Nichols Goddard of Shrewsbury and Westborough, MA, also Rutland, Vermont.

Nichols Goddard was born the son of Nathan and Martha (Nichols) Goddard in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, on October 4, 1773. It is thought that he learned clockmaking from his second cousin Luther Goddard who was also in Shrewsbury. Luther was trained as a clockmaker by his cousin Simon Willard of Grafton in 1778. Willard is our country's most famous clockmaker. It is also worth noting that Luther is often credited with making the first watch in America. Nicholas wrote in his diary that on February 2, 1795, he finished an 8-day clock movement for Luther. Two days later, he had finished three additional movements he had been working on. Nichols left Shrewsbury on February 5 and went to Westborough to work for Gardner Parker. The agreement was Parker was to pay him 7 dollars a movement. Nichols wrote in April that he was busy looking for additional work. He listed cleaning and repairing the Parkman's and Bingham's clocks in Westborough for cash.

In May of 1794, Nichols worked in Northampton, Massachusetts, through 1797. A diary entry from 1795 states that as a journeyman, Nichols made movements for his father Luther Goddard, Gardner Parker of Westborough, Isaac Gere of Northampton, MA, and for a man identified as "Ingalls," who is also in Northampton.

In June of 1797, Goddard moved north to Rutland, Vermont. At this time, the period of 1770 through about 1825, the state of Vermont enjoyed unprecedented population growth. In Rutland, Goddard partnered with a silversmith originally from Norwich, Connecticut, and, more recently, Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His name was Benjamin Lord. The partnership of Lord & Goddard was first advertised in July 1797. Their shop was located a few rods north of the Rutland Court House just opposite Messrs. Pomeroy & Hooker's store. At this location, they advertised the manufacture of musical clocks and most kinds of gold and silverware. (Rutland Herald 7-3-1797.) In 1800, the business was moved to the shop formerly occupied by Storer & Wilmont, located approximately 15 rods northwest of the Court House. Lord & Goddard's partnership lasted approximately eight years and was dissolved in 1805 on April 26. A notice was placed in the Rutland Herald on this date. It appears they stayed close friends as their families remained involved with one another.

In September of 1798, Nichols returned to Northampton to marry Charity White. She was the daughter of Job White (Clockmaker) and Charity Chapin. They returned to Rutland and had seven children together. After their partnership ended, Nichols continued to make clocks under his name until he died in 1823.

Nichols involves himself in public affairs. In 1800 he was appointed Town Clerk of Rutland. He also serves as Town Treasurer from 1805 - 1807. He received the commission of Captain in the militia. He was also very active in the Masonic lodge. In 1802 he was elected Grand Junior Deacon of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Vermont, and from 1804 through 1810, he served as Grand Senior Warden.

Nichols died in Rutland on September 23, 1823.

Nichols Goddard signed a dozen or so known clocks. We also know of about the same number signed by the partnership of Lord & Goddard. A high percentage of the signed clocks are numbered. The tall case clocks found signed by Lord & Goddard have the following numbers recorded.... 72, 75, 87, 95, 97, 98, 106, 111, 112, and 113. Tall clocks signed by Nichols only include 118, 124, 125, 134, 138, 144, and 150.

An example that is signed Lord & Goddard No. 124 is located in the Sheldon Museum. A musical example that Nichols Goddard signs is in the collection of The Bennington Museum. The Rutland Historical Society was given a Nichols Goddard tall clock, number 150, in 1996. They also own number 106, which has a repainted dial.