In memory of:

Nursing Sister Isabelle Williston

October 27, 1918

Military Service

Age: 35

Force: Army

Unit: American Expeditionary Force

Additional Information

Born: December 4, 1882

Smith Falls, Ontario

This information was provided by Sheila Sansome, great niece of Isabelle Williston [also known as Isabella].

Personal Information: Isabelle Williston (Menagh) was born on December 4, 1882 in a house at 253 Abbot Street in Smiths Falls, Ontario. The house she was born in was made of log. Isabelle Williston had eight siblings but predeceased by three. As well, Isabelle Williston had an older brother named William who disappeared in the United States and is presumed to be dead by drowning in the Great Lakes.

Isabelle Williston's father was Robert Menagh who was born in Ireland and emigrated to the Whitby Ontario area when he was three years of age. Later he moved to Smiths Falls to work at the Malleable factory. Robert Menagh married Kesiah Lavina Sarles who was born in Ontario but is of German descent. Isabelle Williston was the sister of James Alexander Menagh who was the grandfather of Sheila Sansome. Isabelle Williston was raised in the Baptist faith.

Isabelle Williston was a graduate of Smiths Falls High School. Once she graduated she continued her studies of nursing at New London, Connecticut where she eventually served as a superintendent of a hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. Later, Isabelle Williston went to Bellevue Hospital in New York City where she became a registered nurse. After spending two years in New York doing private work she went to Seattle where she worked in conjunction with the city, city schools and insurance companies. In Seattle, she began work specializing in eye, ear, nose and throat work. It is also during this time that she survived two typhoid epidemics.

Three weeks before she died Isabelle went to Berkeley campus of the University of Southern California to do post graduate work in surgery to prepare herself for a new position as head nurse at the Marine Hospital in San Francisco. While visiting a friend, Mrs. White, R.N., Isabelle Williston learned of the pandemic influenza situation at Camp Fremont and the dire situation for wounded American soldiers. She accepted the call to join the Armed Service under condition that Mrs. White arrange for Isabelle the entrance into the University to continue her work. After one week of service at Camp Fremont, Isabelle Williston was stricken by the pandemic influenza and died.

The Final Days: On Sunday October 27, 1918 at 2:30 pm Isabelle Williston died with her husband of 10 years at her side. Isabelle Williston had been delirious of mind since Thursday of the previous week. On Thursday October 31, 1918 the body arrived at San Luis Obispo from San Francisco where the sergeant of the Medical Corps draped a large American flag over the casket. Also, on October 31st the Defenders League of Palo Alto sent a large collection of flowers. For one week preparations had been made for a burial at San Luis Obispo in one of the military cemeteries there.

Lest We Forget: Mr. Williston received the black band and gold star accorded to those who lost a loved one in the service. The service itself was a private affair and the body was interned at 2:00 pm on Saturday November 2, 1918. The war would last a mere 12 more days. This is the story of Isabelle Williston.

Biography courtesy of the Lest We Forget remembrance initiative of the Smith Falls District Collegiate.

Isabelle Williston's name is listed in the First World War Book of Remembrance in the Canadian Virtual War Memorial in the second column fourth from the bottom. N/S is an abbreviation for Nursing Sister, a term used by Canadian and British military to identify nurses. Isabella Williston served with the American Expeditionary Force and would have been referred to as a nurse.

Isabelle Williston's name appears as Nursing Sister Menagh on two war memorials in Smiths Falls - on the WWI memorial cenotaph, Great War Veteran's Association located on the grounds of the Smiths Falls Public Library and on the Smiths Falls War Memorial Cenotaph in the Veterans' Memorial Park.