Isabella Stringo Woolls was born on January 2, 1817
and married Elias McComb Naudain on February 18, 1836.
This 1909 article about her appeared in The Express,
San Antonio, Texas,1 apparently copied
from the Louisville [Ky.] Courier-Journal.

BELLE AT VAN BUREN'S BALL.
_____

 A Woman Living Whose Father Took
Part in Washington's Inauguration.

At the ripe old age or 92 years there is living at Charlestown, Ind., a few miles east of Jeffersonville, a woman whose father took part in the inauguration of George Washington, in the city of New York, on April 30, 1789. She is Mrs. Isabelle Woods Naudain,2 and at the time of the inauguration her parents were young people, and were not married until several years later. It is not known whether they were acquainted at the time of the great event in the history of the United States. The maiden name of Mrs. Naudain was Woods,2 and her father in his young days was a musician of considerable reputation. He was a member of a brass band that took part in the inauguration, and he played a horn.

Washington died eighteen years before Mrs. Naudain was born, consequently she makes no claim of having seen the first President of the United States. His death was not so far back of her childhood, however, but that she hears a great deal about him while his public life was still fresh in the minds of the people. At her advanced age Mrs. Naudain still recalls much of the information she gained of Washington, and referred to some of the incidents on the one hundred and forty-sixth anniversary of his birth.

Mrs. Naudain is a native of Delaware and her ancestors took part in the Revolutionary War, but the greater part of her married life has been spent in Charlestown. As a girl of 20 she attended the ball given in honor of the inauguration of Martin Van Buren, March 4, 1837, and danced with the new President of the United States. She was regarded as a beautiful young woman at that period. She was married in early life to Elias Naudain, who died at Charlestown several years ago, and was one of the most highly respected residents of the town.

For many years Mrs. Naudain has been a helpless cripple from disease and old age, but her mind is active and bright. She hates idleness, and during her waking hours spends nearly all of her time at work with her needle, being an expert in fancy work. She is cheerful, and, having been a most religiously inclined woman, awaits the call of her Master without fear of its coming.—Louisville Courier-Journal.

NOTES BY ROGER BARTLETT:

1. The Daily Express, San Antonio, Texas, Thursday, March 18, 1909, p. 13, col. 7, available online here.

2. This article says her original surname was Woods, but it's believed it was Woolls, based on a Naudain family history, the name on her tombstone, and the middle name of her only son. It's also believed her given name was Isabella, not Isabelle as stated in this article.