Harriet Louise (Kilmer) Peterson (1856 - 1921)

Born 1856 in Greenfield, Saratoga, New York, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 19 Apr 1921 at about age 65 in Dalton, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Harriet was born in 1856 in Greenfield, New York to John Kilmer and Phebe Hirst, (maiden name still uncertain - may be Hewitt) with whom she lived through 1875 ^{[1] [2] [3]}

She married the widow Almond Peterson sometime between 1870 and 1875; during the 1875 State census she is listed with her parents in Greenfield, but is married and her last name is now Peterson ^[4], while Almon Peterson is living in Corinth with his three children from his previous marriage ^[5]

In the 1880 census they are living together in Corinth, with his four children and their first two children together ^[6].

They seemed to have moved around a bit based on the birthplaces of their children listed in their respective marriage certificates which fills in the gaps from the 1880 to 1900 censuses: Frances (1879) - Corinth, NY, Edith (1880) - ? but 1880 census has them in Corinth still, Nellie (1882) - Potsdam, NY (Almond's hometown I believe), John (1885) - Camden, NY, Anna (1888) - Camden, NY, Frederick (1890) - Camden, NY, Florence (1893) - Greenfield, NY (Hattie's hometown), Agnes (1897) - Massachusetts (according to census records), probably Dalton based on the 1900 and 1910 Dalton census ^{[7] [8]}

According to Civil War Veteran Affairs documents, Almond is buried in a cemetery in Camden, NY - implying Hattie only moved to Massachusetts after his death, Most likely scenario is he dies while she is pregnant with Florence - explaining her move from Camden back to her family near Greenfield. This would then mean that Agnes was fathered by someone else, which is reasonable. I can't find her marriage certificate at any rate.

Hattie's date of death is inferred from her husbands civil war pension claim which ends after notice of her death is received (be sure to look at following image as well) ^[9]. Her headstone in Main Street Cemetery in Dalton confirms her death in 1921 ^[10]

Notes

I wonder if she started to lose it a little bit after her husband's death. In 1900 and 1910 and she lists her father's birthplace as Germany when previously it was (accurately) New York. In 1900 she (accurately) states her children as 9, with 8 living. In 1910 it's 8 with 7 living. In 1920 she lists her own birthplace as Massachusetts ^[11]

While there is no marriage record to officially tie her to her parents names, the fact that she shows up in their households with both her married name and maiden name, and no other Harriet L's in any census from the area in the right age range makes me confident John and Phoebe A(nn) are her parents.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCWZ-C5M : 30 Jan 2020), Hariet Lousa Kilmer in entry for Jno S Kilmer, Greenfield, Saratoga, New York, United States, p. 3.
2. ↑ "New York State Census, 1865," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNN-QFD5 : 30 Jan 2020), Harriet S Kilmer in household of John Kilmer, District 02, Greenfield, Saratoga, New York, United States; citing Census, p. 30, citing multiple county Clerks; Warren and Lewis County Board of Supervisors; multiple counties in New York; Utica and East Hampton Public Libraries, New York.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8K4-R26 : 30 Jan 2020), Harriet Kilmer in entry for John Kilmer, Greenfield, Saratoga, New York, United States, p. 34.
4. ↑ "New York State Census, 1875," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNV6-7YB : 30 Jan 2020), Harriet L Peterson in household of John Kilmer, Greenfield, Saratoga, New York, United States; citing p. 14, line 1, State Library, Albany; FHL microfilm 559,005.
5. ↑ "New York State Census, 1875," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNV6-394 : 2 January 2020), Almon Peterson, Corinth, Saratoga, New York, United States; citing p. 9, line 4, State Library, Albany; FHL microfilm 559,005.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZFK-GZR : 30 Jan 2020), Hattie Peterson in household of Aldmond Peterson, Corinth, Saratoga, New York, United States; citing enumeration district ED 67, sheet 73C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,928.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M956-27Q : 30 January 2020), Hattie Peterson, Dalton town (west part), Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 30, sheet 7A, family 143, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,632.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2NF-MY4 : 30 Jan 2020), Harriet L Peterson, Dalton, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 31, sheet 5A, family 98, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 571; FHL microfilm 1,374,584.
9. ↑ "United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2M2P-TK3 : 2 January 2020), Hattie L Peterson in entry for Almond R Peterson, 1907-1933; citing NARA microfilm publication M850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,635,802.
10. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/169505079/harriett-l-peterson) citing Main Street Cemetery, Dalton, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by William Herrick (contributor 47354460) .
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXTK-5P7 : 5 February 2020), Harriet Peterson, Pittsfield Ward 4, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States; citing ED 63, sheet 8B, line 53, family 189, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 680; FHL microfilm 1,820,680.