Find of the Week: Haish Corn Sheller

A corn sheller manufactured by Haish Mfg. Co. is part of Jeff Marshall's collection. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Jacob Haish was an inventor and manufacturer of many items: barbed wire, engines, fencing tools, and even corn shellers.

Jeff Marshall, of DeKalb, owns two corn shelling machines that were created by Jacob Haish Mfg. Co. Marshall is a Haish family descendant and collector of Haish memorabilia.

Ears of corn could be inserted into the machine, and a hand crank would force gears on the inside of the machine to grind the kernels away from the ear.

Ears of corn were inserted into the machine. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Shelled corn was typically used to feed livestock on a farm. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The bare ear of corn would pop out of the machine, and kernels would fall out into a bucket. One of Haish's engines could be attached to a corn sheller for maximum efficiency.

Marshall said the shelled corn would generally be used to feed livestock, and the machines date back to the early 1900s. Haish Mfg. Co. manufactured a variety of farm equipment and machinery; Marshall has a list here.