Hohulin Brothers Fence Company
Article from
The Tazewell County News Thursday, Dec 31, 1964 Page B-5
Hohulin Fence Firm in Goodfield
One of Oldest Illinois Industries
Re-Printed from Woodford County Journal
One of the oldest manufacturing businesses in Central Illinois is the Hohulin Brothers Fence Co. of GoodField.
The Hohulin family has owned and operated the fencing works since John and Tim, purchased the hardware, implement, and blacksmith shop of Haecker and Schumacher, and began business as Hohulin brothers in 1893.
The plant is still owned and operated by six Hohulin brothers, all sons of Sam Hohulin, one of the founders. Eli Hohulin is office manager; John, the mechanic and weaver; Ben, shop manager; Chris and Lawrence, the erectors, and Ed, sales manager.
The younger generation is also taking an active part in the operation. Bob, son of Eli, and David, Ben’s son are full time employees. Until going into military service, Ed’s son Jim, also worked in the factory, and plans to return after his discharge.
The FENCE STORY began in 1897, when Sam and his brothers attempted to buy a fabric-woven fence, and were unable to do so. In checking around they learned that the Martin Bros., in Roanoke, had in their possession the chain link fence weaving machine built by Jacob Schneider, an emigrant from Switzerland, to manufacture and erect a chain-link fence on the farm of their father, Gottlieb Hohulin.
The Hohulin boys purchased this small fence weaving machine from the Martins for $50 and hauled it 15 miles home in a buggy. The hand-operated machine was setup in the attic of the Hohulin blacksmith shop.
On April 27, 1897, the first order for fencing was recorded in a small journal still in the possession of the company. The record shows that Jacob Zehr ordered 396 feet of 48 inch fence and one gate. The cost? Just $26.90.
The fence business continued to grow and about 1907 the brothers sold the blacksmith, implement, and hardware shop and began manufacturing fence as a full time occupation. They moved into a larger building, no longer existing, across the tracks from where they are now located. In 1917 they built and moved into their present location. It is an 80 by 150 foot structure with a railroad siding and loading platform the length of the building.
The HOHULINS continued to modify and improve the original Jacob Schneider machine, and have designed and built all of their own fence fabricating machines, most of which are now automatic.
Until World War II most of Hohulin’s fabricating was done for other fence companies. Now the chain-link manufacturing business has changed and most of their output is sold directly.
They erect most of their own fence for both commercial and residential uses. Their latest installation is at the new Dietrich Manufacturing plant east of Goodfield.
ONE OF THE largest recent orders is for fencing at the new Bethlehem Steel plant near Dune Acres, Ind. Approximately 30 thousand feet of fence has been shipped to a Chicago firm for erection. Hohulin Brothers received this order because they are large users of Bethanized wire made by the Bethlehem Steel Co.
The family first arrived to Woodford County in 1859, when Gottlieb Hohulin made his first purchase of land in Montgomery Township. Gottlieb was born near Frieburg Germany and emigrated to America when he was 25 years of age. In addition to farming he was also a weaver and piled his trade in this county, weaving homespun and jeans. He and Augusta Wenger were married in Woodford County and were the parents of seven children, among them Sam, John, and Tim, founders of the present day Hohulin Brothers firm.