His son, George Nicholas, statesman, born in Hanover, Virginia, about 1755 ; died in Kentucky in 1799, was graduated at William and Mary in 1772, was major of the 2d Virginia regiment in 1777, and afterward became colonel. He was an active member of the convention that ratified the Federal constitution, and was a member of the house of delegates, in whose deliberations he had great influence. In 1790 he removed to Kentucky, and was chosen a member of the convention that framed the constitution of that state, meeting at Danville, Kentucky, on 1 April, 1792. The constitution was largely the work of Mr. Nicholas. He was the first attorney-general of Kentucky.--Another son, Wilson Cary, governor of Virginia, born in Hanover, Virginia, about 1757; died in Milton, Virginia, 10 October, 1820, was graduated at William and Mary college. He was an officer in the Revolutionary army, and commanded Washington's life-guard until it was disbanded in 1783. He was a member of the convention that ratified the constitution of the United States, and was elected a United States senator, in place of Henry Tazewell, as a Democrat, serving from 3 January, 1800, till his resignation, 17 December, 1804. He was collector of the ports of Norfolk and Portsmouth in 1804-'7.

Henry S. Randall, in his life of Jefferson, says of him and his brothers  " No Virginia family contributed more to Mr. Jefferson's personal success than the powerful family of the Nicholases -- powerful in talents, powerful in probity, powerful in their numbers and union. On every page of Mr. Jefferson's political history the names of George, John, Wilson Cary. and Philip Norborne Nicholas are written."

--Another son, John Nicholas, jurist, born in Williamsburg, Virginia, 19 January, 1761" died in Geneva, New York, 31 December, 1819, was elected to congress as a Democrat, serving from 2 December, 1793, till 3 March, 1801. He removed to Geneva, New York, in 1803, and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. From 1806 till 1809 he was a state senator, and he was first judge of the court of common pleas in Ontario county from 1806 until his death. He was elected to congress, serving from 26 October, 1807, till 27 November, 1809, and from 1814 till 1817 he was governor of Virginia.

-Another son, Philip Norborne Nicholas, jurist, born in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1773; died in Richmond, Virginia, 18 August, 1849, was named for Philip Norborne Berkeley, Baron de Botetourt. He became a lawyer at an early age, and before reaching his twenty-first year was appointed attorney-general of Virginia. For many years he was president of the Farmers' bank of Virginia, and was judge of the general court of Virginia from about 1823 till his death. He was largely interested in the politics of his state, and was a member of the " Richmond Junta," which, with the "Richmond Enquirer," influenced to a great extent the Democratic party in the state of Virginia and in the country at large. He strongly opposed the doctrine of nullification in a series of able articles in the "Richmond Enquirer," signed "Agricola."

--George's son, Robert Carter Nicholas, senator, born in Hanover, Virginia, about 1793 ; died in Terrebonne parish, Louisiana, 24 December, 1857, was graduated at William and Mary in 1810. He served in the war of 1812, and was appointed captain in the 20th infantry on 12 March, 1812, major of the 12th infantry, 3 March, 1813, and lieutenant-colonel of the 44th infantry, 20 August, 1814. He was transferred to the 30th infantry on 14 November, 1814, and served on the Canadiem frontier. He was mustered out in June, 1815, and removed to Louisiana, where he engaged in sugar-planting. He was charge d'affaires to Naples, subsequently became secretary of state of Louisiana, and was elected a United States senator, as a Democrat, serving from 4 March, 1836, till 3 March, 1841. In 1851 he became superintendent of public instruction in Louisiana.--Another son of George, Samuel Smith, jurist, born in Lexington, Kentucky, 1796; died in Louisville, Kentucky, 27 November, 1869, was first a met-chant in New Orleans, and afterward practised law with success in Louisville, Kentucky In 1831 he was appointed judge of the court of appeals, and he was subsequently a member of the state legislature. He assisted in preparing the revised code of Kentucky, and was the author of a series of essays on "Constitutional Law" (Louisville, about 1857).