Love God, Serve People, Make Disciples
Nicholas was born in 1757 in the St. Stephens area of Saltash, he joined the Royal Marines in 1776 and served in the British Army after 1789 with the New South Wales Corps, which was formed in England to relieve the New South Wales Marine Corps, which had accompanied the First Fleet to New South Wales. In Australia, the New South Wales Corps had gained notoriety for its trade in rum and mutinous behaviour. In the early 19th century, he was appointed as a Colonial official in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Nicholas had been married twice, his first marriage was to Johanna Francisca Caroline Nedshind, and his second wife Miss. Margaret Jones. With Margaret he had three Son’s, one being The Right Honourable Sir Evan Nepean bt, FRS. (The first of the Nepean Baronets).
Nepean was appointed acting civil administrator of Cape Breton Island in 1807 to replace the unpopular John Despard, in what was his only major non-military appointment. He and Despard were a line of acting administrators as William Macarmick had left the colony since 1794 but remained in title only until 1815. After his time in Cape Breton, Nepean remained in the army until retiring as Lieutenant General in 1814 and returned to England and died at Newton Abbot in 1823.
Nepean's other claims to fame were being brother of Sir Evan Nepean and in the dismissal of an equally mediocre official Sir William Campbell as Attorney General and Executive Councillor. Campbell appealed his dismissal and later became Chief Justice of Upper Canada.
