My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM JOHNSON NICE, son of Samuel and Sarah (Heller) Nice, was born at what is now 6303-5 Germantown avenue, Philadelphia, October 21, 1838. He attended in his boyhood days the old Concord school, one of the landmarks of Germantown. His father was engaged in the business of an undertaker and upholsterer, and the son was early inducted into the mysteries of the business by his father. At the age of fifteen years he relinquished school studies to engage in the more active employment which he received as an inheritance in the family, first, however, at the age of seventeen years, going to live with Thomas Wentz at Hope Lodge Farm, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where he had an experience of early rising and hard work early and late that made him willing to go back to the business of his father, which as a boy he had felt would be somewhat disagreeable as a lifelong occupation.

He married, June 21, 1866, Mary Jane, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Katz) Van Winkle, of Flourtown, in Montgomery county, well known farmers of that vicinity. After his marriage, Mr. Nice located on East Washington Lane, Germantown, and continued the undertaking business. Their children: Samuel Van Winkle, born in 1867, attended the public schools of Germantown until his sixteenth year, worked with his father, and married Margaret Gould, daughter of James Gould, who is engaged with the firm of Kirk & Nice, undertakers; Linford C., born 1869, attended Germantown schools until his sixteenth year, and then learned the hardware business, engaging in it until 1887, when he secured a position in the Northern National Bank, at Ridge and Girard avenues, Philadelphia, as messenger, and is now paying teller in the institution; he married, January 22, 1902, Annie Fitzpatrick; Elizabeth, married Jesse Doyle; Anita, attended Germantown schools, and resides with her parents; Elsie, attended the school of the Misses Hibbs, Germantown, from which she graduated and resides with her parents.

The Nice family are one of the oldest in Pennsylvania. John Nice (great-grandfather) was a son of Anthony Nice, who came to the Province of Pennsylvania from Germany in William Penn’s time. The family have been long domiciled in and about Germantown, where they have won an enviable reputation for honesty, industry and general ability.