Geo. H. Nichols

16 Oct 2021, last revised 13 Aug 2023

Geo. H. Nichols had one of the longest running drug stores in the early years of the Copper Country. The number of bottles embossed with his name is a testament to his success.

George Henry Nichols was born in Hancock on 22 Aug 1863 (12) to immigrants from England (1). He started in the druggist business quite young as the 1880 U.S. Federal Census listed him as a druggist clerk and resident of Hancock at the age of 16 (2). He probably worked for A. J. Scott, since Scott had the only drug store listed in Hancock in the 1879 (20) and 1881 (21) volumes of the Michigan State Polk directory.

It appears Nichols started his drug store in 1887. The 1887 Polk directory (13) did not list it, but the 1887 Holland directory did and indicated that it was newly established:

The drug store of Mr. Nicholls though open to the public but a short time, has already taken a firm position in popular favor; a gentleman well known and esteemed by the citizens of Hancock, and one thoroughly up in all the details of his profession, his successful debut cannot but ripen as time goes on into a substantial and enduring reputation.

Furthermore, when he moved his store in 1901, he had previously occupied the Finn building for 14 years (22), which would have been from 1887.

Like with other drug stores, Nichols sold more than just drugs. His 1887 directory ad specified sundries, wall paper, etc. His 1909 directory listing specified drugs, toilet articles, books, stationery, office supplies, cigars, and confections (14). He installed a soda fountain in 1892 (17), and then in 1897, in preparation for summer, he replaced his soda fountain with one from Lippincott & Co., which was double the size of his previous one and could dispense to two persons at once (15,16).

Holland directory ad - 1887

The store started in the Finn building (22) on Quincy St. (3). The address for the store changed, presumably because the street was re-numbered. The 1887 Holland directory listed it at 123 Quincy St. (3). The 1895, 1897, and 1899 volumes of the Houghton County Polk directory listed it at 125 Quincy St. (4,5,6). An early photograph of the store showed a watchmaker and then an open alley on its right side and a small structure in the alley on its left side. This layout matches a building labeled "Drugs" at 419 Quincy St. on the 1893 Sanborn map. It was on the north side of the street between Tezcuco St. and Reservation St. The 1900 Sanborn map labeled this building as "Drugs" and also "To be torn down".

Sanborn map - Aug 1893

In Jun 1901, Nichols initiated plans to move his store to the Kauth block (22). His present quarters in the Finn block were too small for his growing business with "Mr. Halls" as prescription clerk and general manager (22). Nichols purchased a stock of drugs and fixtures from the Leithead drug company of Duluth (22). He planned to install new fixtures and a gallery for books and stationery, and planned to place the soda fountain and drugs on the west side of the store (22). The new store room would have a private office, a doctor's consultation room, and a large prescription room (22). It would have almost three times the storage capacity and floor space as the old store (23). In Nov 1901, Nichols completed the renovation of the Kauth block and the relocation of his drug store (34). Later in the month, the store was being wired for electric service (35). From 1901 to 1916 (the last Houghton County directory we have access to), the store was listed at 220 Quincy St. (7,8). The 1907 Sanborn map showed this location to be on the south side of Quincy St. between Ravine St. and Tezcuco St. The map also indicated that the street was re-numbered.

Sanborn map - Nov 1907

Bottle #8 has the older Chicago Oval shape, which helps to identify it as being his earliest embossed bottle. It has two L's in the spelling of Nichols, and so do three other bottles (#9, s30, and s60). The 1880 U.S. Federal Census (2), the 1887 directory (3), an 1888 newspaper article (18) spelled his name with two L's. His name was spelled with one L from the 1891 directory (19) and in most subsequent newspaper articles. Correspondingly, the remaining bottles have only one L in the spelling of Nichols. The bottles embossed with KELLOGG (#s24) and KLONDIKE (#10) signify proprietary shapes produced by A. M. Foster & Co. (9), and they help to narrow the date range of this maker's mark. The later bottles were embossed with the franchise name, THE REXALL STORE, and we see him listed as a Rexall Store in the 1916 directory (8).

Polk directory ad - 1930

It seems that Nichols ran his store up until his death, or at least close to his death. He and his Rexall Store were still listed in the 1930 directory (10). He then died on 14 Sep 1933 at the age of 70 and was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, Houghton (12). This marked the end of his business after about 46 years. But the Rexall Store at this location continued as Halls Pharmacy with Robt H. Halls as proprietor (11).

Header of Nichols' Sales Receipt - 1901

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau. 1870 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
2. U.S. Census Bureau. 1880 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
3. Holland, A. H. 1887. 1887-8 Hand-book and Guide to Hancock, Mich. Mining Journal Book and Job Print. Marquette, MI.
4. R. L. Polk & Co. 1895. Houghton County Directory 1895-96. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
5. R. L. Polk & Co. 1897. Houghton County Directory 1897-98. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
6. R. L. Polk & Co. 1899. Houghton County Directory 1899-1900. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
7. R. L. Polk & Co. 1901. Houghton County Directory 1901-02. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
8. R. L. Polk & Co. 1916. Houghton County Directory 1916-17. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
9. Lockhart, B., B. Schriever, B. Lindsey, C. Serr, and B. Brown. 2013, revised 2021. A.M. Foster & Co. In: Encyclopedia of Manufacturer's Marks on Historic Bottles. posted on Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website. https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/AMFoster.pdf
10. R. L. Polk & Co. 1930. Polk’s Hancock (Michigan) Directory 1930. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
11. R. L. Polk & Co. 1939. Polk’s Hancock (Michigan) Directory 1939. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
12. Find a Grave. accessed Oct 2021. George Henry Nichols. findagrave.com/memorial/216465507/george-henry-nichols
13. R. L. Polk & Co. 1887. Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1887-88. R. L. Polk & Co. Detroit, MI.
14. R. L. Polk & Co. 1909. Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1909. R. L. Polk & Co. Detroit, MI.
15. anonymous. (1897, Feb 18). Portage Lake News. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.
16. anonymous. (1897, Apr 09). Portage Lake News. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.
17. anonymous. (1892, May 12). untitled. Michigan Copper Journal (Hancock, MI). p. 1.
18. anonymous. (1888, Aug 23). Hancock Happenings. Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
19. R. L. Polk & Co. 1891. Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1891-92. R. L. Polk & Co. Detroit, MI.
20. R. L. Polk & Co. 1879. Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1879. The Detroit Free Press Company. Detroit, MI.
21. R. L. Polk & Co. 1881. Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1881. R. L. Polk & Co. Detroit, MI.
22. anonymous. (1901, Jun 29). New Quarters. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.
23. anonymous. (1901, Sep 21). To Move. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.
24. anonymous. (1901, Nov 01). Moving Completed. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.
25. anonymous. (1901, Nov 20). Portage Lake Briefs. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.