George Washington Nichols (abt. 1821 - abt. 1900)

Born about 1821 in McMinn, Tennessee, United States

Husband of Martha Ann (Oakes) Nichols — married 1848 in Tennessee, USA

Descendants

Died about 1900 at about age 79 in Hiwasse, Benton, Arkansas, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Gayle Foster [send private message]

RESEARCH ISSUES

CAUTION: There was another George Washington Nichols, born and lived about the same time as our George Washington Nichols and many have confused/combined information and made errors in their family trees.

The OTHER George Washington Nichols, son of William Nichols, lived in Alabama and died in Texas, and was married to Ruth Whitworth.

Our George Washington Nichols of Benton County, Arkansas, son of Walter Nichols, was married just ONE time, to Martha Oakes, The TEN children of our "Arkansas" George and Martha are listed below.

Please be cautious and don't confuse "Alabama" George with "Arkansas" George. Many online trees have added Ruth Whitworth as an additional wife, with many additional children to their trees. There are also errors regarding his father, due to the similarity of names.

Also, The tintype photo that has been added by many is of "Alabama" George, not "Arkansas" George.

BIOGRAPHY

BIRTH - McMINN COUNTY, TENNESSEE - George Washington Nichols was born in Tennessee in 1821, probably in McMinn County. McMinn County was created in 1819 from Cherokee Indian Lands known as Hiwassee. Our family legend says that the Nichols family came from Hiwassee Tennessee. Some researchers have his birthplace as Cumberland, Polk County, Tennessee. Polk County was created in 1839 from McMinn and Bradley counties - this suggests that he may have been born in the section of Polk County that was created from McMinn. There is no current-day town named Cumberland in Polk County, but this might refer to an extinct community. George's father and siblings lived in McMinn County in 1840 and 1850 per census records.

MARRIAGE: George was married to Martha Oakes in Tennessee about 1848, and remained married to her until his death in 1897. They were married for almost 50 years!

MOVE TO FENTRESS COUNTY, TENNESSEE - In 1850, George, Martha, and baby Sarah lived in Fentress County, Tennessee. They lived near the John Oakes and William Oakes households, the Wrights also lived in Fentress County. ^[1]

MOVE TO BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS - The Oakes, Wrights, Misers, Shorts Buttrams, Nichols and others moved to Benton County, Arkansas in together. The notebook of George and Martha's son (published in Benton County Historical Journal) was written in New London, Tennessee. The William Oakes and Walter Nichols families came to Benton County, Arkansas by wagon train in 1854 with several other families (some sources say six, some say seven -- including Wrights, Misers, Buttrams, Oakes, Shorts, Blevins). The story of the wagon train journey was passed down in many other family histories.

Wash and Martha and family were pioneer settlers in Benton County, Arkansas. In 1860 George, Martha and family were listed on the census in Benton County, Arkansas, Bentonville Post Office.^[2]

CIVIL WAR - Times were hard during the civil war. Benton County resisted the move toward succession, but after the war came, the majority sympathized with the southern cause and state's rights. A skirmish was fought at McKissick Springs, on Spavinaw, just south of Hiwasse. Bushwhackers roamed the area and stole food, and committed worse crimes. Benton County was greatly plundered -- crops, fences, livestock, homes burned, murders, and robberies. In Bentonville, 36 buildings were burned, including the courthouse. Burnings were done by both North and South. Farming was practically at a standstill because so many young men were gone serving as soldiers. During the Civil War the State of Arkansas cast her lot with the Confederacy and seceded from the Union on May 6, 1861. While the majority of Benton County residents supported secession, many others remained loyal to the Union. Being a loyal citizen of the United States in Benton County could be uncomfortable at minimum, and dangerous at most. Many such residents legitimately feared for their lives. On New Year's Day 1863, the Oakes, Nichols and a number of other Unionist families secured a Federal escort of Missouri Militia and fled north as refugees into pro-Union Missouri. They settled in Leesville, Henry County where they remained until after the war. Their children William and Ellen were born in Henry County Missouri. After the war, in 1867, they moved back to Benton County, Arkansas. ^[3]

LAND RECORDS - The land patents listed below show that George W. Nichols homesteaded two parcels of land (in 1860 & 1876) totaling over eighty-two acres in Section 4, Township 20, Range 31, along Tanyard Creek (about 2.25 NE of Hiwasse). Tanyard Creek (formerly Tan Yard Creek) begins southeast of Hiwasse and flows northeast until it joins Little Sugar Creek. This area is now part of Bella Vista and Tanyard Creek has been dammed to create Lake Windsor. The property lies south of Lake Windsor where Chelsea Road runs along Tanyard Creek. The approximate coordinates are: N36, 26.589; W094, 17.113 (intersection of Chelsea and Plymouth). The area is hilly with a valley along Tanyard Creek. It is now part of Bella Vista (2013) but is still mostly wooded or grassland with a few houses.

In 1887 40 acres (SE NW Sect. 4) was sold/transferred for $48 to his son, William R. Nichols. This transaction was not recorded until 1890. See attached image of the warranty deed with relinquishment of dower. In 1889 the real estate taxes were paid by W. R. Nichols on 40 acres (SE NW Sect. 4). Wash and Martha could not write, they signed with their mark. William R. Nichols immediately sold this land in January of 1890. The 1903 Landownership Atlas shows that these two parcels in section 4, T21, R30 were no longer owned by Nichols family members. The ownership path of the second parcel of land (NE NW Sect. 4), isn't known at this time, as the records have not yet been located.

LAND PATENTS -Federal General Land Office (see attached images)

1) Doc. # 10679 NICHOLAS, GEORGE W; Land Office: Fayetteville, Authority: Sale-Cash Entry, Date: February 1, 1860, Total Acres: 42.37; T20N, R31W -NE fractional quarter of the NW fractional quarter of section 4, Benton County, Arkansas.

2) Doc. # 1052 : 1761; Name: NICHOLS, GEORGE W; Homestead; Date: 3/10/1876, Land Office: HARRISON; Legal Land Descriptions: 1 SE quarter of the NW quarter of section 4, T20-N, R31-W; 40.45 acres, Benton County, Arkansas.

LAND TRANSACTION: Book & Page 32-520; Date Sold 11/7/1887; Date Filed 1/16/1890; Grantor George Nichols To Grantee William R Nichols; Quarter SW; Section 4; Township 20, Range 31, page 117, Book A. (from Index of Benton County Assessor's Land Record Book A, 1838-1899).

A letter written in 1887 by J.J. Carr, father of Amelia Jane Carr Nichols, mentions George Washington Nichols, Sr and refers to him as "old man Nichols". The letter said "I (J.J. Carr) am plowing out ground for old man Nichols down on his farm in Tanyard Holler. We have rented about 12 acres from him. We have built us a house... west of the south 40 acres... of the old man Nichols. Wash and Jane is well. They have three children. --from Research from Chris Gill Lindsay.

Residence 1880 & 1900 in Benton County. ^{[4] [5]}

BURIAL: Our family lore says that George was buried in Gamble Cemetery at McKissick Spring (Centerton, Arkansas). Others think he was buried in the old Buxton Cemetery that is now part of Bella Vista Memorial Gardens. Buxton Cemetery is about three miles northeast of Hiwasse, and is close to George and Martha's home. There are unidentified graves in both cemeteries, and Nichols family buried in both cemeteries, so either location is possible. ^[6]

CHILDREN (Eleven born per her obit, ten are known)

George Washington NICHOLS and Martha Ann OAKES had the following ten children:

i. Sarah E NICHOLS, born 1849, Tennessee, USA; married George William 'Bill' BOLIN, 30 Sep 1869, Bentonville, Benton, Arkansas, USA; died USA.

ii. Letitia NICHOLS, born 15 Dec 1850, Tennessee, USA; married John Anderson MCCOMBS, 21 Sep 1869, Benton County, Arkansas, USA; died 25 Jan 1926, Delaware County, Oklahoma, USA.

iii. Mary Jane NICHOLS, born 19 Nov 1853, Tennessee, USA; married Moses SUTTON, 3 Sep 1874, Benton County, Arkansas, USA; died 7 Feb 1931, McDonald County, Missouri, USA.

iv. George Washington NICHOLS, born 19 Nov 1853, Tennessee, USA; married Amelia Jane CARR, 16 Feb 1875, Benton County, Arkansas, USA; died 1 Jan 1910, Bentonville, Benton, Arkansas, USA.

v. James Marion NICHOLS, born Jun 1857, Osage, Benton, Arkansas, USA; married Margaret Ann CARR, 14 Jan 1875, Bentonville, Benton, Arkansas, USA; died 10 Nov 1948, Benton County, Arkansas, USA.

vi. Mariah Adeline NICHOLS, born abt 1858, Osage, Benton, Arkansas, USA; married Frank L. AVERY, 24 Jan 1880, McDonald County, Missouri, USA; died 7 Feb 1931, Arkansas, USA.

vii. William Ramey NICHOLS, born 1 Feb 1863, Henry County, Missouri, USA; married Nancy Bell TAYLOR, 23 Dec 1883; died 14 Mar 1939, Cherryvale, Montgomery, Kansas, USA.

viii. Ellen Paralee NICHOLS, born 27 Aug 1865, Henry County, Missouri, USA; married Mahlon Eugene FOSTER, 12 Jun 1881, Benton County, Arkansas, USA; died 29 May 1961, Mountain View, Santa Clara, California, USA.

ix. Margaret NICHOLS was born about 1868 in Benton County, Arkansas, USA. She died about 1875 at the age of 7 in Benton County, Arkansas, USA.

x. Thomas J. NICHOLS, born abt 1872, Benton County, Arkansas, USA; married Blanche Dora ALBRIGHT, 7 Jan 1896, Pineville, McDonald, Missouri, USA.

SOURCES

1. ↑ 1850 Fentress Co., Tennessee census; "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCD6-4X1 : 23 December 2020), Geo Nichols, Fentress, Tennessee, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ 1860 Benton Co., Arkansas census, Osage Township, 187/187; "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M87B-NBY : 18 February 2021),
3. ↑ 1870 Benton Co., Arkansas census, Osage Township; "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNHB-MXK : 28 May 2021), George Nicholds, 1870.
4. ↑ 1880 Benton Co., AR census, Dickson Township, pg 22 60/60; "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN7Y-Q5V : 19 February 2021), Geo W Nicholas, Dickson, Benton, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 14, sheet 448B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,038.
5. ↑ 1900 Benton Co., Dickson, Arkansas census. Martha lived with daughter Mary J and husband Moses Sutton.
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #63187221

• Benton County History;
• Land Patents;
• Warranty Deed;
• Real Estate Tax Records;
• Research and records of Agnes Nichols Williams, shared by Fred & Judy *Nichols) Coffee, 2014;
• Research of Gayle Foster, 2013;
• Research of Chris Gill Lindsay, 2013;

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Gayle Schell for creating WikiTree profile Nichols-2825 through the import of SCHELL NICHOLS ancestors of Gayle 8-2013.ged on Aug 8, 2013.