Lewis Nicola - Final Years

Final Years

In the mid-1780s, Nicola advocated the construction of a stagecoach route between Philadelphia and Reading. Failing to secure the route, he planned to temporarily operate a guest house. For financial reasons, he instead became manager of the workhouse in Philadelphia in 1788. In 1793, Nicola became inspector of the Philadelphia city militia brigade. During the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, he briefly returned to his former position as barrack master and commander of the city of Philadelphia.

During this period, Nicola was maintained his affiliation with the American Philosophical Society, serving multiple terms as curator and continuing with his research. In 1791, he wrote a controversial pamphlet entitled, The Divinity of Jesus Christ Considered, From Scripture Evidences. This pamphlet concluded that Christ's divinity cannot be found in scripture. Due to its controversial nature, Nicola considered publishing it in various forms, but eventually decided on attaching his name to the writing.

Nicola's second wife died in 1797, and he retired the following year. In 1798, he moved to Alexandria, Virginia to be closer to his daughter. He died on August 8, 1807. Earlier in that year, because of financial troubles, he had added the words "any deficiency I presume the Cincinnati society will make good" to his will. At the time of his death, Nicola possessed only $55.