James Brown Nicholson
#280, (3 January 1843-16 October 1900)
| Father | Donald Nicholson (12 Jan 1812-3 Nov 1899) |
| Mother | Margaret Brown (14 May 1818-22 May 1874) |
| Charts | Brown family - descendants Miller Family (Scotland) - descendants Nicholson Family 1 - descendants Four generations |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2022 |
| WikiTree ID: | https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Nicholson-10136. |
NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.
James was born on Tuesday, 3 January 1843 at the Sydney suburb of Balmain.1,2 He was the son of Donald Nicholson and Margaret Brown. James Brown Nicholson was baptised at St. Andrew's Scots Presbyterian Church on Friday, 5 May 1843 at Sydney.3 He lived with his parents at the NSW country town of Bowning, New South Wales, in June 1850. He lived with his parents at Yass, New South Wales, in October 1852. He lived with his parents at Limestone Creek, in the district of Yass, New South Wales, in January 1859.4
He may have attended the wedding of his sister in the marriage of Hugh Joseph Sutherland and Margaret Nicholson in a Wesleyan ceremony at the house of Donald Nicholson on Tuesday, 31 October 1865 at Forbes, New South Wales. Although not the oldest child, she was the first to be married - she also seems to have understated her age by as much as two years. Margaret and Hugh went on to have nine children together.5 James lived in August 1871 at Trunkey Creek, New South Wales.6 He was as a gold-digger in August 1871 at Trunkey Creek, New South Wales, in his late twenties. At this time he was living in Trunkey Creek, about 25 miles south-west of Bathurst and sixty miles from where his family was living at Forbes.7
He married Lydia Horsnell, daughter of Thomas Horsnell and Martha Goddard, at St. Michaels and St. Johns Catholic Cathedral on Sunday, 20 August 1871 at Bathurst, New South Wales. He was 28 and his wife Lydia was 18. Lydia was ten years younger than James.. The wedding certificate was also signed by Sarah Anne Hosnell. Others who may have attended the wedding include Margaret Brown as mother of the groom and Donald Nicholson as father of the groom. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Margaret Nicholson, Donald Henry Nicholson, John Nicholson, Susannah Alletta Nicholson, Mary Jane Nicholson, Frances Nicholson, Daniel Malcolm McBean Nicholson, William Horsnell, Henry Joseph Horsnell and Lucy Horsnell. James and Lydia went on to have 12 known children together.6
James Brown Nicholson and Lydia Horsnell Between 1872 and 1895 James and Lydia had at least a further eight children, six of whom lived to their adulthood. All of them were born in central NSW, mainly at Hillston and the copper mining town of Mt. Hope. on 1 January 1873.
His mother died 22 May 1874 at the age of 56. James was aged 31 when this happened.8,9
James and Margaret Nicholson attended the wedding of Michael Bourke and his sister Susannah Alletta Nicholson in a Wesleyan Methodist ceremony at her father's house on Saturday, 26 December 1874 at Parkes, New South Wales. They also signed the marriage certificate as witnesses. Others attending the wedding may have included Donald Nicholson as father of the bride.10
He may have attended the wedding of his sister in the marriage of John William Aplett and Frances Nicholson in a Presbyterian ceremony on Saturday, 18 November 1876 at Forbes, New South Wales. The marriage took place at the home of Henry Clancy in Browne Street. Frances was the sister of the runner that John had recently beaten at Parkes. Frances and John went on to have about nine children together.11,12
The following is remembered about the Nicholsons:
"They came to Mount Hope on a horse and dray. Auntie Maggie (Margaret Grogan nee Nicholson) and Uncle Jim (James Hosnell Nicholson) were both kids at the time, in those times there were no roads, just tracks through the Mallie, no water. They carried a square 100 gallon tank with them for their water and filled it whenever it rained, or if they heard of a tank 3 and 4 miles off the road they would go into fill up at the tank. They travelled mostly at night to try to preserve the water and the benefit of the horses. When they eventually got to Mount Hope they first of all lived at 17 mile tank Coan Downs Station and grandfather (James Brown Nicholson) got a job working on the station for a pound a week and rations for his family which they called in those days "ten-ten-two and a quarter" - ten pound of meat, ten pound of flour, two pound of sugar and a quarter of a pound of tea. Anything else they required they had to buy from the store on the station. All big stations had stores those days.
It was a very dry time and he was ordered by the station manager not to give a traveller with a horse or pack horse a drink of water for their horse. But old grandfather gave everything a drink that came along. The station manager came out one day and caught him giving a traveller a drink for his horse and he got the sack. Well they went from there up to Central which in later years became a sort of suburb of Mount Hope and they built a bit of a shack out of timber from the bush in the paddock there alongside a row of hills which is still today called Nicholson Hills. That's where Dad (William Henry Hosnell Nicholson) and Uncle Jack (John Nicholson) were born. They eventually shifted from there up to Central itself and grandfather opened a butcher shop there and later another butcher shop at Mount Hope and then later on they had a butcher shop at Mount Allen. That was considered real big in those days, it would be like Tancreds today. From there they came to Shuttelton where dad and Uncle Jim opened a butcher shop and Uncle Jack went onto Nymagee and he opened a butcher shop there and eventually a hotel".13
In the later part of his life James made a living as a butcher. His brother John was also a butcher.14
His father died 3 November 1899 at the age of 87. James was aged 56 when this happened.
James died on 16 October 1900 at Hillston, New South Wales, at age 57. James died of Brights Disease, which is associated with an inflammation of the kidney. The illness had lasted 6 days.14 Their youngest child, Lawrence, was less than 5 at the time. His body was interred at Hillston cemetery on 18 October 1900 at Hillston, New South Wales. Roman Catholic Sec A Plot 33. John O'Connell, a Roman Catholic reader, was the minister.
An obituary was published Saturday, 20 October 1900:
+ + + + + + + + + +
James was born on Tuesday, 3 January 1843 at the Sydney suburb of Balmain.1,2 He was the son of Donald Nicholson and Margaret Brown. James Brown Nicholson was baptised at St. Andrew's Scots Presbyterian Church on Friday, 5 May 1843 at Sydney.3 He lived with his parents at the NSW country town of Bowning, New South Wales, in June 1850. He lived with his parents at Yass, New South Wales, in October 1852. He lived with his parents at Limestone Creek, in the district of Yass, New South Wales, in January 1859.4
He may have attended the wedding of his sister in the marriage of Hugh Joseph Sutherland and Margaret Nicholson in a Wesleyan ceremony at the house of Donald Nicholson on Tuesday, 31 October 1865 at Forbes, New South Wales. Although not the oldest child, she was the first to be married - she also seems to have understated her age by as much as two years. Margaret and Hugh went on to have nine children together.5 James lived in August 1871 at Trunkey Creek, New South Wales.6 He was as a gold-digger in August 1871 at Trunkey Creek, New South Wales, in his late twenties. At this time he was living in Trunkey Creek, about 25 miles south-west of Bathurst and sixty miles from where his family was living at Forbes.7
He married Lydia Horsnell, daughter of Thomas Horsnell and Martha Goddard, at St. Michaels and St. Johns Catholic Cathedral on Sunday, 20 August 1871 at Bathurst, New South Wales. He was 28 and his wife Lydia was 18. Lydia was ten years younger than James.. The wedding certificate was also signed by Sarah Anne Hosnell. Others who may have attended the wedding include Margaret Brown as mother of the groom and Donald Nicholson as father of the groom. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Margaret Nicholson, Donald Henry Nicholson, John Nicholson, Susannah Alletta Nicholson, Mary Jane Nicholson, Frances Nicholson, Daniel Malcolm McBean Nicholson, William Horsnell, Henry Joseph Horsnell and Lucy Horsnell. James and Lydia went on to have 12 known children together.6
James Brown Nicholson and Lydia Horsnell Between 1872 and 1895 James and Lydia had at least a further eight children, six of whom lived to their adulthood. All of them were born in central NSW, mainly at Hillston and the copper mining town of Mt. Hope. on 1 January 1873.
His mother died 22 May 1874 at the age of 56. James was aged 31 when this happened.8,9
James and Margaret Nicholson attended the wedding of Michael Bourke and his sister Susannah Alletta Nicholson in a Wesleyan Methodist ceremony at her father's house on Saturday, 26 December 1874 at Parkes, New South Wales. They also signed the marriage certificate as witnesses. Others attending the wedding may have included Donald Nicholson as father of the bride.10
He may have attended the wedding of his sister in the marriage of John William Aplett and Frances Nicholson in a Presbyterian ceremony on Saturday, 18 November 1876 at Forbes, New South Wales. The marriage took place at the home of Henry Clancy in Browne Street. Frances was the sister of the runner that John had recently beaten at Parkes. Frances and John went on to have about nine children together.11,12
The following is remembered about the Nicholsons:
"They came to Mount Hope on a horse and dray. Auntie Maggie (Margaret Grogan nee Nicholson) and Uncle Jim (James Hosnell Nicholson) were both kids at the time, in those times there were no roads, just tracks through the Mallie, no water. They carried a square 100 gallon tank with them for their water and filled it whenever it rained, or if they heard of a tank 3 and 4 miles off the road they would go into fill up at the tank. They travelled mostly at night to try to preserve the water and the benefit of the horses. When they eventually got to Mount Hope they first of all lived at 17 mile tank Coan Downs Station and grandfather (James Brown Nicholson) got a job working on the station for a pound a week and rations for his family which they called in those days "ten-ten-two and a quarter" - ten pound of meat, ten pound of flour, two pound of sugar and a quarter of a pound of tea. Anything else they required they had to buy from the store on the station. All big stations had stores those days.
It was a very dry time and he was ordered by the station manager not to give a traveller with a horse or pack horse a drink of water for their horse. But old grandfather gave everything a drink that came along. The station manager came out one day and caught him giving a traveller a drink for his horse and he got the sack. Well they went from there up to Central which in later years became a sort of suburb of Mount Hope and they built a bit of a shack out of timber from the bush in the paddock there alongside a row of hills which is still today called Nicholson Hills. That's where Dad (William Henry Hosnell Nicholson) and Uncle Jack (John Nicholson) were born. They eventually shifted from there up to Central itself and grandfather opened a butcher shop there and later another butcher shop at Mount Hope and then later on they had a butcher shop at Mount Allen. That was considered real big in those days, it would be like Tancreds today. From there they came to Shuttelton where dad and Uncle Jim opened a butcher shop and Uncle Jack went onto Nymagee and he opened a butcher shop there and eventually a hotel".13
In the later part of his life James made a living as a butcher. His brother John was also a butcher.14
His father died 3 November 1899 at the age of 87. James was aged 56 when this happened.
James died on 16 October 1900 at Hillston, New South Wales, at age 57. James died of Brights Disease, which is associated with an inflammation of the kidney. The illness had lasted 6 days.14 Their youngest child, Lawrence, was less than 5 at the time. His body was interred at Hillston cemetery on 18 October 1900 at Hillston, New South Wales. Roman Catholic Sec A Plot 33. John O'Connell, a Roman Catholic reader, was the minister.
"Yes it's a prominent grave, its right in the comer of the Cemetery near the Hillston Road, the headstone is about 6ft high, it's still very well preserved and well looked after."
.14,13,15 An obituary was published Saturday, 20 October 1900:
On Tuesday last, 16th instant, there passed away in Hillston an old identity of the district in the person of James Brown Nicholson. On the Friday previous Mr. Nicholson was brought to Hillston from Mount Hope for the purpose of obtaining medical advice. For some days previous Mr. Nicholson had been suffering from a severe cold which about the time mentioned developed serious symptoms, and he decided to seek advice. Although in a very critical state hopes were entertained of his recovery, but on Sunday last a change for the worse set in, and he passed away quietly about six o'clock on the evening of the 16th inst. In the year 1880 Mr. Nicholson arrived in Mount Hope, where he took up his residence, and for the past fifteen years followed the occupation of a butcher. During his long residence in the district the deceased gentleman made many friends, and was deservedly popular for his upright and honest character and his inexhaustible stock of good humour and social qualities. On receipt of the news in Mount Hope, quite a gloom was cast upon the residents. Many were the expressions of sympathy with the bereaved family. Always to the fore in matters concerning the welfare of the township and residents, Mr. Nicholson will be sadly missed. The deceased gentleman leaves a family of seven sons and one daughter, all resident in Mount Hope.16
Family | Lydia Horsnell (30 Jul 1853-29 Sep 1926) |
| Children |
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Citations
- [S2] New South Wales, Death Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 12865/1900 (H35).
- [S21] Parish Registers for Scot's Church Sydney, 1788-1856 Vol. 45 No. 635.
- [S21] Parish Registers for Scot's Church Sydney, 1788-1856 Vol. 45 Entry 635.
- [S1] New South Wales, Birth Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1859 No. 14301.
- [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1865 No. 2533.
- [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1871 No.1637.
- [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1871 No. 1637.
- [S2] New South Wales, Death Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1874 No. 4743.
- [S1] New South Wales, Birth Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1875 No. 10,895.
- [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1874 No. 2353.
- [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1876 No.2551.
- [S596] The Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Richmond(?), New South Wales, Australia, 1925 'JOHN APLETT.', Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954), 10 July, p. 5, viewed 16 March, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85902281
- [S461] Interview, Molly et al Collins, between 1977-1990.
- [S2] New South Wales, Death Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1900 No.12865.
- [S466] Find a Grave (http://www.findagrave.com) Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229135769/… : accessed 11 April 2022), memorial page for James Brown Nicholson (3 Jan 1843–16 Oct 1900), Find a Grave Memorial ID 229135769, citing Hillston Cemetery, Hillston, Carrathool Shire, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Gavin D Thompson (contributor 48894034) .
- [S1330] The Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser, Hillston, NSW, Australia, Saturday 20 October 1900, Page 10.