History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1381

ceased, who was for twenty-three years in the brokerage 'business at
Detroit in the firm of Baird & West; George Morris; and Miss Bessie
Mitchell West is historian of the Mayflower Society of Detroit.
The school days of George M. West were spent in Indianapolis, his
high school course having been followed by study in Sewell Military
Academy of that city. Since taking up his residence at Detroit, in I891,
he has been continuously in the brokerage and investment business, has
built up a fine clientage, and gives special attention to the handling of
high-class securities. Mr. West belongs to the Detroit Board of Commerce, the Detroit Club, the Detroit Boat Club, the Country Club, the
Automobile Club, and by reason of his New England ancestry has membership in the Society of the Sons of the Revolution and in the Mayflower
Society.
JOHN C. NICHOLS. With residence at Charlotte, John C. Nichols
is well known both as an attorney and farmer in Eaton county. With a
practice covering a quarter of a century, he now ranks among the leading lawyers in this part of the state, but is almost equally well known
through his enterprise as a farmer and stock man.
The Nichols fanmily has lived in Eaton county since the early days,
and Mr. Nichols is a native son of the county in which his entire career
has been spent. He was born at Chester, Eaton county, July 21, 1865, the
oldest son of Robert and Ann Jane (Clements) Nichols. His father,
who was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, in I827, after spending his
youth and acquiring some education there, emigrated to America, was
engaged in farming in Eaton county for several years and finally moved
to Charlotte, where his death occurred in I908. His wife was born in
1839 and died in 1913. Three of their five children are living, and one
son, Robert H. Nichols, Jr., is a graduate of the State University at Ann
Arbor and is now engaged in practice at Leslie, Michigan.
After graduating from the Charlotte High School in I884, John C.
Nichols studied law while employed by Daniel P. Sagendorph of Charlotte; later by the firm of Dean & McCall, and subsequently was a student
in the offices of Huggett & Smith, one of the prominent law firms of
Eaton county. After about four years of study and working his own
way he was admitted to the bar in i888 by the Circuit Court. Since
opening his office as an attorney, his service as counsel has given Mr.
Nichols place among the successful few in the Eaton county bar. However, much of his time has been spent in looking after his farming interests. His place of about a thousand acres in Eaton county is conducted
as a stock farm, for the raising of high-grade cattle, hogs, sheep and
horses, and is regarded as one of the best improved and most valuable
estates in that section of Michigan.
On November 30, 1892, Mr. Nichols married Miss Bertha A. Dorman,
daughter of Julius H. and Jeannette (Barnes) Dorman. With no children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have reared in their home a
little daughter named Marie Nichols.
Mr. Nichols is active in Masonic circles, being affiliated with Charlotte Lodge No. 120, A. F. & A. M., with Charlotte Chapter No. 82, R.
A. M.. with Charlotte Commandery No. 37, Knights Templar, with Charlotte Council No. 36, R. & S. M., and with Saladin Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Grand Rapids. He also belongs to the subordinate and encampment degrees of Odd Fellowship. In politics a Republican, Mr. Nichols
has filled the offices of justice of the peace and circuit court commissioner. His city home is at 723 N. Cochrane avenue. He is an enterprising business man, has a wide acquaintance over the county, and
occupies a position of independence and influence in the community.