Surnames: W M Nickeson, Watson, Gass
Prof W M Nickeson, principal of the Carmichaels High School, was born in Washington, Washington County, Penna, August 28, 1839. His parents, Solomon Nickeson and Phoebe Watson Nickeson, were also natives of Washington County, and of Scotch and German origin. His father, who is a farmer and stock grower, worked at the cooper's trade in early life. The Professor is a member of a family of thirteen children: five girls and eight boys. He was with his parents on the farm until eighteen years of ago, and attended the public schools of Washington County.He subsequently entered Waynesburg College, where he completed the regular course of study and afterwards received the degree of Master of Arts. After teaching in Greene and Washington Counties for ten years, he returned to Washington, studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1867. He resumed his teaching, however, and had been engaged therein for twenty four years when he was elected superintendent of schools in Greene County in 1881, and served a term of three years. Since then he has been principal of the schools of Carmichaels, making in all thirty one years that he has been connected with the schools of this and Washington counties.
In 1866 Mr Nickeson married Anna S Gass, daughter of William Gass, who is of Irish and German descent and a resident of Clarksville, Penna. Mr and Mrs Nickeson have two children: Frances M Nickeson and William Edmon Nickeson. Mr Nickeson has served as burgess of Carmichaels, also as justice of the peace for one term. He is a prominent member of the I O O F, and he and wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is a trustee and superintendent of the Sabbath school.