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NICKENS – ECHOLS Settler Families of the 1800’s You are Remembered

This granite memorial bench you see here represents over 20 Nickens and Echols family members, buried in the Ullin Cemetery. On each side of this bench and quite possibly under this bench are the graves of these family members. Most are unmarked. To the south is Joseph and Mary Nickens (stone there) and to the north is a marker for a baby, Leonidas Echols, two year old son of August and Louisa Nickens Echols who died in 1877.

In the early 1800's, the Echols Family arrived in Southern Illinois and eventually started farming on the east side of Ullin along what is known today as the Shawnee College Road.

Just prior to the US Civil War, Everett Charles Goodson (ECG) Nickens (a Methodist Protestant Circuit Preacher) and his wife Hicksey and their children arrived in the Ullin area and began farming as well. ECG's parents Lamuel and Martha Nickens (buried here) also made the move to Ullin, but left one son, Harvey Cullen Cook Nickens back home near Lewisburg, TN (later a Confederate Soldier and POW). HCC Nickens is buried near Lewisburg, TN.

Being neighbors, soon love was in the air and August Echols married Louisa Nickens. August's sister Sarah, married Houston C. Nickens forever linking these two families.

Sarah had been married to Jacob Lentz first before his untimely death. Jacob and his son Charles tragically drowned as the family ventured toward CA (records show they are buried here).

Sarah came home and later married Houston C. Nickens. They then moved to CA and more children were born to that union.

The graves here are linked in various ways to these Nickens and Echols Families. A list of everyone in the unmarked graves is provided below.

Alonzo Echols, son of August and Louisa Nickens Echols recorded these graves during his lifetime and the information here is based on his notes and other genealogical research. Ground penetrating radar has confirmed there are multiple graves in line with this bench.

Many family members are also buried in the New Hope Cemetery east of Ullin.

When Houston C. Nickens and Sarah settled in Los Angeles, CA. They too had children and their descendants, along with descendants of August and Louisa Nickens Echols have contributed to purchase this memorial bench. The list below recognizes those who contributed. __________________________________________________________________ Those who have contributed to purchase this bench are:

Terry and Gina Phalin In memory of Ray and Marlene Holderfield Phalin

Kathleen Johnson Loss In memory of my father Gordon Richard Johnson and my grandmother Margaret Echols Johnson

Tom and Suzanne Nickens

Blaine and Linda Nickens

Henry and Pam Nickens Smith

John and Sandy Nickens Ludington

Kendall and Charlotte Echols In memory of H. E. “Bucky” Echols Jr.

Paul and Sheila Echols In memory of my great-grandparents Alonzo & Julia Meisenheimer Echols

Jarrod Echols In memory of my grandfather M. J. “Baldy” Echols

Allen and Morgan Echols Dillow In memory of my grandmother Doris Nelms Echols

Courtney Douglas Ledbetter, Dakota, and Aiden Ledbetter and Yvonne Johnson Rath. In memory of Jamie Ledbetter

Chris Walton Krafft, Toni Lorts Wilke, and Bob Caudle In memory of our mother Vesta Echols.

Dan, Evelyn and Saralee Boyd Joachimstaler In memory of Phoebe and Miller Echols. Sarah and Houston Nickens. Laura and Robert Boyd. Edward and Rose Marie Boyd. My father Alfredo Hernandez and dedicated to my Mother Marlene Boyd."

Brian and Donna Nickens In memory of Bree Alicia Nickens Castro

Dorine Nickens Lawrence In memory of Fred Nickens Sr. and Fred Nickens Jr. __________________________________________________________________ LIST OF THOSE BURIED HERE AS RECORDED BY ALONZO ECHOLS (1869-1956). He is buried in the New Hope Cemetery

Lamuel Nickens (1796-1862) Son of Prescott Nickens (father to ECG Nickens). Josh Brown (1830-1862) 2nd husband to Phoebe Echols Eafensham Elsworth (1829-1863) Brother to Phoebe Echols Hicksey Minerva Griffith Nickens (1828-1864) ECG's 1st Wife

(Everett Charles Goodson "ECG" Nickens (1823-1896) is not buried here--He is in the Lingle Cemetery in Johnson County, IL (now a pasture near I-57)

Thomas Nickens (1853-1866) Son of ECG Nickens Martha Ann Nickens* (David) Lipe (1834-1866) Dau of Lamuel Martha "Martha" Holton Nickens (1797-1870) Lamuel's wife Samuel Goodson Nickens (1878-79) Son of Fredrick J. Nickens Pathara Lentz (1872-76) Dau of Jacob and Sarah Echols Lentz Leonidas Echols*** (1875-1877) Son of August & Louisa Echols Dean Crotzer (1859-1878) Husband to H. Minerva Nickens Phoebe A. Elsworth Echols Brown Nickens (1827-1880) Jim Hill (1858-1884) Husband to Fannie Brown Hill Samuel O. Hill* (1881-1882) Son of Jim and Fannie Brown Hill Charles Lentz (1852-1883) Son of Jacob and Sarah Echols Jacob Lentz (1852-1883) 1st Husband of Sarah Echols Alice Hill (1879-1884) Dau of Jim Hill and Fannie Brown Hill Infant Brown (1884-1884) Son of Levi and Izetta Brown Mary Abernathy Nickens** (1849-88) Wife-Joseph JH Nickens Izetta Dunaway Brown (1862-1893) Wife of Levi Brown Joseph JH Nickens** (1846-96) Hus to Mary A. Nickens John E. Walker* (1879-79) Son of M. A. Nickens Lipe Walker *Monument for that individual exists **Single monument for both exists ***Monument exists "Baby" and brass plate "Gus & LN Echols"