Re: Henry Nicholls the Elder
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In reply to:
Henry Nicholls the Elder
N. Costello 8/07/11
Hi Nancy,
I think that it is great that you are going through the old Middlesex Co records, and to that I’d add that I think we need to look more closely at the Orange and Spotsylvania Co records for all variations of the Nichols/Nicholson name from the mid-1700’s (1730’s – 1770’s) for possible “linking” generations between those earlier Middlesex Co people and our later Culpeper and Orange Co Nicholsons.I have thought this for a long time, but have not had the time to do it yet.I have a bunch of notes about this stored away in boxes.I went through some of my boxes and have dug up the following records that I will list below.I am sorry they are so jumbled up and some do not have full citations.I need to get the originals of all of them. When I collected these I was looking into the Henry Nixon/Nicholls who had land on Mine Run in the 1730’s, a William Nixon from the mid-1700’s who seems to be connected to this Henry, and Henry’s son John Nickson/Nixon who sold the Mine Run and Mtn Run land in the 1760’s.Also, the Thomas Nicholls who was in the 1730’s Spotsylvania records that people thought was Thomas the Mariner, but given that Thomas the mariner never lived on his VA land, this was likely a different Thomas Nicholls.In an attempt to link them together I only have a bunch of clues and no proof.Also, I wondered if the Henry Nixon who got the land on Mine Run in the 1730’s was related to the Henry Nicholls of Middlesex County.I have so many references to records that I will just name a few of them here so you can get the feel for why I was intrigued by these possible connections – it is quite confusing – but there are some good clues here.So I think we need to take a more careful look at the Orange County records – as there is much there.Sorry that not all of these citations are complete:
There was a Henry Nixon who married a Sarah Daniels Dec 10 1730 or 1734 in Middlesex Co.A John Daniel had a will proved 4 Feb 1735 that names his brother in law Henry Nixon.If you go through Middlesex or Essex Co records there are Daniels that appear with Nicholls and maybe with Nicholsons – I can’t remember.
This Henry Nixon/Nicholls of Middlesex (possibly the son of Henry Nicholls Sr. of Middlesex Co records of the late 1600’s and early 1700’s records that show he had a son Henry) and he may be the same one who gets the land grants on Mine Run and Mtn Run in the 1730’s (see the Library of Virginia online land grants).He gets 425 acres on Mtn Run in Spots Co and 993 acres on Mine Run in Orange Co.
Both of these Henry Nixon grants are in the book of surveys, but I think for some reason one of them is labeled “William Nixon” instead of Henry.
Or Co DB 7, p.424 Sep 22, 1743, Shurley Whatley of Orange Co to John Shackleford of same 300 on head of Mine Run adj Henry Nixon.
Spots Co 1736 land sale from William Eddins to Shurley Whatley, witness Thomas Nicholls.Online researchers say that Shurley Whatley married Rebecca Wharton.
A Henry Nixon gets a warrant for serving under Capt John Field (French and Indian War).John Chism gets the same.Both Chism and Henry Nixon are near each other in the Orange County Road orders of the 1760’s.(Capt. John Field was in charge of Culpeper and Orange Co militia.)
Henry Nixon is on Orange County road orders in the mid-1700s not far from the Eddings/Eddins.In Spots Co records of the 1730’s Thomas Nicholls is witness to several sales of Eddings land.
In the Orange Co deed book 13, 28 May 1761, John Nixon of Orange County and wife Elizabeth sell to Francis Moore 875 acres part of 993 acres patented to Henry Nixon and descended to John Nixon as heir at large of Henry Nixon, witnesses are Zachary Taylor, H. Bell, Rich. Branham.Orange Co Deed Book 13, p. 171, John Nixon and Elisabeth to Bryan Sissons, 425 acres on Mtn Run from patent of 12 Nov 1735… (Henry Nixon's patent).
Mungo Price is living in Orange County in the 1760’s and is on a road order with John Nichols.Both Mungo Price and John Nicholson have land on Hawksbill over the Blue Ridge – they get this land at the end of the 1740’s and sell it in the 1760’s.Mungo Price sells land in Orange Count to a Benjamin Daniels in 1770 next to Nicholas Porter.
Or Co Will Bk 3, p. 353, estate of Benjamin Porter Sr. among the entries is “Benjamin Nicholson for cutting and mauling 1,000 nails.”Although this return is for 1796, Porter researchers have made a good case that this estate dates to a much earlier time period, sometime after 1730’s, and was recorded later.
John Branham left a will in Orange Co 1761 names son Richard Branham, witnesses are William Strother and Harbin Moore, (will Bk 2, p.421).
From Culpeper Co history book, Sarah (Baily) (Pannell) Strother had a daughter who married a Taylor – relative of President Zach Taylor.William Strother married Sarah (Bayly) Pannell, widow of William Pannell.Sarah left a will of her own in 1774 that named grandson Garard Banks son of her daughter Frances, and Granddaughter Sarah Bayly Hawkins.The history book says William Pannell and Sarah Bayly originally of Urbanna, Middlesex Co, had a daughter who married a man by the name of Farrish.When the widow Sarah married Wililam Stother in 1752, they had four more children including a Frances who married Garard Banks and a Sarah who married Richard Taylor.Says that these Strother/Pannells were early converts to the Baptists.
There is an Orange Co Order Book (1748-49) page 141, 24 June 1748, ord’d George Taylor, Edward Spencer, John Nicholas settle estate of Thomas Wharton dec’d.A William Russell is plaintiff against this estate.
Thomas Nicholls of Spot Co is witness to Samuel Wharton’s will (22 Oct 1738).
Orange Co Or Bk 1749-54, p.319, John Nicholes plaintiff against Henry Downs Def
Orange Co DB 1, p.252, 10 Feb 1745/46, Alexander Thompson to Henry Downes, for land on Sanandoah, deed of 1742, witnesses Thomas Lewis, John Beanham, John Nicholas
Henry Downes sells to Hexzkiah Roads, both of Orange Co, 100 acres on Little Mtn Run, (sorry not complete citation!)Hexekiah Roads is associated with Nicholls of Middlesex County earlier.A Joseph Rodes, assignee of Edward Price, gets land in 1749 n Hawksbill not far from John Nicholson and Mungo Price.
You will recall that the British Mercantile records talk about the Pannells and Whartons who testified about the Nicholsons who left Orange County and went down to Clinch Mountain around the time of the Revolution.Obviously these Pannells and Whartons had to have lived near where the Nicholsons lived before the Nicholsons left so that they could know them enough to testify about them.
Orange County had a court record (sorry no citation here) of Andrew Cockran plt. verses William Nixon and William Hawkins defs.– in 1760’s?
(Again sorry no citation - from a book on Orange Co) William Hawkins leaves a will in Orange Co in 1776 that has as witnesses Uriel Mallory, William Strother, Thomas Brown.In 1756 Orange Co record for felony to Williamsburg - William Nixon, Peter Newport, and Uriel Mallory.
The Orange County history book says the first Baptist Church built on land donated by Uriel Mallory in the 1760’s- I think it is around the same area where Mallory, Strother, Nixon, Wharton lived.Does the felony above have to do with Mallory and others preaching without a liscence as the early Baptists did and then were often put in jail for it (and fights followed)?
Orange Co deed bk 19, p.455 has a James and Thomas Farish selling land to Robert Pollard (Pollards are connected to our Nicholsons in KY).It refers to land on Rapidan River adj “Nicholson’s Line” and the “widow Banks.” This is the widow of Garrad Banks mentioned above.
Or Co 24 July 1755 (incomplete citation!) settlement of estate of William Pollard, payment to John Nicholas
Michael Price has a will in Orange Co 1780-84 that names his brother in law William Pollard, bond of James Shackleford.(Prices lived near Nicholsons down on Clinch as well.)
As for possible links between the Henry Nixon with land on Mine Run and Mtn Run and the Henry Nichols of Middlesex, I think they were both associated with Daniels, and also with Henry Downs.
Well, I will quit now, but as you can see there is a lot of possible clues in these people who lived in Orange County around Mtn Run – Mine Run.–Julia
More Replies:
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Re: Henry Nicholls the Elder
Ron Nichols 12/04/12