Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
James Nicholson 1737-1804 Samuel Nicholson 1743-1811 James William Augustus Nicholson 1821-1887	28k 13k 21k	A family renowned in American naval history, five of whose members gave especially distinguished service in the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. The first three, all sons of Joseph and Hannah Scott Nicholson, were born in Chestertown, Md.: James in 1737, Samuel in 1743, and John in 1756. James Nicholson served in the colonial Navy with the British in the assault on Havana in 1762, and was commissioned Captain in the Continental Navy 10 October 1776. He commanded Defense, Trumbull, and Virginia, and when blockaded at Baltimore, took his men to join Washington at Trenton to aid in that key victory. He died 2 September 1804 at his home in New York City. Samuel Nicholson was a Lieutenant in Bon Homme Richard under John Paul Jones; then, in command of Deane, captured three British sloops-of-war. Appointed Captain upon the reorganization of the Navy in 1794, he superintended the construction of frigate Constitution and commanded her during her first commission. He died at Charlestown, Mass., 29 December 1811. John Nicholson entered the Continental Navy as Lieutenant in October 1776 and the next month was promoted to Captain to command sloop Hornet. After the war he was active in public affairs in Maryland, where he died in the summer of 1844. In the next generation, John’s son William Carmichael Nicholson, born 1800 in Maryland, entered as a midshipman in 1812 and served in President under Stephen Decatur during the War of 1812. Commissioned Captain in 1855, he commanded steam frigate Roanoake from May 1861. Appointed Commodore on the Retired List in July 1862, he served a year on the Retiring Board. He died 25 July 1872 at the Naval Asylum, Philadelphia. In the third generation, Samuel’s grandson James William Augustus Nicholson, born 10 March 1821 in Dedham, Mass., carried on the family tradition, entering the Navy as a midshipman in February 1838. As a Lieutenant, he served in Vandalia in Commodore Matthew G. Perry’s Japanese Expedition (1853–55). During the Civil War he served in Pocahontas and Pensacola, and commanded Isaac Smith, Shamrock, Manhattan, and Mohongo. Commodore from August 1873 and Rear Admiral from October 1881, he commanded the European Station 16 September 1881 to February 1883. When the British bombarded Alexandria, Egypt, in 1882, he rescued the records of the American Consulate and took American and other refugees aboard his flagship, Lancaster. Commendation from the Navy Department and awards of gratitude from European governments followed. He retired 10 March 1883 and died at his home in New York 28 October 1887.		Bill Gonyo
	89k	1914, on builders trials. She has not had her armament fitted yet.		USN
	133k	USS Nicholson (DD-52) making 30.09 Knots on builder's trial, 1914. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 44829.		Mike Green
	96k	USS Nicholson (DD-52) on builder's trial, 1914. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 44827.		Mike Green
	145k	1916 image as commissioned.		Robert Hurst
	173k	Circa 1919, location unknown.		Robert Hurst/Darryl Baker
	45k	Circa 1924, location unknown.		Gerd Matthes

LCDR Adolphus Eugene Watson    Apr 30 1915 - Dec 27 1916 (later RADM)
LCDR Byron Andrew Long    Dec 27 1916 - Apr 4 1917
LCDR Thalbert Nelson Alford    Apr 4 1917 - Mar 21 1919
CDR Reed Marquet Fawell    Mar 21 1919 - Aug 19 1921
CDR John Franklin Green    Aug 19 1921 - May 26 1922

Back To The Main Photo Index

To The Destroyer Index Page

Comments and Suggestions about this page, E-mail DestroyerInfo
Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster