Jane Nicholson

Notes:

The will of Jane Nicholson, of Portsmouth, spinster, is dated 9 Feb 1721/22, proved 10 of 11th month (Feb) 1723/24. It mentions my son William Brown "so called" and granddaughter Jane Brown, d/o William; cousins Jane Burrel, Francis Burril, Hannah Burrel, and William Brown; cousin John Coggeshall "so called," s/o cousin Jane Burrel.

Her gravestone says she died at age 52, but according to her birthdate she was 54.

Notes:

The will of Joseph Nicholson of Portsmouth, RI, husbandman, is dated 12 April 1693, proved 5 Sep 1693. It mentions seven children: Joseph, Sarah Ward w/o John; Rebecka Carr w/o Nicholas, Rachall Pebody w/o John, Dina Burrill w/o Jeames, Elizabeth Nicholson, and Jane Nicholson; grandchildren: Jane d/o son Joseph; children of Nicholas & Rebecka Carr -- Joseph, Nicholas, Jane, Caleb, Rebecka, Margaret, & Marcy; children of Jeames & Dina Burrill -- Jeames, Elizabeth, Dina, & Suzana; children of John & Sarah Ward -- Joseph & Elizabeth; children of John & Rachall Pebody -- John, Joseph, Dorothy, & Jane; friends John Easton 2nd and Walter Clarke both of Newport, overseers.

Death record: NICHOLSON Joseph, on board ship Elizabeth, Daniel Gould, Jr., master, from Barbadoes, June, 1693.

The following notes may refer to this couple Joseph & Jane Nicholson (source: The Ecclesiastical History of New England Vol 2):

There are several references in this book to a Joseph Nicholson and one mentions his wife as Jane.

On or about 7 March 1660 JN "and wife" were examined at Boston (p 218).

On 16 Oct 1660 Quakers in prison were allowed to board a ship and return to England -- refers to JN "and wife Jane" -- but they could not be accommodated so returned to prison (p 227).

In 1660 JN and wife were "now in prison and had been banished on pain of death" and told they must depart from the Colony "by the next 4th day" (p 220)

Around or after 4 July 1663 JN and other men visited Newcastle and were whipped at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, then allowed to depart. After visiting the meeting house in Dover, NH, they were taken to prison and detained a fortnight, then let go (p 324).

In Dec 1663 JN and others were called "vagabond Quakers" in Salem, Boston, & Dedham (p 312). It's unclear where they actually were at that time -- whether they had already left and were being warned to never return (as did Mary Dyer, who had gone to RI, and she was killed because she returned into MA Bay territory).

If we assume this all refers to the same JN, it seems that he was in the Boston/Salem area in 1660, then in New Hampshire in 1663.

The dates and location of Joseph & Jane's children could place the family in this scenario. It is possible that they left MA and went to Barbados and Martinique, and later to Rhode Island. The book mentions two other Quakers who did just that.

Joseph married Jane Unknown Abt 1649, England. Jane was born Abt 1629, England; died Apr 1691, Newport Co., RI; was buried , Coddington Burial Ground, Farewell St., Newport, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

NICHOLSON Jane, wife of Joseph, aged 52 years, Newport, April, 1691 (RI Quaker Monthly Meeting records). I think she was more like 62 years old.