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From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 823-824
JOHN W. NICE, an honored veteran of the Civil war, is a type of the true American. Mr. NICE traces his descent from German forefathers, his grandfather having come from Germany to this country and settled in North Carolina, later removing to Ohio, in its early days; there he died. He had a family of five children, but none of that generation are now living. Two of the sons, David and William, served in the Black Hawk war. Records show that another son, John, died in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The subject of our sketch was born in Stephenson county, Ill., Dec. 10, 1844, son of Cornelius and Olive (SATTERLEE) NICE. Cornelius NICE was born in 1806, near Raleigh, N.C., accompanied his parents upon their removal to Ohio, where he spent his young manhood, and there married, March 1, 1827. He removed then to Indiana, later to Illinois, and in the fall of 1856 located in Grant county, Wis., in the town of Millville. Here the mother of our subject died in 1865, living just long enough to see the safe return of her four sons from fighting their country's battles. The father continued to reside with his children until his death, in 1892. This esteemed couple were the parents of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, all of whom grew to mature years, five of the sons and two of the daughters living at the present writing.
The NICE family has an unusual record of service during the Civil war. The eldest son, Silas F., enlisted in the 25th Wis. V.I., and was discharged for disability. Later he assisted in raising a company, which became a part of the 47th Regiment, and in which he was commissioned first lieutenant of Company G. At present he is a resident of La Crosse. Another son, Daniel W. NICE, was a musician, served in the 25th Regiment; he died Jan. 30, 1876. Robert NICE now of Boscobel, served in the same regiment as his brother Silas. James and David, the remaining sons are residents of La Crosse and Wauzeka, Wis., respectively, and the surviving daughters are Mrs. Mary POTTER and Mrs. Martha J. DELAP, of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
John W. NICE spent his boyhood days in the town of Millville, as he was not yet twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents to Wisconsin. His business was that of an engineer, when he left everything to enlist, on Aug. 9, 1862, becoming a member of Company C, of what became the famous 25th Wisconsin Regiment, under the popular commander Jeremiah RUSK. They participated in the important battles and operations which made those years to be remembered, the Indian troubles under Gen Sibley, Vicksburg, Resaca, the siege of Atlanta, and the march with Sherman to the sea, and were part of the famous old regiment when at the close of the war it went to Washington for the grand review.
After the war Mr. NICE found his health so broken that it has been impossible for him to engage in his old calling steadily. He was married Dec. 24, 1870, to Miss Frances M. DEXTER, of Boscobel, and is now surrounded by a pleasant family of four sons and two daughters: Herbert H. was born Nov. 19, 1871; Wilbur H., Sept. 24, 1873; Ned E., May 7, 1876; Lulu M., Feb. 19, 1883; Daniel, March 5, 1889; and Rena May, March 18, 1893. Ned E. served in Cuba during the late war, under Gen. Fitzhugh Lee against whom his father fought from 1862 to 1865.
Mr. and Mrs. NICE have resided for the principal part of their married life in Boscobel, where they have a pleasant home, and where he is a worthy and esteemed citizen.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck