San
Joaquin County
Biographies
ROBERT NICHOLS, JR.
An
enterprising farmer, who is engaged in orcharding and
dairying, is Robert Nichols, Jr., who owns and operates a twenty-eight-acre
orchard one mile northwest of Thornton, on which he has made his home since
1912. A native Californian, he was born at Sheldon, August 12, 1881, a son of
Robert and Mary (Traganza) Nichols, the former a
native of Devonshire, England, and the latter of Placerville, Cal. The father
left his native country at seventeen years of age and came to the United
States, and three years later came to California. Here he was married a few
years later to Miss Mary Traganza, a daughter of Thomas
Traganza, an early pioneer of California, who engaged
in mining on the Cosumnes River and later took up
land from the Mexican government near Sheldon, where he reared his family. In
time he came to own 800 acres of land in Sacramento County. Robert and Mary
Nichols were the parents of five children: Thomas. Lavina, Mrs. Alltucker,
residing at Elk Grove; Mary, Mrs. Schirmer, living in
Sacramento; Robert, of this sketch; and Hazel, Mrs. Polhemus,
of Elk Grove. The father is living, now aged seventy-five years, while
the mother passed away in 1909.
Robert Nichols, Jr., received his
education in the Union district school of Sacramento County. In his twentieth
year he took up the plumbing and tinning trade under Lattourrette-Fical
Company of Sacramento, remaining with this company for four and a half years.
Then he returned to the home ranch, which he operated for four years. After
this he again went to Sacramento, and purchased a half interest in the Ford
agency with Mr. Fical, his former employer. At the
end of ten months he sold his interest to his partner and bought a twenty-acre improved
ranch about one mile northwest of Thornton, and soon afterward purchased about
eight acres more adjoining. Here he is engaged in the raising of beans,
alfalfa, and fruit, and also conducts a dairy.
On September 23, 1903, in Sacramento,
Mr. Nichols was married to Miss Mabel Gertrude Shepard,
a native of Ohio and a daughter of George A. and Eliza M. (Wood) Shepard. Her parents came to California when she was five
years old, and her father was employed in the Southern Pacific Railroad shops
at Sacramento; and there Mrs. Nichols received her education. Mrs. Nichols is
one of two children. Her brother, George W. Shepard,
resides in Sacramento. Six years ago her father passed away; the mother now
resides in Sacramento. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols are the parents of two children:
Roberta Gertrude and Aletha Lilis.
In politics Mr. Nichols generally favors the Republican party
candidates. For two years he has been constable of the New Hope district of San Joaquin County, and for six years he has
been a member of the New Hope school board, and at the present time is clerk of
the board. Fraternally, he is a member of the Odd Fellows, Oak Park Lodge No.
5. of Sacramento, and was also a member, a past district
deputy and great sachem of the Winnebago Tribe of Red Men, No. 94, at Sacramento.
Mrs. Nichols is in charge of the Thornton branch of the San Joaquin County
public library. Mr. Nichols is a public-spirited man, favoring any measure that
promotes general progress, and has done much valuable service for his
community.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1488-1489. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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