Benjamin Nichols Sr. (1723 - 1806)

Born 8 Oct 1723 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Susanna (Norton) Nichols — married 2 Apr 1746 in Amesbury, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 6 Aug 1806 at age 82 in Pittstown, Rensselaer, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chris Hoyt [send private message]

[Note: The Beekman Patent lists the children but some of the births or other information comes from rootsweb.com so it's not possible to determine the actual source]

Biography

Benjamin was a Friend (Quaker)

Benjamin Nichols was born at Amesbury, Massachusetts on October 8, 1723, son of Thomas and Judith (Hoage) Nichols.^[1][2][3]

He married Susanna Norton on April 2, 1746 at Amesbury.^[1] Susanna was born at Salisbury, Massachusetts on February 13, 1725/6, daughter of Rowland and Lydia (?Fowler) Norton.^[4]

• 1767: They lived in New Milford as early as 1767.^[5]
• He may have been a tailor as his purchases including needles, thimbles, binding and shears etc.^[5]
• 1782: Was a 'pathman' at Pittstown.
• 1783: Was a 'pathman' at Easton.
• 1782: September: Benjamin had some years past, submitted to the Friends 'some lines' regarding the 'outgoings of his marriage'.^[5]
• 1783: January 10: The minutes of the meeting on this date, indicate that the paper submitted regarding his marriage situation had been mislaid, and that they would send a committee to meet with Benjamin to inquire about his circumstances.^[5]
• 1783: He was questioned by a committee of Friends about his marriage. On February 16, the committee reported that Benjamin gave them a paper, condemning keeping company with his 'now' wife and they were married by a priest.^[5]
• 1792/3: At the Friend's meeting at the Oblong, Benjamin Nichols of Pitts Town submitted expenses for the keeping of Lydia Norton.^[5]
• 1800: On the Pittstown Roll, as one male over age 45, and one female, the same.^[5]

He married second Hannah _____, likely in 1782, as he acknowledged for marrying out of unity on 16d 12m 1782 [16 Dec 1782].^[6][7]

Benjamin and his wife Hannah were granted certificates to the Easton monthly meeting.^[8][7] They were received there on 19d 2m 1784 [19 Feb 1784].^[9][10]

In 1792/3, he appears to be providing for Susanna's mother Lydia Norton. In 1800 the town roll shows Benjamin and one female both over aged 45 in his household.^[5]

Benjamin Nichols Sr. died at Pittstown on August 6, 1806.^[5]

Children

Children of Benjamin and Susanna Nichols:

1. Katherine born in 1746.^[5]
2. Esther born in 1747.^[5]
3. Rowland born about 1749; his will was written on July 10, 1813, naming his wife, children and other heirs, but does not provide her name.^[5]
4. Nathaniel born about 1752-4; married Abigail Griffin; wrote his will at Peru, New York in June 1830.^[5]
5. Judith born on January 17, 1755; married William Russell.^[5]
6. Benjamin born ___.^[5]
7. Lydia born on April 17, 1761; married Charles Hursfield.^[5]
8. Eleazer born in 1766;^[5] married 4 times: first to Amy Bragg; second to Hannah Whitcomb; third to Sarah ___; and finally to Almira Southmayd.^[5]
9. Sarah born on January 4, 1768; married Micajah Hunt.^[5]
10. Catherine born September 14, 1771; married Ichabod Hoag.^[5]

Children of Benjamin and Hannah Nichols:

No known children

Research Notes

Amesbury Births

NICHOLS, Benjamin, s. Thomas and Judeth, Oct. 8, 1723. (p. 181)

Amesbury Marriages

NICKOLS, Benjamin, s. Thomas, deceased, and Susana Norton, d. Rowland, of Salisbury, Apr. 2, 1746. CR3 (p. 434)^[1]

Salisbury births

Norton, Susanna, d. Rowland and Lydia, Feb. 13, 1725-6. NCTBK (p. 180)^[4]

[NOTE: Rowland Norten married Lydia FOWLER]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Vital Records of Amesbury Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, The Topsfield Historical Society, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 1913
2. ↑ Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts: With Some Related Families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich, and Hampton, and of York County, Maine, p. 266. Reprint: Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Maryland, 2013
3. ↑ Jameson, E. O., The Jamesons in America. 1647-1900 : Genealogical Records and Memoranda, Rumford Press, 1901, p. 3-4
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Vital Records of Salisbury Massachusetts to the Year 1850, The Topsfield Historical Society, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 1915.
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19} Doherty, Frank J. The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York: An Historical and Genealogical Study of All the 18th Century Settlers in the Patent, Vol. 9: p. 488-91 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016).
6. ↑ James E. Hazard Index, The Records of New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends at Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College.; Call Number O 373; Volume 1.7; Page 105; ID 2749 .
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} James E. Hazard Index, The Records of New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends at Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College.; Call Number O 373; Volume 3.2; Page 27; ID 1393.
8. ↑ James E. Hazard Index, The Records of New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends at Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College.; Call Number O 373; Volume 1.7; Page 136; ID 1392 .
9. ↑ James E. Hazard Index, The Records of New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends at Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College.; Call Number E 373; Volume 1.2; Page 26; ID 249091.
10. ↑ James E. Hazard Index, The Records of New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends at Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College.; Call Number E 373; Volume 1.2; Page 26; ID 249089.