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Last week we talked about Ethelyn Baker Hatch, the second wife of Fred Hatch, who held the first meeting of the Lotus Country Woman’s Club in 1911 in her home. Fred Hatch was a graduate of the University of Illinois Agriculture School and is the famous inventor of the first upright silo in America, (which kept sileage dry and unfrozen and lead to healthier feed for dairy cows). He and his father, Lewis Hatch, built the silo on their farm at 801 Main Street. Fred took charge of farmland east of his fathers with 120 acres in McHenry County and 280 acres in Lake County. (This is the area around State Park Rd. and Grass Lake Rd. including around Dunn's Lake.).
Fred’s first wife was Anna Melissa Reynolds. They were married on January 3, 1876, in Belvidere. Fred and Anna had no children. Anna had “a naturally retiring disposition”, but although not a very social person, was dearly loved by all who knew her. An unfortunate accident claimed her life at age 44, and eventually, that of her brother’s. It was on December 25, 1895, that Anna and her brother, Stephen Reynolds, went to Belvidere to spend Christmas with their parents. While crossing the street on their way from the train, they were run down by a boy on horseback riding at a full gallop. Both were badly injured. Anna lost consciousness and her brother had several bones broken and internal injuries.
Anna sustained a skull fracture but slowly began to improve. Although she began to realize something bad happened, it was hard for her to comprehend. By March she was back home in Spring Grove, but on March 26, she succumbed to her injuries. Even more shocking was the death of her brother a year later in August 1897. He was a well-known attorney in Chicago. After the accident he was never well, and his last year was spent at the Elgin asylum because "his reason gave way under the terrible sufferings he endured”.
In 1905, nine years after Anna’s death, Fred and Ethelyn were married. He was 57; she was 34 and had a son from a previous marriage, John W. Foster, who was eight years old. They had a daughter in 1907 who died in infancy. Ethelyn had two years of college education. She soon became in charge of the canning schools of Illinois under the direction of the Federated Woman’s Clubs and was a sought-after speaker and instructor. In 1917 she headed a committee that organized a Spring Grove Street Carnival to raise money during WWI for the Red Cross, raising $190 ($4,800 in today's dollars). There was dancing, singing, vaudeville acts, a cake walk, raffle, zoo, fortune teller, a palm and tea leaf reader, auction and more.
John W. became a corporal in WWI and was stationed in France. When the war ended and he was back home, Fred built a new milk bottling plant near his farm and put John in charge of it. Milk was in demand, especially from the Chain O’ Lakes summer resort visitors. By the 1940s, John was a salesman living in Mukwonago, WI. He was married in 1944 to widow Daisie B. Bowers. In 1947 he was driving his car on Rte.173 in Richmond when he got in an accident with a truck. He died three days later at age 50.
Fred graduated from University of Illinois in 1873 and continued to put his classroom theory into practice throughout his life. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the U of I and served as President for two years. He was an author and lecturer of wide reputation in his field and many of his lectures were published in the Farmers Institute Report of Illinois and other publications. He was a member of the State Dairymen’s Association, and other organizations. He died on July 7, 1926, and is buried in Cole cemetery with his two wives. Ethelyn sold their farm and moved to North East Street in Spring Grove after Fred’s death. She lived until 1951 at age 79.
Story by Laura Frumet
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