"This tribute of respect is inscribed to the memory of my dear Husband Nicholas ZEIGLAR, by his weeping Wife to whom he endeared himself by uncommon tenderness and affection. He sustained the last principal cene. With all of his affectionate Family around his bedside weeping. Oh, weeping; he exhibited an example of calm resignation to his Family. His departure was on the 20th of January 1841, in the 75th year of his age. And the tears of his relations and Friends watered his grave." 'Oh! merciful God' is carbed into the white Alabama marble of the large, false crypt of Nicholas Zeigler. He is buried with his second family in the Hall Family Cemetery which is located near Autaugaville, Autauga County, Alabama.

His parents and first wife are not known. She probably lived, married, and died in South Carolina. They had four surviving children out of at least nine. Their eldest surviving child was Catherine Zeigler born 10 May 1797 in South Carolina and died 3 June 1834 in Crawford County, Georgia. She married William Dent of Sumter, South Carolina, and they had four known children.

Nicholas' next child was William Zeigler, born 15 Nov 1799 in Orangeburgh District, South Carolina and died 11 June in 1855 in Crawford County, Georgia. There is no evidence that William ever married. But he probably had three children by his slave Mary as evidenced by his concern for and generosity to them in his will which also conveniently named all of William's living siblings and half-siblings.

Nicholas' son Henry was born in South Carolina about 1802. He and his wife Nancy are listed in the 1840, 1850 and 1860 censuses of Wetumpka, Autauga County, Alabama. Nancy was born in South Carolina about 1800. She was a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Zeigler, neighbors and probably relatives. They had at least one son. They are both buried in the Zeigler Cemetery at the Coosada Baptist Church which is now in Elmore County, Alabama.

Lewis was the youngest child of Nicholas' first marriage and was born about 1803 in South Carolina. His wife Sarah "Salley" Zeigler was born in 1805 in South Carolina. She was the sister of Henry's wife Nancy. Lewis and his family also lived in Wetumpka. But, by 1856, they migrated to Jackson Parish, Louisiana. They had nine known children.

Nicholas Zeigler's second wife was Mildred, known as Milley, who was born about 1805 in South Carolina. They were probably married there. They had five known children.

Their first child was Louisa W. who was born in South Carolina. Her husband was William Terrell Hall who was born in Georgia and was a son of Dixon Hall Junior and Amy Goodwyn Mitchell. Louisa married him on 16 June 1836 in nearby Montgomery County, Alabama. They had at least thirteen children. Her tombstone, next to her husband's in the Hall Family Cemetery in Autauga County, reads that she was born 20 October 1820 and died 18 July 1862. However, there is evidence that she was born earlier. On 4 February 1820, Nicholas gave her a Deed of Gift in South Carolina.

Edward Jefferson Zeigler was born about 1822 in South Carolina. He married Caroline C. Booth on 4 December 1844 in Autauga County, Alabama. They had two daughters before she died. They were all on the 1850 census in Independence Beat, Autauga County. After his wife Caroline's death on 30 July 1853, he married Susan Catherine "Kate" Withers on 13 July 1854. They also had a daughter who was born in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio in 1857. Edward may have died and been buried there. Kate married Wyatt George Mallard Golson on 25 August 1859 in Autauga County.

Daughter Mary Eliza was born about 1826 probably in South Carolina. On 27 November 1839, she married Doctor Kennon Jones in Autauga County. She died on 20 August 1840, six days after the birth of their daughter. She is buried between her daughter and Nicholas in the Hall Family Cemetery.

Daughter Caroline Dixon Zeigler was born 4 March 1829 in Alabama and married Thomas Hunt Hall on 28 July 1842 in Autauga County, Alabama. Thomas was a brother of William Terrell Hall. She and Thomas had at least three children. She died 28 April 1863 in Autaugaville. They are also buried in the Hall Family Cemetery.

Son David George Washington Zeigler was born 19 February 1838 in Alabama and died 5 September 1861. He appeared on the 1850 and 1860 censuses in Independence Beat. On 21 March 1857 in Autauga County, he married Martha Aurelia Davis who was the daughter of Major Benjamin Franklin Davis and Martha Taylor. David George and three children of their children are buried in the Hall Family Cemetery.

On February 1820 in Richland District, South Carolina, Nicholas recorded five Deeds of Gift to his five oldest children. He gave two slaves to daughter Catherine Dent plus one slave to his granddaughter Mary "Polly" Caroline Dent. He gave six slaves to Lewis, ten to Louisa, six to Henry, and two to William. All the slaves except those given to Catherine and her daughter Polly were to be held by Nicholas until his children attained the age of 21.

Someone named Nicholas Zeigler served on the first jury ever summoned in Autauga County, Alabama on 12 April 1820. Our Nicholas Zeigler and his family probably arrived in Autauga County in 1827. Nicholas probably originated in Orangeburgh District, South Carolina, moved to Richland District, South Carolina, may have lived in Edgefield District, South Carolina and probably went through Crawford County, Georgia on his way to Autauga County, Alabama.

Nicholas was on the 1800 census of Orangeburgh District, South Carolina in the area between Edisto River, Beaver Creek and Four Holes. He was enumerated with a wife and six children. He was still there in 1810 with a wife, eight children, and twelve slaves. He next appeared with a wife, four children and thirty-nine slaves on the 1830 census of Autauga County, Alabama in Captain Adair's District. Between 1827 and 1831, Nicholas purchased five land patents from the US government totaling 400.15 acres of land in Autauga County, Alabama. On 1 February 1831, he was a witness to the will of Bolling Hall in Autauga County. He appeared on the 1840 census of Autauga County, Alabama with a wife, three children and fifty-nine slaves.

In his will dated 28 August 1840, Nicholas left his estate to his youngest three children and his wife Milley. They shared about 800 acres; 44 slaves; furniture, including a piano forte, books, and maps; plantation equipment; livestock; food and crops. He noted that his five older children had received their shares of his estate earlier. His signed his will with a mark that looked like the number four or a backwards capital N at a slant.

Nicholas' widow Milley married Henry P. David about 1842 in Alabama.

Zeigler researchers:
Honey Lanham Dodge, [email protected]
Cheryl Aultman, [email protected]
Phil Comer, [email protected]
Ms. Lynn Connell, [email protected]
Mary Early Dishner
Ginga Hathaway, [email protected]
Robert Missroon, [email protected]
Cindy Tiemann, [email protected]
Hank Whitehead, [email protected]

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