George Williams Peckham, MD, LL.D

George was born 168 years ago on March 23, 1845 in Albany to Geo W Senior and Mary Perry Watson, Rhode Islanders who moved to Albany and then further west to the territory of Wisconsin. There George Jr joined the Wisconsin Heavy Artillery during the Civil War after which he joined his sister Lila at Antioch College in Ohio. He pursued a law degree in Albany and later an MD at University of Michigan. He did not pursue either of these professions.

George was very interested in education and returned to Milwaukee to teach high school, later becoming an educational administrator, librarian and Library Director. He met and married Elizabeth "Bessie" Gifford, a Vassar science graduate who completed her masters there. They introduced Darwinian concepts into secondary eduction would jointly pursue a scientific fascination with wasps & spiders -- becoming world experts on the behavior of jumping spiders. The salticid genus Peckhamia is named in their honor, along with at least 20 species and one subspecie.

A very interesting fellow who clearly met the right mate with whom to share his intellectual endeavors. Bessie was also active in the women's suffragist movement as was George's beloved sister Lila. An interesting couple, married for 33 years until his 1914 death at age 68. Bessie outlived him by 26 years.

RI Watson Cousins: Mary and “ Capt” John

These titles of Judge, Capt, Col, etc seemingly were used to help differentiate among the many John Watsons in Newport, Rhode Island.

Just a few of the many Watsons I have found who married their cousins:

 

Mary Ann Watson married “Capt” John Wheeler Watson in 1794.

She was born in 1775 to Elisha Watson and Miriam Babcock 

John was born in 1768 to Elisha’s brother “Judge” John Wheeler Watson

They were both grandchildren of :

            John Watson 1709-1791 and Isabella Sherman 171-1753

 Mary Ann and John had 12 known children. 

One of their daughters, Mercy L. born 1810, also married a 1^st cousin,“Col” John Watson, son of “Capt” John’s brother Wheeler and his wife Sarah Taylor Peckham.

Interwoven Peckham and Watson Families of RI

In 1799 Sarah Taylor Peckham b.1777 married Wheeler Watson b.1772.

She was the daughter of George Hazard Peckham b.1739 and Sarah Taylor b.1747. Wheeler was the son of “Judge” John Watson b.1709 and Isabella Sherman b. 1717.

George Hazard Peckham was a son of Benjamin Peckham b.1714 and Mary Hazard b 1722. Their youngest son, Peleg b.1762, married Desire Watson b.1767 who was the oldest sister of Wheeler mentioned above.

So the relationship of Sarah and Desire changed over time:

Before here marriage, Sarah was Desire’s niece.             

Sarah’s father George Hazard Peckham was a brother of Peleg hence making Peleg Sarah’s uncle and his wife Desire was her aunt.

Then after Sarah’s marriage to Wheeler, the brother of Desire Watson Peckham, they were sister-in-laws.