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Isabel Hapgood was born on [[November 21]], 1851 in Boston Massachusetts. Her parents were Asa Hapgood and Lydia Anna Bronson Crossley who were of English-Scottish decent. Isabel had two brothers Asa Gustavus, a twin, and William Frank Hapgood. Isabel grew up in the family living in Worcester, Massachusetts. Isabel's education came through attendance at private schools, Oread Collegiate Institute in Worcester between 1863 and 1865, and then transferred to Miss ProcterPorter's School in Farmington, Connecticut, graduating in 1868, the year her father died. She showed a great aptitude for languages, mastering most Romance and Germanic languages as well as the Slavic languages of Russian, Polish, and Church Slavonic.

Isabel displayed a special interest in the Russian language. To achieve a natural fluency in the spoken language she engaged a Russian lady to help her develop a natural fluency in the spoken language. With this fluency, Isabel embarked on a lengthy journey through European Russia accompanied by her mother. During the two year sojourn, Isabel was able to meet important persons, including poets, writers, composers, as well as the [[Ober-Procurator |Procurator]] of the Holy [[Holy Synod]] and senior [[clergy]]. Her fame from translating earlier many Russian literary works into English had opened many doors into the intellectual world of Russia.