When Edward Ross Nichols was born on 7 October 1868, in Kennedy, Poland, Chautauqua, New York, United States, his father, Ira C. Nichols, was 28 and his mother, Salina E Abbey, was 25. He married Merta Jane Sample on 6 September 1893, in Kennedy, Poland, Chautauqua, New York, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Poland, Chautauqua, New York, United States for about 40 years and Randolph, Randolph, Cattaraugus, New York, United States in 1920. He died on 27 March 1942, in Salamanca, Cattaraugus, New York, United States, at the age of 73, and was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Poland Center, Poland, Chautauqua, New York, United States.