Persis, born on February 5, 1785, was the sixth child of eight born to John and Persis Sheldon of Deerfield, Massachusetts. She attended the newly formed Deerfield Academy in 1800, at age fifteen. Her silhouette shows a characteristic hair style and neck adornment for the early 19th century. Persis, her father, a sister, and two brothers died of tuberculosis between 1801 and 1807. The disease ravaged the American countryside and cities throughout the 19th century. People were terrified of any lung problem, since they did not know what caused it. They assumed that even a simple cold could become deadly. Many assumed the tuberculosis was genetic; none suspected it was spread by a germ and was highly contagious.