Note: the following chart has been compiled to a large extent from census records and a few other sources and is therefore far from complete. It is offered as a working chart and one that should not be taken  as a final product. As more people come online hopefully we can better complete parts of these family charts. People born after 1920 have been omitted for privacy reasons. Please send additions and corrections.

John was probably born in Hertford County North Carolina to William and Francis Nickens.  Sally Nickens was born either in North Carolina or Wilson County, Tennessee to James and Rhoda Nickens.

(1) 1 John Nickens (~1803 - <1860) & Sarah "Sally" Nickens (~1809 - ~1836)
  m. abt 1827, Wilson County, TN
        (2) 1 George Houston Nickens (~1829 - )
        (2) 2 Roxalana Jane Nickens (1828 - ~1867) & Jacob Archer (1820 - )
          m. 24 Feb 1842, Wilson Co., TN
             (3) 1 Ellen Archer (1843 - )
             (3) 2 Robin Newton Archer (1844 - <1880) & Sarah A. (1848 - )
                   (4) 1 Hardy Archer (1865 - )
                   (4) 2 Albert G. Archer (1867 - )
                   (4) 3 Nancy Archer (1867 - )
                   (4) 4 George A. Archer (1870 - )
             (3) 3 Sarah J. Archer (1846 - )
             (3) 4 Josiah Archer (1849 - )
             (3) 5 Elila Archer (1853 - )
             (3) 6 Mary Archer (1855 - )
             (3) 7 Josephine/Seofenia Archer (1856 - )
             (3) 8 Alice W. Archer (1858 - ) & Ged/Giddeon Collins (1852 - )
                m. 13 Aug 1875, Davidson Co., TN
             (3) 9 Charlot Archer (1860 - )
             (3) 10 James H. Archer (1862 - ) & Mary Ann Barnes (1864 - )
                m. 20 Dec 1885, Davidson Co., TN
                   (4) 1 Martha Ann Archer (1887 - 1923) & James Nickens (1890 - )
             (3) 11 Eliza J. Archer (1862 - )
             (3) 12 Mary A. Archer (1866 - )
        (2) 3 Cassillana Nickens (1831 - ~1868) & Michael E. Archer (1825 - )
          m. 1848
             (3) 1 Andrew Archer (1850 - )
             (3) 2 Mary Archer (1851 - )
             (3) 3 Ellick Archer (1854 - )
             (3) 4 Michel Alexander Archer (1854 - ) & Emeldia Frances Collins (1857 - )
                   (4) 1 George Archer (1874 - )
                   (4) 2 Willie Archer (1876 - )
                   (4) 3 Mattie Archer (1879 - )
                   (4) 4 Samuel Archer (1884 - )
                   (4) 5 John L. Archer (1887 - )
                   (4) 6 Addie E. Archer (1889 - )
             (3) 5 Ed Archer (1858 - ) & Sarah A. (1848 - )
                   (4) 1 Haylie Archer
                   (4) 2 Luther Archer
             (3) 6 Roxane Susan Archer (1861 - ) & Squire Buck Collins (1854 - )
                m. 9 Sep 1877
                   (4) 1 Bertha Collins (1878 - )
             (3) 7 Fanie Archer (1866 - )
        (2) 4 John D. Nickens (1833 - ~1888) & Frances Jane Nickens (1837 - 1918)
          m. 12 Jun 1854, Davidson Co., TN
             (3) 1 Laura Nickens (1857 - ) & William Baldwin
              m. 27 Dec 1873, Davidson Co., TN
                   (4) 1 Tony Baldwin
             (3) 2 Georgan Nickens (1858 - )
             (3) 3 Joella Nickens (1860 - <1870)
             (3) 4 Ida Nickens (1867 - ) & Will Corbitt
              m. abt 1889
                   (4) 1 Bulah Corbitt (1890 - )
                   (4) 2 Irvin Corbitt (1893 - )
                   (4) 3 Neal Corbitt (1899 - )
        (2) 5 James Nickens (1835 - 1900) & Mary Ann Ellen Collins (1847 - 1934)
          m. 7 Jul 1860, Davidson Co., TN
             (3) 1 McHenry "Mack" Nickens (1865 - 1931) & Louella Collins (1869 - 1945)
                m. 1886, Davidson Co., TN
                   (4) 1 Francis Nickens (1888 - 1943)
                   (4) 2 Icey Nickens (1891 - 1934) & Phearson Vaughn
                   (4) 3a Thomas Nickens* (1893 - 1984) & Mary Elizabeth Hicks (1906 - 1959)
                   (4) 3b Thomas Nickens* (1893 - 1984) & Ida Lane
                          (5) 1 Irvin Nickens (1916 - 1991) & Margaret Barnes
                   (4) 4 Monroe Nickens (1895 - 1915)
                   (4) 5 Willie Ira Nickens (1898 - 1982) & Maudie Barnes (1893 - 1955)
                      m. 19 Sep 1921, Cheatham Co., TN
                   (4) 6 Lee Nickens (1901 - 1944) & Martha Bell Phillips
                      m. 12 Jun 1922, Cheatham Co., TN
                   (4) 7 Bonnie Nickens (1903 - 1904)
                   (4) 8 Evelyn Nickens (1913 - 1999) & Binkley
             (3) 2 Sallie Nickens (1868 - ) & Jack Collins
                m. 1 Nov 1885, Cheatham Co., TN
             (3) 3 Emma C. Nickens (1870 - ) 
             (3) 4 Jordan J. Nickens (1871 - 1918) & Emma Stone (1875 - )
                m. 8 Aug 1893, Davidson Co., TN
                   (4) 1 Ida Nickens (1894 - )
             (3) 5 Fred J. Nickens (1875 - )
             (3) 6 Maryann Nickens (1875 - 1944) & Thomas Jefferson Barnes (1874 - )
                m. 6 Nov 1892, Davidson Co., TN
                   (4) 1 Maudie Barnes (1893 - 1955) & Willie Ira Nickens (1898 - 1982)
                      m. 19 Sep 1921, Cheatham Co., TN
                   (4) 2 Granville Barnes (1896 - 1962)
                   (4) 3 Samuel Barnes (1898 - ) & Henrietta Manly
                          (5) 1 Etta Lee Barnes
                   (4) 4 Mckinley Barnes
                   (4) 5 Florence Barnes
                   (4) 6 Clarence Barnes
                   (4) 7 Bazzie Barnes
                   (4) 8 Ada Bell Barnes
                   (4) 9 Sarah Drusella Barnes
                   (4) 10 Alma Luther Barnes
             (3) 7 Walter E. Nickens (1878 - ~1906) & Clementine Vaughn (1881 - 1947)
                m. 30 Sep 1899, Davidson Co., TN
                   (4) 1 Lincoln Nickens (1901 - )
                   (4) 2 Gertie Nickens (1904 - )
               (3) 8 Lizzie Nickens (1882- ) & Tom Phillips
             (3) 9 Bynum Nickens (1887 - 1971) & Verly Archer (1900 - )
                   (4) 1 Andrew Nickens (1914 - ) & Ruby Halfacre
                   (4) 2 Mary Bazzie Nickens (1925 - 1984) & Henry H. Luna
                   (4) 3 Bynum Nickens Jr. ( - 1942)