The best I could find was a English Politician/general in the 1500-1600's named Oliver Cromwell. He wasn't well liked so people had lot's of nicknames for him, including "Old Noll" (At least he was called that in Charles Dickens, "A Child's History of England") So it's very old and has only been used once that I could find. But John says here that it was an American pronunciation, so we're back to square one about the truthfulness of the name.
Very likely that the author was reaching, but given how all other facts in the story have been; I willing to let it slide.