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MARENA NICHOLS 1818 - ?
(Daughter of John Nichols)

Marena Nichols, believed to have been the first child of John Nichols and Nancy Barton, was likely born in Wilkes County, Georgia about 1818. He father is listed in the 1820 Wilkes County Census as "John Nickels."
Marena married two times. Her first husband was William C. Richards, son of Reuben Richards and Rachael Bond. Richard was born in Georgia, the exact location unknown, during 1816. His father is listed in the 1820 Hall County, Georgia Census. William and Marena married in Madison County, Georgia November 13, 1834.
William is first found after his marriage to Marena as a resident in Elbert County, Georgia. Along with Marena he is listed as "Head of Household" with his wife, two sons and a daughter.
At least five children were born to the union of William Richards and Marena Nichols. Their last known child, Martha, is believed to have been born during 1846 in Madison County, Georgia. Marena is believed to have been the first born. She was born during September 1836 in Clarke County, Georgia. William died during May of 1850 in Coweta County, Georgia. Though William is not found in any Coweta County Census Marena, with several of her children, are listed in the 1850 Coweta County Census. Marena is listed as being born in Georgia about 1817. The children listed are: Mary A., 13; John, 12; Thomas, 9; James A., 8; Martha 4.
Marena married again on April 13, 1852, in Madison County, Georgia to Peter Patrick Butler. He was the son of Patrick Butler and Elizabeth Rebecca Fannin. Where Elizabeth may have been born is unknown, Patrick was born March 01, 1760, in Hanover, Virginia. He later migrated to Elbert County, Georgia where he died during 1838.
Unusual family connections came into play with Marena's second marriage to Peter Patrick Butler. He was born in Elbert County, Georgia on March 03, 1789. Prior to his marriage to Marena he was married to Hannah Snellings. She may have been born in South Carolina. She was born during October 1788 and died in Elbert County, Georgia about 1850. At least four children, maybe more, were born to this union. No children were born to Peter and Marena.
The first child of Peter and Hannah was George Snelling Butler who married two times. His second wife was Mary Ann Richards, the daughter of William Richards and Marena Nichols.
Other interesting connections between these families can be seen in the bios of the children of William and Marena.
Peter is found in the 1850 Dekalb County, Georgia Census as Patrick Butler. In the 1860 Oglethorpe County, Georgia Census Peter P. Butler and his family are found. This is believed to be a son of Peter and his first marriage to Hannah Snellings.
Peter Patrick Butler and Marena Nichols Butler disappeared shortly after their marriage. No information can be found of their location or place and time of their death. Per William Compton Kerr, a descendant, it could be possible that they went to Louisiana where several of Peter's children from a previous marriage were living. However, this has yet to be confirmed.

Children of Marena and William:

53. Mary Ann Richards
54. John C. Richards
55. Thomas Richards
56. James Richards
57. Martha Richards

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