1. Edmund NICHOLSON, born about 1612/15 in Bootle, Cumberland County, England; died 1660 in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Edmund married in 1637 in Bootle Elisabeth SIMSON, born about 1616 in England; she died in Massachusetts.

      Edmund came to America in 1644 from Bootle[1]. Bootle is on the coast of the Irish Sea and Cumberland County is a northwestern county in England next to the Scottish border. I have a possible birth date for Edmund Nicholson as 1593, and possible ancestry sent to me by Shirle Lamb Williams of Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Edmund son of William Nicholson (1550-1641 York, England) and Winifred Crosse married in 1590. William son of Thomas Nicholson (1520-1595 Newcastle, England) and Isabel Ward (d.1584) were married in 1549.  Thomas son of John Nicholson married Anne Barber (daughter of Robert Barber) in 1507.  John son of John Nicholson married Elizabeth Hayward (daughter of William Hayward and Jean Wilcocks) in 1480 at Kinston on Hull. John, Sr,  son of William Nicholson. (Shirle found this in a book in Salt Lake City, 130 pages with no author or date and has no idea how reliable it is. It seems unlikely that the information from this book is correct since Edmund did not name any of his children William or Winifred)

      Edmund Nicholson was a freeholder when Marblehead became a town on 2 May 1649.  The Nicholsons were one of the original families that petitioned Salem for their own town.  He was living in Marblehead as early as 1644.

        There was a Francis Simson, a selectman on the first board of Marblehead and first constable who lived there until 1666 then moved to Rhode Island having become a Quaker[2]. Elizabeth married 2nd ? Brown before 1673[3].

      Children of Edmund NICHOLSON and Elisabeth SIMSON were as follows:

+    2          i      Christopher NICHOLSON, born about 1638 in England; died 10 Sep 1688 in Perquimans County, North Carolina. He married 1st Hannah REDNAP; 2nd Ann ATWOOD.

      3          ii     Joseph NICHOLSON, born about 1641 in England married Jane [-?-].Joseph Nicholson and his wife Jane, who was great with child, came to Salem about 18 March 1659/60, and John Southwick took them into his house. On April 3d, the selectmen fined him twenty shillings a week thereafter while they remained in the town.  They were Quakers, and on May 30th were banished from the colony on pain of death, being ordered to depart by the next Wednesday.  They could not secure passage to England, to which place the general court permitted them to go. In the winter of 1660/1, Joseph Nicholson and his wife who had been arrested at Salem because of their Quaker beliefs were imprisoned in the Boston Jail. On 16 Oct 1660 the general court granted the request of the Quakers then in prison that they might go to England, provided they go in the ship then bound for England; and this order included Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson. A letter, written from the jail in Boston by John Smith to his wife's brother, Joshua Buffum, and dated 4 Nov 1660 states that William Ledra, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson, Edward Wharton, Mrs. Trask and William King were with the writer and his wife in the Boston Jail.  He also states that Joseph Nicholson and his wife and child who came to take passage to England went before the court and his liberty was granted to go away and a boat pressed to carry him on board the ship at Nantasket. However, the master of the ship refused to carry him and he came up to Boston again and went before the Governor and desired to have a prison room or some other private house to live in until there was another opportunity to go.....Only Joseph Nicholson and his wife shall pass to England when the opportunity presents itself[4]. It would seem that Jane Nicholson had her baby in prison.  Joseph later wrote to Friends that he went to England because he didn't see how his death and the death of his family would help anyone.

      4          iii    Samuel NICHOLSON, born about 1644, either in England, Massachusetts or somewhere in between. His parents came to the colonies in 1644, the approximate time of his birth. He was still living in 1674[5].

      5          iv    John NICHOLSON, born about 1646 in Massachusetts. He was still living in 1665[6].

      6          v     Elisabeth NICHOLSON, born about 1649 in Massachusetts married Nicholson Anderson[7].

      7          vi    Thomas NICHOLSON, born about 1654 in Massachusetts.  He was living in 1669[8].

Generation 2

2. Christopher NICHOLSON  (Edmund), born about 1638 in England; died 10 Sep 1688 in Perquimans County, North Carolina.  He married 1st on 22 Oct 1662 in Marblehead, Massachusetts Hannah REDNAP, born about 1640; died 2 Dec 1678 in Perquimans, she was the daughter of Joseph REDNAP and Sarah HAUGTON[9]. He married 2nd on 11 Apr 1680 in Perquimans Ann ATWOOD, born about 1653 in Middlesex, England; she died after 11 Feb 1711/12 in Perquimans[10].  Ann was the daughter of Thomas Atwood of Middlesex County, “Ould England”.  She was married at the house of Francis Toms.  She married 2nd Richard Dorman 26 Jun 1690[11]. They had a daughter Hannah Dorman b.30 Mar 1695, who married John Henby at the Lower Meeting House, Perquimans on 24 Nov 1714. Ann married 3rd Richard Cheston/Chaston 11 Feb 1711/2[12].

.

Christopher was in New England, probably Marblehead where he appeared in court on 24 Jun 1662 regarding a fence problem with his neighbor, before going to North Carolina[13].   

      Children of Christopher NICHOLSON and Hannah REDNAP were as follows:

      8          i      Christopher NICHOLSON, born about 1663 in Marblehead, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; died 23 Jun 1723 in Perquimans County, North Carolina.  He married Mary POOL[14].

      9          ii     Deliverance NICHOLSON, born about 1664 in Marblehead, Middlesex County, Massachusetts married[15] 1 Jan (year not given, but between entries for 1673 and 1676) Joseph SUTTON[16].

+    10        iii    Samuel NICHOLSON, born 12 Mar 1665 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 29 Mar 1727 in Perquimans married Elizabeth Charles.

      11       iv     Hannah NICHOLSON, born 4 Mar 1667 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died between 1 Oct 1750 and Jul 1752 in Perquimans.  She married[17] 5 Jul 1685, Berkeley 1st John GOSBY; 2nd Ezekiel MAUDLIN[18].  She proved rights for Jno. Anderson and his wife Jean at February Court in Perquimans in 1694. Rights have to do with the amount of land they receive.

      12         v    Joseph NICHOLSON, born 26 Sep 1670 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died about 1697 in Perquimans.  He married[19] at the Quarterly Meeting (Quaker) 6 Jun 1693, Berkeley Hannah ALBERTSON.[20]

      13         v    John NICHOLSON, born 17 Dec 1673 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died about 1707 in Perquimans.  He married[21] 20 9mo (Nov) 1700 Priscilla TOMS[22]. The Quaker Meeting record reads: John, son of Christopher, late of North Carolina, married Priscila Tomes, at the house of her father, Francis Tomes.

      14       vii     Nathaniel NICHOLSON, born 7 Dec 1675 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died about 1737 in Perquimans.  He married[23] 8mo (Oct) 1704 Sarah HARRIS[24].

      15       viii    Benjamin NICHOLSON, born 26 Nov 1678 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 19 Jan 1712 in Perquimans. He did not marry. In his will dated 19 Jan 1712 Benjamin gives everything to his brother Nathaniel[25].

      Children of Christopher NICHOLSON and Ann ATWOOD were as follows:

      16         i     Elizabeth NICHOLSON, born 13 Jan 1680/81 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 11 Sep 1682 in Perquimans. Elizabeth probably died before 1683/4 because they named another daughter Elizabeth.

      17         ii    Sarah  NICHOLSON, born 15 Aug 1682 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 13 May 1717/18 in Perquimans.  She married[28] 5 5mo (Jul) 1699, Perquimans James NEWBY[29].

      19         iii   Elisabeth NICHOLSON, born 11 Mar 1683/84 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 6 Mar 1720 in Perquimans. Elisabeth, the 2nd child with this name, was married at the house of Francis Tomes on 11 Aug 1701 to John Newby in Perquimans[30].

      20         iv    Thomas NICHOLSON, born 7 Feb 1687 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 4 Mar 1687/88 in Perquimans[31].

      21         v     Ann NICHOLSON, born 8 Feb 1689 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 16 Sep 1743. Ann stated her intention to marry Samuel Bundy on 3 May 1721 at Perquimans Monthly Meeting. She was his 2nd wife[32].

Generation 3

10. Samuel NICHOLSON (Edmund, Christopher), born 12 Mar 1665 in Perquimans County, North Carolina; died 29 Mar 1727 in Perquimans.  He married Elisabeth CHARLES[33].  The Quaker Meeting record reads "Samuel Nicholson & Elizabeth Charles ware Maried at ye quarterle Meeting ye 16th of Dec 1688."[34] One of his deeds reads: "Samuel Nicholson for love I bear my brother, Joseph, do give 200a on North east side of Perquimans River, adj land formerly Joseph Scotts, called "Log House Land" when it shall come into my hands by the death of Ann Dorman, Relict of Christopher Nicholson Dec'd. Oct 5, 1691. Test' Peter Gray, John Kinse, John Lawrence"[35]. Elisabeth CHARLES was born on 8 Jan 1671 in Perquimans County, North Carolina. She died between 19 Mar 1747 and Jan 1748[36] in Perquimans. (SEE CHARLES FAMILY)

             Samuel Nicholson was a justice from Jan. 1696/7 to Apr. 1701 of Perquimans County court. He was also a Burgess in 1708. On 4 Dec 1717 Samuel and other friends up the creek requested to have a week day meeting at his house. Perquimans Meeting ordered it to be on the 4th day of the week (Wed.)[37].

          The will of Samuel Nicholson mentions, wife Elizabeth; Elizabeth Anderson, my daughter, daughter Sarah, son-in-law John Anderson. His will was dated 22 1st mo (Mar) 1728[38].

             Elisabeth declared her intention to marry 2rd Zachariah Nixon 4 Apr 1729[39]. He was the son of Zachariah Nixon and Elizabeth Page.

The will of Elizabeth (Charles) Nicholson Nixon dated 19 Mar 1747/8 proved Jan Court 1748/9. names son-in-law, John Anderson, daughter Elizabeth, daughter Sarah Jones, Grandchildren: Sam'l, John, Joseph, and Sarah Anderson, daughter Sarah Jones, Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Albertson, cousin Joseph, son of Thomas Nicholson. Executor's: John Anderson and grandson Joseph Anderson. Test: Thomas Overman, Joshua Albertson, Thomas Nicholson.

Samuel and Elisabeth Nicholson had the following children:

          11 F   i.   Abigail NICHOLSON was born on 24 Sep 1689 in Perquimans County, North Carolina and died before 1727. She married 12 Jul 1705 Nathaniel Albertson at Samuel Nicholson’s house[40].

             12 F ii.   Hannah NICHOLSON was born on 9 Apr 1692 in Perquimans County, North Carolina. She declared her intention to marry Stephen Scott on 5 Feb 1720/21[41]. They had Elizabeth born 9 Nov 1721, died 20 Mar 1798, married ? Jipson, and Joseph, born 29 Feb 1724, Perquimans[42].

             13 F iii.   Ida NICHOLSON was born on 10 Nov 1694 in Perquimans County, North Carolina. Ida probably died young.

+        14 F  iv.   Elisabeth NICHOLSON was born on 5 Jan 1697 in Perquimans County, North Carolina and died between 25 May 1757 and Jan 1760 Perquimans. She married John Anderson. (SEE ANDERSON FAMILY)

             15 F v.   Sarah NICHOLSON was born on 20 Apr 1706 in Perquimans County, North Carolina. Sarah married John Jones 7 8th mo (Oct) 1741 Perquimans.  John was probably the son of Peter Jones (died 1752).

ENDNOTES