Image of Denver's Haish Manual Training School

The back cover of the 1889-90 NWU catalog | Courtesy of the Nebraska Wesleyan University Archives, Cochrane-Woods Library

"The above cut represents the building erected at Denver through the munificence of Mr. Jacob Haish, of DeKalb, Illinois, for the Haish Manual Training School of Denver University. Bishop Warren has secured from Mr. Haish an agreement to erect and endow a department for the Nebraska Wesleyan University, on similar terms as originally given to Denver University. One-half of the gross receipts from the sale of the Haish barb wire in the state of Nebraska is to be devoted to this department, until the sum of fifty thousand dollars has been secured. Thus the department of Technology, originally projected by the University, and published in the Prospectus, has been lifted from the realm of struggle into that of security, and was inaugurated formally by Bishop Warren, at Lincoln, June 18, 1889. For further particulars address the Chancellor.

Friends of the University will adopt as their motto: 'No fence but barb wire; no barb wire but Haish.'"

Original Haish barbed wire patent model

Jacob Haish's original barbed wire patent model | Photo courtesy of Larry W. Love, barbed wire collector and historian

I just received an email that included photos of the original Haish barbed wire patent model! This model belongs to a private collector, Larry W. Love, of Texas, who was willing to let me share his story and photos here.

The patent model itself has had a long and winding history. It was originally submitted to the U.S. Patent Office as part of Haish's patent proposal. 

Haish patent 167,240, as notated on the model tags | Image from Google Patents

Haish patent for the reissue RE9036, as notated on the model tags | Image from Google Patents

However, on September 24, 1877, the United States Patent Office in Washington, D.C., where the model was housed, suffered its second fire. 

"The surviving models proved too expensive to maintain and store, and so in 1926 thrifty Calvin Coolidge ordered the remainder sold off. The Smithsonian took some, independent retailers scooped up others, and finally in 1942 an auctioneer couple bought the last 50,000 with plans to open a museum," according to this article.

Tags associated with the Haish patent model | Photo courtesy of Larry W. Love, barbed wire collector and historian

When a museum never came to fruition, the items were once again sold off. Cliff Petersen, a collector from California, purchased many, many models, including this Haish patent model. 

You can read an interesting article about Petersen's life and collection by clicking here.

As the years passed, bits and pieces of Petersen's collection were sold off, said Larry W. Love, a barbed wire collector and historian from Texas.

"From time to time Cliff issued catalogs picturing various models for sale," Love said. "The model was purchased from Cliff directly by a fellow collector over thirty years ago."

Tags associated with the Haish patent model. | Photo courtesy of Larry W. Love, barbed wire collector and historian

Tags associated with the Haish patent model. | Photo courtesy of Larry W. Love, barbed wire collector and historian

The collector would display the model as a centerpiece at various barbed wire shows, where Love would see it. He told the collector that he would be interested in purchasing it, if the opportunity became available.

That opportunity came just six weeks ago.

"The most important item in my collection is the original Haish barbed wire patent model," Love said. "Each barb is slightly different with the barb on the far right side being two 'S' barbs side by side. I believe Jacob knew that, while what was being described in the patent was important..."

Close-up of a barb on the Haish patent model | Photo courtesy of Larry W. Love, barbed wire collector and historian

Close-up of a barb on the Haish patent model | Photo courtesy of Larry W. Love, barbed wire collector and historian

Thank you to Love for sharing this item with us! Love's interest in barbed wire began when he was 16 years old, working on a ranch in Central Texas. He saw a display of barbed wire on the wall of the boot shop, and the owner gave him information about the Texas Barbed Wire Collectors Association. He built his collection and interests from there. But why the interest in Haish?

"Jacob was but just one of the players whose advertising I collected," Love said. "He, like Bet-A-Million Gates, played the role of underdog to their advantages."

Haish Manual Training School - Lincoln, NE

A drawing of the Lincoln Haish Manual Training School, as seen in the Nebraska Wesleyan Catalog 1891-92.

The Haish Manual Training School was built in Lincoln, Nebraska, after a monetary donation from Jacob Haish, much like the training school he donated in Denver, Colorado.

The purpose of these schools was to teach students hands-on education, such as iron work, wood carving and foundry, typewriting and more. Money for a building was to be raised through barbed wire sales, with one half of gross receipts going toward the building until $50,000 was raised.

The Somonauk Reveille newspaper in Illinois called the idea "A good big advertising scheme for Mr. Haish, as all the Wesleyan ministers, church people and students will preach and talk Haish wire until the required sum has been raised."

And did they ever talk....

Advertisement for Haish's barbed wire plan in Lincoln, NE, as seen in the Nebraska Wesleyan Catalog 1891-92.

From an advertisement of Haish's plan: 
"Haish Barb Wire! Is a Perfect Wire. An Economical Wire. The Best! And at prices that compete with the World. Our boys have invented a COLLEGE YELL! 'You Try 'Er, You Buy 'Er, Haish Wire! Haish Wire!

This is uttered under fifty pounds pressure and on tiptoe. If there is no Agent in your town write to Mr. Jacob Haish, DeKalb, Illinois. Tell your Hardware Man what Mr. Haish has done for Colorado and Nebraska Methodists. We put a Barb Wire Cane in the Corner Store, and we are going to put a Barb Wire Lightning Rod on the MANUAL TRAINING BUILDING, and we want Nebraska Methodists FENCED IN with Barb Wire!"

Jacob Haish's successful donation was documented in the Nebraska Wesleyan University catalog for the school year 1891-92, which can be viewed on Google Books.

A listing of the faculty of the Haish Mechanical Institute, as published in the Nebraska Wesleyan Catalog 1891-92.

From the catalog:

"Mr. Jacob Haish of DeKalb, Ill., whose munificence erected the Haish Manual Training School of Denver University, agreed to erect and endow a similar one for the Nebraska Wesleyan University and on the same terms. One half the gross receipts from the sale of barb wire was to be devoted to this department until the sum of $50,000 was secured. ... Mr. Haish has exceeded his promise, both in the matter of time and the amount to be expended. Wire sales were not up to the measure of a building, but he authorized us to go ahead. ... It is the finest Manual Training building in the United States."

Semester pricing per the Nebraska Wesleyan Catalog 1891-92.

While the school was enjoyed for a few years, unfortunately, on January 29, 1894, an arsonist set fire to the building. It was never rebuilt. Below is a photo of the damage.

"Ruins of the Haish building" | Photo from the Nebraska Wesleyan University Archives, Cochrane-Woods Library

Thank you to Martha A. Tanner, M.S.L.I.S., Ph.D, head of research services and archives/asst. professor at the Cochrane-Woods Library at Nebraska Wesleyan University, for her assistance with this post.

Jacob Haish photograph

Jacob Haish in 1899. Photo courtesy of Jeff Marshall

Jeff Marshall shared this photograph of Jacob Haish with me, and it has become my favorite image of Haish. It was taken in 1899; Haish would have been about 73 years old.