Haish Monument at Fairview Cemetery

Below are a few recent photos of the Haish monument, taken on Sept. 21, 2017 by Jessi LaRue. The Haish monument, where barbed wire baron Jacob Haish and his wife Sophia are buried, resides in the back of Fairview Cemetery, in DeKalb.

The Haish monument in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Detail of the Haish monument in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The urn at the Haish monument in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The Haish monument in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The copyright on the Haish monument in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The Haish monument in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Jacob Haish funds college library

The Haish Library, in Altgeld Hall, as pictured in the 1900 edition of the "Norther," the school yearbook. 

In 1895, Jacob Haish donated $10,000 for construction of a library at the Northern Illinois State Normal School, now known as Northern Illinois University. The library, seen in images below, was originally in Altgeld Hall, or the "castle" of NIU.

The college library was called the "Haish Library," not to be confused with the city library, the Haish Memorial Library, which was constructed after Haish's death.

According to documentation in the Ellwood House Visitor's Center, "this money was used to acquire almost 6,000 books during the library's first year of operation. By 1952, the library outgrew its space in Altgeld Hall and was moved to Swen Parson Hall. Once again, outgrowing the space, the 314,000 square-foot Founders Memorial Library was constructed."

A Daily Chronicle article, reprinted in a 1926 edition, stated: "Mr. Haish's gift was the nucleus of a library that is on a par with the libraries in the other four state colleges of the state ... Mr. Haish was a lover of books and wished others to realize the same joy. In giving the money for a library at the college he realized that he would afford students the opportunity of using books that they might not otherwise have been able to secure."

One piece of history was lost somewhere along the way, however. The white bust of Haish, seen in these images of the library, was somehow lost in transition from building to building, according to multiple local historians. The eventual outcome of the bust is unknown.

According to the same Daily Chronicle article, "the bust is a perfect likeness of the great man and is so located in the large room that it commands the attention of all who enter."

The Haish Library, on the campus of Northern Illinois State Normal School, now known as NIU. The white bust of Jacob Haish can be seen on the back wall. | Courtesy Regional History Center, Northern Illinois University

HAISH ENGINE GETS AN ORDER

The below article was published in the Sept. 18, 1916, edition of the Sycamore True Republican, as provided by the Joiner History Room:

HAISH ENGINE GETS AN ORDER
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Superintendent of Wisconsin State Fair Buys Machinery For Himself
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Local Mechanism is Chosen Above All of the Famous Kinds of the Country at State Fair

Superintendent Allan Hinds of the Haish industries is feeling highly pleased today over a little business news concerning the famous Haish engines. 

It seems that the Haish concern had a big exhibit at Milwaukee last week at the Wisconsin state fair in charge of Messrs. Rose and Gibler. At the same fair were the products of a score or more of other engine factories and the competition for orders was hot.

After looking thoroughly into the merits of the various machines, Mr. Chinock, superintendent of the fair, member of the Wisconsin legislature and a prominent farmer, ordered a lot of Haish machinery over the others exhibited there and asked the Haish people to establish an agency at his home town of Hudson.

This unsought for and voluntary expression of confidence in the DeKalb machine pleases the local officials very much. The firm has exhibits now at Elkhorn, Wis., Knoxville, and Aledo, Ill., under charge of Messrs. Briggs, Curns, and Needham and next week they will all unite in an exhibit at the Peoria fair.

Details of a Haish gas engine currently owned by Haish family descendant Jeff Marshall. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

"Two Wires Make a Good Stock Fence"

The below advertisement, courtesy of Northern Illinois University Archives, boasts Jacob Haish's "S" barb steel wire as "the cheapest fence ever offered to the world." The advertisement provides a thorough description of Haish's creation.

Click the image to enlarge.

Advertisement courtesy of NIU Regional History Center

The text reads as follows:

"FARMERS AND STOCK-GROWERS
CROWN WITH HONOR HAISH'S ENAMEL S BARB STEEL FENCE WIRE.
The Cheapest Fence Ever Offered to the World.

Coiled on spools weighing from 80 to 100 pounds. The spools are strong and substantial and will bear shipment to any part of the globe.
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It is the celebrated cut showing manner of attaching Barb to Wire.
Patented Aug 31, 1875.
The enameling renders it rust-proof, giving it a fine, black, glossy appearance.
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Two Wires make a good Stock Fence, and costs about 32 cents per rod, or $102.40 per mile-posts 16 to 20 ft. apart. Three wires make a good stock-proof fence and costs about 48 cents per rod, or $153.60 per mile-posts 16 to 20 ft. apart. It weighs about 17 ounces to the rod, one strand. One strand weighs about 360 pounds to the mile. Two strands weigh about 720 pounds to the mile. Three strands weight about 1080 pounds to the mile. It is made of best No. 12 Steel Wire.
Stock seldom make the second attempt to get through it.
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The only Barb fastened on both wires, and cannot turn, and preventing the strands from unraveling. The only Barb passing around both Wires and not leaving a BROAD BASE on main wire to rust and finally drop off. The only Barb encircling both Wires, rendering it durable while presenting a handsome appearance. Strong winds do not affect it, nor heavy snows break it down. It will not burn.
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DIRECTIONS FOR PUTTING UP BARB FENCE WIRE.
It is readily put up as follows: By running a rod through the ends of spool, two men can easily carry the spool and uncoil the wire at a rapid pace, while a boy can staple it; or, placing the spool forward of rear stakes of wagon, the team will unroll the wire. To strain and staple it is but the work of a few moments. For a fence of two wires, put lower wire 26 inches and top wire 42 inches from the ground. Three wires, put lower wire 15 inches, middle wire 30 inches and top wire 45 inches from ground. Strain perfectly tight, as it makes a much better fence.

The best proof of its efficiency as a Stock-Proof Fence, IS TRYING IT!
And should it fail to stand the test, you are at liberty to return it to the dealer who will refund you your money.

JACOB HAISH,
DEKALB, ILL."

Image courtesy of Regional History Center, Northern Illinois University.

JACOB HAISH CELEBRATES

The below article was published in the March 9, 1922, edition of the DeKalb Daily Chronicle. Although Jacob Haish looked forward to his 100th birthday, he would die just a few weeks before he could celebrate it. This article celebrates Haish's 96th birthday.

- - - 

JACOB HAISH CELEBRATES
Veteran Manufacturer Banker Spends 96th Birthday at the Bank
IS FEELING FINE

"Ninety-six years young! I don't feel any older today than a year ago, and I believe I feel younger than I did when I celebrated my 86th birthday."

Such was the answer to the inquiry made by Jacob Haish, DeKalb's veteran manufacturer, as he sat in his usual chair at the Jacob Haish State Bank this afternoon, when, after congratulations, he was asked how he felt.

Mr. Haish, with just a slight moisture in his eyes, told how many people had remembered him on his birthday, friends in New York remembering that today marked his 96th year of a most successful life. Ninety-six beautiful rosebuds, with an extra one "to grow on," were sent to his home during the day, and everyone knows how Jacob Haish admires flowers. He spoke feelingly of the donors of the flowers, expressing the wish that he might live to receive 101 of such roses.

"Today is a beautiful day, and I wish that I might walk home, but I begin to get tired after I walk a block, so I save shoe leather and ride back and forth in my car."

Mr. Haish stated that he was feeling as well as he had ever felt in years past, in fact better than ten years ago. His physician tells him that he is sound and in unusually good health for a man that is starting out on his 97th year of life. 

"You know," concluded Mr. Haish, "I have been around this country, this state and this city so many years I like it, and I have no great desire to go anywhere else for many years yet. I hope to live to celebrate my 100th anniversary and it will be a most enjoyable celebration, too."