Nichols Family History & Genealogy
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and last name history of the Nichols family, shared by
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Early Nicholses
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Nichols Biographies & Family Trees
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Sample of 21 Nicholses bios
Nichols Death Records & Life Expectancy
According to our database of 58,658 people with the last name Nichols that have a birth and death date listed:
Life Expectancy
71.1
years
Oldest Nicholses
These are the longest-lived members of the Nichols family on AncientFaces.
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Bill Nichols
lived 113 years
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Vivian B Nichols
lived 108 years
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Joe Nichols
lived 107 years
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Clara Nichols
lived 107 years
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Pearl Nichols
lived 107 years
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Janie Nichols
lived 107 years
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Henry Nichols
lived 105 years
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Amanda Nichols
lived 105 years
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Merlisa Nichols
lived 105 years
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Bessie E Nichols
lived 105 years
Other Nichols Records
Memories
MARGARET CELESTIA (TULLIE) NICHOLS 1865 - 1928
Margaret Celestia Nichols, known as "Tullie," was the first daughter and sixth child of Joel Lafayette Nichols and Susan Elizabeth Wellmaker. She was born in the Mt. Ida Community of Crenshaw County, Alabama, on July 25, 1865. At the time of her birth the Mt. Ida Community was located in Pike County. It became a part of Crenshaw when it was formed in 1866.
Margaret was the first in her family to make contact with her Grandparent Wellmakers in Georgia, after Joel and Susan left Georgia in 1857. She wrote them a letter when she was thirteen. (See Number 10, Joel Lafayette Nichols) On January 01, 1893, Margaret married in Crenshaw County, Alabama, to William S. Saunders. The identity of his parents is unknown but he was born in Crenshaw County, Alabama, April 17, 1880. It is believed that William worked as a farmer in or near the Mt. Ida Community. Margaret carried on her daily life as a housewife and mother to one child.
Margaret died in Crenshaw County on February 07, 1928. William died not long after in Crenshaw County and during the same year on November 28. This couple is buried at the Spring Hill Baptist Church Cemetery about a third of a mile North of the present day Spring Hill Church. It is located on a Crenshaw County Highway between Luverne and Brantley, Alabama.
Margaret Celestia Nichols, known as "Tullie," was the first daughter and sixth child of Joel Lafayette Nichols and Susan Elizabeth Wellmaker. She was born in the Mt. Ida Community of Crenshaw County, Alabama, on July 25, 1865. At the time of her birth the Mt. Ida Community was located in Pike County. It became a part of Crenshaw when it was formed in 1866.
Margaret was the first in her family to make contact with her Grandparent Wellmakers in Georgia, after Joel and Susan left Georgia in 1857. She wrote them a letter when she was thirteen. (See Number 10, Joel Lafayette Nichols) On January 01, 1893, Margaret married in Crenshaw County, Alabama, to William S. Saunders. The identity of his parents is unknown but he was born in Crenshaw County, Alabama, April 17, 1880. It is believed that William worked as a farmer in or near the Mt. Ida Community. Margaret carried on her daily life as a housewife and mother to one child.
Margaret died in Crenshaw County on February 07, 1928. William died not long after in Crenshaw County and during the same year on November 28. This couple is buried at the Spring Hill Baptist Church Cemetery about a third of a mile North of the present day Spring Hill Church. It is located on a Crenshaw County Highway between Luverne and Brantley, Alabama.
KINCHEN ELLIS NICHOLS 1815 - 1877
Kinchen Ellis Nichols, last child of Conrad Nichols, was born in Greenwood County, South Carolina, September 21, 1815. His parents died before his first birthday leaving him orphaned and placed in the care of a widowed cousin by the name of Mrs. Timmons. Shortly after his adoption, he was moved to Alabama, to an area then called the "Dander Community". This community was located in what is now Pike County. Pike became a county in 1821, being formed from Montgomery and Henry County. It is not known if they moved prior to this time. Kinchen's brother William, as well as several relatives, moved through Pike County in the first half of the nineteenth century.. Kinchen spent most of his life in this area, being raised totally uneducated.
Kinchen married January 05, 1840 in Pike County to Hannah S. Carr , the daughter of Issac Carr. When or where Hannah was born is unknown. Eleven children were born from this union.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Kinchen was forty-five and not considered eligible for military service. However, the situation had changed for the South by 1862 and the eligibility and age requirement had changed. Kinchen enlisted in the Confederate Army August 18, 1862 in Troy, Alabama. His first duty assignment was with the 1st Regiment of the Alabama Calvary, Company E. What action he may have seen with the 1st Alabama Calvary is unknown. On April 30, 1863, he was reassigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Georgia Sharpshooters, Company D. Serving with this unit; Kinchen was involved with many engagements with Union Forces, being wounded at "Pickett's Mill" in Dallas, Georgia during the Battle of Atlanta May 27, 1864. After medical release September 29, 1864, he was transferred to the "Invalid Corps" of the Confederate Provisional Army in Montgomery, Alabama. On the 17th of June 1865, he was pardoned by The United States Government and released to return home.
The following is taken from the research of Joe Russell Nichols in the 1930s and tells the story of Kinchen when he was wounded.
The two sides were camped near to each other and he was on picket duty. He saw a Yankee step from behind a tree and aim deliberately at him. Nichols at once raised his gun and was in the act of "drawing a bead" when the Yankee fired. The Yankee's bullet hit the end of grandfather's gun barrel and thus saved his head from getting the full effect of the deadly "Mini Ball". The bullet divided and lost it's force, some of it striking his forehead and portions of hot lead passing under the gun and striking his hands. His left hand was permanently injured, having the two middle fingers drawn to the palm while the little finger stood out strait, leaving him the use of only the thumb and forefinger on the left had. When grandfather was shot he dropped his gun and a companion said to their sergeant, "Shoot that man that shot Nichols!" The sergeant replied, "Shoot him yourself, dam it, you have a gun there."
It is not mentioned in this story what fate fell on the Union soldier. Hopefully he too survived.
Disaster, always a close companion with Kinchen, never gave up its chase. Three days after his release from service, his wife, Hannah, died. What the cause of death was is unknown. It can be noted, however; that there was an epidemic of Small Pox in this area after the war, brought home by the returning troops of the South. This is merely speculation and not a proven fact. Where Hannah is buried is unknown but I believe that she may be buried at the Good hope Cemetery in Pike County. After her death a very close bond was forged between Kinchen and his surviving children.
In December 1866, Kinchen married Martha Margaret - Reeves, a widow with five children. They were Cisero, Jim, Anna, Sam, and Nettie. Her former husband, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Reeves, saw in action during the war at the "Battle of Port Houston". He is listed in the 1866 Pike County Populatioh Schedule as death by sickness. Sam Reeves, one of her sons, left home and went to Texas after she married Kinchen and did not return until after his death. The rest remained with her and Kinchen. Six children were born to the union of Kinchen and Martha.
Though Kinchen owned his own farm in the "Jaquin Community" northeast of Luverne, Alabama, he worked with Thomas Meadows, a son-in-law at "The Murphree Plantation" near Luverne as an Overseer. It is my believe that Margaret must have managed his farm and her children must have worked it. During this early period of "Reconstruction", life must have been very difficult, with every possible avenue of work being sought.
Disaster finally caught up with Kinchen on Sunday, July 01, 1877. The following story, taken from a Troy, Alabama newspaper paints a sad picture of Kinchen's last day.
A SAD AFFAIR
A Father and his Son go to a Watery Death in Conecuh
A very sad occurrence took place about five miles from town on Sunday morning last. Mr. Ellis Nichols and an old respected citizen of this county, who lives on the plantation of Mr. Joel D. Murpree, on the conecuh river, accompanied by his son-in-law, Mr. Thomas Meadows and three of his sons went to the river to bathe after a week's work in the dusty farm. The place selected was a shallow sand bar adjoining a whole of some ten feet in depth/ Neither Mr. Nichols or Meadows were expert swimmers, and the boys could not swim at all. He instructed them to stay where the water was shallow while he and his son-in-law ventured where it was deeper. By the force of the current or other means one of the little boys, Oscar Nichols, got beyond his depth and was drowning when discovered by his father. Mr. Meadows immediately came to the rescue and was clinched by the drowning boy in such a manner as to be unable to swim out. At this crises, Mr. Nichols swam up to assist and was grasped by his son who released Mr. Meadows who in turn made his way to shallow water in a thoroughly exhausted condition Upon reaching a foot hold he turned to see the old man and his child, clasped in a deaths embrace, rise for the last time. He procured a pole and hurried out a log near where they sank with the vain hope that they might rise again, but they were gone forever. Neighbors were notified and after an hour or more the bodies were recovered and carried home to the heartbroken family who saw them go away a few hours before in perfect health. On Monday they were buried at Good Hope where Mr. Nichols had held membership.
After Kinchen's death Martha sold their farm and moved to the "Hephzibah Community" near Troy, Alabama where she bought another farm. Sam, her son from her marriage to Carrol Reeves, returned home to help her with the daily farm chores. What became of Martha is unknown but I believe that she too may be buried at the Good Hope Church Cemetery. This cemetery is located somewhere southwest of Troy, Alabama, in Pike County.
Note: The 1st AL CAL was formed at Montgomery, Alabama 12 November 1861 with companies recruited from Autauga, Butler, Calhoun, Dale, Mobile, Montgomery, Monroe, Morgan, Pike, and Tallapoosa counties. The Nichols who were mustered into service at that time were; Arthur, Benjamin (a cousin to Kinchen), Jasper, Alfred, David, Edward, General Morgan, Issac (Kinchen's son), Jacob, James, Larry, and Stephen Nichols. This muster was in 1861; Kinchen didn't enlist until 1862.
Crenshaw County, a reconstruction county, was formed in 1866 from parts of Pike and Butler County. Kinchen was a resident of both though he never actually moved.
Kinchen Ellis Nichols, last child of Conrad Nichols, was born in Greenwood County, South Carolina, September 21, 1815. His parents died before his first birthday leaving him orphaned and placed in the care of a widowed cousin by the name of Mrs. Timmons. Shortly after his adoption, he was moved to Alabama, to an area then called the "Dander Community". This community was located in what is now Pike County. Pike became a county in 1821, being formed from Montgomery and Henry County. It is not known if they moved prior to this time. Kinchen's brother William, as well as several relatives, moved through Pike County in the first half of the nineteenth century.. Kinchen spent most of his life in this area, being raised totally uneducated.
Kinchen married January 05, 1840 in Pike County to Hannah S. Carr , the daughter of Issac Carr. When or where Hannah was born is unknown. Eleven children were born from this union.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Kinchen was forty-five and not considered eligible for military service. However, the situation had changed for the South by 1862 and the eligibility and age requirement had changed. Kinchen enlisted in the Confederate Army August 18, 1862 in Troy, Alabama. His first duty assignment was with the 1st Regiment of the Alabama Calvary, Company E. What action he may have seen with the 1st Alabama Calvary is unknown. On April 30, 1863, he was reassigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Georgia Sharpshooters, Company D. Serving with this unit; Kinchen was involved with many engagements with Union Forces, being wounded at "Pickett's Mill" in Dallas, Georgia during the Battle of Atlanta May 27, 1864. After medical release September 29, 1864, he was transferred to the "Invalid Corps" of the Confederate Provisional Army in Montgomery, Alabama. On the 17th of June 1865, he was pardoned by The United States Government and released to return home.
The following is taken from the research of Joe Russell Nichols in the 1930s and tells the story of Kinchen when he was wounded.
The two sides were camped near to each other and he was on picket duty. He saw a Yankee step from behind a tree and aim deliberately at him. Nichols at once raised his gun and was in the act of "drawing a bead" when the Yankee fired. The Yankee's bullet hit the end of grandfather's gun barrel and thus saved his head from getting the full effect of the deadly "Mini Ball". The bullet divided and lost it's force, some of it striking his forehead and portions of hot lead passing under the gun and striking his hands. His left hand was permanently injured, having the two middle fingers drawn to the palm while the little finger stood out strait, leaving him the use of only the thumb and forefinger on the left had. When grandfather was shot he dropped his gun and a companion said to their sergeant, "Shoot that man that shot Nichols!" The sergeant replied, "Shoot him yourself, dam it, you have a gun there."
It is not mentioned in this story what fate fell on the Union soldier. Hopefully he too survived.
Disaster, always a close companion with Kinchen, never gave up its chase. Three days after his release from service, his wife, Hannah, died. What the cause of death was is unknown. It can be noted, however; that there was an epidemic of Small Pox in this area after the war, brought home by the returning troops of the South. This is merely speculation and not a proven fact. Where Hannah is buried is unknown but I believe that she may be buried at the Good hope Cemetery in Pike County. After her death a very close bond was forged between Kinchen and his surviving children.
In December 1866, Kinchen married Martha Margaret - Reeves, a widow with five children. They were Cisero, Jim, Anna, Sam, and Nettie. Her former husband, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Reeves, saw in action during the war at the "Battle of Port Houston". He is listed in the 1866 Pike County Populatioh Schedule as death by sickness. Sam Reeves, one of her sons, left home and went to Texas after she married Kinchen and did not return until after his death. The rest remained with her and Kinchen. Six children were born to the union of Kinchen and Martha.
Though Kinchen owned his own farm in the "Jaquin Community" northeast of Luverne, Alabama, he worked with Thomas Meadows, a son-in-law at "The Murphree Plantation" near Luverne as an Overseer. It is my believe that Margaret must have managed his farm and her children must have worked it. During this early period of "Reconstruction", life must have been very difficult, with every possible avenue of work being sought.
Disaster finally caught up with Kinchen on Sunday, July 01, 1877. The following story, taken from a Troy, Alabama newspaper paints a sad picture of Kinchen's last day.
A SAD AFFAIR
A Father and his Son go to a Watery Death in Conecuh
A very sad occurrence took place about five miles from town on Sunday morning last. Mr. Ellis Nichols and an old respected citizen of this county, who lives on the plantation of Mr. Joel D. Murpree, on the conecuh river, accompanied by his son-in-law, Mr. Thomas Meadows and three of his sons went to the river to bathe after a week's work in the dusty farm. The place selected was a shallow sand bar adjoining a whole of some ten feet in depth/ Neither Mr. Nichols or Meadows were expert swimmers, and the boys could not swim at all. He instructed them to stay where the water was shallow while he and his son-in-law ventured where it was deeper. By the force of the current or other means one of the little boys, Oscar Nichols, got beyond his depth and was drowning when discovered by his father. Mr. Meadows immediately came to the rescue and was clinched by the drowning boy in such a manner as to be unable to swim out. At this crises, Mr. Nichols swam up to assist and was grasped by his son who released Mr. Meadows who in turn made his way to shallow water in a thoroughly exhausted condition Upon reaching a foot hold he turned to see the old man and his child, clasped in a deaths embrace, rise for the last time. He procured a pole and hurried out a log near where they sank with the vain hope that they might rise again, but they were gone forever. Neighbors were notified and after an hour or more the bodies were recovered and carried home to the heartbroken family who saw them go away a few hours before in perfect health. On Monday they were buried at Good Hope where Mr. Nichols had held membership.
After Kinchen's death Martha sold their farm and moved to the "Hephzibah Community" near Troy, Alabama where she bought another farm. Sam, her son from her marriage to Carrol Reeves, returned home to help her with the daily farm chores. What became of Martha is unknown but I believe that she too may be buried at the Good Hope Church Cemetery. This cemetery is located somewhere southwest of Troy, Alabama, in Pike County.
Note: The 1st AL CAL was formed at Montgomery, Alabama 12 November 1861 with companies recruited from Autauga, Butler, Calhoun, Dale, Mobile, Montgomery, Monroe, Morgan, Pike, and Tallapoosa counties. The Nichols who were mustered into service at that time were; Arthur, Benjamin (a cousin to Kinchen), Jasper, Alfred, David, Edward, General Morgan, Issac (Kinchen's son), Jacob, James, Larry, and Stephen Nichols. This muster was in 1861; Kinchen didn't enlist until 1862.
Crenshaw County, a reconstruction county, was formed in 1866 from parts of Pike and Butler County. Kinchen was a resident of both though he never actually moved.
Conrad Nichols "The Legend"
When evidence of one's existence can't be found, but stories of him abound, that person becomes a legend. So it is with Conrad Nichols. Through exhaustive research in census reports and other various records, I have found no conclusive evidence to confirm the existence of this man. However, the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation leads to one fact; that being that the descendants came from someone of considerable character.
Thomas Heflin Compton, descendant and researcher of the Nichols family compiled his research in the 1970s. His base was from research of the Nichols family by Joe Russell Nichols in 1932. He stated, as quoted by Thomas, "The oldest relative by the name of Nichols about which we are certain is Conrad Gunrod Nichols". I wish I could be as certain. One should consider this; much of the information that Joe compiled actually came from close descendants of Conrad.
According to legend, Conrad was born about 1770 in North Carolina, moving at a young age with his parents to South Carolina. They settled in what was then known as "District 96". In the first census of 1790, there are eighteen Nichols listed as "Head of Household" in the state of South Carolina. Of these Nichols, nine were in the 96th District. They were; Ambrose, Charter, James, John, Joseph, Solomon, and two by the name of William. There is no mention of a Conrad, but these were listed as heads of household. Conrad would have been about twenty at the time and may still have been living at home. Conrad's first son was named John, and as was the custom to name first born sons after their grandfathers, its possible Conrad's father may have been John Nichols.
Rumored to have been somewhat adventurous and a Indian fighter, lore has it that Conrad was at one time captured by the Indians but managed to make good on his escape. Though possible, I'm certain there may be a bit of exaggeration to this story. Conrad had a total of seven children and died in 1816. This would have left little time for such adventure. There were the Indian Wars of South Carolina but they occurred in the 1750s, twenty years or so before Conrad was born. It is fact however, that there were a few skirmishes between some settlers and the Cherokee.
Joe Russell Nichols stated that Conrad died from some disease and was buried at "Old Fort 96", located in Greenwood County, South Carolina. Knowing a little on the history of this site, one could draw some conclusions on the loyalties of Conrad's parents if they lived within this area. The British occupied "Old Fort" in 1780 to squash a civil war that had been raging between the Patriots and Loyalist since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Little love was lost between the groups and the British offered the Loyalist some protection within the walls of the fort. From May 22, 1781 through June 18, 1781, the Southern Colonial Army under the command of General Nathaniel Green laid siege upon Old Fort. He failed in his attempt to capture the fort. However, within a few weeks after the siege, the British abandoned Old Fort, burning all that remained. A few years later the citizens who remained rebuilt it. It is my assumption that Conrad's parents were loyal to the Crown and not Patriots.
Maybe Conrad didn't exist, or maybe Conrad wasn't a given name, but a nickname. Whoever this man was, there is no doubt about the descendants. There has been plenty of documentation to verify them. Point given that there was a man with the surname of Nichols living in the 96th District of South Carolina who was married and had seven children.
When evidence of one's existence can't be found, but stories of him abound, that person becomes a legend. So it is with Conrad Nichols. Through exhaustive research in census reports and other various records, I have found no conclusive evidence to confirm the existence of this man. However, the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation leads to one fact; that being that the descendants came from someone of considerable character.
Thomas Heflin Compton, descendant and researcher of the Nichols family compiled his research in the 1970s. His base was from research of the Nichols family by Joe Russell Nichols in 1932. He stated, as quoted by Thomas, "The oldest relative by the name of Nichols about which we are certain is Conrad Gunrod Nichols". I wish I could be as certain. One should consider this; much of the information that Joe compiled actually came from close descendants of Conrad.
According to legend, Conrad was born about 1770 in North Carolina, moving at a young age with his parents to South Carolina. They settled in what was then known as "District 96". In the first census of 1790, there are eighteen Nichols listed as "Head of Household" in the state of South Carolina. Of these Nichols, nine were in the 96th District. They were; Ambrose, Charter, James, John, Joseph, Solomon, and two by the name of William. There is no mention of a Conrad, but these were listed as heads of household. Conrad would have been about twenty at the time and may still have been living at home. Conrad's first son was named John, and as was the custom to name first born sons after their grandfathers, its possible Conrad's father may have been John Nichols.
Rumored to have been somewhat adventurous and a Indian fighter, lore has it that Conrad was at one time captured by the Indians but managed to make good on his escape. Though possible, I'm certain there may be a bit of exaggeration to this story. Conrad had a total of seven children and died in 1816. This would have left little time for such adventure. There were the Indian Wars of South Carolina but they occurred in the 1750s, twenty years or so before Conrad was born. It is fact however, that there were a few skirmishes between some settlers and the Cherokee.
Joe Russell Nichols stated that Conrad died from some disease and was buried at "Old Fort 96", located in Greenwood County, South Carolina. Knowing a little on the history of this site, one could draw some conclusions on the loyalties of Conrad's parents if they lived within this area. The British occupied "Old Fort" in 1780 to squash a civil war that had been raging between the Patriots and Loyalist since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Little love was lost between the groups and the British offered the Loyalist some protection within the walls of the fort. From May 22, 1781 through June 18, 1781, the Southern Colonial Army under the command of General Nathaniel Green laid siege upon Old Fort. He failed in his attempt to capture the fort. However, within a few weeks after the siege, the British abandoned Old Fort, burning all that remained. A few years later the citizens who remained rebuilt it. It is my assumption that Conrad's parents were loyal to the Crown and not Patriots.
Maybe Conrad didn't exist, or maybe Conrad wasn't a given name, but a nickname. Whoever this man was, there is no doubt about the descendants. There has been plenty of documentation to verify them. Point given that there was a man with the surname of Nichols living in the 96th District of South Carolina who was married and had seven children.
Please do not email Cindy. For some reason I can't log on. Please address all emails to [contact link]
CONRAD NICHOLS, ABOUT 1770 - ABOUT 1820 SEPT 30, 2005
Researching the origins of this Nichols family has been difficult and, more than once, very frustrating. It has kept me occupied for the better part of eight years and I would imagine for several more to come. I have yet to break through the time barrier of the late seventeen hundreds; however, I am chipping away at the foundation, having found some interesting leads among the fragments.
Joe Russell Nichols is believed to have been the first to extensively research this family. He was born in Rock Hill, Collin County, Texas October 13, 1888 and died December 22, 1936 in Timpson, Shelby County, Texas. Joe was a great grand son of Conrad "Gun Rod" Nichols. Though he never met his grand father, Kinchen Nichols, he did have the opportunity to interview Sallie Nichols- Allbrittton, a sister, during 1906. I have seen and read the hand written version of Joe's research. He clearly states, "The oldest relative by the name of Nichols about which we are certain is Conrad (Gun Rod) Nichols."
So, who is Conrad Nichols and from whence did he come?
When evidence of one's existence can't be found, but stories of him abound, that person becomes a legend. So it is with Conrad Nichols. Through exhaustive research, I have found no conclusive evidence to confirm the existence of this man. However, stories have been passed down from generation to generation and can lead one to the conclusion that Conrad is indeed real and those listed in this report are certainly his descendants.
Conrad was possibly born about 1770 in North Carolina, a son of John Nichols. I base this on the following:
1. As was the custom, many married couples would name their first son after the father's father and first daughter after the mother's mother. Conrad's first son was named John and his first daughter was named Ann.
2. Before marriage Conrad was living with his family in the "96th District" of South Carolina. Between 1785 and 1789, eight counties were established within the 96th District. They were: Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenville, Laurens, Newberry, Pendleton, Spartanburg, and Union. In the first U. S. Census for 1790 there are 14 Heads of Household with the Nichols name listed. Three have the spelling "Nichels." Of the eleven that remain, one has the name of John Nichols. His residence was in Greenville County.
Rumored to have been somewhat adventurous and a Indian fighter, lore has it that Conrad was at one time captured by the Indians but managed to make good on his escape. Though possible, I'm certain there may be a bit of exaggeration to this story. Conrad had a total of seven children and died after 1815. This would have left little time for such adventure. There were the Indian Wars of South Carolina but they occurred in the 1750s, twenty years or so before Conrad was born.
Joe Russell Nichols stated that Conrad died from some disease and was buried at "Old Fort 96", now located in Greenwood County. His youngest son Kinchen was taken in by a Mrs. Timmons, a widower. There is one female Timmons listed as "Head of Household" in the 1820 Laurens County Census. She is Catherine Timmons. It is obvious that Conrad's wife, whoever she may have been, died before 1820.
Where Is Conrad?
It must be made clear that there is No Conrad Nichols listed in any of the Census Reports. Does this prove that he did not exist? No it does not. It simply proves that the name Conrad is not there. It is very likely that he is listed under a different name. Interesting enough there is listed in the 1820 Census for Laurens County 2 John Nichols, 2 Roberts, and a Charles. Conrad's father was John Nichols. His had a son John and Robert. Could it be?
CONRAD NICHOLS, ABOUT 1770 - ABOUT 1820 SEPT 30, 2005
Researching the origins of this Nichols family has been difficult and, more than once, very frustrating. It has kept me occupied for the better part of eight years and I would imagine for several more to come. I have yet to break through the time barrier of the late seventeen hundreds; however, I am chipping away at the foundation, having found some interesting leads among the fragments.
Joe Russell Nichols is believed to have been the first to extensively research this family. He was born in Rock Hill, Collin County, Texas October 13, 1888 and died December 22, 1936 in Timpson, Shelby County, Texas. Joe was a great grand son of Conrad "Gun Rod" Nichols. Though he never met his grand father, Kinchen Nichols, he did have the opportunity to interview Sallie Nichols- Allbrittton, a sister, during 1906. I have seen and read the hand written version of Joe's research. He clearly states, "The oldest relative by the name of Nichols about which we are certain is Conrad (Gun Rod) Nichols."
So, who is Conrad Nichols and from whence did he come?
When evidence of one's existence can't be found, but stories of him abound, that person becomes a legend. So it is with Conrad Nichols. Through exhaustive research, I have found no conclusive evidence to confirm the existence of this man. However, stories have been passed down from generation to generation and can lead one to the conclusion that Conrad is indeed real and those listed in this report are certainly his descendants.
Conrad was possibly born about 1770 in North Carolina, a son of John Nichols. I base this on the following:
1. As was the custom, many married couples would name their first son after the father's father and first daughter after the mother's mother. Conrad's first son was named John and his first daughter was named Ann.
2. Before marriage Conrad was living with his family in the "96th District" of South Carolina. Between 1785 and 1789, eight counties were established within the 96th District. They were: Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenville, Laurens, Newberry, Pendleton, Spartanburg, and Union. In the first U. S. Census for 1790 there are 14 Heads of Household with the Nichols name listed. Three have the spelling "Nichels." Of the eleven that remain, one has the name of John Nichols. His residence was in Greenville County.
Rumored to have been somewhat adventurous and a Indian fighter, lore has it that Conrad was at one time captured by the Indians but managed to make good on his escape. Though possible, I'm certain there may be a bit of exaggeration to this story. Conrad had a total of seven children and died after 1815. This would have left little time for such adventure. There were the Indian Wars of South Carolina but they occurred in the 1750s, twenty years or so before Conrad was born.
Joe Russell Nichols stated that Conrad died from some disease and was buried at "Old Fort 96", now located in Greenwood County. His youngest son Kinchen was taken in by a Mrs. Timmons, a widower. There is one female Timmons listed as "Head of Household" in the 1820 Laurens County Census. She is Catherine Timmons. It is obvious that Conrad's wife, whoever she may have been, died before 1820.
Where Is Conrad?
It must be made clear that there is No Conrad Nichols listed in any of the Census Reports. Does this prove that he did not exist? No it does not. It simply proves that the name Conrad is not there. It is very likely that he is listed under a different name. Interesting enough there is listed in the 1820 Census for Laurens County 2 John Nichols, 2 Roberts, and a Charles. Conrad's father was John Nichols. His had a son John and Robert. Could it be?
Please do not email Cindy. For some reason I can't log on. Please address all emails to [contact link]
JOHN NICHOLS 1793 - 1865
John Nichols was the first child of Charles Conrad or Conrad Nichols born about 1793 in the "96th District," likely in Lauren County, South Carolina. (See Conrad Nichols) John married a few years before the death of his father to Nancy Barton. The location is unknown. However, Lauren or Edgefield County seems to be the most probable places.
There are 35 Bartons listed as Heads of Household in the 1820 South Carolina Census. Counties include: Abbeville, Barnwell, Charleston, Greenville, Laurens, Lexington, Orangeburg, Pentleton, and Spartanburg. Twenty-one Bartons are in the 96th District. Of those only two are in Laurens County. They are James and John Barton. The last two have the highest probability of being Nancy's father. Nancy may have been born in Lauren County about 1800.
John, listed as Nickels in the 1820 Federal Census for the State of Georgia, is residing in Wilkes County with his wife. Five others are listed residing in his home, 4 male and 1 female. Only two, 1 male under 10 and 1 female under 10, could be his children. Of those two, only one is known to have been born before 1820. She was Marena Nichols.
Before the 1830 Census was taken John and his family was residents of Coweta County. There were 3 children in the home. These were Marena, William, and Elizabeth. When the 1840 Census was taken John with his family was residing Lincoln County, Georgia.
Nancy, John's first wife, died after 1840 and before 1847. The location of her death is unknown.
John was living in Lincoln County in 1847. He married December 31, 1847 to Dorcus Wall. (Lincoln County, GA. Marriage Book G-1, 1806 - 1829) Dorcas was likely a daughter of John Wall and Dorcus Mattox born about 1816 in Warren or Putnam County, Georgia. There is only 1 John Wall listed in the 1820 Federal Census for the State of Georgia. He was a resident of Putnam County living in the Capt Peter F Mahones District. Dorcus too had been married prior to 1847. She married August 01, 1830 in Lincoln County William Pead.
Before 1850 John was once again a resident of Wilkes County. He is listed in the 1850 Census in Wilkes County with Dorcus and two of their sons, Thomas and Joseph. Living nearby were 2 sons of John and Nancy. Benjamin Franklin Nichols was a resident in the home of Thomas Nichols. This Thomas is likely a brother of John but no evidence has been found to support that theory. Joel Lafayette Nichols was living in the house with Daruila Sims, a widower.
The last Census John is found in is the 1860 Wilkes County Census. In the household were Dorcus and the following children: Thomas, Sarah, Catherine, and Frances. His last child was born when he was 64. Dorcas was 43.
When or where Dorcus died is unknown but she likely survived John. He died during 1865 in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia. (Descendants of Conrad Nichols, Thomas Heflin Compton)
JOHN NICHOLS 1793 - 1865
John Nichols was the first child of Charles Conrad or Conrad Nichols born about 1793 in the "96th District," likely in Lauren County, South Carolina. (See Conrad Nichols) John married a few years before the death of his father to Nancy Barton. The location is unknown. However, Lauren or Edgefield County seems to be the most probable places.
There are 35 Bartons listed as Heads of Household in the 1820 South Carolina Census. Counties include: Abbeville, Barnwell, Charleston, Greenville, Laurens, Lexington, Orangeburg, Pentleton, and Spartanburg. Twenty-one Bartons are in the 96th District. Of those only two are in Laurens County. They are James and John Barton. The last two have the highest probability of being Nancy's father. Nancy may have been born in Lauren County about 1800.
John, listed as Nickels in the 1820 Federal Census for the State of Georgia, is residing in Wilkes County with his wife. Five others are listed residing in his home, 4 male and 1 female. Only two, 1 male under 10 and 1 female under 10, could be his children. Of those two, only one is known to have been born before 1820. She was Marena Nichols.
Before the 1830 Census was taken John and his family was residents of Coweta County. There were 3 children in the home. These were Marena, William, and Elizabeth. When the 1840 Census was taken John with his family was residing Lincoln County, Georgia.
Nancy, John's first wife, died after 1840 and before 1847. The location of her death is unknown.
John was living in Lincoln County in 1847. He married December 31, 1847 to Dorcus Wall. (Lincoln County, GA. Marriage Book G-1, 1806 - 1829) Dorcas was likely a daughter of John Wall and Dorcus Mattox born about 1816 in Warren or Putnam County, Georgia. There is only 1 John Wall listed in the 1820 Federal Census for the State of Georgia. He was a resident of Putnam County living in the Capt Peter F Mahones District. Dorcus too had been married prior to 1847. She married August 01, 1830 in Lincoln County William Pead.
Before 1850 John was once again a resident of Wilkes County. He is listed in the 1850 Census in Wilkes County with Dorcus and two of their sons, Thomas and Joseph. Living nearby were 2 sons of John and Nancy. Benjamin Franklin Nichols was a resident in the home of Thomas Nichols. This Thomas is likely a brother of John but no evidence has been found to support that theory. Joel Lafayette Nichols was living in the house with Daruila Sims, a widower.
The last Census John is found in is the 1860 Wilkes County Census. In the household were Dorcus and the following children: Thomas, Sarah, Catherine, and Frances. His last child was born when he was 64. Dorcas was 43.
When or where Dorcus died is unknown but she likely survived John. He died during 1865 in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia. (Descendants of Conrad Nichols, Thomas Heflin Compton)
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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
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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WILLIAM J. NICHOLS 1822 - FEBRUARY 17, 1854
(Son of John Nichols)
William J. Nichols, believed to be the second child and oldest son of John Nichols and Nancy Barton, was born in Wilkes County, Georgia. The exact date of his birth is unknown but it was in the year of 1822.
William married Mary Ann (Minnie) Crook November 02, 1843, in Wilkes County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Lewis Crook and Susannah, last name unknown. Mary was born about 1822 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
Margaret Peggy Crook, a sister of Mary, married Elias Wellmaker. A daughter of theirs, Susannah Elizabeth Wellmaker, married Joel Lafayette Nichols, a brother of William J. Nichols.
In the 1850 Wilkes County, Georgia Census, Division 94, William is listed as W. J., age 28. Mary is listed as Mary A., age 21. Two children are listed in this Census. One child listed is Serena Nichols. She is listed as Rena, age 3. The other child listed is Mary Minnie Nichols. She is listed as Minea, age 1. This age is incorrect. Minnie was born April 15, 1850. Also listed in the home is Benjamin Franklin Nichols, Williams’ youngest brother. He is listed as Benjamin, age 15.
Of other family interest, also living in this area were; Williams’ father John with his second wife Dorcus; Lewis and Susannah Crook, Williams’ in-laws; Joel Lafayette Nichols, living in the house of Camellia Sirus; and Elias Wellmaker with wife Margaret Peggy Crook and their children, including Susannah who married Joel Nichols.
William died February 17, 1854 in Wilkes County.
Mary is listed in the 1860 Wilkes County Census as living with her father Lewis, age 77. Mary is 38. Also listed are Serena, listed as Rainey, age 16; Minnie, listed as Manney, age 12; Simeon, age 10; and Newton A., listed as Newton H., age 6. In the 1870 Wilkes County Census, Militia District 177, Mary is listed as being born in 1830. This is in error. Mary was born about 1820 or 1822. Also listed are; Minnie, listed as Mimi, born 1849; Newton A., listed as Newton W. H., born 1854; and Simeon, born 1852. Living next door is Elias Wellmaker. The last Census that listed Mary is the 1880 Lincoln County, Georgia Census. She is listed at age 58 living with her son Newton.
Mary died after 1880. She never remarried. Where she and William are buried is unknown. Many of William's relatives are buried in the "Hephzibah Church Cemetery" in Lincoln County, Georgia. It's possible that William and Mary may be buried there
Children of William and Mary:
58. Serena Nichols
59. Mary Minnie Nichols
60. Simeon Nichols
61. Newton A. Nichols
WILLIAM J. NICHOLS 1822 - FEBRUARY 17, 1854
(Son of John Nichols)
William J. Nichols, believed to be the second child and oldest son of John Nichols and Nancy Barton, was born in Wilkes County, Georgia. The exact date of his birth is unknown but it was in the year of 1822.
William married Mary Ann (Minnie) Crook November 02, 1843, in Wilkes County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Lewis Crook and Susannah, last name unknown. Mary was born about 1822 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
Margaret Peggy Crook, a sister of Mary, married Elias Wellmaker. A daughter of theirs, Susannah Elizabeth Wellmaker, married Joel Lafayette Nichols, a brother of William J. Nichols.
In the 1850 Wilkes County, Georgia Census, Division 94, William is listed as W. J., age 28. Mary is listed as Mary A., age 21. Two children are listed in this Census. One child listed is Serena Nichols. She is listed as Rena, age 3. The other child listed is Mary Minnie Nichols. She is listed as Minea, age 1. This age is incorrect. Minnie was born April 15, 1850. Also listed in the home is Benjamin Franklin Nichols, Williams’ youngest brother. He is listed as Benjamin, age 15.
Of other family interest, also living in this area were; Williams’ father John with his second wife Dorcus; Lewis and Susannah Crook, Williams’ in-laws; Joel Lafayette Nichols, living in the house of Camellia Sirus; and Elias Wellmaker with wife Margaret Peggy Crook and their children, including Susannah who married Joel Nichols.
William died February 17, 1854 in Wilkes County.
Mary is listed in the 1860 Wilkes County Census as living with her father Lewis, age 77. Mary is 38. Also listed are Serena, listed as Rainey, age 16; Minnie, listed as Manney, age 12; Simeon, age 10; and Newton A., listed as Newton H., age 6. In the 1870 Wilkes County Census, Militia District 177, Mary is listed as being born in 1830. This is in error. Mary was born about 1820 or 1822. Also listed are; Minnie, listed as Mimi, born 1849; Newton A., listed as Newton W. H., born 1854; and Simeon, born 1852. Living next door is Elias Wellmaker. The last Census that listed Mary is the 1880 Lincoln County, Georgia Census. She is listed at age 58 living with her son Newton.
Mary died after 1880. She never remarried. Where she and William are buried is unknown. Many of William's relatives are buried in the "Hephzibah Church Cemetery" in Lincoln County, Georgia. It's possible that William and Mary may be buried there
Children of William and Mary:
58. Serena Nichols
59. Mary Minnie Nichols
60. Simeon Nichols
61. Newton A. Nichols
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3. ROBERT (BOB) NICHOLS ABT. 1795 - ?
(Son of Conrad Nichols)
No conclusive evidence has been found on Robert being a son of Conrad with the exception of him being listed as so in the research of Thomas Heflin Compton and Joe Russell Nichols. The only information found on any Robert is listed in the following Census.
In the 1820 Census of Lauren County, South Carolina there is a Robert Nichols listed that is a probable candidate. He was married and had three children, two boys and a girl. Robert appears in the 1830 Laurens County Census with his wife, 3 sons and 1 daughter. Last listing for a Robert is Robert Nickels, not Nichols, is in the 1840 United States Federal Census Record of Charleston, South Carolina. This individual has 2 sons.
As to the wife of Robert she is unknown. There is an Eliza Nichols (widower) listed in the 1850 Census of Lauren County with 3 children. They are Jane, James, and John. It is my belief that this is the family of Richard though I have no further evidence.
4. ANN NICHOLS AFT. 1800 – ?
(Daughter of Conrad Nichols)
In my search for Sallie and Ann Nichols, I have had very little success. However, reading the book written by Mary Ann Tatum-Nichols (The William E. Nichols Family), she has a letter written by an Elizabeth Redley, an aunt to John Asberry Nichols who was a son of William E. Nichols, son of Conrad. This letter holds some interesting clues. However, the dates do not match up.
June the 27, 1886
Dear Nephew
It is with great pleasure I seat myself to write and ancer to your letter I received some time a go I have not ancered it as I aught to have done but I ask you to excuse me; we are all but not well I am in very bad health and so is Sallie the rest is all well I have seen my last litle son laid away but hope to meet my dear children with father and mother in that better world where there shall be no more parting I would have been glad to have seen father and mother once more I was going to see them the fal they moved off but I hered they was gone and then I did not I want you to come and see me bring your mother Tell her and John Mann to write to me I to hear from you all very bad. Oliviar and Athenia is boath married Althenie married first She married John Wilson Vickery she has been married 6 year and is living in sight of us. Oliviar has been married about three year she married a man by the name of Louis Griffin they are living about three miles from us they hav one childe he is 13 months old his name is Elard clyde; Well i will tell you about this country. It is a poor land but is not the poorest it produces very well we hav got a good crop crops is ganerally very good------------
it is getting late and I will have to-------------- time you & your wife must write to and tell your mother i want her to write also.
excuse bad spelling and writing
write soon
I remain your aunt
Eliz zibeth Redley
(This letter seems to be written to John Asberry Nichols--It was in his letters.)
The above mentioned Elizabeth mentions Sallie. I do not believe this to be Sallie, the daughter of Conrad. See the story on Sallie Nichols and make the comparison. She also mentions her parents and obliviously knew them at a later age because she wasn't living at home. They moved and she never saw them again. In the report of Kinchen Nichols, brother of Ann and Sallie, one can see that his parents died when he was a young age. This part of the puzzle causes me some problems. Kinchen was born in 1815 and his father died about 1820. Ann would have been born before that year. Elizabeth Redley is listed as being age 52 in the 1880 Butler County, Alabama Census. This would have placed her birth about 1828. She is also listed as being born in Georgia, as well as her parents. Her initials are F. E. in the Census. This could have been a written error but for now remains a mystery. In those census however, there is Athenia and Oliviar.
My conclusion is that this is not Ann Nichols, daughter of Conrad. There are too many holes to list it as fact.
5. SALLIE NICHOLS 1806 - 1906
(Daughter of Conrad Nichols)
As it is with Ann so it is with Sallie. Very little is known of her. She is believed to have been born about 1806 or after in Laurens County, South Carolina.
Either Sallie or Ann, if not both, moved to Texas before the out break of the Civil War. One of these sisters married an Albritton or Allbritton and had a son named James W. Albritton. This can be verified from the research of Joe Russell Nichols.
RESEARCH OF JOE RUSSELL NICHOLS
Among those Nichols who came south was a man who died young in South Carolina. His wife also died early, leaving a family of small orphans. They had no estate, so these orphans were taken into the homes of various neighbors. One of these youngsters, who became my grandfather, was named Kinchen Ellis Nichols. He recalled that he had four brothers whose names were John, Bob, Simeon, and William; two sisters, Ann and Sallie. But they never corresponded and as far as we know, he lost all contact with them.
It was this writer's fortune to meet by accident with one of these sisters in 1906. I had just moved to the town of Radcliff, Texas, there to be "Principal" of their six teacher school, and I met her son, Reverend James W. Allbritton, who told me that his mother then living with him had before her marriage been a Nichols and that he believed we were kinsmen, because he said that I pocessed so many striking resemblance's to his relatives. I went to his home. The lady, I found her to be very old and feeble, of small stature and sitting in a low rocker. She let me recite my whole story about my grandfather, Kinchen Ellis Nichols, though I could see that she was deeply moved. At the conclusion of my story, she arouse, staggered up to me and up in my face she said, "And you are the flesh and blood of my dear little brother, Kinchen, the first I ever heard are saw of". She then hugged and kissed me and put her head on my breast and wept. We assisted her back in her chair and I promised to visit her again soon.
But time and tide for no man wait! She passed on before I returned. Death forever closed those lips that could have told us many interesting things about at least one more generation of our Nichols sires. I was young then and scarcely valued her knowledge I suppose. I did intend to return to confer with her, but at the time I never had heard the names of grandfather's sisters so now I am unable to say which one she was. From this experience I never see an old person laid away, but I have the thought; what a vast state of knowledge is there being buried forever, that any of the descendants would value highly in later years. This thought further prompts me to hasten the story I am writing,
Joe Russell Nichols 1932
With this information that Joe left behind, one can see that this was a daughter of Conrad. She died in Radcliff, Texas, either in 1906 or 1907 and had at least one son, that being James W. Allbrittton.
Allbritton / Albritton
In the 1900 Federal Census of Wise County, Texas there is listed a James Albritton that was born in Georgia about 1859. His wife was Jane and they had 2 sons when this Census was taken. This may be the Albritton who was a son of either Ann or Sallie.
There are several with the name Albritton and Allbritoon that fit into the right time frame. One is likely to be Ann or Sallie.
1. Martha Albritton is listed in the 1880 Census of Richland Parish, Louisiana born in South Carolina about 1816.
2. Mary Allbritton is listed in the 1880 Census of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana born in South Carolina about 1806.
3. Charity Albritton, who married James Albritton, is listed in the 1850 Census of Houston County, Texas. She was born in South Carolina about 1906.
Child of James W. Albritton, Sr. and daughter of Conrad
19. James W. Albritton, Jr.
3. ROBERT (BOB) NICHOLS ABT. 1795 - ?
(Son of Conrad Nichols)
No conclusive evidence has been found on Robert being a son of Conrad with the exception of him being listed as so in the research of Thomas Heflin Compton and Joe Russell Nichols. The only information found on any Robert is listed in the following Census.
In the 1820 Census of Lauren County, South Carolina there is a Robert Nichols listed that is a probable candidate. He was married and had three children, two boys and a girl. Robert appears in the 1830 Laurens County Census with his wife, 3 sons and 1 daughter. Last listing for a Robert is Robert Nickels, not Nichols, is in the 1840 United States Federal Census Record of Charleston, South Carolina. This individual has 2 sons.
As to the wife of Robert she is unknown. There is an Eliza Nichols (widower) listed in the 1850 Census of Lauren County with 3 children. They are Jane, James, and John. It is my belief that this is the family of Richard though I have no further evidence.
4. ANN NICHOLS AFT. 1800 – ?
(Daughter of Conrad Nichols)
In my search for Sallie and Ann Nichols, I have had very little success. However, reading the book written by Mary Ann Tatum-Nichols (The William E. Nichols Family), she has a letter written by an Elizabeth Redley, an aunt to John Asberry Nichols who was a son of William E. Nichols, son of Conrad. This letter holds some interesting clues. However, the dates do not match up.
June the 27, 1886
Dear Nephew
It is with great pleasure I seat myself to write and ancer to your letter I received some time a go I have not ancered it as I aught to have done but I ask you to excuse me; we are all but not well I am in very bad health and so is Sallie the rest is all well I have seen my last litle son laid away but hope to meet my dear children with father and mother in that better world where there shall be no more parting I would have been glad to have seen father and mother once more I was going to see them the fal they moved off but I hered they was gone and then I did not I want you to come and see me bring your mother Tell her and John Mann to write to me I to hear from you all very bad. Oliviar and Athenia is boath married Althenie married first She married John Wilson Vickery she has been married 6 year and is living in sight of us. Oliviar has been married about three year she married a man by the name of Louis Griffin they are living about three miles from us they hav one childe he is 13 months old his name is Elard clyde; Well i will tell you about this country. It is a poor land but is not the poorest it produces very well we hav got a good crop crops is ganerally very good------------
it is getting late and I will have to-------------- time you & your wife must write to and tell your mother i want her to write also.
excuse bad spelling and writing
write soon
I remain your aunt
Eliz zibeth Redley
(This letter seems to be written to John Asberry Nichols--It was in his letters.)
The above mentioned Elizabeth mentions Sallie. I do not believe this to be Sallie, the daughter of Conrad. See the story on Sallie Nichols and make the comparison. She also mentions her parents and obliviously knew them at a later age because she wasn't living at home. They moved and she never saw them again. In the report of Kinchen Nichols, brother of Ann and Sallie, one can see that his parents died when he was a young age. This part of the puzzle causes me some problems. Kinchen was born in 1815 and his father died about 1820. Ann would have been born before that year. Elizabeth Redley is listed as being age 52 in the 1880 Butler County, Alabama Census. This would have placed her birth about 1828. She is also listed as being born in Georgia, as well as her parents. Her initials are F. E. in the Census. This could have been a written error but for now remains a mystery. In those census however, there is Athenia and Oliviar.
My conclusion is that this is not Ann Nichols, daughter of Conrad. There are too many holes to list it as fact.
5. SALLIE NICHOLS 1806 - 1906
(Daughter of Conrad Nichols)
As it is with Ann so it is with Sallie. Very little is known of her. She is believed to have been born about 1806 or after in Laurens County, South Carolina.
Either Sallie or Ann, if not both, moved to Texas before the out break of the Civil War. One of these sisters married an Albritton or Allbritton and had a son named James W. Albritton. This can be verified from the research of Joe Russell Nichols.
RESEARCH OF JOE RUSSELL NICHOLS
Among those Nichols who came south was a man who died young in South Carolina. His wife also died early, leaving a family of small orphans. They had no estate, so these orphans were taken into the homes of various neighbors. One of these youngsters, who became my grandfather, was named Kinchen Ellis Nichols. He recalled that he had four brothers whose names were John, Bob, Simeon, and William; two sisters, Ann and Sallie. But they never corresponded and as far as we know, he lost all contact with them.
It was this writer's fortune to meet by accident with one of these sisters in 1906. I had just moved to the town of Radcliff, Texas, there to be "Principal" of their six teacher school, and I met her son, Reverend James W. Allbritton, who told me that his mother then living with him had before her marriage been a Nichols and that he believed we were kinsmen, because he said that I pocessed so many striking resemblance's to his relatives. I went to his home. The lady, I found her to be very old and feeble, of small stature and sitting in a low rocker. She let me recite my whole story about my grandfather, Kinchen Ellis Nichols, though I could see that she was deeply moved. At the conclusion of my story, she arouse, staggered up to me and up in my face she said, "And you are the flesh and blood of my dear little brother, Kinchen, the first I ever heard are saw of". She then hugged and kissed me and put her head on my breast and wept. We assisted her back in her chair and I promised to visit her again soon.
But time and tide for no man wait! She passed on before I returned. Death forever closed those lips that could have told us many interesting things about at least one more generation of our Nichols sires. I was young then and scarcely valued her knowledge I suppose. I did intend to return to confer with her, but at the time I never had heard the names of grandfather's sisters so now I am unable to say which one she was. From this experience I never see an old person laid away, but I have the thought; what a vast state of knowledge is there being buried forever, that any of the descendants would value highly in later years. This thought further prompts me to hasten the story I am writing,
Joe Russell Nichols 1932
With this information that Joe left behind, one can see that this was a daughter of Conrad. She died in Radcliff, Texas, either in 1906 or 1907 and had at least one son, that being James W. Allbrittton.
Allbritton / Albritton
In the 1900 Federal Census of Wise County, Texas there is listed a James Albritton that was born in Georgia about 1859. His wife was Jane and they had 2 sons when this Census was taken. This may be the Albritton who was a son of either Ann or Sallie.
There are several with the name Albritton and Allbritoon that fit into the right time frame. One is likely to be Ann or Sallie.
1. Martha Albritton is listed in the 1880 Census of Richland Parish, Louisiana born in South Carolina about 1816.
2. Mary Allbritton is listed in the 1880 Census of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana born in South Carolina about 1806.
3. Charity Albritton, who married James Albritton, is listed in the 1850 Census of Houston County, Texas. She was born in South Carolina about 1906.
Child of James W. Albritton, Sr. and daughter of Conrad
19. James W. Albritton, Jr.
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6. SIMION (SIMEON) NICHOLS ABT 1806 - ?
(Son of Conrad Nichols)
Simeon, Simion, or Simon Nichols was born in South Carolina, likely Lauren County, about 1806. As it is with his brother Robert very little information has been found. Again the exception is the research of Thomas Heflin Compton and Joe Russell Nichols.
Listed in the 1830 Census of Jones County Georgia there is a Simon W. Nichols married with two sons. Likely the same person there is Simeon W. Nichols listed in the 1840 Census of Jones County, Georgia. No other by the name Simeon was found in any of the Federal Census’ for those years. There is one Simeon only listed in the 1850 Federal Census. He hand his family are residents of Sumter County, South Carolina. He fits well in the proper time frame and place and may actually be the same as the Simon W. and Simeon W. listed in the 1830 and 1840 Census. The 1850 Census, being the 1st to list all family names, has Simeon with the following: wife Nancy, sons Bow, Harvey, and William. The writing on the census is difficult to read therefore the names may not be accurate.
Children of Simeon and Nancy
20. Bow Nichols
21. Harvey Nichols
22. William Nichols
6. SIMION (SIMEON) NICHOLS ABT 1806 - ?
(Son of Conrad Nichols)
Simeon, Simion, or Simon Nichols was born in South Carolina, likely Lauren County, about 1806. As it is with his brother Robert very little information has been found. Again the exception is the research of Thomas Heflin Compton and Joe Russell Nichols.
Listed in the 1830 Census of Jones County Georgia there is a Simon W. Nichols married with two sons. Likely the same person there is Simeon W. Nichols listed in the 1840 Census of Jones County, Georgia. No other by the name Simeon was found in any of the Federal Census’ for those years. There is one Simeon only listed in the 1850 Federal Census. He hand his family are residents of Sumter County, South Carolina. He fits well in the proper time frame and place and may actually be the same as the Simon W. and Simeon W. listed in the 1830 and 1840 Census. The 1850 Census, being the 1st to list all family names, has Simeon with the following: wife Nancy, sons Bow, Harvey, and William. The writing on the census is difficult to read therefore the names may not be accurate.
Children of Simeon and Nancy
20. Bow Nichols
21. Harvey Nichols
22. William Nichols
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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
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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The following transcribed letters of Elizabeth Hanchey Nichols were written over an eleven-year period from 1873 to 1884. The originals were passed down to the descendants of John Asberry Nichols. Mary Ann Nichols provided the transcribed versions, in their original text, to me. They have not been altered and appear as they were written.
Waldo, Florida July 2, 1873
Wm. W. H. H. Nichols,
Kind son with pleasure I seat myself to write you a few lines in answer to your much welcome letter of the 18th and was received the 25th of June. I was glad to . . nt one more letter from your for it had bin a long time since I had received one from you Dear son I cannot describe the half how sory I am to hear of your affliction but I cannot do you any good by being sorry only I can pray to God to restore you to health agin which thing I know he is able to do but is it is not his will for you to ever enjoy good health again in this life I know that if is his will that you should enjoy an eternal health and happiness in a fair better world than this what a greate consolation it is to have the smiles of the King of Heaven upon us when we come to contend with that grim monster death but if his sting has bin drawn he can not harm us for he will only fass us through from this life of trouble and affliction to a world of health peace and happiness far better than we can enjoy in this life. I want you to read for your own instruction the 12th chapter of romans and present your body a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. I hope that you have not forgotten that you was once purged from your old sins and I hope that you have not bin overcome by the world and brought back under bondage to sin a gin may god forbid that you should ever become overcome by the enemy any more my hearts desire and prear is to meet you in heaven and not only you but allso all my children and I don't stop at this only, for I try to pray for all mankind that all m… mout at last be saved if agreeable to the will of the Allmighty Henry you requested your Grandmother to pray for you it was not quite too late for to be granted but she could but only mutter out with a vary weak and faltering voice - Lord have mercy on him and save him I pray she said much more but not so as to be understood for she has bin and is yet very sick and we have no hope of hir ever recovering any more I have not time to finish my letter now but must wate for another oportunity.
This is now July 9th a few minetes after midnight and as I Have set up alone will try to spend a little of my lonely time in writing to ////////wishe to tell you something about your Grandmother she is yet alive but suffering beyond deiscription she was taken sich the 11th day of June with a running of the bowels was checked and becamr quite and on Saturday morning the 21st at 2 o'clock a violent pain struck her in her rite foot and ankle which in a few minis had her drawn out of shape in a few hours her foot was all bloodshoten color and it is swollen and almost black and is dead and cold It beats any sight I ever saw and the pain she has suffered from it is indiscribable not one menets ease she has had since the pain first struck her foot and a constant sick all over sick all the time and she eats nothing sometimes she drinks a little milk and wine and she prays constst to the Lord to take her out of her suffering condition but yet she appears meekly resined to suffer his srighous will she is confident that he will soon take her out over to the godly land she says that she desires to meet with you and all her grandchildren in that happy land above I do not think it will be long before she will find a resting place This is the 20th night that we have set up with her and Watch her every day thinking that every hour may be the last and she may go before I send this letter off If so I will put it in to you She is the weakest person I that I ever say but her voice has become stronger than it was ten days ago She can talk plain enough to be vary well understood. I cannot say to you that any of us is well we are all sick with bad colds and I have got Erecypulous on boath my legs so that I hardly can get about and we are all vary much worn out with fateague and loss of sleep I have noe with me now but Sarah and Lorah only billy is here tonight and he has got a very bad cauhf we are in common searse of company to set up at night for thare is but a few familys that lives near around me it is 3 miles to Mahals and 5 to Margarets and they have so many little ones that it is a bad chance for them to come oftain C. S. lives with a family about four miles from us she is var titely engaged so that she only comes to see us about onst a week
Henry you ……sethat I have bin…….writing this letter but I hope you will excuse me M.M. and M.D. has boath writen and I expect you have heard from us this is the 23rd of July your grandmother is gone home to the spirit world she died Monday the 21st at ½ after 11 o'clock she was conscious and in her right mond to the……and reaht out her hand and bade all fairwell shakeing everyones hand and give us all the grasp of affection when she could not speak and not more than a minits before the breath left her I can say that she was vary decently buried her coffin was neatly lined and paded and.o.rd with black alapacka and had on it..silver headed tacks and screws and nice bows her burial was attended by a large concorse of people and many dropt the tear of affection it was solomised by the preacher in charge of this Circuit a young man by the name of Robert H. Barnett he was a great favorit of hers and he appeared to have a special affection toward her we got acquanted with him and heard him Preach onst a month while we lived in Lafayette Co. and this his..nd year here on this Circuit He had frequently visited my house and he came to see your Grandmother while she was sick and talked and sung and prayed with and for her and she requested him to Preach her fu neral his reply was he should think it a greate honor confered on him to do so and when they parted she told him to meet her in Heaven he told me yesterday that her request had stuck closer to him than anything he had heard in a long time and he felt found to comply with her request he gave out her Funeral it will be preacht the 3rd Sunday in September which will be the 21st and oh how glad I would be if all her Grandchilren could be present to hear it prehaps it mite be a benefit to some of them as for me I feel bound and determined to follow on as my in her footsteps as I can until I overtake her in her happy home which prehaps will not be vary long thou my health at this time is tolerable good an Sarah and Lorah is boath well and that is not all of my family I hope that you will recive this letter soon and answer it in some shorter a time that I have answed your but you can gess the reason why I was so long writing and exuse me this time
I wil……………………………………………….that crops in this part of the country is not vary good for they have bin drowned……………………………….very much rain the bread that is ……………………..here next year will have to be shipt from some other part of the country but we hear good………………………….in other places corn is now being ship to Waldo and sells at $1.25..per bushel bacon 15 cts flower from 10…..dollars per barrell shugar 10 sirup 5 or 60 cts per galon wages I low hand at the mill works for….per day and finds their selves…………………….not mush R Roding work going on now in this part of the country but I think that thare is a
…………………going on down about the Keys and thare is several places around here in this country where a man can get good jobs to work at………………and make a farm The land in the country produces ….well…………….the seasons sutes it the…..nge here is stock rite around………………………..good but about 12 or….miles South of here they say it is vary….cattle at any rate they , ive a greate many vary fat……cattle from down thare that is …….what is called Plains Prairie I can say that this country is is healthy and the people here that works have a plenty to eat; you said that you wanted to get somewhare on the coasts for your health and prehaps it mite be a greate advantage to you to come down here or prehaps lowere down nearer the coast it is about 70 miles from Waldo to the keys I shall be glad for you to get somewhare that would improve your health Please give my love to Sally and Nety and to Mrs. Baston and family and tell me in your next letter how many of her children are with her and when you see john and Thomas give them this letter to read Sally send her love to all the family conection and all of you write soon for I love to hear from all of you and I hope that you wuill not get tired of reading this long letter before you get through for it is from your affectionate mother
So fairwell until I hear from you again
Elizabeth Nichols
Palatka, Florida
Jully the 27th, 1879
Kind Son & Daughter with pleasure Iwill try to answer your welcome letter of the 29th of June I received it the 25th of this inst I cannot describe how much pleasure it gave to me to hear from you & to hear that you & family was all well & doing so well I am so glad that you got Mr. Hard times by the tail & are abot to dis---him before you I hope that you will forever be able to keep him at a proper distance you have gaind power over him (in one respect by takeing a little of my advice (that was to stay at one place & if you will still continue to stay thare you will soon be able to drive that greate enemy of yours quite out of sight, I am so glad to hear you speak so highly of your----------glad that you have found out that she deserves praise I have known that she was one of the best women ever since I first got aquainted with her & oftain time I have said that she was the best woman that ever was connected to the Nichols family I do hope that she will live long & see many happy days & that I may meet her in Heaven after we are done with this world of troubles. I will say that we are all tolerable well at present but evry now and then some of us have the fever for we have the chills & fevers more or less for over 12 months but I hop that it about to leave us we have had a struggle to get along with so much sickness but still we keep up tolerable well with our grub for this vary good country for getting work to do we get as much as we can to do & thereby keep a plenty to eat & something to wear we have a rite to thank god that he has proviced so well for us I believe that we live just about as well as any of our neighbors & better than some that has a man work for them, We live 6 miles below Palatka & have to go all the way by water but I can go or send evry week I will now tell you about the prises of provision Pearly grits is used more here in this country than anything else in the way of bred stuff it is 2 ½ cts per lb corn meal the same flour from 20 to 25 lbs to the dollar bacon from 6 to 8 cts per lard 10 cts coffee from 18 to 25 cts per lb shugar from 8 to 10 cents cirup 50 cts per gallon tobacco from 70 to 75 cts per lb dry goods is vary cheap white domestic from 6 to 10 cts per yd calico from 6 to 8 cents striped or checked domestic from 10 to 12 cts per yard any evrything else in proportion
John you spoke something about hearing an old man preach by the name of Cears please let me hear a little more about him for when I was a young girl about 17 if I mistake not it was in the year of 1831 a young man by the name of Wm Cears a Methodis preacher preacht in Oakey Streek Butler Co Ala & I was a member of that church at that time prehaps he is the same man if so let him hear from me (if not no harm done) John you will remember John Barnes that that levd at Smut Eye in Coffee Co but he and some of his sons were down in the neighbor whare your sister Margaret lives and she saw & converst with them they told her that your brother Wesley was at Troy in Pike co when they left thare which has bin about 2 years ago the Barnes and Busbees ware all unietarians when I knew them in Coffee Co but he told Margaret to tell me that he was now a Methodist he said that Wesley went down into coffee Co to hunt for us but finding that we had moved clear away & could not learn whare we had gone he returned back to Troy prehaps by you makeng inquiry in that direction you may hear something about him I have written a letter to Trooy but has got no answer as yet John you requested me to send you a copy of a Prayer I will try to do so when I have more paper for this is the last sheet that I have but I hope to get some more before long & then I will try to comply with your request hoping it will be of some benefit to you or some one else for my dayly prayer & harts desire is that god would bring about a geuine reformation in the Hearts & lives of all my children & set them all to opraying in good earnest with faith for themselves & evrybody else) I must say to you that I red your letter to Laura she told me to give you and her Aunt & the children her love & best respects her 7 her husband is boath vary well & harty & is getting along vary well he is a greate hunter he killed a deer yesterday and came by a gave me a piece
Fredona & her Husband lives in Palatka & is boath vary well & getting along finely he is good and kind to her he makes a good deal of money he is a workman and gets good wages he is an engineer & mecanic I hope that they al do well I shal have to close for this time & leave the rest until another time write soon my love to you Amanda and all the children I remain your mother until death fairwell
Elizabeth Nichols
Palatka, Fla Sept the 7th 1879
Mr. J A Nichols & Mrs LA Nichols
Kind sons and daughter I with pleasure will try to answer your much welcome letter of the 11th of August it came to hand the 28th but I have not had the opertunity of answering it until now we are tolerable well at present & is getting along tolerable well considering our chance money is vary hard to get after we earn it we have a greate deal of trouble to collect it & that causes us some times to run short but up to this time we allways have been able to make some shift to get & keep something to eat but I fear that the time will soon come when we will habe to suffer for I am failing of strength & am so large & fleshy that it is with greate difficulty & pain that I get about to do the little that I am compelled to but I still trust in the Lord & do all I can his mercies has bin extended towards me all through my past life & shurely I can trust him for the few day that is to come he provides means for my suport & gives me grace to suport my soul & keeps it from sinking under the power of so many-----
I pray that the Lord of Heaven & earth may have mercy on my children & bring them by his grace to a timely repentance before sin proves their Eternal ruin Oh that he would show them the exceeding sinfulness of sin & impress upon their minds the awful idea of going to judgement unprepared, Oh may he draw them by his grace & by his loveing kindness to love him suprely & serve him sincearly for the sake of Christ who shed his precious blood on the cross not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole world I pray for all whom he died Oh that the power of the spirit of God may rest on all his ministers & may their word be attended with the power of the holy Gost sent down from the throne of Heaven & may it have the desired affect upon all that hear it & may the Lord grant to bestow his mercies upon the Churches and add to them daly as such shal be saved Oh that he may pity the poor back sliders & by his grace reclaim them & I pray that God may by the power of his grace & stir up the luke warm & cause them to save him with a fervent spirit & a contrite heart Oh that he may give us all grace to love & serve him withh a full purpos of Heart determined to love & die in his service Oh that the lord of Heaven & earth would have mercy upon the who;e creation of mankind & bring about a reformation in their Hearts in their lives & turn them from all their sinful ways
I pray that god may bless all the rulers of our churches & the rule sof the state and the nation & give true grace to discharge their duty towards those under their charge with an eye sinnnngle to the glory of him who rules over all in Heaven and on earth may God bless our land and nation with peace and quiteness& grant that we may all learn to love & serve him with a full purpose of heart that we may all die in his favor haingfaut the good fite of faith & be received into his presence & be able to give all the glory of our salvation to the father & the Son & the holy Gost forever & ever in a happy world without end Amen.
Dear son you may bear it in mind if you choose to do so, that on the 22nd of july 1829 I promised the world that I was going to try to live a christian & I also promised my god that if he would only give me suporting grace & strengthen my faith as I had need that I would live and die in his service
50 years over and past since then & still I find his grace is sufficient for me I still hold the same resulution bound by the grace of Godto live & die in the army of the Lord grant that I could meet all my children on on that happy shore
John you must excuse me for be so long wriing this letter you will see that I wrote the foregoing part of it the 7th of Sept and today is 11 of October I have bin called away from home twice & had to stay 1 & 2 weeks & when at home I was so crowded with business that I could not get the time to write but I hope that you will not be so long answewring this & I hope I will do better next time N B if you wish to write to your Sister Margaret you will direct to Mrs. M D Wiggins Sumter C Yallho Po Fla I know she would be proud to hear from you I have not had a letter from them in some time I think it has bin about three months I have not writen to T F C noe sally yet but I think I will before long all is well today only C S has the colic but not so vary bad & I struck a old rusty hairpin in my foot over 2 weks since & its vary sore yet. Fredonia & her husband is well & getting along splendid he is clerking in a store in Palatka Laura & hers is well & doing well so I must close I remain your loving mother until death
Elizabeth Nichols
Note: This letter was written to John A, and Leca Amanda Nichols in Covington County, Alabama. Mentioned above is C. S., Charlotte S., her daughter; Mrs. M. D. Wiggins, her daughter, Margaret, married to James Leonard Wiggins; T. F. C., her son Thomas Francis Cicero in Hamilton County, Texas; Sally, her daughter, married to John Sparkman, in Hamilton, Texas. The relationship of Fredonia and Laura are believed to be grandchildren.
Palatka, Fla July 29th, 1883
Mr. J. A. Nichols
Kind Son
I will now try to answer your much welcom letter of the first inst I was glad to hear from you & family & hear that all was well I am shure that health is one of the greatest of all earthly blessings but I have not enjoyed much of it lately I was taken sick the 11th of May about 5 weeks I lay with but little hope of recovering & when I did begin to mend it was vary slow I was so vary weak & about the time I got able to get up & down the door steps the Earecypelous taken me on boath my legs It got so bad I could not walk for a while it has got better but is not well yet I have not felt one minets ease since it first taken me when I stir a little or set up much my feet and legs swells to a site this is the reason why I have not answered your letter before now for I have had it 2 weeks the rest of my family is all tolerable well at this time it is not comon for us all to be well at one time
I will say to you that I am making arangements to start next Tuesday to go down south to see your sister Margaret I have not seen her in going on 10 years I purpose going to Palatka Tuesday stay thare until Thursday evening then take the steam boat up to St. John, 75 miles then take a train across to lake haris then take a steam boat to near whare she lives the place whare I will land at is called Helenia I purpose staying with her some 4 or 5 weeks after which time I hope to return home again and receive an answer to this & then if you will send me about $15 or 20 I will try to go & spend the winter and prehaps the remainder of my life with you & the rest of the family it is vary hard for me to think of leaveing home but I do want to see you all so bad. You said that you had a letter from T F C the next time that you write to me please give me the name of his post office & if I live to get it I will write to him & let him know that I am not dead yet
John prehaps you have heard of the death of your Brother Henry if you have not I will say to you that I got a lettewr from his wife that said he died the 30th of Apriel he was taken down for death of fridya & died the next Monday week she said that he had joined the Methodist church the August before & seamed to be trying to do rite a few days before his death he was visited by 2 Preachers they talked to him concerning his future hopes he told then that he did not fear death that all was well only he hatted to leeave his wife & children he was speachless 2 days before he died. After he was dead the doctors cut him open to see what was the mater with him, an absess had opened on his liver & had bursted inside of him & that he did not have more than half a pound of liver left, she said that he was decently buried & she had gone with her 3 children to live with her mother & Brother. I have answered her letter Nety is married to a Mr. Brown & I supose is doing well. So I must rest a little and write again
I will tell you something about how we get along since we moved to this place it is 3 ½ miles to town before I got sick I went myself since that C S goes hunts up work sewing such as making garments peaceing up or quilting bedquilts sometimes we sell a quilt top for we generaly keep a suply on hand we have lately sold 3 tops & since has quilted one of them the whole amount $12.50 cts so you see how we make our suport it comes by the litlles but we have bin able so far to keep something to eat & a little to wear we could get along here vary well if we only could have health but we are oftain thrown back by sickness my love and good wishes send to Amanda & all the children tell Julia that my prear for her is that she may hold out faithful until death & adorn her profession by a pious walk & godly conversation let her motto be never to look back. I will close for my paper is full & my pen is worn out I remain your Mother as ever fairwell
Elizabeth Nichols
Note: The letter above was written to John A. Nichols and his wife Amanda in Covington County, Alabama. Others mentioned are her son Henry, C. S., her daughter Charlotte S. Nichols, and Margaret S., another daughter, wife of James Leonard Wiggins. Julia, a granddaughter, the daughter of John and Amanda Nichols. T. F. C. is also a son of Elizabeth. He is Thomas Francis Cicero who was living in Hamilton County, Texas. Nety was her granddaughter, daughter of Henry Nichols and his first wife.
Palatka Fla November the 2nd, 1884
Kind son to you and the family I wish to send my respects & best wishes by writing you a few lines in answer to your much welcom letter of the 17th of Oct I got it the 28th. I was glad to hear that you and your family was all well & doing so well this leaves me & family all in tolerable good health as for myself I have but a little rite to complain when I have lived long enough on this earth until I have seen enough Sundays to make 10 years & yet I am able to do as much work as I think it is my duty to do ( & that is not much) I can say that we are getting along vary well we get as much work as we are able to do C S washes & iorns & sews on her mashene & I pease up & quilt & sell bed quilts we keep plenty to eat & wear but we lack a house and home of our own & we are trying as hard as we can to reach that C S has bout 1 aker of ground near on the RR 4 miles west of Palatka ½ mile from a station they call Frances Stattion but now we want lumber & money to opay a carpenter to build a house but we hope that our luch will be to get it between this & next spring & then I will talk about comeing to see you after the cold wether abates for I don't think that it would do well for me to go thare in cold wether
It is my wish to go 7 see you all one time more before I Die give me love & good wished to Elanorah, husband I was a little surprised to hear of their marage for they were boath so young it is little strange to me to know that I have 2 grandchildren that has married in the Gaitwood family prehaps that here is some more of them that will do the same I hope they will all do well
So in the close of my I will say that if you wish me to come you will save up your money by the middle of march next & if I am living then I will be ready to take a plesant ride to Ala but I hope to hear from you several times between now & then so I remain your mother as ever Fairwell
Elizabeth Nichols
The following transcribed letters of Elizabeth Hanchey Nichols were written over an eleven-year period from 1873 to 1884. The originals were passed down to the descendants of John Asberry Nichols. Mary Ann Nichols provided the transcribed versions, in their original text, to me. They have not been altered and appear as they were written.
Waldo, Florida July 2, 1873
Wm. W. H. H. Nichols,
Kind son with pleasure I seat myself to write you a few lines in answer to your much welcome letter of the 18th and was received the 25th of June. I was glad to . . nt one more letter from your for it had bin a long time since I had received one from you Dear son I cannot describe the half how sory I am to hear of your affliction but I cannot do you any good by being sorry only I can pray to God to restore you to health agin which thing I know he is able to do but is it is not his will for you to ever enjoy good health again in this life I know that if is his will that you should enjoy an eternal health and happiness in a fair better world than this what a greate consolation it is to have the smiles of the King of Heaven upon us when we come to contend with that grim monster death but if his sting has bin drawn he can not harm us for he will only fass us through from this life of trouble and affliction to a world of health peace and happiness far better than we can enjoy in this life. I want you to read for your own instruction the 12th chapter of romans and present your body a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. I hope that you have not forgotten that you was once purged from your old sins and I hope that you have not bin overcome by the world and brought back under bondage to sin a gin may god forbid that you should ever become overcome by the enemy any more my hearts desire and prear is to meet you in heaven and not only you but allso all my children and I don't stop at this only, for I try to pray for all mankind that all m… mout at last be saved if agreeable to the will of the Allmighty Henry you requested your Grandmother to pray for you it was not quite too late for to be granted but she could but only mutter out with a vary weak and faltering voice - Lord have mercy on him and save him I pray she said much more but not so as to be understood for she has bin and is yet very sick and we have no hope of hir ever recovering any more I have not time to finish my letter now but must wate for another oportunity.
This is now July 9th a few minetes after midnight and as I Have set up alone will try to spend a little of my lonely time in writing to ////////wishe to tell you something about your Grandmother she is yet alive but suffering beyond deiscription she was taken sich the 11th day of June with a running of the bowels was checked and becamr quite and on Saturday morning the 21st at 2 o'clock a violent pain struck her in her rite foot and ankle which in a few minis had her drawn out of shape in a few hours her foot was all bloodshoten color and it is swollen and almost black and is dead and cold It beats any sight I ever saw and the pain she has suffered from it is indiscribable not one menets ease she has had since the pain first struck her foot and a constant sick all over sick all the time and she eats nothing sometimes she drinks a little milk and wine and she prays constst to the Lord to take her out of her suffering condition but yet she appears meekly resined to suffer his srighous will she is confident that he will soon take her out over to the godly land she says that she desires to meet with you and all her grandchildren in that happy land above I do not think it will be long before she will find a resting place This is the 20th night that we have set up with her and Watch her every day thinking that every hour may be the last and she may go before I send this letter off If so I will put it in to you She is the weakest person I that I ever say but her voice has become stronger than it was ten days ago She can talk plain enough to be vary well understood. I cannot say to you that any of us is well we are all sick with bad colds and I have got Erecypulous on boath my legs so that I hardly can get about and we are all vary much worn out with fateague and loss of sleep I have noe with me now but Sarah and Lorah only billy is here tonight and he has got a very bad cauhf we are in common searse of company to set up at night for thare is but a few familys that lives near around me it is 3 miles to Mahals and 5 to Margarets and they have so many little ones that it is a bad chance for them to come oftain C. S. lives with a family about four miles from us she is var titely engaged so that she only comes to see us about onst a week
Henry you ……sethat I have bin…….writing this letter but I hope you will excuse me M.M. and M.D. has boath writen and I expect you have heard from us this is the 23rd of July your grandmother is gone home to the spirit world she died Monday the 21st at ½ after 11 o'clock she was conscious and in her right mond to the……and reaht out her hand and bade all fairwell shakeing everyones hand and give us all the grasp of affection when she could not speak and not more than a minits before the breath left her I can say that she was vary decently buried her coffin was neatly lined and paded and.o.rd with black alapacka and had on it..silver headed tacks and screws and nice bows her burial was attended by a large concorse of people and many dropt the tear of affection it was solomised by the preacher in charge of this Circuit a young man by the name of Robert H. Barnett he was a great favorit of hers and he appeared to have a special affection toward her we got acquanted with him and heard him Preach onst a month while we lived in Lafayette Co. and this his..nd year here on this Circuit He had frequently visited my house and he came to see your Grandmother while she was sick and talked and sung and prayed with and for her and she requested him to Preach her fu neral his reply was he should think it a greate honor confered on him to do so and when they parted she told him to meet her in Heaven he told me yesterday that her request had stuck closer to him than anything he had heard in a long time and he felt found to comply with her request he gave out her Funeral it will be preacht the 3rd Sunday in September which will be the 21st and oh how glad I would be if all her Grandchilren could be present to hear it prehaps it mite be a benefit to some of them as for me I feel bound and determined to follow on as my in her footsteps as I can until I overtake her in her happy home which prehaps will not be vary long thou my health at this time is tolerable good an Sarah and Lorah is boath well and that is not all of my family I hope that you will recive this letter soon and answer it in some shorter a time that I have answed your but you can gess the reason why I was so long writing and exuse me this time
I wil……………………………………………….that crops in this part of the country is not vary good for they have bin drowned……………………………….very much rain the bread that is ……………………..here next year will have to be shipt from some other part of the country but we hear good………………………….in other places corn is now being ship to Waldo and sells at $1.25..per bushel bacon 15 cts flower from 10…..dollars per barrell shugar 10 sirup 5 or 60 cts per galon wages I low hand at the mill works for….per day and finds their selves…………………….not mush R Roding work going on now in this part of the country but I think that thare is a
…………………going on down about the Keys and thare is several places around here in this country where a man can get good jobs to work at………………and make a farm The land in the country produces ….well…………….the seasons sutes it the…..nge here is stock rite around………………………..good but about 12 or….miles South of here they say it is vary….cattle at any rate they , ive a greate many vary fat……cattle from down thare that is …….what is called Plains Prairie I can say that this country is is healthy and the people here that works have a plenty to eat; you said that you wanted to get somewhare on the coasts for your health and prehaps it mite be a greate advantage to you to come down here or prehaps lowere down nearer the coast it is about 70 miles from Waldo to the keys I shall be glad for you to get somewhare that would improve your health Please give my love to Sally and Nety and to Mrs. Baston and family and tell me in your next letter how many of her children are with her and when you see john and Thomas give them this letter to read Sally send her love to all the family conection and all of you write soon for I love to hear from all of you and I hope that you wuill not get tired of reading this long letter before you get through for it is from your affectionate mother
So fairwell until I hear from you again
Elizabeth Nichols
Palatka, Florida
Jully the 27th, 1879
Kind Son & Daughter with pleasure Iwill try to answer your welcome letter of the 29th of June I received it the 25th of this inst I cannot describe how much pleasure it gave to me to hear from you & to hear that you & family was all well & doing so well I am so glad that you got Mr. Hard times by the tail & are abot to dis---him before you I hope that you will forever be able to keep him at a proper distance you have gaind power over him (in one respect by takeing a little of my advice (that was to stay at one place & if you will still continue to stay thare you will soon be able to drive that greate enemy of yours quite out of sight, I am so glad to hear you speak so highly of your----------glad that you have found out that she deserves praise I have known that she was one of the best women ever since I first got aquainted with her & oftain time I have said that she was the best woman that ever was connected to the Nichols family I do hope that she will live long & see many happy days & that I may meet her in Heaven after we are done with this world of troubles. I will say that we are all tolerable well at present but evry now and then some of us have the fever for we have the chills & fevers more or less for over 12 months but I hop that it about to leave us we have had a struggle to get along with so much sickness but still we keep up tolerable well with our grub for this vary good country for getting work to do we get as much as we can to do & thereby keep a plenty to eat & something to wear we have a rite to thank god that he has proviced so well for us I believe that we live just about as well as any of our neighbors & better than some that has a man work for them, We live 6 miles below Palatka & have to go all the way by water but I can go or send evry week I will now tell you about the prises of provision Pearly grits is used more here in this country than anything else in the way of bred stuff it is 2 ½ cts per lb corn meal the same flour from 20 to 25 lbs to the dollar bacon from 6 to 8 cts per lard 10 cts coffee from 18 to 25 cts per lb shugar from 8 to 10 cents cirup 50 cts per gallon tobacco from 70 to 75 cts per lb dry goods is vary cheap white domestic from 6 to 10 cts per yd calico from 6 to 8 cents striped or checked domestic from 10 to 12 cts per yard any evrything else in proportion
John you spoke something about hearing an old man preach by the name of Cears please let me hear a little more about him for when I was a young girl about 17 if I mistake not it was in the year of 1831 a young man by the name of Wm Cears a Methodis preacher preacht in Oakey Streek Butler Co Ala & I was a member of that church at that time prehaps he is the same man if so let him hear from me (if not no harm done) John you will remember John Barnes that that levd at Smut Eye in Coffee Co but he and some of his sons were down in the neighbor whare your sister Margaret lives and she saw & converst with them they told her that your brother Wesley was at Troy in Pike co when they left thare which has bin about 2 years ago the Barnes and Busbees ware all unietarians when I knew them in Coffee Co but he told Margaret to tell me that he was now a Methodist he said that Wesley went down into coffee Co to hunt for us but finding that we had moved clear away & could not learn whare we had gone he returned back to Troy prehaps by you makeng inquiry in that direction you may hear something about him I have written a letter to Trooy but has got no answer as yet John you requested me to send you a copy of a Prayer I will try to do so when I have more paper for this is the last sheet that I have but I hope to get some more before long & then I will try to comply with your request hoping it will be of some benefit to you or some one else for my dayly prayer & harts desire is that god would bring about a geuine reformation in the Hearts & lives of all my children & set them all to opraying in good earnest with faith for themselves & evrybody else) I must say to you that I red your letter to Laura she told me to give you and her Aunt & the children her love & best respects her 7 her husband is boath vary well & harty & is getting along vary well he is a greate hunter he killed a deer yesterday and came by a gave me a piece
Fredona & her Husband lives in Palatka & is boath vary well & getting along finely he is good and kind to her he makes a good deal of money he is a workman and gets good wages he is an engineer & mecanic I hope that they al do well I shal have to close for this time & leave the rest until another time write soon my love to you Amanda and all the children I remain your mother until death fairwell
Elizabeth Nichols
Palatka, Fla Sept the 7th 1879
Mr. J A Nichols & Mrs LA Nichols
Kind sons and daughter I with pleasure will try to answer your much welcome letter of the 11th of August it came to hand the 28th but I have not had the opertunity of answering it until now we are tolerable well at present & is getting along tolerable well considering our chance money is vary hard to get after we earn it we have a greate deal of trouble to collect it & that causes us some times to run short but up to this time we allways have been able to make some shift to get & keep something to eat but I fear that the time will soon come when we will habe to suffer for I am failing of strength & am so large & fleshy that it is with greate difficulty & pain that I get about to do the little that I am compelled to but I still trust in the Lord & do all I can his mercies has bin extended towards me all through my past life & shurely I can trust him for the few day that is to come he provides means for my suport & gives me grace to suport my soul & keeps it from sinking under the power of so many-----
I pray that the Lord of Heaven & earth may have mercy on my children & bring them by his grace to a timely repentance before sin proves their Eternal ruin Oh that he would show them the exceeding sinfulness of sin & impress upon their minds the awful idea of going to judgement unprepared, Oh may he draw them by his grace & by his loveing kindness to love him suprely & serve him sincearly for the sake of Christ who shed his precious blood on the cross not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole world I pray for all whom he died Oh that the power of the spirit of God may rest on all his ministers & may their word be attended with the power of the holy Gost sent down from the throne of Heaven & may it have the desired affect upon all that hear it & may the Lord grant to bestow his mercies upon the Churches and add to them daly as such shal be saved Oh that he may pity the poor back sliders & by his grace reclaim them & I pray that God may by the power of his grace & stir up the luke warm & cause them to save him with a fervent spirit & a contrite heart Oh that he may give us all grace to love & serve him withh a full purpos of Heart determined to love & die in his service Oh that the lord of Heaven & earth would have mercy upon the who;e creation of mankind & bring about a reformation in their Hearts in their lives & turn them from all their sinful ways
I pray that god may bless all the rulers of our churches & the rule sof the state and the nation & give true grace to discharge their duty towards those under their charge with an eye sinnnngle to the glory of him who rules over all in Heaven and on earth may God bless our land and nation with peace and quiteness& grant that we may all learn to love & serve him with a full purpose of heart that we may all die in his favor haingfaut the good fite of faith & be received into his presence & be able to give all the glory of our salvation to the father & the Son & the holy Gost forever & ever in a happy world without end Amen.
Dear son you may bear it in mind if you choose to do so, that on the 22nd of july 1829 I promised the world that I was going to try to live a christian & I also promised my god that if he would only give me suporting grace & strengthen my faith as I had need that I would live and die in his service
50 years over and past since then & still I find his grace is sufficient for me I still hold the same resulution bound by the grace of Godto live & die in the army of the Lord grant that I could meet all my children on on that happy shore
John you must excuse me for be so long wriing this letter you will see that I wrote the foregoing part of it the 7th of Sept and today is 11 of October I have bin called away from home twice & had to stay 1 & 2 weeks & when at home I was so crowded with business that I could not get the time to write but I hope that you will not be so long answewring this & I hope I will do better next time N B if you wish to write to your Sister Margaret you will direct to Mrs. M D Wiggins Sumter C Yallho Po Fla I know she would be proud to hear from you I have not had a letter from them in some time I think it has bin about three months I have not writen to T F C noe sally yet but I think I will before long all is well today only C S has the colic but not so vary bad & I struck a old rusty hairpin in my foot over 2 weks since & its vary sore yet. Fredonia & her husband is well & getting along splendid he is clerking in a store in Palatka Laura & hers is well & doing well so I must close I remain your loving mother until death
Elizabeth Nichols
Note: This letter was written to John A, and Leca Amanda Nichols in Covington County, Alabama. Mentioned above is C. S., Charlotte S., her daughter; Mrs. M. D. Wiggins, her daughter, Margaret, married to James Leonard Wiggins; T. F. C., her son Thomas Francis Cicero in Hamilton County, Texas; Sally, her daughter, married to John Sparkman, in Hamilton, Texas. The relationship of Fredonia and Laura are believed to be grandchildren.
Palatka, Fla July 29th, 1883
Mr. J. A. Nichols
Kind Son
I will now try to answer your much welcom letter of the first inst I was glad to hear from you & family & hear that all was well I am shure that health is one of the greatest of all earthly blessings but I have not enjoyed much of it lately I was taken sick the 11th of May about 5 weeks I lay with but little hope of recovering & when I did begin to mend it was vary slow I was so vary weak & about the time I got able to get up & down the door steps the Earecypelous taken me on boath my legs It got so bad I could not walk for a while it has got better but is not well yet I have not felt one minets ease since it first taken me when I stir a little or set up much my feet and legs swells to a site this is the reason why I have not answered your letter before now for I have had it 2 weeks the rest of my family is all tolerable well at this time it is not comon for us all to be well at one time
I will say to you that I am making arangements to start next Tuesday to go down south to see your sister Margaret I have not seen her in going on 10 years I purpose going to Palatka Tuesday stay thare until Thursday evening then take the steam boat up to St. John, 75 miles then take a train across to lake haris then take a steam boat to near whare she lives the place whare I will land at is called Helenia I purpose staying with her some 4 or 5 weeks after which time I hope to return home again and receive an answer to this & then if you will send me about $15 or 20 I will try to go & spend the winter and prehaps the remainder of my life with you & the rest of the family it is vary hard for me to think of leaveing home but I do want to see you all so bad. You said that you had a letter from T F C the next time that you write to me please give me the name of his post office & if I live to get it I will write to him & let him know that I am not dead yet
John prehaps you have heard of the death of your Brother Henry if you have not I will say to you that I got a lettewr from his wife that said he died the 30th of Apriel he was taken down for death of fridya & died the next Monday week she said that he had joined the Methodist church the August before & seamed to be trying to do rite a few days before his death he was visited by 2 Preachers they talked to him concerning his future hopes he told then that he did not fear death that all was well only he hatted to leeave his wife & children he was speachless 2 days before he died. After he was dead the doctors cut him open to see what was the mater with him, an absess had opened on his liver & had bursted inside of him & that he did not have more than half a pound of liver left, she said that he was decently buried & she had gone with her 3 children to live with her mother & Brother. I have answered her letter Nety is married to a Mr. Brown & I supose is doing well. So I must rest a little and write again
I will tell you something about how we get along since we moved to this place it is 3 ½ miles to town before I got sick I went myself since that C S goes hunts up work sewing such as making garments peaceing up or quilting bedquilts sometimes we sell a quilt top for we generaly keep a suply on hand we have lately sold 3 tops & since has quilted one of them the whole amount $12.50 cts so you see how we make our suport it comes by the litlles but we have bin able so far to keep something to eat & a little to wear we could get along here vary well if we only could have health but we are oftain thrown back by sickness my love and good wishes send to Amanda & all the children tell Julia that my prear for her is that she may hold out faithful until death & adorn her profession by a pious walk & godly conversation let her motto be never to look back. I will close for my paper is full & my pen is worn out I remain your Mother as ever fairwell
Elizabeth Nichols
Note: The letter above was written to John A. Nichols and his wife Amanda in Covington County, Alabama. Others mentioned are her son Henry, C. S., her daughter Charlotte S. Nichols, and Margaret S., another daughter, wife of James Leonard Wiggins. Julia, a granddaughter, the daughter of John and Amanda Nichols. T. F. C. is also a son of Elizabeth. He is Thomas Francis Cicero who was living in Hamilton County, Texas. Nety was her granddaughter, daughter of Henry Nichols and his first wife.
Palatka Fla November the 2nd, 1884
Kind son to you and the family I wish to send my respects & best wishes by writing you a few lines in answer to your much welcom letter of the 17th of Oct I got it the 28th. I was glad to hear that you and your family was all well & doing so well this leaves me & family all in tolerable good health as for myself I have but a little rite to complain when I have lived long enough on this earth until I have seen enough Sundays to make 10 years & yet I am able to do as much work as I think it is my duty to do ( & that is not much) I can say that we are getting along vary well we get as much work as we are able to do C S washes & iorns & sews on her mashene & I pease up & quilt & sell bed quilts we keep plenty to eat & wear but we lack a house and home of our own & we are trying as hard as we can to reach that C S has bout 1 aker of ground near on the RR 4 miles west of Palatka ½ mile from a station they call Frances Stattion but now we want lumber & money to opay a carpenter to build a house but we hope that our luch will be to get it between this & next spring & then I will talk about comeing to see you after the cold wether abates for I don't think that it would do well for me to go thare in cold wether
It is my wish to go 7 see you all one time more before I Die give me love & good wished to Elanorah, husband I was a little surprised to hear of their marage for they were boath so young it is little strange to me to know that I have 2 grandchildren that has married in the Gaitwood family prehaps that here is some more of them that will do the same I hope they will all do well
So in the close of my I will say that if you wish me to come you will save up your money by the middle of march next & if I am living then I will be ready to take a plesant ride to Ala but I hope to hear from you several times between now & then so I remain your mother as ever Fairwell
Elizabeth Nichols
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8. KINCHEN ELIAS (ELLIS) NICHOLS September 21, 1815 - July 01, 1877
(Son of Conrad Nichols)
Kinchen E. Nichols is believed to have been the last child of Conrad Nichols born September 21, 1815 in either Laurens or Edgewood County, South Carolina. Joe Russell Nichols in his research of 1932 stated that Kinchen E. was Kinchen Ellis Nichols. There is no Kinchen Ellis Nichols listed in any Census. With exception to the 1870 Pike County, Alabama Census he was listed as K. E. or Kinchen. In the 1870 Census he is listed as “Elias.”
In the biography of Conrad it is written that Kinchen was taken into the home of a Mrs. Timmons after the death of Conrad and his wife. That is believed to have been about 1820. As stated, the only Timmons listed as “head of household” in the 1820 Laurens County Census is Catherine Timmons.
Shortly after Kinchens’ adoption, he was moved to Alabama, to an area then called the "Dander Community". This community was located in what is now Pike County. Pike became a county in 1821, being formed from Montgomery and Henry County. It is not known if Kinchen was moved prior to this time. There are no Timmons listed in the 1830 Census for Pike County, Alabama. There are two Timmons families listed in neighboring Montgomery County. They are Jeremiah and Moses Timmons. Of interest in the 1840 Montgomery County Census is Kinchen with two females in the house. This is before he married. One female is 15 + and the other is about 40. Could this be Mrs. Timmons?
Kinchen's brother William, as well as several relatives, moved through Pike County in the first half of the nineteenth century. Kinchen spent most of his life in this area, being raised totally uneducated.
Kinchen married two times. He first married in Pike County January 05, 1840 to Hannah S. Carr, the daughter of Isaac and Rosanna Carr. She is listed as being born in Alabama about 1822 in the 1850 Pike County Census. Also listed in this Census is Kinchen, born 1819 in South Carolina; Deborah, born 1840; Joel, born 1842, Isaac, born 1845; and Judson, born 1848. In addition to those children listed in the 1850 Pike County Census the following are listed in the 1860 Pike County Census. They are: Julia A., born 1852; Jesse R., born 1854; Emma A., born 1856; and Christopher C., born 1858. A total of eleven children were born to Kinchen and Hannah. The one not listed in the Census is James A., born 1861.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Kinchen was forty-five and not considered eligible for military service. However, the situation had changed for the South by 1862 as well as the eligibility and age requirements for service. Kinchen enlisted in the Confederate Army August 18, 1862 in Troy, Alabama. His first duty assignment was with the 1st Regiment of the Alabama Calvary, Company E. What action he may have seen with the 1st Alabama Calvary is unknown. On April 30, 1863, he was reassigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Georgia Sharpshooters, Company D. Serving with this unit; Kinchen was involved with many engagements with Union Forces, being wounded at "Pickett's Mill" in Dallas, Georgia during the Battle of Atlanta May 27, 1864. After medical release September 29, 1864, he was transferred to the "Invalid Corps" of the Confederate Provisional Army in Montgomery, Alabama. On the 17th of June 1865, he was pardoned by The United States Government and released to return home.
The following is taken from the research of Joe Russell Nichols in the 1930s and tells the story of Kinchen when he was wounded.
The two sides were camped near to each other and he was on picket duty. He saw a Yankee step from behind a tree and aim deliberately at him. Nichols at once raised his gun and was in the act of "drawing a bead" when the Yankee fired. The Yankee's bullet hit the end of grandfather's gun barrel and thus saved his head from getting the full effect of the deadly "Mini Ball". The bullet divided and lost its force, some of it striking his forehead and portions of hot lead passing under the gun and striking his hands. His left hand was permanently injured, having the two middle fingers drawn to the palm while the little finger stood out strait, leaving him the use of only the thumb and forefinger on the left had. When grandfather was shot he dropped his gun and a companion said to their sergeant, "Shoot that man that shot Nichols!" The sergeant replied, "Shoot him yourself, dam it, you have a gun there."
It is not mentioned in this story what fate fell on the Union soldier. Hopefully he too survived.
Disaster, always a close companion with Kinchen, never gave up its chase. Three days after his release from service, his wife Hannah died. The cause of death is unknown. It can be noted, however; that there was an epidemic of Small Pox in this area after the war, brought home by the returning troops of the South. Where Hannah is buried is unknown. She may be buried at the Good Hope Cemetery in Pike County. After her death a very close bond was forged between Kinchen and his surviving children.
In December 1866, Kinchen married Martha Margaret - Reeves, a widow with five children. They were Cisero, Jim, Anna, Sam, and Nettie. Her former husband, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Reeves, was in action during the war at the "Battle of Port Houston". He is listed in the 1866 Pike County Population Schedule as death by sickness. Sam Reeves, one of her sons, left home and went to Texas after she married Kinchen and did not return until after his death. The rest remained with her and Kinchen. Six children were born to the union of Kinchen and Martha.
Kinchen and Martha are listed in the 1870 Pike County, Alabama Census. As noted earlier Kinchen is listed as Elias, age 50, born in South Carolina. Martha is listed as Margaret, age 38, born in Alabama. The children of Kinchen and Hannah listed are: Lissame, listed as Louisana, age 19; Jessee, age 15; Emma, age 13; and Christopher, age 11. The children of Kinchen and Martha listed are: John a., age 9; Oscar, age 2. The children of Martha’s prior marriage are: William C. Reeves, age 15; James W., age 12; and Sarah E., age.
Though Kinchen owned his own farm in the "Jaquin Community" northeast of Luverne, Alabama, he worked with Thomas Meadows, a son-in-law, at "The Murphree Plantation" near Luverne. Kinchen was an Overseer. It is likely that Margaret managed the farm and her children must have worked it. During this early period of "Reconstruction", making a living was very difficult, with every possible avenue of revenue being sought.
Disaster finally caught up with Kinchen on Sunday, July 01, 1877. The following story, taken from a Troy, Alabama newspaper, paints a sad picture of Kinchen's last day.
A SAD AFFAIR
A Father and his Son go to a Watery Death in the Conecuh
A very sad occurrence took place about five miles from town on Sunday morning last. Mr. Ellis Nichols and an old respected citizen of this county, who lives on the plantation of Mr. Joel D. Murpree, on the Conecuh River, accompanied by his son-in-law, Mr. Thomas Meadows and three of his sons went to the river to bathe after a week's work in the dusty farm. The place selected was a shallow sand bar adjoining a whole of some ten feet in depth/ Neither Mr. Nichols or Meadows were expert swimmers, and the boys could not swim at all. He instructed them to stay where the water was shallow while he and his son-in-law ventured where it was deeper. By the force of the current or other means one of the little boys, Oscar Nichols, got beyond his depth and was drowning when discovered by his father. Mr. Meadows immediately came to the rescue and was clinched by the drowning boy in such a manner as to be unable to swim out. At this crises, Mr. Nichols swam up to assist and was grasped by his son who released Mr. Meadows who in turn made his way to shallow water in a thoroughly exhausted condition Upon reaching a foot hold he turned to see the old man and his child, clasped in a deaths embrace, rise for the last time. He procured a pole and hurried out a log near where they sank with the vain hope that they might rise again, but they were gone forever. Neighbors were notified and after an hour or more the bodies were recovered and carried home to the heartbroken family who saw them go away a few hours before in perfect health. On Monday they were buried at Good Hope where Mr. Nichols had held membership.
After Kinchen's death Martha sold their farm and moved to the "Hephzibah Community" near Troy, Alabama where she bought another farm. She is listed in the 1880 Pike County, Alabama Census with the following children: John, age 12; Pleasant, age 9; Payton, age 5; and Hinton, age 3. These are all children of Kinchen. Listed living next door in this census is the James Reeves family.
Sam, Martha’s son from her marriage to Carrol Reeves, returned home from Texas to help her with the farm after Kinchen’s death. Martha died February 02, 1892 and was buried at the Spring Hill Cemetery on Highway 87, south of Troy, Alabama.
Note: The 1st AL CAL was formed at Montgomery, Alabama 12 November 1861 with companies recruited from Autauga, Butler, Calhoun, Dale, Mobile, Montgomery, Monroe, Morgan, Pike, and Tallapoosa Counties. The Nichols who were mustered into service at that time were; Arthur, Benjamin (a cousin to Kinchen), Jasper, Alfred, David, Edward, General Morgan, Issac (Kinchen's son), Jacob, James, Larry, and Stephen Nichols. This muster was in 1861; Kinchen didn't enlist until 1862.
Crenshaw County, a reconstruction county, was formed in 1866 from parts of Pike and Butler County.
Children of Kinchen and Hannah
36. Deborah Nichols
37. Joel Nichols
38. Rosina Nichols
39. Issac Monroe Nichols
40. Judson C. (Jud) Nichols
41. Lissame (Seamy) Nichols
42. Julia Ann Nichols
43. Jesse Robert (Bob) Nichols
44. Emma Nichols
45. Christopher Columbus Nichols
46. James A. Nichols
Children of Kinchen and Martha
47. John Nichols
48. Oscar Nichols
49. Plesant Nichols
50. Payton Nichols
51. Jeptha Nichols
52. Carroll Hinton Nichols
8. KINCHEN ELIAS (ELLIS) NICHOLS September 21, 1815 - July 01, 1877
(Son of Conrad Nichols)
Kinchen E. Nichols is believed to have been the last child of Conrad Nichols born September 21, 1815 in either Laurens or Edgewood County, South Carolina. Joe Russell Nichols in his research of 1932 stated that Kinchen E. was Kinchen Ellis Nichols. There is no Kinchen Ellis Nichols listed in any Census. With exception to the 1870 Pike County, Alabama Census he was listed as K. E. or Kinchen. In the 1870 Census he is listed as “Elias.”
In the biography of Conrad it is written that Kinchen was taken into the home of a Mrs. Timmons after the death of Conrad and his wife. That is believed to have been about 1820. As stated, the only Timmons listed as “head of household” in the 1820 Laurens County Census is Catherine Timmons.
Shortly after Kinchens’ adoption, he was moved to Alabama, to an area then called the "Dander Community". This community was located in what is now Pike County. Pike became a county in 1821, being formed from Montgomery and Henry County. It is not known if Kinchen was moved prior to this time. There are no Timmons listed in the 1830 Census for Pike County, Alabama. There are two Timmons families listed in neighboring Montgomery County. They are Jeremiah and Moses Timmons. Of interest in the 1840 Montgomery County Census is Kinchen with two females in the house. This is before he married. One female is 15 + and the other is about 40. Could this be Mrs. Timmons?
Kinchen's brother William, as well as several relatives, moved through Pike County in the first half of the nineteenth century. Kinchen spent most of his life in this area, being raised totally uneducated.
Kinchen married two times. He first married in Pike County January 05, 1840 to Hannah S. Carr, the daughter of Isaac and Rosanna Carr. She is listed as being born in Alabama about 1822 in the 1850 Pike County Census. Also listed in this Census is Kinchen, born 1819 in South Carolina; Deborah, born 1840; Joel, born 1842, Isaac, born 1845; and Judson, born 1848. In addition to those children listed in the 1850 Pike County Census the following are listed in the 1860 Pike County Census. They are: Julia A., born 1852; Jesse R., born 1854; Emma A., born 1856; and Christopher C., born 1858. A total of eleven children were born to Kinchen and Hannah. The one not listed in the Census is James A., born 1861.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Kinchen was forty-five and not considered eligible for military service. However, the situation had changed for the South by 1862 as well as the eligibility and age requirements for service. Kinchen enlisted in the Confederate Army August 18, 1862 in Troy, Alabama. His first duty assignment was with the 1st Regiment of the Alabama Calvary, Company E. What action he may have seen with the 1st Alabama Calvary is unknown. On April 30, 1863, he was reassigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Georgia Sharpshooters, Company D. Serving with this unit; Kinchen was involved with many engagements with Union Forces, being wounded at "Pickett's Mill" in Dallas, Georgia during the Battle of Atlanta May 27, 1864. After medical release September 29, 1864, he was transferred to the "Invalid Corps" of the Confederate Provisional Army in Montgomery, Alabama. On the 17th of June 1865, he was pardoned by The United States Government and released to return home.
The following is taken from the research of Joe Russell Nichols in the 1930s and tells the story of Kinchen when he was wounded.
The two sides were camped near to each other and he was on picket duty. He saw a Yankee step from behind a tree and aim deliberately at him. Nichols at once raised his gun and was in the act of "drawing a bead" when the Yankee fired. The Yankee's bullet hit the end of grandfather's gun barrel and thus saved his head from getting the full effect of the deadly "Mini Ball". The bullet divided and lost its force, some of it striking his forehead and portions of hot lead passing under the gun and striking his hands. His left hand was permanently injured, having the two middle fingers drawn to the palm while the little finger stood out strait, leaving him the use of only the thumb and forefinger on the left had. When grandfather was shot he dropped his gun and a companion said to their sergeant, "Shoot that man that shot Nichols!" The sergeant replied, "Shoot him yourself, dam it, you have a gun there."
It is not mentioned in this story what fate fell on the Union soldier. Hopefully he too survived.
Disaster, always a close companion with Kinchen, never gave up its chase. Three days after his release from service, his wife Hannah died. The cause of death is unknown. It can be noted, however; that there was an epidemic of Small Pox in this area after the war, brought home by the returning troops of the South. Where Hannah is buried is unknown. She may be buried at the Good Hope Cemetery in Pike County. After her death a very close bond was forged between Kinchen and his surviving children.
In December 1866, Kinchen married Martha Margaret - Reeves, a widow with five children. They were Cisero, Jim, Anna, Sam, and Nettie. Her former husband, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Reeves, was in action during the war at the "Battle of Port Houston". He is listed in the 1866 Pike County Population Schedule as death by sickness. Sam Reeves, one of her sons, left home and went to Texas after she married Kinchen and did not return until after his death. The rest remained with her and Kinchen. Six children were born to the union of Kinchen and Martha.
Kinchen and Martha are listed in the 1870 Pike County, Alabama Census. As noted earlier Kinchen is listed as Elias, age 50, born in South Carolina. Martha is listed as Margaret, age 38, born in Alabama. The children of Kinchen and Hannah listed are: Lissame, listed as Louisana, age 19; Jessee, age 15; Emma, age 13; and Christopher, age 11. The children of Kinchen and Martha listed are: John a., age 9; Oscar, age 2. The children of Martha’s prior marriage are: William C. Reeves, age 15; James W., age 12; and Sarah E., age.
Though Kinchen owned his own farm in the "Jaquin Community" northeast of Luverne, Alabama, he worked with Thomas Meadows, a son-in-law, at "The Murphree Plantation" near Luverne. Kinchen was an Overseer. It is likely that Margaret managed the farm and her children must have worked it. During this early period of "Reconstruction", making a living was very difficult, with every possible avenue of revenue being sought.
Disaster finally caught up with Kinchen on Sunday, July 01, 1877. The following story, taken from a Troy, Alabama newspaper, paints a sad picture of Kinchen's last day.
A SAD AFFAIR
A Father and his Son go to a Watery Death in the Conecuh
A very sad occurrence took place about five miles from town on Sunday morning last. Mr. Ellis Nichols and an old respected citizen of this county, who lives on the plantation of Mr. Joel D. Murpree, on the Conecuh River, accompanied by his son-in-law, Mr. Thomas Meadows and three of his sons went to the river to bathe after a week's work in the dusty farm. The place selected was a shallow sand bar adjoining a whole of some ten feet in depth/ Neither Mr. Nichols or Meadows were expert swimmers, and the boys could not swim at all. He instructed them to stay where the water was shallow while he and his son-in-law ventured where it was deeper. By the force of the current or other means one of the little boys, Oscar Nichols, got beyond his depth and was drowning when discovered by his father. Mr. Meadows immediately came to the rescue and was clinched by the drowning boy in such a manner as to be unable to swim out. At this crises, Mr. Nichols swam up to assist and was grasped by his son who released Mr. Meadows who in turn made his way to shallow water in a thoroughly exhausted condition Upon reaching a foot hold he turned to see the old man and his child, clasped in a deaths embrace, rise for the last time. He procured a pole and hurried out a log near where they sank with the vain hope that they might rise again, but they were gone forever. Neighbors were notified and after an hour or more the bodies were recovered and carried home to the heartbroken family who saw them go away a few hours before in perfect health. On Monday they were buried at Good Hope where Mr. Nichols had held membership.
After Kinchen's death Martha sold their farm and moved to the "Hephzibah Community" near Troy, Alabama where she bought another farm. She is listed in the 1880 Pike County, Alabama Census with the following children: John, age 12; Pleasant, age 9; Payton, age 5; and Hinton, age 3. These are all children of Kinchen. Listed living next door in this census is the James Reeves family.
Sam, Martha’s son from her marriage to Carrol Reeves, returned home from Texas to help her with the farm after Kinchen’s death. Martha died February 02, 1892 and was buried at the Spring Hill Cemetery on Highway 87, south of Troy, Alabama.
Note: The 1st AL CAL was formed at Montgomery, Alabama 12 November 1861 with companies recruited from Autauga, Butler, Calhoun, Dale, Mobile, Montgomery, Monroe, Morgan, Pike, and Tallapoosa Counties. The Nichols who were mustered into service at that time were; Arthur, Benjamin (a cousin to Kinchen), Jasper, Alfred, David, Edward, General Morgan, Issac (Kinchen's son), Jacob, James, Larry, and Stephen Nichols. This muster was in 1861; Kinchen didn't enlist until 1862.
Crenshaw County, a reconstruction county, was formed in 1866 from parts of Pike and Butler County.
Children of Kinchen and Hannah
36. Deborah Nichols
37. Joel Nichols
38. Rosina Nichols
39. Issac Monroe Nichols
40. Judson C. (Jud) Nichols
41. Lissame (Seamy) Nichols
42. Julia Ann Nichols
43. Jesse Robert (Bob) Nichols
44. Emma Nichols
45. Christopher Columbus Nichols
46. James A. Nichols
Children of Kinchen and Martha
47. John Nichols
48. Oscar Nichols
49. Plesant Nichols
50. Payton Nichols
51. Jeptha Nichols
52. Carroll Hinton Nichols
NICHOLS CEMETERY - The land was donated in 1843 by Prosper Nichols. The first burial is said to have been a child of Samuel Shields. Prosper Nichols was a settler in Franklin Township in 1839, a former resident of Harrison County, Ohio, and died in 1868.
Located on the South side of 950S, approximately 1/2 mile west of S.R. 19, in Franklin Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana. A sign on the gate shows: Nichols Cemetery Assn., Inc., Joe Miller, Omar Leininger, Robert Heighway, Ruth Heighway, Sec., Akron R#2.
NICHOLS, Infant son of S. & L. Nichols, d. ----
NICHOLS, Lavina, wife of Samuel Nichols, d. June 1, 1859, ae 30y-4m-15d
NICHOLS, Susannah, wife of P. Nichols, d. Jan 6, 1867, ae 70y-11m-21d
NICHOLS
(1) Susanna, d. Jan 6, 1867
(2) Prosper, d. Oct 18, 1866
NICHOLS, David, d. May 29, 1874, ae 55y-8m-19d
NICHOLS, Charlotte, wife of David Nichols, Mar 20, 1824 - May 6, 1907, ae 83y-1m-16d
NICHOLS, Aaron, son of P. & S. Nichols, d. Sep 25, 1851, ae 20y-5m-23d
NICHOLS, Samuel, d. Feb 26, 1859, ae 31y-9m-16d (loose stone against the tree)
NICHOLS, Mary, dau of S. & S. Nichols, d. Feb 13, 1849, ae 1y-2m
NICHOLS, David, son of S. & S. Nichols, d. Apr 1, 1845, ae 9m-10d
NICHOLS
(1) Solomon, d. Sep 23, 1881, ae 65y-8d
(2) Sarah, wife of S. Nichols, d. Mar 23, 1909, ae 89y-3m
NICHOLS
(1) Marcellus, Nov 30, 1849 - Apr 14, 1920
(2) Susan M., his wife, Oct 23, 1853 - May 9, 1929
Located on the South side of 950S, approximately 1/2 mile west of S.R. 19, in Franklin Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana. A sign on the gate shows: Nichols Cemetery Assn., Inc., Joe Miller, Omar Leininger, Robert Heighway, Ruth Heighway, Sec., Akron R#2.
NICHOLS, Infant son of S. & L. Nichols, d. ----
NICHOLS, Lavina, wife of Samuel Nichols, d. June 1, 1859, ae 30y-4m-15d
NICHOLS, Susannah, wife of P. Nichols, d. Jan 6, 1867, ae 70y-11m-21d
NICHOLS
(1) Susanna, d. Jan 6, 1867
(2) Prosper, d. Oct 18, 1866
NICHOLS, David, d. May 29, 1874, ae 55y-8m-19d
NICHOLS, Charlotte, wife of David Nichols, Mar 20, 1824 - May 6, 1907, ae 83y-1m-16d
NICHOLS, Aaron, son of P. & S. Nichols, d. Sep 25, 1851, ae 20y-5m-23d
NICHOLS, Samuel, d. Feb 26, 1859, ae 31y-9m-16d (loose stone against the tree)
NICHOLS, Mary, dau of S. & S. Nichols, d. Feb 13, 1849, ae 1y-2m
NICHOLS, David, son of S. & S. Nichols, d. Apr 1, 1845, ae 9m-10d
NICHOLS
(1) Solomon, d. Sep 23, 1881, ae 65y-8d
(2) Sarah, wife of S. Nichols, d. Mar 23, 1909, ae 89y-3m
NICHOLS
(1) Marcellus, Nov 30, 1849 - Apr 14, 1920
(2) Susan M., his wife, Oct 23, 1853 - May 9, 1929
Isaac NICHOLS was born about 1720 in Hockessin, New Castle Co., Delaware. He died on May 9, 1803 in Hockessin, New Castle Co., Delaware. 9 children. He own several thousand acres in Lincoln County, Va. The Family moved Jul 30,1743 with Margery brother Harmon to Hopewell MM He was married to Margery COX on March 26, 1742 in Kennett MM, Kennett Square, Chester Co., Pennsylvania.
Margery COX was born about 1724 in Mill Creek, New Castle Hundred, Delaware.
Isaac NICHOLS and Margery COX had the following children:
i. William NICHOLS.
ii. Catherine NICHOLS.
iii. Rebecca NICHOLS was born on September 14, 1749 in Goose Creek, Loudoun Co., Virginia.
iv. Ruth NICHOLS.
v. Samuel NICHOLS.
vi. Isaac NICHOLS Jr..
vii. Mary NICHOLS.
Margery COX was born about 1724 in Mill Creek, New Castle Hundred, Delaware.
Isaac NICHOLS and Margery COX had the following children:
i. William NICHOLS.
ii. Catherine NICHOLS.
iii. Rebecca NICHOLS was born on September 14, 1749 in Goose Creek, Loudoun Co., Virginia.
iv. Ruth NICHOLS.
v. Samuel NICHOLS.
vi. Isaac NICHOLS Jr..
vii. Mary NICHOLS.
Thomas NICHOLS was born about 1676 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England. He died on September 27, 1741 in Chester, Pennsylvania. !The family was Quaker. In 1711 requested certificate of transfer from Rugely MM in Staffordshire. Accepted in Aug 1712 in the Philadelphia MM, 2 years later jointed the Neward\Kennett MM. 1715 warrent for 500 acres in Chester Cty, Pa. He was married to Mary LUDFORD on July 13, 1704 in Staffordshire, England.
Mary LUDFORD was born on November 7, 1687 in Baddesley Ensor, Warwickshire, England. She died on March 14, 1770 in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Thomas NICHOLS and Mary LUDFORD had the following children:
i. John NICHOLS was born about 1705 in Christiana Hundred, New Castle Co., Delaware. !Kennett Monthly Meeting of Friends Records
ii. Mary NICHOLS was born about 1713 in England.
iii. Daniel NICHOLS was born about 1715 in England.
iv. Thomas NICHOLS died about 1788 in Wilmington, Delaware. He was born Est 1717 in Staffordshire, England.
v. Joseph NICHOLS was born about 1718 in Staffordshire, England.
vi. Isaac NICHOLS.
vii. Ann NICHOLS was born about 1723 in Staffordshire, England.
viii. Samuel NICHOLS was born about 1725 in Staffordshire, England. He died about 1777 in Newcastle Co., Delaware.
Mary LUDFORD was born on November 7, 1687 in Baddesley Ensor, Warwickshire, England. She died on March 14, 1770 in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Thomas NICHOLS and Mary LUDFORD had the following children:
i. John NICHOLS was born about 1705 in Christiana Hundred, New Castle Co., Delaware. !Kennett Monthly Meeting of Friends Records
ii. Mary NICHOLS was born about 1713 in England.
iii. Daniel NICHOLS was born about 1715 in England.
iv. Thomas NICHOLS died about 1788 in Wilmington, Delaware. He was born Est 1717 in Staffordshire, England.
v. Joseph NICHOLS was born about 1718 in Staffordshire, England.
vi. Isaac NICHOLS.
vii. Ann NICHOLS was born about 1723 in Staffordshire, England.
viii. Samuel NICHOLS was born about 1725 in Staffordshire, England. He died about 1777 in Newcastle Co., Delaware.
Susan Elizabeth Nichols, the eighth child of Joel Lafayette Nichols, Sr., and Susan Elizabeth Wellmaker, was born in the Mt. Ida Community in Crenshaw County, Alabama, July 13, 1870. She was known by her friends as "Aunt Sudie." She married in Crenshaw County, Alabama, January 18, 1903, to William J. Nichols, known as "Georgia Bill."
The marriage of Susan to William raised a few eyebrows during its time and still to this day is mentioned in family circles. This is a twig in the family tree that grew back into itself. William was the first cousin, once removed, of Susan. William was the son of Newton Nichols, and grandson of William J. Nichols and Mary Crook. William was the brother of Joel Lafayette Nichols, Sr., father of Susan Elizabeth Nichols. William met Susan when he was visiting his Alabama relatives. He was born in Wilkes County, Georgia, May 15, 1873. When William and Susan married, Susan's parents had already passed away.
Though it is unknown what William did as a profession, it is reasonable to assume that he lived his life as a farmer. He and Susan lived on the land that was owned by her father until their deaths. William died November 30, 1948. Susan died in 1949 on April 16. No children were born to this union.
The Gravesites of Susan Elizabeth Nichols & William J (Georgia Bill) Nichols
Susan, are located at the Mount Ida Church Cemetery in Crenshaw County, Alabama. Susan's epitaph reads "At Rest." William's reads, "Gone but not forgotten."