Blann-Watts Genealogy

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Welcome to The Nichols Family Page, which furnishes historical detail beyond the site index, exploring five generations of Nichols in the line of John Nichols I of Dorchester Co., Maryland, who immigrated to Maryland from England with his wife in 1668.
 

NICHOLS:
 

Preface to the family of Sarah Nichols, wife of Thomas Robinson II. A thorough study of the various Nichols families on the Eastern shore of Maryland (especially Talbot, Caroline and Dorchester counties) combined with numerous robust DNA matches in the Nichols family has led me to the hypothesis that Sarah's parents were Isaac Nichols and Mary Rebecca Dean and that Sarah had a brother named James Nichols (who married Elizabeth Blades). Below I begin with a brief timeline, followed by bios of the Nichols lineage, ending with a more detailed discussion of the evidence that supports my conclusions.

TIMELINE:

1668 John Nichols I and his wife Margaret (Alford) Nichols immigrated to Maryland from England (U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s on Ancestry.com)

1705 will of John Nichols I (ca. 1660-1708), proved on March 8, 1708. He leaves 1/3 of his estate to his unnamed wife and mentions 4 sons: Isaac, Joseph, Benjamin and John II (1686-1758), who is the father of Nehemiah Nichols. John II is bequeathed land called “The Adventure” for life.

Dec. 17, 1708 will of Thomas Noble mentions wife Jane (Joane), sons Mark and Thomas Jr. and daughter Grace. Thomas refers to her as Grace Nichols which shows she had already married John Nichols II in 1708.

1724 probate of Thomas Noble of Dorchester County, father of Grace Noble (1686-1736); Thomas leaves property to Ann and John, children of John and Grace Nichols. Grace and John married ca. 1707. Mark Noble, Grace's brother, is executor of the will.

ca. 1735 After giving birth to a number of children Grace Nichols dies

May 5, 1736- John Nichols II married Mary Noble, his second wife, in St. Peters Parish, Talbot County, Maryland (Maryland, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1655-1850 on Ancestry.com)

Aug.24,1743- Mary Dean was born in Dorchester Co. to parents William and Mary Dean per church records (Maryland, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1662-1911). Mary’s future husband, Isaac Nichols, was born around 1735. DNA matches and records suggest that Ann "Nancy" Dean (1749-1818) who married John Nichols III (d.1799) around 1770 is Mary Dean's sister and they had a child named Isaac (ca.1783-1867) who was a nephew of Isaac Nichols who married Mary Dean.

1758–1759 inventory of the estate of John Nichols II of Dorchester County and March 21, 1759 probate declaration. Names Mark and Isaac Nichols (known to be his sons) and his widow, Mary (his second wife and administratrix).

1775- will of Nehemiah Nichols names sons Isaac, John, and James, establishing that John (husband of Nancy Dean) and Isaac (husband of Mary Dean) were brothers. There were other children as well and Nehemiah's wife is named as Sarah (surname unknown).
 

Jan 19, 1779-Isaac Nichols married Mary Dean in Caroline Co. MD (Caroline County, Maryland Marriages, 1774-1815) This fits perfectly with the birth of James Nichols (1781) and Sarah (ca. 1779).
Sarah is probably named after her paternal grandmother, Sarah

ca.1779-Sarah was likely born around this time (if she was about 18 when she married) and her probable brother, James Nichols, was born in Caroline Co. in 1781. James lived until 1844.

Feb.8, 1784--will of Isaac Nichols names wife Mary and minor son James, under Mary’s guardianship. Isaac names nephews Jeremiah & John Nichols. Sarah is not named—common for girls not named if very young or if the inheritance is passed on to the mother. (Many wills from this era only name sons or eldest child and leave the rest to the widow, often implicitly including all minor children under her care.)

December 10, 1791- Executor Bond for Isaac Nichols’s Estate, with Mary as executor. This confirms that Isaac Nichols had died by 1791 and Mary was still living at that time. She is still alive and handling the estate in 1795. Isaac doesn't appear in the 1790 census, suggesting he died between 1785-1789.

1792 inventory of the estate of Isaac Nichols, late of Caroline County, MD shows he had eight enslaved persons, ranging in age from 19 to 60 and a working plantation or farm, with livestock and multiple food crops.

Nov.27, 1794--James Nichols (Sr.-likely Isaac's brother, since James Jr. is only 13) acts as a surety for the Estate of Henry Willis, deceased.

1796-Talbot. Probate Records 1794–1812 on Familysearch also lists Thomas Robinson and Sarah Nichols as witnesses for the Dec.13, 1796 will of Mary Martin two years prior to their marriage. As witnesses, they would normally be at least 18 years old (born before 1778). Sarah was probably still 17, unless born shortly before her parents’ marriage in Jan.1779, however some jurisdictions allowed underage witnesses depending on context or if they were well known to the testator.)

July 17, 1798- Thomas (M.) Robinson and Sarah Nichols were married in Talbot Co. MD. (Maryland, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1667-1899)
Oct. 13, 1798-Thomas (R.) Robinson was born to Thomas and Sarah Robinson in Easton, Talbot Co. and baptised on May 26, 1799 (Pennsylvania and New Jersey, U.S., Church and Town Records, 1669-2013)

Jan.24, 1801-James Nichols married Elizabeth Blades in Caroline Co. MD.  They had 7 children and James died in 1844. One of my DNA matches to Sarah Nichols is a second cousin (219 cM) who descends from both my Robinson line and the Dean line. This second cousin is a descendant of James' daughter, Mary Nichols Dean, representing a particularly strong DNA match.

1802 Thomas and Sarah Robinson's last child, William, is born. A sister named Sarah was born in 1801. Thomas and Sarah died sometime after this before 1820.

1813 Thomas is bequeathed land in his father’s will, but he is not listed in the 1820 census, so he likely died between 1814-1819.

1817 The will of Anna Thomas from Talbot County, Maryland, bequeaths some of her finest clothing to Sarah Robinson, which makes it likely that Sarah died after 1817.

What follows are brief bios of the family line from Sarah Nichols Robinson to Nehemiah Nichols, followed by my research notes.

NICHOLS BIOGRAPHIES:

8. Sarah Nichols Robinson (b. ca. 1779 – d. after 1817) Sarah Nichols, the wife of Thomas Robinson II, was born around 1779, likely in Caroline County, Maryland, during the closing years of the American Revolution. She was the daughter of Isaac Nichols (ca. 1743–ca. 1784) and his wife Mary Dean (b. ca. 1743–after 1795). Isaac and Mary were married in Caroline County on January 19, 1779, just months before Sarah was likely born. At the age of about 17, Sarah appears in the records as a witness to a will in 1796, alongside Thomas M. Robinson, her future husband.

     On July 17, 1798, Sarah married Thomas M. Robinson at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Talbot County, Maryland—an act that identifies her family with the Anglican (Episcopal) religious tradition, and not the Quaker or Nicholite communities sometimes present in the region. Sarah and Thomas had at least two sons and one daughter, Thomas Robinson (b. Oct. 1798), Sarah (b. ca. 1801) and William Robinson (b. ca. 1802). Both Sarah and Thomas appear to have died by the early 1800s, Thomas after 1813, and Sarah likely after 1817.

     Though Sarah is not named in her father Isaac's 1784 will, this is not unusual for the time, as she would have been a young girl, and her mother Mary was named as sole executrix and inheritor. Sarah’s close DNA relationship to descendants of her probable uncle, John Nichols (d. 1797), and her direct genetic matches to descendants of James Nichols (b. 1781)—her likely brother—strengthen the conclusion that she was the daughter of Isaac and Mary Nichols.
 

9. Isaac Nichols (ca. 1743 – 1784) Isaac Nichols was a landowner and farmer in Caroline County, where he died relatively young ca. 1784. Records show that he married Mary Dean on Jan 19, 1779 in Caroline Co. MD.  Over 36 robust DNA matches of Sarah with James Nichols (b.1781) strongly suggest that Sarah was their first born child.  Records infer that Sarah was born ca. 1778-79, perhaps shortly before or after the marriage (which was fairly common in those days). Isaac's will named his son James Nichols, who was then still a minor, and designated Isaac’s wife Mary as executrix. The will also named Isaac’s nephews, Jeremiah and John Nichols IV, sons of his brother John Nichols III, as alternate heirs—an important genealogical link that helps confirm familial relationships. Isaac owned several enslaved individuals, a substantial household inventory, and land holdings, placing him in the upper economic tier of his county.
 

10. Nehemiah Nichols (ca. 1734 – 1775)

Isaac’s father, Nehemiah Nichols, was a substantial landholder and planter in Caroline County, with multiple tracts of land including Hoge Neck, York, John Hand Fortune, Danne Venture, and No Grange. Around 1748 he married Sarah, whose surname is uncertain (possibly Cannon). His 1775 will named at least seven sons—John, Isaac, James, William, Severn (likely Levin), Nehemiah Jr., and possibly others—as well as several daughters, including Grace, Sally, Betsey, Lovey, Sewell, and Stacy. Nehemiah’s estate included enslaved persons, land, livestock, and household goods, all of which were carefully distributed among his wife Sarah and his children. He died shortly before the American Revolution began. The surname of Isaac's widow, Sarah, is not known. (Some researchers have identified Isaac's wife as Sarah Cannon, daughter of William Cannon of Sussex Co., DE, who is likely the Sarah Nichols who made her will in New Castle, Delaware dated Dec. 15, 1789, probated  Jan. 12, 1790. But there are reasons for doubting that she is Nehemiah's wife which are discussed in detail below.) Nehemiah's parents were John Nichols II and Grace Noble. 

11. John Nichols II (b. ca. 1686 – 1758, Dorchester Co., MD)
John Nichols II, son of John Nichols I, appears in court and probate records from 1710 onward. He married twice, first around 1707 to Grace Noble, daughter of Thomas Noble (d. 1724),  and secondly to Mary Noble in 1736. The children of John and Grace were: Mark (1713-1761), John III (1724-1775), Elizabeth Ann (1726-1775), George (1727-1818), Levin (1730-1821), and Nehemiah (ca. 1734 – 1775). John inherited land known as "The Adventure" from his father. John Nichols II died intestate or with a lost will. Mary Nichols submitted an oath in 1759, confirming her role as estate administrator. His inventory was appraised in February 1758. The parents of John Nichols I were John Nichols II and Margaret (Alford?) who emigrated from England.

John Nichols I (b. ca. 1637– 1708, Dorchester County, MD)
John Nichols I and his wife Margaret (Alford) Nichols (ca. 1655-1721) were married in England (possibly St Peters, Leeds, Yorkshire, England) and immigrated to Maryland in 1668. (U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s on Ancestry.com) Records show that John was active in Dorchester County as early as 1693, appearing in estate appraisals and legal proceedings. He served as a witness to inventories and was well-connected with families such as the Alfords and Ladmores. Although I have not found any records stating that John's wife, Margaret, was an Alford, it is likely the case as records show a number of interactions between John and the Alvord or Alrford family. John Nichols I wrote his will on March 22, 1705/06; it was proved on March 8, 1708. His will names four sons:

• Isaac Nichols: Received "Anderson's Point" during his lifetime, then to Joseph.

• John Nichols II: Received "The Adventure" for life, then to Benjamin.

• Joseph Nichols

• Benjamin Nichols

John left one-third of his estate to his wife (unnamed in the will), and the rest to his children as they came of age. His eldest sons, Isaac and John, were named as executors.
    Thomas Nichols (b. ca. 1592-1663) is believed by many researchers to be the earliest known progenitor of the Nichols family of Dorchester County, Maryland. While no direct records of his arrival from England have been found, his name appears in compiled genealogies and is inferred from early land and court records. A Thomas Nichols is mentioned in Dorchester court activity around 1710, appearing in a legal dispute with John Nichols. He is likely the father of John Nichols Sr., establishing the family's roots in Maryland by the late 17th century.

Research notes on the Nichols family:

     I show 25 DNA matches between Sarah Nichols Robinson and the family of John Nichols (ca. 1749-1799) and his wife Ann "Nancy" Dean (ca. 1749-1818) which indicates that they are probably closely related. However there are mitigating factors: John and Nancy's eldest son John Jr. (born 1770) married Cynthia Gootee (1775-1830), the daughter of my direct ancestors, John and Elizabeth Gootee, and so endogamy may account for some of the matches through John Nichols Jr. and his wife. Also both John Nichols Sr. and later his widow Nancy Dean Nichols left wills (1799 and 1818 respectively) naming their children and they do not include either a Sarah or James Nichols, so this appears to rule them out as parents. Researching further, I found even more DNA matches (36 matches with 11 over 20 cMs) through the descendants of James Nichols, and his likely parents, Isaac Nichols and Mary Rebecca Dean. While I have not found any documents definitely proving that Isaac and Mary Nichols are the parents of Sarah, there is clear evidence that James is their son, and we do have a documented marriage date for Isaac Nichols and Mary Dean on Jan.19, 1779 in Caroline Co. which fits well with the birth of their two children in that county: ca.1779 and 1781. Wills: Caroline. Wills 1688–1940 on Familysearch shows the 1784 will of Isaac Nichols which names his wife Mary and his son, James, who is under Mary's guardianship “until he comes of age.” While Sarah is not mentioned, he does name two nephews, Jeremiah & John Nichols, stating that they are sons of John Nichols. This means John is Isaac's brother and Nehemiah Nichols is John and Isaac’s father (Nehemiah and John's wills clearly establish that Nehemiah is the grandfather of Jeremiah & John, husband of Ann "Nancy" Dean). Nehemiah Nichols (b.ca.1720) of Caroline Co. MD  left a will dated Feb. 8, 1775 in which he names one of his children Isaac and two others James and John.
  Previous researchers have often identified the 1789 will of Sarah Nichols of Sussex County, Delaware as belonging to Sarah [—?—] Nichols, the widow of Nehemiah Nichols (d. 1775, Caroline County, Maryland). However, the evidence suggests this attribution is incorrect. A will written by William Cannon of Sussex County, dated ca. 1783–1785, names his daughter Sarah Nichols, indicating that she was born Sarah Cannon. This Sarah Nichols—Sarah Cannon Nichols—went on to write her own will on December 15, 1789, which was probated in 1790. In it, she names sons Levin, William, and James Nichols, and grandchildren Daniel and Nancy Nichols, who were children of a deceased Nehemiah Nichols. Based on the timing and family structure, this Sarah Nichols was not the wife of Nehemiah Nichols Sr., but was likely the wife or widow of his son Levin (also known as Severn) Nichols. Her naming of grandchildren Daniel and Nancy strongly supports this generational placement. Therefore, the maiden name of Nehemiah's wife Sarah, who is named in his 1775 will but not otherwise documented, remains unknown. The once-common attribution of Sarah Cannon as Nehemiah’s wife is now recognized as a confusion with Sarah Cannon Nichols, wife of his son.

      Maryland, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1662-1911 shows the birth in Dorchester Co. MD of a Mary Dean on Aug.24, 1743 to parents William and Mary Dean. (There is a 1760 will of a William Deane in Dorchester Co. MD who has a daughter named Mary Dean, but he calls her Mary Graham,  so this William and Sarah Deane may be a different set of parents than the William and Mary Dean of the 1743 birth and christening record. We also cannot be sure that the Mary Dean born in 1743 is the same Mary who married Isaac Nichols. If she is, then they would be in their mid thirties when they married in 1779. We would expect that Isaac and Mary were born at least 16-20 years before their 1779 marriage--possibly around 1755-59. The date of the 1784 will suggests that Isaac may have died before the 1790 census without having any further surviving children (since James' descendants alone match Sarah's DNA and Isaac doesn’t appear in the 1790 census in or around Caroline Co. (Two other Isaac Nichols appear in the 1790 census but their data and ages don’t match what would be expected). The fact that John Nichols Sr. (b.ca.1749), was the brother of Isaac Nichols (b.ca.1743) probably accounts for John's descendants' 25 DNA matches to Sarah Nichols, since they all lived in Caroline County and later in Talbot Co. The same DNA connection would apply to John's wife, Ann "Nancy" Dean (b.ca.1749), who is a sister  of Mary Dean (b. 1743), wife of Isaac.

     I have traced 5 other individuals named Isaac Nichols in the vicinity of Caroline Co. who are born between 1758-1788 (two in the 1790 Caroline Co. census) and through a process of elimination have ruled them out as the Isaac Nichols who married Mary Dean. One Isaac in particular, born in 1758, deserves mention as many Ancestry trees cite 1758 as the birth year of Mary Dean's husband, Isaac Nichols. There is a Talbot Co. birth record for Isaac Nichols on Jan 22, 1758 to parents Joseph and Mary Nichols (Maryland, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1662-1911). While it is tempting to identify this Isaac with Mary Dean's husband, there exists some contrary evidence. On pages 13-14 of a  book entitled Joseph Nichols and the Nicholites, it is stated that Joseph and Mary Nichols had three children: Rhoda, Rachel and Isaac, who was born Jan.22, 1758. The book describes Isaac as "a poor infirm child who was disordered with the dropsy" and died in 1773. If this is correct then he is not the father of James and Sarah who were born after 1773. Another reason that this Isaac isn’t the father of James is that he is a Nicholite whereas Sarah’s family was Episcopal.

 

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