The History of Hendricks County (Chicago: Interstate Publishing, 1885)--Center Township, pages 530-531
Thomas Nichols, one of the oldest settlers of Hendricks County and Justice of the Peace at Danville, is a native of Kentucky, born near Bardstown, Nelson County, Nov. 5, 1803, a son of James and Rachel (Jackson) Nichols. He was reared a farmer. He came to Indiana in April, 1821 with his father's family, settling with them about two-miles below the bluffs of White River, in Morgan County, but in the following year they came to Hendricks County, and settled on the east fork of White Lick Creek, in what is now Guilford Township. At the time of their arrival there were but few settlers in the county. In 1825 they moved to what is now Center Township, locating two-miles west of Danville. His father being aged and infirm, he remained with him until Dec. 27, 1827, when he was married to Martha Hadley, daughter of James and Mary (Richardson) Hadley, of Center Township, he removed to Danville, where he has since resided. He has served as Sheriff of Hendricks County twelve years--from 1828-1832, 1844-1848 and 1860-1864, the term of office being two years, but he has been re-elected for the second term each time. In the winters of 1833-'34 and 1835-'36 he represented Hendricks County in the Indiana State Legislature as Assemblyman. In the spring of 1873 he was elected Justice of the Peace of Danville, and has held the office by re-election, his present term extending to April, 1889. In 1832 he was Captain in command of a company in the Black Hawk war, in the regiment known as "the Bloody Three Hundred." He has six children living--Nancy, widow of George W., Powell; Serena, wife of Charles A. Rose, of Putnam County, Ind.; William H., Deputy Auditor of Hendricks County; Erasmus D., a druggist at Danville; Julia A., wife of R.H. Harney, of Lebanon, Ind., and Oliver E., clerking in the drugstore of his brother in Danville. One child died in infancy, and two, a son and a daughter, after reaching maturity. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Master, Royal Arch and Council Mason, and was the first Mason made in Hendricks County. He served as Worshipful Master of his lodge fourteen years and High Priest of his chapter two years. Politically he was originally an old-line Whig, and his first presidential vote was cast for Henry Clay in 1824. He now affiliates with the Republican Party.