Katharine Peffer Robinson (1813-1892)

Katharine Peffer was born in 1813 in Caldwell, NY (now Lake George) to William Peffer, a cordwainer (shoemaker), and Margaret "Peggy" Little. There isn't too much we know about this family at this time. In Lake George, William was appointed Town Crier, and it seems he was also a deputy sheriff for a spell. But, after 1820, there is no trace of him until the 1850 U.S. Federal Census finds him in the County Poor House in Warrensburgh, NY.

The marriage announcement of Katharine and Isaac G. Robinson stated that they were married in Sandy Hill, NY (now Hudson Falls) where Katharine was living at the time. That takes us back to Katharine's grandmother, Keziah Beach (1759-1810). Keziah married William Little (1754-1797) and lived in the town of Otsego in Otsego County, NY where William apparently owned a store along with a William Spencer. Their children as far as we know were Mary "Polly" Little Lee (1787-1881), Margaret Little Peffer (1794-????), Cynthia Little (1796-1855), and Lucinda Little (1797-????). When William died, Keziah remarried Seth Alden of Kingsbury, NY, had a son, Seth Alden (1801-1831), and returned to Washington County. The Beach family also happened to live there, and, after Keziah and Seth died, Keziah's youngest brother, Titus Beach (1774-1848), became guardian of the younger Little children (Cynthia & Lucinda) as well as Seth Alden. Titus and his wife Polly Hitchcock are both buried in Sandy Hill, NY.

So... it is possible that Katharine ended up living in Sandy Hill after her father fell upon hard times (as shoemakers apparently did in those days). The 1850 U.S. Federal Census also lists a Michael Peffer (b. 1803) in Kingsbury, NY, so it seems there may have been even more family in that location. How Katharine met Isaac is pure speculation. Perhaps the canal brought Isaac up that way from Troy, NY, or maybe there were Robinson relatives that helped with the introductions. Regardless of how they met, Katharine and Isaac were wed in Sandy Hill, and then started their lives together in West Troy, NY.

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