Asher P. Nichols (c. 1815 – May 30, 1880) was an American lawyer and politician.

Life

Nichols was born in Whiting,

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

. His family moved to

Rushville, New York Rushville is a village situated in both Ontario and Yates Counties in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2019 American Community Survey, the population was 655. The majority of the Village of Rushville lies within the Town of Potter in Yate ...

, when he was still at a young age. He graduated from Springville Academy at the age of about 18. He then went to

Canandaigua Canandaigua () is a city in Ontario County, New York, United States. Its population was 10,576 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Ontario County; some administrative offices are at the county complex in the adjacent town of Hopewell. ...

to be a clerk in the law office of Judge George W. Clinton, son of Governor

DeWitt Clinton DeWitt Clinton (March 2, 1769February 11, 1828) was an American politician and Naturalism (philosophy), naturalist. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator, as the mayor of New York City, and as the sixth governor of New York. ...

. In 1836, they both went to Buffalo, being among the first lawyers in that city. Nichols completed his legal studies, was admitted to the bar and became Clinton's partner. Though a staunch

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, he was not active in politics until 1867, when he accepted the nomination for state senator and won the election by a large majority. He was a member of the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...

(31st D.) in

1868 Events January * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsu ...

and

1869 Events January * January 3 – Abdur Rahman Khan is defeated at Tinah Khan, and exiled from Afghanistan. * January 5 – Scotland's second oldest professional football team, Kilmarnock F.C., is founded. * January 20 – Elizabe ...

. He was appointed

New York State Comptroller The New York state comptroller is an elected constitutional officer of the U.S. state of New York and head of the New York state government's Department of Audit and Control. Sixty-one individuals have held the office of State Comptroller si ...

in June 1870 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William F. Allen who had been elected to the

New York Court of Appeals The New York Court of Appeals is the supreme court, highest court in the Judiciary of New York (state), Unified Court System of the New York (state), State of New York. It consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeal ...

. In

November 1870 November is the eleventh and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 30 days. November was the ninth month of the calendar of Romulus . November retained its name (from the Latin ''novem'' meaning " ...

, he was elected to succeed himself for the remaining year of Allen's term, but in

1871 Events January–March * January 3 – Franco-Prussian War: Battle of Bapaume – Prussians win a strategic victory. * January 18 – Proclamation of the German Empire: The member states of the North German Confederation and the sout ...

, he was defeated for re-election by Republican

Nelson K. Hopkins Nelson Kerr Hopkins (March 2, 1816 in Williamsville, New York, Williamsville, Erie County, New York – March 2, 1904) was an American lawyer and politician. Life Hopkins was the son of General Timothy Soveral Hopkins (b. ca. 1777) and Nancy ...

. Nichols died of

apoplexy Apoplexy () refers to the rupture of an internal organ and the associated symptoms. Informally or metaphorically, the term ''apoplexy'' is associated with being furious, especially as "apoplectic". Historically, it described what is now known as a ...

at a friend's home in Clinton, and was buried at

Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Asher P 1810s births 1880 deaths Democratic Party New York (state) state senators New York state comptrollers People from Whiting, Vermont Lawyers from Buffalo, New York People from Rushville, New York Politicians from Buffalo, New York 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the New York State Legislature