Nicholson Family
Section in this Chapter:
1. Nicholsons in Ireland Through Immigration..............................p.2
2. McCauley’s and Boyle’s in Ireland through Immigration........p.13
3. Herron’s in Ireland and Starting a Family in USA...................p.18
4. Nicholson’s Starting a Family in USA........................................p.22
5. Herron/Nicholson Children and Their Families........................p.44
A. Annie Herron Conahan Family .................................................p.45
B. Mary (Mae) Herron Collins ...................................................... p.57
C. Peter Herron............................................................................... p.67
D. Hannah Nicholson Doyle........................................................... p.67
E. James Nicholson Family............................................................ p.79
E1. John Nicholson..........................................................................p.81
E2. Margaret Nicholson O’Donnell...............................................p.88
E3. Anne Nicholson Callahan........................................................p.94
E4. Kathleen Nicholson Robertson...............................................p.96
E5. Michael Nicholson.................................................................. p.100
E6. Louise Nicholson Montague..................................................p.110
E7. Lawrence Nicholson ............................................................ p.112
F. Daniel Nicholson..................................................................... p.117
6. A Look Back at the Herron/Nicolson’s Families ................ p.118
7. Open Questions....................................................................... p.118
8. Sullivan Family in USA........................................................... p.119
A. Patrick Sullivan and Descendant’s ....................................... p.121
B. Lawrence Sullivan and Descendant’s ................................... p.125
If your name is: Anderson, Antinozzi, August, Boyle, Byrne, Castagnola, Cecere, Collins, Conahan, Connelly, Coyle, Deveraux, Doyle, Ellis, Fischer, Fury, Gunzerath, Hagenbuch, Hartsock, Herron, Hicks, Hieb, Horkan, Kelly, Kraft, Kudich, Kulich, Lentz, Lyman, Lishman, Mackin, McCauley, McCaferty, McDonald, Miller, Montalto, Munley, Mulvey, O’Donnell, Piccioni, Purcell, Quigley, Quinn, Raygo, Renfroe, Reshetar, Romanic, Scarcella, Schmidt, Stradley, Sturgeon, Sullivan, Sweeney, Truskowsky, Umbriac, Unis, Waitkus, Walbert, Watson, Weber, Welsh, Wilmot--We might be related!
The McCauley’s, Herron’s, and Nicholson’s immigrated into Counties Carbon, Luzerne, Philadelphia and Schuylkill in PA and began their families in those areas but largely in Hazleton, PA. Some of those towns include: Beaver Meadows, Ebervale, Harwood, Mahanoy City, Pottsville, Tamaqua and Tuscarora. As succeeding generations came along they moved to places like: Wilkes Barre Pa, Allentown PA, Lansdale Pa, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Baltimore and Lanham Maryland, Coatesville PA, Coral Gables and Fort Lauderdale FL, Hackettstown NJ, Haverford PA, Drexel Hill PA, Honolulu HW, Miami FL, Norfolk VA, Newport RI, Pittsburgh PA, Santa Anita and San Francisco CA, Severn MD, St. Louis MO, Warren Ohio, Wilmington DE, Rochester NY, Charlotte and Davidson NC, Atlantic City NJ, Newark NJ. Indeed, many more places than this as the current generations have charted their own path.
Section 1. Nicholson’s in Ireland
Our primary interest in the Nicholson Family stems from Michael Nicholson who immigrated to the USA in 1865/69 and eventually settled in Hazleton PA where he married Annie McCauley Herron and raised her three children along with three of their own. We are attempting to tell their story.We know the Nicholson’s are from County Donegal in Ireland either from Rosbeg or Glenties. Some records suggest they are from Fintown in Donegal.
The information we have on Michael’s grandparents is sketchy. The grandfather appears to be William Nicholson, birth and death unknown. It appears that William had 2 different spouses. We do not know either’s names. James Nicholson and Hannah Boyle Nicholson shown below are our direct ancestors and Michael’s parents while two other children of William are likely of different Mothers:
We know nothing else of Bridget and Ellen. Here is what we have on Michael Nicholson’s nuclear family. Michael’s parents were James Nicholson and his wife Hannah Boyle and they had six or seven children. Here is a graphic of their family:
We know nothing else of Bridget and Ellen. Here is what we have on Michael Nicholson’s nuclear family. Michael’s parents were James Nicholson and his wife Hannah Boyle and they had six or seven children. Here is a graphic of their family:
Father James Nicholson died in Glenties while Mother Hannah died in Rosbeg. We owe much to this information to two New Zealanders: Fiona McFarlane and Martina Nicholson-O’Neill. They are descendants of John Nicholson (1866-1949). Thank you Fiona and Martina!
James and Hannah’s children:
1. James Nicholson was born about 1847 in Donegal and died February 2, 1891 in Mount Loretto, Peru. James was a sea faring man by trade. He married on October 6, 1874 in Andara, County Donegal to Mary McCreighan (born 1855 died unknown). They had one child William born June 16, 1875 and died unknown. We know nothing else about William.
2. Michael James Nicholson was born February 22, 1852 in County Donegal Ireland - this date is on his tombstone. Michael Nicholson leaves Ireland (1865 or 69) and immigrated to Northeastern Pennsylvania initially to Carbon County and then to Luzerne County.
3. Patrick Nicholson was born in 1856 and died unknown. We know nothing else about Patrick.
4. Frances Nicholson was born in 1860 and died at age 3 in 1863 in Glenties..
5. Thomas Nicholson was born in 1862 and died July 14, 1939. He never married and died in Glenties. In the 1911 Irish Census it states “relation to head of household-Brother.” We are taking this to be his brother John. Thomas is listed as having a disability - Lame. It must be a sever disability to warrant being listed on a census return
6. John Nicholson was born in 1866 and died September 9, 1949 in County Donegal. He married Mary Ward (born October 8, 1879 and died June 24, 1955). They had 11 children.
7. Daniel Nicholson may or may not be a child of James and Hannah. We have conflicting records. The information we have is Daniel was born before 1862 and immigrated to California. We can find no information on Daniel.
We mentioned Fiona and Martina. We are not a DNA match to Fiona but we are to Martina. Martina’s father is registered as a third cousin to us. Third cousins share the same great-great grandfather. In this case, Martina’s great grandfather was John Nicholson pictured below and our great grandfather was Michael Nicholson. Michael and John were brothers.
Their parents James and Hannah Boyle Nicholson were our great-great-grand parents. Martina’s family tree starts in Rosbeg, County Donegal Ireland and we agree with Martina that both brothers came from that area.
Thank you Martina and thank you for the picture of John Nicholson! Martina also found the following information:
In 1862 it shows the Nicholson’s living in the Glenties workhouse in County Donegal Ireland. Michaels parents Hannah and James and alongside Hannah is listed a daughter aged 2.5 years. We think the daughter is actually Frances Nicholson. The name Frances can be either a girl or boy. But the boys are not listed: Michael, Daniel and James. Thomas and John would not have been born at this time. Workhouses were established in Ireland to care for the poor and needy. They were difficult places and reflect the negative economic fortunes of the Nicholson’s. This may have continued through the lives of the brothers Nicholson as Michael made several trips back to Ireland to bring money to his family.