College Board of Trustees thanks Mrs. Haish

This letter, provided by the Joiner History Room, is addressed to Sophia Haish and thanks her for the gift of a portrait of her husband. The letter is from the Board of Trustees of the Northern Illinois State Normal School, now known as Northern Illinois University. Jacob Haish's barbed wire rival, Isaac Ellwood, can be seen listed as a board member in the top right corner of the letter.

Click the image to enlarge the letter, or the text is printed below.

Image provided by Joiner History Room

"Mrs. Jacob Haish,
DeKalb Illinois.

Dear Madam: 
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Northern Illinois State Normal School, held at DeKalb, Illinois, on the 7th day of January, A.D. 1902, the following Resolution was offered and unanimously endorsed:

WHEREAS, Mrs. Jacob Haish having presented to the Northern Illinois State Normal School a life size portrait of her husband, Jacob Haish. And,
WHEREAS, Jacob Haish has, through his generosity, enabled the Northern Illinois State Normal School to equip itself with one of the very best of working libraries. Therefore, be it 
RESOLVED: That we accept the Portrait of Jacob Haish; and that it be hung in the Haish Library; and that we extend to Mrs. Haish our sincere thanks for the splendid Portrait of her husband..

Witness my hand and the seal of the Board, this first day of March, A.D. 1902.

J.J. McLallen, Secretary"

"Pleasantest Gatherings of the Half Century Club"

The Haish Mansion in DeKalb | Photo courtesy of Steve Bigolin

This article below, provided by the Joiner History Room, is notated as a page one story from the May 5, 1906, edition of the DeKalb Evening Chronicle:

"The Half Century Club and a half dozen neighbors were entertained at the home of Mrs. Jacob Haish yesterday afternoon in a most pleasing manner. 

There seemed a happiness and jollity to pervade the company a little out of the usual order. While piecing blocks for quilts the ladies sang old time songs and there were a number of fine singers present, who enjoyed this part of the program.

An elaborate luncheon was served of substantial viands and delicacies of the season.

Mrs. I.L. Ellwood, who has been spending the winter in her Florida home was present and surprised the club by presenting them with orange colored majolica pitchers. On one side were the inscription, "From Florida" and on the other side were raised orange blossoms for decorations, and almost natural enough to imagine the odor was in them.

Mr. Haish presented each of the ladies with a spool of thread, which was excavated from the Opera House ruins.

Yesterday will long be remembered as one of the very pleasantest gatherings of the Half Century Club."