Pike Township Family Stories
SAMUEL NICHOLS, SR.
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 192
By Charlene Nichols HixonSamuel Nichols, Sr., was born about 1746. He was a tenant of the Manor of Leeds in Fauquier county, Virginia. During the American Revolution, Samuel supplied a team and wagon for use by the American troops.
In 1795 Samuel was twelve years in arrears on a 200 acre lease. At that time there was some doubt among the tenants of the Manor of Leeds as to the legality of the title to the land they were renting, and many of the tenants refused to pay their rent because of this. There was a dispute over this situation which lasted many years. Perhaps this is the reason Samuel decided to move to Ross county, Ohio.
In addition to his family, Samuel took two slaves to Ohio with him. When he reached Ohio, he freed his slaves, and letters of manumission were filed in the courthouse in Warrenton, Virginia, so there could be no question as to the status of these black people. They did remain with the family, however, for a number of years.
Samuel Sr. died in Ross county, Ohio, 10 February 1824, and was buried in Schooley Chapel cemetery near Jones’ Cross Roads. His wife, Elizabeth “Betsy” Nichols, died in 1841 and is buried beside Samuel Nichols.
Samuel and Elizabeth had 13 children. Most of them remained in Ohio; Townsend Nichols died in Missouri, and William Nichols died in eastern Illinois. Isabelle Nichols married James Latta and lived near Grandview, Louisa county, Iowa; Elizabeth Nichols married Merit Jamison and lived in Louisa county, Iowa; Reuben Nichols lived near Mediapolis in Des Moines county, Iowa, and Samuel Nichols, Jr. settled in Pike township, Muscatine county, Iowa.
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Page created December 31, 2010 by Lynn McCleary