What was Charlotte's Maiden Name?

While working on the Ludington family of New York State, I found conflicting information on Charlotte, the wife of Nelson (1818-1883).  Both Charlotte and Nelson were born in New York but migrated to Wisconsin and then settled in Chicago. 

They married in 1842 and a Wisconsin marriage record was found for Nelson and Charlotte J. Van Alstine.  However, in later census records, her mother was living with them with a surname of Spencer.  So, might Charlotte have been born Spencer and previously married to a Mr VanAlstine?

The children of Peleg Peckham 1762-1828

Peleg was born in Rhode Island to Benjamin Peckham, Jr and his wife Mary Hazard, the youngest of their six children. In 1785 he married Desire Watson (daughter of John Watson and Desire Wheeler) and they raised a family of nine children.


Elizabeth 1786-1870 m Elijah Griggs   lived in Rensselaerville, NY
Rufus Wheeler 1789-1807 died at 18
Peleg Benjamin MD 1792 m Laura Griggs  lived in Utica NY
George Williams 1845-1873 m Mary P Watson   lawyer and earlier settler of Wisconsin
Walton Hazard MD 1800-1879 m Margaret Midleberger  lived on 5th Ave NYC
Miranda L 1802- 1879 m Brockholst Livingston lived in Albany and Utica
Orin Day 1805-1838 m Sarah Ann Thompson lived in Westerlo, NY 
Rufus Wheeler 1809-1873 m Isabella Lacey and then Mary Foote
    lawyer, judge, Congressman died in ocean collision of Ville du Havre
Henrietta Louisa 1812-1888 m Joseph Colt  lived in Milwaukee, CW volunteer

"Colonel" John and "Judge" John Watson

 John Watson, the leatherman     1808 – 1891

            and his father-in-law John Watson     1768-1829               

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"Colonel" John was the 5^th of 8 children born to Wheeler Watson and Sarah Taylor Peckham in Rensselaerville, NY. After serving as Colonel in a local militia while a young man, he continued to use the title throughout his life.  John spent his entire career in the leather industry and it made him enormously wealthy.

John Wheeler Watson 1865-1893

John Watson was born at West Point to Major Malbone F. Watson and his wife Mary Codwise.  His father, a West Point graduate, fought at Gettysburg (where he lost a leg), and returned to West Point to teach French after the war. 

Three sisters later joined John: Mary in 1867, Jennie in 1869 and Ella in 1880. The family can be found in the 1870 census living with Malbone’s mother in Catskill, New York and then with members of the Codwise family in Washington, DC in 1880. 

Malbone died in 1891 and his obituary listed his son John as living in Pittsburgh. Little did I realize then what a short life story would unfold. I could not find John in the 1900 Pittsburgh census and with such a common name, was not sure where else to search.