History of 212 W. Maple
The home at 212 W. Maple, built in 1900, was owned by Lewis B. Hanby and his wife, Laura Percy Hanby. At one time, Lewis Hanby was a member of the Libertyville village council and a director of the Lake County Fair.
Lewis Hanby was born in New York in 1849 and came to Illinois in 1872. He began working in the area as a farm hand and lived with the family of his sister, Louisa Cater, and brother-in-law, John Cater. Later, he became a cattle buyer who was well known throughout the Midwest. In 1897, he married Laura Percy of Sodus, New York, and they made a home together on Maple Avenue, then known as Division Street, in Libertyville. By 1910, he had retired from his business due to ill health, and he passed away at home in January 1929. Lewis’s wife, Laura, was an active member of the Methodist Church of Libertyville and sang in the choir. She passed away in February 1939.
Interesting story. You can see the progression of his life from farm hand to cattle buyer to director of the Lake County Fair. It seems he may have maintained his New York connections, even though he lived in the Midwest, since he married his wife in 1897, who was also from New York, well after he was in the Midwest. A couple of New Yorkers in our midst!
I also find it interesting he waited to get married until he was 48, and built his home shortly after that when he was 51 years of age. (Back in those days, you didn't get married until you could "properly" support your wife.) Sounds like life was pretty tough that he had to wait this long.
I wonder what would make a cattle buyer "known throughout the Midwest." Was he a barrel-chested, cigar chomping wheeler dealer? Puts a picture on it, doesn't it?
Posted by: Michael | 04/01/2009 at 12:41 PM