William Nickerson (ca 1675-1742) and his Wife Deliverance Lombard of Chatham, Mass.

William Nickerson was born about 1675 at Chatham (then called Monomoit) on Cape Cod, the son of William and Mercy (Williams) Nickerson and the grandson of William Nickerson the  founder of the town. His name is sometimes seen as Nicholson—both Nickerson and Nicholson are used in his probate records. 

William married, about 1700, Deliverance Lombard/Lumbert. She was born about 1680 at Chatham, the daughter of Caleb Lombard whose wife’s name is not known. William and Deliverance are my 9th great-grandparents. 

Deliverance and William had eight children, all born Chatham (my work on his children is minimal; all but William’s births are approximate):

1. William born 15 May 1701;  married Sarah Covell and had 11 children; drowned February 1763 at a creek in Chatham when his canoe overturned [note: William’s birth is given in The Nickerson Family but I have not found the original source]

2. James born about 1703; married Dorcas Covell; died about 1756

3. Joshua born about 1705; he is mentioned in William’s 1739 will

4. Elizabeth born about 1707; married Thomas Atkins Jr.; she died before 13 September 1739

5. Mercy born about 1709; married Seth Paddock on 13 April 1727 at Chatham; she died before 13 September 1739, when she is mentioned as deceased in her father’s will 

6. Deliverance born about 1711; married Abraham Chase before 1739; she died at Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, 3 September 1788

7. Caleb born about 1713; married Mary Godfrey about 1732; died 18 Dec 1749 

8. Nathaniel born about 1715; married Thankful Nickerson; died of small pox 4 February 1766

I descend from their son William.  

Deliverance died circa 1716 at Chatham. She was only about 36 years old.

William married, second, Anna/Hannah Atwood on 24 October 1717. [Yarmouth VR 1:140] Anna was born January 1688 at Eastham, the daughter of Eldad and Anna (Snow) Atwood. [MD, 4:141] Imagine being 28 years old and suddenly step-mother to eight children! 

Anna and William had three children, all born Chatham, birth order uncertain:

9. Deborah born say about 1718; married William Padishall/Badishall

10. Anna born say about 1720; married Jonathan Crowell on 13 July 1738 at Chatham; removed to Nova Scotia; she died before October 1756

11. Eldad born say about 1724; married Mary Cahoon; removed to Nova Scotia

William lived on land at Cotchpinicut, aka Old Harbor, at Chatham and received land at Monomessett (Nickerson’s) Neck from his father on 13 October 1702. William Jr. listed as a head of household in 1711.  He was one of the principal Chatham landowners in the 1730s. “Insin” William paid third highest tax of 8 pence for a pew choice in 1742. He is called by the honorific “Gentleman” in his probate records. 

In 1740 William operated a tannery, making boots, shoes, and leather trousers.  

William was in the local militia; beginning about 1706 he was called Ensign. He was very involved in town government. In some cases he is called “Jr” or “Ensign,” but when a suffix isn’t used it can be challenging to distinguish between him and his father. The latter died in 1719.

William Jr. was surveyor and fence viewer in 1702 and  treasurer in 1706. Ensign William Nickerson was selectman and assessor in 1706, Ensign William was treasurer in 1710, selectman and assessor in 1711. In 1712 he signed a petition, as a selectman, asking state house of representatives and Gov. Dudley to allow townsmen to be exempt from military duty, because few men would be left to defend village from potential invasion of French privateers. The petition was denied. It may be this William Jr. that signed a 1715 letter supporting Ebenezer Hawes in a lawsuit against Rev. Adams.

In 1700 William Nickerson (perhaps this was his father) was to oversee the work being done on the first meetinghouse in Chatham.

William “Nicholson” of Chatham wrote his will on 13 September 1739 and a codicil on 19 October 1742. The will of William Nickerson, Gentleman, was proven at court on 15 November 1742. He names his son Caleb as Executor. His wife Anna was to receive widow’s thirds as long as she remained his widow, all the household linen and the church pew. He left bequests to sons Caleb, William, James, Joshua, and Eldad; daughters Deborah (wife of William Padishall), Deliverance (wife of Abraham Chase), and Anna (wife of Jonathan Crowell); grandson Zachariah Paddock and granddaughter Deliverance Paddock (children of late daughter Mercy  who was married to Seth Paddock); unnamed grandchildren, the children of his late daughter Elizabeth who was married to Thomas Atkins Jr. He also left land to sons Caleb, James, Joshua , Nathaniel, and Eldad. He bequeathed his tanning business to sons Caleb, Nathaniel and Eldad. 

It is notable that his eldest son William did not receive land or a part in the business. I first thought he was perhaps written off by his father as he was a religious extremist who did not follow the established church. But in William the younger’s probate records it states his homestead was at Monumessit Neck (aka Nickerson’s Neck), which is where his father lived, so perhaps William the elder deeded that land to him. 

Map depicting Chatham settlers in 1700 source: The Nickerson Family by NFA

William Nickerson died at Chatham in the fall of 1742, between 19 October (date of codicil to his will) and 15 November (date will probated).

The inventory of William Nickerson was presented at Barnstable Court on 20 January 1742/3. It was valued at over 2779 pounds, a substantial estate at that time. He was literate as he owned a Bible and other books. He also owned silver, a gun & sword, farm animals, and large amounts of foodstuffs including rye and corn. 

William’s inventory also included land holdings: homestead & land, tan fats, land & meadow bought of Parker & Chase, land at Scotch Pinnacut, part of a lot by Tucker, half-acre at William’s house, Cover Meadow, rights in the Great Lot, 3/16 of the Red River Lot, 1/2 of the Red River Meadow, Moone Meadow, Monumessit Neck, and rights .in the Great Beach.

Anna married, second, Benjamin Bearse, Sr., of Barnstable on 25 August 1747 and he died less than a year later. Late in life she lived with her daughter Deborah (Nickerson ) Badishall.  In the settlement of the estate of her step-son William Nickerson, on 19 June 1764, mention was made of debt due William Padishall [/Badishall] for support of their mother, then called “Widow Bearse.” 

Sources Not Included Above:

William C. Smith, History of Chatham: Formerly the Constablewick or Village of Monomoit, 1909

William C. Smith, “Early Chatham Settlers," Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy, No. 36, CW Swift Publishers, Yarmouthport, Mass., 1915

Susan E. Roser, Early Descendants of Henry Cobb of Barnstable, Massachusetts, Friends of the Pilgrim Series, Volume 1, 2008

William’s probate: Barnstable County Probate Records, vol 6, p 244-249, available on FamilySearch.org 

The Nickerson Family: The Descendants of William Nickerson 1604-1689 First Settler of Chatham, Massachusetts, Part I, Nickerson Family Association, 1973

John D. Austin, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations/Stephen Hopkins, GSMD, 6:132 (2001)