Haish Company Billhead Receipt

This billhead/letterhead was an Ebay find. The sale listing did not provide much information, but it's interesting to see an order for "The Haish Mfg. Co., Manufacturers of The 'Eli' Steel Barb Fence Wire, Stretchers, Staples and Nails."

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.