NameMartin, IsabellaDate of Birth1854Date of Death1868Place of ResidenceShellharbour VillageBiographyIsabella Martin was the daughter of Robert and Lily Martin (nee Cochrane/Coughrane), who operated the Settlers Arms hotel at Shellharbour.
She was born in 1854 and was the eldest of 12 children.
In 1869, when Isabella was just shy of 14 years, she drowned while attempting to draw water from the well outside the family home.
Her father was in Addison Street near the Thomas house at the time, and heard his wife scream that Isabella was in the well. He and a neighbour ran down to the well and found Lily, Mr Coughrane and Mr Laird looking down into it. Robert leapt in the well and tried to dive down but could not. The neighbours grappled for her body and drew it to the top.
Isabella was taken to a room in the house, stripped of clothing and hot bottles were applied to try and warm her body. They wrapped her in blankets and rubbed her for well over and hour and a half, but there were no signs of life.
The event caused much grief and sympathy in Shellharbour, and it was said that Isabella was a gifted scholar, the delight, hope and joy of her parents, and beloved by all who knew her.
Settler's Arms Hotel, Shellharbour, c.1860.