History of Northfield, (Washington County) Vermont United States of America

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George Nichols, educationist, was born in Northfield, Vt., April 17, 1827; son of James and Annis Aiken (Dole) Nichols, and grandson of Eleazer Nichols, a member of the body guard of Gen. Washington at Valley Forge, and a soldier during the entire Revolution. George assisted his father, a carpenter, when not attending the district school. He attended the Orange county grammar school, 1840; taught in the Northfield district school, 1841-42; studied privately, taught and attended Newbury, Vt., seminary, 1842-48, and was graduated with high honors from the Vermont Medical college, Woodstock, in 1851, declining the position of demonstrator of anatomy there. He was state librarian, 1848-53, and entered upon the practice of medicine, combining with it the drug business, in 1854. In 1862-65 he served as surgeon of the 15th Vermont volunteers and had charge of the field hospitals of the 1st corps at Gettysburg. He was secretary of state of Vermont, 1865-84; president of the state constitutional convention of 1870; a delegate to the Republican national convention at Philadelphia in 1872; a member of the Republican national committee, 1872-84, and secretary and chairman of the state committee, 1872-84. He was an officer in several railroad companies and director and president of the Northfield national bank, 1875-1900. He was elected a trustee of the Northfield institution, in 1865; was a director of the Northfield graded and high school for twelve years; a trustee of the Vermont Episcopal institute at Burlington, and for several years a member of the executive board. He took an active interest in the removal of Norwich university to Northfield, in 1866, and in that year was elected a trustee and treasurer of the institution. He was vice-president and acting president of the university, 1885-95, and contributed liberally toward the construction of the first university building, also rendering much subsequent aid. He was married in 1852 to Ellen Maria, daughter of Abijah Blake of Vergennes, Vt., and their two children died in infancy. Norwich university conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1881.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Northfield, (Washington County) Vermont

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