The following information was submitted 17 May 2001 by Eleanor B.
McCleary & Charlene Nichols Hixon
Nichols Cemetery began as a “gentleman’s agreement” that a secluded
knoll on land owned by Samuel Nichols,
would be designated as a community cemetery. However it was not
formally noted as such until Townsend Nichols,
Samuel’s grandson, sold the land to Pike Township trustees for one
dollar “for the purpose and use as a Township
cemetery for all time to come.” The deed is on record at the Muscatine
County Recorders Office: Book of Lands 41, dated 4 January 1897. The Original
Section has also been referred to as “Swickard Cemetery” and “Nichols Summit
Cemetery.”
On 20 Oct 1911, Townsend Nichols sold another parcel of land to Pike
Township Trustees, again for one dollar
(Muscatine County Recorders Office; Book of Lands 57). This area
was platted as the First Additon to Nichols
Cemetery dated December 1912.
Susie M. Green, Samuel’s granddaughter, also sold land to Pike Township
Trustees to serve as an expansion of the
cemetery. The Warranty Deed is listed in the Book of Lands 75, dated
8 March 1929.
Plat of Second Addition to Nichols Cemetery was done June 30, 1937.
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Additions were
surveyed in 1984. No burials have been made in the Fourth and Fifth
Additions as of the date of this writing.
Inside the cover of the burial register of Nichols Cemetery was a hand written note by Mrs. D.H. Marine that “there are many unmarked graves that we have no names of in the South East Corner of the older part.” Mr. Marine was Sexton from 1928 to 1953.
Further inquires may be addressed to the Nichols Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 100, Nichols, IA 52766
Please note: Information presented in this publication was compiled
from data from the Cemetery Register books in
the office of the Cemetery Superintendent as well as information
read from grave markers.
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Photographs of Nichols Cemetery