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The NICHOLSONs of Beaver Bank, Halifax County, Nova Scotia Descendants of Malcolm Nicholson




Generation No. 1


1. MALCOLM2 NICHOLSON (?1)1 was born 1750 in Isle of Skye, Inverness, Scotland2,3, and died March 29, 1838 in St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Halifax, Halifax, NS Canada4,5. He married SARAH WILSON Bet. November 01, 1783 - 1790 in Nova Scotia, Canada. She was born WFT Est. 1755-1773, and died January 28, 1825 in Beaver Bank, Halifax, NS Canada5.

Notes for MALCOLM NICHOLSON:
      I looked at the Acadian Recorder, 31 Mar. 1838, for Malcolm’s death, and it was actually Thursday Mar. 29, 1838, that he died and the funeral took place on Sunday, Apr. 1, 1838. "Aged 88, a native of Inverness, and for many years a respected inhabitant of the province. Funeral to take place tomorrow, Sunday, at half-past four o’clock from Mr. Walter Curry’s of Marchington wharf. The friends and acquaintances of the family are respectfully invited to attend."
--Iris V. Umlah Shea, Mainland South Heritage Society


                              LAND DEEDS

      Here is the scoop on that land grant. I went through all of my Nicholson files from the beginning because I pursued Malcolm and William of Beaverbank and came to the conclusion they were not part of the family of William of Spryfield because that William seemed to be in Beaverbank when your William was in Spryfield. But, I am really trying now to make that William fit. The land in the grant was 550 acres on the new road to Rawdon, in Halifax County, later referred to as Beaverbank.
      You know, the age of William, son of Malcolm, fits. William of Spryfield is above the age of 50 in the 1851 census. Here is what it says in the petition, which I feel confirms that the William in that petition is the son of Malcolm, not a brother or cousin, or whatever is the belief. The date is 1812 and Malcolm Nicholson says he was born in Scotland, came to this province in 1783 to Shelburne as a disbanded soldier from New York. He has a wife and eight children. In the same petition, William Nicholson says he was born in this province and is 22 years old. To me, that sounds like that same William who was baptized in 1790. The age is exact. The Warrant to Survey stated William received 200 acres, Malcolm received 350 acres. In my notes I have some notations re land in Shelburne being given to a John Cambell, more that 53,000 acres to be divided among 121 men. The names I made I included were Peter Nicholson and Malcolm Nickerson. Then I had a note saying "Checked the deeds to see if there was anything further on a Malcolm Nicholson/Nickerson, found nothing."
      Now for the deeds, very rough notes of mine, mainly the Beaverbank grant.
      Reel 17,916, NSARM, Deeds, Halifax County Register, Book 86, p. 383. In a deed dated 1 Mar. 1820, Malcolm gave to William Nicholson 250 acres in Beaverbank, and ? of a 2 acre piece of property with its boundary on the Rawdon Road. Jacob Withrow, J.P. signed oath when it was registered 30 Mar. 1847. Price was £5 pounds. Both men (Malcolm and William) resided in Beaverbank and were farmers at the time. Sarah, wife of Malcolm, agreed to transaction. Witnesses were Edward Rivers and James O’Brien.
      In a deed dated 1820, registered 1821, Malcolm Nickerson gave 100 acres to Daniel Nicholson, land on road to Rawdon.
      Reel 17,899, NSARM, Book 53, p. 413, 1830. Robert Camplin of Beaverbank, farmer, for sum of 10 pounds, sold to William Nickerson, farmer, Beaverbank, land at Beaverbank known as lot number 5 of the grant of John Smith and others beginning at the rear line of the grant to Malcolm and William Nicholson on the western side of the road from Halifax through Beaverbank to Rawdon.
      Now, this is interesting! I did not investigate further, and perhaps I should have, because Porter’s Lake is in the area Dartmouth. Deeds, Halifax County, Book 54, p. 472. Indenture 6 Oct. 1831, registered 7 Oct. 1831. John Davis, Mary, his wife, of Dartmouth, Trader, for sum of £50 pounds, to William Nicholson of Dartmouth, Mason, all land, dwelling house, garden and premises now in occupation of John Davis and his tenants, bounded on West by land now owned by James Wallace, on North by land of Thomas Boggs, Esq., on East by lands of William Scallion, and on South by property of the Canal Company. Signed by John Davis. Witness William Minns Hoffman.
      I had copied the 1838 census for Windsor Road (Beaverbank included) and found William Nicholson with several children. When I come across it in my notes again, I will send that info. The problem is that I collected the notes over a period of time, and they are scattered throughout several notebooks. I also had the 1851 census from Windsor Road, and did not find William Nicholson, but I did find Daniel Nicholson. So, now I am thinking, if I did not find William there in 1851, why did I think there were two different Williams? It may have been the deed that Michael found that listed all of the heirs of William Nicholson in 1875. Now I am thinking, perhaps the name William in that deed should read Malcolm, and since all of those children mentioned were adults in 1859, perhaps they were all Malcolm and Sarah’s heirs, and someone inadvertently wrote William, and the reason the deed appeared in 1875 was because now William, one of the heirs, died (maybe William of Spryfield)? I think the answer is in the deeds.
      It’s great fun speculating until we get confirmation. I am still not sure what convinced Michael that William of Spryfield was related to Malcolm if he does not think he is Malcolm’s son.
--Iris V. Umlah Shea, Mainland South Heritage Society


      On one of the petitions for a land grant in Nova Scotia in 1813 Karen McKay said we see a William Nicholson and a Malcolm Nicholson applying for property together this is the William Nicholson in the Beaverbank Deed and is apparently a cousin thus we see all the similiar first names in the Beaverbank deed.
      The proof is in the St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church transcripts in the birth record for William (Senior) Nicholson son of Malcolm and Sarah Nicholson born Dec. 29, 1790 and baptised in March. The Church is as I understand somewhere outside of Halifax. Karen is sending me the exact information in a report. Karen said that when William Senior moved to Spryfield there was no local Presbyterian church so they obviously desided to go to the nearest local church which was similiar and it was Anglican. When I get Karen’s report I’ll tell you exactly where they moved from their first location to Spryfield.
      In the St. Paul’s records the death of Malcolm Nicholson is recorded as taking place on March 29, 1838 at the age of 88 which makes him born in 1750 and his origin as being from Inverness. Since many of the Skye Nicholson’s after Lord Selkirk’s first settlement in PEI came over from Inverness we would have to believe that he is one of these people who came over earlier tahn the rest. The problem is that we don’t know exactly where he is from in Scotland. Inverness can mean Inverness in the North East coast of Scotland on the Moray Firth or Inverness County in Scotland and since most of the immigrant ships were leaving from Inverness we can’t assume that all the immigrants where from Inverness itself. They were probably only assembled there for the journey from throughout Scotland.
      Just the same Inverness is the northern most city in Scotland it is accross the highland line in the far North and we can safely assume our man was a Gælic Nicholson since Inverness was Gælic speaking at the time and with a name like Malcolm which is a Gælic name coming from Gælic words (mael: the Gælic word for servant and Columba: the name of St. Columba giving us Mael-Columba or rather Mal-colm i.e. servant of Columba) we can safely see that he was a Gælic highlander as family tradition stated.
      If you read the book on the Nicolsons of Scorrybreac you’ll see that they had some distinctive names that died out after the clan emigrated so the fact that no one in the future was called Malcolm is not that surprising. On the Isle of Skye in Scotland the Nicolsons/MacNicols had two first names that were unique to them one was Armiger or Ermiger which was of Norse origin and followed the clan over to PEI where it evolved into Armichael and then finally just Michael. The other unique first name to the clan was Malcoill which was of Gælic origin and once again a Christian (this time meaning servant of St. Comgall) inference it evolved to several variations and finally into Malcolm. These unique names were not common in the new world where English was the language of use and thus the names became more common and similar to the usage of the locals. So don’t trouble yourself that this is the wrong one because of this fact. This time we have the smoking gun, person holding it and shooting it, I know it is hard to believe, I spent over 15 years trying to find out. I had to talk to Karen McKay for over an hour until I was clear on the facts and believing it myself.
--Michael David Nicholson, July 18, 2001


                        Old Seventy-Sixth Highland Regiment 1777-1784

      Letter of service were granted in December 1777 to Lord MacDonald to raise a regiment in the Highlands and Isles, of which corps his lordship was offered the command; but he declined the commission, and at his recommendation, Major John Macdonell of Lochgarry was appointed lieutenant-colonel commandant of the regiment. Lord Macdonald, however, exerted his influence in the formation of the corps, and as a good selection of officers was made from the families of the Macdonalds of Glencoe, Morar, Boisdale, and others of his own clan, and likewise from those of other clans, as MacKinnon, Fraser of Culduthel, Cameron of Callart, Etc., a body of 750 Highlanders was soon raised. Nearly 200 men were raised in the Lowlands by Captains Cunningham, and Lieutenant Samuel Graham. These were kept together in two companies, and another body of men, principally raised in Ireland by Captain Bruce, formed a third company, all of which were kept perfectly distinct from the Highlanders. The regiment was inspected at Inverness in March 1778 by General Skene, and amounted to 1086 men, including non-commissioned officers and drummers.
      The regiment was then quartered in Fort George, where it remained twelve months under the command of Major Donaldson, who, from his long experience, was well calculated to train them properly.
      Being removed to Perth in March 1779, the regiment was again reviewed by General Skene on the 10th, and, being reported complete, was ordered to march to Burntisland for the purpose of embarking for America. Shortly after their arrival at Burntisland, numbers of the Highlanders were observed in parties in earnest conversation together. The cause of this consultation was soon known. Each company, on the evening of the third day, gavein a written statement, complaining of non-performance of promises, of their bounty-money being withheld, Etc., and accompanied by a declaration, that till their grievances were redressed, they would not embark. They demanded that Lord Macdonald should be sent for to see justice done to them. No satisfactory answer having been returned within the time expected, the Highlanders marched off in a body, and took possession of a hill above Burntisland. To show that these men had no other end in view but justice, they refused to allow some young soldiers, who had joined them in a frolic, to remain with them, telling them that as they had no ground for complaint, they ought not to disobey orders.
      The Highlanders remained for several days on the hill without offering the least violence, and sent parties regularly to the town for provisions, for which they paid punctually. During this interval, Major Donaldson, assisted by Lieutenant David Barclay the paymaster, investigated the claims of the men, and ascertained that they were well founded, and Lord Macdonald having arrived, his lordship and the major advanced the money, and paid off every demand at their own risk. On a subsequent investigation of the indiviual claims, when sent to the Isle of Skye, it was ascertained that all, without exception, were found to be just, a circumstance as honourable to the claiments as it was disgraceful to those who had attempted to overreach them.
      This disagreeable affair being fortunately settled, the regiment embarked on the 17th of March; but before their departure, all the men of Skye and Uist sent the money they had received home to their families and friends. Major Donaldson being unable to accompany the regiment on account of the delicate state of his health, and Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell having been taken prisoner on his passage from America, where he had been serving with Fraser’s Highlanders, the command of the regiment devolved on Major Lord Berridale.
      The transports, with the 76th on board, touched at Portsmouth, and while lying at Spithead, the regiment was ordered to the relief of Jersey, which the enemy had attacked; but before reaching the island the French had been repulsed. They then proceeded on the voyage, and landed at New York in August. The flank companies were then attached to the battalion, composed of the flank companies of the other regiments, and the battalion companies quartered between New York and Staten Island. In February 1781, these companies embarked for Virginia with a detachment of the army, commanded by Major-General Phillips. The light company, being in the second battalion of light infantry, also formed a part of the expedition.
      Lord Berridale, who had, by the death of his father this year, become Earl of Caithness, having been severely wounded at the siege of Charlestown, returned to Scotland, and was succeeded in the command of the regiment by the Hon. Major Needham, afterwards Earl of Kilmorey, who had purchased Major Donaldson’s commission.
      General Phillips landed at Portsmouth, Virginia, in March, and having joined the detachment under General Arnold, the united detachments formed a junction with the army of Lord Cornwallis in May. The Macdonald Highlanders, on meeting with men who had braved the dangers of the field, considered themselves as an inferior race, and sighed for an opportunity of putting themselves on an equality with their companions in arms, and they did not wait long.
      The celebrated Marquis de la Fayette, anxious to distinguish himself in the cause which he had espoused, determined to attack Lord Cornwallis's army, and in pursuance of this intention pushed forward a strong corps, which forced the British picquets. He then formed his line and a warm contest immediately began, the weight of which, on the side of the British, was sustained by the brigade of Colonel Thomas Dundee, consisting of the 76th and 80th regiments. These corps, which were on the left, were drawn up on an open field, while the right of the line was covered by woods. Coming up in the rear of the 76th, Lord Cornwallis gave word to charge, which being responded to by the Highlanders, they rushed forward with great impetuosity upon the enemy, who, unable to stand the shock, turned their backs and fled, leaving their cannon and 300 men, killed and wounded, behind them.
      After the surrender of Lord Cornwallis’s army, the 76th was marched in detachments as prisoners to different parts of Virginia. During their confinement, many attempts were made by their emigrant countrymen, as well as by the Americans, to induce them to join the cause of American independence; but not one of them could be induced by any consideration to renounce his allegiance.
      The regiment, on its return to Scotland, was disbanded in March 1784 at Stirling Castle.

--http://www.electricscotland.com/history/scotreg/macdonald.htm
--http://regiments.org/milhist/uk/inf/076mcdon.htm


MACNICOL or NICHOLSON

Crest Badge: A hawk’s head erased, gules.
Motto: Sgòrra Bhreac
Gælic Name: MacNeacail
Origin of Name: (Gælic) MacNeacail (son of Nicol, conquering people).
Plant Badge: Trailing azalea

      In the old Statistical Account, the Rev. William MacKenzie, in his description of the parish of Assynt, writes : "Tradition and even documents declare that it was a forest of the ancient Thanes of Sutherland. One of these Prince Thanes gave it in vassalage to one Mackrycul, who in ancient times held the coast of Coygach, that part of it at the place presently called Ullapool." Mackrycul has been identified as the Gregall mentioned in the genealogy of the MacNicols in the MS. of 1450, and on the marriage of Torquil MacLeod to the daughter of the last of the MacNicol chiefs, the lands of Assynt passed to the MacLeods.
      When Assynt passed to MacLeod, the Clan MacNicol appear to have emigrated to Skye, where the MacLeods had extensive possessions, and the lands of Scorrybreck near Portree were in possession of MacNicols or Nicolsons for several centuries. The clan played an important part in the history of Skye and from time to time their names appear in local records. The Rev. Donald Nicolson, who was chief of the Scorrybreck family at the end of the 17th century, was minister of Troternish for over thirty years. He was a strong Episcopalian, and resigned his charge in 1696 only because of his opposition to Presbyterianism which had become the established church. Norman, the last chief of Scorrybreck, emigrated to New Zealand.
      There was also a strong branch of the MacNicols resident in Argyllshire.

Reprinted from:
Robert Bain’s THE CLANS AND TARTANS OF SCOTLAND
Published by Collins. London and Glasgow
Fourth Edition, 1959, Revised, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1966
©1964 William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

More About MALCOLM NICHOLSON:
Burial: April 01, 1838
Funeral Service: April 01, 1838, From Mr. Walter Curry’s of Marchington wharf
Military service 1: Bet. December 25, 1777 - March 1784, Revolutionary War, served in the 76th Regiment of Foot, McDonnell’s or MacDonald’s Highlanders for the British Army5
Military service 2: November 01, 1783, Discharged from 76th Regiment at Shelburne, Shelburne, NS Canada
Miscellaneous: 1812, Had 8 children6
Occupation: March 01, 1820, Farmer
Property 1: 1812, Received 350 acres6
Property 2: 1820, Gave his son Daniel 100 acres on the road to Rawdon6
Property 3: March 01, 1820, Gave his son William 250 acres in Beaverbank for £57
Will: Iris could not find any will for him

More About MALCOLM NICHOLSON and SARAH WILSON:
Marriage: Bet. November 01, 1783 - 1790, Nova Scotia, Canada
     
Children of MALCOLM NICHOLSON and SARAH WILSON are:
2. i.   WILLIAM3 NICHOLSON, b. December 27, 1790, St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church, Halifax, Halifax, NS Canada; d. February 01, 1847, Beaver Bank Settlement, NS Canada.
  ii.   EUPHEMIA NICHOLSON, b. 1792.
  More About EUPHEMIA NICHOLSON:
Baptism: 1792, St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church, Halifax, Halifax, NS Canada
  iii.   SARAH NICHOLSON8, b. Circa December 29, 1795.
  More About SARAH NICHOLSON:
Baptism: December 29, 1795, Brunswick Methodist Church (nka United Methodist Church), Halifax, Halifax, NS Canada
  iv.   MARY NICHOLSON9, b. 1798; m. WALTER CURRIE OR CURRY10, March 04, 1826, Nova Scotia, Canada11,12.
  More About MARY NICHOLSON:
Baptism: 1798, St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church, Halifax, Halifax, NS Canada

  Notes for WALTER CURRIE OR CURRY:
Acadian Recorder, Sat. 30 July 1825, died 27 July 1825 at Beaverbank, Isabella, wife of Mr. Walter Currie.

Acadian Recorder, Sat. 4 Mar. 1826, married 4 Mar. 1826 by Rev. White, Mr. Walter Curry and Miss Mary Nicholson, both of Beaverbank.

      I looked at the Acadian Recorder, 31 Mar. 1838, for Malcolm’s death, and it was actually Thursday Mar. 29, 1838, that he died and the funeral took place on Sunday, Apr. 1, 1838. "Aged 88, a native of Inverness, and for many years a respected inhabitant of the province. Funeral to take place tomorrow, Sunday, at half-past four o’clock from Mr. Walter Curry’s of Marchington wharf. The friends and acquaintances of the family are respectfully invited to attend."
--Iris V. Umlah Shea, Mainland South Heritage Society


  More About WALTER CURRIE OR CURRY and MARY NICHOLSON:
Marriage: March 04, 1826, Nova Scotia, Canada13,14
Marriage bond: March 03, 182615
Performed By: March 04, 1826, Rev. White16
  v.   ANN NICHOLSON17, b. Circa December 23, 1800.
  Notes for ANN NICHOLSON:
      There is another Nicholson girl who got married at St. Paul’s Anglican, Halifax, but have not confirmed who she is, but the time frame is right. Her name is Nancy in the Marriage Bond and Ann in the church reord (those two names are often interchangeable). She married William Wright on 2 Aug. 1824. My feeling is that the missing three children for Malcolm are all daughters, because he gave land to the two sons.
--Iris V. Umlah Shea, Mainland South Heritage Society

  More About ANN NICHOLSON:
Baptism: December 23, 1800, St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church, Halifax, Halifax, NS Canada17
  vi.   EUPHEMIA NICHOLSON18, b. Circa February 05, 1803; m. PATRICK MCBRIDE19, Aft. November 11, 1830, Nova Scotia, Canada19.
  More About EUPHEMIA NICHOLSON:
Baptism: February 05, 1803, St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church, Halifax, Halifax, NS Canada

  More About PATRICK MCBRIDE:
Occupation: November 11, 1830, Yeoman19
Residence: November 11, 1830, Beaver Bank, Halifax, NS Canada

  More About PATRICK MCBRIDE and EUPHEMIA NICHOLSON:
Marriage: Aft. November 11, 1830, Nova Scotia, Canada19
Marriage bond: November 11, 1830, Signed by Daniel Nicholson of Dartmouth, Halifax, NS Canada19
3. vii.   DANIEL NICHOLSON, b. June 24, 1807; d. April 04, 1895, Palmerston, ON Canada.
  viii.   UNKNOWN8 NICHOLSON, b. Bet. 1792 - 1812.

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