William was born in Philadelphia, PA to Mathias R Nichols and Sarah Ackley Nichols on March 25, 1834. He had three older brothers, Thomas Ackley, Mowry, and Mahlon. A Younger brother, Edward, was born in 1835.

William appears in the 1850 census along with his parents, Mathias and Sarah. Mathias worked as a machinist, and Sarah was a homemaker. The two eldest boys, Thomas and Mowry, were married and living in their own households in 1850.

By the time he was 24, William made the decision to move west to Crawford County, Ohio. There he met and married Mary Louise Hiltabidle on February 8, 1859. The minister was Rev. A. I. Lyon.

In the 1860 census record, William was listed as a Pattern Maker for the Railroad, a job he continued after his service in the Civil War. In 1870 he worked as a pattern maker in the Railroad Pattern shop, in 1880, 1900, and 1910, and in 1920 he was listed as a machinist in a RR shop. He worked until shortly before his death at age 87.

William and Mary had a total of 12 children as listed in William's pension record.

Children

William Howard b. 1859-1924

Leila Ada b. 1862, died before 1880

Edward Mahlon 1865-1952

Carrie/Cora E 1868-1952

Maude L 1873 - 1927

Frank 1876-1931

Bertha 1878-1905

Helen 1879-1959

Harry Loyd 1882-1950

Pearl 1885-1973

Zulah Grace 1889-1948

A description of William from pension record - Height 5' 7", complexion fair, blue eyes, dark hair.

On 6 August 1862, William enrolled in Co E 101 Regiment of Ohio Volunteers for a period of 3 years. He was mustered into service as a Corporal on the 30th day of August 1862. He was officially discharged on January 6, 1865, having served 2 years, and 5 months. During his service, he was listed as on sick roll from Dec 31 1862-August 1863, in a convalescent camp in Nashville, Tennessee. He was transferred to the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps, a component of the army, known as the "Invalid Corps," where he served as a Sergeant as of September 30, 1863.

William suffered an accident that resulted in the loss of two of the fingers on his right hand, which had to be amputated. At Edgefield Junction, Tennessee on 10 November 1862, William was handed a musket by the regimental ordnance officer, and in pursuance of orders proceeded to clean and prepare it for use. It was badly rusted and proved to be loaded. He took out the tube, cleaned and replaced it, putting on a cap. While in the act of setting the gun down it discharged; the ball so injured the first and second fingers of the right hand that amputation was necessary.

Affidavits from fellow soldiers were not clear if the wound was accidental or from the enemy. Others claimed that the accident occurred while William was out hunting a squirrel or rabbit. William claimed that the accident happened while in the camp when he was cleaning the gun. According to William, "This accident happened about 10 o'clock in the morning in camp. The company was on picket duty at time I was hurt. Only a few invalids being left in camp. I don't know of any one who saw the accident except it would be Henry Ruth. I think he was in camp at the time. I was not out hunting when I was shot. We were right in the county and were keeping out a very heavy force of pickets, and it would have been very dangerous to have gone to woods hunting. Such was not the case, but when wounded I was in camp as stated. I did not shoot myself on purpose. I had no reason for doing so. If I had wanted a discharge I could have gotten it on account of chronic diarrhea. I did not want to leave the army,"

Medical report: "This man has lost the index and middle fingers of the right hand. The index finger is off at the distal third of the third phalanges. The second finger is off at articulation of the second third phalanges. Good results."

William filed for a pension on December 7, 1876, which was rejected. The claim was rejected again on December 15, 1898, on the grounds that it had not been shown that the wound was received in the line of duty. In 1899 William appealed, and the matter was placed in the hands of a special examiner and sent to the field. Evidence was procured by the special examiner and the matter was finally resolved with William receiving his pension.

In an affidavit by the special examiner L.L. Lawrence, he described William Nichols as a "man of good habits, intelligent, and bears good reputation as to truth, honesty, and otherwise."

Pension received:

Commencing:

Prior to 1904 $8/month

April 1904 $12/month

Feb 1907 $15/month

Feb 1909 $20/month

May 22, 1912 $30/month

Aug 1921 $72/month

Shortly before his death a medical exam on July 16, 1921, stated that William had complete and total blindness in his right eye, and could distinguish between light and darkness in his left eye.

William's obituary from the Marion Star 28 October 1921

"Funeral services for William H.W. Nichols were held from the home this afternoon at 2 o'clock, with Rev. Mr. Bright conducting the services. Interment was made at Fairview. Mr. Nichols passed away Tuesday afternoon at 1 o'clock, having reached the age of eighty-seven years, seven months and one day. He had been ill for the past ten weeks, the result of an automobile accident. He is survived by his widow and ten children, Mrs. Pearl Unterwagner, William H,, Frank and Harry, of this city; Mrs. Carrie E. Dennis, of Mansfield; Mrs. Jessie M. Coates, of Ashland; Edward M. of Cleveland; Mrs. Helen Sutter and Mrs. Zulah Grace Glenn, of Kenton, and Mrs. Maud Roop, of San Francisco. There are also nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Mr. Nichols was a life long resident of this city and a civil war veteran."

William H W Nichols - Civil War Veteran