Descendants of John (1795-1828) and Theodocia (1798-1881) Nicholas of White Hook, Bletherton, Pembrokeshire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bletherston
https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Bletherston
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Bletherston in Pembrokeshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/4546
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/print/#zoom=14.26&lat=51.8663&lon=-4.7804&layers=171&b=1
5 descendants of John and Theodocia Nicholas of Whitehook, Bletherston, Pembrokeshire, Wales emigrated to various parts of the United States between 1881 and 1913.
Benjamin and his wife Margaret Beynon were the first members of the Nicholas family to emigrate to the USA in 1881.
Emigration: 7thApril 1881 (Age 25 years), Liverpool – New York, SS Bothnia
Birth: 12 March 1856, Holloway, Penfford, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Marriage: Margaret BEYNON, 28thFebruary 1881, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire, England
Death: 3 March 1939 (Age 82 years)Mason City, Custer County, Nebraska, United States
Note: Margaret’s older brother Edward Beynon had immigrated to Hyde Park, Scranton, PA, USA in about 1869 (Edward returned with his wife Elizabeth and 2 children in about 1876).
John Nicholas Thomas was Benjamin’s nephew
(his mother was Benjamin’s sister Sarah and his father was Benjamin Thomas).
Emigration: 10 September 1892 (Age 23 years), Missouri via New York City, NY, United States
Birth: 28 March 1869, Whitland, Carmarthen, Wales
Marriage: Evie Mae Scrutchfield, 6 May 1900, Randolph County, Missouri, USA
Marriage: Ida Irene Scheuneman, 14 January 1903 (Age 33 years), Moberly, Randolph County, Missouri, USA
Death: 13 January 1949 (Age 79 years), Laclede County, Missouri, United States
Burial: 1949 (Age 79 years), Prosperine, Laclede, Missouri, United States of America
Thomas John Nicholas was also one of Benjamin’s nephews (his mother was Benjamin’s sister Martha who married Evan Nicholas of Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales ).
Emigration: 19 January 1895 (Age 19 years), Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Birth: 18 October 1875, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales
Residence: 1881 (Age 5 years), 85, Baptist Well Street, Swansea (Town), Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales
Residence: 1891 (Age 15 years), Address: Pentre, St John, Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales
Residence: about 1917, (Age 41 years), Address: 77 Monitor St, Brooklyn, Kings, NY
Occupation: Metal (Copper) Inspector, , about 1910 (Age 34 years), Address: Laurel Hill, Queens, NY,USA
Employer: Phelps Dodge Co at Nichols Copper Co and Company
John Bowen NICHOLAS was another of Benjamin’s nephews
(his father was Benjamin’s brother Evan and his mother was Eleanor Bowen).
Emigration: about May 1901 (Age 27 years), CUMRO CUSTER COUNTY NEBRASKA, USA
Birth: 28 June 1873 29, St Michaels, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Marriage: Elizabeth Marie Ghude, 3 March 1908 (Age 24 years), Otoe, Nebraska, United States
Military: WWI Draft, between 1917 and 1918 (Age 41 years), New York City no 55, Address: New York, United States
Death: 9 January 1950 (Age 76 years), Summerfield Marshall County Kansas, USA
The younger brother of Thomas John Nicholas and one of Benjamin’s nephews (his mother was Benjamin’s sister Martha who married Evan Nicholas of Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales ).
Emigration: June 14, 1913 (Age 26 years), Brooklyn, New York, NY, United States
Birth: about June 1887, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales
In the 1871 Census of England and Wales Benjamin’s occupation is listed as ‘Tailor’s apprentice’ but it gives no indication of who the tailor could have been.
However recent investigations into the 1871 Census have identified a possible candidate – Richard Phillips.
Richard was born in New Moat in about 1830. In 1858 Richard married Hannah Nicholas who was born about 1838. Hannah’s Parents were Stephen NICHOLAS (B:1797 & probably John NICHOLAS’ younger brother) and Ann MORGANS. Which means than Hanah was probably Benjamin’s father’s cousin.
Hannah and Richard lived at Posty-draw which is a house, near Posty Farm, less than a mile from Benjamin’s family home – Holloway Fach. In the same 1871 census Richard’s occupation is listed as Tailor (employing 1 man).
I firmly believe that means that Benjamin was apprenticed with Richard who was married to his father’s cousin.
