Elisha NICHOLS and Nancy WITHERINGTON

	Elisha NICHOLS was born in the 1790's in NC.  His first appearance 
in a census is in Pitt County in 1830 with a wife and two boys under ten—James 
and Alfred.   An earlier reference is a deed he witnessed in 1825 between 
Benjamin Briley and Hardy Johnson.  (Book DD, p. 123)

 	Though not proven, Elisha's father is probably Frederick NICHOLS who 
was in Greene Co. in 1800 with a wife and one son under ten.  In 1815, 
Frederick purchased property in Pitt Co. from Luke Bentley on the south side 
of the Tar River and north side of Little Continea Creek, bordering Whitney 
NICHOLS and touching lines of James Tyson, George Moye and Richard Moye.  The 
property was previously owned by Tapley Bentley, father of Luke.  Tapley's 
daughter, Mary "Polly" Bentley was married to Whitney NICHOLS.  Whitney had 
bought property in 1812 from William NICHOLS.   The relationship of Whitney, 
William and Frederick NICHOLS is not known to this writer, but there are a 
number of indications that they are closely connected.

Elisha NICHOLS had James (c1821) and Alfred (c1823) by an unknown wife.   
When the boys were about nine and seven, Elisha married in Pitt Co. to Nancy 
Weatherington (WITHERINGTON) on July 15, 1830.  Only a few years ago, their 
marriage license was discovered among others in a cigar box in an attic by a 
lady whose father may have left them there.  There were 26 licenses in the 
box, and several involved additional WITHERINGTON and NICHOLS marriages:  
Robert Weatherington to Sarah McGlawhon (Mar. 1827);  Frederick Weatherington 
to Lovey Smith (Jan. 20, 1829);  Argent Weatherington to Shadrack Herrington 
(Jan. 21, 1829); Richard WITHERINGTON to Penny Abbott (Feb. 1832); Cullen 
NICHOLS to Sally Moore (June 4, 1829); Elizabeth NICHOLS to Charles Harris 
(Oct 27, 1830); Elsey Nickols to Roderick Cox (April 16, 1832).   All the 
licenses have been turned over to the NC Archives in Raleigh.

	In 1838, Elisha and Nancy NICHOLS sold property in Pitt Co. on Hencoop 
Swamp to Spier WITHERINGTON—82 acres being on the corner of Ambrose WITHERINGTON 
and adjoining Brinkley White, Elizabeth WITHERINGTON, Spier WITHERINGTON and 
others.  (Deed Book HH,   p. 484).   This appears to be the same 82 acres that 
Nancy received on Jan. 4, 1822, as part of a division of property of Robert 
Weatherington, desceased.  Others receiving pieces of Robert's property were 
Richard, William, Argent, Sarey, Robert and Noah (Deed Book CC, p. 62), 
possibly siblings of Nancy.

	Nancy and Elisha NICHOLS had moved to Stewart Co. GA, by 1840, as had 
Frederick NICHOLS (the older man) and Richard Worthington (WITHERINGTON), 
thought to be Nancy's brother.  Nancy and Elisha had at least three children:  
Richard (c1834); Arcina (c1838) and Beady (c1840).

	After 1840, Elisha's two older boys struck off on their own—James to
Monroe Co., GA where he married Irene Amelia Coulter in 1841 and lived in Pike 
Co. for a while, and Alfred to Decatur Co. GA where he married Sarah Ann Hall 
in 1845.

	By 1860, Elisha and all his children were in Jackson Co., FL where 
James and Alfred raised very large families and have many descendants.  Richard 
is thought to have died in the Civil War at Bristow's Station in VA.  Wife 
Nancy and daughters Arcina and Beady seem to disappear after 1860.

	Elisha had another marriage in 1863 in Jackson Co., FL to a widow, 
Isabella Sellers Hewitt.  Three of Isabella's children married three of Elisha's 
grandchildren.  In 1867, Isabella married Benjamin Minton.  Elisha NICHOLS is 
thought to be buried in Jackson Co. FL-- place not known.

	Nothing further is known of Frederick NICHOLS after 1840.  Richard 
Worthington remained in Stewart Co. GA with his family.  He died in 1855.  His 
wife, Penelope Abbott, died in 1882.  Both are buried in Lumpkin in Province 
United Methodist Cemetery.

	Children of James NICHOLS (b. c1821): Priscilla Catherine (1842); James 
W. (c1845); Elisha F. (1848); Arcina (1852); Susan America (1854); Columbus F. 
(c1857); Lillie Elafair (1859); Minerva E. (1862); Tennessee Annie (c1864).
 
	Children of Alfred NICHOLS (b. c1823): Sarah Frances (1846); Julia Ann 
(c1848); Priscilla (1851); Georgiana (1853); John (1856); Eliza (c1858); Irena 
(c1860); Waltar William (1862); Sarah Catherine (1865).


Sources:  Deeds, census, marriage records, various NICHOLS and WITHERINGTON 
researchers.

Submitted by Cynthia G. Dean, 4060 Rommitch Lane, Pensacola, FL  32504
cgdean@bellsouth.net   850-432-7072.

Names for Index – 

Abbott, Penelope
Bentley, Luke
Bentley, Mary "Polly"
Bentley, Tapley
Briley, Benjamin
Coulter, Irene Amelia
Cox, Roderick
Hall, Sarah Ann
Harris, Charles
Herrington, Shadrack
Johnson, Hardy
McGlowhon, Sarah
Minton, Benjamin
Moore, Sally
Moye, George
Moye, Richard
NICHOLS, Alfred
NICHOLS, Arcina
NICHOLS, Beady
NICHOLS, Cullen
NICHOLS, Elisha
NICHOLS, Elizabeth
NICHOLS, Frederick
NICHOLS, James
NICHOLS, Richard
NICHOLS, Whitney
NICHOLS, William
Nickols, Elsey
Hewitt, Isabella Sellers
Smith, Lovey
Tyson, James
White, Brinkley
Weatherington, Argent
Weatherington, Frederick
Weatherington, Robert
WITHERINGTON, Ambrose
WITHERINGTON, Argent
WITHERINGTON, Elizabeth
WITHERINGTON, Nancy
WITHERINGTON, Noah
WITHERINGTON, Richard
WITHERINGTON, Robert
WITHERINGTON, Sarey
WITHERINGTON, Spier
Worthington, Richard