[Excerpt from "A History of Dickens County, Ranches 
and Rolling Plains", by Fred Arrington, 1971]
[excerpted 18 Dec 2006, Mark Murphy] 

Dr. P.C. Nichols
 Dr. Pike Carlton Nichols, elected Spur’s “Man
of the Year” in 1954 by the Chamber of Commerce,
died November 9, 1959, the result of a blocked kid-
ney.
 Dr. Nichols was born October 3, 1881, inTermessee,
the son of Joim and Francis Nichols. In 1907, he was
graduated from Louisville Medical College, in Ken-
tucky. He returned to Temple, Texas, where he had
attended junior college, to begin his practice. After
serving several small towns in West Texas, Dr.
NichoIn located in Spur, In 1924. He was the owner
of Nichols Sanitarium
 For many years a member of his county, district,
state and national medical organizations. Dr. Nichols
had been elected to many offices, he was elected to
honorary membership in the Texas Medical As-
sociation in 1956. He also belonged to the American
Surgical Association. lie was a member of the First
Baptist Church, Masonic Lodge, and Shrine, he had
received a certificate of appreciation for his work
with the Selective Service System for 4 years.
 Dr. Nichols was survived by his wife, the former
Miss Dellah A. Compere, whom he married Sept-
ember 13, 1911, In Sylvester, and their children,
Pike C. Nichols, Jr., Spur, Major Joim L. Nichols,
Fort Ord California and Mrs. Martha Frances
Nichols Campbell, Spur.
 
[note: My father, Pike Calvin "P.C." Murphy (Murphey on 
his birth certificate) was named after P.C. Nichols 
according to my grandmother Maggie Murphy.  I believe 
that the Calvin name came from Pike's great uncle Calvin
Murphey, buried in Liberty Hill Cemetary with Pike's 
grandfather Joseph Hill Murphey. Pike's father Josesph
Albert (Al), son of Joseph Hill, came from TN at the age of 2
with Cal, Joe, Ed and their families. Al grew up around 
Liberty Hill and Hubbard, and around Cal his uncle, who was
a relatively prosperous member of the family. -mm]