“Exploring Jacob Haish” lecture planned by DeKalb County History Center

DeKALB – An upcoming lunch lecture highlighting the life of Jacob Haish will be offered at the DeKalb County History Center in April by one of Haish’s descendants, Jessi Haish LaRue.

Ellwood House Museum and DeKalb County History Center collaborative Brown Bag Lunch/Local Lore will be hosting “Adventures in Research: Exploring Jacob Haish” lecture at noon April 7 at the DeKalb County History Center, 1730 N. Main St., Sycamore.

Jacob Haish is most famous for his 1875 patent for his creation of the “S Barb” wire design, which earned Haish a spot as one of DeKalb County’s “Barbed Wire Barons” and played a role in the development of the west. Haish also worked as a banker and patented and manufactured farming implements. Haish left most of his fortune to the city of DeKalb when he passed away in 1926, resulting in the creation of the public library and much more.

Jessi Haish LaRue has been researching Jacob since the fall of 2021 to make Haish-related items more accessible to the public and creating conversation regarding Haish’s impact, according to a news release.

The program is free and will last for one hour. A virtual option also is available. To register, visit dekalbcountyhistory.org.