My Present Past
A genealogical experience
Clifford Lamotte Nichols
    Born: November 20th, 1856 in Wyanet, Bureau County, Illinois
    Died: May 12th, 1929 in St Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota
    Father: David Thomas Nichols  born: August 3rd, 1812  died: December 10th, 1893
    Mother: Huldah Gertrude Barry  born: April 30th, 1822  died: July 19th, 1903

    Married: Mabel E Frans born: September 20, 1858  died:   
    Date of marriage: February 2nd, 1878     Place of marriage: Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois


    Children:  
    1)  David Earl          born: July 21st, 1880         died:
    Married:                                Date of marriage:
    2)  Jessie May        born: May 10th, 1882           died:
    Married: Charles J Hugo               Date of marriage:
    3)  Ethel                born: March 22nd, 1889      died:
    Married:                                Date of marriage:
    4)  Alan Lamotte      born: May, 1894              died: August 17th, 1918
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Background Image:
Chicago Burlington & Quincy Freight House
 Galesburg, Illinois
After leaving Wyanet, Illinois in 1874 where he had been a night operator and watchman for the Chicago
Burlington & Quincy Railroad since 1870, Clifford went to Galesburg, Illinois to be a relief operator and agent
for the same road. There he met Mabel Ellen Frans and they were married on February 02, 1879.
1860 Census Clifford Nichols
Wyanet, Bureau County, Illinois
1870 Census Clifford Nichols
Wyanet, Bureau County, Illinois
1880 Census Clifford Nichols
Galesburg, Knox County, illinois
Leaving Emporia, Kansas in 1883, Clifford headed to
Topeka, Kansas, where he was promoted by the
Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe to Chief Dispatcher and
then Trainmaster.
Edward Engel, his brother-in-law, removed to
Argentine, Kansas as an Agent for the Santa Fe  
in 1883.

Left:
1885 Kansas Census
Clifford L. Nichols
Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
Living in Topeka, Kansas, Clifford was only 50 miles from his sister Sadie, who lived in Argentine, Kansas. Also
living in Topeka at this time was Albert and Katherine Hugo. Katherine was the sister of Edward Engel.
Clifford Nichols second child, Jessie would later marry Albert & Katherine's son,
Dr. Charles J. Hugo.
In the summer of 1880 he went to Emporia, Kansas, hired as a dispatcher
for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. During this time the Santa
Fe was implementing one of the largest westward expansions in the
history of the state of Kansas. Following Clifford and his family was his
sister, Sadie and her husband, Edward J. Engel, who took a position with
the Santa Fe at Emporia as an agent in 1881.
In October of 1883, Clifford was promoted
to Trainmaster of the Atchison Topeka &
Santa Fe at Topeka, Kansas.

In February of 1886, Clifford was elevated
to Assistant Superintendent, Eastern
Division of the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe
Railroad
Clifford Nichols from Sadie Engel's Autograph book
Left:
Edward J. Engel and Wife, Employee Pass for the
Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe

Signed by Clifford L. Nichols, Assistant Superintendent