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Please do not email Cindy. Email KennyShackleford@aol.com

7. WILLIAM E. NICHOLS 1810 - 1865
(Son of Conrad Nichols)

NOTE: When I first started this research, I had no information on William or his life. Fortunately, that has changed. Mary Ann Nichols, married to a descendant of William, has supplied me with a considerable amount of information in regards to William and his descendants. It appears that quite a paper trail was left to follow. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Mary Ann for providing me with the following information.

William E. Nichols, a son of Conrad Nichols, was born either in Lauren or Edgefield County, South Carolina. When William’s parents died he was taken in by another family. That family is unknown. As it was with all of the children of Conrad many were adopted by relatives and sent in different directions. William’s younger brother Kinchen was taken into the household of a Mrs. Timmons, a widower, who may have relocated after 1820 in Pike County, Alabama. (Pike County was formed during 1821 from portions of Henry and Montgomery Counties.) Though William appears near Pike County at a later date it is unknown if he was with or had any knowledge of Kinchen. The actual location of William prior to his marriage is unknown.
William married Elizabeth Hanchey, daughter of Daniel Hanchey and Sarah Rice, after 1830. She was born in Columbus County, North Carolina about 1814. William and Elizabeth were married at the Oakey Streak Methodist Church in Butler County. Her father is listed as a resident of Butler County in the 1830 Census.
According to family historians in the John Nichols (son of William E.) line, William and Elizabeth lived in the Boggy Byo, Florida area, which was near Niceville, prior to 1840. Maybe so, however, in the 1840 Census William is a resident of Pike County with a wife, 2 sons and 1 daughter. Living in the same district is Daniel Hancey. When the 1850 Census was enumerated William and his family were residents of neighboring Coffee County, Alabama. William is listed as a farmer, age 40 and Elizabeth is listed at age 36. The children are: Robert, 16; Mahala, 14; Elijah, 11; Henry, 9; John, 7; Margarete, 5; Joel, 7; and Thomas, age 1. All children are listed as being born in Alabama. There is no mention of Florida. Living next to them are Daniel and Sarah Hancey.
In the 1860 Census for Covington County, Alabama, William is listed as being born in South Carolina about 1809. He is listed as a farmer, unable to read or write. Elizabeth is listed as being born in North Carolina about 1815. The children listed are: William H, 19; Joel L., 13; Thomas C., 11, Charlotte S., 9; and Sarah A. M., 5. Others listed as residents of this household are: Fayetta P. Nichols, 21; Adam A., 17; James Weggenz (Wiggins), 23; Margaret, 15; and James W., born in Florida, age 7. The identity of Fayetta P. Nichols is unknown. She may have been a wife of one of the children of William and Elizabeth. Adam A. should be John A. James Wiggins is James Leonard Wiggins, husband of Margaret D. Nichols, daughter of William and Elizabeth. James W. is a son of James and Margaret. His age is listed incorrectly. He is actually less than 1.
William was mustered into the service of the County Reserves of Covington County, Alabama, Company A, under the command of Captain George W. Kierce. This unit was organized August 27, 1864, probably as a last line of defense. William was listed at age 59 with no gun. His actual age was about 54, so it is most likely miswritten or misread in his application. I can find no combat record.
A son-in-law of William was in the Civil War as well and survived. However, he brought smallpox home with him, which was spread to William. William died indirectly as a casualty of war during1865. It is believed that he was buried in a cemetery known as "Hog's Foot" near Andalusia, Alabama. This cemetery's location is unknown and is believed to have been destroyed many years ago.
After William died, Elizabeth moved to Florida and was living with some of her children. Prior to 1873 she was living in Lafayette County, Florida. In 1873 she was living in Waldo, Florida and was managing a boarding house. By 1879, Elizabeth was living with her daughter, Charlotte, in Palatka, Florida. She was listed in the 1880 Putnam County, Florida Census at 65 years of age, disabled and in bad health. The last Elizabeth shows up in the census reports was in the Florida State Census of 1885. She had written several letters to various relatives during the period between 1873 and 1884. When Elizabeth died is unknown. The last dated letter was in November 1884. By the time of her last letter, her health had deteriorated considerably, and as stated; after the census of 1885, she is no longer listed. I believe she must have died not long after that time. Her last known residence was in Palatka.


When trying to determine the location of the birth of our ancestors in the early days of America's formation, it's essential to understand the layout of the territories that they inhabited. Many of William E. Nichols' children, thought to have been born in different locations, may actually have been born in the same area. Boundaries were at a constant change during the 1800s, especially in the south. To understand these changes can help in the proper location of these individuals.
As a territory of the United States, Alabama was divided among Indian Territories of the Creek, Cherokee, and Choctaw tribes. To the south the borders were determined by the siege of Mobile and its surrounding areas during the war of 1812. The east border was that of Georgia, an original colony, Mississippi, which became a state in 1817 and Tennessee to the north, which became a state in 1796. Alabama received its statehood in 1819.
When the state was formed almost two thirds of the southern portion of the state were within the boundary of Monroe County. From the land that made up Monroe, many of South Alabama counties were formed. (See following chart)

Escambia (10 Dec 1868)
Coffee (29 Dec 1841)
Covington (17 Dec 1821)
Crenshaw ( 30 Nov 1866)
Monroe County Pike (7 Dec 1821)
(Formed 29 June 1815) Butler (13 Dec 1819)

Several other counties were extracted from Monroe as well but the ones listed are those associated with the children of William.

Children of William and Elizabeth

23. Daniel Nichols
24. Wesley Nichols
25. Robert Nichols
26. Sarah Elizabeth Nichols
27. Mahala Marganna Nichols
28. Elijah Nichols
29. William Henry Harrison Nichols
30. John Asberry Nichols
31. Margaret D. Nichols
32. Joel Nichols
33. Thomas Francis Cisero Nichols
34. Charlotta S. Nichols
35. Sarah A. M. Nichols

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