Joseph's Life Timeline
Jan. 18, 1813 -- Born in New Hampshire
1814 -- Moves to New York
1837 -- Marries Clarrisa Foster
1837 -- John Deere develops first self-scouring steel plow
Between 1837-43 -- Son Virgil is born
Between 1837-43 -- Son Homer is born
1842 -- At age 29, leaves New York with his brother, Josiah, headed west with a threshing machine
About 1842 -- Buys 600-acre farm in Sec. 22 of DeKalb County from cousin, Russell Huntley
1843 -- Sends for Clarissa
June, 1843 -- Wife, Clarissa, dies in child birth in Ogle County, Illinois. Infant dies a few months later.
1845 -- Takes possession of farm in DeKalb County
Oct. 6, 1850 -- Marries Lucinda Warne
Dec. 29, 1851 -- Daughter, Elva Glidden, is born in Buena Vista (now known as DeKalb, IL)
1852 -- Elected sheriff of DeKalb County at age 39
1853 -- City of DeKalb is established
About 1861 -- Builds his brick home and barn at what is now 921 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb
1873 -- Develops barbed wire ideas
Nov. 24, 1874 -- Receives Patent #157,124 for "The Winner" barbed wire
March, 1876 -- Joseph sells half-interest in the Glidden Ellwood Wire Company to the Washburn and Moen Co.
Feb. 1, 1877 -- Daughter, Elva, marries W.H. Bush in west parlor room of the Glidden home, 921 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb
1877 -- Leaves his 800-acre country homestead and moves into the City of DeKalb.
July 14, 1879 -- Becomes owner/publisher of the DeKalb Chronicle
1881 -- Forms the "Frying Pan Ranch" in Texas with Henry B. Sanborn
1883 -- Forms the DeKalb National Bank
July, 1884 -- First visits "Frying Pan Ranch" near Amarillo, Texas
1885 -- Owns approximately 1,500-acres in DeKalb County, Illinois
Aug. 29, 1887 -- Visits Amarillo, TX, to take part of its early stages of elected government and county seat selection
1891 -- Last awarded royalty from "The Winner" patent
Oct. 28, 1895 -- Wife, Lucinda, dies.
1895 -- Donates $14,000 to help start State Normal School, now known as Northern Illinois University
1898 -- At age 85, dissolves partnership with Sanborn in "Frying Pan Ranch"
1898 -- Deeds "Frying Pan Ranch" to son-in-law, W.H. Bush
Mid-1890's -- Donates 64 acres to start State Normal School
1903 -- Celebrates 90th birthday with family and friends
1903 -- Wright Brothers make first successful airplane flight
May 19, 1906 -- Daughter, Elva Glidden, dies
Oct. 9, 1906 -- Joseph dies in DeKalb at age 93
Jan. 18, 1813 -- Born in New Hampshire
1814 -- Moves to New York
1837 -- Marries Clarrisa Foster
1837 -- John Deere develops first self-scouring steel plow
Between 1837-43 -- Son Virgil is born
Between 1837-43 -- Son Homer is born
1842 -- At age 29, leaves New York with his brother, Josiah, headed west with a threshing machine
About 1842 -- Buys 600-acre farm in Sec. 22 of DeKalb County from cousin, Russell Huntley
1843 -- Sends for Clarissa
June, 1843 -- Wife, Clarissa, dies in child birth in Ogle County, Illinois. Infant dies a few months later.
1845 -- Takes possession of farm in DeKalb County
Oct. 6, 1850 -- Marries Lucinda Warne
Dec. 29, 1851 -- Daughter, Elva Glidden, is born in Buena Vista (now known as DeKalb, IL)
1852 -- Elected sheriff of DeKalb County at age 39
1853 -- City of DeKalb is established
About 1861 -- Builds his brick home and barn at what is now 921 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb
1873 -- Develops barbed wire ideas
Nov. 24, 1874 -- Receives Patent #157,124 for "The Winner" barbed wire
March, 1876 -- Joseph sells half-interest in the Glidden Ellwood Wire Company to the Washburn and Moen Co.
Feb. 1, 1877 -- Daughter, Elva, marries W.H. Bush in west parlor room of the Glidden home, 921 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb
1877 -- Leaves his 800-acre country homestead and moves into the City of DeKalb.
July 14, 1879 -- Becomes owner/publisher of the DeKalb Chronicle
1881 -- Forms the "Frying Pan Ranch" in Texas with Henry B. Sanborn
1883 -- Forms the DeKalb National Bank
July, 1884 -- First visits "Frying Pan Ranch" near Amarillo, Texas
1885 -- Owns approximately 1,500-acres in DeKalb County, Illinois
Aug. 29, 1887 -- Visits Amarillo, TX, to take part of its early stages of elected government and county seat selection
1891 -- Last awarded royalty from "The Winner" patent
Oct. 28, 1895 -- Wife, Lucinda, dies.
1895 -- Donates $14,000 to help start State Normal School, now known as Northern Illinois University
1898 -- At age 85, dissolves partnership with Sanborn in "Frying Pan Ranch"
1898 -- Deeds "Frying Pan Ranch" to son-in-law, W.H. Bush
Mid-1890's -- Donates 64 acres to start State Normal School
1903 -- Celebrates 90th birthday with family and friends
1903 -- Wright Brothers make first successful airplane flight
May 19, 1906 -- Daughter, Elva Glidden, dies
Oct. 9, 1906 -- Joseph dies in DeKalb at age 93