Anne was born in 1926 on a farm near Tomah, Wisconsin. Her mother, Lucy Sowle Nicol, died when Anne was 2. Anne is descended on her mother's side of the family from George Sowle, a passenger of the Mayflower, an apprentice, NOT A PILGRIM, mind you, a proven lineage.

When religionists have told Anne to "go back where she came from," she has occasionally pointed out her ancient-for-this-country family tree.

Anne's father, Jason Nicol, was not religious. He regarded religious belief as embarrassing. Anne entered first grade at her one-room school at age 4, became a voracious reader, and is still grateful to freethinker Andrew Carnegie for endowing the Tomah, Wis. public library. (I bet Anne doesn't know that she and Andrew Carnegie were born on the same day. But not the same year.)