JOSEPH F. GLIDDEN.

The Barb-Wire Industry--Some Facts in its Early History not Generally
Known--Its Growth.


Joseph Farwell Glidden, "the Father of the Barb-Wire Business" of this
country, is now a hale and hearty man of seventy-one. He was born at
Charleston, N.H. When about one year old the family came West, to
Clarendon, Orleans county, New York, and engaged in farming. The young
lad, besides mastering the usual branches taught in the common schools,
gave some time to the higher mathematics and Latin, intending to take a
college course, an idea that he finally abandoned. He taught in the
district schools for a few terms. In 1842 he came to Illinois and
purchased a quarter section of land a mile west of what is now the site
of the pleasant and prosperous town of DeKalb. With the exception of
three years his life since then has been passed upon this farm and at
DeKalb. He has from time to time added to his homestead, his farm now
embracing 800 acres. His land is under excellent cultivation, a
considerable portion of it having been thoroughly tiled, and his farm
buildings are first-class. Mr. Glidden has been twice married. Two
children were born of the first union, both dying in infancy. By his
second marriage he has one daughter, now the wife of a Chicago merchant.

[Illustration: JOSEPH FARWELL GLIDDEN.]

Mr. Glidden has held several local offices of trust and honor and enjoys
in a marked degree the esteem and confidence of the citizens of his
neighborhood and county. The rapid accumulation of property of late