Historic Hood River
Mrs. Permalia Stranahan
6-3-2021
Notes
What a striking cabinet card. The reverse explains Mrs. Stranahan, wife of James Stranagan, came to Hood River in 1883 from Essex County New York. She arrived two weeks after the first train went through. Her children were Mrs. Ann Hayes, Mrs. Marybeth Crowell, Oscar, Henry, William and Horace.
We previously met Oscar and Adelia Stranahan, who came to Hood River in 1881, in this image of their home on Stranahan Ave., which is now called 12th Street.
We met Marybeth in her wedding photo with George Crowell.
L.E.
The Stranahans had actually been living in Minnesota for quite a few years before coming to Hood River. Since Hood River was in its early beginnings in 1883, I wonder where they lived?
ArthurB
I believe the Stranahan farm was south of May, West of 12th. I will have to verify.
nels
What ever happened to the beautiful Stranahan house on 12th ?
nels
Looked up the unusual name of Permalia. It was more common in the 1800’s.
But looking it up it is the name of a common lichen which you often see growing on rock surfaces. wonder how that happened. Why would parents choose such as unusual name with no other known meaning?
ArthurB
Our records are confused between Parmelia and Permalia, so I don’t know her true name.
As for the house, with such complicated rooflines it was probably leaking all the time and difficult to maintain. It appears in the 1942 Sanborn map (the last one we have) though it was divided into apartments by that time. It disappeared sometime after that– not sure if it burned or was demolished. But we know it lasted at least 60 years.
Holly
My records show that James (J.K) and Permalia came from New York. Their son William H. Stranahan Sr. had a child with Alice Victoria Davenport Stranahan Hosford. Their childs name was William Gallaway Stranahan Jr. (Bill). They lived in Northfield Minnesota. Bill married Ada Grace Harmer Stranahan in 1901. They had a daughter named Vivian Elizabeth Stranahan Alexander Rutledge. They later moved to CA and Vivian Married James Alexander in 1924. They had 2 sons, one of which is my grandfather William Charles Alexander (Bill)