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Diary of Dr. Ruth A. Parmelee, 1913–1916
Year
1913–1916
Item Detail
Parmelee's four-year diary covering her medical intern year at Woman's Hospital, Philadelphia (1913), her Student Volunteer Convention and transit to Harpoot (1914), her practice at the Annie Tracy Riggs Memorial Hospital through the Armenian Genocide (1915), and her own typhus convalescence and survivor-relief work (1916). For a phased, dated reading of the 1915 witness year and the 1916 recovery, see the Transcription Companion in this collection: https://neareast.netx.net/portals/digital-museum/#asset/90008
Context
Dr. Ruth A. Parmelee (1885–1973) was born at Trebizond on the Black Sea to American Board missionary parents, trained as a physician at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, and joined the medical staff at the Annie Tracy Riggs Memorial Hospital at Mezreh in 1914. This diary — a small bound "A Line A Day" four-year volume, inscribed "Ruth A. Parmelee, Christmas 1912" — was her companion through the years she practiced at Harpoot through the Armenian Genocide. Each page sets one calendar date with four short blocks stacked vertically, one for 1913, 1914, 1915, and 1916.
The 1915 row is the documentary core. From April 19 through November 2, 1915, Parmelee wrote a daily line as the genocide unfolded around her at Harpoot — the May arrests, the disarmament arc and disarmament trap, the June 20 deportation of the Euphrates College professors, the total-deportation order of June 26 ("all the Armenians are to be exiled. Consternation falls on everybody interested"), the July 10 massacre of 800 prisoners just beyond Khan Kerry (her own teacher Dr. Dingilian among the dead), the Station's authorization on July 12 to shelter her assistant Sara, the fires visible on the plain, and Parmelee's plainest moral line on July 24: "this attempt to exterminate a nation is diabolic, to the extreme." The diary names individuals through the year — the Dingilian family, Sara and her father, Bado. Vartan the Armenian pastor, the Euphrates College professors, the household cook Kevork, Belle Harley, the Hagop Agha Bennayan family, the Trebizond pastor's family she rescued in August.
After November 2 the 1915 row falls silent for 56 days during the U.S. Embassy-ordered missionary evacuation. The 1916 row opens with a single landmark entry on January 1 — "Beginning typhus" — followed by four and a half months of convalescent silence; Parmelee resumes writing on May 15, 1916 and records on May 17, "Held my first clinic in Mezereh since my illness." A pencil marginalia at the foot of the June 27 page records: "Julia Farr Parmelee died in Harport — June 27, 1916." Parmelee's mother died at Harpoot exactly one year to the day after the deportation-order entry on the same physical page.
A companion transcription document reproduces the 1915 and framing-1916 entries with thirty-four highlighted moments for readers who do not wish to navigate the four-year line layout.
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Holding Institution
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
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Attribution
Ruth A. Parmelee Diary 1913-1916, Box 1, Folder 9, Hoover Institution & Archives
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Rights
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Notes
Excerpts from Line-a-Day Diary focusing on Genocide witness:
April 24 (Sat.) - "Finished my blue & white gingham waist which I cut out, a week ago. I am getting somewhat interested in sewing — have had more time for it, lately."
May 1 (Sat.) - "Lovely May Day, for the most part. Some arrests were made & houses searched among the Armenians, today. The poor people have their fears aroused, of course."
May 4 (Tues.) - "Belle Harley and I called in several houses from which the heads have been taken prisoner. Would that they would examine the papers, & free the men!"
May 9 (Sun.) - "Our dear Mrs. Barnum left us, after a sudden attack this morning. I got out to the garden, just a few minutes before she passed away. Mrs. R. is very brave."
May 22 (Sat.) - "Lanced a breast abscess before dinner. In the afternoon, Belle & I made calls in 'Vari Tagh.' Our Professors are still in prison, & new recruits (18 & 19 yr. olds) are being gathered, so that many families are in trouble, these days."
May 23 (Sun.) - "Arms are to be collected from all the Armenians. Bado. Vartan gave a very effective talk at church, on the subject. The people are very fearful."
May 27 (Thurs.) - "When the arms were delivered to the authorities — many A.'s gave them up, in answer to the appeal — the names of the owners were demanded, contrary to promise."
June 10 (Thurs.) - "Moved to garden. City in fear of searchings, outrages, &c. Rumor that city will be guarded & communication cut off. Many flee to Mezereh. Runaway Armenians sought at our garden."
June 11 (Fri.) - "Was able to get into city for my clinic. Belle conducted a woman to M. to tell of the tortures in prison of her husband — Prof. T. M.H.R., summarily summoned to KP to be told that we are to have guards."
June 16 (Wed.) - "Mr. Pierce went with me to M., where we learned that the Armenian soldiers are being sent off — where, & for what? Various rumors."
June 20 (Sun.) - "No Armenian service in the city. Mr. Pierce took charge of an English service in Miss J's room. Armenian prisoners (Profs., &c), taken to Mezereh."
June 24 (Thurs.) - "Dr. A. led meeting at Mezereh. I called on my teacher Mr. Dingilian, before I went down to M. He was arrested very shortly afterwards."
June 26 (Sat.) - "Word from Mezereh, that beginning next week, all the Armenians are to be exiled. Consternation falls on everybody interested."
July 6 (Tues.) - "Attempt to arrest all men & big boys — about 200 sent off to Mezereh. Our friend Kevork (the H.H.R. cook) was among the number. I called on an Erzingan exile."
July 7 (Wed.) - "About 800 prisoners were sent off from Mezereh in the night, including Mr. Dingilian. I am head nurse with Mrs. Pierce, but have a good deal of help."
July 8 (Thurs.) - "Another series of arrests, including a lot of old men, such as Hagop Agha Bennayan, & Sara's father, after station meeting led by Mrs. H. H. R., Belle & I went to call on these two families."
July 10 (Sat.) - "Went to Mezereh with Mr. Pierce. Visited the prison with Sara to give her father some medicines. Word has come of the massacre of the 800 just beyond Khan Kerry."
July 12 (Mon.) - "The Station authorize me to invite Sara to come as our assistant. We cannot guarantee safety, but there is hope of escape, if she is with us."
July 16 (Fri.) - "Doors were marked in our 'tagh,' as to who are to go, & who are to be delayed. Many are offering bribes, or hiding, & some are ready to become Mohammedan."
July 18 (Sun.) - "A sad day for our friends and ourselves. The Armenians of our quarter were started on their trip into exile. I was delayed, & did not see them start later."
July 20 (Tues.) - "This evening we saw extensive fires on the plain some distance away — probably villages. Very hot day, not very much accomplished all day long."
July 24 (Sat.) - "Mr. Pierce & I made a trip to Mezereh and learned some fearful things. This attempt to exterminate a nation is diabolic, to the extreme."
July 28 (Wed.) - "Miss Campbell came up to see us. I made a short trip into the city. A small group of exiles were sent off. We hear now that both men & women are being killed."
July 29 (Thurs.) - "Had quite a lazy day out here. Station meeting was led by myself. Letter bro't by individual from Mrs. Stapleton tells of exiling. Yesterday's group were killed not far away!"
August 5 (Thurs.) - "Station meeting at M. led by Miss C. Bad news of more exiles sent (including Mrs. Dingilian), the burning of part of prison. Miss C. made formal announcement."
August 18 (Wed.) - "Brought a budget of news from Mezereh. The German Sister Helena died last night of dysentery. Turk. bro't news of Mr. Knapp's death in Diarbekir. Pardon has come for the Protestants."
September 7 (Tues.) - "Several of our Armenian friends have returned to Mezereh from Malatia & vicinity, among them, Anna V. Dingilian and her two little boys."
October 13 (Wed.) - "Drs. Thom & Andrus and Miss Fenenga have been exiled from Mardin & are supposed to be en route for Sivas. Most of us went down to see them."
October 21 (Thurs.) - "Several of us made some Bairam calls. A telegram from Con'ple advises all the missionaries here to go away! We are hoping for light on the subject."
October 29 (Fri.) - "Miss Campbell is being invited to join the party for America, also to go without resigning, as she wished to do. We seem to be among the ones to stay."