98

The following was reported by Mark Woodard.

―

A search on Google Books for 'Wilson Wire Fence' returned 3 documents from 1898-

1899. Two of them indicate that Wilson Wire Fence of Holly, Michigan was an exhibitor

at the 1898 Indiana and Ohio State Fairs. It is feasible that the corkscrews could have

been given out as advertising premiums at those two events - the timeframe is right.

‖

Another report from Mark

―

Last night I found a big

piece of the puzzle. On a hunch, I search Google for

any picket fence patents issued to residents of Holly,

MI around that time. I only found one, but it is very

compelling. A 'Fence Machine' patent # 643,903 was

applied for on Sept. 13, 1898 and issued on Feb. 20,

1900 to John Lane of Holly Michigan. The pickets are

shown as members V-V in figure 2. By golly, they

look like corkscrews!

‖

―

Finally, I did a Google

search on 'Fence

Weaving Machine' and

nearly all of them show

the pickets made of

wooden slats, woven

together with vertical strands of wire. A few show the use

of only wire, but woven in a diagonal latticework pattern.

Then, I found patent # 518,506 issued April 17, 1894 to

John Lane and Cornelius Lane of Holly Michigan. It also

shows corkscrew shaped wire pickets.

‖

Mark concluded

―

John & Cornelius Lane invented the twisted wire helix fence picket,

and their fence was manufactured by Wilson Wire Fence Co. of Holly, Michigan. That

explains the advertising on the Wilson Wire Fence Company corkscrew.

‖