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Below is a family biography included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Mrs. Mary J. Nichols, widow of Lazarus Nichols, was born in the “Blue Grass State,” and is the daughter of Pleasant and Elizabeth (Cowden) McClure, also natives of Kentucky. They came to Missouri when our subject was about grown, settling in Webster County, near Waldo Post-office, and there passed their last days. The mother died in 1866 or 1867, and the father in 1886. Mrs. Mary J. Nichols was married to Mr. Lazarus Nichols about the close of the war, and to this union were born seven children: Laura, wife of Alexander Barnett; George, Narcissus, wife of J. G. Piatt; J. C., Lola, wife of A. N. Allen; Hattie and Charley. The youngest son accidentally received a gunshot wound, which terminated fatally for him eight days after the accident occurred. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Nichols moved on the farm where Mrs. Nichols is now living, and there the family was reared. Mr. Nichols was a native of Kentucky, and was an early settler of Missouri. He was a man of industry, who accumulated much wealth in Wright County, and left to his family 800 acres of good land. He died in this county in 1877, and his son George is living on the farm and taking care of his mother, and looking after the interest of the farm. He was born in 1866, and received his education in the district schools and at Hartville, Marshfield and Seymour. J. C. Nichols attended the Christian Brothers College in St. Louis, and also attended the school at Marionville. The mother and all her daughters are members of the Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 90 biographies included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Wright County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Wright County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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