>From The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wis., publ, 1889 - page 895, 896 JOHN HENRY NICHOLS, who is numbered among the settlers of Rock County of 1854, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, is of English birth. He was born in Buckinghamshire, England, Aug. 19, 1825, and is the only child of Matthias and Mary (CLARK) NICHOLS, who were also natives of the same country. The father passed his entire life in his native land, his death there occurring in the month of August, 1826. After the death of her husband Mrs. NICHOLS was again married, becoming the wife of William NIBBS, and in 1832 the family crossed the broad Atlantic and located in Herkimer County, N.Y., where they resided until 1865. At that time they came to Wisconsin, locating in Dane County, where she continued to make her home until her death, which occurred on the 20th day of September, 1872, at a ripe old age. The life of our subject has been truly an industrious one. At the early age of eight years he began earning his own livelihood, working on a farm in the State of New York, and receiving for his services only $4 per month. His educational advantages were indeed limited, he working two days in a week for his school privileges. He continued to labor as a farm hand until he was twenty-five years old. On the 1st day of January, 1850, he was united in marriage with Miss Catherine DALTON, and of their union two children were born - sons - Frank, who resides at Ft. Atkinson, Wis., and Henry, who is now deceased. The death of the mother occurred April 6, 1854, and she was buried at Utica, N.Y. After his marriage he worked a dairy farm in Herkimer County, on shares for two years and then went to work by the month on a farm for one year, which proved to be more profitable than farming on his own account, and then he worked by the day for one year. After the death of his wife he ! came West to Wisconsin, in 1854, and worked by the day for Daniel LOVEJOY for $1 per day for sixty-five days, and then worked at such employment as he could get until the spring of 1885, when he bought forty acres of land in Porter Township, together with a team and some implements, and after putting in a crop sold out at an advance of $300. In fall of that year, in connection with his brother-in-law, he purchased 160 acres of land in Dane County, cultivating the same for a period of three years. On the 19th day of October, 1856, Mr. NICHOLS was again married, his second union being with Bridget KEALEY. They became the parents of thirteen children, as follows: George, who was born Dec. 4, 1857; Mary, March 26, 1859; Katy, April 10, 1861; William, April 6, 1863, Lizzie, Jan. 26, 1865; Mark, Feb.. 13, 1867; Joseph, born May 22, 1868, is now deceased; Winfred F., born July 22, 1870; Gertrude A., Sept. 4, 1872; Joseph, deceased; Teresa, born Dec. 22, 1875, is deceased; Andrew born Nov. 28,1877, and Josephine, May 17, 1880. In the fall of 1859 Mr. NICHOLS purchased forty acres of land, and subsequently in 1862, bought another forty acres, which was still in an unimproved condition, and with characteristic energy began transforming the wild land, clearing it of the brush, building fences and otherwise improving it until he had a fine farm. Mr. NICHOLS has followed the occupation of farming throughout the greater part of his life, and is a man of energetic disposition and practical ideas. He resided on this farm of eighty acres before mentioned until 1881, when he removed to Dunkirk, Dane County, where he purchased 120 acres of land on Wheeler Prairie, where he continued to reside until March 17, 1884. At that time he returned to this county, and has since made his home within its borders. He then purchased 160 acres of land on section 22, Porter Township, his present fine farm. He is regarded as one of the leading and representative farmers of the community, and his home with its entire surroundings stands as a monument to his labor and ability. He is truly a self-made man. There are but few who have made their way unaided through life from the early age of eight years as Mr. NICHOLS has done, and to the youth of the present generation it would seem an unbearable hardship. Mr. NICHOLS and his wife are m! embers of the Catholic Church, are held in high esteem by their many friends, and in politics he is a supporter of the Republican party.