I'm not so sure about that. I have just located the Will of the above John Nicholas which was written in 1753 and proved in 1767. I had been hoping to find a Will for 'our' William's father written after William's marriage and naming grandchildren but unfortunately it has not been the case …. at least not yet.
This 1767 Will does have some interest though as it gives us another child for John and Ursula for whom there appears to be no baptism. The three executors named are wife Ursula and sons MARTIN (renounced) and John.
John and Ursula were marred January 1728/9 and John was baptized May 1731 with children at regular intervals henceforth so Martin must have been born about 1729 or 1730. The interesting thing is that I have been able to match Martin's signiature from the renunciation document to that made by Martin Nicholas when he married Catherine Roberts at Ludgvan in 1761.
Martin and Catherine had two children baptized at Ludgvan and then relocated to Gwinear which is also his abode when he renounced.
Now, Martin Nicholas' wife Catherine appears to have been the daughter of Humphry Roberts given he was a witness to the marriage. Katherine daughter of Humphry Roberts was baptized at Ludgvan 1st December 1734 which would make her about 52 when her last child was baptized. Even if that child was about 2 when baptized Catherine would still have been about 50 which is most unusual.
But the only Catherine Nicholas burial that fits is in 1818 at Gwinear when Catherine Nicholas of Phillack age 77 was buried. That would put her birth around 1740/1 which is more likely and could mean a second (but unrecorded) daughter Catherine to Humphry Roberts.
Problem with this is that Humphry Roberts 1765 Will names his daughter as 'Katherine Roberts' thus indicating she was unmarried. However!!! - The Will was witnessed by John Nicholas and Ursula Nicholas!!! Much confusion!
The next issue is to work out which of 1753 and 1765 is the burial for John Nicholas. The 1753 burial is 7 days after his Will was written and the 1765 burial is 2 months after that of Humphry Roberts and is recorded as John Nicholas senr.
Now to some things that I now DO know!
John Nicholas of Polgrean (1731 s/o John and Ursula) was buried at Ludgvan 21st June 1777 having written his Will a month before on 20th May 1777. Just to confuse matters a little more his first bequest goes to 'My good friend Mr William Nicholas of Rosevidney'!! He leaves most of his property in Trust for the benefit of his mother Ursula who died in 1781. Also laid out for the Trust are benefits to his sister Margaret the wife of Joseph Hill of Penryn, Innkeeper along with three nephews named John who were sons of his brothers Martin, Thomas and William Nicholas.
Martin I have mentioned above married Catherine Roberts whilst brother Thomas married Susanna Glasson at Ludgvan in 1767. Also mentioned is sister Elizabeth the wife of William Rogers of Mylor, mariner - I have not yet been able to find this marriage!
There are other provisions made in case of the deaths of some or any of the beneficiaries but that is the basics. Next step is to see if I can identify John son of William and, therefore, the marriage for William.
But first of all!!! By searching for all William Rogers marriages between 1760 when Elizabeth Nicholas would have been age 15 and 1777 I have located this particular marriage in the OPC records. And I am afraid I have to submit yet another correction!!!
William Rogers of the Parish of Budock widower and Elizabeth Nicholas of the Borough of Penryn spinster were married by Licence 10th June 1773 at St Gluvias - Witnesses:- Joseph Hill and Chas. Vinicombe PenroseHmmm - seems it is not the OPC transcriber at fault in this instance. The above is transcribed directly from the St Gluvias Parish Register whilst the entry in the OPC database is transcribed from Phillimore which shows the bride as THOMASINE NICHOLOS!!!
Two final things (I think!) on this family.
1. James Nicholas (1748 Ludgvan son of John Nicholas) has not been mentioned in the Wills of John Nicholas 1753 or of John Nicholas 1777. I have also not found a burial for him as yet but he either does not belong to the family or he seems to have died prior to August 1753.
2. This is the item of most interest to you Spike - the Will of the younger John Nicholas in 1777 seems to prove that the William Nicholas who marriage Margaret Chegwin CAN NOT be the son of John and Ursula as I suspect you had hoped. William and Margaret were not married until three years after John died and their son John did not appear until 1789 whereas the Testators nephew by his brother William was probably at least several years old by 1777.
If nothing else this at least eliminates one possibility from the equation.
CT