This hat belonged to Laura Schanck Taylor. She wore it on her wedding day, June 1, 1895, when she married Dr. John Lincoln Taylor. We don't have Laura's wedding dress, but since she and her husband were an integral part of Libertyville's history we include their story here.

Laura Imogene Schanck was born on March 28, 1870, on the old Schanck farm known as Sheldenhurst (Sheldonhurst?), west of Libertyville. Her parents were George and Mary Schanck.

 

When Laura was still a little girl, her parents moved the family to Libertyville and Laura lived there the rest of her life. Laura taught school for two years, then assisted her father, a prominent Libertyville citizen and owner of this hardware store. Laura may have worked in the hardware store, at the post office, or both.

 

John Taylor was born on June 26, 1866 in Staceyville, Iowa on his father's homestead. He attended school in Iowa and graduated from the Cedar Valley academy in 1885.

Laura Imogene Schanck and John Lincoln Taylor were married on June 1, 1895 at Laura's parents' house. It was a hot, dry Saturday afternoon and only family members attended the intimate ceremony.

 

The couple were well known and well thought of in the Libertyville community. The newspaper summed up their wedding, saying, "Thus two most popular young people are united in the bonds of matrimony, well qualified to make a dignified, happy home and enjoy the esteem of all who know them."

After the wedding, Laura and John left on the evening train to Milwaukee, traveling to Iowa and Minnesota to visit relatives.

 

They returned to their beautiful house on Broadway and Wright Court and began making their home together on July 5, 1895.

Both Laura and John were highly respected members of the Libertyville community. Dr. Taylor was known as "the country doctor" in Lake County; during his tenure he delivered more than 3000 babies.

 

Dr. Taylor's office was located above the Triggs and Taylor Grocery Store. Dr. Taylor was also the county coroner for 43 years, presiding over more than 250 inquests.

Laura Taylor was described as a "woman of very keen intellect, and a great reader of books. She loved everything in nature…" (maybe that's why she wore flowers and feathers in her wedding bonnet!) "…and her knowledge of flowers, birds, trees, rocks and shells was a marvel to those who knew her well. What was dearest to her was her home and family…" John and Laura had three daughters: Frances Marjory, Marion Gordon (Pettingill), Laura Jeannette.

 

Laura was taken ill around 1919 and confined to her bed most of the time after that.

 

A couple of years after Laura's death, John remarried. He lived until May 5, 1944, when, weakened by a heart attack several months earlier, he died at his home on Sunset Drive at the age of 77. He is buried beside Laura in Lakeside Cemetery.