Catherine was born on the 20 March 1834 in Nesting, which is part of the Shetland group. She was the second born child and second girl of the family. Her parents moved around with her father’s jobs and eventually moved to Lerwick.
It was here she met Master Mariner Walter Peterson and the couple were married on 07 June 1855 at Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland..
All three of the couple’s children were born in Lerwick, but at some point in the 1860s, the family moved to England, in particular Bishopwearmouth, which has Sunderland as its Port. The suggestion here is that Catherine’s husband was stationed in the town and sailed from the Port.
They had 3 children:
| Child | Born | Married | Children | Died | Notes |
| Eliza Catherine | 24 Jun 1858 | 1880 | 9 | 21 Dec 1939 | Barker |
| Catherine | 11 Jun 1861 | – | – | 07 Jan 1864 | – |
| Walter | 19 May 1864 | 1911 | – | Dec 1924 | Morris |
Catherine (and Walter) both lived their lives in and around Sunderland. Catherine passed away first and is buried alongside her husband and a daughter, Catherine, in Bishopwearmouth Cemetery, near Sunderland.
Catherine passed on the 23 February 1902.
Walter can be seen in 1911, living with 3 of his granddaughters in Sunderland. He would pass away in 1919 and buried with his wife and the remains of his infant daughter, Catherine, who passed away aged 3 years old.
