Nicholas Smith emigrated West, locating near Fair Play, Grant County.

The evidence

• “NICHOLAS SMITH was born Oct. 31, 1836 or 1837, at Blackburn, Enghmd, His mother died in October, 1840, and the next year, he and his elder brother James, came to this country with an aunt, who ^fcttled at Pall River, Mass. ^ His father followed a year later, and found employment as a cotton weaver in that city. In the fall of 1844, he emigrated West, locating near Fair Play, Grant Co., in this State. In a few months after, Nicholas entered the family of a firmer named James Virden, to whom he was bound until he should reach his majority.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/17-bios-janesville.md, PDF p. 720 / book p. 724

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources