Nicholson attended public and grammar schools at Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
After serving one term, he was a Conservative candidate in the 1921 election but was defeated by John Carruthers of the Liberals.
After another term in Parliament, Nicholson again lost his Algoma East seat to Beniah Bowman of the United Farmers of Ontario in the 1926 election.
Nicholson won the seat back again in the 1930 federal election by defeating Bowman who by that time became a Liberal candidate.
He was admitted to Toronto General Hospital where he died the following day, on 1 January 1935, before the end of his term in the 17th Canadian Parliament.