William Nickerson (1658 - abt. 1718)

Born 12 Jan 1658 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Snow) Nickerson — married 22 Jan 1691 in Barnstable, Massachusetts

Descendants

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Biography

William Nickerson, the son of Nicholas Nickerson and Esther Bassett, was born on 12 Jan 1658 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Plymouth Colony.

He married Mary Snow on 22 January 1690 in Barnstable County, Massachusetts Bay Colony. They had 6 known children: Mercy (1692-1761), Nicholas (1694-????), Ebenezer (1697-1768), Jane (1699-1781), Mary (1701-1776), and Thankful (1705-????).

William lived first in Eastham, Barnstable County and later in Harwick, Barnstable County. His will was written in Harwick in March of 1703/04.

According to the History of Cape Cod, Annals of Barnstable County, by Frederick Freeman, William Nickerson, the grandfather of this William bought land from the Indians for the elargement of the town.

William owned a whale boat which meant that he was well-to-do in those days. He was most likely a whaler. The boat was mentioned in his will.

William wrote his will in 6 May 1713/14. He said that he was weak and ill. A codicil added 2 August 1718 stated that his daughter Mary had already received her dower. So Nicholas died between then and when his estate was settled 27 Jan 1720/21. His death was probably around 1718 presumably in Barnstable County, but no primary resources on his death have yet been documented.

Sources

• Births, marriages, deaths, 1649-ca.1840; intentions of marriage, 1700-ca.1905, database with images, FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L979-9X4R  : 27 September 2022), FHL microfilm 007009735, image 114, Eastham, Massachusetts, Volume 2, Births, & Deaths, 1654-1797, Page 21.

• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPCZ-2Y33 : 11 May 2022), William Nickerson and Mary Snow, 22 Jan 1690; citing Marriage, Orleans, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007010725.
• Town records, 1654-1863 [Eastham, Massachusetts], database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-9979-QJ7X : 27 September 2022), , FHL microfilm 007009743, image 331, Eastham, Massachusetts, Volume 2, Transcribed by order of the Town in 1856 by, H. Doane 2d, Town Clerk, Marriages, Births, & Deaths, 1654-1797, Page 5.

Mayflower Births and Deaths, Vol. 1 and 2 for William Nickerson Volume 2, p. 17-Hopkins https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/3718/images/mayflowerbdii-002049.17?pId=799

Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 for William Nickerson Barnstable, Probate Records, Vol 1-3, 1686-1747 https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9069/images/007705400_00540?pId=614050

Book: Freeman, Frederick. The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of The Thirteen Towns of Barnstable County, Volumes 1 and 2, published online by Google Books, 2009 (http://books.google.com/books?id=GN8_AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false); original publisher: Geo. C. Band & Avery & Cornhill, Boston, Mass., 1858. (This speaks of William's grandfather William (1604-1689).

The Nickerson Family, Descendants for William Nickerson (1604-1689), First Settler of Chatham, Massachusetts, Part 1, Published by The Nickerson Family Association, 1973, Part 1, Pages 16-17, 23-26. (whaleboat reference) https://www.seekingmyroots.com/members/files/G004825.pdf

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Maureen Henigan for creating Nickerson-666 on 17 Nov 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Maureen and others.