Edgar Fernando Nichols, Allen Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Edgar Fernando Nichols, a member of the Allen Parish Police Jury, and proprietor of the Oakdale insurance Agency, has been a hard and constant fighter in the business world for many years, now advancing and now the victim of some adversity, but on the whole achieving the best elements of success. He was born at Sidney in Delaware County, New York, September 22, 1880. His father, Fernando Nichols, had the distinction of being the first white child born in La Grange County, Indiana. He was born there in 1836. While living in Indiana, he was a farmer and sawmill operator, was a farmer in Delaware County, New York, for several years, where he married and in 1881 went out to Stutsman County in Dakota Territory, now the State of North Dakota. He also homesteaded in Barnes County. North Dakota. In 1889 he was in the service of the Northern Pacific Railway at Pingree, North Dakota. Leaving there in 1893, he removed to Tennessee, becoming a farmer near Nashville in Davidson County. In 1899 he transferred his business interests to Warren, Arkansas, where he followed his trade as a carpenter and builder, and acquired a considerable amount of real estate. In 1906 at the age of seventy he retired from business and moved out to Los Angeles, California, where he died in 1908. His wife was Mary Jane Cady, who was born in Delaware County, New York, and died at Los Angeles in 1923 at the age of eighty-six. Fernando Nichols was a veteran of the Union army, serving four years during the Civil war, at first in the Eighty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry and later in the Engineers Corps. For many years he held an office in the Baptist Church. Edgar Fernando Nichols attended public schools in North Dakota and Tennessee, the Central Tennessee Normal School at Greenbriar, and also time Howard institute. Ill health compelled him to leave school and seek recuperation in farm work. His first experience in business was with the Crandall & Leavitt Lumber Company at Warren, Arkansas, and he was foreman for this company when he left. In 1900 he went to Sabine Pass, Texas, as an inspector of timber, and on November 19, 1900, made his first acquaintance with the now thriving and prosperous town of Oakdale in Allen Parish, Louisiana. Oakdale was then a camp in the pine woods, consisting of a few houses, a store or two, a hotel, postoffice and saloon. He came here to take charge of the shipping department of the industrial Lumber Company, operating the Calcasieu Mill at Oakdale. He was assistant superintendent o~ the mill when in 1909 he resigned to engage in the mercantile business as the Consumers Supply Company at Oakdale. He left that business after a year, and in 1911 established the Oak Lane Stock Farm, developing a fine dairy herd. Misfortune came along in diseases that wiped out practically all his herd, and in 1913 he had to start over again, this time in charge of the shipping department of the J. S. and W. M. Rice Lumber Company at Ward, Louisiana. In August, 1918, Mr. Nichols entered the Camp Travis Young Men's Christian Association Training School, and in October of that year was made business secretary of the Camp Beauregard Young Men's Christian Association, remaining there until his discharge in January, 1919. Following this service for the cause during the World war, he became secretary of the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce, and made that a live and efficient organization, housed in a building of its own. Mr. Nichols in 1922 acquired the Oakdale Insurance Agency, the largest general insurance agency in Allen Parish, forming a complete service in all branches of insurance except life. He is also secretary of the Louisiana Investment & Development Company of Oakdale, is a director of the Chamber of Commerce, secretary of the Oakdale Rotary Club, is a deacon in the Baptist Church and clerk of the Mount Olive Association. Mr. Nichols has a deep interest in all public movements and issues in this part of the state. He is secretary of the Pelican Highway Association. In June, 1924, he was elected from Ward Five to the Allen Parish Police Jury. In Masonry he was the first to receive degrees in Yellow Pine ,Lodge No. 282, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is past master and present secretary. He is secretary and past high priest of Oakdale Chapter No. 71, Royal Arch Masons, is recorded and past thrice illustrious master of Oakdale Council No. 25, Royal and Select Masters, and is recorder of Emmanuel Commandery No. 24, Knights Templar. His hobby is hunting and fishing, and he has some kennels of fine pointer and setter dogs. Mr. Nichols married at Oakdale, June 11, 1903, Miss Ida C. Godwin, who was born in St. Landry Parish. Her father, Alonzo M. Godwin, was a farmer, stockman and saw mill operator in St. Landry Parish, and was living retired in Glenmora, when he died, September, 1922, at the age of sixty-eight. For many years he served as deacon in the Baptist Church. Mrs. Nichols' mother was Elizabeth (Blackwell) Goodwin, a native of Mississippi who died in 1916. Mrs. Nichols shares the many interests of her husband in the local life of the community at Oakdale, being particularly interested in church and church causes. A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 276-277, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.