Her brother Vasili Savvich Perekusikhin (1724–1788)[1] received a good education and died as a senator, so it assumed that the family had some resources.

It is unknown who her niece's (Ekaterina) mother was, and has been speculated that her brother was widowed, as Maria was helping to raise her.

Ekaterina was married to Ardalion Aleksandrovich Torsukov (1754–1810), who rose to the rank of chief chamberlain of the court.

Perekusikhin soon acquired her affection and such great importance at court that even the greatest nobles sought her friendship and favour.

After her death, it was ordered by Paul I to "dismiss the maiden Maria Perekusikhin from the court and give her a service pension from the Cabinet of one thousand two hundred rubles a year."