Hello and Welcome to P Day!
Name:
Permelia Clark
Vital Information:
Permelia was born on 10 January 1815 in Missouri and died on 29 April 1870, also in Missouri, at only 55 years of age.
Relation to Me:
Permelia is my maternal 3 x great grandma.
Tidbits/Characteristics/Commonalities:
Permelia married Joseph Perry Russell on 11 February 1830 and gave birth to their first child nine days before her 16th birthday. Over the next 28 years, Permelia would bring 13 more lives into the world, including one set of twins. Nancy Jane was their 12th child.
While I simply cannot imagine the challenges she faced as a woman, wife, and mother throughout her life, it seems that she was deeply loved and deeply tied to her faith.
The above photo of Permelia is the only one I have seen and, I have to admit, I find it a bit haunting.
I know that early photography was a challenge for so many reasons and one had to hold their pose for exceptionally long times, but there is something in her eyes and the downturn of her mouth that just feels so very tired. I imagine she was, in fact, so very tired…
And still, I wonder.
It is my deepest hope that she felt great love, vast joy, true satisfaction, and quiet comfort during her relatively short life.
In Your Research…
I believe the above photo is the oldest photo I have of a verified ancestor and I am in awe of it. What is the oldest photo you have of kin?
Housekeeping
My theme for the 2025 A to Z Challenge is Kin! The first names of direct lineage kin, to be more specific.
I’m spending the majority of the month focusing on the first names of many of my direct lineage kin. I’ll include their full names, any vital information I’ve found in my research, their relation to me, any fun tidbits/characteristics/experiences, and any commonalities I may have gleaned between myself and them.
In a couple of cases, where I have not identified an ancestor whose first name starts with a particular letter, I will choose a unique middle name, a direct line surname, and/or ancestral lands/places of significance.
Pop over here to read my full theme reveal: A to Z 2025 Challenge Theme Reveal: Kin
Pop over here to visit our host and see what they’re up to throughout this year’s challenge: A to Z Challenge
If you’re visiting from the A to Z Challenge please leave a comment so I can visit you, too! If your comment bio doesn’t link back to your site, please feel free to add the link to your most recent post to the comment field so I can be sure to find you.
Thanks for being here! See you again soon!
Onward,
Melissa
Permelia, what an interesting name.
Right?! It’s a rare form of Pamela I’d never heard of before her! I love it 🙂
My first reaction on seeing the photo was to wonder if it was part of that book, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. I know she’s not a child there, but she does have that look that those photos do.
Despite my love for Tim Burton, I somehow missed this movie entirely! But the internet was magic and the photos from the film showed me exactly what you’re talking about! How funny!
The photo is quite striking, and a special thing to have found. I know back in the day they weren’t allowed to smile in photos, but I too hope she wasn’t as unhappy as she looked.
It’s hard to know, isn’t it? All I can do is hope and trust <3
Permelia is a lovely name. So many women had such difficult lives, and thirteen births surely took a toll. I share your deep hope for her. I’m sorry sometimes that we can’t go back and meet our ancestors, but I like to think the love and good wishes we send to them are somehow received and cherished.
I agree with you completely and am so grateful to have the opportunity to learn about of my ancestors and send them love and good wished directly 🙂
I bet she was tired. 12 kids? I have two and they wear me out. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Same 😉 I have a 30 year old and an 11 year old and am really good at raising one at a time! I cannot imagine a whole gaggle of kiddos. Different times, for sure.
Married at 15…life was so different then. I can’t imagine.
Donna: Click for my 2025 A-Z Blog
So very different. I can’t imagine either.
I wonder how old her husband was. 13 children, beginning at 15? I’m sure she was tired. I’m assuming she also had housework, cooking to do? She looks haunted. I hope it was just a bad day. She looks as though she could be pregnant in the photo. anyway, my oldest photo is of my great grandparents – Dock Allen and Eliza Williams Allen. The photos are probably from the late 1800s.
Permelia’s husband was 15 years her senior. According to the 1830 Census, there were only ~3,000 people in Cole County, Missouri so I imagine the two of them lived quite rough as they built their family and lived off the land. I do hope she was just having a bad day, though my gut says otherwise.
I am so glad to hear you have a photo of your great grandparents, Dock and Eliza. I’m still searching for a few of my great grandparents’ photos. It’s always been interesting to me to find who was photographed and who may not have been at all.