Shelby county OHGenweb

Jonathan Nichols Submitted by Gene Dulin All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner.

Jonathan Nichols was born about 1788, son of Francis & Lucy (Bishop) Nichols of New England. Lucy may have died in New England and, at some point prior to 1808, Francis moved to the town of Blue Ash, Sycamore Township, hamilton County, OH, which is located just northeast of Cincinnati. He brought at least three of his sons to Ohio with him: Jonathan, Prosper, and Leicester. Jonathan's National Archives military file indicates that, on September 4, 1813, Jonathan either volunteered or was "drafted" into the 2nd Ohio Militia at the town of Reading, which is located near Blue Ash. At that time, Ohio was obligated to participate with other "western" states to raise a militia for the purpose of defending the "frontier" during the War of 1812. Thomas Worthington, then a U.S. Senator from Ohio, had called for the recruitment of 100,000 militiamen from all western states. Fourth Governor of the State of Ohio, Return J. Meigs, realizing that "Mr. Madison's War" was not necessarily that popular in Ohio, predicted that some of Ohio's quota of militiamen may have to be "drafted". In any event, Jonathan was enrolled for a term of six months service. The crisis in Ohio had been precipitated in August of 1812 when the Commander of the Ohio Militia, William Hull, surrendered the garrison at Ft. Detroit, apparently without a fight (for which Hull was later court-martialed and sentenced to be shot, but was later pardoned by President Madison due to his advanced age and service in the Revolution). Hull had suffered defeat at the hands of Chief Tecumseh, some Canadian militiamen, and 100 British regulars who were greatly outnumbered by the forces of Hull at the fort. The fall of Ft. Detroit engendered real fear in Ohio that Tecumseh might gather strength and move out of "Indian Territory" to cross the Greenville Treaty Line and invade the settlements in southern Ohio. Control of the militia was passed to William Henry Harrison who slowly began to assemble an army along the Maumee River. In September of 1813, Oliver H. Perry defeated the British fleet at the Battle of lake Erie cutting off the British garrison at Detroit from its supply lines. General Henry Proctor began to lead the British out of Detroit and into Canada, but was now pursued and cornered by the forces of Harrison. The situation culminated in the Battle of Thames River on October 5, 1813, at which Proctor was defeated and Tecumseh was killed. It is during these later engagements that Jonathan Nichols would have been in the area and his military file notes that he was mustered out at Detroit at the end of his six-month enlistment. Jonathan served in the company of Capt. William T. Cullom (a.k.a. McCullom). There is a note in Jonathan's National Archives warrant file written by one James McCloskey at Detroit on 2/22/1814 stating that Jonathan was "taken from the lines and entered as an ox-teamster on the 10th of October last." This suggests that, following Proctor's defeat, Jonathan probably spent the remainder of his enlistment hauling supplies to and from Ft. Detroit during the ensuing winter.

Genealogical Ties to Shelby County for Jonathan Nichols

Appears on 1820 Federal Census for Shelby County, OH.

Appears on 1830 Federal Census for Green Twp, Shelby County, OH.

Appears on 1840 Federal Census for Jackson Twp, Shelby County, OH.

Appears in Marriage Records of Shelby County, Volume 1, referenced as a Shelby County Justice of the Peace who performed marriages in Green twp.

Appears in History of Shelby County, published 1883, referenced as a "land owner" in Shelby County prior to 1822.

Appears in Biographical Records of Auglaize, Logan, and Shelby Counties, Ohio, referenced as "patriot in the war of 1812."

Appears in National Archives War of 1812 bounty-land warrant file for "Jonathan Nichols" which lists his place of death as "Shelby County, OH." Grave marker never located.