Samuel Washington Nicholson

ARGO, NICHOLSON, RINARD, WHITE, WINTHRODE

Posted By: Kent Transier (email)
Date: 1/9/2010 at 13:19:35

“A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa”
The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1896

Samuel Washington Nicholson, deceased, figured prominently in the early history of Jefferson township, Madison county, Iowa, and was well known and highly respected throughout the county. A review of his life gives the following facts.

S. W. Nicholson was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, November 3, 1825, seventh in order of birth in the family of ten children of Samuel and Permelia (Argo) Nicholson. In Muskingum county, that State, he was reared, his education being received in the common schools and in the Zanesville and Concord Colleges. In June, 1850 he married Miss Minerva White, and four years later moved out to Iowa.

In Jefferson township, Madison county, he purchased a farm and in the spring of the following year, 1855, located on it. Here the rest of his life was passed. Previous to his removal to Iowa he had been for a few years engaged in teaching in Ohio, and after locating here he for a number of years spent his winters in the schoolroom while in the summer he cultivated his land. He was one of the first settlers in the northern part of the county, and his name is found recorded on the first poll-books that were used here. He was a Republican. At the first election for township officers in Jefferson township he was chosen Clerk, and served as such, being re-elected from time to tie for a period of ten years.

With church work also was he prominently identified, for years being a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and serving as Class-leader in the same. After an active and useful life he passed away, October 27, 1874, at the age of nearly fifty years, and his mortal remains were interred in the Fairview cemetery.

Mrs. Nicholson, the widow of this worthy citizen, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, October 15, 1831. Her father, M. E. White, was a native of Maryland, born in 1895, son of John White, who was of English descent and, it is supposed, an native of Maryland. M.E. White left Maryland when a young man and sought a home in the Western Reserve, Belmont county, Ohio, being his place of location. There in 1829 he was married to Mary A. Winthrode, a native of Maryland and a daughter of Frederick Winthrode of that State, he being of German descent. She was reared in the same neighborhood in which Mr. White was. After their marriage they returned to Maryland, but two years later they again turned their faces westward, this time Muskingum county, Ohio, being their objective point, which place continued to be their home until 1864, when they came to Madison county, Iowa, and settled in Madison township. Here they passed the residue of their lives and died, his death occurring at the age of seventy-six years; hers at eighty-one.

They were the parents of nine children, four daughters and five sons, all of whom reached adult years, Mrs. Nicholson being the second child and eldest daughter. Mrs. Nicholson accompanied her husband to Madison county, Iowa in 1854; shared with him the many privations incident to life in a new country, still survives and resides in the old homestead. Like her husband she has always been interested in educational matters. In her own home she taught the first school between Council Bluffs and Des Moines, n the “Coon Divide.” And she has long been actively identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. While she has no children of her own, she has reared four, two girls and two boys, namely: Almira J., James H., Sarah L., and William M. The first named is now the wife of I. W. Rinard. In addition to her home farm, Mrs. Nicholson owns two others, - 360 acres all told.