Ira L. Nichols Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1375-1376 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	IRA L. NICHOLS, of Elk Point, Union county, has the distinction of 
being a native of the old Buckeye state, having been born in Belmont 
county, Ohio, on the 12th of June, 1853, and being a son of Balaam and 
Abigail (Hatcher) Nichols, the former a farmer by vocation. After duly 
availing himself of the advantage of the common schools of his native 
state Mr. Nichols continued his studies for some time in Washington and 
Jefferson College, at Washington, Pennsylvania, and later entered 
Franklin College, at New Athens, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1879, 
with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. For about three years he was 
successfully engaged in teaching in the public schools of Ohio, and then 
took up the study of the law at St. Clairsville, Belmont county, under 
the preceptorship of the well-known firm of A. H. and W. Mitchell. In 
1882 he came to the present state of South Dakota and took up his 
residence in Elk Point, where he was admitted to the bar, becoming one 
of the early practitioners in the county and having soon gained 
distinctive precedence as an able and discriminating trial lawyer and 
counselor. He has remained continuously in practice, and has had to do 
with much important litigation during the intervening years. He has ever 
accorded a staunch allegiance to the Republican party, and on its 
ticket, in 1884, he was elected state's attorney of Union county, while 
the same preferment came to him again in 1888, 1900 and 1902, so that he 
is incumbent of this important office at the time of this writing. 
Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, being affiliated 
with the lodge and chapter of the same in his home town. 

	On the 2d of July, 1881, Mr. Nichols was united in marriage to 
Miss Mary Emma Hewetson, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, and they have three 
children,-Charles B., Albert H. and Nellie C.