Nizhny Novgorod historian and local lore expert I.A. Milotvorsky, describing Ivan the Terrible's route through the Nizhny Novgorod province during his campaign against Kazan in 1552, noted that the tsar made his "ninth station" on the banks of the P'yana River, four versts from the ancient village of Chernovsky. The researcher also indicated that two versts from Chernovsky lies the village of Nilovka, named after one of the Ermolovs, instead of its former name "Nikolskoe." Milotvorsky claimed that there is a small wooden chapel in Nilovka, which houses icons from the former men's Nikolsky Monastery that was likely abolished in 1764. This chapel was built on the site of the monastery's church.

According to written sources, all movable property from the monastery buildings and churches was transferred to Arzamas, where a new women's monastery with the same name, Nikolsky, had been established by that time. Only the icons remained in Nilovka, which were placed in the chapel. In addition to published materials from the Nizhny Novgorod Provincial Archive Commission, reliable information about the Nikolsky Monastery was also provided by the "Nizhny Novgorod Diocesan Gazette." A newspaper from May 15, 1892, reported: in the parish village of Nilovka, previously called Nikolskoe, there is a small wooden building where icons are kept. Previously, near the village of Nilovka, there was a Nikolsky men's monastery, and on the site where this building now stands, there was a monastery church. It is unknown when and for what reason the monastery was closed; all movable property from the monastery and church was transported to Arzamas, where a new women's monastery of the same name was founded; only a few icons remained in Nilovka, which are housed in this building.