The namesake of Camp #1478 is Sergeant James W. Nicholson, Company B, 12^th Louisiana Infantry, Claiborne Rangers. Born in Macon County, Alabama on June 16, 1844. He moved to Claiborne Parish, LA with his family when he was six months old. At 17 years of age, Nicholson taught school before enrolling in the 12^th. Accounts of his service to the Confederacy and early Claiborne Parish History can be found in his book, Stories of Dixie. Nicholson resumed his teaching after the war and became Chairmen of the Mathematics Department at Louisiana State University in 1877. He also served two terms as President of LSU (1883-1884 and 1887-1896). Louisiana Governor McHenry made Nicholson a Colonel on his staff. In 1889, Colonel Nicholson gave a eulogy at the funeral of President Jefferson Davis. Nicholson died March 22, 1917 and is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Baton Rouge. His complete biography can be found at http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/macon/bios/jwnich.txt