Nicholas Anton Boll was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany.  His family emigrated to America when he was just one year old, entering through the port of Baltimore.  His name was shortened upon entry from Bulow to Boll.  His family were farmers, but Nicolas pursued a career in cabinet-making.  He found employment, and possibly apprenticeship, with Andrew Butler of New York. 

At some time in his late 30s Boll took his craft to the western frontier of America and settled in Manitowoc County, in the State of Wisconsin.  He described himself as a cabinet maker for the Union Army draft in 1863, but before the end of the decade he had abandoned that career in favor of brewing. 

The brewery he operated was in the small village of Clark's Mills, inside the only slightly larger town of Cato, in Manitowoc County.  He ran the brewery for a few years, then apparently sold out to Henry Mehels.

Afterwards, Nicholas and his wife Mary (nee Reddinger) ran a hotel in Cato, probably the one in which the brewery was located.  Nicholas Anton Boll died on May 27th of 1811 at the age of 80.