Origins of the Nicholson Family
This Nicholson family originates from Cumberland, England. This first Nicholson of this family to go over to Ireland was Rev. William Nicholson. Accounts differ as to when the William Nicholson came over with 1589 and 1622 being suggested as the dates. The former is more likely as William's son, John, was supposedly born in Ireland. Rev. William Nicholson became the rector of Derrybrochus in 1622 and had built a house at Tallbridge, Cranagill (archaic Crannagael, meaning oak tree of the gael).
An account on the Nicholson family tells us what happened to them after having settled in Ireland:
"The fortunes of William's family came very near to utter overthrow by M'Guire's rebellion of 1641. His son's wife and her infant boy were the only two in Cranagill who escaped the common massacre. With the aid of a faithful servant, they were able to hide behind some brushwood. Eventually they fell in with a party of loyalist soldiers who escorted them safely to Dromore, whence they made their way across sea to the widow's former home at Whitehaven on the Cumberland coast. Here they seem to have remained throughout the troubled years that followed the outbreak of the Civil War."
There is a story that says that Rev. William Nicholson or Captain William Nicholson married Lady Elizabeth (Betty) Percy, the daughter of the Earl of Northumberland. This can be dismissed as family legend as the Earl of Northumberland at the time, Thomas Percy did have a daughter Elizabeth, but she married Richard Woodroffe of Wooley. No record ever mentions Elizabeth Percy as having married a second time.
An account on the Nicholson family tells us what happened to them after having settled in Ireland:
"The fortunes of William's family came very near to utter overthrow by M'Guire's rebellion of 1641. His son's wife and her infant boy were the only two in Cranagill who escaped the common massacre. With the aid of a faithful servant, they were able to hide behind some brushwood. Eventually they fell in with a party of loyalist soldiers who escorted them safely to Dromore, whence they made their way across sea to the widow's former home at Whitehaven on the Cumberland coast. Here they seem to have remained throughout the troubled years that followed the outbreak of the Civil War."
There is a story that says that Rev. William Nicholson or Captain William Nicholson married Lady Elizabeth (Betty) Percy, the daughter of the Earl of Northumberland. This can be dismissed as family legend as the Earl of Northumberland at the time, Thomas Percy did have a daughter Elizabeth, but she married Richard Woodroffe of Wooley. No record ever mentions Elizabeth Percy as having married a second time.
Nicholsons in Ireland
The surviving infant, William Nicholson, grew up in Whitehaven, Cumberland. During this time he converted to Quakerism and was known henceforth as 'William the Quaker'. When of age, he returned to Cranagill. William Nicholson married Isabel Gilbert (c.1637-08/06/1718) and had five sons. William, who was born in 1632, died on 24 January 1715. His children were:
1. John Nicholson (c.1670-02/12/1704) m. Margery Brownlow, daughter of William Brownlow and Elizabeth ___
2. Thomas Nicholson (-1688/1689) Killed at the Siege of Derry
3. James Nicholson (-1688/1689) Killed at the Siege of Derry
4. Abraham Nicholson (died young)
5. Jacob Nicholson, ancestor of the Tallbridge (sometimes Talbridge or Taulbridge) Nicholson branch, m. a relation (probably cousin), Elizabeth Gilbert
6. Prudentia Nicholson (died young)
7. Sarah Nicholson (10/05/1682-) m. (20/09/1701) Robert Hodgson of Lurgan
8. Elizabeth Nicholson m. her cousin, William Brownlow, son of William Brownlow and Elizabeth ___
9. Jane Nicholson m. George Fox
John Nicholson, who married Margery Brownlow, settled at Derrycaw, Armagh, where he built his house in 1698. They had eight children:
1. William Nicholson (04/02/1683-1719), ancestor of the Derrycaw Nicholson branch, m. Mary ___
2. James Nicholson (02/10/1686-)
3. John Nicholson (13/01/1691-) m. (20/07/1710) Mary Walker, youngest child of Thomas Walker of Lurgan and Mary Stamper
4. Isaac Nicholson (24/06/1693-)
5. Benjamin Nicholson
6. Thomas Nicholson, ancestor of the Kineary Nicholson branch, m. (26/04/1729) Isabella Richardson of Eagerlougher
7. Isabel Nicholson (01/09/1684-) m. (18/01/1701) Joseph Robson of Lurgan
8. Elizabeth Nicholson (20/11/1688-1784) m. Jonathan Richardson of Eagerlougher, probably the sister of Isabella Richardson
John Nicholson, the third son, resided at Hall's Mill, near Lawrencetown, Co. Down. He and Mary Walker (21/11/1695-14/01/1741) had eight children:
1. John Nicholson (31/03/1714-), died unmarried
2. Jonathan Nicholson (05/12/1718-), died young
3. Benjamin Nicholson (27/09/1724-)
4. Thomas Nicholson (05/06/1730-08/06/1794) m. (01/03/1761) Christian, daughter of Robert Jaffray and Abigail Strettlell
Thomas Nicholson was ancestor to both the Stramore and Banford Nicholson branches. He was also the ancestor of Brigadier General John Nicholson (11/12/1822-23/09/1857), see below.
5. William Nicholson (10/02/1732-), died young
6. James Nicholson (03/12/1734-16/06/1779) m. (1755), Ruth, daughter of James Morton of Grange and Sarah Whitsitt
m. (1777) Sarah ___
7. Sarah Nicholson (12/05/1712-), died young
8. Mary Nicholson (15/02/1716-) m. (04/01/1741), a relation (probably cousin), William Richardson of Stramore
The youngest son, James Nicholson, resided initially in Dublin, before buying the Hill portion of Crangill from John Nicholson of Tallbridge. He also resided at Grange Lodge, Moy, Co. Tyrone, Grange being the residence of his wife Ruth Morton's (26/05/1734-07/10/1771) father. He had no issue by his second wife, but by his first he had five children:
1. Joseph Nicholson, ancestor of the Cranagill Nicholson branch, (1758-1817) m. (27/06/1782) Abigail, daughter of James Hogg of Lisburn
2. Samuel Nicholson, died young
3. James Nicholson (-12/04/1838) m. (31/07/1791), Lydia, daughter of Barclay Clibborn of Moate, Co. Westmeath and Lydia Cooper
m. (1807) Anna, daughter of Thomas Greer of Rhone Hill
4. Sarah Nicholson m. (1750), a relation, Jonathan Richardson of Lisburn
5. Ruth Nicholson m. Edward Harpur of Gorestown
James Nicholson of Cranagill (1756-12/04/1838) was born at Grange. He is sometimes referred to as James Nicholson of Grange Lodge, though in reality, he hardly lived there at all. He had issue by his first wife, Lydia Clibborn (21/12/1763-1803):
1. Edward Nicholson m. (1844), Eleanor Boardman of Grange
2. Sarah Nicholson (15/03/1792-16/04/1860) m. Jonathan Pike of Beechgrove, Co. Tyrone, son of Richard Pike and Anne Wilkinson
He had issue by his second wife, Anna Greer (09/03/1770-1844):
1. Anna Nicholson, died unmarried
2. Jane Nicholson, died unmarried
3. Huldah Nicholson m. (28/05/1829), Thomas Abbott of Limerick
4. Charlotte Nicholson m. (1828), Thomas Greer of Dunagannon
1. John Nicholson (c.1670-02/12/1704) m. Margery Brownlow, daughter of William Brownlow and Elizabeth ___
2. Thomas Nicholson (-1688/1689) Killed at the Siege of Derry
3. James Nicholson (-1688/1689) Killed at the Siege of Derry
4. Abraham Nicholson (died young)
5. Jacob Nicholson, ancestor of the Tallbridge (sometimes Talbridge or Taulbridge) Nicholson branch, m. a relation (probably cousin), Elizabeth Gilbert
6. Prudentia Nicholson (died young)
7. Sarah Nicholson (10/05/1682-) m. (20/09/1701) Robert Hodgson of Lurgan
8. Elizabeth Nicholson m. her cousin, William Brownlow, son of William Brownlow and Elizabeth ___
9. Jane Nicholson m. George Fox
John Nicholson, who married Margery Brownlow, settled at Derrycaw, Armagh, where he built his house in 1698. They had eight children:
1. William Nicholson (04/02/1683-1719), ancestor of the Derrycaw Nicholson branch, m. Mary ___
2. James Nicholson (02/10/1686-)
3. John Nicholson (13/01/1691-) m. (20/07/1710) Mary Walker, youngest child of Thomas Walker of Lurgan and Mary Stamper
4. Isaac Nicholson (24/06/1693-)
5. Benjamin Nicholson
6. Thomas Nicholson, ancestor of the Kineary Nicholson branch, m. (26/04/1729) Isabella Richardson of Eagerlougher
7. Isabel Nicholson (01/09/1684-) m. (18/01/1701) Joseph Robson of Lurgan
8. Elizabeth Nicholson (20/11/1688-1784) m. Jonathan Richardson of Eagerlougher, probably the sister of Isabella Richardson
John Nicholson, the third son, resided at Hall's Mill, near Lawrencetown, Co. Down. He and Mary Walker (21/11/1695-14/01/1741) had eight children:
1. John Nicholson (31/03/1714-), died unmarried
2. Jonathan Nicholson (05/12/1718-), died young
3. Benjamin Nicholson (27/09/1724-)
4. Thomas Nicholson (05/06/1730-08/06/1794) m. (01/03/1761) Christian, daughter of Robert Jaffray and Abigail Strettlell
Thomas Nicholson was ancestor to both the Stramore and Banford Nicholson branches. He was also the ancestor of Brigadier General John Nicholson (11/12/1822-23/09/1857), see below.
5. William Nicholson (10/02/1732-), died young
6. James Nicholson (03/12/1734-16/06/1779) m. (1755), Ruth, daughter of James Morton of Grange and Sarah Whitsitt
m. (1777) Sarah ___
7. Sarah Nicholson (12/05/1712-), died young
8. Mary Nicholson (15/02/1716-) m. (04/01/1741), a relation (probably cousin), William Richardson of Stramore
The youngest son, James Nicholson, resided initially in Dublin, before buying the Hill portion of Crangill from John Nicholson of Tallbridge. He also resided at Grange Lodge, Moy, Co. Tyrone, Grange being the residence of his wife Ruth Morton's (26/05/1734-07/10/1771) father. He had no issue by his second wife, but by his first he had five children:
1. Joseph Nicholson, ancestor of the Cranagill Nicholson branch, (1758-1817) m. (27/06/1782) Abigail, daughter of James Hogg of Lisburn
2. Samuel Nicholson, died young
3. James Nicholson (-12/04/1838) m. (31/07/1791), Lydia, daughter of Barclay Clibborn of Moate, Co. Westmeath and Lydia Cooper
m. (1807) Anna, daughter of Thomas Greer of Rhone Hill
4. Sarah Nicholson m. (1750), a relation, Jonathan Richardson of Lisburn
5. Ruth Nicholson m. Edward Harpur of Gorestown
James Nicholson of Cranagill (1756-12/04/1838) was born at Grange. He is sometimes referred to as James Nicholson of Grange Lodge, though in reality, he hardly lived there at all. He had issue by his first wife, Lydia Clibborn (21/12/1763-1803):
1. Edward Nicholson m. (1844), Eleanor Boardman of Grange
2. Sarah Nicholson (15/03/1792-16/04/1860) m. Jonathan Pike of Beechgrove, Co. Tyrone, son of Richard Pike and Anne Wilkinson
He had issue by his second wife, Anna Greer (09/03/1770-1844):
1. Anna Nicholson, died unmarried
2. Jane Nicholson, died unmarried
3. Huldah Nicholson m. (28/05/1829), Thomas Abbott of Limerick
4. Charlotte Nicholson m. (1828), Thomas Greer of Dunagannon
Sarah Nicholson in 1840
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Sarah Nicholson married Jonathan Pike of Beechgrove and had issue. They both died in 1860. They are both buried at Grange Quaker Meeting House.
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Brigadier General John Nicholson (1822-1857)
John Nicholson is certainly the most well known member of the Nicholson family. I refrain from saying famous as he could just easily be described as infamous, he is seen sometimes as being ruthless. Also, his sister described him as a 'great big bully.'
I will not give a biography of him as I'm sure much better ones could be found elsewhere.
He was descended from Thomas Nicholson (1730-1794) who married Christian Jaffray. Their son:
John Nicholson (1764-1825) married Isabella Wakefield. Their son:
Alexander Jaffray Nicholson (1790-1830) married Clara Hogg. And was father to Brigadier General John Nicholson.
John Nicholson fell 'in the final hour' of the assualt of Delhi in the Indian Mutiny and died of his wounds nine days later. A statue was erected in honour of him and was later moved to the Royal School of Dungannon. However I should like to point out to any interested that his sword is now missing, compare the two photos below.
I will not give a biography of him as I'm sure much better ones could be found elsewhere.
He was descended from Thomas Nicholson (1730-1794) who married Christian Jaffray. Their son:
John Nicholson (1764-1825) married Isabella Wakefield. Their son:
Alexander Jaffray Nicholson (1790-1830) married Clara Hogg. And was father to Brigadier General John Nicholson.
John Nicholson fell 'in the final hour' of the assualt of Delhi in the Indian Mutiny and died of his wounds nine days later. A statue was erected in honour of him and was later moved to the Royal School of Dungannon. However I should like to point out to any interested that his sword is now missing, compare the two photos below.
So, anyone know what's happened to the sword?
Information Sources:
https://archive.org/stream/genealogicalhera00burkuoft#page/508/mode/1up
The Quakri at Lurgan & Grange
The Quakri at Lurgan & Grange
