(Ni6-3) Wilson Cary Nicholas

    Wilson Cary Nicholas was the son of Robert Carter Nicholas (Ni7) and Ann Cary.
     
    Born: about 1759
    Married: married Margaret (Peggy) Smith (Sm6-4?), sister of General Samuel Smith (Sm6-1) of Baltimore, Md., and sister of his brother George's wife, Mary nèe Smith Sm6
    Died: 10 October 1820
    Buried: at Monticello, Va
    Issue:
     (Ni6-3-1) Robert Carter Nicholas, US Senator for La.  married. Susan Adelaide Vinson of New Orleans, La. (Carter Tree says Butler).
    (Ni6-3-2) John S. Nicholas, born 1800; died, 1864 Married, first,  Miss Hollins; second Esther Goodwin Stevenson.
    (Ni6-3-3) Margaret Nicholas. unmarried.
    (Ni6-3-4) Mary Buchannan Nicholas married. John Patterson, son of William Patterson, merchant of Baltimore, whose daughter married Jerome Bonaparte.
    (Ni6-3-5) Sarah Nicholas
    (Ni6-3-6) Jane Hollins Nicholas (1798 - 1871) married Thomas Jefferson Randolph (Randolph Family, Chapter V.)
    (Ni6-3-7) Sidney  Nicholas -  married Dabney Carr.
    (Ni6-3-8) Cary  Ann Nicholas, married John Spear Smith (Sm6-1-1).
    The memoir of Col Joshua Fry mentions Wilson Cary as US Senator
    (Ni6-3) Wilson Cary Nicholas was born 31 January 1761 in Williamsburg, Va. and was educated at William & Mary College, which institution he left at the age of eighteen years to enter the Army. His ability a soldier met with deserved recognition, and he was the commander of Washington's  life-guard until it was disbanded in 1783, when he settled in Albemarle  County on his estate called “Warren". In the same year he married Margaret, daughter of John Smith of Baltimore, Maryland.
    The public service of Mr. Nicholas began in 1784 as representative for Albemarle County in the House of Delegates to Virginia. At the close of the session of 1785 he retuned to private life, from which retirement he was called to represent the county in the House of Delagtes from 1789 to 1790 and from 1794 to 1799, when he was elected to the United States Senate. In this latter body he took a distinguished position as a Republican leader, and at this highly important time  zealously supported all the measures projected by his party for the good of the country. Seeing most of his wishes in this respect accomplished, he resigned his seat in the Senate, l804, and turned his attention to his own neglected private  affairs. In 1806 he declined a special mission to France but in 1807, he was elected to Congress, and again in 1809 was re-elected to the same position.
    During this exciting and momentous period he took the patriotic stand of determined opposition, and if need be, aroused resistance to the policy of France and Great Britain  In December 1814 Mr. Nicholas was elected. Governor of Virginia and, although the State at that time was passing through the great ordeal of a foreign war, under particularly trying circumstances, he did not hesitate to accept the  position with its usual weight of care and anxiety.
    The announcement of peace being made in the following year, Nicholas showed himself devoted to the honor and welfare of his native state, combining with zeal a knowledge of her capacities and her needs.
     In the spring of 1819, retiring permanently from public life he returned to his country seat, "Warren” but his health had been seriously impaired by the fatigue and anxiety incident to many positions of responsibility, and his useful life was drawing near it close Being advised to try the benefits of a journey on horseback, he set out and reached “Tufton”, the residence of his son-in-law Thomas Jefferson Randolph. Here his strength failed, and he expired suddenly, 10 October l820. Popular and famous, his life was crowned with many honors, and he has left the memory of valuable services rendered both to his state and to his country.