Family Photos at the Haish Mansion

Parker comparing photos in the album to images of the Haish mansion in the book "From Oxen to Jets"

David James Parker, of Wisconsin, shared some wonderful photos from summer 1954. He shared: "My grandparents, the Spickermans, lived in the Haish Mansion briefly. They rented the beautiful home sometime after selling their previous house on Augusta Avenue and completing their new one on Linden Place in about 1954." What a wonderful moment in time, captured and now here for us to enjoy! Click photos to enlarge.

Jacob Haish's housekeeper, Anna Anderson, had been the owner of the home after Jacob until her death in 1953. There were temporary residents, such as the Spickermans, until the Haish trust put the mansion on the market in 1955. You can learn more about the Haish mansion's history here.

Parker writes:

"Grandpa took photos of everything. Vacations, events, friends, family, you name it -- grandpa loved cameras and taking photos. He also enjoyed history. He was one of the researchers who helped Mrs. Davy write 'From Oxen to Jets.' I was only about one-years-old the summer my grandparents lived in the Haish Mansion. But the beautiful home stood enough years after my birth that I remember it well. As kids my siblings and I could scarcely believe it when Grandma told us she lived there for a brief period of time. We often admired the home as my parents drove by it on our way to the library or other locations in that neighborhood." 

Caption from Parker: (L to R)
(leaning on my stroller)- Grandma Maryette Wallace Spickerman,
(seated on gargoyle) - Richard Weisheit, Shirley Spickerman Weisheit, Mom MaryLou Spickerman Parker, Oscar George “Jack” Weisheit, Jon Weisheit, and
(seated, looking back) - David James Parker (me)

Haish home far shot. Car belongs to J. A. “Art” Spickerman.

(L to R)
David & MaryLou Parker, Shirley, Jack and Richard Weisheit, Maryette Spickerman, Jon Weisheit

(L to R)
Shirley Weisheit, (seated on gargoyle) David Parker and Richard Weisheit, Maryette Spickerman, Jon Weisheit, MaryLou Parker, O.G. “Jack” Weisheit

On May 13, 1954, the Daily Chronicle shared a story about the Spickermans sharing the Haish home with the public, and how "women of this city who have had their curiosity aroused by the unique exterior of the building were glad of the opportunity to give coins of silver in return for a guided tour of the premises. Six fireplaces, floor to ceiling mirrors, murals, beautiful chandeliers, etched glass doors, painted windows, wood carvings and unusual hardware were some of the features exciting the admiration of the guests."

The monetary donations collected that day were to support the fund of the Congregational church in DeKalb.

After doing a little digging, I found this photo from the event: Printed in the May 27, 1954, Daily Chronicle, in which the Spickerman family was hosting the "reception committee for Group Two of the Congregational church, before conducting tours during a Silver Tea, was held in the upstairs sitting room at the Jacob Haish home, now occupied by Dr. and Mrs. J.A. Spickerman." Dr. Spickerman was a dentist.

Postcard Captures Haish Auditorium's Parade Float

This postcard was a special eBay find. At first glance, it appears to be just a parade float pulled by horses. With a closer look, you discover that it's advertising the Haish Auditorium!

Captioned "A Prize Winner, July 4, 1911, DeKalb, IL" this float was from the "Greatest Fourth in the History of DeKalb," according to the Daily Chronicle the following day. The horses and wagon appear to be parked at the corner of 8th and Lincoln Highway in DeKalb.

The Haish Auditorium (an opera house he had built, there is an incredible photo here) is referenced throughout the float: on the pennants on the wagon, "the house of feature shows," a projector on the back of the wagon, and the advertisement draped on the horse: "Compliments of Haish Auditorium. Free show this afternoon."

Thanks to Rob Glover for the newspaper articles.

Haish features at Barbed Wire Weekend 2024

In September 2024, the J.F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center proudly hosted "Barbed Wire Weekend," a three-day event that celebrated the 150th anniversary of Joseph F. Glidden's patent for "The Winner" barbed wire. This event brought barbed wire collectors and spectators from 11 states, and featured a dinner at the historic Glidden Homestead, a bus tour that highlighted the barbed wire sites of DeKalb, and a two-day barbed wire expo in partnership with the Antique Barbed Wire Society at the beautiful Altgeld Hall at Northern Illinois University.

I was wearing many hats that weekend, as executive director of the Glidden Homestead, but also as a Haish family descendant and lover of the barbed wire story. Below are just a few photos from that monumental weekend.

Better late than never...

A full bus tour for the Barbed Wire Trail!

A somber stop at the parking lot where the Haish mansion once stood.

A stop at the Haish Monument in Fairview Cemetery

Haish family descendant Jeff J. Marshall led the tour through the Barb City

From the bus tour book

The barbed wire expo was held at Altgeld Hall at NIU

Pipe cleaner barbed wire

Haish rail

The exhibitors of Barbed Wire Weekend

Mystery Woman Poses at Haish Mansion

A negative of this image appeared on eBay recently. After digitizing it, the image became much clearer -- a beautiful portrait of the Haish mansion, with a young woman posing in front. While not much else is known, what a wonderful photo...

Click the image to enlarge.

Thanks to Kevin Haish for sharing this photo.

1987 Sycamore Steam Show Belt Buckle -- with a twist

The featured belt buckle for the 1987 Steam Power & Engine Show in Sycamore, Illinois featured barbed wire, a Sandwich gas engine and a Chanticleer gas engine (The Chanticleer line was Haish's most recognizable line.)

The backside reads "This is the sixth buckle in a series for the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club. This buckle shows two small engines that were made in this area and have been exhibited at the show for several years. This is the club's 31st annual show, and the 21st year to be held on the Taylor Marshall Farm near Sycamore, IL."

To learn more about Haish engines, click here.

Advertisement featuring Haish monument

This 1929 advertisement for The Dodds Granite Company (New York) features the Haish Memorial. "Unique in design, built of Stony Creek Granite, may be seen in DeKalb, Ill."

Haish died in 1926.

To learn more about the Haish monument in Fairview Cemetery, click here to see photos (including the copyright on the stone!)

Thanks to Kevin Haish for sharing this advertisement.

Haish Wire Cane Sells in 1968

 From the January and February 1968 editions of the The American Barbed Wire Journal. Oops!

Chanticleer advertising postcard

Double-sided Chanticleer Gasoline Engines (Manufactured by Jacob Haish Company, DeKalb, Illinois) postcard. This is marked as number 3 in a series of three cards. Click on photos to enlarge.

Seal for Haish Memorial Hospital

From the DeKalb County History Center archives: "The [corporate seal embosser] used for official business for the Jacob Haish Memorial Hospital in DeKalb." The label reads "Jacob Haish Memorial Hospital."

Barbed-Wire Fence Inventor Succumbs

Jacob Haish died at 99 years old on February 19, 1926. On February 26, the Los Angeles Daily Times published "Barbed-Wire Fence Inventor Succumbs"

From the article:

"Within a few days of his one-hundredth birthday, Jacob Haish, millionaire inventor of barbed wire and said to be the oldest bank president in the country, died at his home at DeKalb, Ill., recently of pneumonia. He would have been 100 years old March 9.

Mr. Haish conceived the idea of barbed wire while building fences for his farm. He at first wove osage into wire so that the hardened thorns on the plant would keep the cattle from breaking through. From this developed the idea of sharp protruding spikes of wire and in 1873 he had produced a finished product.

Mr. Haish also developed many farm devices, including milk separators, manure spreaders, gas engines, disc plows and the like. He was born in Cilsul, Baden, Germany, in 1826, and came to America with his parents when he was 9 years of age."