Would you be so kind as to explain the connection of my John Nicol to the Robert Nicol who's birth cert I purchased?Molly
Hello Molly - since John's parents are not named on his death certificate of 1849, you will never know for sure whether he is the John Nicol born in Dron, Perthshire. You could research all other possible John Nicol births within a 10 year birth estimate of the 1841 census return and death certificate for your John Nicol, then try to discount them if possible.
Since several other Nicol children from the Nicol/Moncrieff union lived and worked in Perth at the same time as your John Nicol, it is more probable that they were related:
For instance, according to the 1837-38 Perth Directory your John Nicol, grocer, had a shop at 178 South St Perth, house, 176 South St Perth. Another grocer named "John" Nicol (actually James Nicol as per 1845 Perth directory ) lived in close proximity at 133 South St, Perth, his shop being at 129 Street Perth. He is still at the same address, with the same occupation in 1845. Coincidence? Perhaps. More likely this grocer James Nicol was John's older brother James, born in Dron, 1785.
Robert Nicol, who you have proved to be a son of William Nicol and Magdalen Moncreiff. is named as a general merchant living in Perth at 126 High Street in the 1841 census, and a shipmaster according to the Perth 1845 directory. Two years after your John Nicol's death, Robert was a shipowner living at York Place, Perth. According to this same census of 1851, Charles Macdonald Nicol, son of Ann Macdonald and your John Nicol, is mentioned in a Perth directory as being a seaman, at 246 High Street Perth. Coincidence? Perhaps.
David Nicol, born 1798 at Arngask to William Nicol and Magdalen Moncrieff also lived and worked in Perth. 1845 Perth directory shows him as a vintner, at 14 Meal Vennel, Perth.
1851 census – vintner at 14 Meal Vennel, Perth. Age 53 b 1798 Kinross, Fife.(ie Arngask)
Death record (Perth Burgh burials) Death Date:21 Apr 1854 Burial Date:25 Apr 1854 David Nicol age 56y,occupation: Grocer, Address: Meal Vennel. Cause of death: Apoplexy.
As yet there is no definitive proof that your John Nicol, grocer and merchant, was the sibling of merchants James, Robert and David Nicol who all lived and worked in Perth at the same time as John, but I think it is probable.
