Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Wilson Cary Nicholas. Papers, 1800-1816. Accession 24693. Personal papers collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Purchased 14 November 1957.

Biographical Information

The son of Robert Carter Nicholas (1728-1780) and Anne Cary Nicholas (1735-1786), Wilson Cary Nicholas was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, 31 January 1761. He attended the College of William and Mary, and commanded George Washington's Life Guard until it disbanded in 1783. Nicholas married Margaret Smith (1765-1849) of the prominent Smith family of Baltimore, Maryland. He served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1784 to 1789 and in the Virginia convention to ratify the Federal Constitution. He returned to the House of Delegates from 1794 to 1800, at which time he was elected to finish the Senate term of Henry Tazewell (1753-1799), who had died. Nicholas served in the United States Senate until 1804, when he resigned to become collector of the port of Norfolk, Virginia, a position he held from 1804 to 1807. Elected to the United States House of Representatives, Nicholas served from 1807 to 1809. He later served as governor of Virginia from 11 December 1814 to 11 December 1816. Nicholas died at Tufton in Albemarle County, Virginia, 10 October 1820, and was buried at Monticello, home of his friend, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826).

Scope and Content Information

Papers, 1800-1816, of Wilson Cary Nicholas (1761-1820) of Albemarle County, Virginia, consisting of: Nicholas' motion in the Senate of the United States, 13 March 1800, concerning amendments on presidential electors and election of representatives to Congress, two copies; Nicholas' report, 15 January 1801, from committee appointed to consider a bill to erect a mausoleum to George Washington (1732-1799); Nicholas' motion, n.d., for amending the bill to provide for the execution of the 27th article of the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation with Great Britain; letter, 8 March 1805, from Wilson Cary Nicholas to President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) asking Jefferson to relieve him of his duties as Collector of the Port of Norfolk, Virginia, and complaining about the behavior of the Republicans in Norfolk and throughout the country; commission, 2 February 1815, as coroner from Governor Nicholas to Alpheus P. Wilson of Monongalia County, (West) Virginia; commission, 20 July 1815, as sheriff from Governor Nicholas to Morgan Morgan of Monongalia County, (West) Virginia; commission, 28 August 1816, as sheriff from Governor Nicholas to John Stealey of Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.