From book "Descendants of James Stanclift of Middletown, Connecticut and Allied Families", By Robert C. and Sherry [Smith] Stancliff
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Note: This page modified 6 August 2001 and 22 August 2002.
CLARK NICHOLS FAMILY
(147) MARION5 STANCLIFT (John4, Comfort3, James2, James1)
Appears in records also as Merin or Marin, daughter of John and Sarah [Harris] Stanclift and twin of Margery [Stanclift] Knapp, born while the family was living Litchfield County, CT Apr. 14, 1785, died Erie County, PA July 4, 1850 and is buried next to husband Clark in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Erie County, PA(1) This Cemetery is now known as the Washington Valley Cemetery located at Route 6n and Sharp Road ( Route 86). Marion married CLARK NICHOLS, in Canada. He was born about 1784, possibly in Quebec, Canada, the son of John and Susannah [Clarke] Nichols of Caldwell Manor in Quebec.(2) Died 1848 according to his gravestone
The family history(3) says that the twins, Marion and Margery "were so nearly alike that their parents could tell them apart only from their voices." Note that these identical twins, both widows, one living in Canada and one living in Pennsylvania, both died in July 1850.
This couple was living Loughborough Twp, Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada in 1819 with five children. The family records indicate that Clark Nichols was a member of the Provincial Assembly of Ontario. It is not known whether they first traveled to Erie County, NY to be with the majority of the Stanclifts who lived in Loughborough, Canada and left as a result of the War of 1812, or whether they moved directly to Erie County, PA to be with many of those same Stancliff relatives. Marion and Clark Nichols did live in Erie County, PA among Marion's relatives, but several of their children lived their lives in Canada.
Clark Nichols died Washington Township, Erie County, PA June 6, 1848 � 62 years. His Will, made two days before his death,(4) named wife Marin and youngest son, James, along with Hiram Crow as joint executors on the will. No other children were mentioned in his Will.
An 1892 Erie County, PA land record suggests other children of Clark and Marion Nichols remained in the area, as it concerned Clark and Lucy B. [____] Nichols, James Nichols and Joseph W. Nichols as well as Rosella [Nichols] Brumigan and Marian [Nichols] Zents. The man named Joseph W. Nichols in Erie County was probably related to this family, but may not have been the son of Marion and Clark. A Joseph Nichols born 1804, with wife Catherine born 1814 in PA lived Waterford Township, Erie County, PA according to 1850 Census, he indicated birthplace as NY. A Joseph Nichols of Beaver Dam Township married Jan. 17, 1833 CATHERINE COOVER(5). These records are probably for the identical individual. If this was the son of Marion and Clark, he was found in records of Canada at a later date.
CHILDREN: Clark and Marion [Stanclift] Nichols(6)
1. JOHN NICHOLS born about 1811-1815, under age 16 in 1819 Loughborough Census, married NANCY ____ and both of them died in the 1840's in Loughborough Township, Frontenac County, Ontario and are buried Sydenham Cemetery.
2. JOSEPH NICHOLS born 1812-1813, probably died Loughborough Township, Frontenac County, Ontario about 1889, he was one of those under age 16 in 1819 Loughborough Census. He married 1. ELIZABETH DIES who died Loughborough Township, Frontenac County, Ontario in 1861, married 2. Loughborough Township, Frontenac County, Ontario April 30, 1863 RHODA KNAPP who may well have been descended from Marion's twin sister Margery [Stanclift] Knapp of Barrisfield, Pittsburgh Township, Frontenac County, Ontario.
3. WILLIAM NICHOLS under age 16 in 1819 Loughborough Census.
4. MARGERY NICHOLS listed by name in 1819 Loughborough Census but no age given.
5. LAURA "Lorey" NICHOLS listed by name in 1819 Loughborough Census but no age given. She married Loughborough Township, Frontenac County, Ontario Jan. 20, 1835 JOHN BLAKE.
6. CLARK NICHOLS born Canada 1823, emigrated from Upper Canada, Midland(7) in 1841, filed his declaration of intention to become a citizen on July 14, 1851, but never received a certificate(8). He married LUCY B. ____ and lived Erie and Crawford Counties, PA.
7. ROSELLA or ROSALIE NICHOLS born Canada 1827, married _____ BRUMIGAN.
8. JAMES NICHOLS mentioned in father's 1848 Will as youngest son. James born 1829 emigrated from Upper Canada, Fifth Concession (Township not listed) in 1841. He was sponsored by Burt Usher and obtained final certificate Oct. 29, 1852(9). He was living in Washington Township, Erie County, PA in 1850, and the census indicates that he was age 20 and born in Canada. James Nichols of Washington Township married in Erie County, PA by William Benson J.P. June 16, 1850 LOUISE CORNISH of Waterford Township(10), born NY 1834. The newlyweds probably living on the family farm also had living in their household Rosalie Nichols and Mary Ann Nichols. By 1860 Rosalie and Mary Ann were no longer in the household.
9. MARIAN or MARY ANN NICHOLS born Canada 1835, married ____ ZENTS.
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Footnotes:
1. .Located on Highway 6, Washington Township, East of Edinboro.
2. .Research of Diane Brigode, a descendant of Clark's sister Mary Nichols. Diane also provided information on marriages of Joseph, John and Laura Nichols
3. .Manuscript or Memoirs written by David Stanclift, son of Lemuel at age 80.
4. .Erie County Estate Records Vol.B, page 246
5. .ERIE GAZETTE issue of Jan. 24, 1833
6. .First five children listed in 1819 Loughborough, Ontario Census, males are under age 16.
7. .This is a district in Ontario that includes Lennox and Addington and Frontenac Counties where the Stancliffs and allied families lived.
8. .ERIE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA NATURALIZATIONS 1825-1906, compiled by members of The Erie Society for Genealogical Research, Inc., page 101.
9. .ERIE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA NATURALIZATIONS 1825-1906, compiled by members of The Erie Society for Genealogical Research, Inc., page 101.
10. .ERIE GAZETTE issue of June 20, 1850
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