Donald Nicholson

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Donald Nicholson was likely born at Scotland.

His life is mostly a matter of conjecture. However, it is likely that Donald was a descendant of the highland Nicholson family that was long associated with the Isle of Skye in these times.² It seems that Donald Nicholson took up with Mary Margaret MacDougall but no marriage certificate has been found. Donald and Mary had a number of children. There is good evidence to think that Anne (c.1795), Fanny (c.1805) and Donald were his children; Margaret (c.1805) and James (c.1796) probably were; a there may have been a number of other children of the union but the available evidence is not strong.



Donald and Mary Margaret MacDougall may have become the parents of Anne Nicholson circa 1803 at Perth, Scotland.³ Donald Nicholson was a carpenter in June 1805.⁴ Donald lived in June 1805 at Culag, the Parish of Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland.⁴ Donald lived in January 1812 at Culag, the Parish of Assynt, Sutherland.⁵

Donald and Mary Margaret MacDougall became the parents of Donald Nicholson on Sunday, 12 January 1812 at the Parish of Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland.^1,6

Donald's child Donald received his baptism on Friday, 31 January 1812 at the Parish of Assynt, Sutherland.⁵ In his adulthood Donald made a living as as ship carpenter & boat builder. Donald most likely conducted this trade in Loch Inver or perhaps at one of the other villages in Assynt. However by 1841 Donald had moved out of the parish.^1,7,8 He was alive to see his child Donald emmigrate to Port Jackson, New South Wales, on 11 February 1839. His daughter Fanny also went on the same vessel with her husband and children.¹

Although there is no evidence that he attended the wedding, his son Donald married Margaret Brown in a Presbyterian ceremony at Free Presbyterian Church in Pitt Street on Friday, 19 March 1841 at Sydney. It isn't known how they met but perhaps it was through Donald's work. After their marriage Donald and Margaret lived in Parramatta at least until the start of the new year. Together they were to go on to have 10 children over 18 years.⁹

Donald died before 20 December 1869.¹⁰ In 1884, his name was recorded as 'John Nicholson' on his son's death certificate.¹¹ Decades after his death in 1885, his name was recorded as 'Duncan Nicolson' on his daughter Anne's death certificate.¹²