Second Generation

7. John James Nichols Jr.^3,5,7. Birth: between 1758 and 1762, Virginia. Parents: John James Nichols Sr. and Martha Payne. Birth of Child: between 1781 and 1791, Parmelia Nichols, age of father: 23. Birth of Child: 1784/5, John J. Nichols III, age of father: 27. Death: 1808/9, age 51, Sevier County, Tennessee. Sarah Nichols sold a farm in 1810 in Bedford County, VA. The farm consisted of 157 acres, and Sarah sold it herself. It is the belief of Wyatt Nichols that she sold the farm after John died and went to live with one of her children by her former marriage. The following is from The Nichols Book by Wyatt McKinley Nichols.

John Nichols, second son of John Nichols, Sr., maker of the Will of 1803 and brother of Flayl Nichols, was probably born in Virginia between the years of 1758 and 1762. It is rather difficult to write about him as I do not have too many records relating to his life, although he is my great, great, great grandfather.

The official record of the Kings Mountain Men in the Revolutionary War shows Flayl and his brother James Nichols in that battle. John Nichols, Sr., his father, does not show any James Nichols in his will. After lengthy research I discovered that his name was John James Nichols. He no doubt used the name James as his father John Nichols, Sr. was already serving in the Revolutionary War. He probably did not want to get the names confused and used the name James.

In 1783 the records of Franklin County, Virginia (this county was at one time part of Bedford County, Virginia) shows that Flayl Nichols was the Executor of the estate of a man by the name of Payne) (I believe his name was Zacariah Payne).

In 1784 John Nichols married Sarah Payne. My great aunt Mary Nichols told me that this was the widow of Zacharia Payne. To this union I only know of one child. his name was John J. Nichols. You will learn more about him on the following pages.

In 1803 when John Nichols, Sr. made his will he gave his son John Nichols a little horse named Cecelia and his grandson John a small shotgun (this John is known in the book as John J.).

It is my belief that this John Nichols, brother of Flayl, died around 1808 or 1809 as I found a record in 1810, Bedford County, Va., showing that Sarah Nichols sold a farm of 157 acres and signed the agreement herself. This is a good indication that her husband was dead. My belief is that she sold her farm after John died and went to live with one of her children by her former marriage. (Here end's the quote from The Nichols Book.)

The account of John Nichols Jr. in The Nichols Book is somewhat in variance with the account that may be found in the Revolutionary War pension application of Patrick Lynch. In that application, John H. Nichols who was born in 1765 in Frederick County, Maryland testified that he was a boy when his father John Nichols Jr. and Patrick Lynch went off to war. They served in a company from Frederick County where John Nichols Jr. was a Captain. Maryland militia records indicate that this was in 1776, and that John Nichols Jr. was a 2nd Lieutenant. Of course, John could have received a field promotion to Captain. Their unit became a part of the "Flying Camp battalion", most of which was heavily engaged in the battle of Brooklyn as a part of Smallwood's 400. However, it is not known for sure if John J. Nichols Jr. and Patrick Lynch were at the Battle of Brooklyn. Archibald and Flayl (Flail) Nichols also served on this tour.

The main variances in the two accounts are as follows. The Nichols Book suggests that the son of John Nichols Jr. was John J. Nichols III who was born 1784/85, and the pension application of Patrick Lynch suggests that the son of John Nichols Jr. was John H. Nichols who was born in 1765. But John Nichols Jr. himself was born 1758/1762, and hence could not have been the father of a man who was born in 1765. In both accounts, John Nichols Jr. and Flayl Nichols were brothers, and they served the Revolutionary War in the same unit. It is difficult to know how to resolve the discrepancies. Wyatt Nichols himself did a great deal of research with old records when he wrote The Nichols Book. In addition, he had access to oral family histories from the grandsons of John J. Nichols III.

John James Nichols Jr. and Sarah [Payne]. Marriage: 29 September 1784, John James Nichols Jr., to Sarah [Payne]. John married Sarah Payne, but it was Sarah's second marriage and Sarah's maiden name is unknown.

Sarah [Payne]^1,3. Birth: about 1759. Birth of Child: between 1781 and 1791, Parmelia Nichols, age of mother: 22. Birth of Child: 1784/5, John J. Nichols III, age of mother: 26.

John James Nichols Jr.-3892 and Sarah [Payne]-3893 had the following children: