Francis Ball Nicol (1857 - 1925)

Born 12 Mar 1857 in Lansing, Ingham, Michigan

Ancestors

Husband of Frances Helena (Moser) Nicol — married 26 Jan 1881 in Clayton, Iowa, United States

Descendants

Died 12 Aug 1925 at age 68 in Marion, Olmsted, Minnesota

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Biography

Credit to Harvey Woolery, except material in []^[1]

Childhood and early married years in Iowa

"Francis Ball Nicol was born to William Nicol and Harriet Cady Nicol in Lansing, Michigan. ^[2] He had one brother and three sisters.^{[2] [3]} Little is know of his boyhood. As a young man he worked in the wheat harvest in Iowa and Michigan, following harvest crews as was the customary employment of many young men at that time. He also worked in the timber industry, learning here to hew logs and make railroad ties. He became quite proficient with an axe and this skill stood him in good stead when he moved west to Wyoming.

He married Frances Helena Moser January 26, 1881 ^[4]and they lived on a farm in Iowa ^[5] Their farm was six or seven miles from Elkport, Iowa in Clayton County. His father, William Nicol, was in advanced years and an invalid who lived his last eight years with Francis and Helena.^[5][6] His invalid condition was said to have been brought on, or at least aggravated, by wounds he had suffered in the Civil War. Caring for grandfather along with a growing family placed considerable work on Helena. To spare her some, Francis told of securing a box on the walking plow in which he would carry the oldest baby as he worked in the field.

Frontier life in Wyoming

After his father's death Francis moved to Wyoming and joined his older brother Frank, in November of 1891. He worked at a sawmill at Lander, Wyoming through the winter, thus earning money to pay for moving his family to Lander in June of 1892. His brother, Frank Nicol, lived near Lander in a community called Borners Garden where he owned a farm. This place [but not their farm] was later a state experiment farm and is now [1985, ed.] the site of the Central Wyoming College Field Station. It was well known for its apple production and part of it is still a beautiful apple orchard. Francis worked with his brother Frank in the spring of 1892 and together they leased land from Aragon and N.B. Kinnear on the BIg Wind River in what is known as Kinnear Valley. He built a two room log cabin and hewed the logs from river cottonwoods. Here Francis and family lived and farmed for two years. This cabin was still standing in 1976. It was occupied for many years by Louis Aragon prior to his death in 1974.

In July of 1894 Francis secured the contract for carrying the mail from Fort Washakie to Dubois, Wyoming. ^[7] He moved with his family to Dubois. The mail was carried in a spring wagon or "buckboard" drawn by two horses. It required four days to make the round trip, resulting in weekly mail delivery for the small community of Dubois. This occupied him for four years and with roads such as they were at that time and few bridges, he encountered may difficulties during winter storms; and flood waters in the spring months made travel sometimes next to impossible, involving time-consuming detours.

In 1898 he homesteaded 160 acres, the location that is now the north east section of Dubois. He held the mail contact for two more years, but sublet it, thus devoting most of his time to his homestead. ^{[8] [9]}

This homestead that he acquired here was a relinquishment that he purchased from Huie Yeoman and completed the filing period. It already had a house on it that was built some years before by the notorious outlaw Butch Cassidy. The unusual thing about this cabin was that it had a matched floor (tongue and grooved) in contract to most cabins of the area, many having only dirt floors or at best rough lumber flooring. ^[10]

[The 1910 US census provides a lot of information about the family occupying the ranch at that time. Here are listed Francis B. (53), Francis (sic) H (48), Earl (16), Essie (13) and Nellie (8) -- all of whom are Nicol's. Also present are Harry Angelo] (35), Emma Angelo (27), Merial Angelo (4), Zelma Angelo (3), Eugene Woolery (26), Hattie Woolery (22) and Raymond Woolery (1). Emma Angelo and Hattie Woolery are the oldest daughters of Francis and Helena, living on their father's ranch with their husbands and children. On the original census form the location is given as Election district 3, Dubois Precint 17, Fremont County, Wyoming.]

Along with this he acquired what is now the Torrey Lake ranch from Matt Hinton. He continued to live in Dubois and ranched there until 1919. He started the ditch out of Torrey Lake known as the Hard Rock Ditch which was later continued five miles by Gene Woolery to cover the Whiskey Basin Ranch. Another ditch that bears the Nicol name is one that Francis constructed to cover his land at Dubois, diverting water from Horse Creek. The livestock brand he owned was (symbol for 'bar CW') and is now the property of and recorded to Clyde Woolery. It was willed to Clyde by Carl McCollough, late husband of Essie Nicol Yennie McCollough.

Final Years in Minnesota

In 1919 Francis sold the Dubois property to the Dubois Mercantile and the Torrey Lake place to John Boardman (John Rule Boardman married Julia Angelo, a sister of Emma Nicol's husband, Harry.) . He then moved to Minnesota near Rochester where he bought a farm. His health was failing and he suffered from asthma. Apparently he went there to seek help at the Mayo Clinic. He had cousins living in Minnesota by the name of O'Dell. ^[11] He died August 12, 1925 in Marion, Olmsted, Minnesota ^[12] and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Rochester, Olmsted, Minnesota. ^[13]

Interviews with people who knew him give us some insight as to his personality and character. He was a tall quiet man, about 6 ft. 2 in. and took life with all its problems philosophically in stride, never getting overly excited. He loved to fish, play cards and was an avid reader."

The children of Francis Nicol and Lena (Moser) Nicol are:

1. Emma Nicol
2. John Nicol
3. Harriet Nicol
4. Earl Nicol
5. Essie Nicol
6. Helen Nicol

Sources

1. ↑ "The Nicol Family", compiled by Harvery Woolery, Kinnear, Wyoming. Francis Ball Nicol is person 6 on pages 29a and 29b, numbering not consecutive. Transmitted to Merial Angelo on April 26, 1985. Copy in possession of Edwin James Angelo as of April 2016. This biography is transcribed directly from Harvey's work, with references researched and added as possible.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDJP-XVC : accessed 11 April 2016), Harriet Nichals in household of Wm Nichals, Iowa, United States; citing p. 17, family 112, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,882.

   household details for 1870 census

3. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWDJ-JH8 : accessed 11 April 2016), Census Place: Niles, Berrien, Michigan; Roll: M653_537; Page: 357; Image: 357; Family History Library Film: 803537.

   Harriet is listed as head of household in Michigan with children Emily, 13, Frank, 10, Amanda, 8, Laura, 6 and "Lanson", 3. Where was William? Is "Lanson" really "Francis"?

   household details for 1860 census

4. ↑ "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJ6T-KYN : accessed 13 April 2016), F. B. Nicol and Helena Moser, 26 Jan 1881, in Clayton, Iowa.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Iowa State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/HCW6-PN2 : 11 March 2018), Francis Nicol in household of William Nicol, Elk, Clayton, Iowa; citing p. 30, 1885, State Historical Society, Des Moines; FHL microfilm 1,021,454.

   Lists William, a farmer, age 71, his son Francis, 28, Helena, 22, and Emma, age 1, residing in Elk, Clayton, Iowa. The next census family is William's brother John, his wife and daughter.

   household details for 1885 census

6. ↑ ""United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MD2S-8C6 : 9 September 2017), Francis Nichols in household of William Nichols, Elk, Clayton, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district ED 131, sheet 327C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0333; FHL microfilm 1,254,333.

   Lists William, a farmer, age 66; his son Francis, a farm laborer, age 23; and boarders John, 51, Eliza, 43, Araminta, 13, and Magie, 4 (all Nichols). John is WIlliam's brother.

   household details for 1880 census

7. ↑ "US Register of CIvil, Military, & Naval Service 1863-1956", page 1235, section "Mail Contractors", entries for "Star Service -- Wyoming"

   Listing for Francis B. Nicol shows annual payment of $585 for the year 1 Jul 1894 to 20 Jun 1895.

8. ↑ "US Register of CIvil, Military, & Naval Service 1863-1956", page 735, section "Mail Contractors"

   Entries for "Star Service -- Wyoming", listing for Francis B. Nicol shows annual payment of $190 for the year 1 Jul 1907. A few years later than what Harvey Woolery indicates in his story.

9. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3VR-CR1 : accessed 14 April 2016), Francis B Nicol, Lander, Dallas, Dubois, Lyons, North Fork, Beaver, Beebe, Bomer's Garden Lander town, Fremont, Wyoming, United States; citing sheet 6B, family 129, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,826.

   The 1900 census for multiple areas near Dubois, lists Francis, his wife, and 5 children, with birth month/year and state.

   household details for 1900 census

10. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MPJJ-HJC : accessed 13 April 2016), Francis B Nicol, Dubois, Fremont, Wyoming, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 60, sheet 1A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,375,758.

    household details for 1910 census

11. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MWBM-67F : accessed 14 April 2016), Francis B Nicol in household of Frank M Odell, Knife Lake, Kanabec, Minnesota, United States; citing sheet 6B, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,840.

    The census indicates that Frank M Odell is the nephew of Francis B Nicol.

    household details for 1920 census

12. ↑ "Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FD32-RFG : accessed 11 April 2016), Francis B. Nicol, 12 Aug 1925; citing Marion, Olmsted, Minnesota, reference 9428; FHL microfilm 2,218,705. This record gives date & place of death, age at death, names of wife and parents.
13. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198427985/francis-b-nicol : accessed 03 December 2021), memorial page for Francis B Nicol (1857–1925), Find a Grave Memorial ID 198427985, citing Oakwood Cemetery, Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA ; Maintained by AnnaLov (contributor 49091459) .

• "Filing in Probate Count, Olmsted County, Minnesota, file NO 4665, register No 16, page 371, In the Matter of the Estate of Francis B. Nicol, 1 Sep 1926. Describes the farm in Minnesota and lists the then-living heirs.

second page lists the farm

last page lists the heirs.

Household details from above-cited census records

• United States Census, 1860.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Harriet C Nicholes		Female	40	Ohio
Emily H Nicholes		Female	13	Indiana
Franklin Nicholes		Male	10	Indiana
Amanda Nicholes		Female	8	Michigan
Laura Nicholes		Female	6	Michigan
Lanson Nicholes		Male	3	Michigan

• United States Census, 1870.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Wm Nichals		Male	57	Ohio
Harriet Nichals		Female	53	Ohio
Frank Nichals		Male	20	Indiana
Amanda Nichals		Female	16	Michigan
Francis Nichals		Male	12	Michigan

• United States Census, 1880.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
William Nichols	Self	Male	66	Ohio, United States
Francis Nichols	Son	Male	23	Michigan, United States
John Nichols	Other	Male	51	Ohio, United States
Eliza Nichols	Other	Female	43	Pennsylvania, United States
Araminta Nichols	Other	Female	13	Iowa, United States
Magie Nichols	Other	Female	4	Missouri, United States

• Iowa State Census, 1885.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
William Nicol		Male	71
Francis Nicol		Male	27
Helena Nicol		Female	22
Emma Nicol		Female	1

• United States Census, 1900.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Francis B Nicol	Head	Male	43	Michigan
Francis L Nicol	Wife	Female	38	Iowa
Emma S Nicol	Daughter	Female	17	Iowa
Evart Nicol	Son	Male	15	Iowa
Hattie M Nicol	Daughter	Female	13	Iowa
Earl E Nicol	Son	Male	6	Wyoming
Essie E Nicol	Daughter	Female	3	Wyoming
Lee C May	Servant	Male	37	Ohio

• United States Census, 1910.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Francis B Nicol	Head	Male	53	Michigan
Fancis H Nicol	Wife	Female	48	Iowa
Earl Nicol	Son	Male	16	Wyoming
Essie Nicol	Daughter	Female	13	Wyoming
Nellie Nicol	Daughter	Female	8	Wyoming
Harry Angelo	Son-in-law	Male	35	United States
Emma Angelo	Daughter	Female	27	Iowa
Merial Angelo	Granddaughter	Female	4	Wyoming
Zelma Angelo	Granddaughter	Female	3	Wyoming
Eugene Woolery	Son-in-law	Male	26	Colorado
Hattie Woolery	Daughter	Female	22	Iowa
Raymond Woolery	Grandson	Male	1	Wyoming

• United States Census, 1920.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Frank M Odell	Head	Male	45	Iowa
Anna Odell	Wife	Female	34	Iowa
Eva Odell	Daughter	Female	14	Minnesota
Clarence Odell	Son	Male	13	South Dakota
Herman Odell	Son	Male	11	South Dakota
Mathilda Odell	Daughter	Female	10	Minnesota
Vernon Odell	Son	Male	6	Minnesota
Roy Odell	Son	Male	4	Minnesota
Lester Odell	Son	Male	2	Minnesota
Arthur Odell	Son	Male	0	Minnesota
Francis B Nicol	Uncle	Male	62	Michigan