Ella Park Lawrence

Ella Park Lawrence (May 13, 1857 – March 17, 1924) was an avid advocate for, and is still known today as the “mother” of the Illinois State Flag. She was the Regent of the Rebecca Park chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), State Regent of the DAR organizations in Illinois, as well as a known leader and philanthropist of her community, Galesburg, Illinois.

Ella Louise Park was born May 13, 1857, to father George S. Park and Mary Louise Holmes Park. Many of her family members have been notable throughout history. Ancestors of Lawrence came to America in 1639 and eight of her ancestors had fought in the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War, her father ran an abolitionist newspaper, and was also the founder of Park College, and the town Parkville in Platte County, Missouri, where Lawrence was born. Lawrence was born during the tensions proceeding the Civil War and grew up during, and throughout reconstruction and the aftermath. It is said that her family’s involvement and pride in their county led to Lawrence’s love and respect for the U.S. flag, which impacted her later actions in life.

Lawrence attended Knox College in 1874 as a part of the class of 1878, but did not graduate. She furthered her education by attending Vassar College until ill health compelled her to return home in 1877. Lawrence was said to have been a good student, winning numerous literary awards and was a prominent member of the college’s literary society. During her time at Knox College, she met her husband, George A Lawrence, who also was a prominent figure in the Galesburg Community, as well as an attorney, and they got married October 18, 1882.

Together, the Lawrences had five children, unfortunately four of them died young. Their third child, Ella Rebecca Lawrence, who married John Marshall Lowrie in 1916 and became Ella Rebecca Lowrie, lived to be 84, and throughout her life was known as a scholar, attending Vassar College in 1913 and later receiving her M.A. in history from Radcliffe College. Throughout her life she had many positions, being a teacher at Knox College, a book reviewer for Harper Brothers (now Harper and Row), and an author of a few books herself.

Though Lawrence herself did not design the Illinois state flag, she did have a large part in the establishment of the flag and advocating for its creation. This advocacy began with her participation in the Daughters of the American Revolution, and later her time as State Regent, and honorary Regent, of the DAR organizations in Illinois.

Lawrence helped organize the Rebecca Gibson Parke chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which was named after Lawrence’s ancestor, Rebecca Gibson Parke, who was a child living in Lexington, Massachusetts, when the Revolutionary War began. This chapter was officially established in 1901, and by 1911 Lawrence was elected State Regent of the DAR organizations in Illinois.

As State Regent, she traveled to Washington DC for the DAR’s annual National Congress. It was here that Lawrence’s fight for an Illinois state flag began, as she was walking through the DAR’s Memorial Continental Hall. Lawrence noticed many other state flags in the impressive building that the DAR had contributed much time and effort to, and desired to see a flag for Illinois beside the banners of the other states.

During her time as State Regent, and after she left this office, Lawrence worked avidly for several years, writing hundreds of letters to state legislators, other DAR members, and public officials to gather support for the adoption of an Illinois state flag.