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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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A. J. Nichols’ farm, which composes 200 acres, is one of the finest for successful agricultural purposes to be found in his section of the country, and will average half a bale of cotton to the acre, and fifteen bushels of corn. On this estate is a fine cotton-gin, which in 1889 turned out 193 bales of cotton, but usually gives at least 250 bales. Mr. Nichols has resided in Arkansas since 1851, having originally come from his native State of Georgia, Habersham County, where he was born in 1836. His early days were spent in working on a farm, he receiving no schooling until he left his father, when twenty years old. After working a while he then went to school four months, and later started on the stage of life without any education, only knowing how to labor. He was married in 1858 to Miss Sarah E. Howard, whose father was John Howard. They settled on a woodland farm in Arkansas, Nevada County, which continued to be their home for twenty six years, but during the war Mr. Nichols served the Confederacy, being conscripted, and then detailed to make hats. After the war he returned to farming in Nevada County, Ark., and there remained through the reconstruction days. Powell Clayton was governor at that time, and Mr. Nichols thinks he was the right man for that place. He has been a life-long Republican, and a Union man through the war, but now says that if the present administration does not give to the people a free government in every sense of the term, he will no longer be a supporter of that party. Mr. Nichols moved from Nevada County, Ark., to Hempstead County, Ark., in 1887. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., of Hope Lodge, and also belongs to the K. of P. lodge at Hope, Ark. He and wife are members of the Christian Church. His father, Wiley Nichols, was a volunteer under Andrew Jackson in the Indian War, and died in 1881.

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This family biography is one of 131 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Hempstead County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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