Florence Grimes Nichols
By Steve Lent, Crook County Historian
Florence Grimes was born on August 18, 1883. Her parents were Henry and Samantha Grimes who were among the earliest settlers in Central Oregon. Florence attended local school including Ryegrass School near her parents homestead. She helped with chores on the family farm as well as domestic chores in the household.
Florence met a dashing young man named Lyn Nichols in 1900. Lyn was born in Brownsville, Oregon on April 29, 1876. He had come to Central Oregon with his parents as an infant. He had worked his way up doing various chores for Hay Creek Ranch. The relationship between Florence and Lyn grew and they were married in 1902.
The owners of the Hay Creek Ranch built a house for Lyn and Florence. Florence managed the household as Lyn helped install the first sheep shearing plant on Hay Creek. Lyn and Florence bought Lyn’s parents’ homestead and added it to their own homestead. Their ranch grew in size and was later sold to the Hay Creek Ranch. They had one son, Jack, born in 1912.
Florence continued to manage the home chores and through the years Lyn did a variety of stock work for local ranchers. They eventually bought a house in Prineville at which they lived the rest of their lives. Lyn passed away in 1966. Florence lived on for several years. She became involved in church and social organizations in Prineville. She passed away on February 3, 1977. Both Lyn and Florence are buried in Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville. They were both true pioneers of Central Oregon.