Patrilineage for Participant #29577 (email Elizabeth Nichols for more details at [email protected])
1) George Nichols [Sr] who md in Boston Massachusetts at the Federal Presbyterian Church by "John Moorhead, 1739/40: June 19th, were married, George Nicols and Martha Dodds" - this is our earliest known record; one child born in Boston; others born in near-by Billerica; found in Templeton, MA by 1763 tax list; will probated in Templeton, MA in 1796 with widow Sarah - lists his 7 children born in Billerica (his first son born in Boston apparently died as an infant) as shown at the bottom of this page.
2) George Nichols [Jr] b. 12 Dec 1746 in Billerica, Massachusetts, md in Templeton MA 9 Feb 1769 to Elizabeth (Betsy) Sawyer and died 25 Mar 1832 in Starks, Somerset, Maine
3) Joel Nichols, b. 21 Apr 1786 in [probably Starks, Somerset County] Maine died 30 Jan 1863 in Starks, Somerset, Maine, md Polly Dutton
4) Elijah D Nichols, b. 7 Jan 1820 in Anson, Somerset, Maine, died 28 Jan 1878 in Starks, Somerset, Maine; md 5 Mar 1857 Betsey Ann Morse
5) Harrison H. Nichols b. 24 Sept 1859 in Starks, Somerset, Maine, d. 27 Apr 1940 in Indiana bur in Wisconsin; md (2) Mabel Louise Farwell, 1889 in Lynn, MA
6) Clyde Redmond Nichols [Sr] b. 1902 in Wisconsin, d. 1979 in North Carolina, md Besse Luella Bolton
7) Participant #29577
“Our earliest ancestor is George Nichols (Nickles, Nicols, Nicholas) who with wife Martha had a son George Jr born in 1746 in Billerica, Massachusetts. We assume him to be the George Nichols/ Nickles /Nicols who married in Boston in June 1740 to Martha Dod or Dods. (Everything fits and there is no conflicting evidence yet found.)Known places of residence: Boston, Billerica, & Templeton, MA. Will probated May 1796, Templeton, MA.
Children (surnamed NICHOLS): (except for the first were born in Billerica, MA):
1. Robert, christened 26 April 1741 in Boston, MA; probably died as a child.
2. Mary, born 19 Feb 1742/3, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts, md 9 Oct 1764 in Templeton, Worcester, MA to Uriah Weatherbee; nothing more known
3. Sarah, born 28 Mar 1744 in Billerica, MA md (1) 18 June 1766 in Templeton MA to Samuel Treadwell; (2) Robert Fitts 17 Apr 1783 in Templeton; died 31 Aug 1827, age 82. 2 known children by each marriage.
4. [X] George Nichols, born 12 Dec 1746 in Billerica, md 9 Feb 1769 in Templeton MA to Betsy [Elizabeth] Sawyer, died 25 Mar 1832 in Starks, Somerset, Maine [our ancestor]
9 children.
5. Samuel Nichols, born 12 Mar 1748 in Billerica, md 7 Dec 1769 in Templeton to Jane Wiley [she is Jean in her birth record in Worcester]; 6 known children. (No death detail known.) But he had descendants in New York state … in Onieda and Jefferson Counties.
6. John Nichols, born 11 April 1751 in Billerica; (nothing more known of him. He was in his father’s will and probate.)
7. Paul Nichols, born 10 July 1753 in Billerica, md (1) July 1773 in Rutland, Worcester, MA [Rutland Vital records, printed, says INTENTION in Rutland] to Margaret Thomas [the intention is filed in Templeton, and says the wife was of Rutland], md (2) 10 May 1790 in Guilford, VT to Sarah Giles, died 19 Mar 1831 in Brainridge, New York; 6 known children of first marriage - last four born in Guilford, Windham,,Vermont; 1 known child of second marriage born in Vermont.
8. Martha Nichols, born 10 Oct 1756 in Billerica, MA, md 1777 to John Twitchell, died 5 Apr 1810 in New Salem, MA. 10 known children.
The exact date or location of death or burial of George Nichols are unknown [will probated in May 1796 in Templeton, Worcester, MA, where he is first listed on tax list in 1763 and where several of his children were married];
also no death or burial information for his first wife Martha [apparently died before Sept 1790, when her husband’s will was made and mentioned his 7 children but no wife]
Also no death or burial confirmed for his second wife Sarah–though it is believed she is the Sarah Nichols whose will was probated 1806 in New Salem, Hampshire County [now Franklin County] , MA, and left minor property to nieces/nephews named Oaks.
The spelling of the surname is not consistent: Nichols, Nickols, Nicols, Nickles,Nicklis, Neclas, Nicholas, Nickels–all found referring to our George Nichols. The Nicols spellings seems common among ministers. Note: not all of these spellings are retrieved in “standard spellings” of the surname. There are other spellings of the surname NICHOLS, including Nicholds, Nickess, Nicklass, Nickilos, Nickols, Nickoules, Nicoles; also MacNicols, McNichols, (the same family members sometimes can be found listed in any or all of these spellings), in early records: Nicholson, Nickleson, etc, etc. (Don’t miss entries because of spelling; many retrieval systems do not get all.)
First record we have is marriage record- civil record & intention–in Boston, and church record from the Federal street Presbyterian church in Boston, performed by Rev. John Morehead; first child christened in Boston–covers 1740-1741; in Billerica, MA 1742-1756; in Templeton, MA 1763-1796, but listed in land records in New Salem, MA in 1775-1793, with several sons and one son-in-law. Will probated in Templeton, MA 19 May 1796.
DESIRE ANY INFORMATION ON ORIGIN OR OTHER DETAILS.Contact: Elizabeth L. Nichols, [email protected]