Individual Details

Peter (son of John) KNICKERBOCKER {K-205}

(1789 - Abt 1879)

Events

Birth	1789	Peter Knickerbocker of Potter County PA was born in CT. (See census records below.) Unfortunately an old email that was sent to knic.com said Peter was born in Dutchess County, NY. This mis-information propagated all over the Internet, but it is wrong. - Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA
Knick References	1789	See the report "John Knickerbocker and Lydia Jackson" on knic.com.
Knick Lineage	1789	1. HJ / 2. Lourens / 3. John / 4. Harmen / 5. John / 6. Peter (this person)
Knick Generation Number	1789	6
Residence	1790	Peter was the 2nd son of John Knickerbocker. In 1790, John and his young family were in Salisbury, CT. - Litchfield, Litchfield, Connecticut, United States
Extra information	1790	Many Ancestry hints are based only on popularity, not on data. Many Ancestry trees repeated the mistake from the email on knic.com, saying that Peter was born in Dutchess County. The result is that new Ancestry users get bad hints.
Extra information	1790	A popular myth says that Peter Knickerbocker b. Dutchess, son of Hugh, is the man who lived in Potter County PA. This myth was based on some old emails on knic.com that have since been proven wrong and removed.
Residence	1800	By 1800, John Knickerbocker had moved just south into Sharon CT. 5 sons (Harmon, Peter, Harry, Harley, Hiram) and 2 daughters (Laura and Lucy). - Sharon, Litchfield, Connecticut
Residence	1804	John and family moved to Eaton in 1803/1804. (Documented in Madison County history, and in land records.) - Eaton, Madison, New York
Residence	Aug 1810	In the 1810 census all 5 sons are still with John, in Eaton NY. - Eaton, Madison County, New York, USA
Extra information	Sep 1810	John Knickerbocker sells land in Eaton to Peter Knickerbocker and Harmon Knickerbocker. All three are described as being of Eaton, Madison County, NY. The deed is attached. (I do not know when Peter sold his interest in this land.) - Eaton, Madison County, New York, USA
Extra information	1816	In 1816, brother Harley was 1st schoolteacher on Ayers Hill. (See 1878 book, via Google.) Harley m. Isaac Lyman's stepdaughter. Harley - not Peter - was the 1st Knickerbocker proven to live Potter PA. (See also 1820 census for Harley.) - Ayers Hill, Potter County, PA
Extra information	1817	Peter's movements around 1817 are a mystery. Was he a lumberjack moving from camp to camp? Did he travel or live with brother Harley? More research needed.
Extra information	1817	Peter bought & sold properties starting in 1814. I have found 5 deeds so far. Confusing. Needs more work. Example: book A, p109. When he sold land in 1817, he was called "late of Potter County". Did he leave in '17, then come back later?
Extra information	1818	Daughter Lucy's obituary says (1) she was the oldest, and (2) she was born in PA. Melissa must have been 2nd daughter. Melissa's LDS baptism says she was born in Madison Co. This only makes sense if Peter was still moving around.
Residence	1819	Peter Knickerbocker was living in Madison County in 1819. (See daughter Melissa's birth record.) - Madison County, New York
Extra information	Abt 1819	Melissa Allen joined the LDS church. Baptism shows b. Madison County, NY. Death record says father was Peter Knickerbocker. She reached adulthood and had kids in Potter County, PA. - Madison County, NY
Residence	1820	Peter was b. CT, but moved to Madison County NY with his parents. In 1820, he was living near father and brothers. This is the only Peter Knickerbocker ever recorded in Madison County, and must be Melissa's father. - Eaton, Madison, New York, United States
Extra information	1823	"Early History of Coudersport" says that Peter Knickerbocker received a contract for clearing land. (The contract had been owned by Isaac Lyman, who had links to Harley.) - Potter County, PA
Extra information	1823	See "History of Potter County", Victor L. Beebe, Potter County H. Society, 1934. This author says a contract for clearing timber went to "Harley or Peter Knickerbocker." - Potter County, PA
Extra information	1824	See the attached item. Peter sold land in 1824. Based on the neighbors, it is possible that brother Harley lived in Peter's land from circa 1816 - 1822. (Harley left Potter Co after his wife died.) - Eulalia, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Extra information	1826	Potter county's Peter had a son Hiram, born in PA, whose life is well documented. (Peter H. Knickerbocker of Dutchess County / Elba also had a Hiram, b Dutchess NY. Not the same person.) - Pennsylvania, USA
Extra information	1830	Peter H. Knickerbocker (the son of Hugh) was in Elba in the 1830 Peter H. Knickerbocker lived in Elba for the rest of his life and showed up in every census.
Extra information	1830	This "Peter Knickerbocker" does not appear in the 1830 census. Maybe he was in a logging camp somewhere? (I have searched the census records in all of the obvious towns; no sign of him.)
Residence	1833	Peter Knickerbocker is called a taxpayer in Potter County in 1833. First solid evidence that Peter finally settled in Potter County. He remained in Potter County until very late in life (when he moved across the state line to Portville, NY) - Pike or Jackson township, Potter, PA
Residence	1840	Peter is in Potter County census. Oldest kids are gone. 4 sons with Peter. (1 m 5 - 9, Peter Jr; 2 m 10 - 14, Oliver and Hiram; 1 m 15 - 19., Amassa). Peter and wife are 40 - 49. H Knickerbocker, John Robbins, and D Crippen are neighbors. - Pike, Potter, Pennsylvania, United States
Knick Census Project: 1850	1850	PA, Potter, Pike. HOH = Peter Knickerbocker.
Extra information	1850	Four different times in his life, census takers asked Potter County's Peter where he was born. (1850, 60, 70, and 75.) Every time he said Connecticut. This is straight from the horse's mouth.
Residence	1850	Potter County Peter's birthplace listed as CT. Peter (61), Hannah (51), Peter Jr (17). Lucy Robbins nearby, with her daughter Lydia. Oliver next door with son Harley. - Pike, Potter, Pennsylvania
Residence	1860	Potter County Peter's birthplace is shown as CT. Peter 71, Hannah 61, no kids. Daughter Lucy next door with John Robins. - Stewardson, Potter, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence	1870	Potter County Peter's birthplace is CT. Peter (83) living with Oliver (43), next door to daughter Lucy. Oliver's son Harley is living nearby. - Stewardson, Potter, Pennsylvania, United States
Extra information	1875	There are 6 census sheets attached (1820,40,50,60,70,75). None of them show a middle initial. No middle initial in Madison County land records, or in Potter County histories. Thus, there is no basis for claiming to know Peter's middle initial.
Extra information	24 Jan 1875	Peter H. Knickerbocker - the man with the Dutchess County roots - died on Jan 24 1875. Probate records list date of death, name of wife & kids, etc. Meanwhile, Peter Knickerbocker of Potter County was still alive. (See the 1875 census)
Residence	1 Jun 1875	Birthplace CT. Age 87. Living with daughter Lucy and her first husband, John Robins, in the household of a granddaughter. This is Peter's last appearance in the census. - Portville, Cattaraugus, New York, USA
Death	Abt 1879	Lucy's obit says Peter lived to 90, which places death around 1878/79. (Lucy's obit also says Peter was born in CT.) Ancestry users claim that Peter died in Potter PA, but this is doubtful. More likely to have died in Portville NY, near his daughter. - Potter County, PA
Extra information	1879	Potter County's Peter is grave 64138066. The owner recently updated the grave, to show that Peter was indeed born in CT. However, the findagrave owner still believes Peter had a link to Dutchess County. I see no basis for this claim.
Extra information	1900	Lucy, Peter Jr, and Amacy all said father born in CT in both 1880 + 1900 census. Also 1885 state census for Peter Jr. Oliver said NY in '80 but PA in '00. Hiram said NY in '80 and '00. Kid's vote totals: CT 7, NY 3, PA 1.

Families

Spouse	Hannah BAILEY (1798 - 1869)
Child	Lucy KNICKERBOCKER {K-468} (1818 - 1916)
Child	Melissa KNICKERBOCKER {K-483} (1819 - 1910)
Child	Henry KNICKERBOCKER {K-501} (1820 - 1870)
Child	Amacy KNICKERBOCKER {K-519} (1821 - 1902)
Child	Hiram KNICKERBOCKER {K-602} (1826 - 1903)
Child	Oliver P. KNICKERBOCKER {K-627} (1827 - 1905)
Child	Peter Jr. (number 1) KNICKERBOCKER {K-782} (1833 - 1918)

Father	John KNICKERBOCKER {K-94} (1760 - 1860)
Mother	Lydia JACKSON (1758 - 1835)
Sibling	Harmen KNICKERBOCKER {K-189} (1786 - 1871)
Sibling	Laura KNICKERBOCKER {K-194} (1787 - 1876)
Sibling	Harry Henry (son of John) KNICKERBOCKER {K-220} (1791 - 1871)
Sibling	Harley KNICKERBOCKER {K-244} (1795 - 1881)
Sibling	Hiram KNICKERBOCKER {K-261} (1797 - 1878)
Sibling	Lucy KNICKERBOCKER {K-280} (1800 - 1886)

Individual Details

Peter (son of John) KNICKERBOCKER {K-205}

Events

Families

Endnotes