Name: Isabella Harris
Birth: 1810, Beafort, Carteret Co., NC
Death:  1 Dec 1891 Portland, Multnomah Co., OR

Spouse: (1) Nehemiah W. Russell d. abt 1830, IL
Marriage: 3 Dec 1825, Carteret Co., NC

Children:
1. B. W. (son )b. ~1825 NC, m. Harriet ?, d. 1884, Goldendale , WA
2. Mary Emiline b. 8 Nov 1830 IL or IN, m. (first) 4 Jun 1847, Mount Vernon, Posey Co., IN to Thomas Jefferson Givens, m. (second) 26 Feb 1858, Franklin Co., IL toDavid A. Mooneyham, m. (third) 5 Nov 1866, Marion Co., OR to William Shearer. d. 10 Apr 1879, Diley, Washington Co., OR.

Spouse: (2): John T. Mckee d. 1853 (possibly Posey Co., IN)
Marriage: 29 Aug 1833, Posey Co., IN

Spouse: (3) Joseph Hartley
Birth: 28 Feb 1800             Nelson Co. KY
Death: 13 Aug 1867            Mcleay, Marion Co. OR
Marriage:  2 Nov 1861              Franklin Co. IL

From the Church Membership List, Union Primative Baptist Church, Elk Prairie Township, Jefferson County, Illinois:
(Key: L - letter into membership from / to another church, Dis by- dismissed by)

Hartley, Isabelle Harris McKee - Recd by L Jul 1856; Dis By L Mar 1865

Obituary from Signs of the Times, Middletown, New York. Vol. 60, No. 5, Wed., Feb. 3, 1892, p. 40.

Another soul has departed from earth. Mrs. Isabella Hartley died Dec. 1st, 1891, in Portland, Oregon, aged 81 years and 8 months. Mrs. Hartley was born near Buford, N. C., in 1810. At an early age she married a Mr. Russell, and became the mother of a son, known in later years to the readers of the Signs of the Times as B. W. Russell, of Oregon. They shortly afterward, in the year 1827, removed with her father and family to Indiana. In the course of a year or so they removed to Illinois. After one year Mr. Russell died, leaving his widow with two children, the last being a daughter. About a year afterward Mrs. Russell returned to Indiana, living with her father for some time, and finally marrying Mr. J. T. McKee, with whom she lived until his death, which occurred in 1853. Previous to Mr. McKee's death her two children by the first husband were married. In the year 1854 Mrs. McKee, with her sons' and daughters' families, moved to California, where her daughter's husband died soon afterward. Not long after this event, Mrs. McKee and daughter returned to Illinois, not far from Pamora, her son, B. W. Russell, going to Oregon, where he remained until he went to Goldendale, Wash., on a visit, where he died in 1884. While living in Illinois Mrs. McKee Married Elder Joseph Hartley; and about the year 1865 she and Mr. Hartley removed from Illinois to Oregon, stopping with her sister in Portland, Mrs. Dr. Weatherford, for a short time, prior to locating themselves in the "Waldo Hills," about twelve miles east of Salem, Oregon. About two years after that the Elder died. Previous to his death Mrs. Hartley's widowed daughter, who came with them to Oregon, was married to a Mr. Shearer, who lived in Washington Co. With them Mrs. Hartley made her home until her daughter's death, which occurred in 1879. Then she went, helpless and penniless, to her sister, Mrs. Weatherford, in Portland, with whom she spent the last and declining years of her life. Mrs.Hartley, who had become helpless by a paralytic stroke, continued so for many years. It is due to Mrs. Weatherford that the latter years of Mrs. Hartley's life were strewn with roses, and all the comforts of life were accorded her in all her feebleness of mind and infirmities of body; and without this dear, good and noble sister's devotion the last days of Mrs. Hartley would not have been so soothed and pleasantly administered to.

Mrs. Hartley was a member of the Old School Baptist denomination, and had been since her twenty-fifth year. She always lived a quiet and exemplary life, consistent with her surroundings, and frequently expressed the desire to be with her Savior, as life seemed burdensome and hard to bear. The last six weeks of her life she did not seem to suffer nor wish for anything, was always happy when spoken to in regard to her feelings, and could neither speak nor swallow the last week of her life, but lay perfectly quiet, the only sign of consciousness being a nod or a shake of the head. About six hours previous to her death Sister Weatherford asked her if she was happy, and if all was well. She answered by a clasp of the hand and a nod of the head. She breathed her last without a move, except the gasp of death.

The writer of the above has for many years been acquainted with both Mrs. Hartley and Mrs. Weatherford, and was present at the death of the departed one.

S. N. A. Downing,
Portland, Oregon.

The S. N. A. Downing was the daughter of Isabella Harris's sister, Mahala Harris, who was the wife of Dr. William Weatherford.

This page was prepared by Charles Hartley.