This dress belongs to Bertha Lathrop Hubbard. Bertha was born on June 20, 1871 in New York state. She came to Lake County with her parents when she was about 7 years old. Bertha's father was a farmer.

 

Bertha and her family lived on land north of Buckley Road where Independence Grove Forest Preserve is now.

 

Edward D. Hubbard was born on October 30, 1870 in Wauconda. On Tuesday evening, June 20, 1899, Bertha Augusta Lathrop and Edward D. Hubbard were married at Bertha's parents' home in Libertyville. It was Bertha's 28th birthday. Only their closest relatives were in attendance.

Bertha and Edward were well thought of in the community. They were active in the Presbyterian Church. A newspaper article describes the wedding couple:

 

"The bride is a young lady possessed of many womanly characteristics, whose reserved and modest demeanor have tended more to win for her a circle of steadfast friends than numerous acquaintances, whom to know is to admire and respect.

 

The groom is well known in western Lake County, and a young man of exceptionally good habits, whose sincere interest in temperance and church work have brought him much before the public, and who is looked upon as a leading spirit among his associates.

 

The parties to this happy union represent two lives in perfect accord and by virtue of their similarity of tastes and opinions seem particularly adapted to each other."

According to the Lake County Independent, the couple began their married life in Mrs. Moore's house next to Mr. John Lyon's in the southern part of Libertyville. We do not know exactly where this was. They later resided at 520 North Second Street in Libertyville. Edward started out providing for his wife by working as a day laborer.

 

Edward later found employment in a clothing store, and at his retirement he was the manager and clerk for the J. B. Morse Clothing Store in Libertyville, located at 512 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Throughout his career he was also a justice of the peace, Libertyville Township clerk, and even a census enumerator. He served four terms as township clerk, from 1910 to 1926. Bertha and Edward had 4 children: Glen, Lorraine, Eleanor, and Marion.

 

 

Bertha was a frail woman and she suffered from diabetes for many years. Bertha died on June 11, 1923. She was 51 years old.

 

A lovely tribute was written for her in the Libertyville Independent: "Mrs. Hubbard was a quiet, retiring home woman. In her younger days she was actively interested in church work, but as her home duties increased she was compelled to husband her limited strength and gave it all to her household. She was a particular and faultless housekeeper. No one could do the work for her as well as she could do it herself. She was always busy and always happy in the work of her home. She was a good wife and mother."

 

Edward died at the age of 91 in 1962. He is buried next to his dear Bertha in Lakeside Cemetery.

On this happiest of days Bertha wore a dress that we believe she made herself. The cut and fabric of the dress suggest that she was probably a person of modest means. Bertha's wedding gown was clearly meant to be worn often after the wedding. The dress is made of serge, a sturdy, practical fabric which wore like iron, and was very often used for men's suits and women's day dresses. The dress was originally a dark periwinkle blue color, though over time it has faded to the grey color you see today. We can still see the original blue color if we lift the collar of the dress.

 

The sleeves of this dress have devolved a good deal from the leg-o-mutton sleeve - they are still full at the top and snug as they reach the wrists, but they are no longer as extreme as the leg-o-mutton sleeve worn just a year or two before.

 

Although this outfit appears to be a skirt and jacket with a peach-colored shirtwaist underneath, the top is actually constructed in one piece. The blouse is really just a "sham" - a dicky to which the jacket is attached with tacking stitches. Soutache trim borders the scalloped collar, the center front, and waist of this unassuming 2-piece dress.