David Nicoll

My great great grandfather, David Nicol (or Nicoll) was born in St. Andrews, Fife sometime between 1849 and 1850. The earliest census I find on line is 1861, and his age is given as 12, his birth date estimated to be 1849. At the time of this census, he is living with his family at Law Mill and going to school. The household is a large one, including his grandmother, Elizabeth Nicoll (83), his parents, Thomas (43) and Isabella (43). The ages are noteworthy, as I have heard that the tradition in Scottish and Irish families is that the youngest child cares for the aged parent. David has two older siblings, Thomas (19) estimated birth 1842, and Betsy (Elizabeth?) (15) est. birth 1846; he also has 4 younger siblings--Isabella (10), Agnes (8), Jessie K. (3), and Andrew (4mos.). Finally, a manservant/miller, David Honeyman (24) lives in the household. In all, 11 members.

Ten years later (1871) David, now 22, is still living with the family, now residing at Easter Strathkine. The census identifies his occupation as "AgLab," which I assume to be a farm laborer. Brother Thomas and sister Betsy are no longer in the household, but Isabella, Agnes, Jessie, and Andrew are. There is no mention of servants, nor of grandmother, who must have died. Also, in this census, Isabella's maiden name, Craig, is given.

In 1861, Thomas (my great x3 grandfather) is 44, birth year est. 1817 in Ritmany, Fife. He is farming 50 acres. I am not sure that the photo I have inserted is David Nicoll. I found it in an old album that was in my mother's belongings. It is full of photos which appear to have been taken from a magazine or picture book--very old pictures, but almost all from St. Andrews, and as the Nicolls are more intimately connected with St. Andrews than the Taylor family (in other words, my grandfather's maternal line is associated with St. Andrews) and as I have the impression that the Nicolls, though farmers, were more prosperous than the Taylors (again, speculation) might have had a photograph like this. I have very little doubt that he is an ancestor. His face, the mouth, the eyes, very much like my grandfather's. My sister Victoria says she sees Mom's nose on him as well. Other personal photos in the album include pictures of "Edina Villa" Leuchars, an address that appears in Scotland Census data--the address of

[After the birth of Lizzie (my great grandmother) the family took up living at 27 South St. St. Andrews, Fife. ]