Lydia Cook Kentopf Nickels (Nichols)was born in Canada. Her parents were Robert Cook (born in Canada) and Letitia Highfield (born in Ireland). Her first marriage was to Edward Kentopf and they were the parents of four daughters: Esther H; Mildred; Mabel and Margaret. In 1912, the Kentopfs moved from New York State to Chicago, Illinois. Lydia's first husband died leaving her a widow. She met George Henry Westberry Nichols (Nickels) in Wisconsin where she owned a successful restaurant. George was married first to Julia Ann Bates and they had three daughters: Evelyn, Elsie and Anne Nichols (famous playwright and author of Abie's Irish Rose). George divorced his first wife in 1920. According to his first wife's passport at that time, she stated that they were divorced and that George was in Milwaukee Wisconsin. It is believed that George married the widow, Lydia Cook Kentopf, in Chicago circa 1930. According to a relative of Lydia, her grandmother Dorothy's parents (Mildred and Conrad) told her that George Nichols was the father of Anne Nichols, author and playwright. According to the relative's mother, Lydia Cook Nichols is buried at the Washelli Cemetery in Seattle Washington and this has been verified. George Nichols (Nickels) is not buried next to his second wife or even in the same cemetery. There is a 1930 census record of Spokane Washington, George and his new wife are listed as restaurant owners but the name is spelled incorrectly on ancestry.com as "Nachels." Lydia's relative states: "The info matches everything that I know about Lydia and George (where their parents were from, birth place/dates, age difference (7 years) etc. Also, I know that they had a restaurant on First Avenue downtown together. It says in this document that they were restaurant owners. I did notice that they were in Spokane in 1930 which is 4 hours east of Seattle. The location of Henry Westberry Nichol's grave is unknown at the current time. Thanks to Elizabeth M. for the above information.
Info from Liz M's grandmother:
Grandma Nichols married George Nichols. George died before Grandma Nichols.Grandma Nichols lived in Seattle in a hotel on 1st St or Ave. Not sure which but it was on the hill above the Market. She had a little diner counter only on the same street about a block or so from the hotel.Many of the workers in the market place had lunch there.Later she retired and bought a house (located in Greenwood). Your Mom knows about that. I never saw that house until your Mom showed it to me.