Hg = R-S10621 http://www.brian-hamman.com/ResultsForNicholsSurnameProject.htm

Richard died on 22 Nov 1674 in Reading, MA.

The typical spelling of the surname was Nickols, not Nichols, in the 17th and 18th century in the Reading area, but became Nichols during the 18th century and exclusively Nichols in the 19th century.

Richard Nichols, immigrant ancestor of this family, born in England, was an early settler in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He was one of the proprietors of that town as early as 1646, and that year was one of the subscribers to the Denison fund. He bought of Edward Bragg, March 21, 1658, an acre and a half on the south side of the river, bounded by the highway leading to Essex on the south: land formerly of Humphrey Griffin, now of Abraham Fitts, on the east: and other land of Nichols on the north. He appeared before the general court December 1, 1640. He removed to Reading, Massachusetts, and his wife ‘Sister Nichols’ was admitted to the Reading church by letter from the Ipswich church in 1666, not long after their removal. His wife Annas (or Agnes) died in 1692. Their home in Reading was in the west part of town, on the place subsequently known as the Lambert farm.

"Richard Nichols the Immigrant," George E. Nichols, 1928, in Nichols Families in New England, Robert E. Nichols, 1983.

Richard married Agnes -----. Agnes died on 24 Aug 1692 in Reading, MA. Agnes, or Annis.

Children:

1. John Nichols (ca 1651/2-16 Dec 1721)
2. Mary Nichols (say 1657-1 Dec 1717)
3. James Nichols (25 Jul 1658-12 Jan 1744/5)
4. Joanna Nichols (26 Nov 1660-)
5. Hannah Nichols (-aft 19 Nov 1674)

Will of Richard Nichols November 19, 1674/75

Make my son John Nickoles, my full and sole Executor of this my Will. To my wife Ann, four pounds a year, during her widowhood. To my son Thomas Nickoles, my divident of land that was given me by the Town of Redding, that lyeth beyond Ipsidge River, with three Acres of meadow that belonges unto.

To my son James Nickoles, Ten Acres of land adjoining to James Pikes, with a sledge of meadow called Lawkin's Sledge, and two Acres of meadow in durty meadow, at the East end, next to Mist. Brockes meadow.

To my daughter, Mary Nickoles, thirty pounds, to be paid by my son John, Ten pounds on her day of marriage, and five pounds a year until thirty is paid.

To my daughter Hannah Nickoles, twenty pounds.

Source: Pane-Joyce Genealogy which is well sourced and usually correct, but still needs to be verified.

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The Richard Nichols of Reading, Mass who died 1674, was not born 1624

 Replies: 2  The Richard Nichols of Reading, Mass who died 1674, was not born 1624 

HerbNichols1  (View posts)  Posted: 27 Oct 2010 11:13PM   Classification: Query   Surnames:  

There are probate records and Reading Death Records which establish unequivocally that Richard died 1674. When he was born is problematic.

Ancestry.com provides subscribers the opportunity to explore its on-line data by scanning customer family trees for potential family members. The URL for this "search engine" is http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1030

I just went there to find out what Family Trees are saying about the Richard Nichols who died in Reading Mass in 1674 Using the "exact" filters only I searched for Richard Nic*s (exact) d. 1674 (exact) Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts (exact)

The "answer" that was returned is that there are 674 Public Family Trees on Ancestry.com which match the criteria of a Richard Nichols, born anytime, dying in Reading Mass 1674, (remember to use the "exact" filters)

I searched again, specifying in addition that Richard was born 1624 so the new search criteria, again using only "exact" filters reads ... Richard Nic*s (exact) b 1624 (exact) d. 1674 Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts (exact)

This time the answer is 594 Of the 674 Public Family Trees, 594 of them "believe" that the Richard Nichols who died 1674 was born precisely 1624 These 594 data bases have incorrect information.

I then tried another search, changing the birth date for Richard to be 1609+/- 10 so the new search criteria, again using only "exact" filters reads ... Richard Nic*s (exact) b 1609 +/-10 (exact) (this means: 1599-1619)

The answer: "Your Search for Richard Nic*S returned four good matches"

Of 674 Public Family Trees, FOUR have the information that Richard was born anytime in the 20 years before 1620 These four trees have that Richard was born o before 1619 o before 1618, and o twice at 1618

Although, it is easy to arrive at the answer "bef 1620", the actual date is not known. It is known that he was born before 1620, because there are primary records* of this Richard Nichols, as an adult in 1640. Since he was an adult in 1640 (he appeared before the Massachusetts Assembly -the General Court- then he was at least 21, and must have been born no later than 1619.

Four of the 674 Public Family Trees with data about this Richard have useful birth dates.

Two additional points: 1) There are no facts to support that Richard's wife had the surname "Kendall" What IS known is that Richard's eldest son, John, married an Abigail Kendall, (daughter of Thomas)

2) This Richard Nichols was NOT the son of Margaret Bruce. The Richard Nichols who was the son of Margaret Bruce died in 1672 at the Battle of Solebay, unmarried.

Herb Nichols

• Charles H Pope: "Pioneers of Massachusetts" has: "Richard Nichols, Ipswich, propr.: before Gen. Court 1 (10) 1640". [my comment: Nichols could not have been a proprietor before he was 21]

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Nichols-925
Richard Nichols (bef. 1620 - 1674)

Richard Nichols [uncertain] aka Nickols
Born before 1620 in Englandmap [uncertain]
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling%28s%29 unknown]
Husband of Ann (Unknown) Nickols — married 1650 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap
DESCENDANTS descendants
Father of John (Nicolls) Nickols, Thomas (Nichols) Nickols, James Nichols, Joanna Nichols and Mary (Nichols) Lamson
Died 22 Nov 1674 after age 54 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts Baymap
PROBLEMS/QUESTIONSProfile managers: Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree private message [send private message], Elizabeth Patterson private message [send private message], and Janine McLean private message [send private message]
Profile last modified 23 Nov 2021 | Created 21 Jun 2011
This page has been accessed 2,331 times.
The Puritan Great Migration.
Richard Nichols migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640).
Join: Puritan Great Migration Project
Discuss: PGM
Contents

[hide]
1 Biography
1.1 Name and Origins
1.2 Birth
1.3 Marriage and Children
1.4 Death
1.5 Research Notes
1.6 Common Errors to Avoid
2 Sources
Biography

Richard Nichols was of Ipswich, Massachusetts and then later of Reading, Massachusetts. His parentage and English origins are unknown. He is first found in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1638.[1] He is said online to have arrived as early as 1635, however, there is no record to support this. He is also said to have been made a freeman in 1638, however he does not appear on any of the freeman lists. He appeared before the General Court in 1640.[2] He purchased 1&1/2 acres March 23, 1648 from Edward Bragg on south side of IpswichRiver (north side of road to Chebacco and Essex). Nichols Brook is mentioned in history of Ipswich. That and other property were sold January 22,1662 in preparation for a move to Reading where he bought land from William Lawkin on November 10, 1662.
He removed to Reading Massachusetts presumably in 1662 when he sold his land in Ipswich and purchased land in Reading. A map in 1750 shows his house lot in the westerly part of the South Parish near Lake Quannapowitt and which was later known as the Lambert Farm (now part of Wakefield). He was admitted to the church in Reading in 1666.[3] He was one of 59 who had a completed house in Reading in 1667.[4] He lived in the westerly part of the South Parish on the place subsequently known as Lambert Farm.[5]
The Will of Richard Nickcoles or Nickols of Reading, Massachusetts Bay Colony was written on November 19,1674. He appointed his son John Nickcoles as executor and provided for the maintenance of his wife Ann ("four pounds a year during her widowhood"). He gave the land that the town of Reading had given him to his son Thomas Nickcoles when he is twenty-one and gave ten acres to his son James when he is twenty-one. Daughter Mary received thirty pounds and daughter Hannah twenty pounds, with the first payment when they married and annual payments after that. Wife Ann also got a cow. House and land were not specifically but assumed that oldest son John received them.
Name and Origins

Name: Richard Nichols of Ipswich and Reading, Massachusetts.
Orthographic variations: Nichols, Nicholls, Nickolls, Nicols, Nickols, Nickcoles, Nickoles
The name of Nichols was very inconsistently spelled in the 17th century. The most common variation in this time period was probably Nickols with Nichols being less common.
His origins are unknown. The best clue may be that he was called "cousin" in the will of Robert Kinsman. This Robert Kinsman is believed to have come from Highworth, Wiltshire, England.[6]
Birth

Born: Before 1618.
Hurd places Richard Nichols in Ipswich in 1638. His list is "gleaned from town records" and the original supporting record should be found and added here. Since town and land records very rarely make note of anyone not yet of age, the presumption is that Richard Nichols was at least 21 years old.
Marriage and Children

Married: Ann Unknown about 1651 as their first child is estimated to have been born about 1652.
Children of Richard and Ann Nichols:
John Nichols. Born about 1652 (died in his 70th year [age 69] in 1721), presumably in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He married Abigail Kendall on 18 May 1676 in Reading. John died 16 December 1721 in Reading.
Thomas Nichols. Born about 1654 in Ipswich. He married Rebecca Eaton on 1 Dec 1680 in Reading. Thomas died on 9 February 1737 in Reading.
Mary Nichols. Born about 1656 presumably in Ipswich. She married Samuel Lamson on 19 May 1676 in Reading. Mary died 1 December 1717 in Reading.
James Nichols. Born on 25 July 1658 in Ipswich.[7] He married Mary Pool on 9 October 1682 in Reading. James died 12 January 1745 in Reading.
Joanna Nichols. Born on 26 Nov 1660 in Ipswich. No further record. She was not named in her father's will in 1674.
Death

Died: 22 Nov 1674 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts.[8]
Burial: Wakefield Old Burial Ground, Section B Row 12.{citation needed}
Will: of Richard Nickoles of Reading.[9]
Made 19 November 1674; inventory taken 11 December 1674
Summary:
- my son John
- my daughter Ann
- my son Thomas Nichols
- my wife Ann
- my son James Nichols
- unto my daughter Mary Nichols
- unto my daughter Hannah Nichols
- unto my wife Ann
Research Notes

Cousin of Robert Kinsman: Robert Kinsman in his 1664 will calls Richard Nichols his "cousin."
"Item I give vnto my coussen Richard Nicholls ten pounds to be payd by my said daughter Tabi[t]ha pt of the twenty pounds and the other ten pounds to be payd vnto my daughter Hanah by my sayd daughter Tabitha as pt of the forty pounds before given vnto to her."
The question then is how is Richard Nichols related Robert Kinsman?
Common Errors to Avoid

Birth place: This profile previously said he was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex, England. No indications for his birth place in England have been found.
Name of wife: In some secondary sources and online, the name of the wife of Richard Nichols is given as Ann Kendall. No evidence has been found to support this. It is undoubtedly a confusion with the wife of his son John who was a Kendall.
Son Richard: Records and most knowledgeable researchers do not list list a son Richard except for an error in the 1874 book by Lilley Eaton who was confused by a grandson (son of John).[10]
Origin: This Richard Nichols was NOT the son of Margaret Bruce. The Richard Nichols who was the son of Margaret Bruce died in 1672 at the Battle of Solebay, unmarried.
Sources

↑ Hurd. History of Essex County, Vol. 1. (1888): page 571.
↑ Pope. "The Pioneers of Massachusetts" (1900): page 328.
↑ Nichols. Richard Nichols, the Immigrant. (1929): page 9.
↑ Eaton. Genealogical History of Reading. (1874): page 20.
↑ Eaton. Genealogical History of Reading. (1874): page 97.
↑ TAG, vol. 84 (2010): pages 18-25.
↑ Ipswich. Vital Records of Ipswich. (1910): page 276.
↑ Reading. Vital Records of Reading. (1912): page 544.
↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871. (AmericanAncestors.org online database). Probate #15975, will of Richard Nickols.
↑ Eaton. Genealogical History of Reading. (1874): page 97
Eaton, Lilley. Genealogical History of the Town of Reading, Mass. (Boston, 1874): page 97. Archive.org link
Hurd, Duane Hamilton. History of Essex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches..., Volume 1. (1888): page 571.
Ipswich. Vital Records of Ipswich Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, volume 1: Births. (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1910).
Internet Archive link [ Google Books link - No free copy found] HathiTrust.org link
Pope, Charles H. "The Pioneers of Massachusetts" (Boston, 1900).
"Richard Nichols, Ipswich, propr.: before Gen. Court 1 (10) 1640". Internet Archive link.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871. (AmericanAncestors.org online database). Probate #15975, will of Richard Nickols.
Nichols, George E. Richard Nichols, the Immigrant. (1929). Available on Ancestry.com
Reading. Vital Records of Reading Massachusetts to the Year 1850. (Boston, 1912): page 544.