Haish Wire Cane Sells in 1968

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

Haish barbed wire canes

Jacob Haish manufactured barbed wire canes as a promotional item. The canes and their toppers vary in shape and size. It is unknown just how many were made, and how many are still in existence.

These are photos of two canes that belong to Kevin Haish. Photos by Jessi LaRue.

You can learn more about Haish canes by clicking over to my previous post here.

Haish cane finds its way to Haish family

Jacob Haish barbed wire cane

A Jacob Haish barbed wire cane has made its way to Haish family... it's now in possession of members of my immediate family!

Haish manufactured these barbed wire canes as a promotional item, another innovative way he advertised his products. These canes vary in design; the brass tops can vary in shape, and there are 10 different versions of the cane that can be collected. It is unknown how many were made, or how many are still in existence.

There is a wealth of information and photos regarding Haish canes here.

Detail of the Haish cane shows Haish's barbed wire design | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Top of the Haish cane reads: "Compliments of J. Haish, 'S' barb. Steel Fence Wire, DeKalb, Ill" | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Detail of the Haish cane | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Interview With: Jeff Marshall

Jeff Marshall, of DeKalb, poses with some of the Haish engines in his collection. Haish began manufacturing and selling engines in the early 1900s. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Jeff Marshall's love of history and genealogy have made him an important figure in the Haish family tree.

Marshall, of DeKalb, is a Haish family descendant (Jacob Haish is his third great uncle,) the mastermind behind a lengthy Haish family tree, and the creator of the Jacob Haish Mfg. Co. website, where he shares the stories behind his collections.

He credits his family with his interest.

"We had pictures, things that were directly related to [Jacob Haish] because my family members were close to him," Marshall said. "I was always taught to respect him. The stories were that he was always the outsider, something that my family always believed, and they always 'rooted for the underdog.'"

Jeff Marshall has displays of Jacob Haish barbed wire, which he often uses to give presentations on his third great uncle. Marshall regularly gives presentations at the Glidden Homestead. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Marshall's quest into documenting the Haish family tree began more than 20 years ago, when he was in college. It's been his mission to document "any person related to Christian Haish," the father of Jacob Haish.

"Since I've started this project, I've kind of become a depository for Haish things," Marshall said with a laugh. "Once I meet with one member of the family, then I have other members of the family contacting me. It's been challenging, and I like a challenge. One generation has a generation of kids, then there's another and another; sometimes I don't know about that until someone contacts me."

But Marshall's interest runs much deeper than just the family tree. He's become an avid collector of Jacob Haish-related items, particularly farming equipment. He said he's not surprised that Haish's inventions and patents stretched beyond barbed wire.

A case in Marshall's home displays some of his Haish memorabilia and artifacts. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

"We were an agricultural community, at a much higher percentage than we are now," Marshall said. "If you're going to be developing ideas you're going to be developing them for things that would be of benefit to you here."

The list of Haish inventions is fairly extensive, and Marshall collects his fair share, including barbed wire canes and even Haish Mfg. Co. corn shellers. Unlike some collectors, Marshall's interest in Haish-related items is purely out of love for his roots. 

"I don't remember not having an interest in Haish things," Marshall said. "I've been interested in collecting Haish things my whole life. The [Haish barbed wire canes] were something I'd never dreamed of affording when I was a kid."

Marshall is very fond of his Haish barbed wire canes, a rather unique Haish item. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Marshall also loves stories about his distant relative. 

"I was always told stories as a kid, that he always did things he didn't have to," Marshall said. "Like at Christmastime, he would go to his employees and give each one of them a turkey. These are things that I think he was being smart enough to know he needed to go above and beyond and keep his employees and keep good employees. 

He cosigned on several documents that are from branches of my family that aren't Haish-related. Both sides of my family have always had good things to say about him because he had helped both sides.

I think he was a down-to-earth person, a lot of books and places don't seem to imply that he was down to earth, more like he was rough. But my family stories don't describe him that way. He seemed to be much more personable. I get the impression that he was somebody who expected you to do well, too. He was going to give you an opportunity expecting you to do something with the gift he gave you, and be appreciative of what you got." 

Haish advertising material belonging to Marshall. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Marshall considers the possibility of one day bringing together the descendants of Jacob Haish's father, Christian Haish in a big family reunion.

"To print out the family tree, with just basic information like first and last names, it would be more than 66 feet long," Marshall said. "But it can be done."

To learn more about Marshall and his interest in Jacob Haish, please visit his website at JacobHaishMfg.org. He is also scheduled to give a presentation on Haish on Sept. 25 at the Glidden Homestead, 921 W. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb.

Find of the Week: Sophia's Cane

Ron Klein has always had an interest in local history. Klein grew up among members of the Haish family that lived in Hinckley; Klein's great aunt, Mary (Maynie) Klein, married Jacob Haish's nephew, William R. Haish, who was a trustee of Jacob Haish's estate.

Jacob Haish had also loaned money to Klein's great grandfather so he could purchase a Hinckley farm. That farm has been in Klein's family since 1875.
 
"I've always been interested in our connection to Jacob Haish," Klein said.

Klein, of DeKalb, is an avid book collector with more than 3,500 books in his collection, but he's also the owner of one rare piece of local history: the cane that belonged to Jacob Haish's wife Sophia. The cane came from a cousin of Klein.

Ron Klein, of DeKalb, holds a cane that belonged to Sophia Haish. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

A replica of Sophia Haish's wedding ring is at the base of the cane's handle. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Klein said some of the cane has had to be refurbished, and a recreation of Sophia's wedding ring has been added under the handle of the cane.

"Local history has been an interest of mine for all of my life," Klein said. "But Jacob's story is very interesting."

Ron Klein, former chairman of the Kishwaukee Community Hospital board of directors, is pictured in a 1980 newspaper receiving a check from Haish Board President C. Edward Raymond. The money, from Haish's estate, was given to the hospital's surgery unit and at the time was believed to be the largest check presented in the county, according to the July 1980 edition of the Kishwaukee Kommunicator.

Jacob Haish barbed wire canes

Jim Hovis, of DeKalb, holds his Haish cane. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

For many barbed wire fanatics, you've "made it" once you've acquired your very own Haish cane.

This information on the canes, below, was provided by the Joiner History Room, who had reached out to barbed wire expert Jim Goedert, of Kearney, Neb., for more information about the canes in 2005. 

Goedert said:

"These canes were given away as advertising tools during the Chicago's World Fair in 1893 and the St. Louis Exposition in 1904. In addition, a cane was placed in each boxcar load of "S" Barb that was shipped West.

We also know a few things about the canes themselves. They were made with five different shapes of brass tops. The most common is the top that is eight-sided or shaped like a stop sign. The rarest is the round top. The barbs on the canes can either be bent around the wire or stick out. For a collector this would make 10 different canes to collect. They have sold on eBay for as much as $5,000 each and for as little as $1,000."

Steve Bigolin, of DeKalb, holds his Haish cane. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Jeff Marshall, of DeKalb, has a wealth of photos and information regarding the canes on his website here.

Haish canes on display at the Ellwood House | Photo by Jessi LaRue