Isaac Leonard Ellwood (August 3, 1833 – September 11, 1910) was an American rancher, businessman and
barbed wire
A close-up view of a barbed wire
Roll of modern agricultural barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire, is a type of steel fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strands. Its primary use is t ...
entrepreneur.
Early life
Ellwood was born in
Salt Springville,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. His first taste of business came as a young boy when he began selling
sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferme ...
. In 1851, Ellwood, like many others, headed west to the
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
.
DeKalb, Illinois
![Glidden Barbed Wire made by Isaac L](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Glidden_Barbed_Wire_made_by_Isaac_L._Ellwood_1880s_advertising.jpg)
Ellwood found some success in California and returned east in 1855, to
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb ( ) is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 according to the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated Franconian- French war hero Johann de Kalb, who died ...
, where he opened a hardware and implements store. On January 27, 1859, Ellwood married Harriet Augusta Miller; the couple would ultimately have seven children. As Ellwood rose to prominence he began acquiring farm properties in and around DeKalb, Illinois. After the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
ended he began to import
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Huisne river valley in western France, part of the former Perche province from which the breed takes its name. Usually gray or black in color, Percherons are well muscled, and k ...
draft horses, many from France. Eventually, this resulted in a stock farm near DeKalb.
Birth of barbed wire
In late 1872,
Waterman, Illinois
Waterman is a village in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,433 at the 2020 census.
The village was known for the "Waterman and Western" train line that operates in Lion's Club Park. This 1/3 scale train line comprises a ...
farmer Henry Rose developed a wire fence with an attached wooden strip containing projecting wire points to dissuade encroaching livestock. He
patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A p ...
ed his fence in May, 1873 and exhibited it at the
DeKalb County DeKalb County may refer to one of several counties in the United States, all of which were named for Baron Johan DeKalb:
* DeKalb County, Alabama
* DeKalb County, Georgia
* DeKalb County, Illinois
* DeKalb County, Indiana
* DeKalb County, Missouri
...
Fair that summer. This prompted Ellwood along with other DeKalb area residents
Jacob Haish
Jacob Haish (March 9, 1826 – February 19, 1926) was one of the first inventors of barbed wire. His type of barbed wire was in direct competition with the other barbed wire manufacturers in DeKalb, Illinois. He was a known carpenter and archit ...
and
Joseph Glidden
Joseph Farwell Glidden (January 18, 1813 – October 9, 1906) was an American businessman and farmer. He was the inventor of the modern barbed wire. In 1898, he donated land for the Northern Illinois State Normal School in DeKalb, Illinois, whic ...
to work on improving the concept. Ellwood patented a type of
barbed wire
A close-up view of a barbed wire
Roll of modern agricultural barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire, is a type of steel fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strands. Its primary use is t ...
in February 1874, but ever the businessman, concluded that Joseph Glidden's design was superior to his. He purchased one-half interest in Glidden's invention in July 1874. Glidden's patent issued in November, and together they formed the Barb Fence Company. In a few years, Glidden sold his half of that business to others, while retaining royalties from his patent.
Ellwood continued in the manufacture of barbed wire as I.L. Ellwood Manufacturing Company. In the beginning they produced two-strand, twisted barbed wire in the back of Ellwood's hardware store. The business was quickly successful. Ellwood's hiring of
John Warne Gates
John Warne Gates (May 18, 1855 – August 9, 1911), also known as "Bet-a-Million" Gates, was an American Gilded Age industrialist and gambler. He was a pioneer promoter of barbed wire. He was born and raised in what is now West Chicago, Illinois ...
as a salesman propelled sales of barbed wire in Texas.
Ranchers in the west found barbed wire fencing useful and much needed. As demand rose sharply, the company expanded, reorganized and merged and a successful Ellwood began construction on his
Victorian mansion
Victorian architecture is a series of Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the st ...
, the
Ellwood House
The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, in DeKalb County. The Victorian style home, designed by George O. Garnsey, under ...
.
In 1881, I.L. Ellwood Manufacturing became
Superior Barbed Wire Company under an expansion and reorganization plan. Seventeen years later the company would merge in the creation of
John Warne Gates
John Warne Gates (May 18, 1855 – August 9, 1911), also known as "Bet-a-Million" Gates, was an American Gilded Age industrialist and gambler. He was a pioneer promoter of barbed wire. He was born and raised in what is now West Chicago, Illinois ...
'
American Steel and Wire
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
monopoly, which was a predecessor of
United States Steel
United States Steel Corporation, more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations primarily in the United States of America and in several countries ...
.
Support for higher education
DeKalb is home to
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois. It was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895, by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system ...
and Ellwood played a major role in making it a reality. It was
Clinton Rosette
Clinton E. Rosette (c. April 1850 – July 24, 1909) was a prominent citizen of DeKalb, Illinois, during the 19th century. Rosette was closely associated with well-known men from the same city, such as Isaac Ellwood. He was the first editor of th ...
who helped persuade Ellwood that the new Northern Illinois State Normal School should be in DeKalb. So convinced was Ellwood that he used all methods at his disposal to support the cause. His own capital, his time and his political influence were all used to gain DeKalb the new college.
Governor
John Altgeld
John Peter Altgeld (December 30, 1847 – March 12, 1902) was an American politician and the 20th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1893 until 1897. He was the first Democrat to govern that state since the 1850s. A leading figure of the Progr ...
appointed Ellwood to the Board of Trustees, who were responsible for selecting a site for the
normal school
A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...
. This allowed him to assert all the more political influence. In the name of securing the future school for DeKalb Ellwood reportedly donated $20,000 and fronted another $50,000 in a non-interest bearing loan, along with of land for the new school.
NIU Founders
: from Northern Illinois University The bid was ultimately successful and the normal school eventually became NIU.
Texas ranching
In the ensuing time Ellwood's interest in ranching grew. On a trip to Texas in 1889 he purchased the 130,000 acre (530 km²) Renderbrook Ranch in Mitchell County. In 1891 he purchased an additional northwest of Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock ( )
is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northw ...
. He acquired more area in 1902 and 1906 bringing his total holdings in Texas to . In all, at its height Spade Ranch and Ellwood's other Texas land holdings encompassed .
He built a ten-room "cottage" in Port Arthur, Texas
Port Arthur is a city in Jefferson County within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Texas. A small, uninhabited portion extends into Orange County; it is east of Houston. The largest oil refinery in the United Sta ...
which was an authentic copy of a Pompei
Pompei (; nap, Pumpeje, ) or Pompeii (, as in the name of the ancient city) is a city and commune in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy, home of the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
History
...
ian villa from 74 CE.
Ellwood continued to acquire ranch land until almost the time he died, in Dekalb, Illinois in 1910.
Trivia
*The borough of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough primarily in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a small district in Beaver County. The population was 7,031 at the 2020 census. Ellwood City lies northwest of Pittsburgh and southeast of New Castle ...
is named after Isaac L. Ellwood.
*He is the brother of United States Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
Reuben Ellwood
Notes
References
Ellwood biography
from the University of Texas at Austin
External links
Ellwood House and Museum
Ellwood Pompeiian villa
Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce
* – Isaac Ellwood, DeKalb, Illinois ''Improvement in Barbed Fences'' – "single piece of metal with four points, attached to a flat rail" (February, 1874)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellwood, Isaac L.
19th-century American inventors
1833 births
1910 deaths
People from DeKalb, Illinois