols and grandson of Isaac Nichols, who owned an exten- sive tract of land in that locality, and passed his life in agricultural pursuits. His first wife was Sally Hawley. Isaiah Nichols, the father of our subject, was also an agriculturist, owning a large farm in Trumbull. He received a good education for his time, and was much respected for his sound judgment, being often called upon to settle es- tates. His wife, Abiah Nichols, a daughter of John Nichols, was a devout member of the Con- gregational Church. They had four children: Anna A., wife of Elbert Edwards, of Daniels Farms, Elliot P., Isaac Elbert, and Sidney W. Isaac Elbert Nichols was educated in the schools of his native town, and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits since early manhood. The greater portion of his life has been spent at Nichols, but at times he has resided in Bridge- water, Newtown and Fairfield. Politically he is a Democrat, though in early life he was a Whig. By his first wife, Ermina (Gregory), of Tashua, he had no children; by his second marriage, with Miss Henrietta Banks, of Easton, he has a daughter, Ermina M., wife ot David E. Plumb, and a son, Charles Banks. The latter, who is now a resident of Monroe, this county, married Miss Mary I. Hubbell. and has two children, Charles Frederick and Theodore Elbert. Mrs. Henrietta (Banks) Nichols is a daughter of Samuel Banks, and granddaughter of Solomon Banks, both residents of Easton, where they fol- lowed the trade of carpenter and joiner. Sam- uel Banks married Laura Sherwood, and had seven children, of whom the fnUowiiig are now living: Mary B., wife of Charles N. Fairchild; George S., who resides in Easton; and Henri- etta, Mrs. Nichols. LUCIUS CURTIS NICHOLS, a well-known ; citizen of Trumbull township, is passing the afternoon of life in retirement at his pleasant home near Nichols village, on the road between that place and Huntington. Our subject was born at Nichols, May 6, 1828, a son of Prosper Nichols, and grandson of Rob- ert Nichols. The latter was a leading farmer -of that locality in his day. He married Joanna Peet, and had four children: Ira, Abijah M., Prosper and Charles L.