1st Generation NICHOLSON in the USA - the Immigrants in Pennsylvania

My husband's paternal grandmother was a Nicholson - this is his family ancestry.  I have listed my information sources, but sometimes it is 'guess' or 'gut' instinct.  I am open to input, corrections, and stories for future researchers.  For the most part, the italics or { parenthesis } are my personal thoughts, explanations, or musings.
Note that names, ages, places of birth and information often changed with each Census, switching first and second names, abbreviated and nick names can be confusing.  I have transcribed as I see it, but try to note the error if I notice it.   Lesley

The Nicholson family arrived in the USA between 1829 and 1835.  {Children Joseph, Charles, James born in Ireland - Elizabeth and William born in Pennsylvania, though I have not confirmed a Passenger List or Immigration Record.} 

Possible: ...?
US & Canada Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1500's - 1900's
Name: James Nicholson
Arrival Year: 1834
Arrival Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Source Publication Code: 9303
Primary Immigrant: Nicholson, James

From ancestry.com: a general guideline to customary naming patterns for given names in Ireland, that families have used for centuries:
Sons: First son after father's father; second son after mother's father; third son after father; fourth son after father's oldest brother; fifth son after mother's oldest brother (sometimes father's second oldest brother).
Daughters: First daughter after mother's mother (or father's mother); second daughter after father's mother (or mother's mother); third daughter after mother; fourth daughter after mother's oldest sister; fifth daughter after mother's oldest sister (sometimes father's oldest sister).

There is a burial record for a James Nicholson at St David's Episcopal Church listed on FindaGrave.com

James Nicholson: Birth: unknown   Death Aug. 26, 1835 Pennsylvania, USA
Source: Burial Records of Saint David's Churchyard, Manayunk, 1833-1919, p. 7
Age: unknown
Burial: Saint David's Protestant Episcopal Churchyard, Manayunk, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA. Plot: unknown

St. David's Episcopal Church Parish Records from Ancestry.com

Nicholson youngest child, born in Pennsylvania - William's birth year is from 1836 -1840 varies in the Census. The above record is very likely to be the correct Nicholson, possibly his wife being pregnant with William when her husband died and he was born in 1836.
The patriarch Nicholson had three sons - his eldest son, Joseph - named a son, James; his third son, James - named a son, James; and youngest son, William - named a son James.
{It appears he died a couple of years after arriving in the USA? Leaving a widow with five children?}

1850 USA Census: Manayunk Lower Ward, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Sarah Nicholson, head, age 46, born in Ireland. Elizabeth Nicholson, age 15, born in Penna.  William Nicholson, age 13, born in Penna. James Nicholson, age 21, born in Ireland, "Boatman".  Catherine Nicholson, {daughter-in-law} age 22, born in Ireland. Sarah Nicholson, {grand daughter} age 7 months, born in Ireland {PA}.  Charles Nicholson, age 24, born in Ireland.

1850 USA Census from Ancestry.com

No husband/father - not on the previous page.  Sarah, the mother, her children: Elizabeth (15), William (13), James (21) and Charles (24).  Charles and James born in Ireland, Elizabeth and William born in Pennsylvania.  Catherine {nee Russell} is James's wife, and Sarah, age 7 months is their daughter; Sarah born in "Ireland" here, but all future Census state Sarah was born in Pennsylvania.

By this Census, I estimate that the Nicholson family came to Pennsylvania, USA between James's birth in Ireland about 1829 and Elizabeth's birth in Pennsylvania in 1835.  James's wife, Catherine was born in Ireland, but they would have been married in Pennsylvania, USA.

Note:  Wikipedia: Manayunk is a neighborhood in the northwestern section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Located on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it contains the first canal begun in the United States (although not the first completed due to budget problems).

1860 USA Census: Philadelphia Ward 21, Pennsylvania: Leverington:  James Nicholson, head, age 30, born in Ireland, "Operator". Catherine, wife, age 30, born in Ireland.  Sarah Ann, daughter, age 10, born in PA.  William, son, age 8, born in PA.  James, son, age 2, born in PA.  Alexander, son, age 10 months, born in PA.

1860 Census - Ancestry.com.

{On next page of the Census were Sarah Nicholson, the mother, with Elizabeth and William.}

1860 USA Census - Ancestry.com.

1860 USA Census: Philadelphia Ward 21, Pennsylvania: Leverington PO: Sarah Nicholson, age 60, born in Ireland. William Nicholson, son, age 23, born in Pennsylvania, "Paper Maker".  Elizabeth Nicholson, daughter, age 24, "Operator".

{Sarah's age is different to 1850 Census, but Elizabeth and William both born in Pennsylvania show that it is the same family.}

{Page before James and Catherine Nicholson, I found Joseph Nicholson and family.  All information indicates he is an elder son of James and Sarah's.}

1860 USA Census: Philadelphia Ward 21, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Leverington:  Joseph Nicholson, head, age 38, born in Ireland, "Laborer". Margaret Nicholson, age 42, born in Ireland.  James Nicholson, age 15, born in Pennsylvania.  John A Nicholson, age 14, born Pennsylvania.  Joseph Nicholson, age 8, born in Pennsylvania.

1867 Philadelphia Directory indicates Sarah's husband was James Nicholson - Ancestry.com.

Lists Sarah Nicholson (widow of James), home at 182 Cotton.

A 2015 Google Map of Manayunk shows Cotton Street and it is in the area of other Nicholson family members. 

James and Sarah's eldest son, Joseph nearby at 4313 Tower Street, Manayunk.

1867 Philadelphia Directory - Joseph Nicholson at 4313 Tower, Manayunk.

The 1868 Philadelphia Directory showing Sarah Nicholson at 182 Cotton St.; eldest son, Joseph at 4311 Tower St.; and youngest son, William at 4426 Cresson St, Manayunk.

1868 Philadelphia Directory; Joseph, Sarah and William Nicholson in Manayunk.

{The 1870 Census did not have 'relationship to head' of family listed - I think Joseph's mother, Sarah, sister Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's son are living with Joseph Nicholson and family.}
1870 USA Census: Philadelphia Ward 21 District 69, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:  Manayunk PO:  Joseph Nicholson, head, age 48, born in Ireland, "Laborer".  Margaret, wife, age 50, born in Ireland.  John Nicholson, son, age 22, born PA, "Laborer". Joseph Nicholson, son, age 17, "Works in Cotton Mill".  Sarah Nicholson, {mother? age is off}, age 85, born in Ireland.  Elizabeth Hollowood, {nee Nicholson, sister?}, age 30, and Hugh Hollowood, {nephew?} age 7.

1870 Census - Ancestry.com.

Nicholson Church Records were at St David's Protestant Episcopal Church, Dupont and Smick Street, Manayunk, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Website:  The Episcopal Church of St. David's, Manayunk, was founded December 3, 1831 to be the spiritual home for people churched in the Anglican tradition who had recently arrived in the area.  For the most part, these were mill workers, and they had come, with their families, to find employment in the local textile industry then being built near the new canal in the Schuylkill River.

In 1832 the cornerstone was laid for the first church built on the present site.  That structure was destroyed by fire in 1879 and the church edifice now in use, designed by James Stafford, a Vestry member and local mill-owner, was consecrated in 1881.

St. David, the patron saint of Wales who died March 1, probably in 589.

The next two photos and information from http://www.maggieblanck.com/

Internet:  Manayunk manufacturing district showing Baker and Co's Ripka Mills and McDowell Paper Mills (no postmark)

The trestle in the foreground belongs to the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR).  The trestle allowed the PRR to descend from the "S" bridge, high above the Schuylkill River down to the Rencoyd Steel Mill on the west bank of the river.  The trestle crossed over Philadelphia and Reading Railroad tracks and used a switchback to achieve the change in elevation.

Internet:  The "S" Bridge of Schuylkill River at Manayunk, Pennsylvania, built in 1884.
















Second generation for the purpose of this Blog:  Children of  James and Sarah Nicholson.
i.  Joseph married.
ii. No further information on Charles after the 1850 Census.
iii. James and family went to Buffalo, New York. This is the family that is the focus of my research.
iv. Elizabeth married.
v.  William married.
Possibly there were more children by the 3-5 years difference in ages of these five, but I haven't found any, or they may not have survived infancy.