Alpheus John Nims

Son of Silas John and Eunice (Call) Nims

Children of Alpheus John and Almena (Randall) Nims: (Left to right) Paulina, Julius, Martha, Mary Ann, Seymour, Eliza.

Alpheus John Nims, son of Silas John Nims and Eunice (Call) Nims was born February 27, 1816 in Hadley, Saratoga County, New York. Alpheus spent his boyhood at Hadley. As he grew up, he worked in saw mills and as a carpenter, later to become a building contractor, a trade he was to follow most of his adult life.

Around 1835 he married Almena Randall and while they were living at Hadley, she gave birth to their first of six children. They moved to Day, New York, where Mary Ann was born in 1846. In 1848 they moved to Wisconsin, where their last two children were born. In September, 1848 they were living in the town of Trenton (near Gilmonton), Dodge County, and they were living at Partage Prairie, Columbia County in 1850. Shortly thereafter, Alpheus and Almena separated. Alpheus was living in Minnesota about 1850 when she last heard from him.

Almena and the children were living at Spring Prairie, Walsworth County, Wisconsin, in June 1855. Almena was still living at Spring Prairie with Mary Ann and Julius in 1860, however Seymour and Perlina were living with Edward and Caroline Parker at Fox Lake in Dodge County, Wisconsin.

In 1872, Almena was living in Manistee City, Michigan when she applied for a pensions as a mother of a Civil War soldier who died in the war. She stated that she had not heard from Alpheus for 22 years and presumed that he was dead.

Alpheus married his second wife, Melvina Millard, at Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1852 and was living near the post office of Gilmonton, Wisconsin when the first of their eight children was born in April, 1853. They continued to live in Wisconsin for another five or six years.

In 1860 they lived in Missouri, in Kansas in 1861, Iowa in 1864, and were back in Wisconsin in 1870, once again living in Gilmonton. The 1875 census finds the family living at the town of Lant, later renamed Drammen, in southwest Eau Claire County, Wisconsin.

Alpheus and Melvina moved to Sumas, Washington, about 1884 and settled east of the town. Melvina died February 11, 1887. Alpheus was living with his daughter, Artie Johnson in Sumas in 1892. He died in Seattle in 1894, and was buried beside Melvina in Sumas.

Alpheus and Melvina had the following children:

If you have comments, corrections or additional information or pictures you would like to contribute, feel free to contact Dave Nims.