NICHOLS Aaron D.

Notes:

Birth:
between 1780 - 1790

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

After the Civil War soldiers were given land as bonus rewards for their service. Marshall was not on the family census for 1870 in Clayton Co., Iowa. I could not find him listed anywehre. In 1875 he is on the census for Black Hammer, Houston, Minnesota. Houston County is the first Minnesota County up river from Iowa. Marshall is 28 years old, married to a Claire C. who was born in Illinois in 1844, one daughter Nettie M. born in 1872 in Minnesota, One son Orville born 1874 in Minnesota. In 1880 he is still listed there with a different wife, Jane, and one more son, Melvin, born 1880. Also living with her brother and his family is Lovina. On this census she is call Vina. This is how I find her listed from now on data.

I could find on information after 1870 on Ansel Pulsifer. Tamson appears in data in 1890 living in St. Paul with her daughter Vina and son in law George Smith. Son Almonce and daughter Emergene's whereabouts are not know after 1870.

Tamson married PULSIFER ANSEL (Anthony) about 1839 in Crown Point, Essex Co., NY. ANSEL (son of PULSIFER Amos and OBER Sally) was born in 1819 in Crown Point, Essex Co., NY; died about 1873 in at the home of sister Lucinda Estey Delmar, Iowa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Served in Civ. War 106th Inf. Co. E; Capt.
Luther Priest's Regt. Enlisted at Hopkinton,
N.Y. 11 Aug. 1862. Not in his fathers house on
1870 census, nor is his name metioned as heirs
on forclosure notce against Edytha Pulsifer and
others.

Died:
prob. during Civil War

Notes:

Enlisted 11th. N.Y. Cavalry, Private. From the 1870 Census in Mendon, Clayton Co., Iowa.

After the Civil War soldiers were given land as bonus rewards for their service. Marshall was not on the family census for 1870 in Clayton Co., Iowa. I could not find him listed anywehre. In 1875 he is on the census for Black Hammer, Houston, Minnesota. Houston County is the first Minnesota County up river from Iowa. Marshall is 28 years old, married to a Claire C. who was born in Illinois in 1844, one daughter Nettie M. born in 1872 in Minnesota, One son Orville born 1874 in Minnesota. In 1880 he is still listed there with a different wife, Jane, and one more son, Melvin, born 1880. Also living with her brother and his family is Lovina. On this census she is call Vina. This is how I find her listed from now on data.

From 1880 until 1910 there was no more information on Marshall. In 1910 he is listed as a "66 year old widower" living at the Orting Soldiers Home in Pierce, Washington. He is also there on the 1920 census. He died on 11 March 1920 at the age of 76 and is probably burried there. I found a listing on the 1900 census for his daughter Nettie who was working at the Minnetonka Beach Village. Nettie married a William C Henke and moved to Brookings Kings, New York. In 1920 her brother Orville Pulsifer, age 56, single was also part of the household. In 1930 Nettie was a widow and Orville was still there. I did find a marriage listed for an Orville Pulsifer in Rock Island Illilnois in 1899. So he probably was married for sometime to a lady named Ida. I do not know if there were any more children after Melvin. I did find a death listing for Melvin Pulsifer on 15 August 1882 in La Crosse Wisconsin. If this was Marshall's son he was only 2 years old. I think it is very likely because La Crosse is right across the river from Houston County, Minnesota. It would be intersting to find out Marshall's family history between 1880 and 1910, but at this time it is not known. There were many Purdy and Pulsifer families that moved to the west coast. Marshall's life really is the story of America after the Civil War. Born in Upper State New York he continued westward across the entire country to end his life in Washington State. What a journey he must have had.

Marshall married CASWELL Harriet Jane on 27 Oct 1866 in Prairie Du Chene, WI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Marshall married CARLIN Louella on 03 Jul 1898 in West Superior, WI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her mar. records states she mar. to G. W.
Hastings; but the announcement in the
Clayton County Journal Elkader, Iowa issued
26 Apr. 1871 says " At Elkader 17 Apr. 1871
by Justice Vaupel; Georege W. Harding and
Emma Pulsifer both of McGregor.

Emergene married HASTINGS George W. on 17 Apr 1871 in Elkader, Iowa. George was born in of McGregor Iowa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

residing with her parents at age 20 years on
1870 census McGregor, Iowa

Vina's sister Amanda also ended up in St. Paul. She married Milton W. Taylor born 1854 in Wisconsin, in late 1888 or 89. She maybe had married for the first time in 1878, but at this time I don't know to whom or where. Milton may have children from his first marriage but they had no children together. He also worked for the railroad as a car repainter. They lived at #925 Fremont St., St. Paul. They witnessed the marriage of George Smith and Vina Pulsifer on April 17th, 1888, at the Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lorraine talked many times of visisting Aunt and Uncle Taylor, because they lived close to the Smith home on 3rd Street. When she and her brother Bob were all dressed up for their 1st Communion they were taken to see Aunt and Uncle Taylor. Uncle Taylor answered the door and wanted to know who the bride and groom were, a happy memory for a little girl.

Amanda married TAYLOR Milton W. on 30 Sep 1888 in St. Croix, WI. Milton (son of TAYLOR Warren and TAYLOR Lusetta) was born in 1854 in WI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He appears on both 1860 and 1870 census with
his parents, but is not mentioned on the
mortgage forclosure against Edytha. Perhaps he
died between 1870 and 1876.

Notes:

listed on both 1860 and 1870 census with
parents and name spelled as Frances and
recorded as female. However, mortgage
forclosure says Frank. Evidently an error on
les pardon papers.

1880
Vina's sister Frances is still in Clayton co., Iowa working as a seamstress. In 1880 Bradley H. Purdy, born 1851 in Dearborn, Michigan, is living with his borther Judson Purdy and family in the same Mendon area working in a sawmill. They meet and marry in 1881 and move into the state of Minnesota. This is where the Purdy name comes into the Smith family. Bradley H. Purdy was an uncle to Harold Purdy Smith. Frances and Bradley ended up in St. Paul he worked for the railroad. In 1900 they were living in Minneapolis, 1901 found them in Winthrope, Sibley Co. 1910 had them living with Amanda and Milton Taylor in St. Paul. By 1920 Bradley was a widower living at #775 St. Peter St. Lorraine Ciernia remembers Uncle Purdy as "a nice man who visited Grandpa and Grandma Smith at their house". This must have been Bradley J. Purdy, the son of Bradley H. and his first wife, because Uncle Bradley H. Purdy died 19 August 1920 and Lorraine would have been to young to remember him.

Frances married PURDY Bradley H. on 17 Apr 1882 in Multon, Clayton Co., IA. Bradley (son of PURDY George and COCHRAN Caroline) was born on 19 Jan 1851 in Dearborn, MI; died on 19 Aug 1920 in Minneapolis, Hennepin Co., MN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

English and Indian

Occupation: housewife

Residences:
Hopkinton, St. Lawrence Co., New York 1860 Census
Mendon, Clayton Co., Iowa (McGregor post office) 1970 Census
Black Hammer, Houston Co., Minnesota. 1880 Census. Dressmaker
age 20, single, living with her brother Marshall.

Vina Lived at 761 East 7th St., St. Paul, MN before she died. It was said that she lived in Minnesota for 65 years (1874).

References:
Listing for Tamson Pulsifer 1890-1891, a boarder living at 553 Forest in St. Paul. House of daughter Vina and son-in-law George Smith.


The Pulsifer and Nichols families seem to have been in the United States since the founding of the country. They are both English names and the family names keep popping up in the Main, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont, upper New York State, and even parts of Canada bordering New England. Add the English family name of Purdy and we have a very long, intertwined history between all of these family groups. There were Nichols, Purdys, and Pulsifers that helped found the new country. They fought in the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. As the families grew they intermarried and had large families generation after generation. They continued moving west as the new United States was created and seemed to follow the southern edges of the Great Lakes moving into Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. After the Civil War there were many families with these names on both sides of the upper Mississippi. Some of them continued westward until they came to the Pacific Ocean. They were farmers, carpenters, and many of them worked for the railroad. The railroad was the reason for the George Smith family ending up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and bulding the house at 848 East 3rd Street.

Crown Point, Essex county, New York is were the family data for Lovina starts. Crown Point is located on the west bank of Lake Champlain and across the lake is West Bridgeport Vermont. Much of the town is located in Adirondack State Park and was formed in 1780. In the first U.S. census done in 1790 Vermont had 18 Nichols headed families, Massachusetts has 13 Nichols headed families. The Pulsifers came more out of New York.

The 1840 Census for Crown Point, Essex Co., New York gives us the following information. Only free white males or female heads of households were listed by name. The rest of the information is group and age listings.

1840
Ansel Pulsifer (between 20-30 years). We know from later census data he was born in 1819, so he was 21.
Wife (between 20-30 years) Tamson Nichols born 1819 in Vermont from later census data, age 21.

On the line above the Ansel Pulsifer data was a listing for the household of Aaron Nichols. Because of the location I believe that this was the father of Tamson. He was born between 1780 and 1790. His household listed one female between 80-90, one 30-40 (his wife), and one between 10-15, one male 50-60 (him) and one between 15-20. Aaron Nichols was listed on the tax roles both in 1818 and 1835.

I believe that Ansels father may have been Amos Pulsifer. His name appeared on the 1830 census for Crown Point. The guessing of the fathers names are only speculations and nothing more, as the research for this would have to be done in older archives.

1850
Henry Albert, b. 1842, Crown Point, N.Y.
Marshall Prentis, b. 1844, Stockholm, St. Lawrence, N.Y.
Emergene, b 1848, Hopkinton, St. Lawrence Co., N.Y.
Amanda, b 1850, Hopkinton, St. Laurence Co., N.Y.

Birth:
1864?
Hopkinton, NY located in upper NY state bordering the state of Vermont.

Died:
Died in Mounds Park Hospital or Northern Pacific Hospital, St. Paul, MN at age 74
Died of a heart attack
Buried September 12, 1939 in Union Cemetery
Block 22
Lot 333
State file #025932 1939 MN

Lovina married SMITH George H. on 17 Apr 1888 in Courthouse Ramsey Co., St. Paul, Ramsey Co., MN. George (son of SMITH Thomas and HOLMES Sarah Ann) was born on 17 May 1864 in Headingly, Yorkshire England; died on 05 Jun 1934 in Union Cemetery, Woodbury, Washington Co., MN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From 1880 until 1910 there was no more information on Marshall. In 1910 he is listed as a "66 year old widower" living at the Orting Soldiers Home in Pierce, Washington. He is also there on the 1920 census. He died on 11 March 1920 at the age of 76 and is probably burried there. I found a listing on the 1900 census for his daughter Nettie who was working at the Minnetonka Beach Village. Nettie married a William C Henke and moved to Brookings Kings, New York. In 1920 her brother Orville Pulsifer, age 56, single was also part of the household. In 1930 Nettie was a widow and Orville was still there. I did find a marriage listed for an Orville Pulsifer in Rock Island Illilnois in 1899. So he probably was married for sometime to a lady named Ida. I do not know if there were any more children after Melvin. I did find a death listing for Melvin Pulsifer on 15 August 1882 in La Crosse Wisconsin. If this was Marshall's son he was only 2 years old. I think it is very likely because La Crosse is right across the river from Houston County, Minnesota. It would be intersting to find out Marshall's family history between 1880 and 1910, but at this time it is not known. There were many Purdy and Pulsifer families that moved to the west coast. Marshall's life really is the story of America after the Civil War. Born in Upper State New York he continued westward across the entire country to end his life in Washington State. What a journey he must have had.

Orville married Ida in 1899 in Rock Island, Rock Island Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From 1880 until 1910 there was no more information on Marshall. In 1910 he is listed as a "66 year old widower" living at the Orting Soldiers Home in Pierce, Washington. He is also there on the 1920 census. He died on 11 March 1920 at the age of 76 and is probably burried there. I found a listing on the 1900 census for his daughter Nettie who was working at the Minnetonka Beach Village. Nettie married a William C Henke and moved to Brookings Kings, New York. In 1920 her brother Orville Pulsifer, age 56, single was also part of the household. In 1930 Nettie was a widow and Orville was still there. I did find a marriage listed for an Orville Pulsifer in Rock Island Illilnois in 1899. So he probably was married for sometime to a lady named Ida. I do not know if there were any more children after Melvin. I did find a death listing for Melvin Pulsifer on 15 August 1882 in La Crosse Wisconsin. If this was Marshall's son he was only 2 years old. I think it is very likely because La Crosse is right across the river from Houston County, Minnesota. It would be intersting to find out Marshall's family history between 1880 and 1910, but at this time it is not known. There were many Purdy and Pulsifer families that moved to the west coast. Marshall's life really is the story of America after the Civil War. Born in Upper State New York he continued westward across the entire country to end his life in Washington State. What a journey he must have had.

Family/Spouse: HENKE William C.. William died before 1930. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

from St. Paul
SSN: 471-16-3812

Died:
Union Cemetery, Woodbury, Washington Co., MN
Block 26
Lot 23

Hazel married SMITH Sprague W. on 01 Jun 1910 in St. Paul, Ramsey Co., MN. Sprague (son of SMITH William Henry (James) and HORNIBROOK Margaret Elizabeth) was born on 18 Aug 1887 in Salmon Beach, New Brunswick, Canada Gloucester Co.; died on 12 Oct 1968 in Union Cemetery, Woodbury, Washington Co., MN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Occupation: Clerk REA. Railway Express
Registered for draft WWI in 1917
Residences:
553 Forest St. St. Paul, Ramsey Co., Minnesota
848 E. 3rd St., St. Paul, Ramsey Co., Minnesota
726 Hudson Ave., St. Paul, Ramsey Co., Minnesota 1917
848 E. 3rd St., St. Paul, Ramsey Co., Minnesota 1918-1957

Harold died at NPBA Hospital. He suffered from Rheumatic Calcific Artio Stinosis for 10 years. Rheumatic Fever was listed as causing his death.
Ernestine continued living in the house until about 1984 or so.

Died:
Burial: Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul, MN
(State MN #029380 1957)

Harold married ZIEGLER Ernistine Cecilia on 11 Oct 1917. Ernistine (daughter of ZIEGLER Peter) was born on 08 Oct 1891 in St. Paul, Ramsey Co., MN; died on 19 Nov 1994. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

no children
World War I Veteran

518 Michigan Ave.
Pressman for Louis F. Flow Co.

Died:
Calvary Cemetery
Died from heart attack

Family/Spouse: L. Anna. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]