Joseph F. Glidden and the Contentious Invention of Barbed Wire

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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