NSurname

Hon. ALONZO L. NICHOLS , of Winchester, lawyer and jurist, was born at Lynn, Indiana, August 3, 1856, a son of Henry D. and Elizabeth (Gray) Nichols. Both parents were born in Randolph County, and all his grandparents came to Indiana from North Carolina, being pioneers of the eastern part of the state, where they acquired land direct from the Government. His maternal grandparents, Elisha and Elizabeth (Morris) Gray, walked most of the way to Indiana. Judge Nichols’ father was a merchant and carpenter, served with the Ninth Indiana Regiment in the Civil war and held various local offices, including that of township trustee. He died in 1900 and his wife in 1913. Alonzo L. Nichols was educated in the common schools of Indiana, attended the Indiana State Normal at Terre Haute, and gave twelve years of his early life to educational work. During one year of that time he was instructor in the Winchester High School. For four years he was employed as deputy county clerk and during that time studied law and was admitted to the bar. He held the office of county clerk for four years and then resumed his law practice. From January 1, 1919, to December 31, 1931, he was one of the appellate judges of Indiana and gave his entire time to his judicial duties. Judge Nichols is president of the Eastern Indiana Telephone Company. He has been an official in the Indiana Bar Association, is a Republican, member of the Knights of Pythias, the Sons of Veterans, and an elder in the Church of Christ. Judge Nichols married, August 25, 1880, Miss Kittie C. Wiseman, who was born in Switzerland County, Indiana, daughter of John and Mary Wiseman. To their marriage were born seven children, two of whom are living, the elder, Chase, of Fort Wayne, and the younger, Merrill, of Winchester.

Typed by Lora Radiches

JOSEPH P. NIXON is one of the leading citizens of Jefferson Township and a representative of one of its pioneer families. He was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, December 18, 1833, a son of John and Hannah (Pennock) Nixon, natives also of Ohio, his grandfather, William Nixon, being a pioneer of Columbiana County, coming from Loudoun County, Virginia. The parents of our subject came to Jay County in 1835, and settled on section 15, Jefferson Township, and commenced to make a home in the dense forest. The father still lives within 200 yards of the spot where his rude cabin was erected. The mother died in 1866, after living to rear her family. They had a family of twelve children -Joseph P.; Sarah Jane became the wife of T.M.C. Lutes, and died in 1857; Rebecca Ann, deceased, was the wife of L.M. Doddridge; William, of Jefferson Township; Ruth, wife of L.M. Doddridge, of Michigan; Emanuel; Lucette, wife of Cyrus M. Stratton, and Matilda, wife of B.F. Van Skyock, of Jefferson Township; Eliza, deceased; Charlotte, wife of George Taylor, of Michigan; Lucinda, and John, a physician at Farmland, Randolph County. Joseph P. Nixon was in his third year when his parents moved to Jay County, and with the exception of the year 1857, spent in Missouri, has since lived in the county. His education was obtained in the old log school house at Mount Pleasant. He made his home with his father until 1861, working the few years preceding in different neighborhoods at the carpenter's trade. He was married in August, 1861, to Emeline Hite, a native of Jefferson Township, where her parents, William and Sarah Hite, settled in the spring of 1835. Mr. and Mrs. Nixon commenced housekeeping on their present homestead, and the fine building improvements have all been erected by him. The homestead contains 280 acres of sections 10, 15 and 16, about 200 acres of which are under cultivation.
Mr. and Mrs. Nixon have had eight children. Their first-born, Cyrus, died, aged a little more than two years. Those living are -James G., of Como; Millard, Anna, Walter, Elmer, Jesse and Ida May. In politics Mr. Nixon is a Democrat. In 1874 he was elected Treasurer of Jay County and served two years. He has served twelve years as trustee and one term as assessor of his township.
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL RECORD OF JAY AND BLACKFORD COUNTIES, INDIANA The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887 Page 323
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