FAMILIES M-P: NICHOL ~ Thomas Nichol
Happenstance research prompted the creation of this page.
The following 1930 news clipping, which appeared during a search for Darrtown-related news at Newspapers.com, includes a quotation that this Darrtown household sale was "one of the largest ever held in the village;" and the article refers to the village post office; and a grocery store ... ALL AT THE HOME OF the "late Mrs. Maria B. Nichol."
QUESTIONS AROSE...
1. Where was the Maria Nichol home located?
2. Does the house still exist?
3. Who was Maria Nichol?
ANSWERS SURFACED...
1. The Nichol home was located on the west side of Main Street, immediately south of Darrtown's village square, on Lot 76.
2. Yes, the house stands today (2023).
3. Maria Nichol's life is partially profiled below.
Maria Mariah Nichol Clements was born on October 1st, 1859 in Darrtown, Ohio. Records at Ancestry.com show the family of James G. Clements and Catherine C. (Watt) Clements to include four daughters (Mary, Helen, Sarah, and Maria) and two sons (John and William). [1]
1859
The accidental discovery of the 1930 news item (above) led to a more focused search for items related to Maria Nichol.
The following profile was assembled from public property records, U.S. census reports, and newspaper items.
1880
The 1880 federal census [2] provides a glimpse of the Clements family, when Maria was 21 and her brother, William, was 17. The other four siblings are not listed and were, presumably, living elsewhere. Mother Clements is listed as "Caroline," which may stem from the letter "C" that is reported in the 1859 entry above.
Maria and John Wells Nichol were married on December 30, 1880. [3] Notice that the marriage license shows Maria's middle initial as "B."
Maria Mariah (Clements) Nichol (1859-1930)
The bracketed numerals in the text below correspond with the numbered links at the right.
1900
1920
1922
In early May 1922, a probate court ruled [7] that Maria Nichol was in legal possession of one-half of Lot 76 in Darrtown - having inherited 1/4 of the lot from Mary Hach 1/4 and being deeded 1/4 of the lot by W. B. Clements.
1923
1910
A 1923 news item reported the settlement of the John W. Nichol estate [8].
W. B. Clements, Maria's younger brother, is identified as an invalid in two June 7, 1930 news items (posted below), which may relate to his being given use of Maria's house, until his death.
Mary Hach (aka Hash) is likely to have been Maria's older sister - see the family relationship in the family tree chart (link 1 above).
Maria's husband, John Wells Nichol, died August 21, 1922.
1926
A social note from a 1926 newspaper [9] connects Maria Nichol with the Margadent family. This relationship is acknowledged in later documents as a family connection, with Maria being the aunt of Mrs. Margadent.
1928
A March 22, 1928 newspaper included two items related to Maria Nichol, now 69 years old.
> While recovering from a "severe" illness [10], Maria stayed in Hamilton, Ohio, with her niece, Mrs. William Margadent - whose first name was likely "Helen" (see the June 7, 1930 news item below).
> During the same time period, Maria rented part of her house to newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Teckman [11]
1929
(Sept. 12) Maria's niece, Helen Margedant, assisted her once again, after a dizzy spell caused Maria to fall at the Lutheran Church. [12]
(Oct. 2) Within a month's time, the local newspaper reported [13] that Maria was out of the hospital and "visiting at" her niece's home on Eaton Road - where Maria celebrated her 70th birthday.
(Oct. 8) Even though the October 2nd newspaper item (above) reported that Maria was "greatly improved," her health issues forced her to miss a Darrtown Union Sunday School "Rally Day" program. This article cites Maria for being the caretaker of an old Union Sunday School banner [14].
Charles Teckman, son of Harry and Virginia Teckman confirmed item 11, with the following quote: "Harry and Virginia were married in 1928. For a year or so, the newlyweds lived in the house that stands across the street from Luther McVicker’s garage."
(Nov. 29) This news item reports that the Rev. and Mrs. Guiney moved into the front apartment of Maria Nichol's house [15].
1930
Maria (Clements) Nichol died June 3, 1930. Her death notice [17] includes the following notable, but, heretofore unmentioned, facts:
Data for Maria Nichol (age 41) appears in the 1900 federal census. [4]
Data for Maria Nichol (age 51) appears in the 1910 federal census. [5]
The data for Maria Nichol (age 61) that appears in the 1920 federal census [6] shows that the occupants of the Nichol's home include Mariah's 57 year-old brother, William, and a 70 year-old person named "Mary E. Hash." Presumably, this is the same person identified as "Mary Hach" in the following 1922 news clipping.
The Clements / Nichol homestead on Lot 76
Maria died of a "lingering illness."
A life-long member of the Lutheran church, Maria lived her entire life in or around Darrtown.
Upon their marriage in 1880, Maria and her husband, John Wells Nichol, moved to a farm east of Darrtown (the location is not yet known).
In 1910, John and Maria moved into the Clements homestead in Darrtown - which was the house in which Maria was born.
Maria's obituary [18] was published June 4, 1930.
Both the death notice (link 16, above) and this obituary contain an error - as they state that Maria was the last of the Clements family to live in Darrtown. However, as noted in her will (see links 19 and 20 below), Maria gave her younger brother, William Clements, the use of her house, until his death. So, William was the last of the Clements family to live in Darrtown.
A June 5, 1930 news article [19] described Maria's funeral.
Two news items [20] [21] - published June 7, 1930 and June 11, 1930 - reported that Maria's will specified that her brother, William B. Clements, would have the use of the Nichol/Clements property on Main Street in Darrtown, until his death.
An additional description of Maria Nichol's funeral appeared in a June 11, 1930 newspaper [22]. The words of praise that appear in this news item reflect the the community's high regard for Maria.
Click to see a history of the ownership of Lot 76.
A June 21, 1930 newspaper reported the appointment of an executor of Maria's will. [23]
A July 11, 1930 newspaper reported the Maria Nichol estate had been valued [24] by two appraisers.
A July 24, 1930 newspaper reported that the executor of the Maria Nichol estate was authorized to sell personal property [25].
An August 1, 1930 newspaper included a description of items from the Maria Nichol estate that would be auctioned on Tuesday, August 5th. [26].
A September 4, 1930 newspaper reported the filing of a law suit contesting the will of Maria Nichol. The suit was filed by Maria's nephew, Frank W. Clements, a former Hamilton (Ohio) city police chief [27].
Data for Maria Nichol appears in the 1930 federal census [16]. There is an error in this report; Maria was born in 1859, which made her 71 years of age, when the census was collected.
A November 11, 1930 newspaper contained a story [28] about the local Red Cross campaign for donations from area citizens. Part of the article extolled Maria Nichol's past participation and told how her nieces enrolled in the 1930 on Maria's behalf...after her death.
November of 1931 saw action in, and settlement of, the Clements vs. Margedant et al law suit (see link 27 above), as reported in the November 21st and November 27th issues of a local newspaper [29] [30]
On May 28, 1932, heirs of Maria Nichol sought the partition of 120 Milford Township acres in a common pleas court [31].
1931
1932
A PROFILE OF...
On July 1, 1932, the probate court granted permission to the executor of the Maria Nichol estate to sell a Darrtown lot [32].
In August 1932, the two Hamilton (Ohio) newspapers [33] [34] reported that the Darrtown house owned by Maria Nichol did not sell at auction.
The second of the two news items mentioned a forthcoming auction of a Maria Nichol farm "west of the village." This reference to the location of the farm is consistent with Milford Township property records for Section 31, which is located west of Darrtown.
A September 1, 1932 news item announced the dismissal of a law suit against the estate of Maria B. NIchol [35] The law suit had been filed by George H. Nichol. Most likely, this was Geo. H. Nichol (1868-1941) ... who was a brother to Maria's husband, John Wells Nichol (1855-1922).
On November 30, 1932, a local newspaper reported that a Camden (Ohio) couple had moved into the former Maria Nichol residence in Darrtown and that Mr. Abbott, of Middletown (Ohio) had purchased the Maria Nichol farm [36].
To see the items described below, click the following links.
Maria's headstone in the Pioneer section of the Darrtown cemetery
Information about Maria's gravesite
Record of land ownership by Nichol family members in Section 31 of Milford Township
This reference to the Darrtown post office is significant in Darrtown history.
Butler County property records confirm the location of the Nichol home in Darrtown, which helps establish the location of the Darrtown post office, while Maria's father, James Clements, was postmaster.
The house location is verified with a Charles Teckman comment - see 1928 below.
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