William Henry Nye was born at Boston, Massachusetts on September 8, 1833. In 1865, William Nye came to Boise City and engaged in the drug business. By 1867, he was running the "Boise Drug Store” and had exclusive control of all the physicians’ prescriptions. The store was owned by Dr. Wagner, also owned the hospital, “The Boise Infirmary", until Mr. Nye bought him out. The "City Drug Store” moved into the brick building on the corner of Main and Eighth Streets in 1873. This building, formerly occupied by Wells, Fargo and Company, was on the north side opposite the "Overland Hotel". Mr. Nye said it was the finest brick building and best location in the city. Mr. Nye took in R.W. Berry as a partner in the “Boise Drug Store" on June 1, 1875. This occupation Mr. Nye continued the rest of his life, being the senior member of the Nye-Galbraith Drug Company at the time of his death. Up till the time of his marriage, Mr. Nye took his board and room at the "Overland Hotel" on Main Street. William Nye married Caroline Sophia Outerson on the eve of January 17, 1871 at the residence of Auren G. Redway in Boise City. Mr. Nye was the first commander of the Idaho Department of the Grand Army of the Republic, holding the local post for three years. In April, 1877, Mr. Nye purchased the "Frank Davis" house and five lots on Grove Street for $3,000. The Nye residence was, for years, one of the beautiful showplaces of Boise City.When Boise flipped the switch on the new telephone system on January 1, 1884, the switchboard and operator were located in Nye's drug store. The next edition of The Idaho Statesman ran an ad claiming orders could now be filled over the phone.

William Henry Nye died at Boise City on March 30, 1894 at 720 Franklin Street of a stroke of Apoplexy. He was buried in the Pioneer Cemetery at Boise on Sunday, April 1, 1894.