A Collection in
the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
Manuscript Number MS 86.10
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial
Williamsburg Foundation
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library Colonial Williamsburg Foundation P.O. Box 1776 Williamsburg, Virginia 23187 USA Phone: (757) 565-8520 Fax: (757) 565-8528 Email: speccoll@cwf.org URL: http://www.history.org
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Preferred Citation
Francis Nicholson Papers, Addition One, Manuscript # MS
86.10, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial
Williamsburg Foundation
Francis Nicholson was a member of the Council for the
Dominion of New England and in 1688 was commissioned
lieutenant governor of the Dominion. Served as lieutenant
governor of New York (1688), lieutenant governor of Virginia
(1690-1692), governor of Maryland (1694-1698), governor of
Virginia (1698-1705) governor of Nova Scotia (1713-1717), and
governor of South Carolina (1721-1725. He was a fellow of the
Royal Society.
This collection contains letters, 1696-1724, written to
Francis Nicholson as governor of Maryland and South Carolina
by the Bishop of London (Henry Compton) concerning Anglican
ministers, and citing the example of Virginia [College of
William and Mary?] in advising him about his school in
Maryland (King William's School, later St. John's University,
Annapolis); by the Archbishop of Canterbury (William Wake)
advising him not to return to England to answer imputations;
by Walter Cary concerning court politics, [Sir Robert?]
Walpole, and the death of Sir Charles Cook; by Peter H[?]
discussing French events; by [?] Jackson concerning the loss
of a ship; by Elloys Knight, recounting a journey; by
E[lizabeth] Sa[vage] on plots against King William III, and
mentioning [William] Pen[n] as an enemy of Nicholson; and by
an unidentified person detailing a conspiracy against the king
by trying to affect the election of sheriffs of London and
Middlesex. There are also papers, 1731-1765, that concern the
will of Francis Nicholson in which he left his estate to the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts
including letters of David Humphrey, M. Howard, Jacob
Henderson, and a legal opinion of P[hillip] Yorke.
Letter. Peter Haset (?) to Governor Francis
Nicholson, Annapolis, Maryland re English governmental
policies, events and gossip.
10 February 1695/6.
Letter. London, Peter (?) Jackson to Col.
Francis Nicholson. 17 January 1697.
26 January [1696/7].
Letter. H. London (Henry Compton, Bishop of
London) to Francis Nicholson re schools in Maryland.
5 January 1698.
Letter. Ellway Knight to Francis Nicholson,
Governor of South Carolina.
27 January 1720.
Letter. Walter Cary, London, to Francis
Nicholson re attempted meetings with Lord Townscend and
deaths in London.
28 February 1720.
Anonymous agent's report to Francis Nicholson
re conspiracies relating to the election of the sheriff
of London.
Ca. 1722-1723.
Letter. [Arch. Bishop of Canterbury], Lambeth
House, to Francis Nicholson.
10 February 1723/4.
Letter. D.H. [Rev. David Humphries], London,
Secretary for the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts, to Mr. Bordley, Maryland, re
land Francis Nicholson will the S.P.G. in Maryland.
24 February 1731.
Letter. Unsigned [Rev. David Humphries],
London, to Rev. Jacob Henderson, Maryland, re Francis
Nicholson lands in Maryland.
24 February 1731.
Letter. Rev. David Humphries, London, to
Jacob Henderson, Maryland, re Francis Nicholson lands in
Maryland.
26 March 1731.
Letter. William Howard, Attorney General of
Maryland, to Rev. Jacob Henderson, Maryland re Francis
Nicholson land in Maryland.
5 August 1732.
Letter. Rev. Jacob Henderson, Maryland, to
David Humphries, London, re possible lawsuit over
Francis Nicholson lands in Maryland.
16 August 1732.
Letter. Jacob Henderson, Maryland, to David
Humphries, London, re Francis Nicholson land in
Maryland.
24 October 1732.
Legal Opinion of P. Yorke re Francis
Nicholson will and the bequeathment of lands in America
to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.
26 December 1732.
Extracts of accounts including the legacy of
Gov. Francis Nicholson's will.
1765.
Memorandum re items willed the Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel.
N.D. (ca. 1735).