NICOLL, David (1841-1929)

NICOLL

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/8/2021 at 21:49:38

David Nicoll
(February 22, 1841 – October 5, 1929)

David Nicoll, a minister of the United Presbyterian Church and a
prominent farmer in Battle Township, Ida County, Iowa, was born in Delaware County, New York, February 22, 1841. He is a son of Andrew and Margaret (George) Nicoll, and was the eighth born in their family of ten children. His father was born in Scotland in 1797, and was reared and married there, and
in 1839 emigrated to America and located in Delaware County, New York, where the rest of his life was spent, engaged in farming pursuits. His death occurred in 1870. The mother survived him until 1890, when she died in Clarence, Cedar County, Iowa. They were members of the United Presbyterian
Church. All of their ten children are still living, and are as follows: Elizabeth, wife of John Beckwith, Delaware County, New York; William, married and settled in Delaware County, New York; James, married and settled on a farm in same county; Andrew, married, living on a farm in Cedar County, Iowa;
Margaret, wife of John G. Russell, of Delaware County, New York; Ann, wife of Allen Elijah, Cedar County, Iowa; Christina, widow of John Imrie, Cedar County, Iowa; David, the subject of this article; Jane, wife of William Imrie, Napa, California; Jeanette, wife of L. D. Boyd, of Corwin Township, Ida County, Iowa. Mr. Nicoll was reared on a farm in his native county. In 1861 he entered Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, and after
finishing his sophomore year enlisted, August 29, 1862, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in Knapp's Battery for a term of three years, or during the war. He was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and was in the battles of
Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Wahachie. October 28, 1863, he received a gunshot wound in his right shoulder, after which he was in field hospital near Chattanooga and at Murfreesboro till January, 1864. January
2 he received a furlough, returned to New York, and remained there until April 1 of the same year. From that time until May he was in the hospital at Central Park, New York City, and from May till October he was bookkeeper in the same hospital. Then he was transferred to the Veteran Corps, New
York city, and was in a provost marshal's office until May 19, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. In September, 1865, he re-entered college
at Cannonsburg. Pennsylvania, and remained there till January, 1866. He then came West to Illinois, entered Monmouth College at Monmouth, and graduated at that institution in June, 1867. After that he began a theological course; spent the winter of 1867-'68 at Newburg, New York, and the following winter at Monmouth, Illinois, graduating with the class of 1869. While in New York, in June, 1868, he was licensed to preach in the United Presbyterian Church, and in September, 1869, came to De Witte, Clinton County, Iowa, where he was ordained as pastor in November. He was pastor of the United Presbyterian Church at that place for a period of fifteen years. At the end of that time he came to Ida County, and in Battle Township organized a church, at first holding services in a schoolhouse. In 1890 he assisted in erecting a nice frame church, 28x40 feet, with a seating capacity of 150, in which he
has since preached regularly and conducted Sabbath-school work.
Mr. Nicoll was married in Delaware County, New York, in 1870, January 6, to Miss Isabella F. Brown, a native of that place and a daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann (McNee) Brown, also natives of that county. Her parents are both deceased, her mother having died in 1859, and her father in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Nicoll have three children living: William A., Thomas Edward and George David. They lost one child, Mary, who died at the age of ten months. Since 1884 Mr. Nicoll has devoted much time and attention to the improvement of
his farm, having that year settled on 320 acres of wild land in Battle Township. He has erected a nice story-and-a-half frame residence, good barn and other farm buildings, and has an orchard of five acres. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Nicoll is thoroughly identified with the best interests of this county and the township in which he lives. His political views are in accord with Republican principles. He represented the county in the Twenty-second General Assembly, performing his duties in a manner which reflected credit to himself and his constituents. He has been Secretary of the School Board for a number of years and is now serving as Township Clerk by appointment. Mr. Nicoll is a member of Matthew Gray Post, No. 93, G. A. R., Ida Grove, and has a membership in the A. O. U. W. at DeWitt, Iowa. His family is identified with the church of which he is pastor, and in connection with the establishment of this church it should be further stated that Mr. Nicoll donated the land on which their house of worship is built.
Source: Biographical History of Crawford, Ida, and Sac Counties, Iowa, 1893, p.278