WILLIAM NICKERSON (c. 1604–1689/90)
ANNE BUSBY (b. 1609), daughter of Nicholas Busby and Bridget Cocke
William was born about 1604 in England. [FAG0] He died between 30 August 1689 and 8 September 1690. [NENS0] He married Anne Busby on 24 June 1625 in St. Mary Coslany, Norwich. [NENS0] 
Nicholas Busby bequeathed his daughter Anne Nickerson fifty pound and his "thicke bible."
William and Anne lived in Norwich, county Norfolk, England and William was a weaver. [WSC0]
William was nicknamed "Red Stocking." [ECHB] He and Anne came to Boston in 1637 in the Rose of Yarmouth, landing as Salem. [FAG0][ECHB][NENS0]
He took the freeman's oath on 2 May 1638 in Boston. [WSC0] He went to Yarmouth in 1640. [FAG0]
William Nickerson was proposed as a freeman at the next court on 1 December 1640. He took the oath of fidelity on 1 June 1641 and was propounded as a freeman at the next court. He was propounded again on 4 June 1650. [PC01]
William was appointed to the grand inquest jury on 1 June 1641. [PC01]
William—an early settler of Yarmouth—exchanged a boat with the sachem of Monomoit (later Chatham) Mattaquason for promised land. His purchase amounted to about 4,000 acres. This was a violation of the rule prohibiting the purchase of land from the Indians without the permission of the Plymouth Colony court. William pled ignorance but ended up in extended litigation and was only a allowed to keep a portion of his land. [WSC0][NENS0]
William, along with others of Yarmouth, were complained of as "scoffers & jeerers" of religion and making disorders in their town meeting on 1 March 1641/2. They were to be sent for answers at the next court. William was fined and released on 7 June 1642. [PC02]
William was chosen a deputy for Yarmouth on 8 June 1655. [PC03]
In 1657 William and Anne went to Boston to care for Anne's aged parents. William bought land in and erected a shop. After the parents died, William sold his house in November 1661 and they returned to Yarmouth as early as January 1661/2. [WSC0]
William gave away his land during his lifetime. By a deed of 12 February 1685/6 he gave all of his land and personal property in Monomoit to his daughter Sarah. [NENS0]
Children of William Nickerson and Anne Busby:
i. Elizabeth Nickerson probably died before 3 May 1706. [WSC1] She married Robert Eldredge the last week of October 1649. [WSC1] He died shortly before 18 January 1682/3.
Elizabeth's father conveyed land to Elizabeth Eldredge on 12 January 1661/2. [WSC0]
Robert was on a 1643 list of those able to bear arms in Plymouth. [WSC1]
Inventory on Robert's estate, amounting to 316 pounds worth, was taken on 18 January 1682/3. Elizabeth and her son Nicholas were granted administration of Robert's estate on 9 March 1682/3. [WSC1]
ii. Nicholas Nickerson was probably born before 1630 in England. [GRE0] He died before 26 March 1681/2. [GRE0] He had an unknown first wife. [NENS0] He married second Mary Derby in 1663. [GRE0] Mary, the daughter of John Derby, was born in England about 1644. [GRE0] She died on 16 March 1705/6. [GRE0]
On 5 June 1667 the selectman of Yarmouth complained about Nicholas not attending church. [NENS0]
An inquest held after the death of one of his children found that the child had been strangled by a piece of pumpkin shell. [NENS0]
Inventory was was taken on Nicholas's estate on 26 March 1681 in Yarmouth. [NENS0] It valued at £129.9s.3d., and his estate was settled on 31 October 1682. [GRE0]
iii. Anne Nickerson married Trustram Hedges. [FAG0]
iv. Robert Nickerson was born about 1635 in England. [WSC1] He died before July 1713, when he was referred to as deceased. [WSC1]
Robert took the oath of fidelity in Yarmouth in 1657. [WSC1] He moved to Monomoit. He was constable there in 1683. [WSC1]
v. Samuel Nickerson married Mary, the daughter of John Bell, about 1660. He died before 3 September 1719.
Administration of his estate was granted to his widow Mary on 3 September 1719. [WSC1]
vi. Sarah Nickerson married Nathaniel Covell.
vii. John Nickerson married Sarah Williams. [WSC1]
viii. William Nickerson was baptized on 1 June 1646 in Barnstable. He married Mercy Williams.
ix. Joseph Nickerson was born in December 1647 in Yarmouth. [WSC1] married Ruhamah Unknown. [WSC1] He died after 1726, when his son was referred to as Joseph, Jr. [WSC1] His wife lived to be very old. [WSC1]
Joseph's wife and son were charged in the winter of 1709/10 with aiding and abetting an Indian in burning the barn of Mr. Edward Bangs at Satucket. The Indian was not convicted, but his wife was ill, did not show up in court, and forfeited her bond. [WSC1]
Map [WSC0]
References:
FAG0. "William Nickerson," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32636146/william-nickerson).
NENS0. "New Englanders in Nova Scotia," database with images, American Ancestors, 65–66.
ECHB. Edwin Crowell, A History of Barrington Township and Vicinity (Yarmouth, N.S: n.p., n.d.), 433–5.
PC01. Nathaniel Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth: Court Orders, vols. 2–3 (Boston, William White, 1855), 5, 15–17, 154.
WSC0. William C. Smith, A History of Chatham, Massachusetts (Hyannis: F.B. & F.P. Goss, 1909), 55–77.
WSC1. William C. Smith, A History of Chatham, Massachusetts (Hyannis: F.B. & F.P. Goss, 1909), 110–131.
PC02. Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, vol. 2: 36, 41.
PC02. Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, vol. 3: 79.
GRE0. G. Andrews Moriarty, "Genealogical Research in England: Derby," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 79 (1925): 441.
©a. buiter
15-Jul-2020