Person Page 798

William Nickerson. Probably because of the persecutions of Bishop Wren of Norfolk, William decided to come to America. His examination before their departure reads: "The examination of William Nickerson of Norwich, in Norfolk, weaver, aged 33 and Anne, his wife, aged 28, with four children, Nicho, Robartt, Elizabeth, Anne, are desirous to go to Boston in New England there to inhabit. April 8, 1637". They sailed from Yarmouth 15 Apr 1637 on the John and Dorothy, Capt. William Andrews, Master, accompanied by the Rose, commanded by the Captain's son. With them sailed Anne's parents and all the Nickerson children. In the same party was 18 year old Samuel Lincoln, the ancestor of Abraham Lincoln. They arrived in Salem 20 June 1637.

On 2 May 1638, William took the freeman's oath at Boston though he was probably living in Watertown with his wife's relatives who went there after a brief stay in Newbury. On 1 Dec 1640, he was proposed as a freeman at the Plymouth Colony Court, evidently planning to settle in their jurisdiction rather than in that of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. William evidently moved to Yarmouth as he took the oath of fidelity and was on the grand jury 1 June 1641 as well as being a freeman of that place at the next court. His house was near Folland's Pond at the head of the Bass River.

William was complained of 1 Mar 1641 as a "Scoffer and jeerer of religion" and had other frequent run-ins with the church which very likely had to do with his move to the wilderness of Monomoy. He was among those able to bear arms in Yarmouth and was chosen on the committee headed by Myles Standish to settle disputes over land boundaries which had become acute in Yarmouth in 1643. On 14 May 1648, in the final allotment of lands at Yarmouth by the Standish Land Court, he was given the 10 acres of upland and 6 acres of meadow on Little Bass Pond. He also had purchased 6 acres of meadow in "Nobscusset Meadows", now known as Hockanom. About 1656, William purchased from Chief Mattaquason and his son John a tract of land at Monomoy without the consent of the authorities which was contrary to the law passed 6 June 1643: "Whereas it is holden very unlawful and of dangerous consequence and it hath beene the constand custome from our first beginning That no person or persons have or ever did purchase Rent or hire any lands herbage wood or tymber of any of the Natives in any place within this Government without the consent & assent of the Court Every such person or persons shall forfeit five pounds for every acree wch shallbe so purchased hyred rented and taken And for wood & tymber to pay five tymes the value thereof to be levyed to the Colonies use." On 3 June 1656, the matter was brought to court: "Att this court William Nicarson appeered, being summoned to answare for his buying of land of the Indians, contrary to order of the Court, and for selling of a boat to the Indians, against a warrant directed to Yarmouth strictly prohibiting the same, haveing left the boate to bee the Indians; concerning his breach of order in buying of land, hee lyeth under the fine and penalty expressed in the order for the breach thereof; and for his contempt of the warrant, he is disfranchised his freedom." This was again in court 3 June 1657: "In answare unto a petition preferred to the court by William Nicarson, desiring to have liberty to enjoy the land hee purchased att Mannamoiett,- The court have ordered, that the said land shall be viewed by some that shall be deputed; and afterwards, upon their report to the court, hee is to have a competency or proportion out of it allowed unto him, and then to resigne up the remainder unto the court."

William sold his Yarmouth farm to James Matthews and moved to Monomoyick (Chatham). On 27 Nov 1662 he sold his Boston property to Phillip Gibbs for £150. On 29 Mar 1678, William of Monomoy purchased from the Monomoy Sachems Mattaquason and John Quason alias Towsowet, a large tract of land on the west side of Monomoy (now in Chatham) for £25. William and his wife Anne are buried in Burial Hill, Chatham, MA.

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William Nickerson arrived in Salem, Mass. with his wife, ANN (BUSBY) NICKERSON, & four of their children on June 20, 1637 on the good ship, "JOHN & DOROTHY" out of Yarmouth, England. He was about 33 years of age and was a "worsted weaver", a trade he learned from his father, WILLIAM NICKERSON".

By 1641, the family had removed to Yarmouth in Cape Cod where he purchased a large tract of land from the Indian sagaman, Mataquason in 1656. The Plymouth Colony did not approve of this purchase, and it was challanged in court until 1678, during which time the family lived on this land.

William's later life was full of conflict. He was constantly in court suing or being sued. He made fun of religion and caused disorder at town meetings. On June 3, 1668, he and three of his sons (Samuel, Joseph & William, Jr.) were made to sit in the stocks for attacking the constable of Yarmouth in his office.

Savage states that their children, Nicholas, Robert, Elizabeth, and Anne immigrated to America, and adds Joseph (born in Yarmouth in December of 1647) as a child.