All the Little Things That Have to Happen . . .

Cora I. Robbins was born in Massachusetts in 1858 and began teaching when she was only 16 years old. She moved to Rochester, NY with her parents. Her father, Amos Robbins, was one of the first engineers on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg railway. In 1884 the BR&P train on which Cora was traveling suffered a horrible crash in Caledonia, NY. Six people were killed. Cora, having been riding in the caboose, was pulled to safety by a clerk of BR&P, John Angus Niven, a native of Rochester. They fell in love and were married that same year. John went on to be the Deputy City Treasurer for the City of Rochester for 30 years and Cora went on to a life of faithful service, most notably her bountiful volunteer work during both World Wars. They both went on to become my great grand parents.