Second Great Grandmother Permelia Ann Phillips was a remarkable woman. She endured hardship, told and untold, that would fracture most today. Dependent upon her children for survival her last 30 years, she remained steadfast and kept her family forefront throughout her life.
Permelia’s birth year is unclear. Engraving on her gravestone has her age as 78 when she died and year of death as 1885. That would put her birth at 1807. Her birth year recorded on the 1850 census was 1805. The 1860 and 1880 censuses recorded her birth year as 1803 as did the genealogical book, Historic Southern Families, Vol XVIII. The 1870 census recorded her birth year as 1802. Permelia’s marriage record has her birth year as 1805. However, census records consistently indicate Permelia’s brother, William Joseph, was born that year (1805). North Carolina did not keep state-wide vital statistics prior to October, 1913. Hopefully a record will surface from county or locality records as documents are digitized.
Permelia’s father, Ezekiel “Jack” Phillips, was born in Maryland. Her mother, Mary Moulder, was born in North Carolina as was Permelia. The family left North Carolina for Tennessee after Permelia’s brother William’s 1805 birth in North Carolina and before her sister Polly’s 1810 birth in Tennessee. Census data places Permelia’s parents in Gatlin County, Tennessee in 1820 and in Robertson County, Tennessee from 1830 through 1850.
In the year of 1819 Permelia married our second great grandfather in Tennessee. She could have been twelve, fourteen, or sixteen but sixteen seems more likely. Permelia married Isaiah Warren, originally from Virginia. Isaiah was a somewhat dashing man that was at least ten years her senior.
Permelia and Isaiah were living by themselves in Springfield, Tennessee at the 1820 census. In 1830 they continued living in Robertson County and had three children: Russell, born 1822; Martha Ann, born 1825; and Ezekiel Phillips, born September 27, 1828. In 1840 the family grew by three more children: Nancy Jane, born August 27, 1833; Jesse J, born 1835; and Mary Ellen, born March 18, 1838. Permelia’s and Isaiah’s last child was Isaiah Jr (our great grandfather), born three years later in 1843.
On the 24th of September, 1850 Permelia and Isaiah were farming in District 11, Robertson County, Tennessee. The farm was valued at $1,000. In 2017 the 1850 inflated worth of $1,000 equaled about $31,426. Permelia’s parents lived in the same district and valued their farm at $2,000.
Living at home with Permelia and Isaiah were children Ezekiel (age 21), Nancy (age 17), Jesse (age 16), Mary (age 12), and youngest child Isaiah Jr, (age 7). Married oldest child Russell farmed in the same district as his parents in Robertson County. Second oldest child Martha was also married and lived a bit further away from her parents in District 12.
Isaiah died in 1857 at age 57. Some researchers and families on ancestry.com have his death as 1862 and buried in the confederate section at the Nashville, Tennessee cemetery. However, Cousin Reverend Jack Warren discovered otherwise. He emailed, “I went through the entire records at the cemetery and there is no Isaiah Warren there. I then found indisputable evidence in the Robertson County archives that proves he died in 1857 deeply in debt requiring his estate to be liquidated to pay the debts and left Permelia living with Isaiah Jr.”
Jack documented doctor bills, funeral bills, and other debt. I will post those when I write about Isaiah and other great grandparents that made Tennessee home.
The below court book order, provided by Jack, lists Permelia’s allowance of pork, wheat, salt, sugar, coffee, molasses, and $3 for expenses. The order wasn’t granted until 1865, about eight years after Isaiah died. That delay may have contributed to the confusion regarding his death date. Another thought is that since the order was for a year at a time there may have been other allowances in previous years that weren’t recorded. Regardless, her allowance was unlikely to provide a living for herself and children living at home.
The order above was re-typed for publication in Historic Southern Families, Vol XVIII (see below).
In 1860, three years after Isaiah’s death, Permelia and her two younger sons, Jesse and Isaiah Jr, and her two younger daughters, Mary Ellen, and married Nancy (Warren) Jones and Nancy’s two children, were living together in Marion County, Illinois. They probably moved to Marion County, Illinois about the same time Permelia’s two eldest children, Russell and Martha and their families, also migrated to farm there. Permelia lived closer geographically to Martha and her family. Permelia’s third born child, Ezekiel, had moved to Texas.
The oldest male living with Permelia at the 1860 census in Illinois was her son Jesse, age 25 and single. He farmed to support Permelia and his younger siblings. It seems likely, since they all migrated to the same area, their intent was to help one another if needed.
After the 1860 census Permelia returned to Tennessee. Both sons Isaiah Jr and Jesse married in Robertson County, Tennessee: Isaiah Jr in 1863 and Jesse in 1864. In addition, Jesse’s daughter, Malissa, were born 1865 in Tennessee. The two marriages, Malissa’s birth, plus the court order allowance for Permelia in 1865 indicates that at Permelia, Jesse, and Isaiah Jr moved back to Tennessee for a period of time. Permelia’s daughter, Mary Ellen (Warren) Procise, remained in Illinois after the 1860 census as she married and had her first child in 1862 at Illinois.
During this same period of time discord between our countries’ northern and southern states brewed in 1860 over states’ rights and slavery. Seven southern states withdrew from the Union in January 1961. The official dates of the Civil War were between 1862 and 1865 although there was fighting in 1861.
Permelia’s oldest son, Russell, possibly registered for the Union draft at Marion County, Illinois in July, 1863 (see photo below). All able men between ages 20 and 45 were required to register. Russell was 38 years old, married, and his occupation was cooper (made wooden casks, barrels, and other products made of wood). He didn’t meet criteria for exemption and likely did not have money to pay someone else to serve for him.
Draftees were divided into two groups: class one including men between 20 and 35 and single men through age 45. The second group, called class two, was defined, “all other persons subject to do military duty.” If the entry in the form below was our Russell S Warren his age was listed incorrectly. I’ve seen enough errors on public records to believe it’s possible. His age was entered as 31 instead of 41 and would have made him class one instead of class two.
Even though the form below only used initials for the first and middle name and have a wrong age I think this entry could very well be our Russell. He farmed in Marion County at the 1860 census. Later census data indicated his occupation was cooper. In addition, the entries that he was married and born in Tennessee match his profile. He would have been required to registered and another record has not surfaced.
Not all draftees in Marion County wanted to be part of the Union. A large population of southerners from states such as Virginia and Kentucky had migrated to Illinois and were sympathetic with the Confederacy.
I haven’t been able to determine whether Russell actually served in the Union. I was unable to find an enlistment record or pension application for him but not finding records doesn’t mean they don’t exist. They just aren’t available through resources I have available to me.
Permelia’s son, Jesse, applied for and was approved for a confederate pension when he was living in Hunt County, Texas. In the application Jesse indicated he had served in the 30th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry for a little over 12 months in 1861. The National Park Service also has Jesse listed as a confederate soldier.
Permelia’s son, Ezekiel, served in the Confederate 1st Batallion, Texas Sharpshooters. I can only imagine Permelia’s distress with having two sons at war and another drafted on the opposing side of the other two. Fortunately, Permelia’s sons survived the war. However, Jack emailed, “the Civil War put the family in great stress…Jesse was taken POW but escaped.” On Jesse’s pension, 9th page, the interrogator referred to Jesse being taken prisoner and his escape.
Five years after the war and by the fall of 1870, Permelia had migrated to Texas. The census of that year counted Permelia’s family twice. In Green, Polk County, Missouri, the census was taken on July 28, 1870 and in Fannin County, Texas the census was taken on September 29, 1870 so the families arrived in Texas sometime between those two dates.
Permelia’s grandson, James Andrew (Isaiah Jr’s son), was born 1869 in Illinois and was shown as one year old on both 1870 Missouri and Texas censuses. His birth in Illinois indicates that the family initially traveled over 200 miles (calculated by today’s highways) north to Jefferson County, Illinois from Tennessee instead of south to Texas. Both of Permelia’s children, Russell and Martha, were now located in Jefferson County instead of Marion County. Perhaps Permelia wanted to visit her eldest children one last time before migrating to Texas knowing it could be the last time she would see them.
The census entries showing James Andrew as one year old on both censuses provides evidence for family folklore that Permelia and family then traveled from Illinois to Missouri between 1869 and 1870.
Permelia’s daughter, Nancy, and her two children are recorded in the 1870 Missouri census but not Texas. Nancy was recorded in the Illinois 1880 census so she apparently decided to live near her Illinois siblings instead of migrating to Texas.
Cousin Jack wrote, “[They] arrived in Texas in 1870 and moved in with Ezekiel Warren on a 200 acre farm in Fannin County, near Honey Grove. Isaiah soon found work on the Shaw Farm...”
Permelia was living with her son, Ezekiel at the 1870 Fannin County census (below). Sons Jesse and Isaiah Jr and their families were living next to one another as shown on the previous page of the census .
In 1879 Permelia’s youngest son, Isaiah Jr, lost his wife and three of their seven children to typhoid fever. The links below are posts of immediate family members effected by the tragedy. Please let me know if any of the links do not work.
Click “here” for information on Permelia’s daughter-in-law, Francis Capps Warren
Click “here” for information on Permelia’s son, Isaiah Warren Jr
Click “here” for information on Permelia’s grandson, Russell Ewing Warren
Click “here” for information on Permelia’s granddaughter, Mary Ellen Warren
Click “here” for information on Permelia’s granddaughter, Dora Elizebeth Warren
Click “here” for information on Permelia’s grandson, Charles Thomas Warren and “here”
It’s unknown if after the 1870 census Permelia continued living with her son, Ezekiel, or if she had been living with Jesse or Isaiah Jr. Due to the 1880 census, we do know that Permelia was living with Isaiah Jr a year after the typhoid fever tragedy to help care for Isaiah Jr’s remaining four children: Russell (cousin Jack Warren’s grandfather), Mary Ellen (cousin Mary Ann Hoppe’s grandmother), Dora Elizebeth (cousin Alan Bouyssou’s grandmother), and Charlie Thomas (my grandfather).
The 1880 census recorded that Permelia and Isaiah Jr and his children were living at 173 7th Street in Fannin County. It’s interesting that a street address was assigned but not a town, community, or nearby Post Office.
Permelia died in 1885. She is buried in Bralley Poole Cemetery in Windom, Fannin County, Texas, on property adjacent to her son Ezekiel’s property that continues to be owned by his descendants. Cousin Jack visited with them while researching our Warren’s. Click “here” for Permelia’s “Find A Grave Memorial.”
Rest in Peace, Permelia.
Children of Permelia Ann (Phillips) and Isaiah Warren, Sr
Russell S Warren (1822 – 1912) – first born child of Permelia and Isaiah Sr
Russell was born 1822 in Robertson County, Tennessee. He married Mary J Brian in the same county at age 24. After Russell’s father died in 1857 he, along with his mother and other siblings, moved his family to Illinois.
Russell and Mary had nine children that I know of: James F, John, Martha J, Eli, Henry Newton, William R, Mary Eva, Sarah A, and Margaret. On the census data through 1870 Russell was shown as a farmer.
Russell registered for the Union draft in 1863 during the Civil War. I was unable to determine if he actually enlisted.
At 1880 Russell’s occupation was listed as cooper and at 1900 his occupation was laborer.
Russell’s daughter Margaret (Maggie) died February 2, 1882. On March 2, 1882, Russell bought five burial plots at the Elmwood Cemetery in Centralia (see below). Russell’s wife, Mary, died the following year on January 24, 1883. Moses was buried next in 1904. He may have been a grandson or other relative because he was born after Russell’s first wife died and before he married his second wife. Russell died next in 1912. His son, Henry Newton, used the last burial plot when he died in 1923.
Russell married Rachel Grear on April 3, 1887 at age 65. He was living with Rachel and son William at the 1900 census in Centralia. Sadly, at the 1910 census, Russell was living at the Marion County Poor Farm. He died March 22, 1912 and, fortunately, had purchased his burial plot years before. Click “here” for Russell’s “Find A Grave Memorial.”
Martha Ann Warren (1825 – 1902) – second born child of Permelia and Isaiah Sr
Martha was born 1825. She married Peter Stanley at age 14 in her birth county of Robertson in Tennessee.
Martha and Peter had nine children that I know of: John William, James Edward, Nancy, Levina Janna, Roland Ellis, Thomas, Jesse, Louis Richard, and Elizabeth Hanna.
Martha was 32 when her father died in 1857. By 1860 she and her husband and family had moved to Marion County, Illinois. Her mother and siblings (other than Ezekiel) all lived within close vicinity of one another and were all farmers.
By 1870 Martha and her older brother, Russell, and their families were living in Jefferson County instead of Marion. That may have been a result of counties dividing instead of a physical move but I was unable to find documentation that the counties changed boundaries. They are adjacent to one another with Jefferson being on top of Marion. Both are located in southern Illinois.
Martha and Peter had moved to Cullen, Palaski County, Missouri by 1880 and were living with their married daughter, Nancy, and her family.
I was unable to locate a death record for Martha or for her husband, Peter.
Ezekiel Phillips Warren (1828 – 1903) – third born child of Permelia and Isaiah Sr
Ezekiel was born September 27, 1828 in Robertson County, Tennessee. Both he and Caltha “Kathy” White were 25 when they married in Robertson County. In 1856 they migrated to Fannin County, Texas. Ezekiel was in Texas when his father died in 1857.
Ezekiel served as a private during the Civil War as a confederate in the 1st Battalion Texas Sharpshooters (Burnett’s). Click “here” for more information about the battalion on the National Park Service website.
Ezekiel and Caltha had eight children that I know of: Robert Hall, Luerissee Everline, Mary V, Laura, Lucy Jane, William Owen, James Isaiah, and Mittie. Cousin Jack provided photos of Ezekiel and Caltha and their three sons (L-R), Robert, William, and James (see below).
Ezekiel and most of his descendants were farmers as was tradition and necessity. However, his son, William, became a physician and was living in Dallas when he died. Ezekiel’s son, James, became a lawyer and later was a county judge for Fannin County. James also distinguished himself by having fourteen children. I should say his wife!
Ezekiel was recognized in a Texas Historical Marker at McCraw’s Chapel near Honey Grove, Fannin County. The Honeygrove Preservation League has a wonderful website that provides history of McCraw Chapel Methodist Church and much more. Click “here” to access the website.
Nancy Jane Warren (1833 – 1904) – 4th born child of Permelia and Isaiah Sr
Nancy was born August 27, 1833 in Robertson County, Illinois. She married Stephen T Jones on July 26, 1856 when Nancy was 22.
Nancy and Stephen had two children: Madora and George. Nancy and the children traveled from Tennessee to Illinois around 1860 with her mother, Permelia, and her brothers, Jesse and Isaiah Jr, and her younger sister, Mary Ellen.
It’s possible that Nancy’s husband was fighting in the Civil War and lost his life. There are too many Stephen Jones’ to make a determination from online records. Census data didn’t provide marital status until 1880. At that time Nancy was shown as a widow.
Nancy and her children lived with her mother in Illinois at the 1860 census and also in Missouri at the 1870 census. When her mother continued on to Texas from Missouri Nancy stayed in Missouri. At some point before the 1880 census she moved to Illinois and lived close to her older sister, Martha, and older brother, Russell.
In 1900 Nancy lived with her son, George, and his family, in Centralia, Illinois. She is believed to have died on August 18, 1904 but I’ve been unable to locate a death record.
Jesse J Warren (1835 – ) – fifth born child of Permelia and Isaiah Sr
Jessie was born 1835 in Davidson County, Tennessee. Jesse married Amanda Gossett at age 29 in Robertson County, Tennessee on January 17, 1864.
They had six children that I know of: Malissa, Ezekial Thomas, Andrew Johnson, William Russell, James, and Winnie Ruth.
The Civil War was between 1862 and 1865 although there was a confederate army in 1861. Jesse served 12 months with the Confederacy in the 30th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry during that year.
Jesse and his family migrated from Tennessee to Texas in 1869 along with his mother, Permelia, and brother, Isaiah Jr and his family. I was unable to locate Jesse and Amanda in the 1880 census but they had returned to Tennessee by 1872 as their 3rd child, William Russell, was born there. They returned to Texas by 1877 as indicated on Jesse’s application for a Confederate Civil War pension.
Jesse applied for a Confederate Civil War pension through the state of Texas at age 63 on August 10, 1898. Texas granted Civil War pensions to those who served, lived in Texas for a certain number of years, were indigent and unable to work.
On the application Jesse stated that he had cancer of the face and piles. He had liquidated most of his assets. Jesse mentioned to the pension interrogator that he had been captured by the Union and had escaped. The interrogator documented this on the 9th page of his application/pension approval. Jesse’s pension was approved February 1900, a year and six months after he applied.
Below are the ten pages of Jesse’s application and approval for a Civil War pension received while living in Hunt County, Texas.
Jesse lived with his youngest two children, James and Winnie, in Rains County, Texas, at the 1900 census. I didn’t locate another record for Jesse after that date and was unable to find a death record.
Mary Ellen Warren, Jr (1843 – 1899) – fifth born child of Permelia and Isaiah Sr
Mary Ellen was born Mar 18, 1838, in Robertson County, Tennessee. She was 22 when she traveled with her mother, Permelia, and siblings to Illinois about 1860. She likely stayed in Illinois instead of returning to Tennessee with her mother as she married George Procise in 1863 and they made their home in Illinois.
Mary Ellen and George had four children that I know of: George, Martha Jane, Nancy M and Henry Thomas.
I was unable to find Mary Ellen in the 1870 census. In 1880 she was widowed and head of household living with all of her underage children.
Mary Ellen died January 13, 1897, at the age of 58. Click “here” for Mary Ellen’s “Find A Grave Memorial.”
Isaiah Warren, Jr (1843 – 1899) – last and sixth born child of Permelia and Isaiah Sr
Click “here” for information on Permelia’s son, Isaiah Warren Jr (my great grandfather).
Some of Permelia’s children were successful and some not as much, at least financially. Most were everyday folk and “salt of the earth.” They all endured hardship and rode the roller coaster of ups and downs like most of us. A bond we share is that we can all be proud that we descend from Permelia.
Records located on ancestry.com
1820 US Federal Census, Springfield, Robertson County, Tennessee
1830 US Federal Census, Robertson County, Tennessee
1840 US Federal Census, Springfield, Robertson County, Tennessee
1850 US Federal Census, District 11, Robertson County, Tennessee
1860 US Federal Census, Township 1, Range 1, Marion County, Illinois, Post Office Walnut Hill
1860 US Federal Census, Township 1, Range 1, Marion County, Illinois, Post Office Centralia
1860 US Federal Census, Beat 4, Fannin County, Texas, Post Office Ladonia
1870 US Federal Census, Green, Polk County, Missouri, Post Office Bolivar
1870 US Federal Census, Township 1 Range 2, Jefferson, Illinois
1870 US Federal Census, Precinct 4, Fannin County, Texas, Post Office Honey Grove
1880 US Federal Census, Centralia, Marion, Illinois, District 125, 107 Second South Street, 95 Poplar Street, and 212 Hickory Street
1880 US Federal Census, Cullen, Pulaski, Missouri, District 144
1880 US Federal Census, Precinct 5, District 28, Fannin County, Texas
1900 US Federal Census, Centralia, Marion, Illinois, Districts 20, 236 Walnut Street and District 19, 903 Noleman Street
1900 US Federal Census, Justice Precinct 1, District 74, Rains County, Texas
Alabama, Texas, and Virginia, Confederate Pensions, 1884 – 1958
Ancestry.com Families
Historic Southern Families, Vol XVIII: Warren of Surry County, Virginia with Related Family Richards
Illinois County Marriages, 1800 – 1940
Illinois Marriage Index, 1860 – 1920
Tennessee State Marriages, 1780 – 2002
US Civil War Soldiers, 1861 – 1865
US Find A Grave Index, 1600s-current
US and International Marriage Records, 1560 – 1900
Note: Many records above can be found on familysearch.org, a free service.
Sources
CPI Inflation Calculator (through 2017): https://www.officialdata.org/1850-dollars-in-2017?amount=1000
Elmwood Cemetery, Centralia, Illinois: https://cityofcentralia.org/vertical/sites/%7BFC680FE7-BE5C-4903-A103-67AF5EF51655%7D/uploads/CEMETERY_LIST_02282017.pdf
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/search?
https://www.google.com/search?q=robertson+county%2C+tennessee+to+jefferson+county%2C+illinois&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS767US767&oq=robertson+county%2C+tennessee+to+jefferson+county%2C+illinois&aqs=chrome..69i57.15236j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Honeygrove Preservation League: https://www.honeygrovepreservation.org/mccraw-s-chapel.html
Legacy Tree Genealogists: https://www.legacytree.com/blog/7-important-clues-from-the-1880-u-s-census
Library of Congress: Timeline of the Civil War, https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-war-glass-negatives/articles-and-essays/time-line-of-the-civil-war/1861/
Marion Illinois History Preservation: https://www.mihp.org/2013/06/civil-war-southern-sympathizers/
National Archives, Prologue Magazine, “Civil War Draft Records: Exemptions and Enrollments,” https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1994/winter/civil-war-draft-records.html.
National Park Service: The Civil War, Confederate Texas Troops,
https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CTX0001BS
National Park Service: The Civil War, Search for Soldiers, https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm#q=%2230th+Regiment,+Tennessee+Infantry%22&sort=Last_Name+asc,First_Name+asc
Reverend Jack Warren email correspondence October 24 and 26, 2014
State Library of North Carolina, https://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/ghl/genealogy/vital-records
The Warren Family by Reverend Jack Warren
Note: an eternal debt of gratitude is owed to Jack for his research and willingness to share.
Photos
I took pictures of Permelia’s gravestone in Nov 2017. Cousin Alan Bouyssou’s photo on ancestry.com is so much clearer I used his photo. Thanks so much for taking excellent pictures and for giving permission to use, Alan.
Photos of Ezekiel, his wife Caltha, and their sons were graciously provided by Cousin Jack Warren. Thanks once again, Jack!
Generations 
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