Ancestry of Margaret NICHOLSON


The registry of Lanercost parish provides no information about Margaret NICHOLSON's family, parents, or siblings. There are however references to a number of Nicholsons who are, quite likely, related to her, since they also lived at Hare-Hill (in the civil parish of Burtholme).

The earliest entry for a Nicholson in the published registry is from the Fine Book of the Barony of Gilsland for 1655, with notes on tenancy changes between then and 1685. Under the entry for "Walltonn Wood Mannor" is Hare-hill. The tenant of Harew Hill in 1655 was George Bell; in 1675 John NICHOLSON took over that tenancy. (The Register of the Parish of Lancercost, vol.1, p.69) There are no records of John in the parish registry.

There are however a number of entries on the family of Stephen NICHOLSON of Hare-Hill. The only record of his wife is in the record of her burial at Lanercost: "Isabell, wife of Stephen Nicholson of Hare Hill, 15 Nov 1737". Stephen served as churchwarden of Lanercost parish in 1711 and then again in 1725. He was buried at Lanercost 29 Oct 1739.
 

Stephen NICHOLSON had the following children (with date of baptism at Lanercost):

i. John, 18 Jan 1713 (old style date 1712);
ii. Mary, 7 Oct 1716;
iii. Elizabeth, 31 Jul 1720 (there is a marriage at Lanercost, 30 May 1751, of Edward Charleton and Elizabeth Nicholson of Hare Hill).

There are two burials listed for children of Stephen Nicholson of Hare Hill:

John, 19 Sep 1731;
Ann, 21 Oct 1731.

Given these dates and the location, it is possible that Margaret was Stephen's younger sister, although this is just conjecture.

The other Nicholson in the register is a Christopher Nicholson of Hare Hill, who was buried at Lanercost 9 Jul 1718; there is no indication of his age or family.

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Last revised 28 May 2000