Permelia Griffin's Grave

Permelia Griffin (née Gillett—Grave #26) was born in 1795. She was married to Apollos Griffin and had several children, including Charles, Joab, William and Mary (the latter being twins), before moving to Manatee.

"Permelia Griffin, Wife of Apollos Griffin—Died April 18, 1857. Aged 62 years."

Permelia Griffin was a woman of great economic wealth. She was born around 1795, in Connecticut and was the wife of Apollos Griffin, a merchant and first-wave settler of Granville, Ohio. The couple moved to Ohio after they married, and were influential members in the social and religious life of the community. She moved to Manatee to support her son, Joab, and lived in his house near the Manatee River. She died in 1857 at the age of 62. Permelia is the first person to have their estate probated in the newly formed Manatee County. 

Joab, her son, was a prosperous member of Manatee society becoming a Road Commissioner and partnered with Josiah Gates to give land for Manatee County’s first Courthouse (currently at Manatee Village Historical Park). Despite his efforts, he was subject to romantic heartbreak. One prospective wife, Lavonia Branch, showed promise and Joab began to build a house he hoped to share with her. Soon a Methodist circuit preacher named Jasper Glover came into town. It is said that Lavonia and Jasper fell in love at first sight. He swept her off her feet and they were married shortly thereafter. Joab never married. 

A couple years after Permelia’s passing, her sons would would serve on opposite sides of the Civil War. One son, Charles, held the rank of major general and commanded the Union Army’s V Corps in Virginia. Joab was made an agent to distribute aid to Confederate families in Manatee. Joab died in 1887 and is buried in Tampa.

William married Mary “Janey” Gates, daughter of Manatee’s first permanent white settlers and the first settler's child to be born in Manatee, Josiah and Mary Gates (Graves #42-43). Both William and Charles died of Yellow Fever in separate incidents unrelated to the Manatee outbreaks in the late 1880s. William’s twin, Mary moved to Texas in the early 1850s after she was married.

Being a wealthy woman, her burial site is quite elaborate. Her headstone is made of carved marble, which was a popular trend for headstones of the 19th Century and would have had to have been shipped in from another state. The iron fence defined and protected the grave or family plot and also helped to deter vandals while also protecting the headstone from being broken or knocked over by wandering animals. The fence also features urns, a common motif found throughout the 19th century.

Written by Manatee Village Historical Park staff

Historical photos of Manatee County are made available digitally by Manatee County Public Library System