Stephen Nichols

GEDCOM Note

The following was in the notes that Carol Mason received from David Nichols in 1999.Emigrated to Canada in 1814 with parents (Hamilton Twp.)Emigrated to Smith Twp. in 1824, Lot 12 Conn.7 & Lot 12 Conn.8 First District Councillor from Smith Township on District of Colbourne Council (1842)First Smith Township Justice of the Peace (1842-46) 11 Documents signed by him are on file in the Peterborough Museum Archives. Built Stone house on Ward St. in 1840's. Date on house was covered up when Kitchen & woodshed were added.David Nichols has copy of Will dated 10 July 1843 & Codicil (not Dated)David Nichols has copy of Grant from Crown Lot 12, Conn. 7

The following was in the notes that Carol Mason received from Gina Martin in 2000. Son of Benjamin Nichols and Phoebe Norton, Stephen Nichols was born in 1796 in New York, USA. At the age of 16 he came to Canada with his family and did duty in the War of 1812 as a Loyalist. At the end of the war he moved to the Loyalist settlement of Hamilton (now Cobourg, Ontario) with his family. Here two children were born to he and his American born wife, Delilah Boyce, whom he had married about 1821.After the War of 1812, the government of Upper Canada established the townships of Smith, North Monaghan and Asphodel to be broken up and distributed to veterans as payment for war services. Stephen Nichols applied for one of these parcels and on May 26, 1819 the Land Board for the District of Newcastle awarded him the front part of lot 12 in the 7th concession Smith:"Stephen Nichols, of Hamilton, age 23. Has been in this province 7 yrs. and having done his duty during the late war is allowed to locate on the front part of lot 12 in the 7th concession." Stephen and Delilah did not take possession of this land until late 1824 at which time they built a small log cabin right along the waterfront at what is now Bridgenorth. The cabin was located just north of the present causeway bridge going into Ennismore. The 1825 assessment of Smith shows that in his first year of settlement, Stephen Nichols managed to cultivate five of his one hundred acres. During this year he also acquired one milk cow and two young cattle.Over the next number of years Stephen proved to be a prominent and successful member of society. By 1830 most of his land was both cultivated and productive and he was considered to be a very good area farmer. When the District of Newcastle Council was set up in 1838, Stephen Nichols was appointed as Smith Township's first representative, a position which he held for many years. In 1842 he became a Justice of the Peace and served athe the County Court House in Peterborough.Although by 1836 several additions had been made to the log cabin, the building could no longer accommodate Stephen and Delilah's growing family. As a result plans were made for the erection of the impressive two storey stone home which still stands on the shore of Chemong Lake inBridgenorth. Built on the site of the old cabin, the house was built in the loyalist style of architecture from stone quarried nearby. The floors were of pine from nearby Bobcaygeon and the rafters were huge tree trunks with the bark left on. Originally the kitchen had a fireplace and two brick ovens. In 1860 four fireplaces throughout the house were bricked up and stoves were installed for heat. The furnace was installed in 1900, at which time plaster was poured into the old chimneys. Sometime during the 1880's two symmetrical Gothich gables accented with gingerbread trim were placed on the front facade of the house breaking up the Loyalist line of architecture.Various members of the Stephen Nichols line occupied the house for 137 years. When Stephen Nichols died on February 20, 1850 he was interred in the family cemetery behind the house. His remains were later moved to the Lakefield Cemetery. His headstone reads "Stephen Nichols Esq., Died February 20, 1850 - Age 55 years - Rest in Peace."

Following information provided by researcher Gary Nichols of Ontario, Canada."Stephen Nichols was born in the U.S.A. in 1795, son of Benjamin and Phoebe. He married Delilah Boyce, born 1806 in the U.S.A. Their occupation was farmer, Justice of the Peace and housewife. He was one of the three brothers that crossed over into Canada in 1812. He died in 1850 at the age of 55, in Bridgenorth. Ontario Canada and is buried in the Lakefield Cemetery. Delilah's death is unknown. Stephen and Delilah had 10 children: Nancy Agnes - 1822, Aaron - May 22, 1825, George - 1830, Elias - 1832, Phoebe - 1834, Peter Andrew - 1840, Stephen - 1842, Garner - 1844 (died 1845), Mathew - 1846, Garner - 1847."Grave Location: R09L04 sw 1/4In Memory ofSTEPHEN NICHOLS Esq.who diedFeb 20, 1850Aged 55 years.Also Garner, his sonwho diedMarch 8, 1845, Aged 11 mo.Fathered 6 childrenDelilah (Lillie) Jane NicholsDelilah (Lillie) was the daughter of Stephen Nichols and Mary Jane Pearson and the granddaughter of Stephen Nichols and Delilah Boyce. She married Robert Adolphus Crapp and had two children.Lakefield cemetery records confirm the date of death, but list the place of death as Lakefield, Ontario. The records also refer to her as Lillie B. Crapp. However, her grandmother's name was Delilah Boyce.The birth records for her sons, Everett & Norman Nichols, also refers to her as Lillie B. CrappGarner F. NicholsGarner was the eldest child of Stephen Nichols and Mary Jane Pearson.Garner F. Nichols was born on 1 Dec 1865 in Selwyn, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He died of pneumonia on 6 Jan 1917 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA. He was buried on 12 Jan 1917 in Lakefield Cemetery, Smith Township, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Garner married Maud S. b Mar 5, 1876 Ontario, in Abt 1901 in of, , Ontario, Canada. Lakefield cemetery records confirm birth year & date & place of death.The 1901 Canadian Census lists Garner's wife as Maud S., born 5 Mar 1876 in Ontario.DEATH: Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932. Ohio. Division of Vital Statistics. Death Certificates and index, December 20, 1908-December 31, 1953. State Archives Series 3094. Ohio Historical Society, Ohio.Cuyahoga Nichols Garner 2141 01196 01 06 17Stephen Nichols son of Benjamin Nichols and Phoebe Norton b 1795 Bainbridge, Chenango, New York, USA died Feb 20, 1850 Smith Twp, Peterborough, OntarioDelilah Boyce b 1806 in USA died 1887 Smith Twp, Peterborough, Ontario

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jan 2 2022, 22:29:49 UTC