Benjamin Augustus Nichols (1891 - 1964)

Born 8 Feb 1891 in Monroe County, Mississippi

Husband of Betsy Barbara (Lantz) Nichols — married 25 Sep 1910 (to before 1940) in Monroe County, Mississippi

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Lori Thornton [send private message]

Biography

Benjamin Augustus "Gus" Nichols was born 8 Feb 1891 in Monroe County, Mississippi, near Aberdeen,^[1] to Ben T. and Sarah M. Nichols.^[2] He is enumerated with them in 1900 in Darracott, Monroe County, Mississippi.^[3] He continued to reside in Darracott with his now widowed mother when the 1910 census was taken.^[4] He married Betsy Barbara "Bessie" Lantz later that year on 25 September in Aberdeen.^[5] In 1917 they resided on Railroad Street in Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi when he registered for the World War I draft.^[6] In 1920 they resided in South Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi.^[7] By 1930 they moved to West Point in neighboring Clay County, residing at 11 Fourth Street.^[8] He lived in West Point, Clay County, Mississippi in 1935.^[9] It appears they moved shortly afterwards to Norfolk, Virginia where Gus was employed as a cook in 1936, and they resided at 325 Duncan Avenue.^[10] By 1937 they had separated with Gus working as a clerk for Buffalo Confectionery and residing in apartment 44 of 411 E Freemason and Bessie at 402 Mulberry.^[11] In 1938 Gus is living at the same address except in apartment 42 and working at Andrews Confectionery.^[12] In 1939 he is listed twice--once at the same address without an apartment number given and working at Buffalo Confetionery and once at 3511 Omohundro Avenue Apartment 2 where he is working at Andrews Confectionery.^[13] Although he is listed as widowed in the 1940 Monroe County, Mississippi census where he is working as a farmer in Beat 3,^[14] it appears they divorced sometime between 1936 and 1940 as Bessie is enumerated as the divorced head-of-household in neighboring Clay County in 1940.^[15] He died in March 1964.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3RW-GHY : accessed 28 Jun 2017), Benjamin Augustus Nichols, 1917-1918; citing Monroe County, Mississippi, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,682,941.
2. ↑ 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, Darracott, SD 1, ED 14, p. 117B (stamped), dwelling 382, family 391, Bin T. Nicholes family; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9XK-PQ3 : accessed 28 Jun 2017); citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 822.
3. ↑ 1900 U.S. Census, Monroe Co., Miss., pop. sch., Darracott,p. 117B (stamped), dwell. 382, fam. 391, Bin T. Nicholes family.
4. ↑ 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, Darracott, SD 1, ED 68, p. 214A (stamped), dwelling and family 37, Mrs. B. T. Nicholas family; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPDH-YMT : accessed 28 Jun 2017); citing National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 752.
5. ↑ Monroe County Mississippi Marriage Record B: [page not recorded], B. Guss Nichols to Bessie B. Lance; Circuit Clerk's Office, Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi; photocopy in possession of Lori Thornton; also Monroe County Mississippi Marriages (1821-1921) (n.p.: n.p., n.d.), Vol. 2, p. 341; Evans Memorial Library, Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi.
6. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," Benjamin Augustus Nichols, 1917-1918; citing Monroe County, Mississippi.
7. ↑ 1920 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, South Aberdeen, SD 1, ED 73, p. 195B (stamped), dwelling 36, family 37, Ben A. Nichols family; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNTS-HJX : accessed 28 Jun 2017); citing National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 887.
8. ↑ 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Clay County, Mississippi, population schedule, West Point, Ward 1, SD 5, ED 13-2, p. 153B (stamped), dwelling 58, family 53, Benjamin A. Nichols family; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMBJ-TMV : accessed 28 Jun 2017); citing National Archives microfilm publication T626, roll 1142.
9. ↑ 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, Beat 3, SD 1, ED 48-16, p. 212A (stamped), visit 15, Augustus Nichols; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBSJ-7QP : accessed 28 Jun 2017); citing National Archives microfilm publication T627,, roll 2050.
10. ↑ "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : acccessed 28 Jun 2017), entry for Gus Nichols, citing Hill's Norfolk and Plymouth (Norfolk County, Virginia), City Directory, 1936, p.417.
11. ↑ "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : acccessed 28 Jun 2017), entries for Gus Nichols and Mrs. Bessie Nichols, citing Hill's Norfolk and Plymouth (Norfolk County, Virginia), City Directory, 1937, p. 390.
12. ↑ "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : acccessed 28 Jun 2017), entry for Gus Nichols, citing Hill's Norfolk and Plymouth (Norfolk County, Virginia), City Directory, 1938, p. 402.
13. ↑ "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : acccessed 28 Jun 2017), entries for Gus Nichols, citing Hill's Norfolk and Plymouth (Norfolk County, Virginia), City Directory, 1939, p.371.
14. ↑ 1940 U.S. Census, Monroe Co., Miss., pop. sch., p. 212A (stamped), Augustus Nichols.
15. ↑ 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Clay County, Mississippi, population schedule, West Point, Ward 4, SD 1, ED 13-4, p. 70A (stamped), lines 4-5, Bessie L. Nichols family; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYGQ-ZF2 : accessed 28 Jun 2017); citing National Archives microfilm publication T627, roll 2016.
16. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JYLZ-5ZK : 20 May 2014), Benjamin Nichols, Mar 1964; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing). Citing "Jim Nichols Genealogy Records," Burks Family Tree at Ancestry by Margaretburks197 states he died 7 Mar 1964. I am unable to review and evaluate this information as no fuller citation for those records exist.

• *Personal research of Lori Thornton