Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1912


Niccolls Family Biography

This family dates from the early settlement of Connecticut and New York, and the name is found in so many spellings, even in the same family, that the line is a most difficult one to trace. Whether Nichols, Nicholls, Niccolls, or Nicols, if an early family, the descent is from the same source.

(I) The first of this line to settle in Fayette county was John A. Nichols, grandson of John Nicolls, of near Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. John Nicholls was a well-to-do farmer, prominent in public life, and the first Whig sheriff of Westmoreland county; the office was then an appointive one, and he held it three years, 1822 -1825. He died May 10, 1842, and is buried in St. Clair Cemetery, at Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He married and had issue: 1. John N., born April 23, 1810, died July, 1893. He grew to manhood on the Westmoreland county farm, later moved west to Harrison, Ohio, where he was a large holder of western lands, owning thirty thousand acres in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. He lived during his latter years at Bloomington, Illinois. He married, in 1829, Elvira Smith, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; their son, Eben S., married Maria Steele. 2. Dr. Robert, a physician and surgeon; settled in California, where he was noted in his profession. He served as surgeon during the civil war. 3. James, died in Fayette county, in early life. 4. Thomas H., of whom further.

(II) Thomas H., son of John Niccolls, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1823, died 1854. He was a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College, and studied law under the preceptorship of the celebrated lawyer. Edwin Cowan, a leader of the Westmoreland county bar. He was admited to the bar and was beginning a most promising career when death came quickly and ended all. He was traveling in the south with his wife and had reached Cincinnati, Ohio, on their return, when he was stricken with cholera and died, aged thirty-one years. He married Elma Eberhart, born at Belle Vernon, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1826, died 1895. She married (second) a Mr. Lenhart. She was the daughter of William Eberhart, a pioneer glass manufacturer of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, born of German forebears. Children of Thomas H. and Elma Niccolls; 1. John A., of whom further. 2. William J., died August, 1889, was a merchant of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; married Isabella, daughter of Judge Clark, of Greensburg. 3. Thomas, resides in California. 4. Laura J., married Dr. James Krepps, now deceased, at one time a prominent physician of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where their son, Dr. Allen Krepps, is now living.

(III) John A., eldest son of Thomas H. and Elma (Eberhart) Niccolls, was born in Belle Vernon, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, November 27, 1846, died October 16, 1892. He was eight years of age when his father died, and at the age of fifteen he became an inmate of the home of his uncle, John N. Niccolls, of Bloomington, Illinois, the wealthy ranchman, after whom he was named. He was educated by his uncle at Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois, and after graduation wanted to be placed in charge of one of his uncle's many farms. His uncle dissuaded him with the argument that he was physically unfit for the life of a farmer, so he decided upon a mercantile life, entering the employ of the large commercial house of a Mr. Rice. Uncle John N. Niccolls arranged with Mr. Rice to reimburse the latter for all salary paid the young man during the time necessary to learn the business. In a very short time this arrangement terminated, Mr. Rice declaring he was well worth a salary and he should pay it himself. He possessed the true commercial instinct and was Mr. Rice 's valued assistant for five years, becoming thoroughly familiar with retail business methods. After the death of Mr. Rice, Mr. Niccolls joined with his cousin and went to Ottawa, Kansas, and for about one year conducted a ranch, the property of his uncle, John N. Niccolls.

In 1871 he returned to Pennsylvania, opening a dry goods and shoe store at Brownsville, Fayette county. He conducted a very successful business there until 1882, when he moved to Irwin Station, in Westmoreland county, and remained until 1883, when he came to Uniontown and established a large dry goods and carpet store in the Opera House block, now occupied by the post office, then moved around the corner on Main street, opposite to the site of the present First National Bank building. In 1890 he sold out his mercantile interests and closed his very successful career as a merchant. About 1888 he became associated with his brother-in-law, Josiah V. Thompson, president of the First National Bank of Uniontown, in coal deals, and thereafter devoted his energy exclusively to that line of investment. He succeeded as a coal land operator, as he succeeded in everything he undertook, the word "fail" not being included in his vocabulary. He was a man of sterling integrity, fine business ability and untiring perseverance. He was in early life a Democrat, but later became a Republican. He never sought or would accept public office, being a man of quiet domestic tastes, preferring the quiet of his home and the society of his wife and daughter to any honors public life could offer.

On coming to Uniontown Mr. Niccolls and wife moved into the old home of Mrs. Niccolls ' father, known as the "Old Judge Veech Home," on the corner of West Main and Mount Vernon avenue, which is now the home of his widow. He married, September 18, 1873, Lenora M. Thompson, daughter of Jasper Markle Thompson (see Thompson in this work). She was educated at Washington (Pennsylvania) Female Seminary, and is a lady of taste and culture. The only child of John A. and Lenora M. (Thompson) Niccolls, is: Lida (or Lydia), born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1875; she married (first) Purcell Fitz-Gerald; children: John, Gerald and Edward, the latter twins, born in 1900; she married (second) Prince Victor Von Thurm an Taxis, and resides at his country seat near London, England. She is a devoted wife and mother, and a lady of fine intellectual attainment.

Mrs. Lenora M. Thompson Niccolls is a member of the First Presbyterian Church, and interested in church, philanthropic and social activities in Uniontown.

Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.





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