Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1912-11-22
Obituary


Alderman J. Clinton Nichols died at
his home on School street about five
O'Clock Saturday morning from heart
trouble. He was one Of Putnam's old
citizens and was highly respected and
esteemed by his fellow townsmen. He
was Of rather a retiring disposition
and took great deal Of pleasure in his
home life. He has many friends who
have sympathized with him in his
sickness and will mourn his loss.
In politics Mr. Nichols was always
stauneh republican. He never sought
public office but yielded 10 the persua.
sion of his constituents and was elected
an alderman from his ward. He was
regular ia his attendance at the coan-
ell meeting when his healty permitted
and was always ready 70 take any res
possibility or duty imposed on him.
He was a member Of the Royal Area.
nam and chaplain Of the Putnam
grange.
Mr.. Nichols was born IN the town Of
Thompson, March Is, 1856, the son Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Jerome Nichols, and
came Of one Of the town s oldest aud
best known families. When boy he
became a member Of the West Thomp-
son Methodist church and before he
had reached the age Of twenty be had
become member Of its beard Of stew
ards.
Al about the age Of twenty Mr.
Nichols left Thompson for Webster
where he learned the trade Of a pattern
maker in foundry work, remaining
there until ne was t~entysix, when
he came to Putnam, entering into
business with Albert ;. Truesdell, now
deceased.
soon aftef coming to Putnam, Mi.
Nichols joined the Methodist church
here and has been one Of its active and
influential members for period Of
thiay-thfee years. Here, also, he was
elected a member Of the board Of tfus
tees and stewards and for many years
has been treasurer OF the church.
March =, 1916, Mr. Nichols married
Miss jeanette a. Child Of North OK
ford, by whom he is survived, with
one daughter, Mrs. p. Il. Gilbert, and
two granddaughters, Florence and
Jeanette Gilbert, Of this city.
The greater part Of Mr.. Nichols life
in Putnam has been identified with
the growth and development of the
Putnam Foundry x Machine Co, of
which he was vice president. He Was
one of the charter members of the COM
pany and has been stakeholder and
a director in 1t since IL commenced do
ing business, about thirty years ago.
During all that time he has been
pattern maker and designer. The first
Pfummer heater, now known as the
Putnam heater, was designed by Alb
ner Plummer, who died about two
years ago, and this the Putnam foun.
dry started TO manufacture. IL was
not, however, a mechanical success
Mr.. Nichols got a patent on brick
set boiler in 1887, and ii was this pa
tent which made the Plummer heater
success and which saved the Put.
nam foundry from closing, and that
was the nucleus of the business for fiji
teen years.
Mr.. Nichols was fine mechanic
and faithful man. 1t was his patent
that made the Plummer heater com
mercia and financial success and led
10 the gradual development of the Put
nam Foundry and Machine company
up TO the great present prosperity II is
enjoying today This patent by Mr..
Nichols covers the manner OF assemb-
ling one section of a round boiler above
another, and il is said has been copied
by practically every boiler concern in
the country.
Funeral services were held at the
home Tuesday afternoon at l o'clock
Rev G. d. Stanley officiating Two
selections, "Nearer, my God, to Thee,
md "Somelime we'll understand,
were sung by the choir Of the Metho-
dist church. The bearers were W. w.
Wallen, NJ W. Bennett, +. n. Foster,
" J. Turner, G. +. Richardson, G. +.
Heath. There was large attendance
OF relatives and friends and the floral
remembrances were many and heauti-
ful. Interment was in the family lot
at Nest Thompson.