Margaret Nicholson

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Margaret Nicholson was also known as Margaret Evyline.¹ Margaret was born circa 1845 at the Sydney suburb of Balmain. Margaret was Donald and Margaret's third child. She does not appear to have been baptised, and so her exact date of birth is unknown..² She was the daughter of Donald Nicholson and Margaret Brown. Margaret presumably lived with her family in the Yass district up until her early teens. She lived with her parents at the NSW country town of Bowning, New South Wales, in June 1850. She lived with her parents at Yass, New South Wales, in October 1852. She lived with her parents at Limestone Creek, in the district of Yass, New South Wales, in January 1859.³

She married Hugh Joseph Sutherland, a wheelwright from Scotland, son of Hector Hugh Sutherland and Margaret Mckay, 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.. Others who attended the wedding include Margaret Brown as mother of the bride, Donald Nicholson as father of the bride and perhaps Hector Hugh Sutherland as father of the groom. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include James Brown Nicholson, Donald Henry Nicholson, John Nicholson, Susannah Alletta Nicholson, Mary Jane Nicholson, Frances Nicholson and Daniel Malcolm McBean Nicholson. Margaret and Hugh went on to have nine children together.⁴

The Nicholson and Sutherland families both came from the Couty of Sutherland in Scotland's remote north - this may be one of the reasons why these families bonded together throguh the marriage of Hugh and Margaret.

Margaret and Hugh Joseph Sutherland became the parents of Grace Sutherland in 1866 at Forbes, New South Wales. Grace was the first of eight children born to her parents..⁵ However, Grace died young, as did the first child of Margaret's mother and her brother James. Eight more children were born to Hugh and Margaret, mainly in Forbes and Parkes. Seven of those children eventually married.

She may have attended the wedding of her brother in the marriage of James Brown Nicholson and Lydia Horsnell at St. Michaels and St. Johns Catholic Cathedral on Sunday, 20 August 1871 at Bathurst, New South Wales. Lydia was ten years younger than James.. James and Lydia went on to have 12 known children together.⁶

Her mother died 22 May 1874 at the age of 56.^7,8

Margaret and James Brown Nicholson attended the wedding of Michael Bourke and her 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.⁹ Margaret provided information for the birth of James John Bourke, on 26 December 1874 at Forbes Street, in Parkes, New South Wales. James was apparently born on the same day as his parent's wedding (although it is not known which of these two events happened first on this rather momentous day). James was to be the first of five children born to Michael and Susannah, but did not live much beyond his first birthday.^10,8

Margaret was instrumental in arresting a burglar: in May 1875:



She may have attended the wedding of her 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.^12,13 Margaret Nicholson and Hugh Joseph Sutherland moved to Cobar, New South Wales, circa 1880.¹⁴

Margaret died on 10 August 1883 at Cobar, New South Wales, during childbirth. The child, Hugh, survived.¹⁵ Her body was interred on 12 August 1883 at Cobar, New South Wales.¹⁵