Joseph “Dynamite Joe” Nichols

After he delivered the dynamite, he then gave families the boxes for the youngsters who had died.

Mount Airy, Philadelphia.

Joseph M and Emily E. Nichols and their children: Amelia C, Joseph E, Catherine M, Mary P,  William F, Frederick J, and Philip J in 1923 or 1924. Courtesy of Ann Farr Marchioni.

Last week, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit your Museum.  I wanted to share some personal information about the Spanish Flu in Philadelphia,  My Grandfather, Joseph “Dynamite Joe” Nichols was a distributor for the Hercules Company – a dynamite and powder company. He and his family lived in Mount Airy, Philadelphia. To gather information, I contacted my family for what information they knew.   One cousin called him a drayman.  Another cousin said our Grandfather picked up the bodies that were on the street.  After he delivered the dynamite, he then gave families the boxes for the youngsters who had died.  My Mother, Amelia Nichols Farr used one of the boxes for a creche.   Thank you for the exhibition.

The creche made out of a dynamite crate. Courtesy of Ann Farr Marchioni.

Contributed by Ann Farr Marchioni, Granddaughter of Joseph “Dynamite Joe” Nichols.