MANY MOURN HIS DEATH

Printed in the Feb. 19, 1926, edition of the DeKalb Daily Chronicle:

MANY MOURN HIS DEATH
"Grand Old Man" of DeKalb Numbered His Friends in Every Walk of Life.
HELPED THIS CITY

Genuine sorrow entered the hearts of hundreds of residents of this city and the surrounding community with the death of Jacob Haish. No resident of this city ever had more friends in every walk of life than did Mr. Haish. When Mrs. Haish died a few years ago, the entire community sorrowed with the grieved helpmate who was left, as he termed it, alone in the world. That same sorrow, even more profound, is being felt today with the death of "DeKalb's Grand Old Man." 

It seems but a short time since he made his daily visit to the Haish State bank, where he would sit contentedly in his easy rocker and greet friends who never failed to stop and have a word of greeting with him. Business men, in a hurry, would spare a few moments to chat with him. His personality and cheerful disposition was magnetic in its power. Shop workers, just free from work and still in their greasy clothes, stopping at the bank to make the savings account deposit or pay their rent, would stop to greet Mr. Haish. To all he presented the same cheerful smile and happy word of greeting. Truly, his friends are numbered in every walk of life.

Mr. Haish was a part of DeKalb. He helped build this city as much or even more than any other resident. When his shops were in operation he furnished employment for many men and he paid them good wages. His workers were not the disgruntled type and he aided materially in giving to DeKalb a citizenry that would be a credit to any community. Many families are residents of DeKalb today only through the work of Mr. Haish. The establishment of his enterprises in this city urged other business connections to be formed.


Article provided by the Joiner History Room.

Requiem the Haish House

Photo of Haish mansion demolition is part of Steve Bigolin's collection | Photo by Jessi LaRue

"Requiem the Haish House"
By Homer Hall ("Uncle Silas")
Printed in the Daily Chronicle, Sept. 21, 1961

Ah well, at last you've got your way
We can no hope enjoy
To save some old or well loved thing
When PROGRESS says "destroy"
Torn down the study old stone walls
Now rubble fills the space,
An heirloom of the city's gone
No one can e'er replace
Gone frescoes on high ceilinged walls,
The carved and polished paneling,
Gone with the vanished years.
What social life streamed thru those rooms,
What distant strangers came
To see the town whose product spread
World wide to give us fame.
A sneer to those old fogies all,
(Their ranks are thinning fast)
Who wished to save for future years
Some relic of the past.
Who thought some value still may lie
With the old and quaint.
Such obstacles to modern ways
Would irritate a saint.
And Jacob Haish who helped to build
Our town to what it is,
Whose benefactions still abound --
How many gifts were his?
Who built the mansion that he loved,
(Though quaint it was he knew)
Would he be pleased to see it fall
Beneath the wreckers' crew?
Ah well, we'll let New England keep
Historic house and scene,
The West preserve each hallowed hut
Deadwood to Abilene.
DeKalb wants only modern stuff,
We're on the ball, no fear
That visitors can ever say
That we're old fashioned here. 

 

Photos of demolition provided by Steve Bigolin