Isabella Black Greenshields was born on September 16, 1856, in Montreal, Quebec. Her father John Greenshields was a Montreal merchant. In 1883 she married Thomas Edwards Greenshields of Liverpool, England. He worked at his father’s firm Greenshields & Co. Shipowners and General merchants. They had three children during their marriage. She died on April 23, 1929, in Axminster, Devon, England.

In 1833 John Greenshileds and his father Samuel Greenshields (1780-1851) founded the wholesale dry goods firm S. Greenshields and Son Company. By the turn of the century this firm had become the largest and oldest Canadian dry goods wholesaler and was a pioneer in domestic woolen and cotton goods manufacturing. His son Edward Black Greenshields (1850-1917) became a member of the family firm in 1869 and was its sole owner by 1893.

John was active in Montreal's business and Scottish communities. He was President of the St. Andrew's Society (1860-61) and one of the directors of the Victoria Skating Club.

In 1847 he married Elizabeth McCouloch Craw Black (1828-1890), the daughter of Reverend Edward Black (1793-1845) of Montreal. They had one son and three daughters.

Gregory & Woolsey were Quebec City-based merchants, a partnership between Robert Woolsey and George Gregory. They specialized in dry goods and did business with James Morrison.