Isaac L. Ellwood
Isaac Leonard Ellwood (August 12, 1833 – September 11, 1910) was an American rancher, businessman and barbed wire entrepreneur.
Ellwood was born in Salt Springville, New York. His first taste of business came as a young boy when he began selling sauerkraut. In 1851, Ellwood, like many others, headed west to the California Gold Rush.
Ellwood found some success in California and returned east in 1855, to DeKalb, Illinois, where he opened a hardware and implements store. On January 27, 1859, Ellwood married Harriet Augusta Miller; the couple would ultimately have seven children. As Ellwood rose to prominence he began acquiring farm properties in and around DeKalb, Illinois. After the Civil War ended he began to import Percheron draft horses, many from France. Eventually, this resulted in a 3,400-acre (14 km2) stock farm near DeKalb.
In late 1872, Waterman, Illinois farmer Henry Rose developed a wire fence with an attached wooden strip containing projecting wire points to dissuade encroaching livestock. He patented his fence in May, 1873 and exhibited it at the DeKalb County Fair that summer. This prompted Ellwood along with other DeKalb area residents Jacob Haish and Joseph Glidden to work on improving the concept. Ellwood patented a type of barbed wire in February 1874, but ever the businessman, concluded that Joseph Glidden's design was superior to his. He purchased one-half interest in Glidden's invention in July, 1874. Glidden's patent issued in November, and together they formed the I.L. Ellwood Manufacturing Company. In the beginning they produced two-strand, twisted barbed wire in the back of Ellwood's hardware store. The business was quickly successful. Ellwood's hiring John Warne Gates as a salesman propelled sales of barbed wire in Texas. Ranchers in the west found their creation useful and much needed. As business and demand took off, the company expanded, reorganized and merged and a successful Ellwood began construction on his Victorian mansion, the Ellwood House.
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