Izola Martha Mills: how she got her name

Abram Mills was a sailor whose ship stopped to trade merchandise at Malaga, Spain. While there he met Izola Mendoza. After a few days in port, his ship left for other destinations in the Mediterranean.

Three years later, Abram’s ship returned to Malaga. He wanted to see Izola again and he went looking for her. When Abram found her, she had a two-year-old girl with her. Izola informed Abram that the child was his. Her name was Martha Lizola Mendoza.

Abram wanted to do the right thing and he married Izola Mendoza, making her Izola Mills. Their daughter, Martha Lizola Mendoza now had a new name: Martha Lizola Mills. Abram took his new wife and daughter to America. Izola became sick on the voyage to America and died just before arriving in Massachusetts.  Abram found some relatives to raise Martha.

When Martha was about ten, she began using her mother’s name. She wanted everyone to call her Izola. It finally got to the point that she would only respond to a person if they addressed her as Izola.

That’s how Martha Lizola Mills became Izola Martha Mills.

Izola Martha Mills is now an audiobook. 

For the whole story see the book

Izola: the story of John Wilkes Booth's wife