Pervela Keen (maiden name unknown) was born around 1816 in North Carolina. It is unclear whether she was born free or enslaved. She probably married Harold Keen, and she had at least four children: Jesse, born around 1833; Joshua, born around 1836; Missouri, born around 1838; and Norfleet, born around 1842. Harold may have died sometime before 1850. By 1850, the family was living in Ripley, Indiana, and all four of her children were attending school. By 1870, she was living in her son Jesse’s household in Smith, Indiana. She remained there until at least 1880. She applied for a pension in September 1885, but she never received one. She died sometime after 1885.