John Nicholl (1822-1914): Founder of Richmond: Mired in Engagement Scandal with Younger Niece

 

John Nicholl and Obituary (SF Call & Oakland Tribune)

Lot 2 

John Nicholl, remembered as the “Father of Richmond” and nicknamed the “Duke of Richmond”, was a pioneer of California whose life stretched from the rural north of Ireland in the early 19th century to the booming Bay Area of the early 20th century. His story blends hard work, fortune, scandal, and civic ambition.

Nicholl was born in 1822 in the north of Ireland, within a mile of the birthplace of President William McKinley’s father. In 1849, amid the great waves of emigration, he sailed to America and joined the rush of newcomers heading west. By 1853 he had arrived in California, where opportunity awaited.

Nicholl’s first years in California were spent farming in San Leandro. His perseverance paid off: in just four years he earned $6,000 raising wheat, a considerable sum for the time. With this he purchased 200 acres in the San Pablo Rancho, land that would become the foundation of his fortune and the nucleus of the modern city of Richmond. Confident in the area’s potential, he soon expanded his holdings by another 367 acres, eventually controlling large swaths of the East Bay shoreline.

Nicholl’s vision and bold predictions for Richmond’s future earned him the moniker “Duke of Richmond.” He was instrumental in laying out and promoting the settlement that became Point Richmond and then the incorporated city of Richmond. For decades, his name was synonymous with the city’s growth and prosperity.

Point Richmond and Nicholl's Well

Nicholl also extended his interests southward, purchasing 1,000 acres from a Spanish land grant in Ventura County. There, he introduced the cultivation of lima beans, launching an industry that transformed Ventura into the bean capital of the state. By the turn of the century, his bean lands were producing $40,000 a year—an immense sum in those days.

Part of Nicholl’s financial success stemmed from his friendships with other powerful men of the age. He was closely associated with Claus Spreckels, the sugar magnate, with whom he engaged in business ventures that boosted his fortune. This connection further cemented Nicholl’s status as one of the region’s wealthiest citizens, with his fortune estimated in the millions.

Coverage of Hodge/Nicholl scandal

Despite his reputation as a shrewd businessman and civic booster, Nicholl was not immune to personal scandal. In the early 1900s, society pages buzzed with news of his broken engagement to Miss Jane Hodge, a woman several decades his junior and, by some accounts, his niece by marriage. Hodge sued Nicholl for breach of promise, seeking $10,000 in damages for her “blighted affections.”

The sensational trial resulted in a jury awarding her $25,000, later reduced in a compromise. Hodge maintained that her case was about honor, not money, and the litigation dragged on for nearly three years before a final settlement. The affair was widely covered in Bay Area newspapers, casting a temporary shadow over Nicholl’s reputation but also underscoring his notoriety as one of Oakland and Richmond’s most talked-about figures.

Nicholl’s wealth and landholdings gave him influence in local affairs. He once offered to donate land for a school site in Richmond, reflecting his role not only as a landowner but also as a community builder. Though the Richmond Board of Education hesitated over conditions tied to his gift, the episode illustrated his ambition to shape the civic landscape.

Nicholl lived into his nineties, an impressive span for his era. He died in 1914 at his Oakland home on Fourth Avenue at the age of 91. His passing was widely noted in Bay Area newspapers, which hailed him as both a pioneer and the founder of Richmond. Obituaries emphasized his energetic character, his foresight in developing Richmond, and his lasting contributions to California agriculture and urban life.

Nicholls Park in the 1960s and now

There is a Nicholl Park in Richmond and part of his land holdings became the Civic Center. Local walking tours reference buildings or sites that Nicholl built or donated land for, including the Municipal Natatorium (“The Plunge”), wells, and other civic infrastructure. 

Though his name may be less known today, Richmond still stands as a living monument to the vision and enterprise of the man once called the “Duke of Richmond.” 

Sources: San Francisco Call, Oakland Tribune, Find a Grave, Ancestry.com, City of Richmond. PointRichmond.com, Richmond Rec & Park