Sally Louisa was always known as "Lou-ize"

She was born into a very old upstate New York family, the Wendell's being among the founders of Albany, New York.

She was born to Jacob Wendell and his #2 wife, Nancy (Fox) Gould. Nancy had been married before to a John Gould, widowed and had two small children. Jacob Wendell had been married prior and had 12 children.

Lou-ize moved to where some family had gone in Wisconsin in the late 1840's or early 1850's. There she met a widower, John H. Marcellus. He brought a small son into their marriage. They would have three children of their own, Corlin Jessie, Stella Florence and Charles Wendell. Both girls would died of typhoid when very small. The son would pass away when he was 12. The step-son was just a little over six when he also died. Lossing all her children would be a grievous part of her life for ever.

They were involved in the Freewill Baptist Church in Boltonville.

Her and John finally moved to Washington, Kansas, where he farmed until being forced to move into town, where he died in 1896.

It was after his death that Lou-ize would start her roaming around, visiting relatives in New York, Oregon and spending a lot of time in California. She apparently, after the loss of all her children and John, she felt very lonely and couldn't stay grounded in one place.

Unlike women of her age, she was not above going off on adventures. In 1904 she took the steamer "Oscar" to Europe where she spent some 2 to 3 months, leaving a wonderful diary of her exploits.

She would spend time in Oregon with her youngest sister, Imilda Leona (Wendell) Berrian and family.

She got involved with a church that promised her that if she signed over her assets to them, they would provide for her for life. Sadly, she did this and went to their home in Pasadena, California. They did not uphold the end of their bargin. She went from various places in her very last years. He niece found her living in deplorable conditions, starving and near death, as she had devloped cancer that went all up her throat and face.

Her life ended tradgically as so much of her prior life had been salted with saddness.