Imperial-San Francisco-San Diego County CA Archives Biographies.....Nichols, George W. 1856 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 18, 2006, 10:06 pm Author: F. C. Farr (editor, 1918) GEORGE W. NICHOLS.—Well entitled to recognition in this publication as one of the pioneers and representative citizens of Imperial County is the name which heads this review. Mr. Nichols has been long identified with the agricultural and real estate interests of this community, and he has been an influential factor in furthering the upbuilding of the county in many ways. He was born in Unity County, New Hampshire, March 16, 1856, a son of John and Mary Nichols. His father was a native of Nova Scotia and his mother was of good Old England stock; both are deceased and buried in the cemetery at Unity, New Hampshire. George W. acquired his education in the public schools and the Randolph State Normal, where he remained two years and later spent one year at the Black River Academy at Ludlow, Vermont. Mr. Nichols' mother died when he was about nine years of age. His grandfather, who was a sea captain, reached the age of 104 years, and his grandmother lived to be 102 years. Early in life George W. worked on farms for his food and clothing for seven years. He then went to Boston, Massachusetts, where he learned the plumbing trade and followed it up to 1876. Going to Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, he was foreman for a large concern for three years and later he went to Great Falls, Montana, to engage in the plumbing business. He worked in Chicago and went from St. Paul to Yellowstone Park to take charge of the plumbing and steamfitting in the Grand Fountain Hotel. Coming to the Pacific Coast, he visited Tacoma, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco, and later settled in San Diego, where he engaged in the hardware and plumbing business, where he remained for seven years. In September, 1900, he came to Imperial County, where he took up eighty acres, which is one of the fine places of his section. He was associated with the real estate business for ten years, and hauled people from San Diego to Imperial County to locate them on land here. He was one of the original members of the cantaloupe company of Imperial County and the El Centro Seed Oil Mill. He assisted in organizing the El Centro Creamery Company, which was later sold. He assisted in getting the right of way for the San Diego and Arizona Railroad Company from Seeley to Dixieland. He was active in starting the first schools and constructing the roads. He served as president of the beekeepers' association and was a director for three years. He had the second herd of cows in the Valley, which was in January, 1904. He put out the first shade trees in the Valley. He hauled lumber from San Diego down Devil's Canon for his house which was one of the first. He shipped the second load of hogs from the Valley. Mr. Nichols was married January 1, 1894, to Kitty H. Keith, a native of Arkansas City, Arkansas, and she was the first girl born in that town. Her father was the first druggist and first mayor of the town. To Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have been born eight children: Dorothy Keith, Milton Silsby, George Welcome, Aylmer Keith, Paul Fletcher, Pearl Elizabeth, Edward Keith, Katherine and Dorothy, wife of Ira De Owen, an employee in the emigration service, and they have two children, Harold Keith and Donald Cook. Mrs. Nichols' ancestor, Rev. James Keith, came to America and settled in Massachusetts in 1629. Over fifty Keith families lived in a radius of half a mile in Massachusetts. Mr. Nichols planted six date palms in front of his house in 1903, and in 1917 the trees produced 150 pounds to the tree. He also owns a 240-acre ranch at Dixieland, and he promoted the Mt. Signal Water Company and is serving as president at the present time. Additional Comments: From: THE HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY CALIFORNIA EDITED BY F. C. FARR IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED Published by ELMS AND FRANKS BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 1918 Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/imperial/bios/nichols566bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 4.4 Kb