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John NICHOALS

John NICHOALS

Male Abt 1759 - 1839  (~ 80 years)    Has 6 ancestors and 195 descendants in this family tree.


 Set As Default Person    

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  • Name John NICHOALS 
    Relationshipwith Teresa Ann GOATHAM
    Born Abt 1759  Stokenham, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location 
    • Date from age at death, place assumed from baptism
    Baptised 20 May 1759  St. Michael and All Angels’ Church, Stokenham, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location 
    • ** Is this the baptism of the right John Nichoals? - see research notes (at the bottom of the page) for my thoughts on this.
    Gender Male 
    Also known as John NICHOLLS 
    Also known as John NICHOLS 
    Occupation Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location 
    Farmer 
    • Although John was a Farmer and died at Dearswell, a farm in Slapton Parish, it is not clear that this is where he farmed. Richard Cawse, husband of his daughter Anna farmed here and it may just be that in old age he was living with his youngest daughter and her family.

      We may assume he farmed in Slapton parish, as that is where his children born 1799-1811 were baptised, but his first 6 children, baptised 1788-1796 were baptised in Dartmouth, so he was probably either farming or working as an ag lab in that parish.
    Died 15 Dec 1839  Dearswell, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location 
    Cause: Old age 
    • Died of "old age"!
      Death was registered by Richard Cawse, Farmer at Dearswell, present at the death. Richard was John's son-in-law and so Dearswell was probably not where John farmed but where he was living in his last days (years?) with his daughter and her family.

      (The registrar for the death was William Bartlett Hambling, grandfather-in-law of John's great granddaughter Florence Issell)

      GRO ref: Nichoals, John q4 1839 Kingsbridge RD 9 208
    Death certificate for John Nicholls
    Death certificate for John Nicholls
    Buried 19 Dec 1839  St. James’ Church, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location 
    • Shown as aged 79, abode Dearswell
    The gravestone of John Nichoals and Lydia nee Pepperell in its setting
    The gravestone of John and Lydia Nichoals and a granddaughter
    Siblings 3 brothers and 2 sisters 
    Patriarch & Matriarch
    John NICHOALS,   b. Est 1658,   d. Mar 1718, South Pool, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 60 years)  (Great Grandfather) 
    Catherine,   d. Aug 1783, West Alvington, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location  (Mother) 
    Notes 
    • (Research):Who was John?
      John Nichoals b. c. 1759/60 does not appear to have been baptised in Slapton. With a name like John and a not uncommon surname it is difficult to be sure of John's birth and parents.

      Clues
      However, we do have 2 important clues:
      1. His age. With this recorded on his death certificate and gravestone, it seems he was born about 1759-60.
      2. The names he gave his children.

      Probably the most often names a man gave to his first 2 sons were those of himself and (where different) his father.
      The first name he gave was John, his own, the second was Richard. That suggests his father was most likely called John or Richard.
      That John liked to give family names is shown by that of his 3rd son: Æneas. This rare name was that of his wife's maternal grandfather, so he didn't give his wife's father's name, Samuel to any of his seven sons (though they only had 5 names, as 2 Johns died young and the name was resued).
      Family names were used less often for girls, but John gave his first 2 (who shared a name, the first dying in infancy) the distinctive name Sarah Edwards.
      Where did Edwards come from? and was there a Sarah Edwards in the family?
      Edwards was used again, in combination with Henry, for John's 5th son. Was there a Henry Edwards?
      His first son John had the middle name Tanner.

      Following up the clues
      TANNER - no joy so far. This was a rare name in the area; the only baptism of those on the South Hams website (at the time of writing) was one in East Allington, the baptism of a dau of William and Susanna in 1798. If it was given after William one might expect that John's son would have been William Tanner not John Tanner. But maybe there was a link with this couple or William's family. Since the name's rarity suggests it came from outside of the area one of the places it is likely to be found is in a town or port, where more outsiders will generally be found. However, both the SouthHams website and FMP have very limited records for Kingsbridge, the largest place in the area.

      EDWARDS
      In 1759 there was a Nicholls - Edwards marriage in Charleton; what's more, the bride was Sarah Edwards and the groom, John Nicholls was 'of Stokenham', an adjoining parish to Slapton. Could this couple be John's parents?

      It was just in time for their eldest son to be born 1759-60, and named after his father and to be this John. The trouble is so far I can't find any children from this marriage, though I have only checked FMP and SouthHams indexes. There could be children from the marriage baptised in Kingsbridge or Malborough. However, it is quite possible there were no children from the marriage, especially as John was probably the John baptised in Stokenham in 1719 (son of John and Mary), i.e. was aged about 40 when he married. If Sarah was a similar age there would have been a good chance he marriage would be childless. 

      Why Henry Edwards? Edwards was a name particularly common name in the area, and there were a number of Sarahs who could have been the one who married John Nicholls. Although there were no baptisms of a Sarah in Charleton (where Sarah was 'of' when she married) a Sarah Edwards had had an illegitimate son there are a few years earlier - who she called Henry Petherweek.
      1759/60
      To reiterate, the FMP and South Hams indexes together do not cover all the parishes John could well have been baptised in for 1759/60, but they do cover all the immediately adjacent parishes. In these there is just one baptism found, a John Nicholls baptised in Stokenham in 1759. He was the son of Richard and Catherine. So was the name John gave his 2nd son after his father? Then why the use of the name Edwards?

      Looking at Richard's possible parents, the most likely couple seem, yes, the same couple, John and Mary, who were the parents of the John who married Sarah Edwards. So was Sarah his aunt (by marriage), not his mother, possibly also godmother, and Henry Edwards a sort of non-blood cousin (his aunt-by-marriage's son)? Henry EDWARDS may have been godfather to John's son Henry Edwards NICHOLLS.

      I don't think there is enough evidence to form a firm conclusion but it does seem probable that John's grandparents were John and Mary of Stokenham.

      Less likely ... (or so it seems to me)
      If this John is the son of John and Sarah, there is another possibility as to his father. A John was baptised in Slapton in 1725 - it could be that John who married Sarah in 1759, though it would seem more likely that he remained in Slapton Parish and married Mary Lavers in 1750. His parents were John and Elizabeth, who had married in Slapton in 1724, Elizabeth being 'of Moreleigh', and a Rogers prior to her marriage, so no obvious connection with any of the names amongst John's children.  
    Person ID I14  All | Teresa's direct ancestors
    Last Modified 25 Mar 2023 

    Father Richard NICHOALS,   b. Abt 1725, Stokenham, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Mother Catherine,   d. Aug 1783, West Alvington, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F16  Family Group Page  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Susanna RIDER,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married? Not married or evidence to suggest they didn't marry 
    Children
     1. John Nichols RIDER,   bap. 9 Jun 1782, St. James’ Church, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     
    Last Modified 25 Mar 2023 
    Family ID F6634  Family Group Page  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Lydia PEPPERELL,   b. Abt 1764, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Jan 1836, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 72 years) 
    Married 24 Oct 1784  St. James’ Church, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location 
    • The register is one that shows a combined entry for the banns and the marriage. In the section for the banns the brides name is given as Ally Pepperel - Lydia's mother's name! It is correctly Lydia both times in the marriage section.
      The witnesses were Samuel Pepperell, probably either Lydia's father or first cousin with the name (other young people were very often witnesses) and Philip Mortimore, presumably Parish Clerk.
    Children 11 children 
    Last Modified 26 Jun 2014 
    Family ID F9  Family Group Page  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map Click to hide
    Link to Google MapsBorn - Abt 1759 - Stokenham, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsBaptised - 20 May 1759 - St. Michael and All Angels’ Church, Stokenham, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - - Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsChild - John Nichols RIDER - 9 Jun 1782 - St. James’ Church, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 24 Oct 1784 - St. James’ Church, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsChild - Richard NICHOALS - Abt 1793 - Dartmouth, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsChild - Aeneas NICHOALS - 1794 - Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsChild - Sarah Edwards NICHOALS - 1796 - Dartmouth, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsChild - Henry Edwards NICHOALS - 1802 - Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsChild - Anna NICHOALS - 1811 - Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsDied - Cause: Old age - 15 Dec 1839 - Dearswell, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
    Link to Google MapsBuried - 19 Dec 1839 - St. James’ Church, Slapton, Devon, England See the place on a map and other information about it - if available (many more will be in time); also all individuals with events at this location Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install)
     = Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install) 
    Pin Legend Address Church or Cemetery Military service or death Hospital Small location Town / City County, state or province Country Registration District Place of education Court Property Not Set