Nichols Family

Dorothy Nichols was the mother of Mary Evoy and the wife of Thomas Evoy.

Dorothy was the daughter of William Holly Glover Nichols (son of the founding father - George Aaron Nichols - of Nicholsville, NL - now Deer Lake) - and Hannah Jane Taylor. (No further information about the Taylor family has yet been found.)

She is - as we shall see, the descendant of the Nichols family that settled in what what to become Nicholsville, Newfoundland (now incorporated into Deer Lake), in the Burgeo District of the province.

Erica Clark Kenny remembers, as a little girl with her mother, visiting her Grandmother - Dorothy Nichols, in Deer Lake. At that time, Dorothy was a chef, working in a Deer Lake hotel. She was very pleased that - throughout her lifetime - her black hair never turned grey.

Dorothy Nichols Evoy is buried - as are her parents and many siblings and relatives - in the Nicholsville Cemetery, Deer Lake, Newfoundland.

The parents of William H. G. Glover - Dorothy Nichols' father - were George Aaron Nichols Sr and Harriet Susanna Whidden. George was born in 1846, at Mabou, Inverness County, Nova Scotia. He was living, at the time of his marriage, in Goldenville, St. Mary's Township, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. Harriet Whidden was born in 1843 in the village of Stillwater, St. Mary's Township, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.

George and Harriet were married on the 16th of June, 1867 in the Baptist Church in Melrose, NS. (Marriage solemnized at Hillings, Melrose, in Co. of Guysborough, NS; by license. Groom 21, bachelor; prof. 'miner' - res. Goldenville.)

The family of George and Harriet (and possibly his brother, also - see below) - listed in the 1871 Nova Scotia Census, as follows:- District No. 202: Guysborough, Subdistrict g, Sherbrooke Polling District No. 8, page 42, Dwelling 140, Family 142 (note the interesting spellings of the name Nichols.)

George A. Nichols Sr. and his wife Harriet (Whidden) Nichols moved with their two eldest sons (George A. Nichols, Jr. and William H.G. Glover) and daughter Emma - from Stillwater ( St. Mary's Township, Guysborough County), Nova Scotia to Newfoundland in around 1872. They settled and began to farm at the mouth of the Humber River in the area that came to be known as Nicholsville. (This later became part of Deer Lake, NF.)

Chair belonging to Harriet Susanna (Whidden) Nichols (in Nicholsville museum, Deer Lake, NF)

The McAlpine's Guide (1904) for Deer Lake lists George Aaron Nichols Sr. as a farmer and his son, George Jr. as a sportsman's guide. Sons John (sportsman guide) and Norman (farmer) are also noted.

George Aaron Nichols Sr. died on the 9th of May, 1912 in Nicholsville, NF - the result of a serious accident when he was logging (see details below), by which he suffered several fractures of the leg or legs.

Harriet Susanna (Whidden) Nichols died on the 17th of August, 1921, also at Nicholsville.

1. George Aaron Nichols (Jr) b. 12 June, 1864 Stillwater, St. Mary's Twp., NS; m. (1) Annie Farnell b. 1870 d. 30 Mar. 1892 and had a son: Charles. He married (2) Catherine Maria Peddle (b. 22 Sep 1875, Bristol's Hope, NF - d. 3 Nov 1957, Nicholsville) on 24 December, 1894. Children: Warren Lorenzo, George Duncan, Harriet Pearl, Charles Thomas, Norman Wille, Gladys Blanche Dirgen, Ivy Mahalla, Jean Beatrice, Mabel Kate, John Ewart Pratt, George Heustis, Doroth_ina.

2. John Henry Archibald Nichols b. 25 Feb. 1869 Stillwater, St. Mary's Twp., Nova Scotia d. 1924 Humbermouth, NF.; m. Miriam Elizabeth Withyombe b. 29 Apr. 1872 Halifax, NS; moved to NF around 1872 age 2 in 1871 Census of NS District No. 202: Guysborough, Subdistrict g, Sherbrooke Polling District No. 8, page 42, Dwelling 140, Family 142 - called sportsman guide in 1904 McAlpine Directory - Deer Lake (Bay of Islands)

3. William Holly Glover Nichols b. 17 Feb. 1872 d. 4 Dec. 1967 Nicholsville, NF m. Hannah Jane Taylor m. ca 1915 NF b. 11 Feb. 1880 LaPoile, Newfoundland d. 9 May, 1962 Nicholsville, NF

4. Emily (or Emma) Margaret Nichols b. 1872 Guysborough Co., NS m. Capt. Samuel Shaw - 5 May 1868, Sandy Point, Bay St. George, Newfoundland. (She came to NF from NS with her parents.)

5. Bertha Maud Nichols b. 25 Mar 1898, Sandy Pt., Bay St. George, NF; m. William Schirach (1893 - 1989)

7. Norman McLain (or McLean) Nichols b. June 1880 Bay of Islands, NF d. 17 May, 1961; m. Estelle Louise Stevens on the 2nd of May, 1903 USA. She was born in June, 1880, Cold Brook, NY, USA and died in 1952.

8. Edgar Charles Nichols b. 20 Feb. 1884 Nicholsville, NF (?) d. 5 May 1961 Nicholsville, NF m.(1) Eleanour Unknown b. 15 Sept. 1901 NF d. 28 Jan. 1995 Nicholsville, NF; children: Russel, Daisy, George, Emma, Janet; he m. (2) Martha Pierce Hulan (b. 1885) - m. 16 May, 1907 NF b. 1886 Heatherton, NF d. 13 May, 1918 Nicholsville, NF. He reported the injury of his father, from which he subsequently died (1912). age 49 in 1935 Census Eleanour: 32 in 1935 Census - Nicholsville, NF

9. Frederick S. Nichols b. 1887 Nicholsville, NF died 9 August, 1910, Nicholsville, NF; m. Bertha Chaffey.

John Nichols b. ca 1846 NS (possibly a brother of George Aaron Nichols Sr.) m. Bella Unknown b. ca. 1847 NS
25 in 1871 Census of NS; Presby; Scotch, Miner Did he move to Deer Lake, NF? District No. 202: Guysborough, Subdistrict g, Sherbrooke Polling District No. 8, page 68, Dwelling 245, Family 247
Bella: 24 in 1871 Census, NS District No. 202: Guysborough, Subdistrict g, Sherbrooke Polling District No.

The parents of George Aaron Nichols Sr. were John and Hannah (McCloud) Nichols. This fact is from the marriage document of George A. and Harriet Nichols.

SOURCE: Newfoundland, Vital Statistics. "Death 1912, George Nichols." Report on search. Issued August 20, 1990. St. John's, Newfoundland.

Department of Health
Vital Statistics Division
St. John's, Newfoundland
Name of Deceased... George Nichols
Age... 66
Sex... Male
Date of Death... May 9, 1912
Place of Death... Deer Lake
Record Number... 6-389-14
Date of registration... June 30, 1912

SOURCE: Rev. J. M. Allan, "The late George Nichols of Deer Lake, Nfld.: An appreciation." Presbyterian Witness (Halifax). Volume LXV-25. Saturday, June 22, 1912. Page 8. Microfilm.

On the seventh day of last month, in his lovely home at Nicholsville, in the Upper Humber, George Nichols passed from us--nearing the allotted span of three score years and ten. Born at Mabou, C. B. (Cape Breton), he came to Bay of Islands with his young wife and one or two children, just about 40 years ago, and after looking around, settled in the lovely Upper Humber about half a mile above where the river falls into Deer Lake. It is an ideal spot for a farm colony, and here he and his five stalwart sons have labored, cutting down the primeval forest and forming comfortable farm steadings for themselves in the picturesque homes of Nicholsville. Mr. Nichols was no ordinary man--a born pioneer, tall, lithe, alert, with long black beard and mustache, and an eye denoting unlimited pluck and energy--though none who ever enjoyed--and how many have--his company, in his hospitable home, will ever forget the kindly twinkle of his eye.

His health has been failing the past year or two. Last year the death of his youngest son, Fred, was a blow he never got over. The cause of his death was a tree falling on him, as he was chopping all alone. It fell on his thigh and broke it in two places. He suffered much, but passed away peaceably, ready to go, trusting in the merits of his Redeemer.

It was a lovely afternoon, that Sunday as we laid him to rest in the sweet sandy plot where some of his children already lie. And there was quite a gathering from along the lake and river to pay their respects to one whom all liked, and all feel, they shall not soon see his like again.

Notes
• Date of burial would have been Sunday, May 12, 1912.
• George Nichols died on Thursday, May 9th (not 'on the seventh') according to other sources.
• Fred Nichols died in 1910 (not 'last year' 1911) according to other sources.
• Allan places Nichols immigration to Newfoundland circa 1872

SOURCE: "Mr. Nichols meets with serious accident." Western Star (Bay of Islands). Volume 13 (5). Wednesday, May 1, 1912. 2nd page.

Saturday afternoon Dr. Fisher received a message from Edward Nichols asking him to hasten to Deer Lake as his father--George Nichols sr.-- had his hip broken. A tree had fallen on Mr. Nichols badly breaking his right leg about half way between the knee and thigh. Mr. Nichols also sustained considerable injury to his left shoulder and was badly cut about the face. Dr. Fisher returned from Deer Lake Monday night. He intends having Mr. Nichols removed to the General Hospital at St. John's.

Notes
• Date of accident would have been on Saturday, April 27, 1912.
• Dr. Fisher's return to Corner Brook would have been on Monday, April 29, 1912.

[12th item] We regret to learn that the condition of George Nichols sr., is very critical. He is too weak to be removed to the hospital in St. John's.

SOURCE: "The passing of a pioneer [George Nichols, sr]." Western Star (Bay of Islands). Volume 13 (7). Wednesday, May 15, 1912. 2nd page.
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THE PASSING OF A PIONEER

Mr. George Nichols, sr., expired last Friday, at his house at Deer Lake. About two weeks ago Mr. Nichols met with an accident which caused his death. A tree fell on him, crushing his left leg very badly also injuring his right shoulder. Mr. Nichols also sustained a number of bruises about the face and body. Dr. Fisher was wired for and hastened to the scene. He found the unfortunate man in a very serious condition, and he entertained very little hope of recovery from the first. However he rendered all possible assistance and thought to have had him removed to the hospital at St. John's. But on the doctor's second visit he found the patient too weak to be moved. Mr. Nichols was the pioneer farmer of Deer Lake, where for a number of years he combined farming with trapping. To the bereaved family the STAR extends its deepest sympathy.

Notes
• Date of death is given here as Friday, May 10, 1912 though official records state Thursday, May 9, 1912.

SOURCE: J. A. [John] Barrett, "Reminiscent of bygone days." Western Star (Corner Brook). Volume: 49th year (2546). Friday, January 28, 1949. Page 4. Written in 1900.

Amongst the earlier settlers who emigrated from Nova Scotia and made their homes in West Newfoundland, was George Nichols, who today is well remembered by the older residents of Bay of Islands. Mr. Nichols came here as a young man when lumbering operations were first undertaken in the Humber area. Those were the "ton timber" days. After spending a brief period at Corner Brook he moved to the Upper Humber, a short distance from the head of Deer Lake. There he built for himself and family, a log cabin on the site known today as Nicholsville. This pioneering undertaking was fraught with many hardships, as all personal effects and provisions had to be transported by boat up the Lower Humber and through Deer Lake, a distance of some thirty miles from his nearest neighbour.

Soon after settling at Nichosville he combined farming with that of lumbering, and cleared an extensive tract of land, the soil of which proved to be adaptable for the raising of all essential vegetable crops. His live stock at first consisted of a horse and sow, which animals were transported from Bay of Islands with the grestest difficulty, especially through Humber canyon, as there were no trails or roads to follow in those days.

As years went by, Mr. Nichols increased his stock of animals, implementing them with a good breed of poultry, such as hens, ducks and geese. His larder was always well stocked with necessities of life. American tourists, in fact anyone who had occasion to pass that way, were always welcomed and hospitably treated at the Nichols home, and standing invitations were given to call again.

Being so far removed from places of business, Mr. Nichols found it very difficult to market his surplus stocks and get home the necessary articles of groceries, provisions, etc. This had to be accomplished by means of the river boat, manned at first by himself until his sons became hardy lads. Poling the Humber River against wind and tide for 12 miles was often a laborious task; but there were time[s] when favourable winds assisted the journey. In calms, Mr. Nichols often poled his boat along shore the whole length of Deer Lake. I shall always remember seeing him in his river boat with rakish bow and stern, poling it around the head of Deer Lake to where the old section camp stood. Mr. Nichols, with a trusty well-shod pole, manned the stern, while his son, John, assisted at the bow. It was interesting to watch these two stalwarts so deftly using their poles and propelling the boat along at a good clip.

As a side-line, Mr. Nichols engaged in trapping. Beaver and fox were fairly plentiful and many a valuable pelt was secured by him. Strong of limb and muscle, this sturdy pioneer lived and enjoyed a life close to nature. Work, and hard work too, was an enjoyment. The clock had no hours for him, because sunrise and sunset invariably found him at his daily occupation. I am inclined to believe that the emulation of such strenuous activity would put kinks in the backs of most of the present day generation.

The last time I visited the home of Mr. Nichols was in the fall of 1904. He then had his crops harvested. The cellar was full of all kinds of vegetables and the barns were well chinched with hay and oat straw. The larder contained various home-made preserves and pickles, a side of mutton and a basket of eggs; whilst hanging from a tree quite near the house was a quarter of vension. His sons were then married and occupying a portion of the homestead, a happy, industrious, prosperous group. It was during this visit that I learnt something of the pioneering days of Mr. Nichols and his struggle for an existence out there in the wilds. But the drabness and monotony of such life a for the family was somewhat relieved when McLellan, Harriman and others extended their lumbering operations for Tupper's saw-mill to the Upper Humber. The advent of the railroad to Deer Lake in 1895 brought new joy and new hopes to the Nichols' household. At last a means of transportation and communication with the outer world had been established, making life in that section of the country more tolerable.

To the surviving grandchildren and other relatives of George Nichols, Sr., I would like to say that I respectifully honour the memory of the intrepid pioneer and would classify him as one of nature's gentlemen.

John A. Barrett was on staff at Western Star from its first issue in April 1900. He later left to take up a position in Trinity, but returned in May 1904 to succeed W. S. March as editor. Barrett held this position until May 1908 when the company went into liquidation.

SOURCE: "The Nichols name is linked closely with the early history of Deer Lake." Western Star (Corner Brook). Volume: 51st year - 2667. Tuesday, April 4, 1950. Section 3, page 36.
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On Deer Lake, some 33 miles more or less, from Corner Brook, there thrive the people of Deer Lake, a municipality which recently voted overwhelmingly for the formation of its own town council. Deer Lake today has over 2,000 inhabitants. Before 1922 it had none, so far as we can discover, although there were a few people in the immediate neighbourhood. For example, there were two or three families at Lake Siding, about a mile west of the present railroad station. And then there was the Nichols family, at Nicholsville, situated at the estuary of the Upper Humber and Deer Lake.

THE NICHOLS FAMILY - Every West Coast native has heard of the Nichols family, which first settled along the lake about 1870, and is now in its fourth generation of Newfoundland residence. The originator of this family name in the Deer Lake area was George Nichols, who came from Goldenville, Cape Breton Island. He migrated up the Humber from Corner Brook by boat. The Nichols clan grew to love this land with its caribou, its foxes, its wild geese, and above all its salmon-rich Humber River. They became expert guides and woodsmen.

The original George Nichols went to Deer Lake in company with the Fishers, McWhirters, Stewarts, Carnells, McLellans, Moshers and others of Corner Brook and Humbermouth.

CUT THE PINE - Their first work was cutting the pine which grew in abundance in the Humber Valley at that time. The logs were hewn with a broad axe the full length of the tree and 12 inches or more square. Wood was sold by ton instead of by surface measure as is done today. The timber was floated to salt water in Bay of Islands and shipped by sailing vessels to Halifax. Mr. Fisher later set up a planing mill at Corner Brook which operated until the paper company came in. The first mill was run by a water wheel using the water from Corner Brook. This was later changed to steam drive, and was located near the present site of Corner Brook Garage.

G. NICHOLS' DEATH - The elder Mr. Nichols died at the age of 68, in April 1912, from injuries caused by a tree which fell on him while he was cutting saw logs.

Warren Nichols, who works in Bowater's woods department branch at Deer Lake, is a grandson of the original George Nichols, and a son of the late George Nichols, Jr. He recalls that in 1905 he saw his first motor boat, a kerosene-propelled invention which Bill Petries navigated up to Deer Lake.

SOME RECOLLECTIONS - At the Nichols home through the years there stayed colonels, parliamentarians, admirals, commodores and captains of the Atlantic squadron, financiers and titled gentry from the Old Country, railway magnates, journalists, lawyers, doctors, merchants from New York, Boston, Montreal. They came to fish for the famous salmon and to hunt Newfoundland's famed caribou.

One of the first fishermen to discover the rich game and fish resources of the Humber was Col. Dashwood, an English officer, who used to come in with two Indian guides from the south coast. This was about 1875, before George Nichols, Jr., was old enough to be a guide. Col. Dashwood came in June and stayed until the salmon fishing was done in September.

George Nichols, Jr., guided many famous parties during his lifetime. For instance there was George Eastman of photographic fame, who left many unique blue prints of early Humber scenes.

One of the most famous visitors of them all was the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who came to the Nichols home when he was quite young. The man who became president of the United States, the first to be elected for more than two terms, is remembered by Warren Nichols, who was quite a young boy at the time. Warren can remember his grandmother asking F. D. R. if he was a son of "the president"--Teddy Roosevelt.

"No, I'm just a poor relative," replied the man who was to achieve a leading place in American history. Four families of Nichols still live in Nicholsville, which has about 30 or so families. Mrs. George Nichols, mother of Warren Nichols, resides in the community at the age of 74. The old Nichols house has been demolished and replaced.

1922 IMPORTANT DATE - Development of Deer Lake really started with the Humber power project in 1922, when Newfoundland Power and Paper Company began to build the coffer dam and main dam, and eventually the power house which was the first part of the present power system supplying the newsprint mill at Corner Brook and the people of a wide area. The power house was completed by 1924, after Grand Lake had been linked to Deer Lake by a canal and pipe lines.

The following newspaper article is about Bruce Nichols - brother of Dorothy Nichols (Evoy) (It talks about their father William and other, Anna (Hannah).

SOURCE: Rocky Schulstad, "Bruce Nichols: Outsdoorsman and friend." Bowlog. Volume 3 (6). June 1978, page 2.
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BRUCE NICHOLS: OUTDOORSMAN AND FRIEND, by Rocky Schulstad

Bruce Nichols has to be one of the tallest men in the world-wide Bowater organization. He is certainly one of [the] best known and best remembered.

Bruce is an outdoorsman... a walking encyclopedia of woodlands, game, fish and bird lore... and for most of his 47 years with Bowater at Corner Brook, he was Chief Guide for the company's hunting and fishing operations in Newfoundland and Labrador. He retired from the company June 30 to begin a new experience and a new life with his wife Amelia in his native Deer Lake. They are about midway in the construction of a new home.

When we hear the name Nichols... we immediately think about Deer Lake and Nicholsville... part and parcel of a single community. In fact, over half the names listed under "N" in the Deer Lake phone directory are "Nichols".

I mentioned this to Bruce who replied with his usual slow grin... "There was no Deer Lake town as we know it today when I was a young fellow. It came after Nicholsville. So Nicholsville still comes first to us Nichols."

With the exception of a 1940-1945 World War II stint as Bombadier with the 166th Newfoundland Field Regiment (R.A.) in North Africa, Europe and the U.K., all his life has been tied to the Newfoundland wilderness. And he comes by it honestly.

The Nichols name goes back to 1864 when George Henry Glover Nichols (sic - should be George Aaron Nichols) came from Nova Scotia to set up a highly specialized logging operation to produce pine "Ton Timber" for shipyards at Lunenburg and Halifax.

Bruce's father and mother, William and Anna Nichols were with George Henry (should be George Aaron) when they became the first settlers in the Deer Lake area. There was no such thing as a railway then. They made their way with canoes up the Lower Humber River to Deer Lake, landing at the mouth of the Upper Humber River to establish Nicholsville, their new home.

His family were woods people, loggers, hunters, fishermen and guides. So it was only natural for Bruce to set out on the same trail. When Bruce started as a woodsman in 1931, there was a new paper mill in production at Corner Brook, and a power generation operation in the new community of Deer Lake... which also became an important pulpwood producing division of the paper mill.

It wasn't too long before Bruce began professional guiding in addition to his woods work. He was, as were all members of the Nichols clan, expert canoeists and river boatsmen. And the Nichols family knew the interior as well as anyone.

When Bowater took over the Corner Brook mill and other company holdings in 1938, Bruce became even more involved in guiding. The people he hosted read like a world Who's Who.

After the five-year break in World War II, Bruce returned to Bowater as a full-time guide until 1948 on Harry's River, then on to a new fishing lodge at Taylor's Brook on the Upper Humber as a summer Guide and in winter as Foreman of Camp 136.

Outboard motors were unheard of then . . . the guides, including his close personal friend Charlie Simmonds, who retired last year, used paddles and poles with canoes and river boats to transport guests and supplies up and down the river and to their logging camps as well.

In 1958, Bowater acquired a new lodge on Serpentine River, and it was there Bruce and his staff spent the rest of their years of service.

His brother, Ches, succeeds him as Chief Guide on the river . . . and so the Nichols name remains synonymous with hunting and fishing with Bowater Newfoundland.

Bruce and Millie were honoured by Bowater Management and a number of close personal friends at a reception June 16.

Special presentations were made to Bruce by Wally Clark, President and General Manager; Ben Pryde, President, Bowater Sales Company; and Geoff Hutchings, retired Senior Vice President, Bowater Sales Company.

Bruce's wife is the former Amelia Field of Cook's Harbour, Great Northern Peninsula. They have two children, Bill, living in Halifax, and Rosalind, who is Mrs. Kevin Shoebridge of Dartmouth. They also have two grandchildren, Kenyon and Nicole.

Bruce and Millie said they may do some Island travelling next year when their new home is completed.

White stone with gold and black lettering
Edgar Charles Nichols
died May 5, 1961.
Age 77 years
Rock of ages cleft for me
let me hide myself in thee.
Erected by his wife

White stone with gold and black lettering
In memory of
Eleanor Grace Nichols
1901 - 1986
To live in hearts we leave
behind is not to die.

Gray stone
Nichols
George Roy
1903 - 1986
To live in hearts we leave
behind is not to die.

NICHOLS

From a letter to a Christ Dennis - http://www.nicholsville.com/folio/101/10178.html

[last page of letter only]

In these records, I found the death dates for six of your relatives. I wasn't sure if you had them all so I copied them down:

Yours,

Ed Chafe

Notes - Ed Chafe, a relative of Chris through the Dennis side of the family, had been in Newfoundland from Nova Scotia doing genealogical research. His work may have been concentrated on the Bay St. George area. Ed's reference to 'In these records' (that is, the source of these records) is unknown. The death records for 'Mrs. George Nichols' and 'Frederick S. Nichols' remain unknown to me though all other four are known. 'Mrs. George Nichols' has to be Annie (Farnell) Nichols. This was about the year of her death according to oral history. Research has not shown any other Nichols that this could be.