Haish Stone "Is Splendid One"

Jacob and Sophia Haish's monument can be found in Fairview Cemetery in DeKalb. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The Haish monument is a regular stop for bus tours, locals and historians in the DeKalb area. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The monument for Jacob and Sophia Haish, located in DeKalb's Fairview Cemetery, has been of interest to many locals and historians. The article below, printed in the Daily Chronicle newspaper in 1928, details the construction of the monument.

From the Dec. 11, 1928, edition of the Daily Chronicle:

HAISH STONE IS FINISHED
Memorial for Pioneer DeKalb Manufacturer Has Been Erected at Fairview
IS SPLENDID ONE

"The major portion of the work of the Jacob Haish monument at Fairview cemetery was completed yesterday afternoon when stone cutters in the employ of Robert Trigg & Sons of Rockford the task of of erecting the large granite monument. The memorial will not be fully completed until next spring when landscape engineers will treat the plot of ground around the granite edifice.

Actual work on the monument was started about two weeks ago, after the concrete foundation had been built. The granite arrived several days ago and since then has been erected.

The base, made of Stony Creek granite, is triangular in shape. On this has been placed two other triangular pieces of granite, each piece smaller than the other, forming three steps, representing the three steps in Masonry. On the top piece of granite has been erected three fluted columns, one at each of the three corners of the triangle. On top of the columns has been placed another triangular piece of granite. The columns have the tapestry finished while the four triangular pieces that form the base and the top is polished granite.

The urn is located at the center of the Haish monument. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Urn in Center

In the center of the monument is a solid urn. On the top of the urn will be placed a bronze plate, on which will be written a brief history of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Haish. This plate has not yet been placed on the urn. 

On one side of the top of the monument is the name "Haish," the letters being of raised bronze, the first time that letters of this type have been placed on a granite monument in this city, it is stated.

The symbols of the Masonic order have been used in the design of the monument, which is of a canopy type.

As was stated previously, the base of the monument is composed of three triangular pieces of granite, forming three steps. The bottom piece, which form the first step, weighs 12 tons, it was stated, while the weight of all of the granite in the monument is 30 tons. O.C. Scott of Robert Trigg & Sons has been in charge of the work.

A plate on the urn details the lives of Sophia Haish and Jacob Haish. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The granite, which comes from Connecticut, was shipped to this city and hauled from the railroad track to the cemetery on a trailer. The largest piece, which weighs 12 tons, was placed on a trailer having a weight of 6,800 pounds, and hauled to the cemetery by a large truck. The greater portion of a day was required in removing this piece of granite from the railroad flat car to the truck trailer.

The monument is one of the most beautiful of its type to be erected in a DeKalb cemetery and next spring after the surrounding ground has been landscaped, a number of DeKalb people will no doubt make pilgrimages to the cemetery to view the monument."

Details of the urn at the Haish monument in DeKalb's Fairview Cemetery. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Thanks to the Joiner History Room for sharing this article.