Haish's proposed roofing improvements

Jacob Haish had the creative, working mind of an inventor. If he thought there was a better, more efficient way of doing something, he was going to create it.

And then patent it.

This patent is for "new and useful improvements in roofs." The patent was awarded July 24, 1888. There's no doubt that Haish's carpentry skills were useful while putting together this application.

Image via Google Patents

An excerpt from the patent papers reads: 

"My invention has reference to improvements in roofs; and it consists in a novel construction whereby the air is permitted to circulate under the shingles or outer coating for the purpose of preserving the material, and also to afford means of readily ventilating the interior of the building through the stratum of air between the exterior coating and the interior portion of the roof or side, which stratum, being largely stationary, has the effect also, as a [nonconductor] of heat, of [aiding] to the warmth of the roof or wall so far as relates to retaining the heat which may be within the building, but at the same time excluding from the interior any intense exterior heat, thus rendering the building warmer in cool weather and cooler in warm weather." 

To read more from the patent description, click here. 

Mr. Haish's Liberal Gift

Undated article provided by the Northern Illinois University Archives, courtesy of Western History Research Center:

Mr. Haish's Liberal Gift
---
A $15,000 Building for the Denver Medical College
---
Just Completed and Delivered to the University -- A Prosperous Educational Institution.

Professor J.C. Shattuck, who has had in charge the construction of the addition that has been built to the Haish Manual Training School of Denver University, has completed the same and turned it over to the university. The main building for the manual school was built at a cost of $25,000, the gift of Mr. Jacob Haish of De Kalb, Illinois. It is 40x73 and three stories high and has a basement. Mr. Haish attended the commencement at Denver University last spring and was so well pleased with the school that he told Bishop Warren that he would give the university $15,000 for the medical department if that would be sufficient to build upon the vacant ground adjoining the manual training school. The offer was accepted and Professor Shattuck, then Dean of the university, drew on Mr. Haish for the amount and began the erection of the new addition.

TOTAL GIFT OF $40,000
It is built of brick and is three stories high with a basement. This makes a total gift of $40,000 by Mr. Haish to the university.

In the basement is the gymnasium, which is one of the finest and best furnished in the West.

In the first story is the medical lecture room. This is in the front room and in the rear is the pharmaceutical department. 

On the second floor in the front room is the Dental College, in the rear of which is a part of the rooms used by the Commercial College.

On the third floor is the amphitheater of the Medical College. Here lectures are also given, but the regular dissecting rooms are not connected with this building. In the rear of this amphitheater is a reception room for the professors and the medical laboratory.

A GREAT HELP.
This new building is a great help to the medical, dental and commercial colleges of the University, all of which have a large attendance and no university in the West affords such excellent facilities as these three departments of the University. The fact that a non-resident should be so liberal to education in the West makes this gift all the more appreciated. All the departments of the University and the collegiate also are now in a prosperous condition and Denver now stands in the front ranks of Western colleges.

Looking forward to 2018

I wrote a similar post on this blog last year, but it needed to be said again: I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this blog, leave a comment, or share a document with me.

While 2016 was the year of growing this project, 2017 was the year I was growing...myself. I had incredible opportunities this year because of this blog and because of the people in this community. Those opportunities included:

Participating in a talk at the Ellwood House

Unveiling the Jacob Haish historical marker

Leading a presentation on Jacob Haish at the Glidden Homestead

Speaking on the radio about Jacob Haish

Just a few years ago, I never would have imagined having the guts to do these things, let alone the opportunity. I am so grateful to everyone who has given me the chance to try new things and share the stories I've dug up. I'm also excited to say that I'll be out there again next year; I'll be giving a presentation on the Haish mansion in September 2018 at one of my favorite places -- the Glidden Homestead.

Some of these stories may just be old articles, or things you've heard before, but I am so excited to share each and every one with you. I keep hoping that this project will only help to spread the name and sometimes forgotten fame of Jacob Haish, a fantastic inventor and my fourth great uncle.

As always, I encourage you to please contact me at JHaish09@gmail.com if you'd like to get together or share information regarding the life and legacy of Jacob Haish. I've been at this for just over a year and a half, and while I feel like I've learned SO much, I know that I've probably only discovered 10 percent. I'm excited to see what's still out there. This project is easily one of my biggest joys in my life.

To anyone who is reading this, thank you for your support, assistance, and encouragement during 2017. I could not do any of this without you. I look forward to learning alongside you all in 2018.

Sincerely,

Jessi (Haish) LaRue

Western Stock Journal and Farmer IX:100 5/79 Interview with J. Haish

Western Stock Journal and Farmer IX:100 5/79
Interview with J. Haish
Provided by Northern Illinois University Archives & Regional History Center:

Desiring to obtain the fullest information on the barbed wire controversy one of our editors took a trip to DeKalb, Ill., to interview Jacob Haish, one of the parties against whom the original suits were brought, and the man to whom the honor is due of preventing the consumation of the monopoly.

Editor: Mr. Haish, I have called to ask you some questions on the barbed wire question, if you have no objections.

Haish: No objection to answering anything I may know.

Editor: Now, please state, Mr. Haish, why the Ohio Barbed Fence Co. and others compromised with Washburn & Moen, if, as you say, there is nothing in this so-called "Brood-claim," and that it can never be sustained by the courts.

Haish: It is this way. The Ohio Barb Fence Co. and the others were not so much alarmed at the suits as at the prospect of there being so many manufacturing establishments that the price of wire would be reduced to living rates. The President of the Ohio Company told me that the only way to save ourselves was to make a combination with Washburn, Moen, & Co., and allow them to take a decree against us. The decree of the courts would scare the dealers and farmers, and we could have everything our own way.

Editor: Did Washburn, Moen & Co. ever propose to you a definite plan of compromise?

Haish: Yes. I have here their terms of settlement.

Editor: If you have no objections I will take a copy. 

Haish: I have no objections. Of course you understand this is simply the substance of the terms of compromise.

BASIS OF SETTLEMENT AS PROPOSED BY WASHBURN, MOEN & COMPANY
1st. Haish should pay a portion of the expenses of litigation.
2nd. He should sign over all his patents and pay a royalty of 1 3/8 cents per pound on all he should manufacture.
3rd. He should be limited to 2,500 tons per year.
4th. He must buy all his wire of Washburn, Moen & Co.
5th. Washburn, Moen & Co. should fix the price of all barbed wire sold.
6th. He must allow a decree of the court to be taken against him by Washburn, Moen & Co. 

Editor: Do you think this is the same basis as that accepted by H.P. Scott & Co., Joliet, Ill., the Ohio Barb Fence Co., Cleveland, Ohio, and the Thorn Wire Hedge Co., of Chicago?

Haish: It is undoubtedly the same, with one exception; they bound Washburn, Moen & Co. to sue every manufacturer of wire who did not enter into the combination.


If the above be facts, and we have no reason to doubt them, the combination plan of settlement contains several points detrimental to the public interest.

1st. If they had driven all the manufacturers of barbed wire into the combination, it would have given Washburn, Moen & Co. the monopoly on smooth wire.
2nd. Limited the amount manufactured by each party is in the sole interest of monopoly and high prices.
3rd. This idea is squarely presented in the article which allows Washburn, Moen & Co. to fix the prices of barbed wire.

As a fight between manufacturers, the people of Iowa have no interest in the issue, but when it involves the question monopoly on such a vast interest as barbed wire, every citizen of Iowa is intensely interested. If the citizen thinks that this question will be settled by a few newspaper articles, he is mistaken; there is too much money involved, and the monopolists will never surrender till after the persistent fight. We have seen the opinions of two of the best patent attorneys in the United States on the validity of the Hunt patent, and in their judgment there is no question of the invalidity. But must the people wait and travel through the slow process of litigation, appeals, demurrers, etc.? Congress should enact a law immediately, covering two points--1st, prohibiting the issue of broad-gauge patents, 2nd, protecting the innocent purchaser. Our imbecile Congress can do an immense amount of hard work to gain strategic positions for the next political campaign, but when a little healthy legislation is asked in the interests of the people from the extortions of patent rights, these broadcloth representatives of the farmers are constitutionally tired. Farmers, there is one way to reach this thing. Send men to Congress whose interests are identified with the producer. The man that won't get right out and work for his rights, and fight for them, too, will be a slave. After the producer has refused to help himself, let there be no sickly howl about oppression.

The Death of Jacob Haish

"The Death of Jacob Haish," below, was written by local historian Stephen Bigolin and appeared in his writings "This Was Jacob Haish."

THE DEATH OF JACOB HAISH
By Stephen Bigolin

In the spring of 1916, after being in the Barbed Wire business some 43 years, having reached the age of 90, Jacob Haish decided it was finally time to retire. He sold his beloved Barbed Wire Factory to P.A. Nehring, for $35,000. For the remaining decade of his life, Mr. Haish's only business connection was with the Jacob Haish State Bank, which he was the active President of. He would come to the bank each day, sit in his rocking chair in the lobby, twirl his gold headed cane, conduct his business affairs, and occasionally reminisce about the early days of Barbed Wire.

On September 9, 1918, Mrs. Haish, who for twenty years had been practically confined to a wheelchair because of ill health, died at age 90. Although the loss of his helpmate of 71 years created a void in his heart, Jacob Haish's love of life proved strong enough to endure the hardship, as he came to rely more and more for care on his housekeeper, Anna Anderson. Mr. Haish's last goal in life became to see his 100th birthday.

On March 8, 1920, the day before his 94th birthday, Mr. Haish drew up his Last Will & Testament. Whether this was but one of a series of Wills he wrote is not clear, although several changes were made in this Will by the time Mr. Haish died in 1926. The changes appear to have resulted from the fact that all the people to whom Mr. Haish wanted to leave some small portion of his estimated $5,000,000 estate, were going to the grave before him! In the final form, the Will provided for practically everything to be left to charity. One provision remained unchanged from the Will of March 8, 1920; that being that no relative of Mr. Haish's got even one cent of his estate. Upon his death, Mr. Haish intended for his mansion to be left to Anna Anderson; with enough money for her to always live comfortably in it.

A copy of the DeKalb Daily Chronicle boasts the headline "Jacob Haish Dead." | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Late in 1925, Mr. Haish fell victim to pneumonia. His constitution fought it to the best of its ability, with the goal of reaching 100 years of age guiding the struggle. In the early weeks of 1926 he rallied from the bout, but was totally blind, and afraid of being poisoned, so as to be robbed of that last great objective. He knew the soft touch of Anna Anderson's hands, however, and would only take food from her, according to Beatrice Gurler. On the afternoon of February 19, 1926, just 19 days before his 100th birthday, Jacob Haish died at his palatial residence. His death made headlines in the DeKalb Daily Chronicle for several days. His funeral was held in his mansion, which was opened to the public. In his Will, Mr. Haish left money for construction of a monument in Fairview Cemetery over the spot where he & his wife rested.