Fred and Laura Nims

Fred Victor Augustus Nims, son of William and Fannie Nims, was born in Seattle, Washinngton, on March 20, 1880.

Laura Buell, daughter of Charles Edward and Vandelia (Larsonier) Buell, was born April 8, 1888 in Natural Bridge, New York. When Laura was 3, her family moved to Chicago, where her father ran the Buell and Hoop Plumbing Supplies store, and installed furnaces. In 1898, the family moved west, on a five-day train trip to Tacoma, and Laura celebrated her tenth birthday in Tacoma.

The family then continued by boat to Mt. Vernon, where they lived about a year. Here her father had a tin working shop and ran a shooting gallery during special occasions. About 1899 they moved to Fairhaven (South Bellingham) and Laura spent the summer at the McKnight farm at Van Buren where Fred Nims was working. Later, her folks moved to their farm four miles east of Sumas. Laura attended the Montezuma School in Fairhaven, and later the one room school east of Sumas.

In his early years, Fred lived and delivered milk at Fairhaven. In 1904, after he and Laura were married, they lived in a modest house Fred built on eight acres, located three miles east of Sumas at the south end of the Nims road. Here their four children were born. Fred was a skilled carpenter and construction foreman and built many of the larger barns and several houses in the Sumas area. As his family grew, they moved into a large modern house he built just east of his original house.

From his early life, Fred was active in the church. While living in South Bellingham (Fairhaven), Fred often traveled to Sedro Woolley to preach and was active in helping start the Sumas Advent Christian Church. After being told by the doctor that his heart would not stand his farming and carpenter activities, Fred and Laura moved into a house they bought in Bellingham, where they lived out their later lives (census 1900 Fairhaven, 1910 Sumas and 1920 Nooksack, Whatcom Co., WA.).

Fred died in Bellingham in March, 1960, at age 83. Laura died on January 6, 1970.

Fred and Laura had the following children:

First published January 2, 2002. Last revised January 2, 2002. If you have comments, corrections or additional information or pictures you would like to contribute, feel free to contact Dave Nims.