The following is a collection of information I've been able to obtain on General Joe Nickell. One thing that has plagued me lately is that Nikki (Ruth Ann Edmundson) Nickell, wife of Billy Ray NICKELL, found General Joe as a child in the 1900 Kansas Census as "George Henry", and again in 1910. I've scoured all sources trying to resolve what his name was, to no avail. Everyone else knows him as "Joe."
Nevertheless, he was an amazing individual and that's why I've donated this section to him. From the Kansas State Historical Society I received photos of him dating from about 1925 to 1970. They have searched for the other names without success, but did send several excerpts from important publications of the 1920-1930s pertaining to General Joe's achievements. Read about them and be amazed. His wife, Ruth, was a very accomplished person also, being a ferry pilot during the WWII years. Click on the thumbnails to see a larger images.
As a Capt. ca., 1925
As a Lt. Colonel in 1941.
As a Major General.
Ruth and friends, ca., 1925
"Joe was a multi-careerist: a 3-star General, serving in WWI and WWII; a newspaper man and editor of the Topeka, KS, Daily Capital; a radio broadcaster, known as "Big Nick" at WIBW in Topeka, KS; an attorney (admitted to the bar in 1928), with law offices in Topeka, KS; a KS state legislator before WWII.
"He completed his college prep at Parsons High School and attended Creighton University School of Law (Omaha) and Washburn College Law School in Topeka.
"Joe served 18 months overseas during WWI in the Rainbow Division, Field Artillery, including 4 months in the army of occupation. He served in the following major engagements: Champaigne-Marne, Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne.
"It is to Joe that the NICKELL researchers are most grateful. His NICKELL CHART published in 1932 was one of many of his accomplishments. His first job was operating a job press at the Parsons Eclipse during his high school day. He later was a reporter for The Topeka Daily Capital, advancing to city editor. After returning from WWI in 1919 he had nightly newscasts over station WIBW until about 1923 when he left Topeka for Creighton University. He returned to Topeka in 1927 and completed 2 years of law school at Washburn University. He was the Kansas Adjutant General from 1951 to 1972. He was also a state representative and senator and state director of the Selective Service. On the beach of Attu, in 1943, he was made a full Colonel by Gen. Simon B. BUCKNER. He later became superintendent of Army Transportation Service and Commander of Harbor Craft Detachment at Large, Alaska Defense Command. On 1 Jul 1970 "Big Nick" was promoted to Lt. General. He received many medals, but the one he was most proud of was the Distinguished Service Medal of the National Guard Association. This award was one of only 88 presented by the Association in 20 years.
"Joe and Ruth had a home in Sun City, AZ, and spent time there after retirement. He said he enjoyed Sun City because he "liked the setup" - the golf, arts and crafts, and being with people of the same age group. From Sun City he still commuted to Kansas because of business interests and board memberships.
"Col. Shrum Burton, retired U.S. Army Chaplain, who officiated at the funeral of former president Harry S. TRUMAN, was in charge of Joe's funeral service.
"George was a great-grandson of Isaac and Priscilla Jones Nickell, and a great-great-grandson of Joseph Nickell and Elizabeth Fowler. Joseph Nickell served in the Revolutionary War with the Virginia militia. His great-great-great grandparents were John and Barbara McCombe Nickell. The Nickell family came to America in 1745.
"Evangeline Gabriel Rowley was born in Independence, Kansas, January 27, 1872, and died at Parsons, February 15, 1900. She was a newspaper reporter, teacher, and clubwoman, and the daughter of Captain James Bloomfield Rowley, II, a pioneer Kansas newspaper editor and founder of the Independence and Baxter Springs papers. Her mother was Mary Marshall Rowley. She was the granddaughter of James Bloomfield, I. and Rachel Hamilton Rowley, and of Levi R. and Mary Pope Marshall.
"Upon Joe's graduation from the college preparatory department of Parsons High School, Joe Nickell attended the University of Omaha, Creighton University Law School, and Washburn Law School. He is a member of the Delta Theta Phi fraternity. In 1928 he was admitted to the bar of Nebraska. At the present time he is director of radio station WIBW, Topeka. He is a Republican.
"On March 1, 1920, he was married to Ruth Ransom at Kansas City, Missouri. They have one son, Richard Rowley, born January 20, 1927, at Omaha, Nebraska.
"Mrs. Nickell, who was born at De Soto, Kansas, November 26, 1895, is a clubwoman. She is the daughter of Charles E. and Adelaide Curby Ransom; the granddaughter of Truman C. and Elizabeth Grant Ransom, and James and Elizabeth Wethers Curby. Elizabeth Grant was a cousin of General Ulysses S. Grant.
"Mr. Nickell entered newspaper work while in school, and was reporter during 1915 and 1916 of the "Kansas City Star." From 1917 until 1924 he was a member of the of the "Topeka Capital," and from 1924 until 1928 was state editor of the "Omaha World Herald." He served 18 months overseas during the World War with the Rainbow Division in the Field Artillery, including four months in the Army of Occupation in Germany. He participated in the following major engagements: Champaigne-Marne, Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. At the present time he holds the rank of captain of Field Artillery in the Kansas National Guard. He is a member of the Reserve Officers Association, the Sons of the American Revolution (state registrar), and the American Legion (commander of Capitol Post No.1 in 1921-22).
"He is a director of the Shawnee County Chapter of the American Red Cross, a member of the Topeka Chamber of Commerce, the Co-operative Club, and the Press Club. He is a Mason (Scottish Rite) and Shriner, and a member of the Kansas State Historical Society, the Kansas Authors Club, and the Old Ironsides Polo and Hunt Club of Wakarusa, Kansas, of which he is president. His religious affiliation is with Grace Episcopal Cathedral. He enjoys hunting, polo, and golf, while his hobby is photography.
"Residence: [904 Nickell Road.] Topeka."
"Mr. Nickell was graduated in 1913 from high school at Parsons, Kansas, where he began his newspaper career. For the next four years he worked on newspapers in various parts of the country, including Chicago, Birmingham, and Kansas City. In 1917 he joined the staff of the "Topeka Daily Capital", where he remained until 1924, except for time spent in military service. He was staff photographer of the "Omaha Daily News", 1924-1925, and state editor of the "Omaha World-Herald", 1926-27. In the fall of 1928 he became station director of WIBW and served until September, 1933, mostly in Washington, D.C., in bringing up the station power and present good frequency WIBW enjoys. As counsel he also represented all Kansas stations to resist encroachments of stations in other states under the quota of radio facilities.
"He served with the Missouri National Guard on the border in 1917 and 18 months overseas in the World War with the Rainbow Division in the Field Artillery, including four months with the army of occupation in Germany and participated in the Champaigne-Marne, Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne engagements. In September, 1933, as representative of the Kansas National Guard in the U.S. Field Artillery School he served three months at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was graduated in a special course of instruction for National Guard and Reserve officers. He is a captain and executive officer of the First Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, K.N.G. He attended the University of Omaha, Creighton University Law School and Washburn Law School and was admitted to the Nebraska bar in 1923. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, member of Delta Theta Phi, Co-operative Club, Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Authors Club, Rainbow Veterans Association and Grace Cathedral; a director of the Red Cross, past commander of Capitol Post, American Legion and one of the organizers and first president of the Old Ironsides Polo & Hunt Club.
"Home: California Avenue. Office: Daily Capital Building."
Census information on Joe:
1900 Kansas US Census
-= NICKELL =-
Labette Co.
Parsons
2229 Washington Ave
George H w Mar 1867 33 MO 26 125 5 1
Evangeline G wif Jan 1874 26 KS
Rowley M s Feb 1895 5 IL
George H s May 1896 4 KS (<<<< Gen Joe)
Pitt, Kate servant Feb 1835 65 MO
1910 Kansas Miracode
-= NICKELL =-
037 0148 0222
Labette Co.
Parsons
George N [sic. H.] w 43 KY (George Henry)
(2nd wife) Mabel (Seltzer) wif 39 IL
Seliger, Esther mil 64 PA [sic. SELTZER]
George bil 30 KS
041 0118 0170
Linn Co.
La Cygne (pronounced `La Zeen')
George nephew 13 KS (Gen Joe)
enum w/ Connadt, Philo [sic. COONRADT]
(Joe's aunt Alice Rachel married Philo Coonradt.)
1910 Kansas Census
-= NICKELL =-
Linn Co.
La Cygne
DW169, Fam 170
Conradt [sic] Philo D 57 Md 25 yrs NY PA PA
traveling salesman, owned home
Alice wife 44 0/chldren KS MO KS (Aunt Alice Rachel)
Nickell, George H Nep'w 13 KS MO KS (Gen Joe)
The bad news about the above name is that I contacted the Kansas State
Historical Society because all their information referred to "Joe." I sent them
copies of the above census and they replied they found "no name of George
Henry" for Joe. Sigh... For the present I'm sticking with "George Henry" until
I can come up with something more positive.
Joe's Social Security Death Index entry is also "Joe":
Social Security Death Index: U.S., 1937-1995
Nickell, Joe
Birth date : May 8, 1896
Iss. : KS
Death date : Mar 1974
SS# : 509-03-7018
Residence code : KS
Zip code of last known residence : 66618
In April of 1997 I sent e-mail to the Creighton University of Law, asking what
name he might have used there. The reply came back:
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 1997 10:07:03 -600
From: "Beth Griffith"
To: don_nickell@nm-us.campus.mci.net
Don,
My records show that a Lt. General Joseph Nickell, Law '30, is one of
our graduates. That is the only information I have. I hope this is helpful.
Beth Griffith
402-280-2586
So, in the late '20's he went by "Joseph." Next step is to see if I can contact
the Parson's High School, if it still exists.
April 29, 1997: Letter to Parsons HS, 3030 Morton Ave, Parsons, KS 67357-4417
May 10, 1997: Received a reply from the Parsons High School. No records for a
"George Henry" or "Joseph".
Apr 17, 1997: Winston Nickell sent the following letter showing Joe was working
on the ELLINGTON line in 1971, and signed his name as "Joe."
[COPY]
STATE OF KANSAS
MILITARY DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
TOPEKA 66612
10 March 1971
Kentucky Historical Libraries
Old State House
Box H
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
ATTN: (Newspaper Division)
Dear Sirs:
I am seeking to obtain information on the history of newspaper publication in
Morgan County, Kentucky at West Liberty. I would like to know the periods, by
years, of when the first paper was published there; - interruptions in
publication; - when publication resumed; - and the name of the present
newspaper there and editor thereof.
Particularly I am interested in the genealogies of several early families of
old Floyd County and of that area now comprising Morgan County and possibly
Rowan County.
I would like also for you to send me the name of someone who might do research
for me in connection with locating old obituaries, marriage and birth records
so that I could obtain the necessary copies thereof at your regular fees.
For your information and so that you can see what I am seeking, I am enclosing
a copy of a genealogical chart of the Nickell Family and related families which
I had printed (40) years ago. I have the Nickell Family record in the first
four or five generations fairly complete, but I am trying to get the history of
the descendants of David Ellington (a Revolutionary War veteran buried in West
Liberty) and of the Fugate and DeWitt families in that area.
I am enclosing a self-addressed and stamped envelope for your reply.
Sincerely,
/s/ Joe Nickell
JOE NICKELL
Lieutenant General
The Adjutant General
JN:t
Encls: as stated
On Joe's name change
Sunday, 10 Aug 1997
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