Sam Nichols
Samuel Hopkins Nichols was a politician and civic leader in the states of Minnesota and Washington. He was a pioneer of Salem Township and Fergus Falls in Minnesota as well as of Everett, Washington. He was a Clerk in Salem Township and president of the Fergus Falls City Council, served as County Commissioner for Olmsted County, Minnesota, Assistant Clerk and Chief Clerk for the Minnesota House of Representatives, and Clerk of the state Supreme Court. In Everett, Nichols helped incorporate the city's first Chamber of Commerce and was a member of its first City Council. He was elected the fourth Secretary of State of Washington in 1901 and re-elected twice. He served at the position two full terms, but had to resign in the beginning of his third term due to accusations of malfeasance and corruption.
Nichols came to Minnesota in 1855 as a farmer. Later, he filled a number of positions on town and county levels and was pronounced a political leader of the state. He was a pioneer and Clerk of the Salem Township, lived in Saint Paul for a period of time, and later became one of the Fergus Falls pioneers and a president of its City Council in 1874–1875. In 1862 and 1863, Nichols served as County Commissioner; in 1869, he became an Assistant Clerk for the Minnesota House of Representatives, and later served as its Chief Clerk for three terms. He was listed as a clerk in the US land office, and from 1872 to 1876 was District Court Clerk. Later, he was elected Otter Tail County Register of Deeds, although his win was followed by accusations of campaign fraud. In 1875, Nichols became Clerk of the state Supreme Court, and was re-elected twice, in 1878 and 1881. He also briefly engaged in banking and water navigation businesses in Minnesota.
Nichols served in the Minnesota Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War, and played an active role in the suppression of the Dakota people's attacks during the Dakota War of 1862.
Nichols moved to Washington State in 1891 and settled in Everett, becoming one of its pioneers. He took an active part in the city's development by occupying every office in the city. He also engaged in Everett's mining and real estate businesses. In 1892, Nichols assisted in the initiation of the city's first Chamber of Commerce and helped build its first building. After Everett's incorporation as a city in 1893, Nichols became a member of its first City Council. He lived and worked in Everett until he was elected the fourth Secretary of State of Washington for the 1901–1905 term. This position forced him to move to Olympia, where he became not only Secretary of State, but also Acting Governor for Governor McBride. Many saw Nichols as a future governor. He was re-elected as Secretary of State for the 1905–1909 term. Nichols also served as Commissioner for the State Insurance Department and the Bureau of Statistics, Agriculture and Immigration and was a member of the State Board of Equalization.
Nichols was re-elected Secretary of State for a third term, but had to resign soon after his re-election due to accusations of corruption and malfeasance in the Insurance Department and charges pressed against his activity as Insurance Commissioner in 1905–1907. An investigation was carried out against Nichols and his Deputy Insurance Commissioner, J. H. Schively, for drawing money and overcharging state insurance companies for services the department never provided or provided poorly, as well as for not registering their earnings and expenses properly and violating state law on multiple occasions. Though Schively tried to shift the responsibility to Nichols, the latter denied his guilt. Soon after the investigation began, and under promise of immunity from prosecution, Nichols resigned from his official positions. Schively stayed at his position and was recommended for impeachment. At an extraordinary Legislature session called by Governor Hay, an impeachment trial for Schively was arranged, but he was eventually acquitted on all charges. He proceeded to work as insurance commissioner until the end of his term.
After Nichols' resignation, he sold his property in Olympia and returned to Everett to live in retirement.
Early life, family, and education
Samuel Nichols was born on August 7, 1829, in Malden, Massachusetts.Nichols' ancestors on his father's side came from England to settle in Massachusetts in about 1632. His mother's side was an "old American family" whose members took part in the War for Independence.
Nichols' father, Lemuel Nichols, was also born in Malden, Massachusetts, and his mother, Lucy Lee Fesendon, was from Lexington, Massachusetts. They married in Malden on October 23, 1828. The parents had two sons, Samuel Hopkins and George Lemuel, the latter born on July 14, 1840; and a daughter, Maria Lucy, born on March 4, 1831. Lemuel was a sea captain for many years until his retirement in 1855.
Nichols was educated at Malden High School and Medford Academy.
In 1855, the family moved from Massachusetts to Minnesota. They settled on a farm in the southern part of the state and worked raising stock.
Career in Minnesota
Military service
Nichols served in the Minnesota Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War.In 1862, the armed conflict known as the Dakota War of 1862, a conflict between several bands of the Native American Dakota tribe and white Americans began. Many different causes were cited, but the leading one remained a long-term dissatisfaction on the part of the native people about the white Americans' failure to fulfill official agreements in regard to annuity payments. Late payments from the US government resulted in starvation and hardship, pushing the Dakota to plan an attack on the locals and immigrants of southwestern Minnesota in an effort to drive white people to the east of the Mississippi River and eventually out of Minnesota. After several months of the intense battles, Native Americans surrendered. Over 300 were found guilty of massacres and rape and sentenced to death, but due to President Lincoln's pardon, only 38 of them were eventually hanged. All agreements between the US government and native tribes were annulled and the tribes exiled from Minnesota.
At the time of the conflict, Governor Ramsey appointed Nichols Captain of a militia company. Nichols took active part in battles aimed at the suppression of the Dakota attacks. According to a Seattle Post-Intelligencer article, during that conflict Nichols served as a volunteer officer.
Political and civic activity
After his service in the Dakota War, Nichols worked at the office of the provost marshal in Rochester, Minnesota.From time he was of voting age, Nichols was "a very active Republican." In articles published after his death, Nichols was referred to as "a Republican leader in Minnesota," as during his time in that state he held a number of town and county positions.
Not long after the Salem Township was established in 1858, Nichols became one of its first settlers and was elected town Clerk. In 1862 and 1863, Nichols served as County Commissioner for Olmstead County. From Salem, Nichols moved to Saint Paul, and in 1869 became Assistant Clerk for the Minnesota House of Representatives. Two years later, he was listed as a clerk in the US land office in Alexandria.
Around 1871, Nichols moved to Fergus Falls, becoming one of its pioneers and an active participant in the events that made the town known as "political center." He was present when the town became the county seat in 1872. Nichols' first engagement was a banking business with George Head, Chief Clerk of the Minnesota House of Representatives, from 1872 to1876. They choose the location for their future bank and delivered lumber for the building, but didn't proceed with the construction, and the business was soon defunct. Later, at the site of their failed bank, the Fergus Falls National Bank was built.
In 1872, Nichols was elected Clerk of District Court, serving until 1876. Two years later, he was nominated for the position of Otter Tail County Register of Deeds. At the time, there were two blocs of the local Republican party, and the "Austin faction" wanted Nichols to run against the opposing group's candidate, Charles Norgaard. This split within the Republican party was called "the germ which in late years developed into the Bull Moose party." Since two Republicans couldn't run against each other, Nichols was nominated as an Independent candidate.
During his electoral campaign, Nichols was supported by a farm machine dealer, Springen. Springen was supposed to vote for Nichols and induce other people in the town of Aastad to do so, but eventually it became clear that Springen didn't vote or advocate for Nichols at all. Nevertheless, Nichols won the 1874 election by a close majority and served as County Register of Deeds until 1876. His win was followed by a controversy, as Norgaard's supporters claimed that the election was "fraudulently done."
By 1873, the Northern Pacific Railroad went through Otter Tail County and crossed the Red River about northeast of Fergus Falls. As the railroad didn't reach the city, the settlers of Fergus Falls decided to create competition for the railroad by establishing a water route—a system of locks and dams—between Northern Pacific Railroad and Fergus Falls, with cheaper rates than the railroad. In June 1873, the Red River Slack Water Navigation Company was established with Nichols as one of its incorporators.
In 1874 and 1875, Nichols served as president of the Fergus Falls Council. In 1875, he became a Clerk of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He served for 11 years, being re-elected in 1878 and 1881. In 1886, he was nominated for a third re-election, but as Moses E. Clapp was nominated to run for Attorney General also on the Otter Tail County Republican ticket, Nichols was forced to give way for a candidate from another county and his re-election failed.
Nichols briefly served as state oil inspector in Minnesota, and was Chief Clerk of the Minnesota House of Representatives for three terms.
Though Nichols was registered as a Saint Paul citizen, he always called Fergus Falls his home, and ran for his official positions on the Otter Tail County ticket.