Isobel (Jackson) Wakefield (1776 - 1813)

Born 1776 in England

Wife of Daniel Wakefield — married 29 May 1805 (to 20 Aug 1813) in St James, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Died 20 Aug 1813 at about age 37 in England

Biography

Daniel Bell Wakefield, Priscilla’s youngest child, married a woman called Isabella Mackay. In 1807 Dan took a case to court in an attempt to nullify the marriage arguing that at the time she used a false name of Isabella Jackson. The case was not sustained. The judgment however provides information about Dan and Isabella and their relationship. Isabella’s mother was Ann Mackay (Ann Jackson before her marriage) and the father was unknown. As a child she lived in a Roman Catholic boarding school in Hammersmith and in 1794, when she was eight, a man was convicted of sexually assaulting her. Daniel and Isabella intermittently lived together from 1800 when she was about fifteen. They both used a number of assumed names and in 1804 they were married in a Roman Catholic ceremony. The evidence was given to the court that a Mr Baster formed a relationship with Isabella and tried to persuade her to leave Daniel and marry him. It appears that she had greatly embellished the circumstances of her background. On 29th of May 1805 Dan and Isabella were married in the Church of St James, Clerkenwell with Isabella using the name of Jackson. A name that the court concluded had not been false.

Death

Died from Poison; she was aged 37

Isabel is buried at St James, Piccadilly,Middlesex, England In issue to Marriage

Sources

• Wakefield, Homer. "Wakefield memorial, comprising an historical, genealogical and biographical register of the name and family of Wakefield"; Bloomington, IL, Private Printing; 1897