Joseph Nichols was the tenth child of John and Ann (nee Pugh) Nichols. Joseph's date of birth has not been found.
The 1825 Muster/1828 Census records that Joseph was born CI816-1817. Census 1828 listed Joseph was living at Petersham, occupation limeburner, with his brother Thomas and Catherine Nichols.
On 11 May 1846 Joseph married Ann Vistirin (Vistirine) at St Andrews, Church of England, Sydney witnesses W. Vistirin and Sarah Sturt.
Hannah 'Ann' Vistirin, a free migrant arrived on August 1833 aboard the 'Bussorah Merchant'. Hannah was the daughter of Henry Vistirin and Ann George, probably born London 1815/16.
Hannah and Joseph's daughter Ann Amelia was born 24 December 1847 at Cambridge Street, Sydney. On 19 June 1849, their daughter Sophia Sarah Jane was born at their residence 78 Liverpool Street, Sydney dying on 17 October that year.
Their daughter Ann Amelia died 25 March 1850. Their daughters were buried at Camperdown Cemetery where their paternal grandmother Ann (nee Pugh) Nichols had been buried in 1849.
On 3 October 1855, Anna 'Hannah' Nichols paid a deposit to sponsor her mother's, voyage to NSW. Her mother arrived in Sydney on 'Lloyds' on 4 September 1856. With her mother came her sister Sophia and her brother-in-law James Westbrook.
Sands Directory 1871 lists Joseph as a limeburner at Liverpool Street.
Hannah died 23 August 1874 aged 54 years having suffered from dropsy. Hannah was buried by the Kinsela Family at Rookwood Wesleyan Cemetery.
Joseph died at 78 Duke Street, Sydney on the 18 March 1890 having suffered from asthma, emphysema and tuberculoses for two years caused by his years working as a limeburner. Joseph was buried with his wife Hannah at Rookwood Cemetery. His nephews Joseph, Charles and John, sons of his brother Charles remembered their uncle with a notice in Sydney Morning Herald.