Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Nichol received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Yankton College in 1933.
He was state's attorney of Davison County, South Dakota from 1947 to 1951.
He was an Assistant United States Attorney of the District of South Dakota from 1951 to 1953.
He was a Judge of the 4th Judicial Circuit Court of South Dakota from 1959 to 1965.
[1] Nichol was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on May 18, 1965, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota vacated by Judge George T. Mickelson.