Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

of William Myrick, and settled in that
part of Harwich which is now Brewster.
Their fourth daughter, Patience Freeman,
married, October 24, 1706, Eleazur
Crosby, of Harwich, and settled in Brew-
ster, where he died November 9, 1759, in
his eightieth year, and she died January
28, 1732.
Their third son, Isaac Crosby, was born
October 8, 1719, married, in 1742, Mercy
Foster.
Their son, Sylvanus Crosby, born June
12, 1770, married, October 15, 1796,
Eunice Paddock, born October 3, 1778.
Their son, Nathaniel Paddock Crosby,
married Jane Goodsell, and they were the
parents of Jennie Crosby, born June 17,
1839, wno became the wife of Julius
Alonzo Case, as previously noted.
Another line of the ancestry of Mrs.
Anderson is traced from Sergeant Francis
Nichols, who was born in England, and
was among the first settlers at Stratford,
Connecticut, in 1639, being an original
proprietor of the town, and distributed his
lands among his children before he died.
He was sergeant of the local militia company.
The name of his first wife, who
was the mother of his children, is unknown.
His son, Isaac Nichols, was probably
born in England, settled at Stratford, and
died there in 1695. His wife's Christian
name was Margaret.
Their second son, Isaac Nichols, born
March 12, 1654, at Stratford, owned a
house there, and died in 1690. His wife's
Christian name was Mary.
Their second son, Richard Nichols,
born November 26, 1678, at Stratford, was
a farmer there, and died September 20,
1756. He married, June 3, 1702, Comfort,
daughter of Theophilus Sherman. She
died February 1 1, 1727.
Their eldest child, Theophilus Nichols,
was born March 31, 1703, at Stratford,
and died in 1774. His death was caused
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Conn—5—5 65
by a cannon ball, which was preserved
and fastened by a chain to his tombstone.
He married, January 2, 1724, Sarah,
daughter of Lieutenant Ebenezer Curtis,
born about 1707, died September 26, 1769,
aged 62 years.
Philip Nichols, second son of Theophilus
and Sarah (Curtis) Nichols, was
born January 5, 1727, in Stratford, where
he made his home, and died May 13, 1807,
leaving an estate valued above twenty-
five thousand pounds. He was a man of
much influence in public affairs, for many
years a magistrate, a large land owner
and slave owner. He dealt extensively
in live stock which he exported, together
with produce of many kinds, to the West
Indies. He married, October 9, 1753,
Mehitable Peet, who was the mother of
his eldest child, William.
William Nichols, born March 10, 1755,
was very ill treated by his stepmother,
Mary (Prince) Nichols, who would not
allow him to sit at table with the family
and he was compelled to dine with the
servants and upon a scanty allowance at
that. Through her influence, his father
bequeathed to him only £1,000, while her
children inherited a large property. Pie
married Prudence Edwards, of Chestnut
Hill, Bridgeport, Connecticut, a descend-
ant of Henry Stewart Edwards, Duke of
York, and heir apparent to the English
throne. He was an officer in the Rebel-
lion in the year 1700, and was sentenced
to be hung. On account of his high stand-
ing in society he obtained permission to
ride to the place of execution on a fleet
horse. His clothes were lined with gold
pieces, as were his stirrups, and the but-
tons on his clothing were made of various
pieces of money. Under the laxity of the
guards, he put spurs to his horse and rode
until the animal fell dead under him. He
then took to the woods and was secreted
by an old woman and escaped after
guards had searched the house for him.