When Michael Piersol Nye was born on 18 January 1836, in Beaver, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States, his father, Samson Stilly Nye, was 25 and his mother, Ruth Peirsol, was 19. He married Harriet Hartzel on 19 August 1862. They were the parents of at least 8 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Marion Township, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States in 1900. He died on 1 March 1910, in Franklin Township, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States, at the age of 74, and was buried in Lillyville, Franklin Township, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States.