Family:Israel Nichols and Mary Sumner (1)

There are several confusing records in Source:Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Hingham, Massachusetts, Ca. 1639-1844 regarding the children of his marriage.

There are two Susannahs recorded as children of Israel. One was born 5 Mar 1690 to "Israel Nichols & Mary", the other born 15 Dec 1690 to "Israel Nichols & Sarah". It is highly unlikely that Israel had two different wives in this short interval, or even that he had two daughters named Susannah 9 months apart, and then proceeded to have a son Jazaniah 11 months later. So it is pretty clear that one of these records should not name Israel as the father. Source:History of the Town of Hingham, Massachusetts lists the first Susannah as the child of Israel, and the second one as the child of Israel's brother Nathaniel and his wife Sarah Lincoln.

No birth record is listed for son Jazaniah, though the History of Hingham gives his birth date as 1 Nov 1691. It is not clear where it got this date, though it fits well with "The Hobart Journal" in vol. 121, p. 278, of NEHGR, which shows the baptism of Jazaniah on 8 Nov 1691, and he is mentioned in Israel's will, proving he belongs in this family.

A birth record is given for parents "Israel Nichols & Rebecca" of twins Samuel & Rebecca on 23 Jan 1689/93, and Samuel is listed as dying 26 Feb 1692/93. "The Hobart Journal" on 23 Jan 1692/93 (p. 121:280) has an entry that says "Sam & Celia Nicols born". The History of Hingham does not show children with these names and birthdates in any Nichols family listed. It does show a daughter Rebecca for Israel Nichols, but no Samuel, and it says Rebecca's birth was not recorded. So why did it ignore this recorded birth of twins? It seems probable that it was thrown off by the mother's name of Rebecca. However, it seems most likely that it was an error on the town clerk's part, writing the daughter's name in the mother's place. There is no other Israel Nichols in town at this time, he did not marry Rebecca (Lincoln) Clark until 1725, and none of his brothers appear to have a wife named Rebecca. So, these are probably the children of Israel Nichols, with Samuel dying as an infant, and this Rebecca being the daughter who married David Prince of Hull according to the History of Hingham.

1. ↑ "Rev. Peter Thacher's Record of Marriages at Milton", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   36:20.

   Jan. 10, 1688. Israel Nichols was maryed to Mary Sumner of Milton.