Notes for Persia BISHOP

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Notes for Persia BISHOP

The 1963 Thurtell Family History and the History of the Thurtell Family compiled by Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968, both in the possession of Susan Persia Thurtell Miller, showed that Persia Bishop Thurtell died in childbirth at the time her daughter, Persia Bell Bishop Thurtell was born.

Information was received in 1997 from Miss Lee Mortensen, Librarian, from the Nevada Historical Society, 1650 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89503, 702-688-1191, about Persia Bishop and her family. Her father, Dr. Simeon Bishop, was one of the Nevada pioneers and very well known in the Washoe - Carson - Virginia City - Reno area of Nevada.

An article in the "Oakland California Trib" on February 27, 1944, mentions among the memories of her sister, Ella Bishop Drury, that Persia Bishop was "named for Persia Bowers, daughter of the famous 'Sandy.'" There was an article in "The Californians" of September/October 1989, pages 44-49 by Richard H. Peterson "Comstock Couple: The Triumph and Tragedy of Sandy and Eilley Bowers." They were the first Comstock millionaires, but their fortune did not last more than 10 years. They took a tour of Europe in 1862-1863. On the way home, "a young woman named Margaret Nixon aboard the same ship died shortly after giving birth, whereupon the childless Eilley adopted the baby and named her Margaret Persia, after her natural mother and the Royal Mail steamship Persia on which they were traveling." Sandy Bowers died in 1868 at age 35, and Persia Bowers died at age 12 in 1874.

The "Gold Hill News" of December 30, 1865, shows the announcement "Births - Bishop - At Huffaker's, Washoe county, Nevada, Dec. 28th, to the wife of Dr. S. Bishop, a daughter."

The "Nevada State Journal" on June 16, 1893, shows "Married - Thurtell - Bishop - At San Francisco, June 11, 1893, at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Wells Drury, by Rev. W. W. Davis, rector of St. Luke's parish, Professor Henry Thurtell of Reno and Miss Persia Bishop, daughter of Dr. S. Bishop, of Ione, Cal." A copy of this notice was received in 1997 from Miss Lee Mortensen, Librarian, from the Nevada Historical Society, 1650 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89503, 702-688-1191. A reference to this notice was found in October 2000 in the Ancestry.com database on the internet. The index found on the internet showed the given name as Henry Thurtell, the spouse's surname as Bishop, the spouse's given name as Pesia (instead of the correct Persia), the event as married, the date as June 11, 1893, and notes as "in San Francisco. Groom is of Reno, bride is of Ione, California."

The funeral of Persia Bishop Thurtell was held at Trinity Episcopal Church, Reno, Nevada, and burial was in the Masonic cemetery according to articles in the "Nevada State Journal" and the "Territorial Enterprise" on August 2, 1894. An article about her death in the same paper on July 29, 1894, states that "Mrs. Thurtell was born in Washoe City about twenty-eight years ago, and while yet in her girlhood death deprived her of a loving mother. Dr. Bishop and his family moved to Reno in its earliest days, and here Mrs. Thurtell grew to womanhood. She was a dutiful and affectionate daughter and sister, and was a woman of an exceptional disposition, mild and loving. Her home was her ideal of happiness, and her happiest moments when she could minister to the wants of others or grant a favor to those about her." The death announcement in the same day's newspaper shows "Died - Thurtell - In Reno, July 28, 1894, Persia Bishop, beloved wife of Prof. Henry Thurtell."

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