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"TO HIS BELOVED WIFE ANDREW JACKSON NICKELL (1828-1863) Updated January 26, 2009 (Please scroll down for the Andrew Jackson Nickell Web Site)
IN LOVING TRIBUTE My dear Father passed away on Wednesday, September 23, 2009. He was the great-grandson of Civil War Andrew Jackson Nickell and the previous custodian of these Civil War letters. My Father was 88 years old, and a veteran of both WWII and the Korean War. He was truly a great man, and I miss him very much.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN QUOTATIONS -- Thoughts & Wisdom for 2009 "The fiery ordeal through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.""If by the mere force of numbers, a majority should deprive a minority of any clearly written Constitutional right, it might in a moral point of view, justify revolution -- certainly if such a right were a vital one." "A man is known by the company he keeps." "I don't believe in a law to prevent a man from getting rich; it would do more harm than good." "Populists patronize the poor by pandering to them." IF ABE WERE WITH US TODAY HE WOULD TELL US: "The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other peoples' money!" (Margret Thatcher) "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." (Ronald Reagan) "The purpose of government in this Nation is NOT to redistribute the wealth of those who CAN and DO to those who DON’T and WON’T." (Oliver North)
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Who Was Andrew Jackson Nickell?
Andrew Jackson Nickell was my great-great-grandfather. During the Civil War, Andrew proudly served with the
114th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.) Company E. During his service with the Federal cause, he participated in the Vicksburg Campaign and the Siege of Vicksburg. Andrew departed this "mortal life" aboard the Federal hospital ship U.S.S. January on June 16, 1863 just eighteen days before Vicksburg's surrender on July 4, 1863. He left behind his wife, Isabel Ramey Nickell and three (soon to be four) young children. Their oldest child, Elias Dolison "Doc" Nickell (1857-1935) was my great-grandfather.
Isabel "Belle" saved roughly thirty letters written by Andrew during his service and tenure as a Federal soldier. For over 146 years, my Nickell family has carefully preserved Andrew's letters that are now in my custodianship. These priceless letters represent a Federal soldier's first person account or Civil War Journal. This web page is created as a tribute to Andrew Jackson Nickell, and to the memory of all Civil War veterans both Union and Confederate. These letters are also available in a comb bound interpretive and narrative book now available for distribution.
Andrew was the fifth generation of the Scots-Irish Nickell's in America. Andrew's first American ancestor was John Nickell who emigrated from County Tyrone (Northern) Ireland (near Gortin) in the 1740's, settling in Virginia's western frontier in what is now Greenbrier and Monroe Counties, West Virginia. Two of Andrew's ancestors, his great-grandfather, Thomas Nickell and a great-great uncle, Isaac Nickell, fought in Lord Dunmore's War and at the Battle of Point Pleasant. This frontier engagement of the American Revolution served to end Indian resistance along the colonial frontier.
Andrew's parents, Robert and Nancy Ann Morehead Nickell were born and raised in the rugged frontier region of (West) Virginia. They relocated to
Jackson County, Ohio soon after the opening of the Northwest Territories in the 1820's. Robert and Nancy Ann purchased eighty acres of land in
Richland Township, and in 1850 this land became part of
Vinton County, Ohio. This land remains in one line of the Nickell family today.
* Andrew's older brother Robert Calvary Nickell/Nickle moved to Madison County, Iowa prior to the Civil War. Robert enlisted in the 39th Iowa Infantry, Company F, holding the rank of Sergeant. Andrew and Isabel must have thought well of Robert Calvary, as they named their second son Robert Calvary as well (younger brother to my Elias "Doc" Nickell).
(Please click on any "chapter" link below to read * The above are links to actual journal letters, transcribed exactly as
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I. Andrew Becomes a Soldier... |
II. Headed South... |
III. The First Fights... |
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