Thomas Clark Nicholls
Encyclopedia
Thomas Clark Nicholls was a Louisiana
jurist
and temperance
crusader in the 1830s and 1840s. Nicholls died almost three decade
s before his son, Francis T. Nicholls
, was first elected governor
in 1876.
Thomas Nicholls was probably born in Maryland
to Cornish American
Edward C. Nicholls and the former Williamina Hamilton. He relocated to Louisiana in 1805 and read law
in the office of his brother-in-law, Nathan Morse. He received his law license in 1809, when he was eighteen years of age. In June 1814, he married Louisa Hannah Drake, a sister of the poet Joseph Rodman Drake
. In addition to the future governor, the couple had four children: Robert W., Edward F., Lawrence D., Thomas C., and Josephine Williamina, who married William W. Pugh.
Nicholls opened his law office in Opelousas
, the seat of St. Landry Parish
. He moved to New Orleans during the invasion of Louisiana by British
forces, joined the Orleans Volunteers, and participated in the battles of December 23, 1814, and January 8, 1815, the latter commonly called the battle of New Orleans
.
After relocating to Donaldsonville
, the seat of Ascension Parish south of Baton Rouge, Nicholls was appointed a Louisiana districtjudge
in 1836. In 1840, he wrote a memoir of his family's journey from Maryland to the Atakapa
s country in south Louisiana. From 1843-1846, Nicholls was presiding judge of the court of errors and appeals.
A critic of the abuse of alcoholic beverage
s, Nicholls was the first president of the Louisiana State Temperance Association.
He is interred in St. John's Episcopal Cemetery in Thibodaux
.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
crusader in the 1830s and 1840s. Nicholls died almost three decade
Decade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
s before his son, Francis T. Nicholls
Francis T. Nicholls
Francis Redding Tillou Nicholls was an American attorney, politician, judge, and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
, was first elected governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
in 1876.
Thomas Nicholls was probably born in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to Cornish American
Cornish American
Cornish Americans are citizens of the United States who describe themselves as having Cornish ancestry. Cornish ancestry is not recognised on the United States Census, although the Cornish people are recognised as a separate ethnic group and national identity for the United Kingdom Census...
Edward C. Nicholls and the former Williamina Hamilton. He relocated to Louisiana in 1805 and read law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in the office of his brother-in-law, Nathan Morse. He received his law license in 1809, when he was eighteen years of age. In June 1814, he married Louisa Hannah Drake, a sister of the poet Joseph Rodman Drake
Joseph Rodman Drake
Joseph Rodman Drake was an early American poet.- Biography :Born in New York City, he was orphaned when young and entered a mercantile house. While still a child, he showed a talent for writing poems. He was educated at Columbia. In 1813 he began studying in a physician's office...
. In addition to the future governor, the couple had four children: Robert W., Edward F., Lawrence D., Thomas C., and Josephine Williamina, who married William W. Pugh.
Nicholls opened his law office in Opelousas
Opelousas, Louisiana
Opelousas is a city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies at the junction of Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190. The population was 22,860 at the 2000 census. Although the 2006 population estimate was 23,222, a 2004 annexation should put the city's...
, the seat of St. Landry Parish
St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
St. Landry Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is at the heart of Acadian/Cajun culture and heritage in Louisiana. The parish seat is Opelousas. According to the 2010 census, the population of St. Landry Parish is 83,384.St...
. He moved to New Orleans during the invasion of Louisiana by British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
forces, joined the Orleans Volunteers, and participated in the battles of December 23, 1814, and January 8, 1815, the latter commonly called the battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
.
After relocating to Donaldsonville
Donaldsonville, Louisiana
Donaldsonville is a city in and the parish seat of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Acadians began to settle in the area in...
, the seat of Ascension Parish south of Baton Rouge, Nicholls was appointed a Louisiana districtjudge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in 1836. In 1840, he wrote a memoir of his family's journey from Maryland to the Atakapa
Atakapa
The Atakapan people are a Southeastern culture of Native American tribes who spoke Atakapa and historically lived along the Gulf of Mexico. They called themselves the Ishak, pronounced "ee-SHAK", which translates as "The People". Although the people were decimated by infectious disease after...
s country in south Louisiana. From 1843-1846, Nicholls was presiding judge of the court of errors and appeals.
A critic of the abuse of alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s, Nicholls was the first president of the Louisiana State Temperance Association.
He is interred in St. John's Episcopal Cemetery in Thibodaux
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux is a small city in and the parish seat of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 14,431 at the 2000 census. Thibodaux is a principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux...
.