Fifth Generation

62. Sarah F (Sally) Nichols^1,13 was born in 1825 in Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee.

She appeared in the census in 1830 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Age 05-09, enumerated in the household of her father John J. Nichols.

She appeared in the census in 1840 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Age 15-19, enumerated in the household of her mother Margaret (Peggy) Scantling.

She appeared in the census in 1850 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Sarah 25 f w TN, she and her children were enumerated in the household of her mother, Margaret (Peggy) Scantling.

She appeared in the census in 1860 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Dist. 5, Sevier County, Tennessee, 8 Aug 1860, Sevierville PO; p.424a, HN 613, FN 607; Nichols Sally 34 f w grocer $625/$615 TN cannot R/W; Mary 16 f w TN attended school; Nancy 14 f w TN attended school; John 10 m w TN attended school.

She appeared in the census in 1870 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Dist. 5, Sevier County, Tennessee, 3 Jun 1870, Sevierville PO; p.377b, HN 13, FN 11; Nichols Sarah F. 46 f w keeping house TN; Mary M. 26 f w without employment TN; Nancy E. 24 f w without employment TN; John H. B. 20 m w TN.

She died about 1890 in Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee.

She was buried after 1890 in Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee.


From "The Nichols Book" by Wyatt M. Nichols:

The man who she most desperately wanted to marry, but because of a bigger feud between some of the Nichols and Catlett families, they were prevented from completely fulfilling their married life as the feud had been long and bitter. In 1850 the Nichols and Catletts went into court in reference to this matter and a settlement was made where Sally Nichols and her children were to retain the name of Nichols. The lived the remainder of her life in Sevierville, Tennessee. She died sometime in the 1880's or early 1890'd and is buried in the Shiloh Cemetery near Sevierville where many of the early Nichols are buried and her father, mother, and three children.

Sarah F (Sally) Nichols and James P Catlett were married about 1842.

According to The Nichols Book by Wyatt McKinley Nichols, Sarah F. (Sally) Nichols had three children with a Mr. Catlett. However, there was a Nichols-Catlett feud and a Nichols-Catlett lawsuit. The result of the lawsuit was that the couple was separated and Sally and her children took the Nichols surname.

This information was told to Wyatt Nichols by his grandfather John H. Nichols, who was the youngest of Sally Nichols' three children. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to verify this information because of the 1856 courthouse fire in Sevier County. Records of any Nichols-Catlett lawsuit would have been destroyed in the fire.

It's only a guess that James P. Catlett was the Catlett man who was the father of Sally Nichols' children. However, there is evidence to support this conclusion. Based on the 1850 census, the only three possibilities seem to have been the brothers William S. (Will) Catlett, James P. Catlett, and Henry S. Catlett. The death certificate of John H. Nichols says that his parents were James C. Nichols and Sarah F. Nichols. There was no James C. Nichols. It seems likely that the reference to James C. Nichols was really a reference to James Catlett Nichols which was really a reference to James Catlett. The truth of the parentage of John H. Nichols may have been a story that nobody wanted to tell. Finally, there was an 1851 Sevier County warrant sworn out by Sarah Nichols against James P. Catlett. 1851 is a logical timeframe for legal action between Sally Nichols and her Catlett man because Sally's last child was born in 1849, and at the time of the 1850 census she and her children were living with her parents.

It is not known if Sally and her Catlett man were married. The children might have been born out of wedlock. The Nichols Book does not address this question. If the couple was married, the marriage was probably a year or two before the birth of their first child. My guess is that the couple was married. One out of wedlock child certainly seems possible, but three such children seems much less likely because both families were very religious. The Nichols were Methodist and the Catletts were Baptist. Religion and slavery were the two causes of the feud. (RGB)

James P Catlett¹⁴ (son of Benjamin Catlett and Nancy Loveday) was born on 13 Feb 1820 in Sevier County, Tennessee.¹⁴

He appeared in the census in 1830 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Age 05-09, enumerated in the household of his father Benjamin Catlett.

He appeared in the census in 1840 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Age 20-29, enumerated with his brother William S. (Will) Catlett listed as head of household. Their father Benjamin Catlett had died in 1834. It is not clear if Will was really the head of household, or if the real head of household was their mother Nancy Loveday.

He appeared in the census in 1850 in Sevier County, Tennessee. 12th Eastern Subdivision, Sevier County, Tennessee, 18 Sep 1850; p.422a, HN 505, FN 505; Catlett James P. 30 m w horse trader $5000 TN.

He appeared in the census in 1860 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Dist. 7, Sevier County, Tennessee, 7 Jun 1860, Wears Cove PO; p.331a, HN 118, FN 117; Catlett Jas. P. 40 m w farmer $5000/$1000 TN; Sarah 36 f w TN; Benjamin 9 m w TN attended school; Elizabeth 7 f w TN attended school; Robt. 4 m w TN; Ellen 1 f w TN.

He appeared in the census in 1870 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Dist. 5, Sevier County, Tennessee, 9 Jun 1870, Sevierville PO; p.382a, HN 76, FN 75; Catlett James P. 50 m w farmer $15000/$5867 TN; Sarah 47 f w keeping house TN; Benjamin 18 m w attending school TN attended school; Adda 15 f w attending school TN attended school; William R. 13 m w attending school TN attended school; Ellen C. 11 f w attending school TN attended school; James M. 7 m w TN.

He appeared in the census in 1880 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Dist. 5, E.D. 182, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, 18 Jun 1880; p.369d, HN 193, FN 197; Catlett James P. 59 head m m w farming TN VA TN; Nancy 37 wife f m w keeping house TN TN TN; James M. 17 son m s w farming TN TN TN; Carrie 2 dau f s w TN TN TN; Kate 1 dau f s w TN TN TN; Webb Henry 18 hireling m b laborer TN -- --.

He died on 30 Jan 1894 in Sevier County, Tennessee.¹⁴

He was buried about 31 Jan 1894 in Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee.¹⁴ Tombstone: James P. Catlett, 13 Feb 1820 - 30 Jan 1894.

Sarah F (Sally) Nichols and James P Catlett had the following children:

121	i.	Mary M Nichols1,3,13 was born on 7 Feb 1844 in Sevier County, Tennessee. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Mary 7 f w TN attended school, enumerated with her mother and her siblings in the household of her mother, Margaret (Peggy) Scantling. She appeared in the census in 1860 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Mary 16 f w TN attended school. She appeared in the census in 1870 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Mary M. 26 f w without employment TN. She appeared in the census in 1910 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Dist. 5, E.D. 139, Sevier County, Tennessee, 15 Apr 1910; p.74a, Main Street, HN 5, FN 6; Nichols Mary M. 66 head f s w dress maker TN TN TN; Nancy E. 64 sis f s w TN TN TN; John H. 60 bro m w w salesman, grocery store TN TN TN. She appeared in the census in 1920 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Dist. 5, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, 2-3 Jan 1920; p.115b, Main Street, HN 20, FN 20; Nichols Mary M. 75 head f s w seamstress, at home TN TN TN; John H. 70 bro m w w collector, corporate invoices TN TN TN. She died on 15 Nov 1928 in [Sevier County, Tennessee]. She was buried about 16 Nov 1928 in Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee. The following is from "The Nichols Book" by Wyatt Nichols. Mary Nichols was a most unusual woman in many ways. Her fine tailoring gave her much work from the students at Murphy College located in Sevierville, Tennessee. She chewed a little tobacco and her comments were generally brief and to the point. If she had a like or dislike for someone she did not hesitate to tell them in no uncertain terms. Wyatt Nichols always liked to visit her and got a great kick out of listening to her talk. Wyatt once asked her why she never married. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Huh, I naver saw a man good enough for me." It is a known fact that she was engaged to a Confederate soldier that was killed in the battle of Shiloh. Wyatt was not sure about the exact date of her death. She is buried in Shiloh Cemetery about four miles from Sevierville, Tennessee.
122	ii.	Nancy Elizabeth Nichols1,3,13,15,16 was born on 11 Feb 1846 in Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Nancy 5 f w TN, enumerated with her mother and siblings in the household of her grandmother, Margaret (Peggy) Scantling. She appeared in the census in 1860 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Nancy 14 f w TN attended school. She appeared in the census in 1870 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Nancy E. 24 f w without employment TN. She appeared in the census in 1910 in Sevier County, Tennessee. Nancy E. 64 sis f s w TN TN TN. She died on 25 Mar 1911 in Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee.16 Obituary: Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee Montgomery Vindicator, Mar 29, 1911, p.2 Miss Nancy Elizabeth Nichols died at the Nichols home on West (text missing) Saturday, March 25, at 3:30 a.m. after a lingering illness. A loving brother and a devoted sister, an attentive physician and many sympathizing friends, did all in their power to alleviate her suffering, but without avail. She was born Feb. 11, 1846. She was a devout member of the M.E. Church and was esteemed by all who knew her for her Christian character and her womanly virtues. She was resigned to death and requested her friends to desist their efforts to prolong her life. She was interred in the Shiloh cemetery Sunday afternoon, services by Rev. W.L. Oliver. She is survived by one sister, Miss Mary M. Nichols, and one brother, John H. Nichols, who have the sympathy of all. Death Certificate: Report made by John ?. Wynn Enumerator of the Fifth School District of Sevier County or ______ Ward of the City of _______ Tennessee. Name of Deceased Nancy E. Nichles Date of Death Mar. 25 1911 Sex Female Color White Age 65 yr. Married or Single Single Place of Death Sevierville Cause of Death Grif? Place of Birth Sevierville Occupation Name of Physician attending on last sickness J.B. Delozier Name of J.P. or Coroner holding inquest Date Recorded July 1911 A T Marshall County Court Clerk She was buried on 26 Mar 1911 in Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee.16 The following is from "The Nichols Book" by Wyatt Nichols. Unlike her sister Mary, she was very quiet and reserved and in stature was very much like many of the Nichols folk. Her eyes were very beautiful and it seems that this characteristic has been handed on down to some of our present day Nichols women folk. She, like her sister, was a fine tailoress and they worked together until her death. She and her sister, Mary, were strong Methodists and contributed quite a bit to the building of a new Methodist Church in Sevierville many years ago. She never married and died quite a few years before her sister Mary or brother John.
+123	iii.	John H B Nichols.