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.