In the previous generation, we learned that Andrew was 1 of four sons born to Robert Oliver. He was close to his brothers, Clark, Daniel and Robet, Jr. living near to them in Bridport and St. Albans, VT. while growing up. Andrew met and married Mary "Polly" Nichols in Bridport and many children were born to them there. In 1807 Andrew moved to Champlain, Clinton County, NY with his family. "The first settlers in the town were Scotch refugees ad the first surveyor of the "Moorfield Patent was Judge Pliny Moore. The first house erected in Champlain was by Louis Goseline (Gosslein) in 1784. This was a log hut." (History of Clinton County, NY, 1892). More will be written later about Louis Gosslein and his relationship to Martha Hallowell Forbes Oliver through marriage. "To the Canadian & Scotch refugees, history must inscribe the honor of having been the first white settlers who penetrated the northern wilderness and planted the standard home within the boundaries of the present town. Following is a list of early settlers who sought a home in Champlain, with the date of each", among them is Andrew Oliver, 1807. (History of Clinton Co. NY, 1892). In 1807 and alarmed by the hostile preparation of their neighbors the British from whom they were separated only by a line, the inhabitants of Champlain were led to consider their own defenselessness and exposed situation. The inhabitants of the town met and were unanimously of the opinion that they must petition Governor Daniel Tompkins for assistance. They drafted a letter to the Governor on September 26, 1807 beseeching him to provide arms and ammunition in defense of the town against the British, should there be War. This petition was signed by many inhabitants of Champlain, including Andrew Oliver (Champlain, NY, May, 1937, Volume One). Andrew Oliver died December 12, 1841 in Clinton County, NY. Mary "Polly" Nichols died Septmeber 1, 1849 at Rouse's Point, NY (Clinton County).

Children of Andrew & Polly Nichols
Loyal, born August 26, 1794, Bridport, VT, married Margaret Weeks (1st), Elizabeth Waite (2nd) (*SEE BELOW)
Polly, born 1797, married Carlton Bullis
Lydia, born 1792, died in 1798
Lydia, born 1799, Bridport, married Lewis Marney
James Durham, born 1801, Bridport, married Sarah Cronkite
Samuel, born 1803, Bridport, married Christiana "Tina" Cronkite (*New - see family info listed below)
Almirah, born 1805, Bridport, died before Andrew's Will in 1833
Abigail, born 1807, Champlain, never married
Andrew, Jr., born 1809, Champlain, NY, married Catherine McDonald
Leonora, born ?, married John Bullis
* I descend from LOYAL. ** When Loyal's first wife Margaret died, she left several small children to raise. Across the Canadian border lived Elizabeth (Lizzie) Waite WELCH, a widow. Elizabeth was the wife of Samuel D. Welch, Senior and when her husband died, she , too, was left with a household of children to raise. It is presumed that Loyal and Elizabeth knew one another previously and they married. One of Elizabeth's sons was Samuel D. Welch, Jr., a small boy when Loyal married his mother. Loyal had a son ORRIS and so the two became step-brothers. Interestingly enough, when Orris left Clinton County with his wife, Martha Forbes in 1859, Sam D. Welch, Jr. traveled with them to Minnesota. After arriving in Minnesota, Samuel married one of Orris' daughters, Elizabetta (he must have waited until she grew up as he was ten years older than her). At that time his step-brother, Orris, became his father-in-law! Samuel D. Welch became the first mayor of a small town called Zumbro Falls in Minnesota and was very instrumental in the progress and development of that town.

Volume B, Pages 305-307

I, Andrew Oliver, of the town of Champlain in the County of Clinton, State of New York, calling to mind the uncertainty of life and being weak in body, but of sound mind and memory do on this fifteenth day of February in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty three, constitute, ordain and determine this to be my Last Will and Testament.
Item. give and bequeath unto my son Andrew, Jr. one undivided half of Lot No. fifty seven in the town aforesaid of the Refugee eighty acre lots. And also I bequeath to my son Andrew Jr. One undivided half of Lot No. seventy in the Refugee Tract of 80 acres. And also the stock of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs -- And also the farming utensils I may be possessed of at the time of my decease.
Item. I will and bequeath unto the children of my daughter Lydia Marney, widow of Lewis Marney, deceased, and to those only which she has had by the said Lewis, all that undivided third part of lot No. fifty-three, in the aforesaid Refugee Tract; and also five acres of land taken off the east end of Lot No. eighty of 80 acres of the same Refugee Tract.
Thirdly, I will and bequeath unto my son James Durham the sum of Two Hundred Dollars, to be paid out of the land, and tenements, stock or farming utensils above mentioned and bequeathed to my son Andrew Jr.; and my son Andrew Jr. Hereby required to pay the same unto the said James Durham within four years after my decease.
Fourth, I will and bequeath unto my daughter Polly the wife of Carlton Bullis, to my son Loyal, to my son Samuel, to my daughter Lydia, (wife of Carlton Bullis - then crossed out) widow of above mentioned Lewis and to my daughter Leonora, the wife of John Bullis two dollars each to be paid out of the land, tenements, stock and farming utensils above mentioned and bequeathed to my son Andrew Jr., who is hereby directed and required to pay the same.
Fifthly, I hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friend Carlton Bullis, the husband of my daughter Polly and Rufus Morton and Horace M. White to be my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and to see that all the provisions herein mentioned and contained be faithfully executed and carried into effect.
Sixthly, I hereby bind my son Andrew Jr. To bear one half of the expense of the support of my beloved wife, Mary, his mother and also the support and maintainance of my daughter Abigail during their natural lives and thru maintainance as above mentioned to be a lein on the above mentioned lands and tenements bequeathed to my son Andrew Jr .to be beholden to the same. The above to be and hereby is my Last Will and Testament as above mentioned and described. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal for the purpose above mentioned the day and year first above mentioned.

His Signature, "Andrew Oliver" , Attest: Daniel Taylor, Justus Smith, Sally N. Smith, all from the Town of Champlain.

Note: The widow, Mary and son Andrew Junior appeared before the Surrogate Court Judge, George W. Palmer on March 7. 1845 to testify that Andrew Oliver was of sound mind when he made his Last Will and Testament, along with the witnesses Daniel Taylor, Justus Smith and Sally N. Smith.
Note: Daughter Almirah, baptized 1805 is not mentioned in the Will -- died????
Note: Lewis Marney is already deceased by 1833, husband of Lydia.
Note: Perhaps Abigail suffered from some type of handicap as Andrew makes sure she is taken care of for the remainder of her natural life.

Geography of Champlain: Sits in the extreme NE section of Clinton Co., bounded by Province of Canada on the north and Lake Champlain on the east which separates it from Vermont. There is a large collection of cemetery records for Clinton County called the McClellan Cemetery Records. Andrew Oliver's burial place has not been found; Maple Hill cemetery was laid out in 1859, and this is where many of the Olivers from Champlain are buried.

DESCENDANTS OF SAMUEL OLIVER, born 1803, Champlain (son of Andrew & Polly), died 1882, married Christina Cronkite. Their children: Angeline, born 1829 Mehitable, born 1831 Erexcenia, born 1832 Christania, born 1834 Lydia, born 1836 Samuel Ara, born 1840 Mary, born 1844 Elijah, born 1848 Franklin, born 1853. *ELIJAH OLIVER, born 1848, died 1911, married Cordelia King. Their children: Etta May, born 1883 Gertrude Delia, 1884 Tina Augusta, 1886 Samuel Elijah, 1888 Grace Elizabeth, 1893 Carrie Louise, 1897 Lyndhurst James, 1900 *SAMUEL ELIJAH OLIVER, born 1888, died 1940, married Margaret Colrick. Their Children: Grover, born 1915 Harold, born 1918 Gerald, 1921 Kenneth, born 1923 This information was supplied by Kenneth W. Oliver of Melbourne, FL, a descendant of Samuel Oliver. (Thank you, Ken!)

More information to follow on the children and their families of Andrew Oliver and Mary Polly Nichols. Stay Tuned!