THE NICHOLS FAMILY OF TIPLER, WISCONSIN

 

 

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Dorothy (Nichols) Rasmussen sent in the following information regarding the Nichols Family from the Tipler area of Florence County.  Dorothy has done a terrific job at writing these tributes to her family -- THANKS for sharing this information with us!  And Dorothy would love to hear from anyone else researching these family... you can contact Dorothy via email.

From Dorothy:
The following is a brief biography that I prepared for Charles Nichols' Memorial service on August 5, 2000.

Charles Kenneth Nichols

Charles K. Nichols was born at Ruby, Chippewa County, Wisconsin on December 7, 1898. He married Edna G. Diehl at Ladysmith, WI on 07 Jun, 1921.  The couple lived at Ladysmith, WI and Rib Lake, WI before moving to Tipler, WI in 1929, where he worked as a log scaler for the A. J. Tipler Lumber Company until the fire of April 18, 1931, which burned the lumber company, as well as most of the town of Tipler.  He served as Chairman of the town of Tipler,  a member of the Florence County Board, the Florence County Selective Service Board (for 25 years) and the Tipler and Florence County School Boards at various times over the years.

Occupations:  Logging, dairy and later, beef farming 

Visitation at the Brooks-Langenberg Funeral Home in Iron River, Michigan February 18, 1985; Funeral Services at the Maple Grove Church in Tipler, Wisconsin on February 19, 1985, the Ronald Larson officiated.  Interment was in the Martin Cemetery in the spring of 1985. 

(The following statements were prepared for the Memorial Service held for Wayne H. and George E. Nichols at the Maple Grove Baptist Church on August 4, 2000.)

Wayne Harold Nichols 

Wayne Harold Nichols, the 2nd son of Charles K. Nichols and Edna G. (Diehl) Nichols, was born on November 2, 1923 at Ladysmith, Wisconsin.  He moved, with his parents and three brothers to Tipler, Wisconsin in 1929.  Wayne attended the Tipler State Graded school through the tenth  grade and Florence High School, Florence, Wisconsin, where he graduated in 1941.  Because Florence High School was the only high school in the county, and because there was no pupil transportation from Tipler to Florence, he boarded in Florence during the week and came home on the weekends.  He worked helping to clear the 44-acre family farm and also worked in the woods cutting and hauling "popple pulp."  In the early 1940's, 10 heifers were purchased to establish the foundation of a dairy herd, and a section of land was added to the farm--land that was first logged off and later, much of it was cleared to provide pasture for the cattle. 

Wayne was drafted into the U.S. Army in May of 1943.  He had his basic training in Louisiana and his company was shipped from there to North Africa in August of 1943.  He was in the 405th Army Engineers, where he achieved the rank of Master Sergeant before his 22nd birthday.  He served in Sicily and Italy, where his unit was responsible for building and maintaining pipe lines carrying fuel to the armies at the front.  After the war, he left Italy on December 1, 1945; was mustered out in Illinois on December 6th, and arrived home on his father's birthday, December 7, 1945.

Over the next few years, the herd was increased and milk was sold to a cheese factory.  Land was cleared for hay fields and more land was rented to grow hay for the cows.  In 1955, Wayne and his father started building a new house to replace the old log house that was built after their home in Tipler burned on April18,  1931.  The family moved into the new house in 1957.  During that time, Charles Nichols developed an allergy to close contact with cattle, and the herd was shifted to the production of beef instead of milk.  Also, the price of milk for cheese was no longer enough to pay the cost of production.   

During those years, Wayne took agriculture courses through the county Agricultural Agent; utilizing much of what he learned in improving and enlarging the farm.  He and his father bought quality Hereford bulls to improve the quality of their beef animals.  Then, ill health, first of Edna Nichols, who died of cancer in November of 1968, and of Charles Nichols, who died in February of 1985, left the farm operations entirely in Wayne's hands.  His herd often approached the level of 250 or more head of beef animals.   

Wayne loved the farm and his animals. And he never wanted to live anywhere else.  He kept his cattle until the fall of 1998, when ill health and the cost of feed forced him to sell all but a very few animals.  He was able to stay on the farm right up to the time that he went into the VA hospital in Iron Mountain.  He was sent from Iron Mountain to the Clement Zablocki Veteran's Hospital in Milwaukee for tests on December 17, 1999.  He had tests on Monday, December 20th, and he was looking forward to spending Christmas Eve with his sister and niece and nephews in Janesville.  Wayne died very unexpectedly on December 21, 1999, of sudden cardiac arrest, probably caused by an embolism. 

Wayne was preceded in death by his mother and father, Edna and Charles Nichols, and two brothers: Neil Nichols of Minneapolis Minnesota, and George Nichols of Stambaugh, Michigan.  He is survived by four sisters: Dorothy Rasmussen of Whitewater, Wisconsin; Lila Anderson of Brighton, Michigan; Audree Erickson of Ontonogan, Michigan and Sheila Kapusta of Iron River, Michigan.  He is also survived by three brothers: Dale Nichols of Grand Rapids, Minnesota; Charles W. Nichols of Tipler, Wisconsin and Orrin Nichols of Iron River, Michigan.  He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. 

He leaves many friends in the Tipler area where he lived almost all of his life.  He will be deeply missed by his friends and relatives. 

This is a brief personal history that I prepared for George E. Nichols’ Memorial service which was held on August 5, 1999 (on the same day that we held the service for his brother Wayne.) 

George Elwood Nichols 

George Elwood Nichols, the 4th son of Charles K. and Edna (Deihl) Nichols was born on May 10, 1926 at Rib Lake, Wisconsin.  He moved with his parents and three brothers to Tipler, Wisconsin in 1929.

George attended the Tipler State Graded School.  He worked on the farm and in logging during his years at home.  He excelled in working with almost all types of machinery and he was especially proficient in handling a bulldozer and in driving trucks transporting heavy construction equipment.  He drove semi-trucks for his brother, Dale M. Nichols during the time that he lived in Brainerd, Minnesota.

George  married Monica Omillian in 1951.  They made their home in Stambaugh, Michigan where they raised their family of three daughters and two sons. In the 1950's, he drove a truck for his brother Dale who operated  Nichols' Trucking business in Brainerd, Minnesota.  After he returned from Minnesota, he worked for the Proksch Construction Company, Stambaugh, MI, transporting heavy construction all over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  George took early retirement in 1967.  He had a well equipped shop at home and he also did a lot of repair work at the farm at Tipler, WI.  George helped Wayne with many projects on the farm, until his own health began to fail.  He developed adult-onset diabetes, which may have been the underlying cause of his heart attack and his stroke. George died at the Crystal Falls Manor on October 8, 1997. 

George is survived by his wife, Monica (Omillian) Nichols,  who still lives at their home in Stambaugh.  He left three daughters: Patricia Ann Knipp of Stambaugh, MI, Debra Jean (Jim) Blythe of Sunland, CA, Kim Marie (Joseph) Harrington of Broomsfield, CO; and two sons: Rodney George (Lisa) Nichols of Oceanside, CA and Gary Paul Nichols of Stambaugh, MI. George is also survived by his grandchildren.

George was also survived by four brothers:  Dale M. Nichols (Bette) of Grand Rapids, MN., Wayne H. Nichols and Charles W. Nichols of Tipler, WI., Orrin A. Nichols (Melba) of Iron River, MI. and by four sisters:  Dorothy E. Rasmussen of Whitewater, WI., Lila A. Anderson of Brighton, MI, Audree A. Erickson of Ontonogan, MI. and Sheila A. (Michael) Kapusta of Iron River, Michigan. 

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Edna G. (Deihl) and Charles K. Nichols of Tipler, WI and one brother, Neil Linden Nichols of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  

George was buried in Martins Cemetery where his parents and two brothers were also laid to rest. 


I am also attaching copies of two newspaper articles (one from the Florence Mining News and the other from the Iron River Reporter, Iron River, MI. These articles commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Tipler fire of April 18, 1931.  I obtained copies of these articles from Eileen nee Shannon Smith who was still living in Tipler in August of 2000. They do report a significant part of the history of Tipler, WI.

FIRE ALMOST BURNED TIPLER OFF THE MAP 25 YEARS AG0

Tipler, Wis.  April 13  (Special)  Residents of this Florence County Community next Wednesday will quietly mark the 25th anniversary of a scourge of flames that almost succeeded in ending Tipler’s existence. 

The fire, which may have been of incendiary origin, swept into Tipler at 3 p.m. April 18, 1931 and in a half hour leveled the community of 200 inhabitants.  No lives were lost, but the ruin was so complete that most of the householders resolved not to relocate there because of the waning timber industry.

TOWN SURVIVED

But the industry of man in rebuilding homes gave Tipler a new lease on life.  The town survived, although decimated in population,  The post office is gone.  In its place is a rural postal station served by the Iron River, Mich. Post office. 

The Northwestern railway depot was never rebuilt, but some logging continued, and farming and pulpwood harvesting have replaced timber as the town’s economic livelihood. 

A few Tipler residents today can remember that fateful day in 1931 when their town appeared doomed to extinction.  They are served by a general store, a service station, the brick school that was undaunted by the flames and a dozen homes, half of which escaped destruction.

Irwin O’Connor recalls the fire.  He told how an uncle broke out a batch of “home brew” to moisten the walls and roof of his family home, sparing it from destruction.   

Mrs. Norman Cole, the post-mistress, said the young people who call for their mail each day like to hear their elders describe the fire. 

Fleeing from the flames, the residents sought refuge in Iron River, 10 miles north, whose late mayor, Joe Selin, commandeered a fleet of cars to rush rescuers to the stricken hamlet.  Total loss at Tipler was estimated at more than $300,000.00. 

Among the 25 homes ruined was the mansion of A. J. Tipler, founder of the town.  The Tipler fireplace and chimney and twin stacks at the nearby sawmill, stood alone after the fire had passed. 

ARSON NEVER PROVEN 

Authorities never have proven a report that an arsonist, a disgruntled lumberjack with a grudge against the mill firm, had touched off the spring-dry foliage. 

Mrs. Archie Shannon, a heroine of the fire, found herself alone with her six small children as flames approached.  Her husband was 40 miles away at a lumber camp. 

She battled the flames with valor, defeating them although she sustained burns and scorched hair.  Then she stood guard all night to lick any recurring fire.  When morning dawned, she knew she had won the fight. 

Her home was standing alone in the south end of town.  

Fire raged through Tipler April 18, 1931 

The town of Tipler burned on April 18, 1931.  The quiet friendly town that exists today was a raging inferno that day.  Violet Schroeder and Eileen Smith are two of the Tipler residents who lived through the fire and supplied this information. 

Before 1931, Tipler was a booming lumber town of about 200 residents.  It was the home of Arthur J. Tipler, who owned the big sawmill and a large mansion in town. 

The sawmill, which employed 125 people, had been closed in 1929, and almost all of the men had gone to work in lumber camps between Tipler and Florence.  A great many worked at the Lauterman Camp near Tipler.   

The drought was very severe in 1931 and other fires had been burning in the forest slashings for over a week.  The fire apparently was started by sparks flying out from a train.  At 3 p.m., the fire swept down the railroad tracks and into Tipler.  When the fire was over, 80 homes had been burned to the ground, including the home of A. J. Tipler.  Almost all of the men from Tipler had been fighting other fires between Florence and Tipler and could not get back quickly to fight this fire.  All that was left of the sawmill was the fireplace was the fireplace, chimney and twin stacks.  Alongside the mill there had been 1,200 cords of pulp wood and a large stack of railroad ties to further fuel the fire. 

Six homes in the entire town were saved.  One of these was the home of Archie Shannon, the father of Eileen Smith.  Shannon had pumped barrels of water the week before the fire.  When he heard the news and raced to Tipler.  His house was on fire, but he had enough water to put out the fire and keep the house from burning.  It was the only building near the mill that survived the fire.  Shannon had a wife and six children living in his house in Tipler, and when he arrived there the family was gone.  As the fire started through Tipler, an unidentified man came to the Shannon house and told Mrs. Shannon that he would take them to safety.  Mrs. Shannon threw as many belongings as possible in a big suitcase and put a stick through the handle so that two of the kids could carry it.  The baby was pushed along in an old stroller.  The man who took them about half a mile away to his house, which he had burned around the day before.  Mrs. Shannon and the children stayed there safely until the fire was out.   

When Joe Selin, the mayor of Iron River, heard the news, he commandeered every vehicle he could find and led a fleet of cars and men rushing to the scene.  The women and children were taken to Iron River, and the Iron River men stayed to help fight the fire. 

The amazing thing about the fire was that no one was killed, but many people were burned or singed.  When the fire was out the total property loss was estimated at $300,000.00 and hundreds of acres of land were burned.  The post office, general store, and Northwestern railway depot were gone, but the townspeople survived.  The logging industry was gone, but the industry of the people of Tipler was alive and they rebuilt the town.  -- The Florence (Wis.) Mining News & Independent



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