Hattie Lake was born on November 24, 1847 in Edgefield, S.C. to Elias and Eleanor (Henderson) Lake. After the family moved to a plantation in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, Lake was sent back to Greenville, S.C. in 1866 to attend the Greenville Baptist Female College, graduating in 1867.

Lake became a teacher, first teaching in East Baton Rouge, La. She later taught in Jonesboro and Concord, Texas schools and spent her adult life in Texas. She died on April 27, 1932 in Cameron, Texas.