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The Nichols

Page history last edited by Mary Ann Koferl 13 years, 2 months ago

 

Dr. Thomas Low Nichols was born in Oxford, New Hampshire in 1815.  At age 21 he went to New York City where he met his future wife, Mary Sargeant Gove.  He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1850 with a degree in Medicine.

             

Mary was born in Gofftown, New Hampshire on August 10, 1810.  She married Hiram Gove, also from New Hampshire in 1831.  They separated in 1840 at the time that she became an editor of a health magazine in Massachusetts.  In 1844 she moved to New York City and worked as a water-cure physician, a form of therapy where bathing in seawater, or drinking seawater was good for your health similar to today’s spas.

 

Thomas and Mary were married in July 29, 1848 on the same day that Mary’s divorce  was granted. They were happily married for many years and collaborated on a book, “Marriage its History, Character and Results” which was published in 1854.

 

Mary and Thomas became involved with several reform groups where they met Josiah Warren.  The couple moved to Modern Times in 1852 with the plans for starting a school. During this time they wrote articles for several liberal publications.  In 1853 they began publishing a journal entitled “Nichols’ Journal of Health, Water-cure and Human Progress.” 

 

In 1856, when the School of Life failed they moved to Yellow Springs, Ohio.  Here they planned to open the Memnomia Institute, a health related facility.  At the Memnomia Institute they planned to use their knowledge of water-cure therapy and hydropathy, a form of using water for soothing pains and treating diseases. At this time Dr. Nichols gave a series of lectures on Free Love.  Horace Mann who was the president of Antioch College and a pioneering educator tried to rally support and prevent opening Memnomia Institute. To combat the negative remarks about their beliefs, Dr. Nichols called upon noted spirit medium J. B. Conklin to speak positively about their institute.  This worked and the Memnonian Institute opened in 1856. Here they practiced a vegetarian diet and drank only water. They left Yellow Springs in 1857 when the Institute fail to attract many students.  They moved to Europe when the Civil War broke out and lived there until their death.

 

 

-M. Koferl, Local History Newsletter, February 2007

 

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