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Continued: William Nichols (I), eldest son of Isaac Nichols and Margery Cox, was born in Dec. 1742 or early 1743 likely in Chester Co., PA, or perhaps in Maryland or even Delaware. His father was of Chester Co., PA near the Maryland line, but his parents were married in New Castle Co., DE where his mother's family lived. The family removed to Loudoun Co., VA from Chester Co., PA shortly after November 1743.
William was raise near Goose Creek in Loudoun Co., VA. His parents were respected and solemn Quakers. It seems that William, as a young man, lived for a time nearer to Fairfax MM, VA* as he was liberated to married Sarah Spencer 30 Dec. 1769 by Fairfax MM, VA and granted certificate to transfer to Abington MM, Pennsylvania where Sarah was a member. They were married 22 March 1770, likely at Abington MM. Shortly thereafter, they removed to Loudoun Co., VA, Goose Creek neighborhood, where William and Sarah raised their family. Their farm was located about two miles north of the village of Goose Creek (now Lincoln, between the towns of Hamilton and Purcellville and slightly to the south) and afterward came into possession of their son, William Nichols (II), who built an addition to the house to accommodate his mother, Sarah, after his father's death and in accordance to the will of his grandfather, Isaac Nichols. The house was sold to William Hatcher in 1836 when William (II) and family removed to Columbiana Co., OH and was occupied by William McCray in 1891.
* The Society of Friends generally required members to be members of the Monthly Meeting nearest to their residence, except in very unique circumstances. The Nichols family is noted in the minutes of Fairfax, Hopewell and many other MMs in Virginia and elsewhere.
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From History of Columbiana County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, pp. 806-807:
"The Nichols family is of English extraction and was founded in Virginia by two brothers*, Isaac and William Nichols, followers of George Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends. After settling in Loudoun Co., Virginia, they continued to reside there the remainder of their lives; their tombstones may be found at the graveyard of the Friends' Meeting House on Goose Creek. William Nichols married Sarah Spencer and had three sons ... and two daughters ..."
* It seems the "two brothers" here mentioned should be Isaac and Thomas, father and uncle to William Nichols who married Sarah Spencer. William, brother to Isaac and Thomas, may have resided in VA, but it seems Thomas Nichols lived near his brother Isaac Nichols in Loudoun Co. William Nichols, the subject here, owned and resided on the same tract originally conveyed to his Uncle Thomas in 1742.
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Howard Jenkins, on p. 69 of "Samuel Spencer of Pennsylvania" (1904), states:
"William Nichols was the grandson of Thomas and Mary Nichols, 'who came from England about 1716.* They had eight children, one of whom, Isaac, married Margery Cox, and was the father of William."
On p.70 of that book, a letter, written by William Nichols (III; b. 1821) dated 29th Seventh Month 1891, to William Piggot of Virginia, states: "My grandfather [William Nichols I] lived and died on the farm father sold to William Hatcher, in 1836, now the William McCray farm. ... [He] died about the year 1800, aged nearly 60.** Grandmother [Sarah Spencer] lived seven years after him with my father [William Nichols II].*** I think the small brick room attached to the stone house at McCray's was built expressly for her. I often heard father speak of Nathan Spencer."****
* Thomas and Mary Nichols were received at Philadelphia MM in 1712 with a certificate dated 1711.
** William Nichols, the subject of this sketch, died shortly before 13 Dec. 1802 as that is the date his father, Isaac, wrote a codicil to his will addressing the issue of the death of his "eldest son, William". The estimated birth date of William (I) is noted as 1742 by many secondary sources. I note the 22 March 1742 marriage date of his parents suggests he was born no earlier than Dec. 1742 and easily in early 1743 so the claim that William (I) was "aged nearly 60" corroborates the late 1742 to early 1743 birth date and late 1802 death date I suggest here.
*** That would place the death date of Sarah (Spencer) Nichols about 1809 or 1810.
**** Nathan Spencer (b. 1734), the brother of Sarah Spencer, lived to the north and adjacent to the Isaac Nichols land purchased from Joseph Dixon. Nathan Spencer, Sr. purchased 380 acres in 1763 from Thomas Janney who was granted the land in 1741. Nathan had a son, Nathan (b. 1767). Both were very close to the Nichols family and one of them witnessed the 1802 codicil to the will of Isaac Nichols, Sr.
Also, see Isaac's will and codicil regarding Sarah (Spencer) Nichols' room attached to the house. --NMS
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