John Anthony Nicholson (November 17, 1827 – November 4, 1906) was an American lawyer and politician from

Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

, in

Kent County, Delaware Kent County is a County (United States), county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 181,851, making it the least populous county in Delaware. The county ...

. He was a member of the Democratic Party, and served as U.S. Representative from Delaware.

Early life and family

He was born in

Laurel, Delaware Laurel is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 3,865 at the time of the 2020 census. Laurel is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. It once hosted the Laurel Blue Hens of the Ea ...

, and was the son of Jacob Cannon Nicholson and Susannah Fauntleroy Nicholson. He began preparatory studies in Laurel, completing them at a seminary in

Nelson County, Virginia Nelson County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,775. Its county seat is Lovingston. Nelson County is part of the Charlottesville, VA, Metropolitan Statist ...

, possibly the

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

school at Lynchburg. After four years study, in 1847 he graduated from

Dickinson College Dickinson College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School, Dickinson was chartered on September 9, 1783, ...

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 United States census ...

. He married Angelica Killeen Reed in August 1848 and John Reed Nicholson was one of their children.

Professional and political career

Nicholson began his career as briefly the superintendent of the free schools of Kent County in 1851. At the same time he studied law with Martin W. Bates in Dover, was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1850, and began a law practice in Dover. In addition he served as brigadier general of

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

in Kent County in 1861. In 1864 he defeated the Republican and Ultimate Unionist candidate Nathaniel B. Smithers, another Dickinson graduate, and was ultimately elected as a Democrat to the 39th and 40th Congress, serving from March 4, 1865, to March 3, 1869. During the first term he was on the Committee of Elections and in the second the Appropriations Committee. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1868 and continued his practice of the law.

Death and legacy

Nicholson died at Dover and is buried there in the Old Presbyterian Cemetery, on the grounds of the Delaware State Museum. His son, John Reed Nicholson, was the

chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

of Delaware between 1895 and 1909. His home, Wheel of Fortune, was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1973.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. U.S. Representatives took office March 4 and have a two-year term.

References

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholson, John 1827 births 1906 deaths People from Dover, Delaware Delaware lawyers Dickinson College alumni Burials in Dover, Delaware Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware People from Laurel, Delaware 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives