Joseph F. Glidden and the Contentious Invention of Barbed Wire

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Joseph Glidden is known as the father of barbed wire, but who actually invented it was a matter of disagreement. As a consequence, Glidden's invention was embroiled in legal battles for years.

Research:

• “Barb Fence: Its Utility, Efficiency and Economy : a Book for the Farmer, the Gardener and the Country Gentleman.” Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Company. Lucius P. Goddard. Accessed online: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=v_EoAAAAYAAJ&rdid=book-v_EoAAAAYAAJ&rdot=1
• “Barbed Wire.” The Burlington Hawk-Eye. May 3, 1879. https://www.newspapers.com/image/31320626/?match=1&terms=%22joseph%20f.%20glidden%22
• “Barbed Wire.” Chicago Tribune. Dec. 22, 1880. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349503001/?match=1&terms=%22joseph%20f.%20glidden%22
• “Barbed Wire: The Saga.” Joseph H. Glidden Homestead. https://www.gliddenhomestead.org/barbedwire.html
• Boardman, Mark. “The Winner.” True West. Sept. 22, 2022. https://truewestmagazine.com/article/the-winner/
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Joseph Farwell Glidden". Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Farwell-Glidden
• “Dekalb Gets New Hospital.” Republican-Northwestern. Oct. 30, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/69739499/?match=1&terms=%22Joseph%20F.%20Glidden%22
• Glover, Robert. “The Haish-Glidden relationship.” Jacob Haish Story. April 22, 2018. http://www.jacobhaishstory.com/2018/04/glover-haish-glidden-relationship.html
• Haish, Jacob. “"A Reminiscent Chapter from the Unwritten History of Barb Wire Prior to and Immediately Following the Celebrated Decision of Judge Blodgette, December 15, 1880.” Accessed via Jacob Haish Story: http://www.jacobhaishstory.com/2016/10/a-reminiscent-chapter-from-unwritten.html
• Harford, Tim. “'The devil's rope': How barbed wire changed America.” BBC. Aug. 6, 2017. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40448594
• “HISTORY OF DEKALB.” City of Dekalb. https://www.cityofdekalb.com/854/History-of-DeKalb
• Joseph F. Glidden Homestead and Historical Center. https://www.gliddenhomestead.org/index.html
• McCallum, Henry D. “Barbed Wire in Texas.” The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, vol. 61, no. 2, 1957, pp. 207–19. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30241926
• Rumrill, Alan. F. “A Moment in Local History: Joseph Glidden’s Invention.” The Keene Sentinel. Aug. 19, 2023. https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/a-moment-in-local-history-joseph-gliddens-invention-by-alan-f-rumrill/article_fd52ab67-53cf-5ac3-a780-f2ab94411f16.html
• “Story of Barb Wire.” Belvedere Daily Republican. Jan. 11, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/69693931/?match=1&terms=%22Joseph%20F.%20Glidden%22
• “The Washburn & Moen Maufacturing Company … “ Chicago Tribune. Nov. 13,1876. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349595774/?match=1&terms=%22jacob%20haish%22
• “WASHBURN & MOEN MANUF'G CO. et al. v. BEAT 'EM ALL BARBED-WIRE CO. et al.” U.S. Supreme Court. Accessed via Cornell Law School: https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/143/275

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