WILLIAM NICHOLSON was born about 1725 and was buried at Kirkby cum Osgodby, Lincolnshire on 11 Oct 1790, age 65. He married his first wife, ANN PARKER, at St. Mary's Church, South Kelsey, Lincolnshire, on 22 Feb 1748/9. Ann was the daughter of William Parker and Elizabeth Hinds. She was baptized at St. Mary's Church, South Kelsey, on 19 Aug 1722, and buried at Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire, on 30 Oct 1775.
William Nicholson married his second wife, REBECCA SMITH, at Bishop Norton on 29 Feb 1776. Rebecca was the daughter of John Smith and Jane Hewson. She was baptized at Drax Church, Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire on 24 Nov 1749, and died sometime after 1790, when her last child was born.
William and Ann had an illegitimate daughter, Mary, who was baptized at South Kelsey on 15 Jan 1748/9 and was buried there on 23 Feb 1748/9, just one day after her parents were married. It is difficult to imagine the reasons that might have lain behind this sequence of events -- why did the couple marry only after their child had been born? Whatever the reason, this type of belated marriage was far more common in this period than it is today.
Between their marriage (1749) and Ann's death (1775), it is uncertain where William and Ann lived. They may well have been the same William and Ann Nicholson who had another daughter Mary baptized in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire on 9 Jun 1750.
Shortly after the death of Ann, William remarried Rebecca Smith. On their marriage license,[1] he is called "William Nicholson of Bishop's Norton, widower, 40," and she is "Rebekah Smith of Glentham, spinster." The surety was Richard Evenson of Glentworth and the witness was George Bassett. The license was dated 28 Feb 1776. Since he is clearly the same William Nicholson who was buried in 1790, age 65, either that age or the age on his license is incorrect. For a number of reasons, the age at death seems more likely, and I have used it to estimate his birth year.
On their marriage record, William was called an Inn-holder of Bishop Norton, and Rebecca was said to be "of the parish of Glentham from Spital Inn, Single Woman." Spital Inn was an ancient inn situated on the Roman Road that ran north from the city of Lincoln. The name came originally from the word hospital, which was perhaps its former function. Since Rebecca's family was from the parish of Middle Rasen, "from Spital Inn" probably indicates that Rebecca was an employee there. John Smith (probably her father) was a witness to the marriage.
The family moved from Bishop Norton to the parish of Kirkby cum Osgodby between 1781 and 1784. At his death in 1790, William was referred to as a laborer and his age was given as 65. From this age, it is possible that he was the William Nicholson who was baptized at Saxilby, Lincolnshire on 27 Feb 1725/6, son of William and Anne Nicholson. Saxilby is a parish about 7 miles southwest of Bishop Norton and about 6 miles southeast of Gainsborough.
Children of William Nicholson and Ann Parker:
1. MARY NICHOLSON, bapt. at St. Mary's, South Kelsey, Lincolnshire, 15 Jan 1748/9; buried there, 23 Feb 1748/9.
2. (perhaps) MARY NICHOLSON, bapt. at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, 9 Jun 1750.
Children of William Nicholson and Rebecca Smith:
3. REBECCA NICHOLSON, bapt. at Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire, 19 May 1777; buried there 19 Oct 1780.
4. MARY NICHOLSON, bapt. at Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire, 20 Dec 1778.
5. BETTY NICHOLSON, bapt. at Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire, 29 May 1780; buried there, 6 Oct 1780.
6. JOHN NICHOLSON, bapt. at Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire, 16 Sep 1781; m. at Newark, Nottinghamshire, 1804, CHARLOTTE READ, who was bapt. at Newark in 1782.
7. ELIZABETH NICHOLSON, bapt. at Kirkby cum Osgodby, Lincolnshire, 19 Apr 1784; buried there, 9 May 1784.
8. JAMES NICHOLSON, bapt. at Kirkby cum Osgodby, Lincolnshire, 9 Jun 1787, twin; d. after 1851; m. first, at St. Mary's, Nottingham, 3 Oct 1815, SARAH BALL; m. second, by 1851, ELLEN ___.
9. HANNAH NICHOLSON, bapt. at Kirkby cum Osgodby, Lincolnshire, 9 Jun 1787, twin.
10. STEPHEN NICHOLSON, bapt. at Kirkby cum Osgodby, Lincolnshire, 3 Sep 1790.
[1]Lincolnshire marriage
licenses, 1776, license #496, page 149.
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