Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/85

 NICHOLS

NICHOLS

R.I., in 1660, and of John Fostei* of Salem, Mass., who settled in Rhode Island early in the seven- teenth centuiy. He attended the public schools of Brooklj-n, N. Y.; was apprenticed to a ma- chinist in 1862, and was graduated from the Rensselaer Polytechnic institute, C.E., 1868. He was employed on the laying out of Prospect park, Brooklyn, N.Y.: on the first elevated railway in New York city, and was a teacher of mathe- matics at the Cooper institute, N.Y. He was as- sistant engineer in the office of Cooper & Hewitt, 1870-71, and was engaged in constructing the tunnel divisions of the Lima and Oroza and of the Chimbote railroad, Peru, 1871-76. He was married, Nov. 21, 1876, to Jennie Swasey, daugh- ter of Judge Samuel Sterne of Newport, R.I. He was in Brazil as resident engineer of an Eng- lish railway enterprise, 1878-79, and was em- ployed by Cooper & Hewitt in the New Jersey Steel and Iron company at Trenton, 1879-81, and by the Peter Cooper glue factory in Brooklyn, in 1882. He was resident engineer of the Hen- derson bridge over the Ohio river, 1882-86, and chief engineer of the Westerly, R.I. water works, 1886. He was principal assistant engineer of the Suburban Rapid Transit company in New York, 1887-88 ; city and chief engineer of the Brook- lyn elevated railroad company, 1888-92, and was elected general manager and chief engineer of tlie latter, 1892. He was chosen principal assist- ant engineer of tiie new East River bridge in February, 1896. He was elected a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers ; the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ; the Institution of Civil Engineers ; a fellow of the American Geographical society, and a trustee of the Engineers' club of New York city.

NICHOLS, William Augustus, soldier, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., May 12, 1818 ; grand- son of Gen. Francis Nichols (q.v.). He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy, July 1, 1838, and assigned to the 2d artillery. He was promoted 2d lieutenant, July 7, 1838, 1st lieuten- ant, June 1, 1844, and engaged in the battle of Monterey, Sept. 21-23, 1846. He was brevetted captain for gallant conduct in the several con- flicts at Monterey, Mexico ; served as aide-de- camp to General Quitman, Aug. 19 to Oct. 6, 1846 ; as adjutant of 2d artillery, 1846-47, and at the same time as actingassistant adjutant-general of the 5th military department. He was acting assistant adjutant-general of Garland's brigade. Worth's division, and took part in the siege of Vera Cruz ; the battle of Cerro Gordo ; the skirmish of Amazoque ; the capture of San Antonio, and battle of Churubusco. He was brevetted major, Sept. 8, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Molino Del Rey, and took part in the storming of Chapultepec and in the assault

and capture of the city of Mexico. He was brevetted captain of staff and assistant adjutant- general, July 29, 1852, and served in the 4th military department ; in the adjutant-general's office at Washington, D.C., and in the depart- ments of Texas and New Mexico. He was brevetted major of the staff, March 7, 1861, and was captured by the Texas secessionist and paroled. He served as adjutant-general of the Department of the East and of the Department of New York ; was mustering and disbursing officer in New York city, 1801-62, and assistant in the adjutant-general's office at Washington, D.C., 1862-66. He was promoted colonel of staff, June 1, 1864, and was brevetted brigadier-general, Sept. 24, 1864, and major-general, March 13, 1865, for " meritorious and faithful services during the rebellion." He was adjutant-general of the military division of the Missouri and chief of staff to Lieut. -Gen. W. T. Sherman, 1868-69. He died in St. Louis, Mo., April 8, 1869.

NICHOLS, William Ford, second bishop of California and 154th in succession in the Ameri- can episcopate, was born at Lloyd, N.Y., June 9, 1849 ; son of Charles Hubert and Margaret Emilia (Grant) Nichols ; grandson of Josiali Morse and Delilah (Duncombe) Nichols and of Sweton and Hannah (Whitele}') Grant, and a descend- ant of Francis Nich- ols, an original settler and proprietor of Stratford, Connecti- cut, 1639. He was grad- uated from Trinity college, A.B., 1870, A.M., 1873, and from Berkeley' divinity school in 1873. He was admitted to the diaconate by Bishop

AVilliams of Connecticut in 1873 and to the priest- hood, in 1874, and was private secretary to Bishop Williams, 1871-76. He was married, May 18, 1876, to Clara, daughter of Edward Augustus and Mary (Gillespie) Quintard. He was assistant at Holy Trinity, Middletown, Conn., 1873-75, rector of St. James, West Hartford, Conn., and Grace church, Newington, Conn., 1875-77 ; rector of Christ church, Hartford, 1877-87, and of St. James, Philadelphia, Pa., 1887-90. He was a delegate to the Seabury centenary at Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1884, and in behalf of the clergy and laity of Connecticut presented a paten and chalice to the Scottish church. He was professor of church history at the Berkeley divinity school, 18S5-87, and was assistant secretary of the House

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