Crawford County >> 1911 Index

History of Crawford County, Iowa
by F. W. Meyers. 2 vols. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1911.

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BENJAMIN Y NICHOLSON submitted by Norm Prince

Many theories have been advanced concerning success and much has been written about the best way of achieving it, but careful investigation into the lives of the most successful men show that their advancement is not due to any fortunate combination of circumstances nor to the following of any given rule but is based upon the foundation principles of industry, energy, perseverance and close application. Another proof of this fact is found in the life record of Benjamin Y Nicholson, now secretary and treasurer of the Nicholson Produce Company of Denison.

He was born in Jerusalem, Ohio, October 3, 1863, his parents being John L and Eleanor (Young) Nicholson. He came to Iowa with his parents in 1864 when but a years old and remained a resident of New Sharon until seventeen years of age, during which period he mastered the branches of learning that constitute the public school curriculum. Ambition to be up and doing for himself led him to leave home and go to Vail, Iowa, where he joined his brother, George W, in the poultry, butter and egg business. The partnership between them has extended for twenty-eight years and for the past twenty years Benjamin Y Nicholson has resided in Denison, having charge of the business here most of that time. Their ramifying trade interests reach out to various sections of this and surrounding states. They buy from a large territory and make extensive annual shipments, finding a ready sale for their products on the market.

On the 18th of May, 1888, Benjamin Y Nicholson was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Maude Watson, who was born in England and was brought to America by her parents, Mr and Mrs W W Watson, when quite young. The family were early settlers of Crawford county and her father died in Vail about twenty years ago. Her mother, however, is still living. They were the parents of four sons and four daughters, William W, Charles S, John S, James, Fannie, Lydia M, Alice and Lizzie. The marriage of Mr and Mrs Nicholson has been blessed with six children, namely: Clair W, Pearl E, Benjamin Y, Jr, Gladys Erma, and two who died in infancy, Russel and Merrill.

Mr Nicholson is an advocate of Masonic principles and endeavors to embody in his life the benevolent and charitable spirit of the craft. His membership is with Sylvan Lodge, No 507, A F & A M, of Denison; Ark Chapter, R A M, of Dunlap; Mount Zion Commandery, K T, of Harlan, Iowa; and Za-ga-zig Temple of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Des Moines. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge. Politically a republican, he served for about twelve years as a member of the city council, exercising his official prerogatives in support of many measures and movements for the general good. He has also been a member of the school board for fourteen years and the cause of public education finds in him a warm friend. He was chairman of the county central committee while Hon Leslie M Shaw was elected governor and served as chairman for two years. He believes that the best interests of good government are to be conserved through the adoption of the principles of the republican party and thus he labors earnestly and untiringly in its behalf.

GEORGE W NICHOLSON submitted by Norm Prince

The broader spirit of the new century found expression in the business record of George W Nicholson, president of the Nicholson Produce Company of Denison. For a number of years he was in control of large affairs and extensive interests in this connection. His ability to manage, his business and financial instinct, his quick comprehension of a situation and his secure grasp of details were all elements in his successful conduct of a business which has long since assumed large and profitable proportions.

Mr Nicholson was a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Barnesvville, Belmont county, October 6, 1853. He died March 2, 1911, at Tampa, at Mrs Barley’s home. His parents were John L and Eleanor (Young) Nicholson, also natives of the Buckeye state. The father was a son of John Nicholson, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but became an early settler of Smithfield, Ohio. In 1864 he sought the opportunities of the middle west, making his way to New Sharon, Iowa, where he lived for thirty-five years. He died, however, while on a visit in Denison in 1899, in the eighty-first year of his age. His wife survived him four years, passing away in 1903 at the age of seventy-seven years. Mr Nicholson had been reared as a member of the Society of Friends or Quakers, but in later life he and his wife both became members or the Methodist church. He held a number of local offices and was a prominent and valued citizen of the community in which he lived. His family numbered nine children, namely; Amanda J, who die din young womanhood; Martin W, of New Sharon Iowa; George W, of this review; John W, deceased; Charles L, of Blair, Nebraska; Ross A, who died at Newton, Iowa, in 1909; Benjamin Y, a resident of Denison; Oliver E, who died in Boulder, Colorado; and Mary, who passed away in infancy.

George W Nicholson spent the first eleven years of his life in the state of his nativity and then came to Iowa with his parents in 1864. He was a resident of New Sharon for about five years, during which period he attended the public schools. When a youth of fifteen he started out to make his own way in the world and was employed at construction work on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. In 1880 he came to Crawford county and fro eight years was a resident of Vail. On the expiration of that period he removed to Denison, where he lived for five years, after which he went to Grand Junction, where he remained for fourteen years. He then returned to Denison, where he engaged in the poultry, butter and egg business, which has claimed his time and attention from 1874 until his death. H and his brother, Benjamin, were associated in this enterprise for twenty-eight years and conducted as business of extensive proportions. In 1908 they erected in Denison a large storage plant, which is sixty by sixty feet and five stories in height including basement. There is also an L addition. They drew trade from all directions and from a large district, and were among the leading shippers of this part of the state.
On the 4th of August, 1884, Mr Nicholson was married to Miss Frances Long, a daughter of J F and Bridget (Butler) Long. Four children were born of this marriage; Grace Frances, now the wife of Guy O Baker; George, who died at the age of two years; Georgiana May, who is attending high school; and John, who die din infancy. The mother passed away in 1896 at the age of thirty-four years. She was a Catholic in religious faith. He birth occurred at Elk Point, Dakota, while her father was a native of Boston, Massachusetts, and her mother of Ireland, being brought to America when only a years old. Mr and Mrs Long were early settlers of Dakota, but for some years lived in Vail, Iowa, where Mr Long passed away. The death of Mrs Long occurred at Grand Junction, Iowa, in the spring of 1910. On the 14th of August, 1905, Mr Nicholson was again married, his second union being with May O Adams, who was born at Atlantic City, New Jersey, where her parents, Mr and Mrs Alfred Adams, still reside. She is one of six children, the others being; Louis; Alfred; Bentley; Carrie, the wife of Louis Rothchild; and Pauline, the wife of Frederick Holmes. The father, Alfred Adams, is a son of John Adams, who came to this country from France with four brothers and settled in New Jersey. The family have since scattered over the United States and are very prominent in the east. Mrs Nicholson was reared and educated in Atlantic City, where she was graduated from the high school. She lived for a time in New York, but was married in Chicago, and has made her home in Denison for the past six years, being very prominent in social circles here.

George W Nicholson was an exemplary and prominent member of the Masonic fraternity. He belonged to Jefferson Lodge, No 57, A F & A M, of Grand Junction; Jefferson Chapter, R A M; Jefferson Commandery, K T; Des Moines Consistory, A A S R, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite; and Za-ga-zig Temple of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. His political allegiance was given to the republican party. He never sought nor desired office as a reward for party fealty, yet was not remiss in the duties of citizenship, supporting at all time those measures and movement which he deemed of essential value in the conduct of business affairs or in promoting the interests of the community. He passed away at Tampa, Florida, March 2, 1911.

Johann Neumann submitted by Dean & Tena Schroeder

It required an abundance of courage and a strong faith in himself for Johann Neumann to leave home and friends in Germany when he was a young man and to establish himself among strangers in America, but he has met with success in the new world and is today one of the prosperous farmers of Stockholm township, Crawford County, Iowa.. He was born April 10, 1854, a son of Frederick and Maria Neumann, who came to America in 1883 and located in Crawford county, where they both died. There were five children in their family, four of whom are now living.

Johann Neumann was educated in his native land and remained there until twenty-eight years of age, when he emigrated to the new world. He came direct to Crawford county and worked as a farm hand for four years, at the same time becoming acquainted with the language and customs of the country. He began farming independently by renting land for one year and then purchased eighty acres on section 3, Stockholm township. As his resources permitted he bought more land until he now owns two hundred acres, which he has greatly improved. He conducts his business capably and has met with a gratifying measure of success, being one of the energetic and progressive farmers of the township.

In 1886 Mr. Neumann was united in marriage to Miss Ann Tams, who was born in Schleswig, Germany, May 1, 1853, a daughter of Detlef and Katherine Tams, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to America in 1879 and located in Crawford county, where her parents continued during the remainder of their lives. There were eight children in their family. Ten children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Neumann, namely: Elsabeth, now the wife of John Neumann, of Omaha, Nebraska, who has the same name as her father but is not related; maria, the wife of Henry Neumann, of Omaha; Minnie, now Mrs. John Hagge, of Boone county, Iowa; Anna, the wife of Louis Gronau; Augusta, who engages in dressmaking and lives at home; and Frederick, Amelia, Freda, Johann, and Walter, all of whom are living at home.