SHORT-HORN CAriLE
ALVIN H.SANDERS
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SHORTHORN CATTLE
A SERIES OF
HISTORICAL SKETCHES, MEMOIRS
AND RECORDS OF THE BREED
AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IN THE
UNITED STATES AND CANADA,
WITH AN APPENDIX BRINGING
THE RECORD DOWN THROUGH
THE OPENING YEARS OF THE
TWENTIETH CENTURY, PREPARED
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE
AUTHOR BY MR. B. O. COWAN.
D
D D
By ALVIN H. SANDERS. D. Agr.. LL. D.
EDITOR OF '"THE BREEDER'S GAZETTE,"
AUTHOR OF "THE STORY OF THE HEREFORDS "
AND "AT THE SIGN OF THE STOCK YARD INN"
D
D D
CHICAGO:
SANDERS PUBLISHING CO.
Copyright. 1918,
BY SANDERS PUBLISHING CO.
All rights reserved.
"The history of what man has accomplished in this world
is, at bottom, the history of the great men who have worked
here. They were the leaders of men, these great ones; the
modelers, patterns, and, in a wide sense, creators of whatso-
ever the general mass of men contrived to do or to attain." —
Thomas Carlyle.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I— THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY AND ITS
CATTLE.
Some Short-horn shrines — A farmer's cow — Grass a prime factor
in cattle-growing- — Birthplace and origin of the breed —
Earliest known breeders — Some foundation stock . . . . 15-28
CHAPTER H — DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE.
Faults of the old Teeswater stock — The Bakewell experiments —
Ketton and Barmpton — The original Duchess cow — "The
Beautiful Lady Maynard" — The bu)l Hubback — Foljambe
and inbreeding — Favorite (252) an extraordinary sire —
"The Durham Ox" — "The White Heifer That Traveled" —
The "alloy" blood — As to Robert Colling — "The American
Cow" — The Ketton Dispersion — The Barmpton sales — Pre-
eminence of the CoUings 29-56
CHAPTER III — FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS.
The elder Booth — The Fairholme experiment — Some foundation
sires — The Halnaby or Strawberry tribe — The Bracelets —
Richard Booth at Studley — The Isabellas — John Booth at
Killerby 57-68
CHAPTER IV— THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES.
Early studies in cattle-breeding — Original investments — The
Duchess blood — Student, experimenter and exhibitor — Bulls
first used on the Duchesses — From Halton to Ridley Hall —
Removal to Kirklevington — Belvedere (1706) of the Princess
blood — The cross of Whitaker's Noifolk — The Matchem cow
and the Oxfords — A show-yard disappointment — The Oxford
Royal of 1839 — Prizes at Cambridge — A "brush" with the
Booths — Duke of Northumberland (19 40) — Importance of
tabulated pedigrees — The Wateiloos — Wild Eyes Tribe —
The Cambridge (Red) Roses — Foggathorpe family —
Blanche or Roan Duchess sort — The Secrets — So-called Bcll-
Bates tribes — Last appearance in show-yard — Dispersion of
the herd — Sixty-four Duchess females — Individual charac-
ter of the cattle .... 69-113
5
b TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER V — PALMY DAYS AT KILLERBY AND WAR-
LABY.
Bracelet and Necklace — Buckingham — John Booth's sale — War-
laby and its show-yard wonders — Faith, Hope and Charity
— Crown Prince (10087) — Isabella Buckingham and other
celebrities — The Blossoms and Windsor (4013) — Bride,
Bridesmaid and Bride Elect — The quartette of "Queens" —
Vivandiere, Campfollower and Soldier's Bride — Death of
Richard Booth — The Booth method of breeding . . . . 119-137
CHAPTER VI^OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS.
Lord Althorpe (Earl Spencer) — Jonas Whitaker — Wetherell, the
"Nestor" of the trade — Wiley of Brandsby — The Knightley
"Fillpails" — Fawkes of Farnley Hall — William Torr — The
long roll of honor 138-156
CHAPTER VII — FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA.
Character of the Gough & Miller cattle — Kentucky and the Pat-
ton stock — An early New York importation — The Cox im-
portation — The first pedigreed bulls — The "Seventeens" —
Massachusetts importations — Early New York importations
— Col. Powel's purchases — Ancestress of the Louans — Wal-
ter Dun's importations 157-180
CHAPTER VIII — DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY
HERDS.
Feeding for seaboard markets — Oliio Importing Company — Felix
Renick and confreres in England — Whitaker's selections of
1835 and 1836 — Sale of Oct. 29, 1836 — Final sale in 1837 —
Thos. Bates to Felix Renick — Mr. Clay's importations to
Kentucky — Dr. Martin's importation of 1839— R. Hutch-
craft's importation — Fayette County Importing Co. — Impor-
tations into Tennessee — ^William Neff's importation — Wait
and other importations — First Bates bull for Kentucky 181-214
CHAPTER IX — EASTERN IMPORTATIONS — 183 to 1850.
New Yoi-k importations — ^Vail's purchases of Bates cattle —
Whitaker's shipments to America — Introduction of Princess
blood — Miscellaneous importations 215-226
CHAPTER X— SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY IN AMERICA.
The first "Duke" for America — Morris and Becar — The Earl
Ducie sale in England — Thorndale and the Duchesses — Re-
vival of interest in the West — Scioto Valley Importing Co.
TABLE OF CONTENTS /
— Madison Co. (O.) Co. — Northern Kentucky Association —
Scott Co. (Ky.) Importing Co. — Clinton Co. (O.) Associa-
tion — Clark Co. (O.) Co. — R. A. Alexander of Woodburn —
First of the Airdrie Duchesses — The Alexander importation
of July, 1853 — Subsequent shipments to Woodburn Farm —
Importations by the Shakers — James S. Matson (Kentucky)
— Wilson & Seawright (Ohio) — Mason and Bracken (Ken-
tucky) Association — Livingston Co. (N. T. ) Association —
Thomas Richardson (New York) — Dr. H. Wendell (New
York) — J. O. Sheldon (New York) — R. F. Nichols (Louisi-
ana) — First importations into Indiana — An early importa-
tion to Wisconsin — The Illinois Importing Co. — Founding
of the American Herd Book 227-273
CHAPTER XI — SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK.
A new era dawns — Duke of Airdrie (12730) — George M. Bed-
ford's lease of "The Duke" — Jere Duncan and Duke of
Airdrie 2743 — Abram Renick and Airdrie 2 478 — Airdrie a
bull-breeder — Inbreeding of the Roses of Sharon — The Van-
meters — Young Phyllis — Young Mary — The Warflelds — Ren-
ick 903 — Muscatoon 70.57 — The Loudon Duchesses — Adop-
tion of Bates type and methods 274-315
CHAPTER XII — PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST.
First Illinois herds — Early Indiana breeders — Pioneer breedei-s
of Michigan — First Short-horns wes.t of the Mississippi —
Foundation stock in Iowa — Early Wisconsin herds — ^Activ-
ity in the show-yard — Wm. R. Duncan and Minister 6363 —
J. M. Hill's sale — J. H. Pickrell — Sweepstakes 6230 — Gen.
Grant 482.5 — Baron Booth of Lancaster 316-356
CHAPTER XIII — THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM."
"Royal" honors for Bates cattle — Duchesses exported to Eng-
land — The Grand Duchesses — Havering Park sale — Sheldon
of Geneva — Geneva cattle abroad — "Walcott & Campbell —
First Hillhurst importations — Gibson buys Booths for New
York Mills — Sensational transfer of the Sheldon herd —
"Duke" bulls in demand — The McMillan sale — Col. William
S. King — The Lyndale show herd — Tycoon 7339 — King's
victory at St. Louis — W. R. Duncan's sale — The beginning
of live-stock Journalism 357-394
CHAPTER XIV — AN ERA OP EXPANSION.
Hillhurst and Lyndale operations — Exportations to England —
Clark Co. (Ky.) Importing Co. — High prices in Illinois —
The gi-eat trade of 1872 — Oakland Favorite 10546 and Lou-
don Duke 6th 10399 — The first National convention — Oppo-
sition to prevailing "fashion" developed 395-409
8 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER XV — THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE.
Spring sales of 1873 — Dunmore's big deal — Summer sales — New
Yorlt Mills dispersion — Kello's mistake — Sources of deteri-
oration — 4th Duke of Geneva — English sales of 1873 . . 410-433
CHAPTER XVI — A GOLDEN AGE.
Spring sales of 1874 — Lyndale sale at Dexter Park — Other
Western events — Kentucky summer sales — Closing events
of 1874 — The sales of 1875 — Glen Flora dispersion — Kissin-
ger's sale — Elliott & Kent — Spears and the Nelly Blys —
Pickrell's great sale — Jacobs' sale at West Liberty — Dexter
Park auctions — The Avery & Murphy sale — Long prices at
Meredith's — Airdrie Duchesses at $18,000 each — Big sales
in the Blue Grass — Pushing the Princesses — The Trans-
Mississippi trade — $3,500 for a Scotch heifer — Groom im-
portations and sale — Other important transactions — All rec-
ords broken at Dunmore — Torr's Triumph — Additional im-
portations — Another Renick exportation — North Elkhorn
(Ky.) importation — Closing events of 1875 434-480
CHAPTER XVII — THE TURN OF THE TIDE.
Hon. George Brown and Bow Park — 4th Duke of Clarence —
Opening sales of 1876 — Potts buys imp. Duke of Richmond
— Col. HoUoway's big average — Albert Crane pays $23,600
for an Airdrie Duchess^$17,900 for 14th Duke of Thorn-
dale — Closing events of 1876 — Pickrell and Kissinger —
Spring sales of 1877 — Cochrane at Windermere — Sale sum-
mary for 1877 — A falling market — Top prices in England
for 1878— Dark days of 1879— The rally of 1880— The Vaile
and Rumscy importations — Sales of 1881 — A new era at
hand — Injudicious breeding — Evils of speculation — The spur
of opposition — Scotch cattle to the fore 481-516
CHAPTER XVIII — SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST.
"Caledonia stern and wild" — Science, "roots" and Short-horns —
Feed-lot considerations paramount — Crossing the border —
Robertson of Ladykirk — Rennie of Phantasie — Barclay of
Ury — Hutcheson of Monyruy — Grant Duff of Eden — Bra-
with Bud — Simpson and Buchan Hero — Hay of Shethin. 517-540
CHAPTER XIX— AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON.
A new type sought — The brothers Cruickshank — The farm at
Sittyton — General plan pursued — The first of the Violets —
Venus tribe — The family of Mimulus — Picotee and her
progeny — The Matchless sort — The Broadhooks — Origin of
TABLE OF CONTENTS V
the Lady tribe — The Nonpareils — Sittyton Butterflys — Or-
ange Blossoms — Admah, Kilmeny 3d, and Eliza by Brutus
— Clipper tribe — The Victorias — The Lancasters — The Bra-
with Buds — Duchesses of Gloster — The Secrets — The Cicely
sort — Avalanche — Violette — The Lovelys — Barmpton Roses
— The Spicys — The Lavenders — First Sittyton bulls — Fair-
fax Royal (6987) — Hudson (9228), Report (10704) and
Velvet Jacket (10998) — Matadore (11800) — Plantagenet
(11906) — Doctor Buckingham (14405) — The Baron (13833)
—Lord Bathurst (15173)— Master Butterfly 2d (14918) —
John Bull (11618)— Lord Raglan (13244)— The Czar
(20947) — Lancaster Comet (11663) — Champion of England
(17526)— Windsor Augustus (19157)— Forth (17866) —
Lord Privy Seal (16444) — Prince Alfred (27107) — Other
outside bulls^ — Concentration of the Champion of England
blood — Scotland's Pride and Pride of the Isles — Caesar Au-
gustus — Royal Duke of Gloster — Roan Gauntlet — Barmpton
— Cumberland 541-602
CHAPTER XX — OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS.
Douglas of Athelstaneford — Campbell of Kinellar — The Nonpa-
reils, Miss Ramsdens and Golden Drops — Early Kinellar
sires — Booth cross disappointing — Marr of Uppermill — The
Maudes — The Missies — The Princess Royals — The Alexan-
drinas — The Roan or Red Ladys — The Bessies — The Claras
— The Emmas — The Goldies — Sittyton sorts — Early sires
at Uppermill — Heir of Englishman (24122) — Cherub 4th
(83359) — Athabasca (47359) — William of Orange (50694)
— Later Sittyton sires at Uppermill — Lethenty — Collynie. 603-625
CHAPTER XXI — RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA.
Early importations into Ontario — First Sittyton cattle in Canada
— The Athelstane blood — Cruickshank cattle at the shows —
Violet's Forth — The Golden Drops — Thompson's other im-
portations — John Miller's first shipment — James I. David-
son — Hon. John Dryden — Arthur Johnston — Miscellaneous
Canadian importations — The lies importation into Illinois
— Robt. Milne of Kelvin Grove — Lowman and Smith's im-
portation — Scotch success at the shows — Potts and the
Duke of Richmond — The Fanny Airdrie "nick" — Frederick
William and "the twins" — A line of Cruickshank sires —
Twenty years in the show-yard — The Wilhoit herd. . . 626-662
CHAPTER XXII — CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY.
Sale of the Hillhurst Duchesses— Richard Gibson's sale of 18S2
— Woodburn sale of lS82^The Huston-Gibson sale — Pal-
mer's sale of Scotch cattle—Kentucky Importing Co. of
1883 — Sale of Pickrell, Thomas & Smith — ^Kentucky sum-
10 TABLE OF CONTENTS
mer sales of 1883 — Sale of the Holford Duchesses — The
Hamiltons — Col. W. A. Harris of Linwoocl — Success of
Baron Victor — The Linwood Golden Drops — Baron Laven-
der 2d — Imp. Craven Knight — A search for sires — Princess
Alice — Linwood's salutary influence — J. J. Hill of North
Oaks — Hope's show herds of 1887 and 1889 — Luther Adams'
importations — The shipment of 1887 — Cupbearer bought —
"West Liberty sale — The memorable purchase of 1887 —
Lakeside's show herd of 1888 — Third and last lot — Last
successful Duchess sale — Sale of the Sittyton herd — The
Cruickshank cows at CoUynie — Field Marshal and Mario —
Scottish Archer and Count Lavender — Argentine and the
shambles — Summary of Sittyton sales — Moberley and Young
Abbottsburn — Mary Abbottsburn 7th — Forest Grove sale —
Woodburn dispersion — Columbian Exposition awards — Re-
cent importations — Herd-book consolidation. . . . . 663-743
CHAPTER XXIII— A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED.
Universal adaptability — Feed-lot favorites — "Prime Scots" —
Smithfield Club — American Fat-Stock Show — On the range
— Dairy capacity — State fair tests — The Columbian records
— The Wisconsin experiment — Official records in Iowa —
Figures from New York — Polled Durhams. . . . . 744-780
CHAPTER XXIV— THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE.
What constitutes success? — Inbreeding — Herd-book registration
— Color — Handling quality — Constitution, character and
conformation — Primary points in management — Does show-
ing pay? — Selling the surplus — About animal portraiture —
Tribal designation — Dignity of the breeder's calling — The
future 781-811
APPENDIX
CHAPTER I— RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE AND REVIVAL
OF TRADE.
WKitehall herd established — The American Royal — The Inter-
national — Westi'ope's dispersion — Summer Hill herd sold —
May sales — Chicago auction — The Hardings' Chicago sale
— Some important shows — The second American Royal — A
remarkable sale — The court of last resort — Sales of 1902
— Ohio sales — June sales — Shows of 1902 — The Interna-
tional of 1902 — The Harding dispersion — Whitehall's sec-
ond sale — The International of 1903 — The Louisiana Pur-
chase Exposition — The International of 1904 834-87?
TABLE OF CONTENTS 11
CHAPTER II— SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GROWTH.
Woodhill herd — Cottage Hill herd — Sinnlssippi herd — Cumber-
land's Last — Tebo Lawn — Choice Goods — Hallwood herd. 873-889
CHAPTER III— MORE HERDS ESTABLISHED— AND SOME
IMPORTATIONS.
Maxwalton — Thomas Johnson's herd — Some importations —
— Choice Goods sold — Pine Grove herd — Maple Shade herd
— The Allen Cattle Company — On historic ground — Lespe-
deza farm — Craigielea herd — The Pleasant Valley herd. 890-913
CHAPTER IV— FROM THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSI-
TION TO THE PANAMA-PACIFIC.
A memorable sale — Browndale's twenty-ninth sale — Cherry
Grove auction — The Des Moines show — The fair at Ham-
line — The International — A phenomenal steer — About King
Cumberland — The Anoka sale — The American Royal's
great show — The 1909 International — Grand champion
steers — Stanton's great sale — White & Smith — The eleventh
International — The American Royal of 1911 — -Then the In-
ternational — Milking Shorthorns — Seven-year average —
Sales in 1913 — The International of 1913 — Enhancement of
values — The American Royal — Panama-Pacific Exposition
— National Western Stock Show. . .' 914-944
CHAPTER V— ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE.
Maxwalton's sale — Bellows Bros.' auction — The calf sale in
America — Imported cattle sold — The International show
and sale — The Milking Shorthorns — The show of steers —
The International sale — Public sale averages — A bright fu-
ture — Sale of imported cattle — Oklahoma auctions — Autumn
importations and sales — And then the greatest Interna-
tional 945-972
CHAPTER VI— DUAL-PURPOSE SHORTHORNS.
Official tests — The Glenside herd — Milking Shorthorns abroad
— An important importation — Aids to development — Dual-
purpose sales — Peer's remarkable sale — Glenside's new
record 973-989
CHAPTER VII— EXPORTATIONS TO ARGENTINA.
A hazardous shipment — Association exportations. . . . . 990-994
CHAPTER VIII— EXPANSION AT HEADQUARTERS.
Shipments to Mexico — The secretaryship — Exchange of judges
— Futurities extension work — "The Shorthorn in America"
—And finally 995-1005
CHAPTER I
THE OLD SHOET-HORN COUNTRY AND ITS
CATTLE
One briglit morning in the month of June a few
years since the writer was a passenger in a vehicle
that emerged from the environs of the comfortable
little city of Darlington, England — once the Short-
horn capital — into the open country so familiar a
century ago to those rare old worthies who gave to
the world the breed that forms the subject of our
stor^^ Rural England at this season of the year will
stir the blood of any human being who has any
capacity whatever for the appreciation of pastoral
panoramas. When to the natural beauty of the land-
scape is added the charm of historic association and
congenial companionship, it is indeed not difficult for
a lover of Short-horns to while away a summer holi-
day in the peaceful valley of the river Tees and con-
tiguous territory in York and Durham, the ancestral
home of the breed.
Some Short-horn shrines. — Here are the grassy
lanes of Hurworth, where the dam of Hubback
grazed; there the farms once occupied by Charles
and Robert Colling; yonder Yann with its quaint old
market-place and Black Bull Inn. This cluster of
cottages, nestling amidst sheltering vines and flow-
is
16 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ering laburnums, holds the unpretentious roof of
Thomas Bates, and marks also the historic little
church-yard of Kirklevington with the tomb of the
man to whom Short-horn history is primarily in-
debted for the most dramatic event ever registered
in the annals of agriculture.* We try to recall the
figure of the keen old bachelor, but we seek in vain
through the now-deserted fields for Belvedere, the
Duke of Northumberland or Duchess 34th. That
typical English hamlet of ye olden time — Great
Smeaton — shows the house where Coates, the father
of Short-horn pedigree records, compiled his earliest
notes. Away over the hills is Eryholme, with its
memories of "the beautiful Lady Maynard," and
nearing the Tees at Croft a portrait of the $5,000
Comet still greets the eye on the sign-board of a way-
side inn; while over the way is Stapleton, the farm
where the famous old bull was buried.
Passing from the train at Northallerton and
mounting a trap in waiting we are soon on a perfect
English roadway bound for one of the most cele-
brated seats of Short-horn power. Wending our
way between vine-clad walls and hawthorn hedges
we traverse a gently-rolling Yorkshire landscape
having for a background the distant Cleveland hills.
Lost in admiration at the moving picture, not wholly
unlike the fairest portions of the Blue-Grass region
of Central Kentucky, we presently sight "red, white
•The International contest for the possession of the Bates Duch-
esses at New York Mills in 1873, when 198 head of Short-horn cattle
sold for the astonishing total of $380,490.
THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY 17
and roans" in all their glory, up to their knees in
richest grass, on a sod that represents the growth
of centuries. A Short-horn enthusiast's heart beats
hig'h as he here approaches Warlaby and passing
through a velvety lawn stands at the threshold so
sacred to the house of Booth. There is a word to
conjure with! Redolent with its recollections of
Crown Prince, Queen of the May, Nectarine Blossom,
Bride Elect and other names that hold a place in
the great galaxy of Short-horn ''immortals"!
"Many a valuable cup and hard-won medal may
there be seen. The portrait of many a prize-taker
decorates its rooms; and many a pleasant hour has
been spent and ancient story told in this quiet Short-
horn home, while the genuine old squire 'refilled
his pipe and showed how fields were won.' "
Away in the bleaker Northland, far beyond those
beauteous English scenes bounded by "Tweed's fair
river, broad and deep," is a Caledonian cottage hid
away in one of the prettiest little gardens fancy can
portray. So cosily does it seem ensconced that the
wintry blasts from the neighboring German ocean
surely lose a part of their hyperborean rigor before
they reach that quiet fireside. We are in far-off
Aberdeen. A white-haired octogenarian, Amos
Cruickshank, there awaited the peaceful ending of
a life that proved eminently useful to his fellow men,
pure and elevating in its character, and fruitful of
results to the Short-horn world. Modestly the Nestoi*
of the North Country cattle-breeding told us some-
18 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
thing of liis life and work. We left liim, the sage of
Sittyton, standing there amidst the greenery of his
shrubs and flowers, and as we looked around upon
the fields and paddocks that once held Champion of
England, Pride of the Isles, Roan Gauntlet and
Royal Northern, and Highland winners by the score,
we felt the spell of a wondrous story brooding over
those silent Scottish "braes."
What have these men, their colleagues and their
followers, accomplished? What is the nature of
their legacy? Let us first turn for partial answer
to the world's greatest exhibition of live stock and
agricultural products. We are under the medieval
walls of Castle Warwick. The flower of British
Short-horn herds is assembled in the park. The
meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society of Eng-
land is in progress. The ripe fruit of generations of
careful breeding is before us. We note the size and
excellence of the various classes as they came for-
ward upon that occasion to be judged; the "bloom"
and the wealth of flesh and hair! We turn to our
catalogue. Air trace at last to that same little valley
of the Tees; some through Kirklevington, some
through Warlaby, some through Sittyton, and some
through other channels found in the broad-flowing
currents of the breed. The crowds throng about the
arena, where prince and peasant, great land-owners
and tenant fanners and visitors from every clime
meet to do honor to England's most widely-dissemi-
nated race of domesticated animals, and, indirectly,
THE OLD SHORT-HORX COUNTRY 19
to bear testimony to the noble service rendered to
the cause of agriculture by the builders of this breed.
A fanner's cow. — The average farmer, as dis-
tinguished from the dairyman and professional
feeder, maintaining cattle as an incidental, albeit
necessary, feature of a well-ordered system of mixed
husbandry, requires not only milk, cream and butter
in good supply for domestic consumption, but the
cows that provide him with these products are also
expected to raise a calf each year that can be profit-
ably utilized in consuming the grass and "rough-
ness" of the farm; so that the males will command a
fair price as yearlings and two-year-olds for feeding
purposes and the heifers possess the requisite size
and quality fitting them for retention in the breed-
ing herd. Hence the necessity for a combined beef-
and-milk-producing breed for general farm pur-
poses.
It is claimed by those who support its contentions
that the Short-horn blood produces "the farmer's
cow" par excellence of the world. The females often
reach in full flesh 1,800 lbs. in weight, occasionally
making 2,000 lbs., and with good farm keep at matu-
rity should average say 1,400 lbs. in working con-
dition. Aged bulls in high flesh occasionally weigh
up to 2,800 lbs., but experienced breeders prefer sires
that average from 2,000 lbs. to 2,400 lbs., extreme
weights not being generally favored. In color they
are red, roan, red with white markings or white. In
Great Britain, the home of the breed, the roans pre-
20 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
dominate. This is indeed the one distinctive Short-
horn color, never produced except by the presence
of the blood of this breed. In America reds have
been in special demand for some years past purely
as a matter of fancy, although the other colors^ —
save perhaps the pure whites — are also seen in
nearly every herd. Good Short-horn cows should
yield a fair flow of milk as well as fatten readily
when dry. The steers possess smooth, level frames,
mature quickly on the ordinary foods of the farm
and are in great demand for feeding purposes. The
bulls "cross" well upon cows of other types, being
especially valued for leveling and refining the form
of stock lacking size, finish and quality.
Grass a prime factor in cattle-g'rowing. — England,
the home of the Short-horn, with its moist, equitable
climate, is a veritable paradise for herbivorous
animals. During those trying months when Ameri-
can pastures lie brown and bare under a fierce mid-
summer sun those of England still afford green feed.
Our blue-grass fields in June are luxuriant beyond
compare, and in late autumnal days usually regain
for a time much of their earlier splendor, but the
season of uninterrupted grazing in England is longer
and the pastures carry a greater variety of plants.
While John Bull, therefore, owes much of his fame
as a producer of the flesh-bearing breeds to the per-
sistency of the island verdure it has remained,
nevertheless, for an American to furnish agricultural
literature with a fitting tribute to "the universal
THE OLD SHOKT-HORN COUNTRY 21
beneficence of grass." Not in the midst of the peer-
less pastures of old England, but on the rolling
prairies of our own breezy "Sunflower State" of,
Kansas Senator Ingalls found his inspiration. ''It
yields no fruit in earth or air, yet should its harvest
fail for a single year famine would depopulate the
world."*
From time immemorial it has been the mission of
the herd and flock to convert this rich fruitage of
the earth to the use of man, and one of the crown-
ing triumphs of modern agriculture is found in the
perfection to which domestic animals especially
adapted to this end have been brought. England has
♦Readers of The Breeder^s Gazette have often expressed the wish
that this rhetorical gem might be given permanent setting in some
form. It was originally a part of a magazine article written by Mr.
Ingalls many years ago. The much-admired passage is accordingly
given a place here :
"Next in profusion to the divine profusion of water, light and air,
those three physical facts which render existence possible, may be reck-
oned the universal beneficence of grass. Lying in the sunshine among
the buttercups and dandelions of May, scarcely higher in intelligence
than those minute tenants of that mimic wilderness, our earliest recol-
lections are of grass ; and when the fitful fever is ended, and the fool-
ish wrangle of the market and the forum is closed, grass heals over the
scar which our descent into the bosom of the earth has made, and the
carpet of the infant becomes the blanket of the dead.
"Grass is the forgiveness of Nature — her constant benediction.
Fields trampled with battle, saturated with blood, torn with the ruts
of cannon, grow green again with grass, and carnage is forgotten.
Streets abandoned by traffic become grass-grown, like rural lanes, and
are obliterated. Forests decay, harvests perish, flowers vanish, but
grass is immortal. Beleaguered by the sullen hosts of winter it with-
draws into the impregnable fortress of its subterranean vitality and
emerges upon the solicitation of spring. Sown by the winds, by wan-
dering birds, propagated by the subtle horticulture of the elements
which are its ministers and servants, it softens the rude outlines of the
world. It evades the solitude of deserts, climbs the inaccessible slopes
and pinnacles of mountains and modifies the history, character and
destiny of nations. Unobtrusive and patient, it has immortal vigor and
aggression. Banished from the thoroughfare and fields, it bides its
time to return, and when vigilance is relaxed or the dynasty has per-
ished it silently resumes the throne from which it has been expelled
but which it never abdicates. It bears no blazonry of bloom to charm
the .<:enses with fragrance or splendor, but its homely hue is more en-
chanting than the lily or the rose. It yields no fruit in earth or air,
yet should its harvest fail for a single year famine would depopulate
the world."
22 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
easily taken the lead of all other nations in this
fascinating and eminently practical pursuit, and in
the Short-horn breed of cattle has given to the world
a variety of farm stock that has probably been more
widely distributed than any other known type. It
has not only received by reason of its dual-purpose
character more attention at the hands of the tenant
f aiTuers and landed proprietors of Great Britain and
Ireland than any other British breed, but has a firm
hold upon the affections of the farmers of the United
States and Canada under varying environments. It
has been extensively introduced into Australia and
Argentina and has a foothold in the grazing regions
about the South African Cape. Continental Europe
with all its conservatism has drawn frequently upon
British Short-horn herds — France in particular
maintaining good collections of registered stock. It
has peculiar claims, therefore, to the title sometimes
bestowed upon it as being "the one great cosmopoli-
tan breed."
Birthplace and origin of the breed. — The Short-
horn — or "Durham" as formerly called by many
farmers in the United States — is of composite origin,
representing the result of generations of skillful
blending of various original types. While its long
period of incubation is shrouded in more or less un-
certainty there is no question either as to its original
habitat or its ancient lineage. Tradition, as well as
authentic records, recognized the progenitors of the
modern type in the Counties of Northumberland,
THE OLD SHOET-HOEN COUNTRY 23
Durham, York and Lincoln for several centuries
prior to the final crystallization of the breed in and
about the Teeswater Valley. So much of a specula-
tive character has been published relating to the
gradual evolution in Northeastern England of the
established type of which we write that it is not
essential, nor would it be of any special profit, for
us to undertake to travel extensively over that un-
certain ground in this volume. For centuries it is
said that Northern England was the home of a
horned black breed, and black cattle predominated
in Yorkshire and adjacent counties until the seven-
teenth century. At this date two other well-known
types existed in England, the "pied" cattle of Lin-
colnshire, with ' ' more white than other colors, ' ' and
the red stock of Somerset and Gloucestershire. By
the middle of the eighteenth centuiy, although the
Yorkshire cattle were still largely black, mixed
colors began to make their appearance. ''But of all
the cows in England," wrote William Ellis, in 1744,
''I think none comes up to the Holderness breed for
their wide bags, short horns and large bodies, which
render them (whether black or red) the most profit-
able beasts for the dairyman, grazier and butcher.
Some of them have yielded two or three gallons at
a meal." This type took its name from the district
of Holderness in Southeastern Yorkshire. About
this time cattle were imported from continental
Europe into the Eastern counties. These consisted
chiefly of large white Dutch or Flanders cows. It
24 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
is also said that bulls were brought in from Holland
and used on some of the herds of York and Durham.
These Dutch cattle should not, however, be confused
with the modern Holstein-Friesians. It is said that
Michael Dobinson and Sir William St. Quintin —
both of whom were among the earliest possessors
of old-time short-horned herds — imported and used
Dutch bulls. These various types were all of a very
crude sort when contrasted with the breed finally
evolved from them, and as we are more interested
in the result than in speculation as to the remote
origin of the race we need not dwell upon them.
Earliest known breeders. — It is claimed that a
short-horned type of cattle existed on the Yorkshire
estates of the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland
for a period of two hundred years prior to 1780.
Herds of short-horned stock had also been in the
possession of the Smith sons of Stanwick as early as
the middle of the seventeenth century. The Aisla-
bies of Studley Royal and Blacketts of Newby were
likewise fond of good cattle and paid great atten-
tion to the quality of their herds about this same
period. Other prominent breeders prior to the year
1780 were Sir William St. Quintin, Sir James Penny-
man* and Mr. Milbank of Barningham. The latter
*To induce his tenants to pay more attention to the quality of their
stock Sir James is said to have frequently made small wagers as to
whose oxen would weisrh the most and bring: the best prices. Cadwal-
lader Bates says: "The fai-m accounts commencing- from 1745 regu-
larly recorded the sales of Pennyman Short-horns, with their weight
and proof in tallow, for they were very often sold by weight. As the
soil there is a strong clay no turnips were grown, and the cattle were
kept in winter on only hay and straw. Notwithstanding this, the flve-
year-old steers generally averaged about 1,960 lbs."
THE OLD SHOKT-HOEN COUNTRY 25
secured some of his cattle from tlie Blacketts, but
Ms reputation rests largely upon his use of the
famous red-and-white Studley Bull (626), calved in
1737, that became the progenitor of many celebrated
animals. Between the years 1730 and 1780 many
eminent breeders gave their attention to the im-
provement of their cattle, among them, besides those
already mentioned, being Sharter, Pickering, Ste-
phenson, Wetherell, Maynard, Dobinson, Charge,
Wright, Hutchinson, Robson, Snowdon, Waistell,
Eichard and William Barker, Brown, Hall, Hill,
Best, Watson, Baker, Thompson, Jackson, Smith,
Jolly, Masterman, Wallace and Eobertson. These
names we find as breeders of the earliest cattle
whose names and pedigrees are recorded in the first
volume of the English Herd Book. It may be well
to know that as this herd book was not published
until the year 1822 — some thirty or forty years
after the decease of many of those we have men-
tioned — tradition, and the memory of men then
living, as well as the written records of their prede-
cessors, were the authorities on which the lineage
of the earlier animals were admitted to record.
Some foundation stock. — The Studley Bull (626),
dropped in 1737, was one of the first great stock-
getters of the breed of which there is record. The
herd book furnishes no particulars concerning him,
but he is described by competent contemporary
authority as having been a red-and-white "pos-
sessed of wonderful girth and depth of forequarters,
26 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOK.X CATTLE
very short, neat frame and light offal." One of his
sons, "Mr. Lakeland's bull," said to have attained
great size and to have carried a good back, begot
William Barker's Bull (51), that acquired reputa-
tion as the sire of another one of the breed-founders
known as "James Brown's Red Bull (97)." This
noted bull was bred by John Thompson at Girling-
ton Hall. At this date it was not customary to pre-
serve the name or even a description of the cows
from which sires in service were descended. The
pedigree was traced through the bull line exclu-
sively. Hence there is no record as to the maternal
ancestry of these foundation sires. Mr. Coates, who
collected the material for the first volume of the
herd book, which still bears his name, had intended
that a. description of the most noted animals should
appear in the public registry. Although this plan
was not adopted in the final revision of the book his
notes on many of the earlier sires have nevertheless
been preserved. From these it appears that "J.
Brown's old red bull" had "good fore quarters and
handle,* huggins and rumps not good, strong thighs,
excellent getter." The progeny of this bull was
apparently held in great esteem, and some of his
daughters subsequently attained much reputation,
one becoming the ancestress of the aftei*^^ards cele-
brated Bates Duchess tribe, and another was the
*This refers evidently to his "touch," as the handling qualities of
breeding stock were carefully regarded by the original improvers ot
the breed.
THE OLD SHOET-HORN COUNTRY 27
ancestral dam of Eobert Colling 's old Red Rose
sort.
The most famous of all the foundation bulls, how-
ever, was Hubback (319), his influence ha\dng been
so great as to require special comment in these pages
further on. Many bulls are recorded in the first
volume of the English Herd Book that lived anterior
to the year 1780, but aside from their names and
that of a sire, and sometimes a grandsire, little or
nothing seems to have been recorded of their ances-
try, and nothing beyond can now be known of them.
Among these, in addition to those already named,
are Ralph Alcock's Bull (19), Allison's Gray Bull
(26), J. Brown's White Bull (98), Hollon's Bull
(313), Jolly's Bull (337), Kitt (357), Masterman's
Bull (422), Paddock's Bull (477), William Robson's
Bull (538), Sir James Penmanan's Bull (601), Jacob
Smith's Bull (508), T. Smith's Bull (609), Snow-
don's Bull (612), sire of Hubback (319); Studley
White Bull (627), got by Studley Bull (626) ; Wais-
tell's Bull (669), the same as Robson's Bull (558);
and Walker's Bull (670), the same as Masterman's
Bull (422), by Studley Bull (626).
Of the cows contemporary with the bulls we have
named few, if any, are recorded in either the first
or subsequent volumes. We can, therefore, only
infer that the cows were equally as well and care-
fully bred as the bulls. Cattle fairs (not shows in
the sense of our modern exhibitions), where beasts
were taken to market for sale, were then, as now,
28 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
common in England, and probably many well-bred
COWS and heifers were brought there for sale by
their breeders and owners. These were doubtless
taken by breeders of good cattle when the blood and
quality were considered satisfactory and bred to the
best bulls. From such market cows descended the
more immediate ancestors of many celebrated Short-
horns. It is no disparagement to those nameless
cows that such is the fact, as very few pedigrees can
now be traced by name on the female side beyond
the year 1780, and but comparatively few beyond
the year 1800.
The earliest recorded pedigree in the female line
known to Short-horn records is that which has long
been referred to in England and America as the
Princess family, tracing to the cow Tripes, bought
by Thomas Hall in 1760.
CHAPTER II
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE
The attention given by the sturdy tenantry of the
Teeswater country to the production of a superior
grade of beef at this early date, as indicated by the
roster of names set forth in the precediug chapter,
was the response of the farmers of that district to
the demands of Anglo-Saxon taste. On the opposite
or continental shore of the German Ocean dairy
products were esteemed an especial delicacy; and so
the low countries gradually became the home of;
what subsequently developed into the Holstein-
Friesian breed. But the fox-hunting Yorkshire
"squires" and the hon vivants of "merrie England"
generally, demanded something more substantial at
their banquet boards. Eich ''barons" of well-mar-
bled beef appealed particularly to the palates of the
hearty Britons, and right royally did the stock-
growers of the Island meet the call. Widespread
interest in the breeding of fine cattle developed. At
Darlington, Durham Yarm and other central points
market fairs, the forerunners of our modern shows,
had begun to attract all the progressive farmers,
feeders and graziers of the country-side both far
and near. Each of those who took pride in cattle
vied with the other in the exhibition of good speci-
30 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
mens of the Teeswater type; and we can easily
imagine with what absorbing interest these breed-
builders compared the relative merits of their stock
and with what satisfaction they noted the progress
being made. Herd books were not in existence.
Blood lines were known only by word of mouth or
sundr}^ traditions; but they were a superior class of
men, these pioneers in the study of the laws of
heredity as applied to animal life, and their local
fairs were at once a forum and a market-place.
Short-horn "parliaments," far-reaching in their in-
fluence, assembled upon these occasions, frequently
with some favorite bull or heifer as the storm center
of debate. Then, as now, men differed as to the form
of animals and methods of breeding to be pursued.
There were few if any servile imitators. There was
no established type or fashion to rule the hour. It
was the formative stage in the evolution of the
Short-horn as known to the succeeding generation,
and each individual sought results largely after the
dictates of his own personal judgment. Would that
some of this same independence of thought and
action might be brought to bear in the settlement of
problems facing those who are endeavoring to per-
petuate Short-horn characteristics at the present
time!
Faults of the old Teeswater stock.— The Short-
horn of that day was not only lacking in uniformity
in some essential points but as a breed possessed
serious faults calling for radical treatment. Pos-
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE 31
sibly as accurate a statement as has been handed
down bearing upon the character of the old Tees-
water stock, which formed the basis of "the im-
proved Short-horn," is that of William Carr, the
historian of the afterward-celebrated herds of the
Messrs. Booth. He says that the best specimens of
the breed at that time were ' ' generally wide-backed,
well-framed cows, deep in their fore quarters, soft
and mellow in their hair and 'handling' and possess-
ing, with average milking qualities, a remarkable
disposition to fatten. Their horns were rather
longer than those of their descendants of the present
day and inclining upward. The defects were those
of an undue prominence of the hip and shoulder
point, a want of length in the hind quarters, of
width in the floor of the chest, of fullness generally
before and behind the shoulders, as well as of flesh
upon the shoulder itself. They had a somewhat dis-
proportionate abdomen, were too long in the legs
and showed a want of substance, indicative of deli-
cacy, in the hide. They failed also in the essential
requisite of taking on their flesh evenly and firmly
over the whole frame, which frequently gave them
an unlevel appearance. There was, moreover, a gen-
eral want of compactness in their conformation."
The Bakewell Experiments. — Eobert Bakewell of
Dishley, a Leicestershire farmer, worked out about
this period a system of stock-breeding that was des-
tined to play henceforth a prominent part, not only
in the development of the Short-horn but in the
32 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
evolution of nearly all our other improved breeds
as well. Whatever may have been the practice of
the ancients in respect to the coupling of animals
closely related it remained for Bakewell to demon-
strate to the stock-breeders of the last century that
in the concentration of the blood of animals possess-
ing desired characteristics a method was provided
whereby results could be quickly and definitely
attained. This idea was diametrically opposed to
the principles and practice governing the operations
of Bakewell's contemporaries. Incestuous breeding
of animals was held in abhorrence, and when Bake-
well began breeding long-wooled sheep, Lancashire
Long-horned cattle and cart horses from close affini-
ties his neighbors gave him credit for being some-
what daft. He was a man of considerable means at
the beginning of his experiments, and brought more
or less scientific knowledge to bear upon his work.
His system contemplated first the selection of foun-
dation stock approximating in form and character
as closely as possible the type he sought to estab-
lish. With these as a basis their immediate de-
scendants were interbred in such a way as to give
a strong concentration of the blood of the original
selections. The idea was of course the creation of
a family likeness or type — a group of animals homo-
geneous in blood and uniform in characteristics.
Resort to fresh blood was only had when an animal
was found elsewhere that possessed in marked de-
gree as an individual the particular points desired.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPKOVED TYPE 33
The plan soon began to reveal marvelous results,
and orders for breeding stock began to come from
all parts of the island. King George III himself
made personal inquiries as to "the new discovery"
in stock-breeding, and about the time the early
Short-horn breeders became specially interested in
their work the Bakewell system was arousing much
curiosity, even among those conservatives who had
stoutly opposed the theory.
Bakewell did not use Short-horns in his experi-
ments. He kept a few of the old sort, it is said,
merely to show by contrast the superiority of his
new breed of Long-horns. While he achieved a per-
manent success with his sheep the Long-horns were
not destined to general popularity. The method em-
ployed in fixing the type, however, was soon seized
upon by some of the younger elements in the Short-
horn breeding ranks, and with wonderful effect, as
we "^vill now proceed to note.
Ketton and Barmpton. — About three miles north-
east of Darlington, in the county of Durham, over-
looking a little stream that flows into the Tees at
Croft, is the farm of Barmpton, and about a mile
beyond is Ketton. Upon these two farms the modern
Short-horn may be said to have had its origin.
Charles Colling, Sr., father of Charles and Robert,
the first great improvers of the breed, had laid the
foundation for a Short-horn herd at Ketton Farm by
the purchase of a cow called Cherry at Yarm Fair,
but finding farming unprofitable at this time he gave
34 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOR^'^ CATTLE
up the property to his son Charles. The brothers
set about breeding Short-horns at a time when
values of farm products in England were much de-
pressed. The American Kevolution had just been
terminated, and, in common with all other farm
property in Great Britain, cattle were still feeling
the demoralizing effects of war.
The original Duchess cow. — Charles Colling had
heard of Bakewell and his work, and in 1783 made
a prolonged study, at Dishley, of the theory and
practice of in-and-in or "close" breeding. In June
of the following year he bought in Darlington mar-
ket a cow which he named Duchess that gave rise to
the family that afterwards became the subject of
the wildest cattle speculation known in all the annals
of English or American agriculture. She was
bought from Thomas Appleby, a tenant farmer on
the Stanwick estate of Sir Hugh Smithson, after-
wards created Duke of Northumberland. As already
stated, the Stanwick herds had been celebrated
locally from a very ancient period. The primal
Duchess was described as "a massive, short-legged
animal of a beautiful yellow-red flecked color; her
breast was near the ground and her back wide. She
was, too, a great grower. Mr. Colling considered
her handling very superior, and no one was a better
judge. He even went so far as to say that he con-
sidered her the best cow he ever had or ever saw,
and confessed that he could never breed as good a
one from her, even from his best bulls, which im-
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE 35
proved all his other cattle." This fine cow cost but
thirteen pounds sterling. About the same date
Charles Colling bought a cow named Daisy said to
have been descended from MasteiTQan's Bull and
belonging to a family of cows noted for their milk-
ing properties. Moreover, it was said that she was
"very neat in shape and very inclinable to make
fat."^
*'The Beautiful Lady Maynard."— In 1786 Gabriel
Thornton, who had lived with Mr. Maynard of Ery-
holme as bailiff for some ten years, entered Charles
Colling 's service. The quality of the Eryholme cat-
tle naturally came under consideration, and in Sep-
tember of that year Mr. and Mrs. Charles Colling
rode over to Mr. Maynard 's to inspect the herd.*
Their attention was at once claimed by a handsome
seven-year-old cow then called Favorite "that Miss
Maynard was milking." This cow was a roan pos-
sessing the long horns of the old Teeswater type aud
came from a well-established tribe. She was bought
for twenty-eight guineas, and Mr. Colling agreed
also to take her heifer calf — that received the name
of Young Strawberry and was sired by Dalton Duke
(188) — at ten guineas. At the time of this purchase
the cow was again in calf to Dalton Duke and gave
birth to a bull to that service at Ketton in 1787. The
name of this cow, the most celebrated of all the earlv
*It is said that Mrs. Colling was quite as much interested in cattle-
breeding as her husband, and having no children she had leisure to in-
dulge her love for the stock.
36 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
matrons of the breed, was changed by Mr. Colling
to Lady Maynard. She became the ancestress of
several famous families and of the bulls that fairly
created "the improved Short-horn."
The Bull Hubback. — While Charles Colling was
making these purchases of foundation stock his
brother Kobert was not idle. The author of one of
the latest English contributions to Short-horn liter-
ature* asserts that in Duchess, Cherry, Daisy and
Lady Maynard Charles Colling was possessed of
"the four best short-horned cows in existence."
Eobert Colling had bought with judgment from such
good herds as those of Messrs. Milbank, Hill, Wat-
son, Wright, Sir William St. Quintin and Best, all
of whom were known to possess fine cattle, and in
the case of the selection and use of the celebrated
bull Hubback Eobert seems to have shown rather
more discernment than Charles. There is no gain-
saying the far-reaching influence of the blood of this
bull as a factor in the improvement of the breed.
Indeed some credit him with being the one real foun-
tain head of modern Short-horn excellence. The tes-
timony of Thomas Bates (one of the most dis-
tinguished of all those who followed Colling, and of
whom we shall speak more at length later on) was
particularly radical upon this proposition. He said:
"It was the opinion of all good judges in my early days that
had it not been for the bull Hubback and his descendants the
old valuable breed of Short-horns would have been entirely
lost, and that where Hubback's blood was wanting they had no
♦Cadwallader John Bates of Langley Castle, Northumberland.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPEO\^ED TYPE 37
real merit, and no stock ought to have been put in any herd
book of Short-horns which had not Hubback"s blood in their
veins. Had this been done, then the Herd Book of Short-horns
would have been a valuable record; as it is, it is undeserving
of notice, and ought no longer to be continued as a book of ref-
erence, as ninety-nine animals out of a hundred in Coates' Herd
Book should never have been entered there."
Mr. Bates may be called a prejudiced witness. He
was a man of very decided convictions ; dogmatic to
the last degree. While it is not probable that Hub-
back held, Atlas-like, in his day the whole future of
the breed upon his shoulders there is no doubt that
he imparted a quality and refinement of character
that had been comparatively rare prior to his ap-
pearance.
Short-horn histoiy abounds in cases where out-
standing merit has failed of adequate appreciation,
but the story of Hubback, summarized below, prob-
ably surpasses all others of its class.* He was thus
♦John Hunter, the breeder of Hubback, was a brick-layer and lived
at Hurworth. He had once been a tenant farmer and bred Short-
horn cattle, which, when leaving his farm to live at Hurworth, he sold
all off, excepting one choice little cow he took with him, and as he had
no pasture of his own for her to graze in she ran in the lanes of the
town. While there she was put to "George Snowdon's Bull," also in
Hurworth. From him the cow dropped a bull calf. Soon afterward
the cow and calf were driven to Darlington market and there sold to
a Mr. Bassnett, a timber merchant. Bassnett retained the cow but
sold the calf to a blacksmith at Hornby, five miles out from Darling-
ton. The dam of the calf taking on flesh readily would not again
breed and after some months was fattened and slaughtered. Growing
to a useful age, the young bull in 1783 was found, at six years old. in
the hands of a Mr. Fawcett, living at Haughton Hill, not far from
Darlington.
Mr. Wright (a noted Short-horn breeder) says that Charles Colling,
going into Darlington market weekly, used to notice some excellent
veal, and upon inquiry ascertained that the calves were got by a bull
belonging to Mr. Fawcett of Haughton Hill. This bull, then known as
Fawcett's Bull, and some years afterwards called Hubback, was at the
time serving cows at a shilling each (about twenty-flve cents). Charles
Colling, however, as the merits of the beast were talked over between
himself and others, did not appear particularly impressed with them
But Robert Colling and his neighbor, Mr. Waistell of Ali-hill, who had
also seen the bull, thought better of him and more accurately measured
38 A HISTORY OF GHORT-HORN CATTLE
described by Coates: "Head good, horns small and
fine, neck fine, breast well formed and fine to the
touch, shoulders rather upright, girth good, loins,
belly and sides fair, rump and hips extraordinary,
flank and twist wonderful." He was a yellow-red
with some white, calved in 1777. He was got by
Snowdon's Bull (612), he by Waistell's Bull (558),
he by Masterman's Bull (422), son of Studley Bull
(626). His dam was out of a cow bred by Mr. Ste-
phenson of Ketton "from a tribe in his possession
forty years. ' ' It was at one time alleged that there
was Kyloe (West Highland) blood in Hubback's
veins on his dam's side, but this is not substantiated.
Robert Colling used Hubback for a time and then
sold him to his brother Charles, who kept him in
service two seasons, after which he was sold, at ten
years of age, to Mr. Hubback, in whose hands he
remained up to his death at the age of fourteen
years. It appears that neither Waistell nor either
of the Collings truly appreciated the merits of Hub-
back until after they had parted with him and saw
the excellence of his stock as they grew up and
developed. He was a small bull — his dam was small
his value. The two. soon after Good Friday, in April, 1783, bought him
of Mr. Fawcett for ten guineas (about $50) and took him home, where
he was jointly owned and used to their separate herds. Colling having
seventeen and Waistell eleven cows served by him during the season.
In the following November (1783) Charles Colling, having changed his
opinion of the merits of the bull, offered his owners eight guineas
(about $40) for him, and they sold him. , . - , • i.-
Charles Colling kept the bull two years, using him freely m nis
herd, and then sold him late in 1785, at ten years old, to a Mr. Hub-
back at North Seton, in Northumberland. The bull had no name when
Colling sold him. Mr. Hubback u.sed him (the bull then being called
Hubback's Bull) until the year 1793, when he was fourteen years old,
and he was vigorous to the last.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPKOVED TYPE 39
for a Short-horn, but a very handsome cow, of fine
symmetry, with a nice touch and fine, long mossy
hair. All these choice qualities Hubback took from
her. As size was a meritorious point in Short-horns
at that time it is highly probable that the Collings
discarded him for that deficiency more than any
other. Yet the subsequent reputation of Hubback
among the breeders was higher than that of any
other bull of his time, and it was considered a great
merit in any Short-horn which could trace its pedi-
gree back into his blood, which no doubt could be
easily done, as he was, both before and after the
Collings owned him, open to the public at a cheap
rate of service. It is said that his stock had capa-
cious chests, prominent bosoms, thick, mossy coats,
mellow skin, with a great deal of fine flesh spread
evenly over the whole carcass. Mr. Bates stated
that Hubback had "clean, waxy horns, mild, bright
eyes, a pleasing countenance, and was one of the
most remarkably quick feeders ever known. He re-
tained his soft and downy coat long into the summer.
His handling was superior to that of any bull of
the day."
Foljambe and inbreeding. — Among other good
heifers left at Ketton by Hubback was one called
Haughton, said to have been "fine and neat." Mr.
Colling had apparently not a high enough opinion
of Hubback at that time, however, to go to the ex-
treme of Bakewell's system and breed her back to
her sire, for he sent her to be bred to Richard Bar-
40 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ker's Bull (52), "a large, well-shaped, but coarse;
wiry-haired beast with a black nose." The produce
was the noted bull Foljambe (263), a white with a
few red spots, that seems to have combined some
of the good points of both sire and dam. He was a
big, wide-backed, ''thick beast of great substance,"
inheriting scale and constitution from his sire and
some of Hubback's good handling quality from his
dam. Although sold as a young bull at fifty guineas
Foljambe was used upon some of Colling 's best cows,
among others the rich red roan Lady Maynard, the
produce being a heifer called Phoenix. To the cover
of Foljambe Lady Maynard 's Dalton Duke heifer
Young Strawberry dropped the bull Bolingbroke
(86), called by Coates the best bull he ever saw. It
is at this point that the Bakewell system was first
tried. The Lady Maynard heifer Phoenix (by Fol-
jambe) was bred to the Young Strawberrj^ (daugh-
ter of Lady Maynard) bull Bolingbroke (by Fol-
jambe), the produce of this close breeding being the
celebrated bull Favorite (252). It is claimed by his-
torians of the Bates herd that this mating was not
directed as a well-matured scheme. Phoenix had
previously been bred to Robert Colling 's Ben (70).
According to Bell the cow was not bred back to Ben
again because a coolness had arisen between the two
brothers, and was only served by Bolingbroke sim-
ply in order that "she might have a calf of some
sort." This may or may not be true, but the fact
remains nevertheless that Favorite, with his double
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE 41
infusion of the blood of Foljambe and Lady May-
nard, represented the first fruit of the application of
the policy of in-and-in breeding to Short-horn cattle.
Colling sold Bolingbroke when eight years old to Mr.
Jobling for seventy guineas. Vigorous to the last,
the old bull was killed at Newcastle in 1800, being-
sold at one shilling per pound. It is said that his
stock had, as a rule, red bodies with some white on
their faces, thus resembling somewhat in their mark-
ings the modern Hereford.
Favorite (252) an extraordinary sire. — This great-
est of all old-time sires was ' ' a large, massive bull of
good constitution, with a fine, bold eye, remarkably
good loins and long, level hind quarters. His shoul-
der points stood wide and were somewhat coarse;
they protruded into the neck. His horns were long
and strong." Coates called him "low in the back."
Waistell said he was "a grand beast * * * with a
good coat and as good a handler as ever was felt."
It is said that he resembled his dam. Phoenix, rather
than his sire, Bolingbroke.
Favorite was a light roan, dropped in 1793, and
died in 1809. So nearly did he meet Mr. Colling 's
view as to what a Short-horn bull should be that he
now began a most extraordinary course of inbreed-
ing. For years the bull was used indiscriminately
upon his own offspring, often to the third and in one
or two instances to the fifth and sixth generations.
His get were not only the most celebrated Short-
horns of their day, but his immediate descendants
42 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
constitute a large percentage of the entire founda-
tion stock upon which the herd-book record stands.
He was bred back to his own dam, the produce being
a heifer, Young Phoenix, To still farther test the
Bakewell system this heifer was then bred to her
own sire, the issue of that doubly-incestuous union
being the bull Comet (155), the pride of his time,
and the first Short-horn to sell for $5,000. The first
calf got by Favorite was dropped by the Duchess
cow, and the second was a bull that was afterwards
steered and acquired celebrity as
"The Durham Ox." — It must be borne in mind
that at this time the Short-horns were a local breed
of cattle, confined chiefly to the counties of ancient
Northumbria, and the best of them were to be found
in and about the Valley of the Tees. The Collings,
in the exercise of their usual foresight and sagacity,
determined to give their cattle a wide reputation
through the kingdom, and for that purpose Charles
prepared the Durham Ox for public exhibition. As
this ox achieved a wide reputation and successfully
drew the merits of the Short-horns to the attention
of the cattle-breeding public, although it has been
frequently published, a full account of him will be
repeated. He was among the earliest calves got by
Favorite (252), **bred in the year 1796, and out of a
common black-and-white cow, bought for Charles
Colling by John Simpson, at Durham Fair, for £14
($70)." Although the dam of the Durham Ox was
said to have been "a common cow," yet from the
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE 43
price which Colling paid for her, and the marvelous
excellence of the steer descended from her, it is
altogether probable she possessed much of the "com-
mon" Short-horn blood of the vicinity. Judging
from her color she was probably not highly bred,
but it is certain that she had much quality. This
steer Colling fed up to his greatest flesh-taking
capacity until nearly five years old, when he had
attained a reputed weight of 3,024 lbs. He was then
purchased to be exhibited by Mr. Bulmer of Harmby,
in Februaiy, 1801, for £140 ($700). Balmer had a
traveling carriage made to cavry him through the
country, and after traveling and exhibiting him five
weeks sold the carriage and ox at Eotherham to
John Day for £250 ($1,250). On the 14th day of May
ensuing, Mr. Day could have sold him for £525
($2,625) ; on the 13th day of June for £1,000 ($5,000),
and on the 8th of July for £2,000 ($10,000), but he
refused all these offers, which were strong proofs
of the excellence of the ox, as well as his exhibition
value. Mr. Day traveled with him nearly six years
through the principal parts of England and Scot-
land, till at Oxford, on the 19th of February, the ox
dislocated his hip bone, and continued in that state
till the 15th of April, when he was killed, and not-
withstanding he must have lost considerable flesh
during these eight weeks of illness, yet his dead
weight was: Four quarters, 2,322 lbs.; tallow, 156
lbs.; hide, 142 lbs.; total, 2,620 lbs. This was at the
age of eleven years, under all the disadvantages of
44 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
six years traveling in a jolting carriage and eiglit
weeks of painful lameness. At ten years old Mr.
Day stated his live weight to have been nearly
3,400 lbs.
"The White Heifer That Traveled. "—About the
year 1806 Robert Colling reared a purely-bred heifer,
afterward called the "White Heifer That Traveled,"
which he sent out through the principal agricultural
counties for exhibition. The date of her birth is
not given in the first volume E. H. B., where her
pedigree is recorded. She was also got by Favorite
(252) from a dam called "Favorite Cow," bred by
R. Colling. The name of "Favorite Cow's" sire is
not given. Her grandam, "Yellow Cow," was by
Punch (531), and her great-grandam was by An-
thony Reed's Bull (538), and bred by Mr. Best of
Manfield. The "White Heifer" being twinned with
a bull, and herself not breeding, she was fed up to
her greatest flesh-taking capacity and extensively
exhibited. Her age w^hen slaughtered is not given,
but the account states that her live weight could
not have been less than 2,300 lbs., and her dead
weight was estimated at 1,820 lbs.
There were other extraordinary, large and heavy
cattle bred and fed by the Short-horn breeders con-
temporary with the Collings, whose recorded weight
we might give, but as they all run about the same
scale it is not important to record them here. It is
sufficient to say that the great reputation which the
Collings and their animals acquired was through the
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE 45
wider knowledge which the public abroad obtained
of them by these public exhibitions. Thus the Col-
lings became conspicuously known, and were con-
sidered by those not intimately acquainted with the
other breeders around them as, if not the founders,
at least the great improvers of the newly-advertised
and meritorious breed.
The "alloy" blood.— In the year 1791, after
Charles Colling had been ten years a Short-horn
breeder and had his choicest Short-horn families
well established, one of his neighbors. Col. O'Calla-
ghan, purchased two Scotch Galloway hornless
heifers and brought to his farm. He agreed with
Colling to have the heifers served by his bull Bol-
ingbroke (86), with the understanding that if the
calves were bulls Colling was to have them; if heif-
ers, O'Callaghan was to retain them. One of these
heifers, red in color, dropped a red-and-white roan
bull calf in the year 1792, which immediately became
the property of Colling. The other calf was a heifer,
which was kept by O'Callaghan. Colling had an
aged Short-horn cow, ' ' Old Johanna, ' ' bred by him-
self, of moderate quality, got by "Lame Bull" (358),
bred by Robert Colling. That is all which is given
of her pedigree, no dam being mentioned. Yet Lame
Bull had two crosses of Hubback (319) in him, and
his great-grandam was by James Brown's Red
Bull (97), so far giving Mm an excellent pedigree.
Old Johanna not having bred a calf for two years
was put to this Son of Bolingbroke (from the Gallo-
46 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
way heifer), when a yearling, and he got her in calf.
The produce was another bull calf, in 1794, Grand-
son of Bolingbroke (280), red and white in color,
which Colling also kept, being three-fourths Short-
horn and one-fourth Galloway blood. Colling 's cow
Phoenix, the dam of Favorite (252), had become
somewhat aged, and not having had a calf since the
birth of Favorite, although put to good bulls, as a
last resort she was coupled to this Grandson of Bol-
ingbroke, when a yearling, in 1795, and by him she
had a red-and-white heifer calf in the year 1796.
This calf Colling called "Lady." She had one-
eighth part Galloway blood. Proving a very good
one. Colling reared this heifer, and at maturity bred
her successively to his bulls Favorite (252), her half-
brother; Cupid (177), otherwise closely related to
her; and to Comet (155), still more closely related.
She produced the heifers Countess, one-sixteenth
Galloway, by Cupid; and Laura, also one-sixteenth
Galloway, by Favorite, both of which proved fine
cows. Her bull calves were Washington (674), one-
sixteenth Galloway, by Favorite; also Major (397),
one-sixteenth; George (276), one-sixteenth; and
Sir Charles (592), one-sixteenth Galloway; the
three last ones by Comet (155). The two "alloy"
bulls, "O'Callaghan's Son of Bolingbroke" (469),
and "Grandson of Bolingbroke" (280), as well as
the cows Lady and her daughters Countess and
Laura and some of their descendants, were re-
corded in Vol. I, E. H. B., many years after Col-
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPEOVED TYPE 47
ling had sold them, with their Galloway cross dis-
tinctly stated.
Although very little of this blood remained in the
descendants of these so-called "alloy" cattle at the
time of the Ketton sale of 1810 — the outcross having
been buried fathoms deep by pure Short-horn
blood — there was an effort subsequently made to
discredit them, but happily the controversy once
waged over them no longer interests practical
breeders.
As to Robert Colling. — In his youth Eobert had
been apprenticed to a grocer, but his health declin-
ing he embraced farming. He had often visited Mr.
Culley, a noted farmer, stock-breeder and agricul-
tural writer, and took lessons from him in farming,
turnip-growing and stock-feeding. He had obtained
Leicester sheep from Bakewell, and for many years
bred and sold them with great success, simultaneous
with his pursuit of cattle-breeding. His annual ram-
lettings were extensive and profitable.
Some of his earliest stock he obtained from Mr.
Milbank of Barningham. They were considered as
among the best of the Teeswater cattle, and noted
for their excellent grazing properties. He also se-
lected the best cows to be obtained from other breed-
ers, and having the bull Hubback (319), as previ-
ously stated, in the year 1783, by which he had sev-
enteen cows served, it may well be supposed that he
made a ready and sure start through the best blood
and the best animals he could obtain in the founda-
48 A HISTOKY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
tion of his herd. He bred with skill and judgment,
and founded several different families, among the
rest the AVildair, the Red Rose, the Princess, the
Bright Eyes, and others, which became in future
hands, as well as his own, widely noted as the basis
of superior herds. He also bred many noted bulls.
Among the earliest of them were Broken-horn (95),
by Hubback (319); Punch (513), by Broken-horn;
Ben (70), and Twin Brother to Ben (660), by Punch;
Colling's (Robert) White Bull (151), by Favorite
(252); Marske (418), by Favorite [his dam and
grandam also by Favorite; great-grandam by Hub-
back (319) — that became a very noted bull, useful
thirteen years, and died at fifteen years old] ; North
Star (459), by Favorite [and full brother to the
"White Heifer That Traveled"]; Phenomenon
(491), by Favorite, and Styford (629) by Favorite.
"The American Cow." — Among the cows bred by
Robert Colling was one which has obtained celeb-
rity, through her descendants, as "The American
Cow"; and it was a subject of inquiry for many
years, both in England and America, why a cow
so ancient in lineage should have been called by a
name so foreign to her birthplace, and after a coun-
try where the Short-horns at that time were almost
unknown. We first find her name in the pedigree
of Red Rose, in first edition of Vol. I, p. 457, E. H. B.,
as follows: "Red, calved in 1811, bred by Mr. Hus-
tler, property of Mr. T. Bates; got by Yarborough
(705), dam (bred by R. Colling and called The
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPEOVED TYPE 49
American Cow) by Favorite (252), grandam by
Punch (531), great-grandam by Foljambe (263),
great-great-grandam by Hubback (319)."
In the above pedigree The American Cow is orig-
inally identified. In Vol. II, p. 497, first edition E.
H. B., the same Red Rose is again recorded as Red
Rose 1st, her dam being "The American Cow," as
before. In a conversation with the late L. F. Allen,
Mr. John Thornton of London, who visited this
country in the winter of 1870-71, remarked that he
had never learned why the American Cow was so
called, although he had made diligent inquiries in
England for the reason.
The American history of the cow, as we have been
informed on authority which we deem good, is this:
In some year, not long after 1801, a son of Mr.
Hustler, who was a Short-horn cattle-breeder in
Yorkshire, emigrated to New York, and brought
with him some Short-horn cattle, among which was
this nameless cow, or then heifer, afterward dam of
the Red Rose 1st, which his father bought of Robert
Colling. The younger Hustler went into business in
New York city, and put his cattle into the adjoining
county of Westchester. After a few years' stay in
America he returned to England, and not finding his
Short-horns appreciated on this side the ocean (as
we find no record of them or their produce in this
country) Mr. Hustler took this cow back with him,
as she was a remarkably good beast, and put her
into his father's herd. Then, on being put to Yar-
50 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
borough, she became the dam of Red Rose, after-
ward purchased by Mr. Bates, he calling her Red
Rose 1st, which, in his hands, was the ancestress of
the tribe of Red Rose, from whom many excellent
animals have descended. The only English account
we have of The American Cow, aside from her pedi-
gree, which we have quoted, is that "she was sent
to America, and taken back to England. ' '
It is hardly necessary to follow Robert Colling
through the various particulars of his breeding. The
brothers bred much in concert, followed the same
system of blood concentration, and in fact were al-
most identical in their practice. To sum up the
results of their joint action, it may be said that they,
in the midst of older and more experienced breeders,
combated the rooted prejudices of the day, and
through the Bakewell system established a new
school of breeding.
The Ketton Dispersion. — Enjoying the prestige of
success and reputation, in the month of October,
1810, Charles Colling made a public sale of his herd
at Ketton and retired from breeding. It was then
the heydey of agricultural prosperity in the British
Islands. England had engaged in the continental
wars of Europe against the first Napoleon; specie
payments had been many years suspended by her
banks and at the national treasurj^; prices of agricul-
tural produce were highly inflated, and so far as
pounds, shillings and pence then rated — probably
quite double to what they were ten years afterward
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPEOVED TYPE 51
— the sums wliich were bid for his cattle were both
unprecedented and enormous. The sale was well
advertised, and its results marked an era in Short-
horn history. Twenty-nine cows and heifers fetched
£4,066 13s., an average of £140 4s. 7d.; eighteen bulls
and bull calves brought £3,049 4s., an average of
£169 8s., the forty-seven head selling for £7,115 17s.,
an average of £151 8s. Three-fourths of the cattle
were got by the bulls Favorite (252) and his son
Comet (155), and the remaining fourth by bulls of
their get. Furthermore, a large proportion of the
cows were in calf to Comet. This bull brought 1,000
guineas. The highest-priced female was one of his
daughters, the three-year-old Lily, that brought 410
guineas. The "alloy" cow Countess, ''undoubtedly
the finest cow in the sale," brought 400 guineas.*
The Barmpton Sales. — Eight years after the sale
of the Ketton herd Robert Colling, in the year 1818,
made a partial sale of his stock, and in 1820 the
closing sale, which finished his career as a breeder.
*We quote relative to the sale from Thornton's Circular of April,
1869, as follows:
"The sale was on a fine October day, and early in the morning
people rode and drove to Ketton, leaving their horses and rigs at the
adjoining farms ; all the straw-yards were full and the throng at the
sale immense ; everything was eaten up, so that bread had to be sent
for into Darlington. Mr. Kingston, the auctioneer, sold the cattle by
the sand-glass, and in accordance with the custom of the time received
about twenty-flve guineas for the business, the work of the sale fall-
ing more on the owner than the auctioneer. The cattle were not fed
up for the sale, but kept naturally, and sold when they were in great
condition from natural keep.
"The Ketton stock at this time is described by Mr. Wright as of
great size and substance, with fine, long hind quarters ; the space
from the hip to the rib was long and counteracted by a broad back
and high, round ribs. The shoulders of the males were upright, and
the knuckles, or shoulder points, large and coarse — a defect not so
52 A HISTORY OF .SHORT-HOR]Sr CATTLE
At the time of his first sale, in 1818, he had been
before the public as a leading and prominent breeder
thirty-eight years, and at his final sale, in 1820,
apparent in the females. The general contour, or side view, was
stately and imposing-, but their great superiority consisted in their ex-
traordinary inclination to fatten. On handling the skin was loose and
pliant, and the feel under it remarkably mellow and kind. The color
was greatly varied, red, red-and-white, roan, and also white being-
found in the same kindred, while in all cases of close affinity there
was a tendency to white, with red ears and spots.
"Many of the cows were excellent milkers, giving twelve full quarts
at a meal. Cherry, the first lot, was one of them, a plain cow in color,
red and a little white, whose descendants are now in existence in the
neighborhood of Stockton-on-Tees and Malton, Torks. Countess [alloy]
was undoubtedly the finest cow in the sale, but she wanted hair and
milk ; in character she came nearest to Mason's style, and her back
and belly formed parallel lines. She produced three heifers and the
bull Constellation (163), in Maj. Rudd's possession, and died in 1816.
Selina [alloy] had the style of her dam, Countess, but not her magnifi-
cent appearance ; she bred ten calves at Denton Park, and her descend-
ants in the ninth and tenth generations are still in existence at
Siddington, Gloucestershire. Lady lacked elegance, but had great
substance and good hair ; in color she was red-and-white.
"Lily, pure bred, sold to Maj. Rudd for 400 guineas ($2,152), a
splendid white cow, was the higliest-priced female, but did nothing in
Maj. Rudd's possession. Daisy, a small roan cow, but a grand mill-cer,
was most fruitful with Maj. Bower ; her dam. Old Daisy, who gave
thirty-two quarts of milk a day, had been sold to Mr. Hustler, who
bred Fairy from her, the ancestress of Rev. J. D. Jefferson's Lady
Abbesses. This Fairy was afterward bought by Mr. Bates, who
reckoned her to be the finest specimen of quality imaginable ; he had
long, thick, downy coat, with a superb flesh underneath, which to a
superficial observer appeared hard, tlie cow being in a rapidly advanc-
ing condition. Cory [alloy], out of the 400-guineas cow Countess, had a
pretty red frame, but ugly cock horns, and was resold to Maj. Bower,
who bred ten calves from her. Magdalene was a little red cow, with
a large bag and belly and short quarters ; although the dam of the
celebrated red-and-white bull Blyth Comet (85), her only produce
besides Ossian (476), she was not first rate, and wanted hair, yet
when dry had a great propensity to feed.
"The only cow that Charles Colling reserved was ]Magdalene [by
Comet, dam by Cupid], a great favorite and an extraordinary milker,
giving sixteen quarts twice a day. Mr. Whitaker prevailed upon
Charles Colling to let him have her : the numerous and well-known
'Chaff' tribe is descended from this cow.
"Comet (155) was the great attraction of the sale, and his close
breeding [by Favorite (252), dam by Favorite (252), out of Favorite's
(252) dam], did not detract from his value or appearance. Charles
Colling declared him to be the best bull he ever bred or saw. He wa^
a beautiful light roan, dark [red] neck with a fine masculine head,
broad and deep breast, shoulders well laid back, crops and loins good,
hind quarters long, straight, and well packed, thighs thick, twist full
and well let down, with nice straight hocks and hind legs. He had
fair-sized horns, ears large and hairy, and a grandeur of style and
carriage that was indescribable. It was admitted that no bull so good
had ever before been seen, and eminent breeders have since said that
they never again saw his equal. In one point, however, opinions dif-
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE 53
forty years. During all that time, like his brother
Charles, he had been a large seller of stock as well
as a considerable purchaser. He sold his surplus
animals to other breeders, through which the blood
fered. Some few objected to his shoulders as not being good, or a little
too strong in the knuckles ; others asserted that he was there, as in
every other point, faultless. The near shoulder was slightly shrunk in,
apparently diseased, which may have arisen from a violent sprain that
he received when a calf. When brought into the ring he was put up
at 600 guineas. Thomas Newton, a small dairyman at Bishop Auck-
land, bid 850 guineas, and Mr. John Wright, standing beside him,
asked why he bid? 'To take in cows at a good profit,' said he, and
while talking the glass run out at 1,000 guineas ($5,000). Mr. John
Hutton of Marske, who was unable to get to the sale, bid 1,600 guineas
for him, as well as Sir H. Vane Tempest, who Was delayed, and drove
up just as the sale was finishing. Comet was located at Cleasby, three
miles from Darlington, and was kept in a small paddock, with a loose
box in the corner. The condition of purchase was that the four buyers
should send twelve cows each annually to him., and Mr. Wright was
to have one extra for his keep. Mr. Wright died in the meantime, and
Comet gradually sank, his body breaking out into sores. Remus (550)
is supposed to have been his last calf. Miss Wright kept a man ex-
pressly to attend to Comet, and when the bull died he was buried in
the center of the paddock, and a chestnut tree planted on his grave.
The paddock is known as 'Comet's garth' [enclosure] to this day. Mr.
Thornton of Stapleton purchased this field, and the tree having grown
to an enormous size was grubbed up on the 3d of February, 1865, and
Comet's skeleton laid bare ; his rib bone measured two feet one inch,
and the leg bone, knee to ankle joint, nine inches to five inches circum-
ference. Many of the other bones were quite perfect, and the whole
are preserved in a glass case as a curiosity at Stapleton, near
Darlington.
"North Star (458), own brother to Comet, and a year younger.
was used and died at Gen. Simpson's in Fifeshire ; he was a little
lighter in color but fully as fine in quality, or perhaps rather thicker,
though not such a perfectly elegant animal as Comet. Young Phcenix,
their dam, only produced one other calf, a heifer, that died young.
"Major (397), a nice bull, but not particularly handsome, and of a
red-and-white color, begot much good stock in Lincolnshire for many
years. He was hired bv Mr. John Charge, who bred Western Comet
(689) by him, out of Gentle Kitty. Western Comet was acknowledged
to be the best bull and finest stock-getter ever brought into Cumber-
land. He was used to his daughters and granddaughters, and from
this close alliance came the Wharfdale tribe, recently so successful in
Ireland. Petrarch (488) was a splendid-looking bull, but wanted hair,
whilst Northumberland (464), who had big knuckles, was used, like
Ossian (476) in Westmoreland, for several seasons, both becoming
celebrated sires. Ketton (346) also showed strong knuckles and event-
ually went into Nottinghamshire. Albion (14) is said to have done
more good than any other bull used at Killerby [Thomas Booth's].
Young Duchess, known afterwards as Duchess 1st [bought by Thomas
Bates], was a fine red heifer and developed into a large, handsome
cow, with a good deal of the elegance and style of her sire. Comet.
She was never quite so splendid an animal as her grandam, the
Duchess, by the Daisy Bull (186)."
54 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE,
of many of his best animals was imparted to their
herds, since become famous. Like his brother
Charles, whenever he had found a well-bred female
whose superior good qualities pleased him, if it were
possible he also availed himself, by purchase, of her
merits. As with the sale of Charles in 1810, the
widely advertised first sale of Robert in 1818, with a
greater number of animals, brought a large attend-
ance of the most spirited breeders of England. It
took place on the 29th and 30th days of Septem-
ber. Sixty-one cattle were sold for £7,852 19s., an
average of £128 14s. 9d. The top price was 621
guineas for the four-year-old bull Lancaster (360).
Mr. Booth of Killerby paid 270 guineas for the bull
calf Pilot (496).
The final closing-out sale of the herd occurred
Oct. 3, 1820, and like that of 1818 attracted wide
attention. The forty-six head brought £2,273 15s.
6d., an average of £49 8s. 7d., the highest price paid
being 350 guineas by Sir C. Loraine for the five-
year-old bull Baronet (62). The total of the two
sales was £10,126 14s. 6d. Commenting upon these
prices Mr. John Thornton, than whom there is no
higher authority in England, says: "Although the
average of the Barmpton sale, 1818, was under that
of Ketton, 1810, there is every reason to believe that
it was a better sale. In 1810 things were at war
price and everything high, whilst in 1818 there was
peace and a general depression upon agriculture.
The 'alloy' blood, too, in the Ketton stock tended
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE 55
to promote competition for the purer strains at
Bai-mpton. The bulls are said by Mr. Wetherell to
have been the finest lot he ever saw at one sale. They
doubled the average of the cows, and, taking the
highest-priced family at Ketton against the high-
est-priced one at Barmpton, we have the follow-
ing result in favor of the Barmpton stock : At Ket-
ton the Phoenix tribe, sixteen (including Comet,
1,000 guineas), averaged £221 3s.; at Barmpton the
Red Rose tribe, eleven (including Lancaster, 621
guineas), averaged £269 3s. 6d., and the thirteen
favorite Wildairs averaged £142 17s. 6d."
Pre-eminence of the Ceilings. — While the Short-
horn history of this particular period must deal
mainly with the operations of the brothers Colling,
it will of course be understood that they had many
intelligent contemporaries. Whether the Collings
really earned the right to be called the first great
improvers of the modern Short-horn, or whether
they gained their fame mainly by reason of the nov-
elty of their methods and their superior enterprise
as advertisers, the fact remains that more pedigrees
in the Short-horn herd books of England and Amer-
ica trace to the Colling herds than to any other
dozen herds of the same period combined. Mani-
festly there was some good reason for the general
adoption of Colling blood. That the breeders of that
day conceded leadership to the breeder of Foljambe,
Favorite and Comet is indicated by a testimonial
tendered Charles Colling on his retirement from
56 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
breeding in 1810 — a valuable piece of plate bearing
the following inscription :
PRESENTED TO
MR. CHARLES COLLING,
THE GREAT IMPROVER OF THE SHORT-HORNED BREED OF CATTLE,
BY THE BREEDERS
(Upivards of fifty),
"WHOSE NAMES ARE ANNEXED,
AS A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE DUE FOR THE BENEFIT THEY HAVE DERIVED
FROM HIS JUDGMENT, AND ALSO AS A TESTIMONY OF
THEIR ESTEEM FOR HIM AS A MAN.
1810.
THOS. BOOTH, OF KILLERBY.— (From photograph of painting, repro-
duced by courtesy of Richard Booth, Esq., Warlaby,
North AUerton, England.)
CHAPTER III
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HEEDS
Free use of the Colling blood was made in every
herd of any imi3ortance in the Short-horn breeding
districts, but of all those who availed themselves
directly of the improvement wrought at Ketton and
Barmpton the names of the elder (Thomas) Booth,
Thomas Bates, Christopher Mason, Earl Spencer and
Jonas Whitaker are among the most conspicuous.
Indeed, one of the first things learned by those who
take up the study of the Short-horn is the fact that
for upward of half a century the main question in
the minds of a large proportion of the breeders on
both sides the Atlantic seemed to have been whether
to adopt the Bates or the Booth line of breeding.
As a matter of fact, the cattle bequeathed originally
by the Messrs. Booth and Thomas Bates were un-
questionably of the highest order of merit, the for-
mer representing a type distinguished especially for
substance and flesh and the latter a class of cattle
of the dual-purpose sort, possessing much refinement
of character and undoubted quality. In each case
the stock represented a remarkable concentration of
blood, possessed a singular uniformity in general
characteristics, and displayed remarkable prepo-
tency when crossed upon cattle of mixed or mis-
57
58 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HOBN CATTLE
cellaneous breeding. In the ''craze" that set in for
stock of one or the other of these two great rival
types both naturally suffered from the very popu-
larity that gave them prominence. Speculators, as
distinguished from constructive breeders, appeared
upon the scene and a traffic in "fashionable pedi-
grees" sprang up which finally ended in disaster
both to the breed and to those who recklessly per-
sisted in their mad career of in-and-in or "line"
breeding, with its inevitable dangers intensified by
the retention for breeding purposes of all animals,
good, bad and indifferent, that could trace descent
direct from Bates or Booth sources. Particularly
was this true of the Bates Short-homs. The story
of the rise and extension of the Booth and Bates
power forms one of the most important parts of
the Short-horn history of the nineteenth century;
and a knowledge of the main facts connected there-
with is as 3ssential as it may be useful to those who
are now engaged in the breeding of Short-horn
cattle. We therefore next take up the narrative of
the origin of these two dominant varieties, with
incidental references to the work of other early
breed builders.
The Elder Booth. — Thos. Booth, the founder of
the group of tribes that still bear his name, was
the owner of the beautiful Yorkshire estate of Kil-
lerby in the fertile valley of the Swale and of War-
laby in the vale of the Wiske. He began his work
with Short-horns at Killerby prior to the year 1790.
FOUNDATIOXS OF THE BOOTH HERDS 59
In common with the Collings and nearly all of his
other contemporaries, Mr. Booth endeavored to
solve the problem of how to refine the old Teeswater
stock. He realized the faults of the prevailing type
and was among the first to concede that through
Hubback (319) and the Bakewell system the Col-
lings had probably hit upon the long-sought line of
progression. Unlike Mr. Bates and many other
breeders of the time, he did not deem it essential,
however, to go to Ketton and Barmpton for females
to carry on his experiments. He had an idea that
by crossing moderate-sized, strongly-bred Colling
bulls upon large-framed, roomy cows showing great
constitution and an aptitude to fatten he could im-
prove even upon the work of the Collings. To this
extent, therefore, he must be credited with greater
originality than some of his brother breeders.
Moreover, the outcome revealed that he possessed
quite as much skill as he had independence of char-
acter.
The first of the "improved" or Colling bulls se-
lected for this purpose were Twin Brother to Ben
(660) and one of his sons, both bred by Eobert Col-
ling. This brought in a strong infusion of the blood
of Hubback, through Punch (531) and Foljambe
(263), in addition to which the grandam of Twin
Brother to Ben went to Hubback direct.
The Fairholme experiment. — Among Mr. Booth's
earlier selections were five heifer calves from a set
of cows owned by a Mr. Broader of Fairholme, a
60 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
dairy farmer and tenant of Lord Harewood in the
parish of Ainderby; one of which — Fairhohne by
name — became the ancestress of several illustrious
families. The dams of these calves were described
as "fine cattle; good dairy cows and great grazers
when dry; somewhat incompact in frame and steer-
ish in appearance, but of very robust constitution."
Mr. Booth evidently put substance ahead of points
of less practical importance, and from the very first
regarded flesh-making capacity and breadth of back
and loin of more value than persistent flow of milk.
While there were some cows of marked dairy capac-
ity in his original herd, they soon acquired a dis-
position to "dry off" quickly and put on great
wealth of flesh, a trait which ever afterward dis-
tinguished the best of the Booth cattle.
The result of the use of the Colling bulls upon
the Fairholme heifers fulfilled all expectations.
From this "nick" descended the Fairholme or Blos-
som tribe, the old Booth Red Rose tribe and the Ari-
adne or Bright Eyes tribe, from which group came
some of the best of the Killerby and Warlaby cattle,
among others the noted Twin Cow (by Albion), her
son Navigator and a score of great show cattle, in-
cluding such celebrities as Bloom, Plum Blossom,
Nectarine Blossom, Venus Victrix, Baron Warlaby
and Windsor.
Some foundation sires. — The first Colling bulls
were reinforced by the purchase of Suworrow (636),
also of Barmpton breeding, and full of the blood of
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS 61
Hubback and Favorite; and the work of crossing
these bulls upon carefully selected cows of different
origin was continued. At Charles Colling 's sale in
1810 the light roan bull calf Albion (14) was pur-
chased for sixty guineas, and it is said that he effect-
ed even greater improvement in the herd than the
Ben bulls or Suworrow. His get were uniformly
round-ribbed and stood near to the ground. He was
intensely bred in the Favorite blood, although carry-
ing also a cross of the so-called ''alloy" through
Washington (674). Another of the early sires was
Pilot (496), of Robert Colling 's breeding, purchased
at the Barmpton sale of 1818 for 270 guineas; also
overflowing with the blood of Favorite (252). Still
more of the same blood was secured through Mar-
shall Beresford (415), bred by Maj. Bower, a broth-
er-in-law of Mr. Booth's, from Comet (155) and
Charles Colling 's Daisy.
Great care was taken in mating the animals to try
and breed out defects and establish desired charac-
teristics; and having, by a judicious course of selec-
tion and the use of strongly-bred Colling bulls,
acquired a good degree of uniformity in essential
points, the Bakewell idea of breeding from close
affinities was successfully adopted. No sooner had
the successful issue of the cross of the first Colling
bulls upon the Fairholme and other cows become ap-
parent than Mr. Booth began concentrating the
blood of their progeny. Sir Henry (597) and his son
Lame Bull (359) and Young Albion (15) were
62 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
among the earlier sires representing the fruits of
Mr. Booth's first inbreeding.
The Halnaby or Strawberry tribe. — Another foun-
dation dam was a yellow-red and white cow that
appealed to Mr. Booth's practiced eye in the Dar-
lington market about 1797. She was bought and
crossed with Colling blood, and became the matron
of a celebrated family. The first named cow in the
maternal line was Halnaby, by Lame Bull (359).
Bred to Albion (14) she produced the noted stock-
getter Young Albion (15), the first of the Booth-
bred bulls to be let out on hire,* a practice which
afterwards became a settled policy in the manage-
ment of the Booth herds, and had much to commend
it, for it enabled the owners to avail themselves of
the services of many bulls that developed into great
sires that would otherwise have been lost to them in
the ordinary course of selling. From the Halnabys
also came the bulls Eockingham and Priam, the lat-
ter sire of the renowned show "twins" Necklace
and Bracelet. To this same foundation also trace
the Bianca and Bride Elect sort. The famous cow
White Strawberry, the dam of the excellent stock
bull Leonard (4210), was the ancestress of Monk,
Medora, Red Rose, and her "queenly" quartette of
*Toung' Albion, according to Carr, "went to Mr. Scroope's of Danby
Hall, near Middleham, who had a fine, large, robust herd of cattle,
related tlirough some of the bulls used to the Colling blood. In 1812
the Squire of Danby challenged Mr. Thomas Booth to show, "for
rump and dozen" (the usual stakes at that day being rump stealis
and a dozen of wine), the best lot of heifers he had against the same
number of his own, the match to be decided at Bedale. Although a
good lot the Danby had to give place to the Killerby and Warlaby
contingent."
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HEEDS 63
daughters — Queen of the May, Queen Mab, Queen
of the Vale and Queen of the Ocean — all by Crown
Prince. Young Matchem (4422) was descended
from White Rose, own sister to Young Albion, the
same family producing Young Rachel, the dam of
Mr. Ambler's celebrated Grand Turk (12969). In-
deed pages might be filled with the triumphs in
show-yards and breeding herds of animals going
back to the yellow-red cow picked up by Thomas
Booth at Darlington market.
The Bracelets. — This family was derived from one
of the heifers sired by Suworrow. Nothing is known
of the cow from which she was bred, but the Suwor-
row heifer became the ancestress of a fine cow. Coun-
tess, dropped in 1812 to the cover of Albion, from
whence descended Toy, the dam of Necklace and
Bracelet, those twin tributes to the greatness and
genius of the Booths as cattle-breeders. From the
same source also came Col. Towneley's Pearly and
Mr. Torr's Young Bracelet family.
The earlier representatives of these Fairholme,
Halnaby and Bracelet tribes constituted Thomas
Booth's breeding herd at Killerby up to the year
1814, by which time he had acquired a reputation
as a skillful improver second to none. At that early
date the modern system of high-feeding for the
show-yards had not yet come into vogue.* The
breeding cows at Killerby were on pasture the great-
*Carr says that Mr. Crofton was the first to introduce the idea of
"training" Sliort-horns for show — "house-feeding cows and iieifers in
summer months."
64 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
er portion of the year, and were wintered mainly on
hay. Heifers were put to breeding at an early age —
generally calving as two-year-olds.
Richard Booth at Studley. — In the year 1814 Rich-
ard, son of Thomas Booth, leased the farm of Stud-
ley, some fifteen miles south of Killerby, near Ripon,
and began breeding Short-horns on his own account.
He had been a close student of his father's methods,
and at Studley carried the Booth stock to even great-
er perfection than it had yet attained at Killerby.
He purchased from his father the cow Bright Eyes,
by Lame Bull, and her two heifers by Albion — Ari-
adne and Agnes. Ariadne became at Studley the
dam of the famous Anna by Pilot.*
The Isabellas. — This great Studley tribe was bred
from another one of those Darlington market cows
— a roan of untraced breeding, except that she was
got by ''Mr. Burrell's Bull of Burdon." Her color
and her quality constituted her passport into Rich-
ard Booth's good judgment. She is said to have
possessed "a remarkably ample development of fore
quarters," and Mr. Bruere, who afterward bred a
noted herd of Booth cattle, remarks that as a school-
boy at Ripon he "well remembered the brimming
*Anna was one of the best show cows of her day, and in 1824
walked from Studley to Manchester Show, "gaining first prize there,
walking back, and producing within a fortnight Young Anna." Anna
is said to have borne a close resemblance to Queen of the Ocean. She^
also gave birth to Adelaide, the highest-priced female sold at the Stud-
ley sale in 1834, and was the grandam of Mr. Storer's Princess Julia.
From Anna, through her daughter Young Anna, were descended two of
Mr. Torr's families ; and from Agnes, daughter of Bright Eyes, came
Mr. Fawkes' Verbena and her descendants. Agamemnon, an own
brother of Ariadne, was "a bull of extraordinary substance, good hind
quarters, heavy flanks, deep twist and well-covered hips."
FOXJNDATIOXS OF THE BOOTH HERDS 65
pails of milk she gave." Bred to Agamemnon (9),
of the Killerby Bright Eyes blood, she produced the
''White Cow," which, mated with Pilot, dropped
"the matchless Isabella, so long remembered in
show-field annals and to this day quoted as a perfect
specimen of her race."*
It is said that "Isabella and her descendants
brought the massive yet exquisitely molded fore
quarters into the herd, and also the straight under-
line of the belly, for which the Warlaby animals are
so remarkable," and the same authority, Mr. Carr,
adds: "That such a cow should have had but three
crosses of blood is striking evidence of the impress-
ive efficacy of these early bulls, and confirms Mr. R.
Booth's opinion that four crosses of really first-rate
bulls of sterling blood upon a good market cow of
♦Speaking- of Isabella, Mr. Carr says: "Pedestrians crossing the
fields to the ruins of Fountain Abbey might generally see her and Anna,
perhaps the two best cows of their day, with a blooming bevy of fair
heifers, attended by Young Albion ; and many a traveler lingered on
his way to admire their buxom forms, picturing to himself, perhaps,
how the monks of the old abbey would have gloried in such beeves.
Isabella was the Rev. Henry Berry's beau ideal of a Short-horn. In
1823, Sir Charles Morgan having offered a premium to promote a trial
of merit between Herefords and Short-horns, Mr. Berry wrote to the
editor of the Farmers' Journal requesting him to give publicity to the
following offer: 'I will produce as a competitor for Sir Charles Mor-
gan's premium at Christmas next a Short-horned cow, then nine years
old, expecting to drop her eighth living calf (at separate births) in
June now next ensuing, against any Hereford in England seven or
nine years old having had calves for years in the same proportion.
I will also, on the same occasion, produce a Short-horn heifer three
years old, having had a living calf, allowing to the Herefords the same
ample scope — all England — for the production of a competitor. It will
be obvious to your readers that in thus pitting two individuals against
so numerous a tribe as the Herefords I must entertain considerable
confidence in their merits, and it will be as easy to draw a correct
conclusion should my offer not be accepted.' The cow and heifer which,
by permission of the owners, Mr. Berry proposed bringing into competi-
tion with the Herefords were Mr. Whitaker's cow Moss Rose and Mr.
Booth's heifer Isabella, by Pilot. The challenge was not taken up."
66 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
the ordinary Short-horn breed should suffice for the
production of an animal with all the characteristics
of the high-caste Short-horn." Isabella produced
among other celebrities the Koyal prize-winning Isa-
bella Buckingham; and of all the cows owned by
Eichard Booth at the time of the Studley sale of
1834 she (Isabella) alone was retained and trans-
ferred to Warlaby, where she produced in her
eighteenth year the heifer Isabella Matchem, that
proved a prolific breeder. The entire family was
noted for its tendency to lay on flesh rapidly on
grass.
"White Cow," by Agamemnon, produced besides
Isabella, Lady Sarah and "Own Sister to Isabella,"
and was then sold to Mr. Paley. The "Own Sister"
became the dam of Blossom, whose daughter Medora
— sold to Mr. Fawkes — proved an extraordinary
breeder.*
A Marshal Beresford cow, Madame, taken from
Killerby to Studley, became the matron of a tribe
that made up an important proportion of the stock
sold at the dispersion of 1834. They were good
milkers and ripened quickly when not nursing
calves. They were largely descended through a cow
•A writer in BelTs Messenger, probably Mr. William Housman,
speaking of this cow, said: "A gentleman who has been conversant
with the herds of Great Britain for at least a quarter of a century
declares that one of the most interesting sights he ever saw at an agri-
cultural exhibition was on the show ground at Otley some years ago,
when, after the judging, the famous Booth cow Medora, by Ambo, was
led around the ring, followed by her six daughters, all of them, as
well as the mother, decorated with prize favors. The daughters were
Gulnare, Haidee and Zuleka (by Norfolk) ; Victoria and Fair Maid of
Athens (by Sir Thomas Fairfax), and a heifer named Myrrah, by
Rockingham (2550)."
POUNDATIOXS OF THE BOOTH HERDS 67
called Miss Foote, that was from Fair Maid, a
daughter of Madame.
Probably the two best bulls used at Studley were
Pilot (496), hired from Killerby, and Julius Caesar
(1143), the latter a son of Young Albion (15) out of
one of the Killerby Bed Roses by Albion (14). This
was called a very evenly-built bull, and he proved
exceedingly prepotent, a fact which is not surpris-
ing in view of his strong breeding. He traced six
times to Thos. Booth's Twin Brother to Ben. Pilot
proved a great stock bull in all three of the Booth
herds. As already stated, he was also very closely
bred. He was let for a time to Mr. Eennie, but his
stock developed such extraordinary merit that he
was recalled and freely used. He was a small, com-
pact bull, much inclined to i3ut on flesh.
As already noted, the herd at Studley was closed
out in 1834. This step was greatly regretted in later
years by Mr. Eichard Booth, but Mrs. Lawrence, the
proprietress of Studley, required some of the best
pastures for other purposes, and there seemed no
other course open but a sale of the herd. Mr. Booth
then retired to Sharrow, near Ripon, until the fol-
lowing year, when he succeeded to his father's herd
at Warlaby.
John Booth at Killerby. — In 1819, upon the occa-
sion of the marriage of his son John (brother to
Eichard), Mr. Thomas Booth gave up Killerby and
a portion of the herd to the former, and removed to
his other farm, Warlaby, near Northallerton, taking
68 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLE
with him to that place a draft from the Fairholme
(or Blossom) and the old Eed Rose tribes. The
Bracelets were all left for the son at Killerby.*
The period extending from 1820 down to about
1835 was not characterized by the same widespread
interest in Short-horn breeding that had prevailed
for twenty-five years previous, and we are without
special particulars concerning the Killerby and War-
laby stocks during those years. Fox-hunting seemed
of more importance to a goodly section of the York-
shire farmers than the development of their herds of
cattle. Still there were some who remained stead-
fastly by the work under adverse circumstances, and
among these the Messrs. Booth and Mr. Bates were
distinguished for their pertinacity and skill. As
what may be termed the more modem history of the
Booths may be said, therefore, to begin late in the
''thirties," we will leave the story of the operations
at Killerby and Warlaby at this point to bring down
to a similar date (1835) the work undertaken by
Thomas Bates and some of his contemporaries.
*Killerby is one of the pleasantest of the pleasant homes in Eng-
land. It is a substantial square manor-house, picturesquely situated
on a gentle eminence to the south of the river Swale, and two miles
from Catterick, the site of the once important Roman camp and city
of Cataractonium. The house occupies the site of the ancient castle
of Killerby, once a stronghold of great magnitude, founded in the reign
of Edward I, by Sir Brian Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel. It is approached
by a road winding through verdant pastures thrown together in the
form of a park, adorned here and there with noble elm and walnut
trees. The estate consisted of about 500 acres of arable and pasture
land." — Carr's History.
THdS. BATES. OF KIRKI.EYINGTON.— (Reproduced by courtesy of
Cadwallader John Bates, Langley Castle, Northumtierland,
England. )
CHAPTER IV
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES
' ' A wonderful, wonderful man ! He might become
anything — even Prime Minister — if he would not
talk so much." Such was Earl Spencer's jocular
but nevertheless close-fitting characterization of
Thomas Bates. Conspicuous among all those who
exercised powerful individual influence upon the for-
tunes of the breed after the dawn of the nineteenth
century; partially contemporary in time with the
Ceilings, although much younger in years, the
unique and interesting personality of Mr. Bates was
first projected into the field of Short-horn cattle-
breeding about the year 1800. From the date of his
death in 1849 for a period of about a quarter of a
century cattle bearing the Bates blood were one of
the great factors in the Short-horn trade not only of
England but of the United States as well. During
that period so great was the demand for animals
descending from his favorite Duchess tribe that a
range of speculative values unheard of before or
since was for a time established, the climax being
reached at New York Mills, near Utica, N. Y., in
1873, when the fabulous sum of $40,600 was bid for
a single specimen of that family.
69
70 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
' ' Duke ' ' bulls for years held tlie balance of power
in the American Short-horn breeding world, fashion-
ing the type of cattle bred in hundreds of herds. On
account, therefore, of the far-reaching influence
exerted by them upon the fortunes of the breed we
must devote considerable space to the story of
Thomas Bates and how he conceived and carried out
his pet plan for the preservation of what he believed
to be the best of all the early Short-horn blood.
Injudicious in-and-in breeding, the retention for
breeding purposes of all animals dropped within the
charmed circle of the Kirldevington tribes, regard-
less of individual character, and the evil influence
of certain reckless speculators, long since under-
mined the work of Thomas Bates ; but the main facts
connected with his career and the world-wide popu-
larity attained after his death by stock derived from
the Kirklevington herd must ever possess a fascina-
tion for the student of Short-horn history. More-
over, they are not without a lesson to posterity.
Early studies in cattle-breeding. — Bora at Aydon
Castle, Northumberland, in 1775, at the age of twen-
ty-five Bates leased the extensive farm and estate
of Halton Castle, a few miles distant from his birth-
place. This was in the Tyneside country, just west
of Newcastle. First adopting "West Highland cattle
for grazing and fattening purposes he, like many
other intelligent farmers of that day, was deeply
impressed by the exhibition of fat Short-horn stock
of the Colling blood. It appears that the young man
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 71
had gained a considerable knowledge of the Tees-
water cattle before making his first investments in
them. After the fashion of the time he was in the
habit of visiting Darlington on market or "fair"
days, and there met many of the most prominent
Short-horn breeders of the period. These markets
were held on Mondays and provided an admirable
opportunity for study and comparison. One can
readily appreciate the value to a beginner in breed-
ing of such a school as was provided by these Yarm
and Darlington fairs. Mr. Mason of Chilton, the
Joblings, the Collings, Maynard of Eryholme, the
elder Booth, and many other experienced men were
in the throng of those who constituted the Short-
horn "Senate" at the King's Head and the Black
Bull Inn. Those market fairs of a hundred years
ago, from whence sjDrang the Eoyal and Smithfield
Shows, as well as our American State fairs, fur-
nished the first great stimulus to Short-horn im-
provement and were the means of enlisting the inter-
est of the farmers of all England in the breed, a fact
which serves to emphasize the far-reaching im-
portance of such events and the necessity of sup-
porting them heartily at all times.
Bates was a keen observer at the time he began
frequenting these market-places. The heterogeneous
mixture that had up to this time constituted the old
Teeswater breed was rapidly being fused into some-
thing like a homogeneous type. The fires about the
refining crucible were burning brightly — especially
72 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
at Ketton, where appeal liad been made to Bake-
well 's magic power. Thomas Bates watched the
workmen at their task; visited among them, and
finally seized upon what he regarded as the best
material then in the hands of the master-spirits in
the business. He became quite intimate with Charles
Colling, and usually stayed at Ketton, or with Mason
of Chilton, from Saturday night to Monday, on the
occasion of his attending Darlington market. It
was at the great ''fair" held at this place on the
first Monday in March of 1799 that "the wonderful
Durham Ox" was exhibited; but while the great
Colling steer was astounding the gaping crowd the
thoughts of the bright young Northumberland farm-
er were otherwise engaged. Another beast of Ket-
ton breeding was claiming his close attention. He
was meditating the selection of foundation stock for
a breeding herd, and had been especially attracted
by a roan heifer of the Duchess blood shown upon
this occasion by Charles Colling, He doubtless knew
by hearsay of the excellence of the original Stanwick
cow of that name already referred to, and his good
opinion of this particular roan heifer was heightened
by the fact that he "thrice met Mr. Thompson, a
well-known judge of stock from Northumberland,"
by her side during the day.
The Durham Ox was got by Favorite (252) out of
a common black-and-white cow bought at Durham
Fair; but, like his sire, the steer was roan, a fact of
interest, in connection with the bullock's wonderful
THOMAS BATES AXD THE DUCHESSES 73
character, as foreshadowing the prepotency of sires
representing a strong concentration of blood.
Among other remarks heard by Mr. Bates from
those who were discussing the great steer was one
to the effect that the most perfect animals likely to
be bred in the ensuing years would be those sired
by Favorite out of Hubback cows. This thought, it
is said, took deep root in the young man's mind and
governed him largely in his subsequent choice of
breeding stock.
Original investments. — On May day, 1800, Bates
took possession of the Halton Castle Farm. In
March of that year he had bought his first Short-
horn. It does not appear, however, as if he had at
that time made up his mind fully as to which was
the best Colling blood; for this initial purchase was
a heifer sired by Ben out of a cow called Venus, that
was an own sister to the roan two-year-old heifer
Maiy which Colling sold to Gen. Simson of Fife-
shire, Scotland, in 1806 for 300 guineas. Subse-
quently Bates changed his mind about the blood of
Ben and expressed great aversion for it. This would
indicate that the heifer for some reason did not do
well at Halton. The great price (for 1800) of 100
guineas was paid for her, the largest sum Colling
had up to that time received for a cow. Mr. Bates
and his friends claimed that the pajrment.of this
fancy figure was a prime factor in giving the Ketton
stock prestige over the other herds of that period.
In the fall of 1800 Mr. Bates bought from Robert
74 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Colling some young steers sired by Favorite (252)
for feeding purposes. He hired Daisy Bull (186)
from Charles Colling, and afterward bought him
for thirty guineas. In 1803 he hired Styford (629)
from Robert Colling. Both were by Favorite (252).
Some West Highland heifers had meantime been
acquired, as Mr. Bates at that time believed that by
crossing them with good Short-horn bulls feeding
stock could be obtained that would be superior to
any but the best types of the Short-horns of that
period. The Colling bulls named were therefore
obtained mainly for crossing purposes. Both Daisy
Bull and Styford are said to have revealed clearly
the Hubback character in their hair and handling.
The Duchess blood. — About this time a very sub-
stantial legacy was received from an aunt, and this
enabled Mr. Bates to go on with his Short-horn
breeding. For 100 guineas he bought from Charles
Colling in 1804 the cow Duchess, by Daisy Bull
(186), then four years old and in calf to Favorite.
A heifer from her was also bargained for at sixty
guineas, but at Mrs. Colling 's request was given up
and returned to Ketton. In this cow Bates claimed
to have secured not only the best cow in England
but the only one then living running direct from
Hubback to Favorite. He was very anxious to breed
her to Mr. Charles Colling 's Duke (224), by Favor-
ite, then going out to hire to a Mr. Gibson, and al-
though promised the service was unable to secure
it — a fact which led to bad blood between Bates and
DUCHESS, BY DAISY BULL (186); BRED BY CHAS. COLLING.
tf*
^^^^^^^■,. ^
^^^^■gajBa»i<.,---«g^F:''«g-'' >^%^
^Sf^fj
W- ^ ^1
^i
r
ifcMv
' Jf
'«-^/ .4" ^
— ->^
KETTON 1st (709); BHBD BY CHAS. COLLING.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 75
Colling. In 1805 Duchess, by Daisy Bull, produced
a bull calf, Ketton (709), by Favorite (252), which
was retained for subsequent service. She dropped
one heifer. Baroness, by St. John (572), but becom-
ing a "shy" breeder was reluctantly sold to Mr.
Donkin of Sandhoe, and as she did not in his pos-
session settle down to bulls of desired form and
quality her other calves (all bulls) did not carry the
blood Mr. Bates sought. She was always a deep,
rich milker, making as high as 14 lbs. of butter per
week, and when fed off at seventeen years of age she
is said to have made an excellent carcass of beef.
Bates had made up his mind that this Duchess
blood was the most valuable strain in the entire
breed and resolved to persevere in his efforts at
acquiring it.* At the Ketton dispersion in 1810 he
bought Young Duchess, a grand-daughter of Duchess
by Daisy Bull, sired by the 1,000-guinea bull Comet
(155), at 183 guineas. She was evidently not one of
the best individuals in that memorable sale. Indeed
she was pronounced "shabby" by the whole neigh-
*In a letter written to Mr. Bailey in 1810 Bates said: "A heifer
of this Duchess breed, being the first calf got by old Favorite, weighed
when little more than three years old within six pounds of 100 stone,
fourteen pounds to the stone, and was allowed to be a greater curiosity
than the Ketton ox of the same age when shown with him at Darling-
ton in the spring of 1799. The pedigree of Young Duchess as I re-
ceived it from Mr. and Mrs. Colling is thus : By Comet, dam of
Favorite ; grandam by Daisy (a son of Favorite) ; great-grandam by
Favorite ; great-great-grandam by Hubback ; great-great-great-gran-
dam by Mr. Brown's famous old bull Aldbrough. And what adds to
the value of this pedigree is that the cow by Mr. Brown's old bull
was as good as any of the tribe since, without her of course being
improved by those bulls which have so much benefited the other tribes
of Short-horns. Mrs. Colling assured me that this tribe has always
been the best milking tribe. This Duchess tribe is the only instance
now remaining of the produce of Hubback being put to Favorite with-
out some other bull intervening, which circumstance, added to their
being a great milk-and-butter tribe, give them a pre-eminence over
any other tribe of Short-horns."
76 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
borliood about Halton, Mr. Bates Sr., in particular,
ridiculing liis son's purchase. Thomas relied upon
her breeding and her quality, however, and bided
his time. Under the name of Duchess 1st she proved
the ancestress of the far-famed Duchess family,
which ultimately became the highest-priced and
most-widely-sought tribe known in Short-horn his-
tory. He immediately began asserting with char-
acteristic assurance the extreme value of this heifer
on account of her descent, and announced that he
would not take £1,000 for his bargain! Such was
the beginning of the Duchess "boom."
Student, experimenter and exhibitor. — In 1810,
at the age of thirty-five years, this ambitious North-
umberland tenant farmer became a student at Edin-
burgh University — a fact which should not be with-
out its lesson to those who at the present day are
wrestling with the problems presented by our mod-
ern agriculture. His course of lectures embraced
not only practical agriculture but mental and moral
science. He took copious notes which have been
preserved, from which it is clear he made good use
of his time. After his return to Halton we find him
busy with various farming and feeding operations
and experiments in the handling and storage of for-
age crops. It took, in his opinion, a working capital
of five times the amount of one's rent to farm profit-
ably. At Halton he employed a capital of £7,500,
one-half of which he had expended under his twenty-
one-year lease in permanent improvements, of which
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 77
he only liad the benefit during the unexpired term
of the lease. Not satisfied with this sort of a situa-
tion he bought a portion (1,000 acres) of the manor
of Kirklevington, near Yarm, in Yorkshire, for
£30,000, of which £20,000 was paid in cash. This
property, then as now, presented no very flattering
prospect to a good farmer. The land is a cold clay,
fairly good for grass, but requiring careful manage-
ment for tillage.
Mr. Bates always had regard for the milking trait
in his cattle, and conducted extended experiments to
determine the relation between quantity and quality
of milk and butter. It is related that the cow Duch-
ess, by Daisy Bull, "gave on grass alone without
other food in the summer of 1807 at Halton fourteen
quarts of milk twice a day. Each quart of milk,
when set up and churned separately, yielded one and
one-half ounces of butter or forty-two ounces a day.
The butter was made up for the Newcastle market in
ten and one-half-ounce packages, which were sold
at one shilling each. The skim-milk was bought by
the laborers at a penny a quart, and allowing two
shillings for the subtraction of the cream this made
14s. 4d. a week. Altogether, therefore, the cow
brought in more than two guineas a week." He
insisted that many breeders were making a mistake
in disregarding the dairy qualities of their cattle,* a
*"On a certain occasion Mason of Chilton called to breakfast at
Halton. Barbara Giles, the housekeeper, had just put the week's butter
in readiness for the Newcastle market on the Saturday, and Bates told
him that however ready he was for breakfast he should have none,
until he had counted the butter. There were 300 half-pounds to go to
the market, besides what was used in the house and sold at home.
78 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
point which is not without its practical application
at the present time. He was also an earnest student
of feeding problems, and two of his steers, "the
brindled ox" of 1808 and "white ox" of 1810, at-
tracted much attention and attested his skill in that
direction. He experimented carefully upon the rela-
tive merits of the systems of soiling and grazing,
and in a memorable address to the Boards of Agri-
culture of the United Kingdom made a strenuous
plea for extended experimentation as to the various
breeds of live stock. It thus appears that Thomas
Bates was wide-awake to the necessities of his time
in relation to successful farming, and in some re-
spects at least a long way in advance of his con-
temporaries.
Bates was an exhibitor of cattle at the Tyneside
shows, held sometimes thrice a year, from their in-
ception in 1804, and was successful at every show
until that of 1812, when he considered himself shab-
bily treated by the judges. So incensed was he at
the decisions here that he never afterward entered
There were then thirty cows which had calved, and the butter sold
for above one shilling the half pound. This left more than ten
shillings for each cow in butter alone, besides the value of the milk
otherwise sold, while all the calves were reared by the pail and
none allowed to suck. Had all the milk been creamed and made
into butter there would have been twice the number of pats. Mason,
thrown off his guard at this display of dairy produce, confessed to
Bates: 'You can go on breeding Short-horns because they pay you
in milk, butter and beef, but we cannot do so unless we sell them at
high prices to breeders.'
"Mason, as Bates plainly told him, was keeping at the time three
sets of cows, one to breed calves and then get dry (which was no
hard matter) in order to attract notice by their high condition, a
second as wet nurses to rear the calves, and a third to supply his
family with milk and butter. 'This,' Bates added many years after-
ward, 'is a system that would ruin any man if he had the land rent
free and no outgoings to pay, yet many continue to pursue this reck-
less course in order to gain premiums, attract public attention and
gratify their vanity at the cost of their pockets.' " — Farmer's Magazine.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 79
the sliow-yard as a competitor until the York meet-
ing of 1838.
Bulls first used on the Duchesses. — As already
mentioned, Duchess by Daisy Bull, claimed as the
best Short-horn cow of her time, dropped to the
cover of Favorite (252) a bull which was named
Ketton in honor of his Colling derivation. This was
the first bull of the Duchess blood owned and used
by Mr. Bates, and in spite of his "close" breeding
was a beast of strong constitution and possessed of
the refinement and character so earnestly sought.*
He was undoubtedly a good bull, although his por-
trait — drawn in 1814 — would indicate some promi-
nence of hip and lightness of flank. He was red-
and-white and remained seven years in service. This
is the bull of which "Tommy" Thompson, the cow-
man, said, "he never got a middling calf" — all were
regarded as above the average.
From 1816 to 1820 the bulls Ketton 2d (710) and
Ketton 3d (349) (the former a son and the latter a
grandson of Ketton 1st) were used, but their get
were not equal to the progeny of the son of the old
*More than sixty years afterward Mr. William Charlton, who had
lived near Bates and ultimately settled at Sutton in Essex, wrote:
"I think I can see the grand old animal standing in the bull park
with his fine head and placid countenance, his beautifully-arched neck,
his deep and roomy chest, his short and wide-spread legs, his hand-
some shoulders and full crops, his long, straight and level back, his
heavy flank and deep ribs, his well-formed, beautiful quarters and
heavv thighs, and his tail so nicely set as to give symmetry to his
whole frame. How oft on my youthful mind was impressed the idea
that I should never see his like again ! His image was so imprinted
upon my memory that whenever I began to examine a prize bull
Ketton came full in view, and then many defects were soon prominent.
Still, although Mr. Bates used Ketton for so many years, a Duchess
heifer or bullock could easily be picked out of his herd. There was
something in their very countenance and in their prominent gait, and,
above all, in their superior touch like none else. In that last quality
they had no equals."
80 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
Duchess cow. Ketton 2d was out of an unnamed
cow by a grandson of Favorite; second dam by J.
Brown's Eed Bull, but Ketton 3d was a Duchess,
sired by Ketton 2d out of Duchess 3d by Ketton 1st;
second dam Duchess 1st by Comet. The earnestness
with which Mr. Bates adopted the Bakewell scheme
of in-and-in breeding is here apparent. He never-
theless tried the experiment of breeding to Marske
(418), then thirteen years old, a roan of Colling
blood "that Maynard had bought at the Barmpton
sale. This brought in a dash of good fresh blood.
Although Marske was a son of Favorite (252) his
dam was Eobert Colling 's noted cow Old Bright
Eyes, that gave fifteen quarts of milk twice per day.
Bates had owned a sister to Marske for some years,
and regarded the family as one of the best of the
day — always of course excepting his favorite Duch-
esses. The Marske cows, however, did not fully
meet his expectations, and he sent Duchess 3d, by
Ketton 1st, to Donkin's to be bred to Duke (226), the
Duchess bull by Favorite. This was getting back
direct to the highly-prized blood, and Bates spoke
to Lord Althorpe of this mating as "the only hope
of the Short-horns."* When we recall the fact that
the fruits of a long period of careful breeding were
at that time in the hands of contemporary breeders
*"I will give you fifty guineas for the chance, calf or no calf,"
said Lord Althorpe. "I would not take 200 guineas for the chance,"
was Bates' reply. In response to Lord Althorpe's invitation Bates
stayed at Wiseton for the Doncaster meeting of 1820. As the party
were leaving the dining-room after dessert Lord Althorpe, turning to
one of his friends, said of Bates : "Wonderful man ! Wonderful man !
He might become anything, even Prime Minister, if he would not talk
so much."
THOMAS BATES AXD THE DUCHESSES 81
we have in this remark a characteristic illustration
of the arrogant position Mr. Bates was wont to as-
sume in reference to his own cattle. So persistently
did he assert their suj)eriority that his claims, to-
gether with the admitted merit of his stock, at
length began to make an impression.* Lord Al-
thorpe became one of his patrons, hiring the young
Duchess bull His Grace (311) for service at Wiseton.
Mr. Whitaker had hired Ketton 3d and subsequently
exchanged him to Lord Althorpe for His Grace.
From Halton to Ridley Hall.— Although the Kirk-
levington projDerty had been bought in 1811, the
lease of Halton did not expire until 1821, and Mr.
Bates continued in possession there until that date.
Either because he was loath to leave Northumber-
land, or because his Kirklevington land had not yet
been brought into the desired state of fertility, he
purchased Ridley Hall on the South Tyne, to which
he removed from Halton in May, 1821. In a letter
written to Jonas Whitaker in 1822 Bates said:
"I have now two bulls (The Earl and Duke 2d) by Duke out
of Duchess 3d, the dam of Ketton 3d, and a heifer by Marske
* James Fawcett of Scaleby Castle gave this description of the
Duchesses about this date : "The character of the Duchesses at this
time was that of good and handsome wide-spread cows, with broad
backs, projecting loins and ribs, short legs and prominent bosoms.
The head was generally inclined rather to be short and wide than long
and narrow, with full clear eyes and muzzle, the ears rather long and
hairy, the horns of considerable length but of free, waxy quality. They
were good milkers, and had for the most part a robust, healthy
appearance. Their color was almost uniformly red, with, in many of
them, a tendency to white about the flank. They had also generally
what Mr. Bates called the Duchess spot of white above the nostril.
A strange anomaly occurred in the case of Duchess 6th. I recollect
her being calved. She was very handsome and of the most orthodox
color, but with a round spot of several inches on the flank, of the
deepest black. WTiether this indicated a harking back to some an-
cestral Highland alloy or a freak of the cow's imagination is a curious
question."
82 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOR.N CATTLE
(Duchess 7th) out of the same cow and bulled by The Earl, and
for the three I would not take 3,000 guineas, bad as times are
for farmers. Old Ketton's stock were the up-making of me, and
now that I have again got the blood pure of other mixtures I
shall never again part with it for any other tribe of Short-horns
I have ever seen."
The "hope of the Short-horns" proved to be a
bull which was named The Earl (646) and used ex-
tensively for four or five years at Ridley Hall. He
was succeeded by his son 2d Hubback (1423). This
bull was bred from a cow called Acklam Red Rose
(or Red Rose 1st), of Colling derivation, that Bates
had bought from a Mr. Hustler, and he grew into
what is said to have been the best of all the earlier
bulls used in the herd. His dam (from whom the
Cambridge Roses and the American Rose of Sharons
descended) possessed all old Hubback 's handling
quality. He was a light-red bull said to have been
remarkably perfect in his points and evenly and
smoothly fleshed. His stock were uniform in shape,
color, hair and handling, "as well as in counte-
nance." His heifers all proved good milkers. We
have in his case another illustration of the fact that
strongly-bred sires very often get their best stock
from cows not bred "in line." Certain it is that
The Earl's best calf was 2d Hubback from a Red
Rose dam, none of the bull calves from the Duch-
esses equaling him.*
*2d Hubback's measurements at eight years old have been handed
down as follows : Girth at crops, 8 feet ; girth at ribs, 9 feet 3 inches ;
g-irth hooks over thick of flanlt, 8 feet 4 inches ; breadth of hooks, 2
feet 6 inches plumb ; length from breast plumb to tail, 6 feet ; length
of rumps, 2 feet ; length from breast to crops, 2 feet ; length from
crops to hooks, 2 feet ; girth of fore leg below the knee, 8 inches ;
g'irth of horns at root next the head, 8 inches.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 83
It is said that while at Ridley Hall Bates took no
steps to bring his herd before the public. He rarely
let any bulls and kept no bull calves except those
he thought he might require for himself or which
his friends desired for their own herds. He used
the knife freely and fed off his steers, as well as such
cows and heifers as did not settle down to breeding
at an early age. Many a good female was undoubt-
edly thus sacrificed. He never had calves born dur-
ing the three summer months. He very seldom sent
any fat cattle to the market. The principal butchers
in Newcastle and Shields came to buy his stock at
home.
Removal to Kirklevington. — May 1, 1830, Mr.
Bates transferred his residence and breeding opera-
tions from Eidley Hall — which he had sold — to Kirk-
levington; included in the herd, which was driven
across country, being "fifty cows and heifers by 2d
Hubback, all as alike as beans and leaving a great
impression wherever they passed." 2d Hubback
was let the following year to Whitaker, and, disap-
pointed in the development of a yearling bull from
Duchess 22d that he had intended to use, Bates
bought from AVhitaker for 100 guineas the bull Gam-
bier (2046) by Bertram (1716), a bull of Colling's
Old Daisy tribe that had just been sold to Col.
Powell for shipment to America. Gambler's dam
was of the Western Comet or Gentle Kitty blood.
Gambler did not satisfy Bates as a stock-getter, and
hearing of Mr. Stephen's roan bull of the old Prin-
cess blood he went to see him.
84 A HISTOEY OP SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Belvedere (1706) of the Princess blood.— In tlie
accepted accounts of the purchase of this bull we
have a striking example of Mr. Bates' supreme self-
confidence. He believed in the Hubback and Duch-
ess blood above everything else. He claimed he had
founded his herd upon the best cow of the breed in
her day. He had been successful with Ketton 1st
and The Earl, both Duchess bulls, and with 2d Hub-
back, son of a Duchess bull, but had little luck with
sires tried from other sources. The tribe was now
very closely bred and he seemed at a loss to know
how to proceed. He had up to 1831 bred but thirty-
two Duchess cows in as many years. In brief the
tribe had not been prolific, and whenever cows
passed over a year or two he fed them off. He
would not admit that other contemporary bloods
were worthy of being crossed upon his Duchesses.
He had spoken his mind freely concerning the breed-
ing of nearly all the other herds in the district and
had awakened many antagonisms. He would not
use anything that carried the so-called "alloy"
blood. In short he was seriously hampered in his
search for sires by reason of the fact that he had
''blacklisted" nearly all the available material. At
the same time he now required fresh blood.
He had long held in respect the old Robert Colling
Princess strain. The original cow of that name car-
ried a double cross of Favorite on top of Hubback.
This was a combination which in his radical opinion
constituted a prime source of Short-horn excellence.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 85
He was not aware that any bull descending direct
from this base without admixture of (to him) objec-
tionable blood was at that late date obtainable. By
chance, however, he learned that John Stephenson
of Wolviston had a roan bull so descended, and he
lost no time in looking him up. His purchase of
Duchess 1st at the Ketton sale on account of her
breeding rather than her individual merit illus-
trated his unfaltering faith in the doctrine that
"blood will tell." With this case in mind it is rea-
sonably certain, in view of the trouble he was now in
with his Duchesses, that Bates went over to Wolvis-
ton prepared to buy this precious Princess bull —
"the last of a long race of well-descended Short-
horns" — fairly regardless of the appearance of the
animal himself. At any rate we are told that on
passing by the bull-barn the head of Belvedere
(1706) — for such was his name and herd-book num-
ber — was visible, and that the moment Bates caught
sight of it he expressed a positive determination to
secure the bull. Not every man will buy a breeding
bull solely for the blood that flows in his veins. Still
less would the average man be likely to settle so im-
portant a matter by a mere glimpse of a bull 's coun-
tenance. Bates had his own peculiar ideas about
breeding, however. He was not governed by the or-
dinary rules observed by his contemporaries, and his
swift decision to buy at any price this roan bull at
Wolviston — evidently made as soon as Stephenson
had told him how Belvedere was bred, and before he
86 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
had seen the bull at all — may be cited as one of the
instances where he manifested real genius as a cat-
tle-breeder. Belvedere's sire, Waterloo (2816), and
dam, Angelina 2d, were own brother and sister; the
pedigree therefore represented an extraordinary con-
centration of the blood of old Princess* and Favorite
(252).
There was really something of a bull went with
that head and pedigree. Belvedere was six years
old at the time Bates bought him. Stephenson was
allowed to name his own price and was modest
enough to place it at £50. This occurred June 22,
1831. The next day the bull was driven to Kirk-
levington. No sooner had Bates got him than he
announced that he would by the union of the Prin-
cess and Duchess blood produce "Short-horns such
as the world has never seen," and in the opinion of
some capable judges he very nearly made good his
boast. The bull with which he boldly proclaimed he
would make the ' ' hit ' ' of his life as a breeder was a
big one, possessing extreme length and heavy shoul-
ders, but was a yellow-roan, evidently full of quality;
*The Princess cow had been bought originally from Robert CoUing
bv Sir Henry Vane Tempest at the reputed great price of 700 guineas.
Sir Henry's widow, the Countess of Antrim, had the cow bought at
Wvnvard sale in 1813, and sent her to Barmpton to be bred to the bull
Wellington (680), a son of Comet (155). Colling told her agent that
he "never allowed anv gentleman's cows" to be served by his bull,
and so could not comply with Lady Antrim's request. The agent of the
Countess started to return to Wynyard, when Ceiling's servant came
running after him to say that he had told hi.s master that Prmcess
was not a gentleman's cow but a lady's and that Colling was so
amused at the slv intercession that he at once waived his rule upon
the point of giving his bull's service to other breeders and would per-
mit Princess to be bred. The thrifty Yorl^shire man, however, did
not permit his gallantry to prevent his charging her ladyship ten
good guineas for the service. The produce of this coupling was the
bull Young Wynyard, sire of Waterloo (2816).
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 87
"soft as a mole to the touch." He had the "hot-
blood temper" of his sire Waterloo, and it took three
men to get him safely started off down Sandy Lane
the morning he left Stephenson's to begin the work
of regenerating the Duchesses.
The breeding of bulls to their own dams or daugh-
ters was a common occurrence at Kirklevington
prior to the time of Belvedere. None but inbred
Duchess bulls had been used upon cows of this favor-
ite family except Marske (418), of the Bright Eyes
blood, and 2d Hubback, by the Duchess bull The
Earl (646) out of Hustler's Eed Rose. The cross of
Belvedere upon the Duchess and other tribes which
Mr. Bates had meantime acquired proved the sound-
ness of his judgment. The Princess bull was used
extensively until twelve years old and then slaugh-
tered. This was in 1837. He did much for the herd,
siring, among other noted animals, the famous Duch-
ess 34th, which, bred back to her own sire, gave Mr.
Bates his greatest bull — Duke of Northumberland
(1940). The Duke was but two years old at the time
Belvedere was sent off, so that an elder son of Bel-
vedere — Short Tail (2621), from Duchess 29th (and
said to have been a better bull than his sire) — was
placed in service. His dam, Duchess 29th, was got
by 2d Hubback out of one of that bull 's own daugh-
ters. Duchess 19th, so that the practice of breeding
from close affinities went steadily on.
The cross of Whitaker's Norfolk.— In 1834 Felix
Reniek and his colleagues, representing the Ohio Im-
88 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
porting Co., visited England to buy Short-horns.
Bates showed them every attention and offered them
some of his best cows and heifers, including Duchess
34th. He seems to have indulged his loquacity to its
fullest extent upon his American visitors, tendering
advice freely as to the other English herds of that
period. Among other characteristic "pointers"
given was one to the effect that Belvedere's sire,
Waterloo (2816), then in his sixteenth year, and
Norfolk (2377) were "the only two bulls besides Bel-
vedere that were in the least likely to get good
stock." What the Americans bought on this mem-
orable visit will be dealt with in a subsequent chap-
ter.
Norfolk (2377), a handsome roan bull, was then
but two years old. He had been bred by Mr. Whit-
aker and sold to Mr. F. H. Fawkes of Farnley Hall.
His sire was Mr. Bates' 2d Hubback, and his dam
Nonpareil by Magnet (2240), running down through
the Colling blood to a Hubback cow at the base.
That Bates was sincere in his advice to the Ameri-
cans cannot be doubted, for shortly afterward he
sent five of his own best cows to be bulled by Nor-
folk. But three of these stood to the service— to-
wit: Duchess 33d, Waterloo and Blanche — which
circumstance was regarded by Mr. Bates at the time
as fortunate, the immediate results not proving satis-
factory. This paralleled the subsequent experience
of John Booth in breeding Bracelet to Mussulman;
but, as in the case of Booth's Buckingham, when
MR. RAISES' CLEVEL.4N0 I.AU (3407) AT FIVE YEARS OM).
WHITAKERS NORFOLK (2377), AT FIVE YEARS OLD.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 89
the percentage of fresh blood was reduced so that
it was quite subordinate to the main current, its
stimulating effect became apparent. The heifer
Duchess 38th, dropped by Duchess 33d to Norfolk,
gave rise to the entire Thorndale, Geneva and
Oneida Duchess groups; and the Norfolk-Waterloo
heifer founded a family that has occupied a promi-
nent place in the progress of the breed. Norfolk
was individually one of the great bulls of his time,
and as he was a son of 2d Hubback his character
supplied striking proof of the value of Bates bulls
for service in other herds. He had substance, flesh
and a heavy coat of hair, showing greater thickness
and compactness of conformation than Belvedere.
The Matchem Cow and the Oxfords. — In April,
1831, Mr. Bates had attended a sale of "improved"
Short-horn cattle, held by a Mr. John Brown of
Nunstainton, near Chilton, in the County of Durham,
and bought seventeen cows and heifers at an average
of £9 5s. Among these was a white four-year-old by
Matchem (2281), for which he paid £15 10s. Bates
called her Matchem Cow. Her sire was the same
Mason-bred bull whose blood had been previously
introduced into the Booth herd at Killerby. Her
dam was by the Princess bull Young Wynyard
(2859). Her breeding back of this has not been
traced, but she must have shown conclusive evi-
dence of pure Short-horn descent; for, as has been
well said of Mr. Bates, ''he trusted very much to the
evidence of his eye, which, considering the subse-
90 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOBN CATTLE
quent excellence of Ms stock and the great impulse
of decided improvement thej^ have given to all cattle
with which they have come to be paired, must have
had within it the light of decided genius. ' ' At nine
years of age Matchem Cow produced at Kirkleving-
ton a bull by Short Tail (2621), and in 1838 another
by the same sire. These two roan bulls, recorded as
Cleveland Lad (3407) and Cleveland Lad 2d (3408),
were used in the herd and constituted the Oxford
outcross upon the Duchesses. Bates had always de-
nounced the Mason blood, with which the Matchem
Cow was doubtless well filled, but the progeny of
the cow by his own bulls satisfied him nevertheless,
and the Cleveland Lads were not only used as stock
bulls, but her daughters, Oxford Premium Cow and
Oxford 2d, were retained and became the ances-
tresses of the tribe since known as the Oxfords. The
line of the former has now been extinct for many
years.
A show-yard disappointment. — Mr. Bates sent
seven head of cattle to the newly-established York-
shire Show in 1838, headed by the two-year-old
double-Belvedere Duchess bull Duke of Northumber-
land (1940), and including a pair of two-year-old
Duchess heifers, Duchesses 41st and 42d, both by
Belvedere ; a yearling Duchess heifer. Duchess 43d,
also with a double dip of Belvedere; the roan four-
year-old cow Ked Eose 13th, by Belvedere; the
white three-year-old cow Short-horns 4th, by Bel-
vedere, and a three-year-old from the Matchem Cow,
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 91
got by Duke of Cleveland (1937), a bull that bad
been dropped by Duchess 26th to a service by Mr.
Whitaker's Bertram (1716). The Duke of North-
umberland received first in his class against eight
competitors, but was passed over entirely in the bull
championship contest; first prize in a ring of fifteen
entries going to Earl Spencer's Hecatomb (2102), of
Mason blood, and second to Mr. Wiley's Carcase
(3285), afterward imported to America. This was
a hard blow, and it was contended by Mr. Bates that
Mr. John Grey, the judge, was improperly influenced
by being beholden to Earl Spencer for substantial
business favors. With his females, however, Mr.
Bates was more successful. In the aged-cow class
(entries to be in calf or in milk) Red Eose 13th was
passed over, the ribbon going to John Colling 's
Rosanne. In the three-year-old ring (also in calf
or in milk) Short-horns 4th — a fine dairy cow — was
first and the Matchem heifer second in a class of six.
In a class of ten two-year-old heifers Duchess 41st
won, and in yearling heifers (eight) Duchess 42d
was second. These ratings did not satisfy Mr.
Bates. He felt that his three best animals, "The
Duke," Red Rose 13th and Duchess 43d, had been
rejected unfairly. He therefore determined to
show at
The Oxford Royal of 1839. — When the time came
Red Rose 13th was not in a fit condition to travel,
so Duke of Northumberland and Duchess 43d were
started along with Duchess 42d and the Matchem
92 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
heifer. They were shipped by steamer from
Middlesbrough to London.*
This was the first meeting of the English National
Show. The exhibition was held upon the farm of
Mr. John Pinfold, and the entries were not numer-
ous. The Kirklevington cattle were the center of
attraction in the Short-horn class, and Mr. Bates
had the pleasure of seeing Duke of Northumberland
head a list of seven bulls; the Matchem Cow's daugh-
ter a class of four; Duchess 42d a class of three two-
year-olds, and Duchess 43d a class of nine yearlings.
That these were a beautiful lot of Short-horns is
amply attested. Mr. George Drewry, the late vet-
eran herd manager of the Duke of Devonshire at
Holker Hall, writing after a lapse of fifty years,
said: ''The two things that I remember best at
Oxford were the Duke of Northumberland and
Duchess 43d. These I still think were the best two
Short-horns I ever saw." In honor of the young
Matchem Cow's victory she was here dubbed the
"Oxford Premium Cow" — hence the tribal name.
At a dinner given in the quadrangle of Queen's
College during this show Daniel Webster, who was
a visitor at the exhibition, said, in a speech which
held closely the attention of the audience:
"In the country to which I belong societies like this exist on
♦"Bates went with them in the same steamship from Middlesbrough
to London and himself saw their treatment. In landing at London
Duke of Northumberland slipped and lay across the gangway. Bates
patted him on the head, calling him 'poor boy, poor boy' and the huge
animal remained perfectly passive until he was rescued. Fortunately
The Duke received no injury. The four Short-horns proceeded from
London in a freight boat by the Aylesbury branch of the Grand Junc-
tion Canal." — Cadwallader Bates.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 93
a small scale in many parts, and they have been found to be very
highly beneficial and advantageous. They give rewards for speci-
mens of fine animals and the improvement of implements of hus-
bandry which may tend to facilitate the art of agriculture, and
which were not before known. They turn their attention to
everything which tends lo improve the state of the farmer, and,
I may add, among other means of advancing his condition, that
they have imported largely to America from the best breeds of
animals in England, and from the gentleman who has been so
fortunate as to take so tnaa^ prizes to-day. From his stock, on
the banks of the Ohio and its tributary stream, I have seen fine
animals raised which have been supplied from his farms in York-
shire and Northumberland."
Prizes at Cambridge. — Having, as he thought, vin-
dicated the honor of his Duchesses at Oxford, Mr.
Bates decided not to risk fitting and sliowing any
of them the following year. Still smarting under
the defeat of Red Rose 13th at York, he sent her
to the Royal at Cambridge, along with Cleveland
Lad (3407) and a young Waterloo bull calf by Duke
of Northumberland. Red Rose here had her re-
venge, winning first in a class of six cows. Her
name was then changed to Cambridge Premium
Cow. The Waterloo calf also won, but Cleveland
Lad was turned down, the prize falling to Hero
(4021), a roan owned in Norfolk; a bull which Cad-
wallader Bates asserts was ''never heard of before
nor since."* His picture may be found in Coates'
Herd Book, Vol. IV. Cleveland Lad had not been
specially fitted for show; and fat, then as now, was
*It is related that "a gentleman came up to Bates in the show-yard
and said 'Had I been blindfolded I could have told all of your cattle
by the feel of my fingers.' 'As the stewards of the yard hear your
remarks, I hope in the future the judges will be blindfolded,' was
Bates' reply."
94 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
a prime necessity. The prizes won by the Kirklev-
ington cattle at the two great university cities led
to many inquiries for the blood.
A "brush" with the Booths.— In 1841 Cleveland
Lad was sent to the Liverpool Royal alone, he being
the only member of the show herds left without
"vindication"; and he was there placed by the
judges at the head of the bulls on exhibition. That
same season Mr. Bates sent Oxford Premium Cow
to the Highland at Berwick, but she was beaten by
John Booth's Necklace, on the ground that the
Bates cow was "deficient in girth and gaudy be-
hind." He also showed at the Yorkshire of 1841,
receiving the bull championship on Cleveland Lad.
Duke of Cambridge — the Waterloo calf shown in
1840 — here won first as a yearling over a young
bull from Killerby and others. The honors of the
three-year-old cow class were divided between Duch-
esses 42d and 43d,
It is stated that the jovial John Booth bantered
his esteemed contemporary the belligerent Bates
upon this occasion about his backwardness about
exhibiting longer at leading shows, and inferentially
challenged him to show a cow at the next year's
Royal. These two men were clearly at the head of
their profession at the time, but despite their rival-
ries were good friends. The meeting took place at
York in 1842, and to the infinite satisfaction of the
great champion of the Duchesses a cow of that line
in her tenth year had the extraordinary honor of
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 95
beating Killerby's great Necklace. The story of
this memorable contest is told by Mr. Bates' people
in the following language :
"There was in milk at Kirklevington a ten-year-old unregen-
erate dairy cow, which liad never been shown nor had ever
been intended to be. When about twelve months old she had
broken her leg, and as Bates would not employ a veterinary,
Thomas Bell set it with the help of the journeyman miller. For
some years she had scarcely ever tasted a turnip in the winter
months. Since May Day she had been going in the ordinary
cow pasture, and was as ignorant as any Northern farmer of
what a bonne bouchc meant. Without any preliminary training
at all old Brokenleg (Duchess 34th) walked by road about forty
miles to York, in the company of her son, Duke of Northum-
berland (1940). The judges ordered the fifteen cows entered
to parade twice around the ring, and then told old 'Tommy
Myers,' the Kirklevington cowman, to stand on one side with
Brokenleg. A murmur of indignation broke from the people
present, who imagined she was being excluded from the prize
list.
"Myers remained for an hour or so thinking, as he said, 'they
were gannin' to use me very badly,' while the judges kept dis-
puting over Necklace and one of Mr. Mason Hopper's cows.
'They could not rightly judge of stars in the presence of the
sun.' Myers, who had supposed they were determining which
was to be first and which second, was greatly relieved when they
sent Brokenleg 'the white rose' and placed Necklace behind her.
When the crowning trophy was placed on Duchess 34th's head
there was a burst of applause. She was as like the first Duchess
as two animals could be, in color and in that grandeur of style
and appearance, such as no animal ever had except a Duchess.
"Bates had good reason to be satisfied with the result of the
tug-of-war when Killerby met Kirklevington. It was the only
challenge he ever accepted. That the decision was perfectly just
was confirmed by Mr. Eastwood, a breeder who had as much
admiration for one line of stock as for the other, so long as the
animal was a good one, but who thought that a little weight
should be allowed to fashion. Mr. John Booth asked him why
96 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE
it was that Brokenleg beat Necklace. 'Well,' he replied, 'I think,
Mr. Booth, you are fairly beaten; if I had been one of the judges
I should have done the same.' 'Then,' said Booth, 'I am satis-
fied.' Bates came up shortly afterward and asked Eastwood
.the same question. 'I think you won fairly, Mr. Bates.' 'I am
pleased to hear you say that' 'I told Mr. Booth so.' 'Then,'
said Bates, 'I am more pleased still,' and the great rival breeders
remained the best of friends.
This was indeed one of the most remarkable old-
time show-yard events of which any record has been
handed down from the last generation, and proves
the genuine merit of the Bates cattle of the early
days. This cow, Duchess 34th, was the dam of
Duke of Northumberland (1940). — The produc-
tion of this famous bull has always been considered
the crowning triumph of Thomas Bates' career as
a cattle-breeder. He was the acknowledged cham-
pion bull of England in 1842. Bates, writing of him
in 1839, had said: '^I can state from measurements
I took of the celebrated Comet (155) that The Duke
was nearly double his weight both at ten months
and at two years old," adding, in allusion to his
well-known affection for the Duchess family: "I
selected this tribe of Short-horns as superior to all
other cattle, not only as small consumers of food but
as great growers and quick grazers, with the finest
quality of beef, and also giving a great quantity of
very rich milk." The live weight of The Duke at
three years and eight months was 2,520 lbs.
Mr. Bates has left the following statement con-
cerning him and his family, which will be of interest
in this connection. It was addressed to a publishing
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 97
house about to produce portraits of "The Duke"
and his dam:
"I named this bull Duke of Northumberland to perpetuate the
commemoration that it is to the judgment and attention of the
ancestors of the present Duke of Northumberland that this coun-
try and the world are indebted for a tribe of cattle which Mr.
Charles Colling repeatedly assured me was the best he ever had
or ever saw. As a proof that they have improved under my care
I may mention that the Duke of Northumberland's dam consumes
one-third less food than my first Duchess, purchased in 1804, and
that her milk yields one-third more butter for each quart of milk,
while there is also a greater growth of carcass and an increased
aptitude to fatten.
"It is now above sixty years since I became impressed with
the importance of selecting the very best animals to breed from.
For twenty-five years afterward I lost no opportunity of ascer-
taining the merits of the various tribes of Short-horns. It was
only then that this could be done. There is scarce a vestige now
remaining of the many excellent cattle then in existence. Since
I became possessed of the tribe I have never used any bulls that
had not Duchess blood — except Belvedere (1706), and he was the
last bull of a long race of well-descended Short-horns — without
perceiving immediately the error.
"As the post hour draws near I must conclude in order to
enable you to print this letter in the same paper with the por-
traits of 'The Duke' and his dam. I do not expect any artist can
do them justice. They must be seen, and the more they are
examined the more their excellence will appear to a true con-
noisseur, but there are few good judges — a hundred men viay he
found to make a Prime Minister to one fit to judge of the real
merits of Short-horns.'"
Importance of tabulated pedigrees. — If Mr. Bates
had submitted for publication along with this eulogy
of the Duchess family the subjoined tabulation of
the Duke of Northumberland's pedigree the propri-
ety of substituting an account of the merits of the
98 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
Princess for that of the Duchess line might have
been suggested.
DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND (1940)
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Blot out the Princess blood and the dashes of Red
Rose and Marske from this pedigree and there re-
mains but a "thin red line" to preach a Duchess
THOMAS BATES AXD THE DUCHESSES 99
sermon from. ' ' The best bull of his time, ' ' the best
bull the keen-witted laird of Kirklevington ever
bred, the bull for which almost any sum could have
been had, was indeed a credit to the skill and judg-
ment of Thomas Bates, but he carried only 25 per
cent of Duchess blood. Moreover his dam, the prize
cow Duchess Sitli — 50 per cent Princess blood — was
a better beast than either Duchess 29th or 20th. It
is apparent, therefore, that Princess on Duchess re-
sulted, as Bates had predicted, in producing Short-
horns superior even to the original Duchesses.
We need but print the same Duke of Xorthumber-
land pedigree in the regulation Short-horn Herd
Book and Short-hom catalogue style to show how a
miscarriage of justice in estimating family credits
has been bred and fostered by a i^ernicious system
of pedigree registration; a system that so palpably
exaggerates the relative imjDortance of a certain
portion of the maternal ancestry that it seems
strange that it should still be tolerated.
Duke of Northujibeeland, roan, calved Oct. 15, 1835; bred by
T. Bates; got by Belvedere (1706), dam Duchess 34th by Belve-
dere (1706); second dam Duchess 29th by 2d Hubback; third
dam Duchess 20th by The Earl (1511); fourth dam Duchess
8th by Marske (418) ; fifth dam Duchess 2d by Ketton 1st (709) ;
sixth dam Duchess 1st by Comet (155) ; seventh dam Duchess
by Daisy Bull (186); eighth dam by Favorite (252), etc.
Clearly one would say this is a Duchess bull. He
was not, however, so far as blood elements are con-
cerned, entitled to such appellation at all, as we have
already shown. Just how much the Stanwick Cow,
or "mv first Duchess," or the "ancestors of the
100 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOE.N CATTLE
present Duke of Northumberland" had to do with
the merit of this great bull must be self-evident from
our tabulation. Justice compels the placing of the
laurel wreath rather upon Thomas Bates and his
great "find" at Wolviston, the Princess bull Belve-
dere. The merit of the earlier Duchesses had been
largely lost through excessive inbreeding. The Prin-
cess-and-Oxford crossed stock that acquired fame
under the Duchess name in the Short-horn world
were in truth Bates cattle, but had only a small per-
centage of the old Duchess blood.
The responsibility for the existing scheme of
Short-horn tribal nomenclature and prevailing meth-
ods of herd-book registration does not rest entirely
upon Mr. Bates. We only use this case as an illus-
tration of the fact that the system is calculated to
befog rather than enlighten those who seek to
fathom the depths of Short-horn pedigree records.
One has but to transcribe to a tabulated blank the
pedigree of any animal recorded in the Short-horn
Herd Books of Great Britain and America to see at
a glance what an absurdly small proportion of the
ancestry is presented. Those who have all the herd
books at their command can under the present sys-
tem, it is true, ferret out the facts as to the blood
lines of their cattle, but until the tabulation method
is adopted for catalogues and transfer certificates
the average buyer will possess but the mere shadow
of a pedigree.
The Waterloos. — During the same year that Mr.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 101
Bates bought Belvedere and the Matchem Cow he
had purchased from Thomas Parkin of Thorpe, in
the Count j^ of Durham, "a short-legged, wide, red
cow, with the look of a pure Short-horn." She car-
ried a double cross of the Princess bull Waterloo
(2816), and was doubtless descended all around
from a well-bred ancestry. That she was a cow of
marked individual merit seems clear from the fact
that she was one of the five "top" females chosen
to be sent to be bred to Norfolk (2377). A heifer
(Waterloo 3d) resulted from that service, and she
became the ancestress of a fine family of cattle still
bearing her name. The Waterloos were for years
distinguished for their thick, mellow flesh and furry
coats, and during the days when Short-horn fan-
ciers were paying all sorts of extravagant prices the
tribe steadily maintained its outstanding merit.
Indeed it is doubtful if any other of the Bates fam-
"*mes held its character so persistently for so many
years under the stress of continued line breeding.
Further evidence of the original excellence of the
Waterloos is afforded by the fact that Waterloos
12th and 13tli were the only females bought at the
Bates dispersion by two shrewd Scottish breeders
in attendance, viz., Amos Cruickshank of Sittyton
and W. Hay of Shethin.
Wild Eyes Tribe. — This family traces descent
from a roan heifer calf bought at a sale made by
Mr. Parrington at Middlesbrough in April, 1832, for
£3. She had seven crosses of registered bulls on a
102 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
foundation laid in the herd of Mr. Dobinson. Bates
claimed that through this heifer (Wild Eyes) he got
''the only good blood ( Dobinson 's) that the Colling
herds did not contain." Her sire, Emperor (1974),
was sold to the Russian Government. At the date
of the Kirklevington dispersion sale this was the
most numerous sort in the herd.
The Cambridge (Red) Roses. — Of this strain was
2d Hubback and Red Rose 13th — the Cambridge
prize cow previously mentioned. It came into the
herd early through Red Rose 1st of Mr. Hustler's
breeding (by Yarborough), daughter of the Ameri-
can Cow, whose history is given in a preceding chap-
ter. Red Rose 5th of this family produced to Bel-
vedere Rose of Sharon, imported by the Ohio Com-
pany, and ancestress of the American tribe of that
name. Under the name of Cambridge and Hoydon
Roses and Rose of Sharons the descendants of the
Cambridge premium cow subsequently became the
subject of extensive speculations on both sides the
Atlantic.
Foggathorpe family. — The original Foggathorpe
cow cost Mr. Bates £113 at Mr. Henry Edward's
sale at Castle Howard in 1839. She was a roan,
nearly ten years old at the time of the purchase. She
was thought to resemble old Princess in character
and to carry the blood of Charles Colling 's White
Bull (151) — which Mr. Bates prized highly. Her
descendants, however, did not acquire as much
celebrity as the other Kirklevington sorts.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 103
Blanche or Roan Duchess sort. — Another noted
tribe resting upon a Kirklevington base was that of
Bhmche, derived from the fine okl stock of Mr.
Hutchinson of Grassy Nook. Bates bred them for
some time, and BUmche 5th, by the Duke of North-
umberland, produced in Mr. Towneley's hands Roan
Duchess, dam of the famous Royal prize-winning
Roan Duchess 2d by Frederick (11489).
The Secrets. — This tribe derives rank as " a Bates
sort" from the fact that the maternal ancestresses
were cows bred and owned by Mr. Bates. The
foundation cow, old White Rose, was a half-sister
to the dam of Belvedere, both being daughters of
the Princess bull Young Wynyard. When ten years
old she was bred to Whitaker's Gambler (2046).
This was in 1832. The produce, the roan White
Rose 1st, to the cover of Short Tail, gave birth in
1837 to Secret, sold in 1844 to C. W. Harvey. The
family derives its name from this cow, and subse-
quently attained reputation in two directions, to-
wit: Bates-crossed in the hands of English breed-
ers and Scotch-crossed by Mr. Cruickshank of Sitty-
ton. No representative of this (nor of the Blanche)
family were contained in the herd at the date of its
dispersion.
So-called Bell-Bates tribes. — Several families of
Short-horns built up under Kirklevington 's wing by
Mr. Bates' tenants — the Messrs. Bell — subsequently
shared in the great wave of popularity that finally
set in toward the Bates blood. Among these were
104 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
the Barringtons, Kirklevingtons, Acombs, Darling-
tons, Fletchers (or Filberts), Places, Harts, Geor-
gianas and Hudsons. The Messrs. Bell had the use
of Kirklevington bulls, and Mr. Bates himself
selected some of the foundation dams.
Last appearance in show-yard. — For years Mr.
Bates argued in favor of prizes at shows for family
groups, and in 1847, at the urgent request of the
Secretary of the Yorkshire Society, he sent the roan
Oxford 2d, then eight years old, along with the
four youngest of her progeny — two bulls and two
heifers — and also one of her grandsons to the Scar-
borough meeting. The roan bull 2d Duke of Oxford
(9046), then three years old, was included in the
lot, and defeated the noted Capt. Shafto (6833),
that had been bought by Mr. Parkinson for 325
guineas and was champion bull at the Northampton
Royal a few weeks previous. All six of the group
sent to Scarborough gained prizes.
At York in 1848 Bates again exhibited, but with-
out success, receiving but one jDrize, a second on 2d
Duke of Oxford. It is insisted, however, that the
decisions gave universal dissatisfaction. This was
his last appearance in the show-yard. He had bit-
terly opposed the whole system of training cattle
for show,* and was wont to ridicule the claims of
most of the winners.
* "Bates was disgusted at the amount of fulsome nonsense written
about the 'invincible' Belleville (6778), which won the championship
prize, and considered it his duty to warn foreigners against supposing
that the decision at the Royal Shows, given by judges who were in-
THOMAS BATES AND TflE DUCHESSES 105
Dispersion of the herd. — On the 25th of July,
1849, at the age of seventy-four years, after a half
a century's work with Short-horns, Thomas Bates
passed to his rest, and was buried in the little
church-yard at Kirklevington. "The Druid" tells
us that "his heart was with horn and hoof to the
last. Those who strolled with him in his pastures
recalled how the cows and even the young heifers
would lick his hand and seem to listen to every
gentle word and keen comment as if they penetrated
its import; and even when the last struggle was
nigh and he could wander among them no more he
reclined on some straw in the cow-house that his eye
might not lack its solace. ' '
Of the five nephews of Mr. Bates but one, Edward
Bates, had received a training in agriculture, and
he was living abroad. There was no member of the
family, therefore, to carry on the herd, and it was
accordingly put up at auction at Kirklevington May
9, 1850. The title page of the catalogue is repro-
duced on the following page from a copy — now yel-
low with age — in the possession of the author.
But five families — Duchesses, Oxfords, Waterloos,
Wild Eyes and Foggathorpes — were included in the
directly interested in the success of the prize animals, were any
guarantee of their usefulness as breeding stock. * * * On one oc-
casion he drove a friend over from Kirklevington to see Belleville at
Mr. J. Mason Hopper's, at Newham Grange, a few miles off. They
met Hopper on the road. Bates greeted him with: 'I am bringing
my friend to see your bull. I have told him that he is very fat and
very quiet.' Hopper, who was rather a rough diamond, replied:
'If that's all you can tell him, gang back ; ye need gae no farther.' '*
— Thomas Bates and the Kirklevington Short-horns.
106 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
herd at date of sale. Nothing of an historical or
descriptive nature was given in the catalogue, either
KIRKLEVINGTON, NEAR YARM, YORKSHIRE.
A CATALOGUE
OF THE
ENTIRE AND FAR-FAMED HERD
OF PURE
SHORT-HORNED CATTLE,
THE LATE THOMAS BATES, ESQ.
WHICH WILL BE SOLD BY AUCTION,
WITHOUT RESERVE,
BY MR. H. STRAFFORD,
AT KIRKLEVINGTON, NEAR YARM,
ON THURSDAY, THE 9TH DAY OF MAY, 1850,
SALE TO COMMENCE AT ONE O'CLOCK.
KIRKLEVINGTON is two miles from Yarm, twelve miles from Darlington
and twelve miles from North Allerton. from which places there is railway
conveyance to all parts of the Kingdom.
Catalogues may be had on application to Mr. Sthaj'fokd, 3, Camben Villas
Camden Town, London.
LONDON :
PRINTED AT "THE MARK LANE EXPRESS" OFFICE.
24, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND.
in the shape of foot-notes or introductory matter.
No illustrations were attempted, and the peculiar
THOMAS BATES AXD THE DUCHESSES 107
form of printing pedigrees, to which British breed-
ers still cling, was used as follows:
FornTii Duke of York (10167), roan, calved December 22, 1846;
got by Second Duke of Oxford (9046),
dam (Duchess 51st) by Cleveland Lad (3407),
g. d. (Duchess 41st) by Belvedere (1706),
gr. g. d. (Duchess 32d) by 2d Hubback (1423),
gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess ISth) by 2d Hubback (1423),
gr. gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess 12th) by The Earl (646),
gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess 4th) by Ketton 2d (710),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess 1st), by Comet (155),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. by Favorite (252).
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. by Daisy Bull ( 186 ) .
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. by Favorite (252),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. by Hubback (319) , — by J.
Brown's Red Bull (97).
A darker hour for the placing of a fine herd of
cattle upon the market could scarcely have been
chosen. At the Oxford Royal, a decade previous,
Mr. Bates had been offered 400 guineas each for his
prize animals, and at that period he could doubtless
have named his own price for the Duke of North-
umberland, but times had meantime undergone a
serious change. British agriculture was now pro-
foundly depressed. Average prices at Smithfield
market at Christmas, 1850, ranged from 3s. to 3s.
lOd. per stone of eight pounds. It seemed fairly
probable that the Kirklevington Short-horiis, repre-
senting the life-work of one of the most enthusiastic
breeders England has ever known, would simply be
led to a sacrifice. Mr. Bates had often said that his
cattle would never be appreciated at their full value
during his own lifetime. He believed that his own
108 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEX CATTLE
estimate of tliem would some day be accepted, and,
in later years this indeed came to pass.
The attendance was phenomenal in point of num-
bers, being estimated at five thousand. America
was represented by bids from Col. L. G. Morris and
N. J. Becar. Curiosity attracted many. Some, who
had felt the lash of Bates' free criticism during his
lifetime, were present to exult in what they doubt-
less hoped would prove a Waterloo for the Kirklev-
ington cattle. As the first lot passed through, and
the sand in the auctioneer's glass ran out at about
twenty guineas each, these small-minded individuals
broke into ironical cheers, but presently the spirited
bidding of Mr. Anthony Maynard pulled values out
of the mire and some good prices for the times were
registered. The roan 4th Duke of York, then three
years old, was conceded to be the outstanding bull
of the lot, and had been valued by Mr. Bates at
£1,000. When Earl Ducie started him at £200, how-
ever — having previously made known his intention
to buy the bull at any cost — competition for him
was silenced, and the Duke went to His Lordship at
what was considered a ''bargain-counter" price.
The sale list in detail, as respects the Duchesses and
Oxfords, is herewith presented:
DUCHESSES.
£ S.
Duchess 51st, roan, calved Aug. 18, 1842— S. E. Bolden 63
Duchess 54th, red, calved Oct. 30, 1844— Mr. Eastwood 94 10
Duchess 55th, red, calved Oct. 31, 1844— Earl Ducie 110 5
Duchess 56th, red-and-white, calved Nov. 3, 1844 — Mr.
Ambler 54 12
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES 109
£ s.
Duchess 59th, roan, calved Nov. 21, 1847 — Earl Ducie 210
Duchess 61st, red-roan, calved Aug. 19, 1848 — Lord Fever-
sham 105
Duchess 62d, red-and-white, calved Oct. 10, 1848 — Mr. Cham-
pion 126
Duchess 64th, red, calved Aug. 10, 1849— Earl Ducie 162 15
Grand Duke (10284), red, calved February, 1848— Mr. Hay. 215
4th Duke of York (10167), roan, calved December, 1846 —
Earl Ducie 210
Duke of Richmond (7996), roan, calved August, 1844 — A.
L. Maynard 126
3d Duke of York (10166), red, calved October, 1845— G. D.
Trotter 74 11
Duke of Athol (10150), red, calved September, 1849— Mr.
Parker 42
5th Duke of York (10168), white, calved October, 1849— R.
Bell 33 12
14 head sold for £1,627 10s., an average of £116 5s
OXFORDS.
£ s.
Oxford 2d, roan, calved April 20, 1839— Marquis of Exeter. . 54 12
Oxford 4th, red-and-vi'hite, calved Aug. 8, 1843 — E. James.. 28 7
Oxford 5th, roan, calved Nov. 24, 1844— Col. L. G. Morris
(U. S. A.) 74 11
Oxford 6th, red, calved Nov. 6, 1846— Earl Ducie 131 5
Oxford 9th, roan, calved Oct. 27, 1848— A. L. Maynard 42
Oxford 10th, red-and-white, calved Dec. 30, 1848— Col. Morris 53 11
Oxford 11th, roan, calved Aug. 25, 1849— Earl Ducie 131 5
Oxford 12th, roan, calved Aug. 27, 1849 — Lord Feversham. 85 1
Oxford 13th, roan, calved Jan. 7, 1850— N. J. Becar (U. S. A.) 63 3
Oxford 14th, roan, calved March 1, 1850 — Mr. Downes 21
2d Duke of Oxford (9046), roan, calved August, 1843— Earl
Howe 110 5
3d Duke of Oxford (9047), roan, calved October, 1845— Mr.
Robinson 64 1
Beverley (9664), red-and-white, calved October, 1848— Mr.
Townshend 32 11
13 head sold for £894 12s., an average of £68 16s
WILD EYES.
25 head sold for £1,203 6s., an average of £48 2s
110 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
WATERLOGS.
6 head sold for £357, an average of £59 10s
CAMBRIDGE ROSES.
3 head sold for £147, an average of £49
FOGGATHORPES.
7 head sold for £328 13s., an average of £46 19s
GENERAL AVERAGES.
68 head sold for £4,558, an average of £67
15 bulls sold for £1,309 7s., an average of £87 5s
5 bull calves sold for £201 12s., an average of £40
22 cows sold for £1,163 8s., an average of £52 17s
16 heifers sold for £21,221 3s., an average of £76 6s
10 heifer calves sold for £662 lis., an average of £66 5s
Sixty-four Duchess females. — The followii.g tabu-
lation showing the record of Duchess females in the
hands of Mr. Bates — for which the author is in-
debted to Mr. Richard Gibson — is worthy of being
incorporated here for purposes of reference.
It will be seen that there were but sixty-four
Duchesses all told. Of these, the last (Duchess 64th)
was calved after Mr. Bates' death. The one calf of
Duchess 58th was Duchess 65th, that probably died
young, as Lord Ducie recorded the 1850 calf of
Duchess 55th also as Duchess 65th. Of the fifty-
eight Duchesses old enough to breed previous to
Mr. Bates' death, which number includes all that
lived long enough to have numbers assigned them,
two (13th and 57th) are recorded as having died
young; one (53d) was a twin with a bull, and twen-
ty-four others (so far as the Herd Book records in-
form us) never produced calves. A cross from the
prolific AVild Eyes tribe might have materially in-
creased Duchess fertility during the ' ' forties. ' '
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES
111
Born
Color
Sire
Dam
Calves produced
Name
Male
Female
Bulls
named
Steers
or un-
named
Lived
Died
1808
1812
1815
1816
1817
1819
1820
1820
1821
182-
1823
1822
1823
1823
1834
1824
1825
1825
1825
1825
1825
1826
1836
1836
1836
1826
1827
1827
1829
laX)
1830
im\
1832
1832
1833
1834
1834
1835
1835
1835
1835
1837
1837
I8:^a
1838
1838
1839
1839
1839
1840
ItMl
1842
1844
1844
1844
1845
1846
1847
1847
1848
1848
1848
1849
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
red.
r. & w.
V. & w.
r. & w.
y. r.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
roan,
r. & w.
red.
r. & w.
r. & w.
roan,
roan,
ro.-in.
roan,
roan,
red.
r. & w.
r. & w.
r. & w.
red.
r. & w.
r. &w.
white,
roan,
r. & w.
roan,
red.
red.
r. & w.
roan,
red.
roan.
red.
roan.
r. & w.
roan.
red.
Comet
1
2
4
1
........
........
1
4
2
4
3
1
4
1
1
1
4
3
2
2
4
5
4
9
6
8
3
11
6
12
8
3
9
11
6
8
3
16
6
20
20
26
19
19
29
19
19
30
33
30
19
32
30
34
37
30
34
37
30
30
38
41
38
41
49
38
51
50
54
1
1
1
3
2
Cleveland
1
2
1 ■
TheEarl
The Earl
TheEarl
1
TheEarl
TheEarl
1
3d Earl
2d Hubback
2d Hubback
5
2
1
Duchess 20
2d Earl
Duchess 21
2d Earl
2d Hubback
Duchess 23
2d Earl
■ 1
1
I
2d Hubback
Duchess 38
3d Hubback
2d Hubback
1
6
2d Hubback
3
2d Hubback
Duchess 32
3d Hubback
1
1
1
2
Belvedere
4
1
Duchess 35
Gambler
Duchess 36
Belvedere
Duchess 37
Belvedere
1
1
2
2
Duchess 38
Norfolk
Duchess 39
Belvedere
Duchess 40
Belvedere
Duchess 41
Belvedere
2
........
........
1
2
Duchess 42
Belvedere
Duchess 43
Belvedere
Duchess 44
Short Tail
Short Tail
1
Duchess 46
Short Tail
Duchess 47
Short Tail
Short Tail
'""i"
1
3
....
1
2
Duchess 49
Short Tail
Duchess 50
Duchess 51
Duke of Northumberland.
Cleveland Lad
1,
Duchess 52
Holkar
Duchess 53
Duke of Northumberland.
2d Cleveland Lad . . .
Duchess 54
1
1
1
........
3
I
2
Duchess 55
Duchess 56
Duchess 57
4th Duke of Northumb'ld.
2d Duke of Northumblnd.
?d Cleveland Lad
Duchess 58
1
Total
29
16
63
2
Duchess 59
2d Duke of Oxford
56
54
51
56
54
55 .
Born previous to the death
of Mr. Bates. July 25.
1849. and at that date
not old enough to have
Duchess 60
2d Duke of Oxford
Duchess 61
2d Duke of Oxford
Duchess 62
2d Duke of Oxford
Duchess 63
2d Duke of Oxford
Duchess 64
2d Duke of Oxford
112 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN^ CATTLE
Individual character of the cattle. — It may be of
interest to American breeders to know that,
although the prevailing color of the old Duchesses
had been red and white, thirty-eight of the herd of
sixty-eight head sold in 1850 were roan and five pure
white in color; fifteen being red-and-white and
twelve red. The concentration of the blood of the
light-colored Belvedere and of the white Matchem
cow's sons — the Cleveland Lads — modified the orig-
inal Duchess color as well as elevated the general
excellence of the herd. A contemporary report of
the sale in the Farmer's Magazine commended the
character of the cattle in the following laudatory
language :
"In a combination of those qualities which constitute excellence
in the Short-horn variety of cattle it may be asserted with con-
fidence that the Kirklevington Herd at the time of its dispersion
was unequaled by any other in existence. Magnificent size,
straight and broad back, arched and well-spread ribs, wide bosom,
snug shoulder, clean neck, light feet, small head, prominent and
bright but placid eye, were features of usefulness and beauty
which distinguished this herd in the very highest degree. While
the hide is sufficiently thick to indicate an excellent constitution,
its elasticity when felt between the fingers and thumb, and its
floating under the hand upon the cellular texture beneath, to-
gether with the soft and furry texture of the coat, evinced in an
extraordinary degree throughout the herd excellent quality of
flesh and disposition to rapid taking on fat. In the sixty-eight
head of cattle not one could be characterized as inferior or even
as mediocre, all ranking as first-class animals; and when an idea
of inferiority arose it was only in reference to a comparison with
others of this splendid herd, which, from their most extraordinary
excellence, demand special notice."
Thus passed into other hands a herd that was des-
tined to receive recognition in the subsequent prog-
ress of the breed beyond even the wildest dreams
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES
113
of its founder. At liis grave stands a substantial
monument,* erected largely through the efforts of
Mr. William Housman, one of the most entertaining
of all English writers upon Short-horn cattle. It
bears this simple inscription:
THIS MEMORIAL OF
THOMAS BATES,
OF KIRKLEVIXGTOXj
ONE OF THE MOST DISTIXGUISHED BREEDERS OF SHORT-IIORX CATTLE,
IS RAISED BY A FEW FRIENDS WHO APPRECIATE HIS LABOURS
FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF BRITISH STOCK AND
RESPECT HIS CHARACTER.
BORN JUNE 21ST, 1776.
DIED 26th JULY, 1849.
I
DRAWN FROM rilOTOGEAPH BY THE ArXIIOR. lS:>-2.
*The exact date of Mr. Bates' death was July 25. as already stated.
Thi-ough some inadvertency the inscription on the monument reads
"July 26th."
CHAPTER V
PALMY DAYS AT KILLERBY AND WARLABY
The establishment of the Yorkshire and Royal
Shows (1838-9) proved the means of attracting
largely-increased attention to the breed, not only
throughout Great Britain but in foreign lands as
well. Mr. Bates was quick to see the advertising
advantages presented, and had carried off high
honors at the initial meetings of the National Show
at Oxford and Cambridge. His contemporary', John
Booth of Killerby, soon followed suit and began a
career of conquest — in which his brother Richard
soon joined — that gave the Booth cattle for a long
series of years reputation as a heavy flesh-carrying
type unequaled by any other in the Kingdom. Prior
to that time the Booth herds had been kept mainly
for dairy and grazing purposes, most of the males
being steered. Their quick-feeding quality rendered
them easily susceptible to ''training" for show.
We have already detailed the division of the Kil-
lerby Herd that occurred in 1814, at the time when
Richard Booth began breeding at Studley. To take
the place at Killerby of some of the cows sent to
Studley Thomas Booth bought others, which when
crossed with his strong-bred bulls gave rise to three
very prominent families — the FarcAvells, the Brough-
114
KILLERBY AND WARLABY 115
tons, and the Dairymaids or Moss Roses. The
matron of the Farewell tribe, like so many other
good ones that proved successful breeders, was sim-
ply a good market cow, showing Short-horn breed-
ing and quality, purchased at Darlington. Among
her descendants were the famous trio — Faith, Hope
and Charity. The first Broughton cow came, like
the Fairholme heifers, from a good dairy farmer,
and of her line was Bliss, Blythe and Bonnet. The
original Dairymaid came from a good stock of cattle
near the village of Scorton. To her the prolific
Vivandiere, Campfollower and Soldier's Bride
traced in the maternal line. To these families were
added the Gaudy (or Lady Betty) sort, bred from
a cow bought from Mr. Taylor of Catterick; the
Mantalinis, derived from the purchase of Sylph, by
Eemus, from Mrs. Booth's sister, Miss Wright of
Cleasby, and the Belindas, that originated from the
stock of Miss Wright and Mr. Charge. The de-
scendants of these cows, a portion of the Halnaby
and Fairholme tribes, and the Bracelets consti-
tuted the herd that graced "the quiet meadows of
old Killerby," from whence John Booth selected the
celebrated show animals sent to the early meetings
of the Eoyal Agricultural Society of England. The
sensation created by their appearance laid the foun-
dation for the wide demand that subsequently set
in for Booth blood. In five years four first prizes
for the best Short-horn cows at the Royal were won
by animals of Killerby breeding.
116 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Bracelet and Necklace. — In 1840 Killerby entered
the lists at the Yorkshire Show at Northallerton and
won first prize with the roan three-year-old Bracelet,
by Priam (2452) — he a son of Isabella by Pilot —
and second on the yearling heifer Mantalini. In
1841 Mr. Booth ventured into deeper water, showing
at the Royal at Liverpool and the Highland at Ber-
wick, as well as at the Yorkshire Show. Bracelet
won first as cow at both of the national shows, and
Mantalini first as two-year-old heifer. In 1842
Bracelet and her twin sister. Necklace, swept all
before them at York, and Necklace was first at the
Bristol Royal. Carr says: ''To this day it is a
mooted question among those who remember the
world-renowned twins to which of them could be
most justly awarded the palm of beauty. Necklace
is said to have had neater fore quarters and to have
been rather better filled up behind the shoulders.
Bracelet had fuller, longer and more level hind
quarters." Writing in 1880, John Thornton said:
"Many old breeders still maintain that as Duke of
Northumberland was one of the finest bulls so Brace-
let was the finest cow in their recollection." In
1843 Necklace overcame all opposition at Doncaster.
These famous cows together brought home as tro-
phies of show-yard war some thirty-five class and
championship prizes and medals; Necklace finishing
her career by winning a gold medal against thirty-
seven competitors at the Smithfield Fat-Stock Show
at London in 1846.
Buckingham. — ^Bracelet was not only a reigning
NECKLACE AT SIX YEAKS OLD.
BRACELET AT FIVE YEARS OLD.
JOHN BOOTH'S FAMOUS ROYAL, PRIZE-WINNING TWINS.
KILLERBY AND WARLABY 117
show-yard queen, but proved a grand breeder, pro-
ducing the fine white show cow Birthday, by Lord
Stanley (4269), the prize bull Hamlet, by Leonard,
and that extraordinary sire Buckingham (3239), the
latter the result of mating with Col. Cradock's Mus-
sulman (4525). Buckingham was sold to Richard
Booth, who had in the meantime succeeded to his
father's estate of Warlaby, and in his hands proved
a uniform getter of broad-backed, round-ribbed
stock, with shapely fore quarters and well-filled
flanks. He was subsequently let to Mr. Barnes, who
established a noted herd of Booth-bred cattle at
Westland, Ireland, but the bull was unfortunately
lost by the burning of the channel steamer that was
conveying him to the Emerald Isle. Buckingham
introduced the Old Cherry blood into the Booth
herds, and illustrated the vivifying effect of a judi-
cious outcross upon tribes that had been interbred
for generations. No further proof of this is needed
than the mere mention of the fact that Buckingham
left at Warlaby, among other valuable progeny, the
celebrated Charity, Plum Blossom, Bloom, Medora,
Vivandiere, Isabella, Buckingham, Vanguard, Hope-
well, Benedict and Baron Warlaby. Bracelet's
famous daughter, Birthday, in turn produced the
prize-winning heifer Gem (which Dixon says was
Mr. Booth's model as respects compactness, beauti-
ful hair and fine, even quality of flesh) and the
white bull Lord George (10439), the sire of the 2d
Duke of Athol (11376), in the pedigrees of Mr. Alex-
118 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOEX CATTLE
ander's American Duchess of Airdrie. Another
daughter of Bracelet was Pearl, grandam of Pearly,
bought by Col. Towneley at the Killerby sale, that
became the dam of the 500-g'uinea Ringlet. Bracelet
was also the dam of the red bull Morning Star
(6223), that was sold in 1844 as a two-year-old to
Louis Philippe of France. Before crossing the
Channel, however, he begot Vesper, the ancestress
of the noted family of that name in the Booth-bred
herd of Mr. R. S. Bruere. Necklace produced Jewel,
the dam of Jeweller, used in the Towneley herd, the
sire of the celebrated Barmpton Rose cow Butterfly.
Mantalini, the show-yard companion of the twins,
had a daughter, Pelerine, from whence came those
"three graces," Rose of Autumn, Rose of Summer
and Rose of Athelstane, in the herd of Mr. Douglas
of Athelstaneford.
John Booth's sale. — After playing a prominent
part in the show-yard for a number of years and
demonstrating beyond all dispute the flesh-making
qualities and prepotent character of his cattle "the
Squire of Killerby" sold his herd at auction in July,
1852, the sale being attended by breeders from all
parts of the Kingdom. The depression prevailing
at the time of the Bates sale still continued, and
some of the animals were a few years later resold
for three times the price paid at the sale. The forty-
four lots averaged £48 12s. Bloom brought 110
guineas from Mr. Ambler, aud Birthright 105
guineas from Mr. Douglas. After the dispersion
KILLEEBY AND WARLABY 119
John Booth did not again engage extensively in
cattle-breeding.* His brother Eichard had pur-
chased Venus Victrix at the top price of the sale
(175 guineas) and afterwards presented her to her
former owner. She was successfully exhibited at
leading shows from 1852 to 1856, and also produced
the two bulls King Arthur and King Alfred, both
by Crown Prince, besides two choice heifers, Victrix
and Venus de Medicis. The latter was sold to Mr.
Douglas for 300 guineas and shown at the Paris Ex-
position. At Mr. Booth's death in 1857 his sons in-
herited this Venus Victrix tribe, as well as the de-
scendants of Hecuba, by Hopewell; among the latter
being the noted Forest Queen and Queen of Trumps.
Hecuba w^as of the real rent-paying sort — a heavy
milker and quick feeder. Another grand cow in the
herd at this time was Soldier's Dream, of the old
Moss Rose sort. Her dam had been presented to
John Booth's sons by their uncle Richard.
Warlaby and its show-yard wonders. — We now
approach the zenith of Booth fame — the later
*"Mr. Booth was a very fine-looking- man, upward of six feet and
fifteen stone, with rare hands and a fine eye to hounds. This was the
sport he loved best, and when he was on Jack o'Lantern or Rob Roy
few men could cross the Bedale country with him. * * * He was
full of joviality and good stories as well as the neatest of practical
jokes. His friend Wetherell generally had his guard up, but when he
received a letter, apparently from the Earl of Tankerville, saying that
he was to lot and sell the wild White cattle of Chillingham, he puzzled
for minutes as to how on earth His Lordship ever intended to catch
them and bring them into the ring before he guessed the joke and its
author. * * * Booth judged a great deal in England, and never
went for great size either in a bull or a cow. As a man of fine,
steady judgment in a cattle-ring he has perhaps never had an equal.
He died in 1857, after a weary twelve months' illness, in his seventieth
year, at Killerby, and a memorial window at Catterick, where he
rests, was put up by his friends, and neighbors and the Short-horn
world as well." — Saddle and Sirloin.
120 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
acliievements of that Achilles of British show-yard
war, Richard Booth (late of Studley), who suc-
ceeded to his father's estate of AVarlaby, in the
grassy valley of the Wiske, in 1835. In his later
years Thomas Booth had not endeavored to give
the herd at Warlaby any special prominence. He
had devoted fifty years of his useful life to the in-
terests of the breed, and had lived to see the type
created by his skill and genius recognized as one
of the chief sources of Short-horn excellence. He
was content, therefore, to leave to younger men the
active "pushing" of their favorites. It is said that
Richard on his entrance at Warlaby did not at first
contemplate any special effort in the line of Short-
horn breeding. Unlike his brother John — who had
the traditional Yorkshire love for the excitement of
the race-course and the hunting field — Richard had
never been given to active pursuits, and "was only
a quiet gig-man" from the early days. Happily for
the breed, however, he changed his mind in relation
to cattle-breeding and devoted the remainder of his
days to the upbuilding of what was beyond all ques-
tion the most remarkable herd of its time and one
of the greatest known in Short-horn history.
Thomas Booth had left at Warlaby cows of the
Halnaby (Strawberry), Farewell, Blossom, Brough-
ton, Daiiymaid and Christon families. To this col-
lection Richard added old Isabella, by Pilot, then in
her sixteenth year but still breeding. Killerby was
at this date and for some years aftei*ward in the
KILLERBY AND WAELABY 121
ascendant so fai* as public notoriety was concerned.
The victories of Bracelet and Necklace, of Manta-
lini, Ladythorne, Birthday and Hamlet had drawn
all eyes upon the work of John Booth, but Richard
of Warlaby was meantime buckling on his armor.
He bought Bracelet's son Buckingham, bearing 50
per cent of Old Cherry blood, from his brother John;
having already sent his own grand cow. White
Strawberry, to be bulled by Lord Lieutenant (4260),
of Mr. Eaine's breeding. White Strawberry was
probably the best cow at Warlaby at that time. She
was bred in every direction from the closest affini-
ties of blood, her ancestors, male and female, being
filled by repeated crosses with the blood of Albion
and Pilot. She was a magiiificent broad-backed,
wide-breasted animal, quite equal in merit to those
buxom matrons, the red Anna and the roan Isabella
by Pilot, the two best cows that either of the herds
had previous to 1835 produced. The white bull
Leonard (4210) was the result of this Booth-Raine
union. In those days color did not condemn good
cattle to destruction. Leonard was called a "little"
bull, but the Booths were never partial to big ones.
Moreover, he had great loins and widely-spread ribs.
He was also rather heavy in the horn, but the laird
of "Warlaby had confidence in his value as a sire and
placed him in service. His blood, blended with that
of Buckingham through the veins of that grand
galaxy of Booth-bred cows, Isabella, White Straw-
berry, Bracelet and Charity, ultimately found issue
122 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
in the world-renowned Crown Prince (10087), the
bull of all Booth bulls; the bull that was to Warlaby
what Duke of Northumberland was to Kirkleving-
ton or Champion of England to Sittyton.
Faith, Hope and Charity. — It was not until 1846
that Warlaby closed in earnest with the ruling ring-
side powers of the United Kingdom. John Booth
was out with a strong herd, including Necklace,
Birthday, Mantalini, Gem and Hamlet — the latter
regarded by John Booth as the best bull he ever
bred. It was a significant fact that one of Richard's
earliest ventures in the show-field had been made
with a roan cow called Faith, of the Farewell family.
She was a large and excellent cow, but somewhat
masculine, and could only get a second against
Necklace at the Yorkshire meeting, but her name
represented the foundation upon which Warlaby
built for the future — implicit confidence in the value
of the blood combinations there at work. From
Faith sprang Hope in the form of a roan daughter
of that name — got by the white bull Leonard — that
went to the Yorkshire Show in 1845 as a two-year-
old and there became one of the first of a long and
truly regal line of Warlaby winners.
In 1846 Eichard Booth made his bow at the Royal,
held that year in the Tyneside Country, near New-
castle. Bracelet and Necklace were there, but for-
tunately had graduated into the class for ''extra
stock." Leonard's daughter, Hope, then three years
old, defeated all other cows of her age in the yard,
JOHX BOOTHS BIRTHDAY AT FOUR TEARS OLD.
THE BOOTH COW VIVAXDIERE AT FIVE TEARS — BRED BT
JOHX OUTHWAITE, BAINESSE, TORKSHIRE, ENGLAND.
KILLEKBY AND WARLABY 123
repeating the performance at the Yorkshire at
Wakefield. Not only did the handsome Hope accom-
plish this in 1846, but what was even more to the
point during that same year she produced to the
cover of Buckingham the red heifer Charity, that
subsequently attained imperishable renown as the
mother of
Crown Prince (10087). — This extraordinary breed-
ing bull was a roan, dropped by Charity May 10,
1849, to a service by the white Fitz Leonard (7010).
Mr. Carr says: ''Of Charity, who so long graced
the Warlaby pastures, it is sufficient to say that she
was the personification of all that is beautiful in
Short-horn shape. Such was her regularity of form
that a straight wand laid along her side longitudi-
nally from the lower flank to the forearm and from
the hips to the upper part of the shoulder blades
touched at almost every point ; her quarters were so
broad, her crops and shoulders so full, her ribs so
boldly projected, and the space between them and
the well-cushioned hips so arched over with flesh as
to form a continuous line. It was difficult for the
most hypercritical eye to detect a failing point in
this perfectly-molded animal, and it was in conse-
quence of Mr. Booth's high appreciation of her
merits and those of her son that he made such free
use of Crown Prince. Charity won every prize for
which she was shoAvn save one, when she was beaten
as a calf by another of the same herd, after which
her career was one of unvaried success. She was
124 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORX CATTLE
thrice decked with the white rosette at the Royal
and thrice at the Yorkshire meetings. ' '
The Prince proved probably the greatest stock-
getter of all the many celebrated bulls ever used at
Warlaby. He was never shown, so valuable were
his services in the breeding herd; his capacity in
that respect was attested not only by such cham-
pion show cattle as Nectarine Blossom and the four
peerless "Queens," but his bulls — for one of which,
the champion Windsor, Mr. Booth refused £1,000 —
were in demand from all parts of the Kingdom.
But one of his sons, Duke of Buckingham, was ever
sold, Mr. Booth preferring to retain the ownership
of all. They were let and used with remarkable
results on some of the best herds of their time. Mr.
Carr, the accomplished historian of the Booths,
said of Crown Prince: "To the visitor at War-
laby I would say: 'Si moniimentiim requiris, cir-
cumspice!' " If you ask where is his monument,
look around you.
Isabella Buckingham and other celebrities. — Isa-
bella, by Pilot, had produced nine calves before her
transfer to Warlaby, but she there gave birth at the
extreme age of eighteen years to the white heifer
Isabella (Vol. VI, page 405, Coates' Herd Book), by
Young Matchem (4422), that subsequently produced
the white Fitz Leonard (7010), sire of Crown Prince
(10087); the big, broad-backed, heavy-loined roan
sire and show bull Vanguard (10994), that acquired
fame in the great Booth-bred herd of Mr, Torr, and
KILLERBY AND WARLABY 125
the roan heifers Innocence and Isabella Bucking-
ham. Innocence in turn produced the white Leoni-
das (10414), that sired the famous Monk (11824)—
also white — one of the best Warlaby bulls. Carr
says that the hair of Leonidas was so long that it
fairly "waved in the wind, like the wool on a
sheep's back." Isabella Buckingham, "a superb
cow of great substance," was a roan, dropped March
29, 1845, and as her name implies was a daughter
of Bracelet's son Buckingham. She thus joined the
blood of one of the greatest of all Killerby cows to
that of the queenly Isabella. The "imposing gran-
deur" of the Warlaby Isabellas was a theme upon
which admirers of the herd ever loved to dwell, and
Isabella Buckingham of that line, like Charity,
reaped a rich harvest of ribbons and rosettes.
Indeed after 1846 Warlaby 's place in the National
shows was for many years unquestioned. At the
Northampton Eoyal of 1847 Cherry Blossom (by
Buckingham), a noble cow "with massive fore
quarters and of stately presence," was first; Isabella
Buckingham was first-prize two-year-old, and
Charity the first-prize yearling. At the same show
held at York in 1848 Hope, Cliarity and Isabella
were all winners. At the Norwich Eoyal of 1849
Charity was first and Isabella second. Cherry Blos-
som heading the post-graduate class, and at the
Highland Show at Glasgow they repeated in Scot-
land what they had accomplished "South o'
Tweed."
126 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Meantime Hope had produced to Buckingham the
roan bull Hopewell (10332), that early demonstrated
his mettle by winning first as a yearling at Leeds
in 1849. Hopewell became a sire of great renown,
Mr. Booth receiving for his services while on hire in
various herds the great sum of £1,000, To the cover
of Cherry Blossom's own brother, Baron Warlaby
(7813), Hope gave birth to the short-legged thrifty
roan bull Harbinger (10297), that won as a yearling
at the Exeter Eoyal of 1850, and afterward proved
a wonderful stock-getter, siring the prize cow
Bridesmaid and Red Rose, the dam of the wonder-
ful "Queens" to be mentioned further on. He also
became known on this side of the Atlantic as the
sire of Mr. Alexander's imp. Mazurka, ancestress of
a very noted American tribe. Isabella Buckingham
was first-prize cow at same show.
Windsor (14013) ajid the Blossoms. — We have
already noted the appearance of this family. Cherry
Blossom, in the show-yard. In 1851 the roan four-
year-old cow Plum Blossom, by Buckingham,* in
calf to Crown Prince, won the first prize at the
Windsor Royal, and in October following she gave
birth to a white bull calf that afterward carried all
*Plum Blossom, according to Carr, was "a level, lengthy, short-
legged cow of great substance. She had abundance of hair, of a rich
purple roan, a very sweet head and high-bred appearance. While still
but a slip of a heifer (for Plum Blossom was no hot-house nursling,
but a wilding of the fields from her birth) Mr. Eastwood, visiting
Warlaby with the late Mr. Booth, had the sagacity to foresee the
perfection to which she would mature. He made tempting overtures
to compass her transfer to Towneley. which he flattered himself the
latter did not seem disinclined to entertain : but on reviving the sub-
ject after dinner Mr. Booth dashed his hopes by intimating that he
could not allow him to 'put in his thumb and pull out this plum.' "
KILLEEBY AND WAELABY 127
before liirn at the National and Northern county
shows. In honor of his mother's victory at thj
Eoyal he was dubbed Windsor. The calf began his
winnings at Sheffield the following summer. That
same year another of this family, Eose Blossom,
gained first as a two-year-old at the Eoyal.
Windsor made ten shows and won nine first
prizes, being the ' ' bull card ' ' of the Warlaby exhibit
from 1852 to 1855. He was spoken of as "the Comet
of modern times. A very symmetrical animal, of
extraordinary length, with a good masculine head
and horn, a well-formed neck, a very deep and prom-
inent breast, and well-covered, obliquely-laid shoul-
ders; his back was admirably formed — firm and
level — and his ribs were finely arched up to the
shoulders, forming a cylindrical shape throughout;
his quarters were very long and flat, his thighs,
flank and twist remarkably deep and full, and his
legs short and fine below the knee. From the top
of his shoulder to the tip of his brisket he measured
four feet ten inches." After winning at the Car-
lisle Eoyal in 1855 an Australian breeder offered
£1,000 for him, which proposition Mr. Booth de-
clined. "Windsor was sire of the great show cow
Soldier's Bride, presently to be mentioned.
A few years later the big, all-conquering Nec-
tarine Blossom, by Crown Prince, appeared. In
1857 she was the first-prize cow at York. In 1858
she was first at the Eoyal, first at the Yorkshire
and winner of the 100-guinea cup at Durham Show
128 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
as best animal in the yard. In 1859 she was again
first among cows at the Koyal. Of this tribe also
was that broad, thick-fleshed prize cow Venus Vic-
trix, shown by John Booth, as already noticed.
Bride, Bridesmaid and Bride Elect. — A branch of
Mr. Booth's favorite old Halnaby tribe threw out a
blooming bevy of show-yard favorites between the
years 1847 and 1857, beginning with Bagatelle by
Buckingham, and including Bride by Hopewell,
Bridesmaid by Harbinger, and the extraordinary
white cow Bride Elect by Vanguard (10994). The
latter was regarded as the wonder of her day in
respect to her astonishing development of bosom
and fore quarters, and also carried a beautiful head
and horn. She was a leading winner in the Warlaby
show herds from 1854 to 1858.
The quartette of "Queens." — The same Halnaby
or Strawberry tribe that gave Warlaby these Brides
appeared again in full flower just as Bride Elect
began to lose her bloom,* Red Rose, by Harbinger,
producing to the cover of Crown Prince that re-
markable group of heifers Queen of the May, Queen
Mab, Queen of the Vale, and finally the noble Queen
of the Ocean. It is related that a blank check ten-
dered by Rev. J. Bolden for Red Rose — the dam of
these celebrities — when she was a heifer was re-
fused. Mr. Booth's vision as to her future useful-
*01d Cuddy, long-time herdsman for Mr. Booth, would say: "Aye!
yon's poor auld Bride Elect. Did ye ever see sic an a breast and sic
leeght timbers? Yan wad wonder how sic bane could bear sae muckle
beef. Look at her rumps and thighs, and loins, and aboon a', that
breast! Why there be amaist plenty for twa beasts!"
KILLERBY AND WARLABY 129
ness was in this case prophetic, as he was afterward
offered 1,500 guineas for Queen of the May, the first
of the daughters to enter the show-yard. This
heifer be^an winning as a yearling at the Chelms-
ford Royal of 1856. Queen Mab, "the Greek
beauty," entered the prize list as a yearling at the
same society's show at Shrewsbury in 1857. Queen
of the Vale came forward in 1858. Queen of the
Ocean was presented as a cow at the Battersea
Eoyal of 1862, receiving first in her class and gold
medal as best female in the yard. That same year
she won the 100-guinea cup championship at Dur-
ham County Show. In 1863, shown with Soldier's
Bride, she was one of the first-prize pair of cows at
the Worcester Royal, and first at the Yorkshire,
Northumberland, North Lancashire, Craven, Halifax
and Keighley Shows.
Queen of the May has been described as almost a
model. Her loins and chine were broad and deeply
covered, her head sweetly feminine and her shoul-
ders, girth and heck veins faultless. Her quarters
were long and level; her only weakness being at the
thigh. She was unfortunately permanently injured
on a railway journey. Queen of the Vale and Queen
Mab were described in the Journal of the Highland
Agricultural Society, after winning first and second
respectively, in the following language:
"Queen of the Vale is a cow of faultless proportions, a perfect
parallelogram in form, with well-fleshed, obliquely-laid shoulders,
a good head and a very sweet neck and bosom, sweeping finely
into the shoulders, the points of which are completely hidden by
130 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN" CATTLE
the full neck vein. Queen Mab is, if possible, still more remark-
able than her sister, for her broad, thick, level loins, depth of
twist and armful of flank; but she is now perhaps less faultless,
as her hind quarters are becoming plain and patchy from fat.
She is, however, equal, if not superior, to Queen of the Vale in
her marvelous capacity of girth, fore rib and bosom. Like her
sister, she maintains her cylindrical proportions wonderfully
throughout, the ribs retaining their circular form up to the
shoulders, with which they blend without any depression either
at the crops or behind the elbow, and from thence the fore
quarters taper beautifully to the head."
The massive Queen of tlie Ocean was a royal speci-
men of her race, with the traditional Booth wealth
of flesh, shortness of leg and perfect fore quarters.
The Battersea judges called her "all that a cow
should be." She became the dam of the bull Prince
of Battersea, that won a lot of prizes as a calf and
yearling but died from the effect of overheating at
the Newcastle Eoyal of 1864. The great price of
800 guineas had been refused for him. Queen of the
Vale had a heifer, Queen of the May 2d, that also
became a great winner. Three of the victories of
Queen Mab, Nectarine Blossom and Queen of the
May reduced to Mr. Booth's possession the Durham
Society's 100-guinea challenge cup, which thereafter
became an heirloom of the house of Warlaby.
Vivandiere, Campfollower and Soldier's Bride. —
One of the most remarkable of the Warlaby matrons
was the prolific Vivandiere, by Buckingham, Her
description indicates that she was what the Scotch
herdsmen call "a lady coo," or what is in common
cattle-breeding parlance a "breedy" cow. Mr. Carr
KILLEEBY AND WARLABY 131
incidentally gives us Richard Booth's testimony to
be added to that of nearly all other eminent breeders
to the effect that good breeding cows usually have
good heads. He says: "The modest Vivandiere,
with her beautiful head, was frequently unobserved,
except by the admirers of a well-filled udder, unless
brought into notice by the quiet observation from
her owner 'Look at that head and hair!' " She had
ten calves, among them being the prize-winning
Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, Welcome, Vivacity,
Verity, Soldier's Nurse, and the great cow Camp-
follower. Prince Alfred gained many prizes in 1864
and 1865, was used at Windsor, was let one year to
the Emperor Napoleon III for the French Govern-
ment Experimental Farm and afterwards spent
two years at Lady Pigot's; Her Ladyship being
an enthusiastic breeder of Booth Short-horns, and
producing among other celebrities Eosedale by
Valasco. Mr. Booth did not make a practice of
showing his stock bulls, but Dixon says that "old
Prince Alfred after making a perfect Ulysses of
himself in the home farms of princes, emperors and
baronets came out and was first in the bull class in
the eleventh year of his age."
One of the most valuable cows ever produced at
Warlaby was Vivandiere 's daughter Campfollower,
by Crown Prince. She was described as "a truly
noble cow, with queenly gait." Moreover, she
would have been a profitable cow in any working
dairy. Indeed, she died at last from milk fever,
132 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORJT CATTLE
after giving birth to the heifer Soldier's Nurse, that
was presented by Kichard Booth to his nephews at
Killerby. In the hands of the latter the "Nurse"
jjroduced Soldier's Dream and the thick, heavy-
fleshed bull Brigade Major, by Valasco. Campfol-
lower probably contributed as much to the ultimate
fame of Warlaby as any other member of the herd.
Bred to Windsor (14013) she produced in 1859 the
celebrated white show cow Soldier's Bride. As a
yearling- the latter grew into an astonishing speci-
men of early maturity, and later on became one of
the most magnificent cows of her time, her grandly-
arched ribs, beautiful bosom and great heart-girth
marking her as one of the outstanding Short-horns
of her day and generation. She traveled the circuit
for several years with her renowned stable com-
panion Queen of the Ocean, had the honor of defeat-
ing that extraordinary cow upon several occasions,
and in 1865 became the dam of the roan heifer Bride
of the Vale, sold to Walcott & Campbell of New
York for $5,000. In the spring of 1864 Campfol-
lower dropped the roan bull Commander-in-Chief
(21451), by Valasco (15443), in reference to which
the venerable Mr. Wetherell said: "He is the best
bull I have seen since the days of Comet." In the
hands of Mr. T. C. Booth, who succeeded to the pos-
session of Warlaby Herd, Commander-in-Chief ac-
quired international fame.
Death of Richard Booth.— On the 31st of October,
1864, "full of years and honors," Richard Booth
KILLERBY AND WAELABY 133
died at the age of seventy-six. Shortly before his
death he had refused an offer of £15,000 for his
herd, Avhich, while at that time reduced to some
thirty head, included, among other "future-great"
individuals. Lady Blithe 's sensational yearling
heifer Lady Fragrant and Campfollower's baby bull
Commander-in-Chief — a pair destined to add, in
other hands, fresh laurels to the house of Booth.
The delightful "Boswell" of this remarkable family
of Short-horn breeders (William Carr) takes leave
of Richard Booth, "the good old man," in the fol-
lowing characteristic language:
"He sleeps in peace beneath the shade of the old grey tower of
Ainderby, that looks down upon the scene of his useful and quiet
labors. But Warlaby is there still, and his kith and kin retain
its hall and herd. And it may be added — for it is a circumstance
too well known to savor at all of flattery — -that his nephew and
successor, Mr. T. C. Booth, is no unworthy or unskillful heir,
while his amiable wife lends a new charm to the old place; and
his rising family gives the promise of the continuance of the
long-continued Warlaby herd for generations yet to come."
The Booth method of breeding. — The Messrs.
Booth always adhered to the proposition that they
secured their best results by interbreeding their own
established tribes. At the same time they were
aware of the fact that inbreeding the cattle in their
possession was quite a different proposition from,
and was probably attended by more dangers than,
inbreeding as practiced by the CoUings. In the
latter case the cattle that were incestuously bred
had no prior relationships. With the Booth stock
as it existed at Warlaby inbreeding meant the mat-
134 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEX CATTLE
ing of close affinities, as nearly all ran back origin-
ally to Hubback and Favorite tlirougli a hundred
different channels. So we find them introducing at
a comparatively early period the Mason blood of
Matchem — to which Bates also resorted later — and
Lord Stanley (4269), of the Earl of Carlisle's breed-
ing. The breeding of John Booth 's Bracelet to Col.
Cradock's Mussulman, and of Eichard Booth's
White Strawberry to Lord Lieutenant, of Raine's
blood, proved to be wise procedure. Neither Buck-
ingham nor Leonard, the two bulls secured from
those outside services, were extraordinary individ-
uals. In fact the former was called ' ' shabby. ' ' But
when the fresh blood (50 per cent) carried by these
bulls was reduced to 25 per cent, as found in their
progeny, the result, as must appear from the fore-
going recital, was all that could be desired. Indeed,
in the case of the matchless sire Crown Prince both
of these fresh currents met in diluted form. Lord
Stanley, bred to Bracelet, gave John Booth's noted
show cow Birthday.
Two later attempts at outcrossing were made, one
through the bull Exquisite (8048) and the other
through Water King (11024), but both were con-
sidered at the time as having been unsuccessful.
Nevertheless Isabella Buckingham's daughter Sam-
ple, by Exquisite, was bred to Crown Prince, and
the product of that union — a heifer called Speci-
men — was (contrary to Mr. Booth's usual practice)
bred back to her own sire (Crown Prince) ; the
KILLERBY AND WARLABY 135
double cross of that bull upon the outcrossed cow
producing the prize-winning Lady Grace, that was
first at the Cleveland Show^ at Yarm in 1861. In
her the true Booth type ^vas completely regained,
and her daughter Graceful w^as one of a pair of prize
heifers at Worcester Royal. Carr states that both
of these animals -were of robust constitution, with
abundance of hair. Exquisite w^as bought by
Messrs. Booth and Torr at the Wiseton sale at thir-
teen months old for 370 guineas. He is said to have
had plenty of substance and "a profusion of beau-
tiful hair," and combined Mason's and Earl Spen-
cer's blood.
AVater King was a roan, bred by Mr. Torr from
Baron Warlaby (7813) out of the Bates Waterloo
cow^ Water Witch by 4th Duke of Northumberland
(3649). While Mr. Booth did not fancy his calves,
yet one of his daughters — Peach Blossom — was good
enough to go into the show herd in 1852, and w^on
second to Bridesmaid at the Eoyal at Gloucester. A
Water King heifer — Welcome, from Campfollow^er —
w^as called "homely," but her daughter Welcome
Hope, by Hopew^ell, was good. Old Cuddy said of
her: "Aye, Hopewell has putten in some gude w^ork
when he gat that heifer. She wad make up a slash-
in' cow, though she have a touch o' Bates bluid in
her; but then, ye ken, Hopewell wad mak' up a'
deficiencies."
The fecundity of the Booth cattle was unfavor-
ably affected by high feeding for show. They had
136 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HOKX CATTLE
not been as intensely bred as the Bates Duchesses.
The limited number of the latter produced during a
period of nearly fifty years by Mr. Bates — as shown
by the table printed on page 111 — was unquestion-
ably due to incestuous mating. The complete ex-
tinction, in the female line, of some of the best War-
laby tribes — such as the Blossoms and Charities —
was laid at the door of the exacting requirements of
the Roj^al and other show-yards.
We may conclude this reference to the work of
John and Richard Booth by the following quotation
from Saddle and Sirloin:
"A more remarkable contrast than these two celebrated broth-
ers, both in form and temperament, is seldom met with in prac-
tice. John, the elder, was, like Robert Colling, perhaps the more
original thinker of the two, but not the same steady worker. He
was more the man of the world, fond of a gallop with the Bedale
and always ripe and ready for a little fun; while Richard was
much more of the dignified recluse and thought 'no place like
home.' .Tohn delighted to go off on judging expeditions, while
Richard never donned the ermine and only cared for a good lodg-
ing or his 'ease at mine inn' during a great show, that he might
see a few select standard-bearers, who would share his winning
pleasure or sympathize with him if he were beaten. John was an
apt and ready speaker and never sat down without some quaint,
racy sentiment which set the table in a roar; Richard merely
rose and bowed to the Chairman and "Vice in turn and let himself
down again, with a simple word of thanks to the company. One
was more off-handed and hardly valued his herd enough; the
other was the man of business who appraised it to a nicety."
The Warlaby bulls were for years in such demand
that it was with difficulty customers could be sup-
plied. Ireland's Short-horn herds were fairly dom-
inated by them, while in England such distinguished
KILLEKBY AND WABLABY 137
breeders as Lady Pigot, Messrs. Torr, Bruere, Outh-
waite, Peel, Pawlett and others, by their intelligent
manipulation of Booth blood, assisted materially in
giving it that high renown which it has so long
enjoyed.
CHAPTER VI
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS
The earlier volumes of the English Herd Book
contain the names of many successful breeders, but
the operations of most of them were more or less
obscured by the brilliant achievements at Ketton,
Barmpton, Killerby, Kirklevington and Warlaby.
It must not be supposed, however, that all early
knowledge of the art of Short-horn breeding began
and ended with the eminent breeders mentioned in
the foregoing pages. The careers of these Napo-
leons of the trade necessarily occupy our attention
somewhat to the disadvantage of other worthy
workers in the cause of improvement, but no survey
of the foundation upon which our American Short-
horn breeding rests would be complete without some
reference at this point to a few other herds that ex-
isted prior to, or contemporaneous with, the period
when our leading pioneer buyers entered the English
market.
Mason of Chilton. — About midway between the
cities of Durham and Darlington Mr. Christopher
Mason of Chilton established a herd from which
Kirklevington, Killerby, Warlaby, Ury, Sittyton
and various American herds derived undoubted
elements of strength^various detractors to the con-
138
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS 139
trary notwithstanding. Mr. Wetherell always in-
sisted that "Mason got rid of the open shoulders
and improved the fore quarters generally." The
foundation of the herd was drawn largely from the
stock of Mr. Maynard of Eryholme. One section of
it descended through Miss Lax, by Dalton Duke
(188), a daughter of "the beautiful Lady May-
nard," bought by Charles Colling, as detailed in a
preceding chapter. From this cow and her white
heifer, Lily by Favorite (252), descended the great
family of Victorias afterwards so popular on both
sides the Atlantic. From Lily's family also came
Earl Spencer's Hecatomb (2102), that defeated Mr.
Bates' renowmed Duke of Northumberland (1940) at
York in 1838. From Lily also descended Great
Mogul (14651), first-prize bull calf at Salisbury
Eoyal; likewise Exquisite (8048), for which Messrs.
Booth and Torr paid $1,850 as a yearling; and also
the Eoyal prize-winning roan Bolivar (25649), sold
to Mr. Brierley.
Another section of the Chilton herd descended
from the cow Fortune, bred by Charles Colling, and
running through Bolingbroke (86), Foljambe (263)
and Hubback (319) to a cow bred by Mr. Maynard.
She proved very prolific, giving Mr. Mason ten
calves (of which six were bulls) between 1796 and
1807. America is indebted to Fortune, as founda-
tion dam, for the AVoodburn Miss Wileys and the
famous Bedford and Warfield Loudon Duchesses.
Also for the Baroness family, ten of which sold at
140 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
E. Gr. Bedford's sale in 1874 for an average of $600
each. Our Lady Cliesterfords claim a similar
origin; and of this tribe was Dodona, a noted Eng-
lish cow that, after having been sold to Earl Spencer
as barren, in the skillful hands of Mr. Jonas Webb
had 190 descendants within a period of twenty-five
years. Matchem (2281), sire of the Matchem cow
that gave Mr. Bates his Oxford tribe, was bred by
Mason from a Fortune foundation. The Matchem
blood also went into the Booth herds. Usurer
(9763), used by Lord Ducie upon the Bates Duch-
esses, came from Cassandra, daughter of Mr.
Mason's No. 25; and of similar extraction was the
cow Goodness — ancestress of the American family
of that name — that sold at auction in Kentucky for
$2,025.
Mr. Mason made a memorable closing-out sale in
1829, which was largely attended by leading breed-
ers. Earl Spencer being one of the heaviest buyers.
At this sale the highest-priced lot was the three-
year-old roan heifer Lady Sarah, by Satellite (1420),
purchased by Capt. Barclay of Ury, along with sev-
eral other females, and taken to Scotland. Her dam
Avas the famous Portia. At Ury Lady Sarah was
bred back to her own son. Monarch (4495), the pro-
duce being the great breeding bull Mahomed (6170),
sire of The Pacha (7612) and other animals from
whence many of Scotland's greatest cattle have de-
scended. From this same Mason sale also came
Mary Ann (by Sillery), ancestress of a noted Scot-
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS 141
tisli family. From Mr. Holmes' purchases at this
sale (taken to Ireland) Mr. Amos Cruickshank
afterward obtained the foundation dam of the Sitty-
ton Victorias; and last, but by no means least, we
may pass some credit to Mason of Chilton for the
ancestral dam of the now-celebrated Cruickshank
bull-breeding' Clipper tribe.
Lord Althorpe (Earl Spencer). — The nobility dis-
played interest in the breed in the early days as
now. One of the first to engage in the business was
Lord Althorpe, afterwards Earl Spencer, of Wise-
ton, near Doncaster. He was prominent in politics
for many years and on that account unable to devote
as much attention to the work as tenant farmers
could give to it, but he nevertheless managed to
inform himself thoroughly and finally accumulated
probably the largest herd of the day in England.*
Bates early acquired an influence over him, assisted
him in some of his selections of breeding stock, was
frequently his guest at Wiseton, and let for his use
one or two of the earlier Duchess bulls, but subse-
quently their relations became strained, owing, it
*Earl Spencer was at one time Chancellor of the Exchequer. Still
he had much neater passion for Short-horns than for politics. John
Grey of Dilston, a man who attained high honor in connection with
North Country agriculture, usually called on His Lordship at the
Government offices when in London. '•'You've come about coics, sir/'
observed the attendant, "so yell no' have long to wait."
In his younger days Grey was a schoolmate of John and Richard
Booth at Richmond. He was a great lover of cattle and was wont
to spend his vacations with the Collings, Charge and Maynard. Dr.
Tate once asked him what he found to talk about during those visits,
to which the youth replied in due classic phrase: "Comet et id genus
omne." — Saddle and Sirloin.
142 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN' CATTLE
is said, to His Lordship's endeavoring to hire away
from Bates Eobert Bell, whom he desired to put in
charge of the Wiseton Short-horns.
At Eobert Colling 's sale Lord Althorpe purchased
the five-year-old cow Nonpareil at 370 guineas, the
four-year-old Rosette at 300 guineas, the three-year-
old bull Eegent (544) — all by Wellington — at 145
guineas, and Diana by Favorite, at 78 guineas. Mr.
Bates warned him that in his judgment these were
not of desirable breeding on account of the large
infusion of the blood of Ben (70). He also advanced
the superior claims of his Duchesses, and induced
Althorpe to send the high-priced Eosette to be bred
to Duke (226), after which the Duke bull His Grace
(311) was hired from Bates. At the Mason sale His
Lordship bought sixteen females and a bull, paying
up to 145 guineas.
The Earl was more or less of a speculator in cattle,
but was credited with having done much toward
making Short-horns "fashionable" among the great
landed proprietors. He is said to have been the first
to command an extensive bull trade, and has been
called a "cow jobber." His herd was of mixed
origin and composition, and it is said was crossed
in-and-in, in imitation of the Collings, until consti-
tution was sacrificed. This fault seems to have been
corrected, however, for at the time of Earl Spencer 's
death in the "forties" the herd numbered about 150
head, and his legatee, a Mr. Hall, soon afterward
disposed of them at public sale at high prices, one
OTHEE EMINENT ENGLISH BEEEDEES 143
bull bringing 400 guineas, another 370 guineas, and
some of the cows 200 guineas each.
Jonas Whitalcer. — Near the great manufacturing
city of Leeds, in Southwestern Yorkshire, Mr. Jonas
Whitaker, a Quaker cotton-spinner, built up at Otley
one of the largest and best herds of its time; a herd
in which some of the greatest of the old-time bulls
were used, and from which our early importers drew
some of their most valuable material. Whitaker
had more cattle recorded in the first three volumes
of cows in Coates' Herd Book than any breeder in
England, Earl Spencer not excepted. In fact it was
due to his personal efforts that Coates was enabled
to issue the first volume of the herd book at Otley
in 1822. He was proud of the dairy capacity of his
stock, paying as much attention to the udders as to
any other point in the conformation of his cows and
heifers. Among his most celebrated bulls were
Frederick (1060) and his sons Bertram (1716) and
Fairfax (1023). Frederick was intensely bred in the
blood of Favorite and Comet. Mr. Bates' Enchanter
(244), Ketton 3d (349) and 2d Hubback (1423) were
also in service. From Mason he had His Highness
(2125); from Col. Trotter's came Plato (505) and
from Robert Colling 's Harold (291). Sir Charles
Tempest's Dan O'Connell (3557) also appears in the
Whitaker pedigrees.
When the agents of the Ohio Importing Co. vis-
ited England in 1834 they were much impressed by
the excellence of Mr. "WHiitaker's herd and bought
144 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN' CATTLE
some of tlieir best cattle from liim, including the
cow Josephine, by Norfolk, and bull Duke of York
(1941), by Frederick. From this herd also came
George Renick's Prince Charles (2461), by Norfolk.
The Renicks used Whitaker blood freely in the Rose
of Sharons. Mr. Rotch and Col. Powell — American
importers of a still earlier date — had also bought of
Whitaker, as will be detailed further on.
Whitaker drew him foundation stock from the best
of the old-established herds, and had such sound
old blood as that of Charles Colling 's Old Daisy and
Magdalena; Robert Colling's Bright E-yes and
Golden Pippin; Mason's Portia; Maj. Rudd's
Daisys; Mr. Charge's Prettymaid and Venus; John
Booth's Moss Roses and Bracelets; Wetherell's Ro-
sanne, a Red Rose through the American Cow 's line ;
Col. Trotter's Georgiana, the Feldom tribe, from
whence came the celebrated progeny of Fair
Frances; Miss Fairfax, dam of the Bristol Royal
winner Sir Thomas Fairfax; the prolific Moss Rose,
and Nonpareil, the dam of the great bull Norfolk
(2377), sold to Mr. Fawkes and resorted to by
Thomas Bates. In fact Bates bought Nonpareil at
Mr. Whitaker 's dispersion sale of 1833 for 102
guineas, besides breeding some of his best cows to
her son.
Wetherell, the "Nestor" of the trade. — As a mere
lad Wetherell listened to the lively bidding under
the lime trees at Ketton in 1810, and like many
others had an enthusiasm for the "red, white and
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS 145
roan" kindled in his breast that day which lasted
throughout a long and useful life. At Barmpton
sale eight years later he bought Lady Anne at 100
guineas and Cleopatra at 133 guineas, and before
night had them lodged at Holm House, where he
proceeded to build up his first herd. Here was bred
the famous Eosanna and the bulls Magnet (2240)
and St. Leger (1414), the latter sold to Mr. Rennie
for 250 guineas. The herd was closed out in 1828
and another founded near Durham by the purchase
at strong prices of good cattle from contemporary
breeders. He gave 250 guineas for Emperor (1839)
and 100 guineas for his dam Blossom at Mr. Hut-
ton's sale. Emperor was shown at the Newcastle
Eoyal in 1846 and won over a field of twenty-four
competitors. He had in this herd also the cele-
brated Barmpton Rose, and after breeding Princess
Royal from her she was sold to Henry Watson. She
was carrying at that time Buttercup, that became
the dam of Butterfly, which when crossed with
Frederick produced at Towneley the never-beaten
$6,000 Master Butterfly. It was from Mr. Wether-
ell's third herd at Kirkbridge that Eastwood got
Blanche 5th by Duke of Northumberland and Roan
Duchess. From these came Towneley 's great Roan
Duchess 2d and the show heifer Blanche 6th. An
outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia nearly destroyed the
Kirkbridge Herd and the farm had to be given up,
but nothing daunted a fourth herd was established
at Aldboro. Here he had in charge of his devoted
146 A HISTOEY OF SPIORT-HORX CATTLE
herdsman, John Ward, such good ones as the roan
Moss Rose, that stood next to Warlaby's Nectarine
Blossom in many a hard-fought battle; the beautiful
Stanley Rose "with her gay little head and Bride
Elect bosom"; the stately broad-backed Lady Scar-
boro and the line bull Statesman, measuring twenty-
six inches from "hooks" to tail. At Aldsboro the
roan Rosette was also bred (1856) and sold to Mr.
Eastwood, who declared her the "best calf" he ever
saw and afterward "the sweetest cow." She was
winner of many Royal and other prizes and chal-
lenge cups. This herd was at length dispersed at a
memorable auction sale which was well attended,
and averaged about seventy-three guineas for forty-
eight lots. Stanley Rose topped the sale amid great
cheering at 300 guineas from Lady Pigot.
In the course of his long and active connection
with the trade Mr. Wetherell acquired a great fund
of "cattle lore," and he was never happier than
when in the company of kindred spirits with whom
he could hold discourse on the "red, white and
roan." That delightful "gossip" of days "lang
syne," the late H. H. Dixon, who under the nom do.
plume of "The Druid" has fairly thrown a glamor
of romance about the lives and characters of the
leading British breeders and sportsmen of the olden
times, writing of Wetherell, his home and his
friends, says:
" 'Nestor's' little home at Aldborough has many a herd me-
mento on its walls. There is the cow bred by Mr. Thomas Booth
which he sold at two years old to Mr. Carter of Thcakstone and
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS 147
then bought back at beef price and put to Comus (1861). She
had three heifers, and Mr. Rennie, Sr., of Phantassie bid him 500
guineas for them and ended by buying the oldest out of the pas-
ture for 250 guineas. The second went to Mr. Whitkaer. Three
roans are there from Herring's hand and painted in Memmon's
year, when he was a struggling coachman-artist in Spring Gar-
dens, Doncaster. Comet (155) is said to be the only one by
Weaver in existence. Mr. Wetherell always thought Comet too
long, but still a more elegant bull than Duke of Northumberland,
who had also to struggle against rather upright shoulders.
Comet's kith and kin are there in St. John and Gaudy, by Favor-
ite, bred by Mason, who always loved good hair.
" 'Bid me discourse' is an invitation Mr. Wetherell never shrank
from; and, with the brothers Colling, Mr. Thomas Booth, Sir
Tatton Sykes, Capt. Barclay and Mr. Wiley on his walls, it would
be strange if he did not sit by the hour in his easy chair and
tell of old times and Short-horn doings when they were all in
the flesh. At times the gig comes for the Chief Baron to go over
and spend a few days at Killerby and Warlaby. He presides
there in great state at those 'high-private trials' of Short-horns
under the trees in the home garth and cites the Charity prece-
dents. Mr. John Outhwaite frequently assists, and, adopting a
mode of practice quite unknown to the Westminster law courts,
that learned Baron generally backs his opinion from the bench
for one, if not two, new hats.
" 'Great constitution' is Mr. Wetherell's leading tenet, but
'great size' never was; and if he does illustrate it he goes to Col.
Cradock, who gloried in it, and whose 'Magnum Bonuvi teas like
the Great Eastern.' He always considers that Earl Spencer began
the bull trade and made Short-horns, so to speak, fashionable with
the landlords. It was the thing to go to Wiseton — more espe-
cially about the St. Leger time — and if visitors liked a cow they
bargained to give £50 for the produce. The Earl crossed in till
he sacrificed constitution — they had thin fore quarters and no
breasts — and it was then that Mason, a very clever, first-class
judge, a hater of 'fool's fat' and open shoulders, and most de-
cided about fore quarters and a good neck vein, came to the
Earl's aid. Whitaker was a great keeper, and all for the milk-
bag, and Bates' mellow, light-fleshed sort grew less and less
148 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
robust — they would get fat, but they would not swell and thicken
like the Booths, which will stand any amount of high pressure.
Such is a mere fragment of his confession of Short-horn faith."
From Wetherell's herd came some of the best
of the early American importations into New Eng-
land.
Wiley of Brandsby. — Samuel Wiley resided in the
East Riding of Yorkshire; "his long, low-pitched
house, with the dark-green Cotoniastus creeping
over it and peeping with its red tlowrets in at every
lattice," being "quite the realization of a snug
Yorkshire home." He was a great lover of Leices-
ter sheep and Short-horns, and in 1814 began cattle-
breeding by hiring from Wright of Cleasby a son
of the $5,000 Comet. Adonis, another Comet bull,
did him much good service, and was followed by an
own brother, Jupiter (343), the succession being
maintained by North Star (459) and Harold (291),
which were returned to Robert Colling before the
Barmpton sale of 1818. At that event he bought the
ten-year-old bull Midas (435), after a bit of warm
work with Sir William Cooke, at 170 guineas. From
Midas he bred his great Grazier (1085), that was
used by Sir John Johnstone, Lord Feversham, Smith
of West Rasen and others until fourteen years of
age. One of his best sons was Ganthorpe (2049),
bred at Castle Howard. Wliitaker blood was intro-
duced by Mr. Wiley through His Highness (2125),
an own brother to the 210-guinea Highflyer at the
Mason sale. Sultan (1485), a descendant of Gen.
Simson's 300-guinea purchase, Mary, at C. Colling 's
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS 149
sale, was also used after having proved his worth
by siring in Northumberland a class of cattle that
the border breeders for many years fondly styled
"the good old Jobson sort." Sultan got during his
one year's service at Brandsby the cow Sultana,
from which to the cover of Belshazzar, that had been
hired from Castle Howard, was bred the famous
bull Carcase (3285), that as a yearling stood second
to Hecatomb at York in 1838 in the bull champion-
ship class, defeating Mr. Bates' Duke of Northum-
berland, and was soon afterward sold for 200
guineas.
Another prize bull of Wiley's breeding was Van
Dunck (10992), champion at the Yorkshire, first-
prize two-year-old at the Highland, and after being
placed second in the bull championship at same show
to Maynard's Crusade sold for 125 guineas to an
Aberdeenshire man. The Wiley cattle were not
much shown for a number of years after these victo-
ries, but prizes were not infrequently won on
Brandsby bullocks at York Fat-Stock Shows. As
late as 1869 Mr. Wiley reappeared with show cattle
at the Royal at Manchester, where he won first in a
ring of two dozen bulls with Earl of Derby, and at
the Yorkshire the same bull was second to War-
laby's great Commander-in-Chief.
The Knightley "Fillpails."— Sir Charles Knight-
ley of Fawsley Park, Daventry, after giving up
hounds, about 1818, founded a herd in the Midlands
that acquired a celebrity for its output of milk.
150 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
cream, butter and beef even more famous than that
attained by Whitaker. Indeed, the ''Fawsley Fill-
pails," with their "beautiful fore quarters, gay car-
riage, general elegance and strong family likeness, ' '
were long recognized on both sides of the xltlantic
as constituting a type within the breed almost as
distinct as those to which Bates and the Booths gave
their names. A marked uniformity was attained
by the interbreeding of several different tribes. The
Rosys sprang from a cow of that name, bred by Mr.
Barker of Richmond; the Eubys were obtained from
a cow of Hon. C. Arbuthnot's breeding; the Prim-
roses came from the old Charge stock ; the Quickleys
from a cow called Valuable, bought from Maj.
Bower, and the Walnuts from a Booth foundation.
After a dash of Booth — through the bulls Argus
(759) and Swing (2721) — and a cross from Robert-
son, of Ladykirk through Caliph (1774), the process
of crossing the descendants of these foundation
dams was begun; among the Fawsley-bred sires used
in this concentration being the noted Ruby bulls
Grey Friar (9172) and Little John (4232). A new
element came in through the Arbuthnot cow Sylph
(ancestress of the celebrated Charmer and Sweet-
heart families), bought especially to breed a bull
from. To a service by Little John she produced
Fawsley (6004), a sire that was extensively used.
Tlie successful inbreeding of these strains was fol-
lowed by a well-considered cross of Princess blood
through the noted Earl of Dublin (10178), a white
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS 151
bull bred by J. Steplienson of Wolviston, tracing to
Angelina by Phenomenon, the mother of the dam
of Belvedere (1706). John Thornton says: "Sir
Charles took a great fancy to the Earl of Dublin,
but the only opinion that could be obtained from him
was that 'any bull was big enough if he were good
enough.' "
At a memorable sale held at Fawsley in 1S56 the
celebrated white cow Cold Cream, by Earl of Dub-
lin, was bought for the Eoyal herd at Windsor at
100 guineas, a great price for the times. A grand-
daughter of this fine dairy cow. Lady Knightley 2d,
was first-prize winner at the Royal as a yearling,
and was sold for 500 guineas to Walcott & Campbell
of New York Mills, at whose sale she brought $3,100
and her two daughters $5,000 and $4,000 respec-
tively. Bosquet, a bull whose name is often met with
in Xorth Country pedigrees, bought by Hay of She-
thin at the Fawsley sale of 1856 for 200 guineas, was
of this same branch (Furbelow) of the Quickley
tribe. At this same great sale Mr. Thorne of New
York bought four Eosys at an average of about
$590 each. The Knightleys seemed to nick particu-
larly well with Bates-bred sires in the hands of cer-
tain leading English breeders, and were for many
years classed among the best Short-horns of their
time.
Fawkes of Farnley Hall.— "The vale of the
Wharfe is adorned with elegant mansions, and the
views obtained from the neighboring elevations are
152 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HOKX CATTLE
at once noble and inspiring. ' ' So runs a paragraph
in an old Yorkshire chronicle. It was here that
Whitaker had his cattle, and hard by the little mar-
ket town of Otley was established also the fine old
herd of Mr. F. H. Fawkes of Farnley Hall. Whit-
aker 's Norfolk (2377), the grand roan bull for which
the Ohio Co. offered $2,000 in vain, was the first bull
purchase, and in 1834 Verbena and Medora were
bought at Richard Booth's Studley sale. They were
only ''babies" at the time, but Medora developed
into a noble cow and produced nine calves. It seems
that after Whitaker disposed of his herd in 1833 he
bought some three dozen well-bred Short-horn cows
for the use of the help at the Burley Mills. Mr.
Fawkes was so favorably impressed with this useful
set of cows that he arranged to have a number of
them — to be chosen by himself — bred to Norfolk.
He was to pay ten guineas for each calf at a week
old, provided it ' ' did not have a black nose and had
no symptoms of unsoundness." Some sixty head
were thus transferred to Fawsley, and the first ten
bull calves by Norfolk averaged 100 guineas each.
One of these was out of a half-sister to the cow
Young Phyllis, ancestress of the American family of
that name, and grew up to fame under the title Sir
Thomas Fairfax (5196), a Royal and Yorkshire
winner. He was sold at four years to B. Wilson of
Brawith for 250 guineas. These Whitaker cows and
others, mainly of Booth, Buccleuch and Brawith
breeding, constituted a herd that supplied many
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BEEEDERS 153
prize bulls and heifers at the English shows,
among them being the white Lord Marquis (10459),
by the 200-guinea bull Laudable (9282). The dam
of the Marquis was out of Zuleika, a daughter of
Norfolk's, out of the Booth-bred Medora.
John Thornton tells us that the herd was made up
largely of "full roans," and it was the oivner's prac-
tice to use light-colored hulls on dark-colored coivs
as being more productive of good colors. Mr.
Fawkes took a keen delight in his cattle, and loved
to entertain appreciative visitors not only with the
roans in his pastures but among the wondrous
' ' Turners ' ' that hung in the picture galleiy at ' ' the
Hall."
William Terr. — One of the most remarkable char-
acters of his time was Torr of Riby and Aylesby,
Lincolnshire. A contemporary of John and Richard
Booth and Thomas Bates, a man of indomitable en-
ergy and extraordinary resources, holding thou-
sands of acres under lease, he acquired fame as a
successful tenant farmer second to none in English
history. Leicester sheep and Short-horns were his
favorite "rent-payers." The latter he bred along
independent lines for some twenty years, but in 1844
he took the oath of allegiance to the house of Booth,
beginning with two years' service from the white
Lord Lieutenant- White StrawbeiTy bull Leonard
(4210). Vanguard (10994), by Buckingham out of
Young Isabella, came for six years and left a grand
set of cows, possessing great scale, deep flesh and
154 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOKX CATTLE
rare coats. He was exchanged for one year for
Crown Prince, and left altogether some 200 calves.
Baron Warlaby (7813) — by Buckingham — Hope-
well, British Prince, Fitzclarence, Royal Bride-
groom, Prince of Warlaby, Leonidas, Monk, Lord
Blithe and Mountain Chief were all hired from Rich-
ard Booth, and from Barnes of Ireland came Dr.
McHale and The Druid. From his own Booth-bred
stock were derive.d such sires as Booth Royal,
Breastplate, Killerby Monk and Blinkhoolie.
Torr's herd became in its latter days one of the
most celebrated in England, and its dispersion was
marked by most extraordinary prices. As this did
not occur, however, until 1875 we will reserve fur-
ther details for a subsequent chapter.
The long roll of honor. — To undertake individual
comment upon the work of all who are specially de-
serving by reason of their success in breeding, from
the days of the Collings down to the great rise of the
Bates and Booth power, is indeed a hopeless task.
The records of Coates' Herd Book and of the Eng-
lish sale-rings and show-yards abound in evidence
of the fact that hundreds of strong, sturdy charac-
ters in various parts of the United Kingdom were
engaged in the upbuilding of the breed. "VVe cannot
indeed begin to mention in this connection even the
names of all who have earned the gratitude of pos-
terity for their intelligent devotion to the work of
Short-horn improvement. We have only given place
in this chapter to the foregoing personal references
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS 155
by way of emphasizing the fact that the breed did
not lack intelligent champions outside of the recog-
nized leaders in the work. Those named were per-
haps not more w^orthy than many of their contempo-
raries, but to particularize further would burden our
work too heavily with foundation facts.
We would feign dwell here upon what was done
by such men as the Jobsons, Charge of Darlington,
Lawson of Stapleton, Cattley of Brandsby, Col. Cra-
dock, E. Thornton, Messrs. Crofton, George Coates,
the Wrights of Cleasby, Sir C. R. Tempest, Cham-
pion of Blyth, Unthank of Penrith, Smith of West
Rasen, A. L. and J. C. Maynard, Maj. Bower, Hon.
J. Simpson, Col. Trotter, W. F. Paley, Rev.
H. Berry, Lax of Ravensworth, Maj. Rudd, Raine,
B. Wilson of Brawith, Wilkinson of Lenton, Capt.
Barclay of Ury, Amos Cruickshank, Rennie of Plian-
tassie, Robertson of Ladykirk, Grant Duff of Eden,
and point out the distinguished service rendered to
the breed in its earlier years by such noblemen as
the Earl of Carlisle of Castle Howard, Yorkshire;
the Marquis of Exeter, Stamford ; the Duke of Leeds
and of Buccleuch, Earl Brownlow and other great
landed proprietors. We are tempted here also to go
into the operations of Earl Ducie of Tortworth, Bow-
ly of Siddington, Bruere of Braithwaite, Peel of
Knowlmere, Col. Towneley and others who carried
the colors of the reds, whites and roans to such
great heights at a little later period, but we have
now reached the point where we must begin our
156 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN- CATTLE
account of the breed in the New World, in the course
of which we shall have occasion to revert not only
to some of these but to the herds of Scotland.
The visitor in Britain will find many memorials
of Wellington and Nelson. The heroes of Waterloo
and Trafalgar England has indeed not forgotten.
Her parks and public places are decorated by cap-
tured cannon. Deep down in their hearts, however,
the English people have an equal pride in what has
been accomplished in their pastures and paddocks.
The paths of peace have indeed yielded to them
"victories no less renowned than those of war."
The wealth, the brains, the persistence of the British
nation have joined with nature in developing an
agriculture that has proved fruitful beyond com-
pare in the production of improved varieties of
flesh-bearing animals. No National memorial is
needed to commemorate the triumph of men like
those whose names have been enumerated in this and
preceding chapters. They have won their way into
the memories and affectionate regard of the Anglo-
Saxon world in a manner at once peaceful, practical
and patriotic. Every man, woman or child who sets
tooth in savory sirloin or rich roast ''rib of beef"
pays involuntary tribute to the genius of those who
led the early line of progress in cattle-breeding in
the historic confines of York and Durham.
CHAPTER VII
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA
From the green pastures of Old England to tlie
Western shores of the stormy North Atlantic was
indeed "a far cry" to those enterprising pioneers
who first conceived the idea of transplanting Short-
horns from these ancestral herds to the virgin soil
of the United States. Ocean cables and fast "liners"
were not at their command. Three thousand miles
of watery waste had to be traversed by vessels sail-
ing at the mercy of ^'Eolus, and the god of the winds
was not always in a propitious mood. However, this
did not operate as a bar upon the aspirations of those
who, knowing the merit of the newly-established
Short-horn breed, determined to introduce the blood
in the seaboard States. Unfortunately we have no
verified records as to earliest shipments.
Virginia in the Van. — The Republic is indebted to
the Old Dominion for the primal importation of
Short-honi cattle. No sooner had the war of the
Revolution reached a triumphant termination under
the masterly guidance of the great Virginian than
the work of providing the ways and means for a
more diversified system of agriculture was taken up
by the farmers and planters of that section. Some-
thing more than tobacco was wanted. The historic
157
158 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
"valley" was really well adapted to the require-
ments of live-stock liusbandrj^ As nearly as can be
ascertained at this late day it was in 1783 that the
first improved cattle were purchased in England
for Virginia. A Mr. Miller of that State in connec-
tion with Mr. Gough of Baltimore, must be given
credit for the initial shipment. As to the number
purchased no record has been preserved. As to their
character we only know that they represented two
distinct types — one known locally as the milk breed
and the other as the beef breed.
Character of the Gough & Miller cattle. — The
''milk breed" was described as having short horns
and heavy and compact carcasses, the cows display-
ing marked dairy propensities. In color they were
red, red-and-white and roan — proof positive that
they were of Short-horn origin. The stock of the
"beef breed" were longer-horned and "rangier" in
conformation. They lacked the smooth, even lines
of the so-called "milk breed" and were slower in
coming to maturity. They attained large size and
made heavy carcasses of beef when fully grown and
finished. It seems equally certain, therefore, that
they represented one of the older types of the breed,
probably the sort bred in the Holderness district of
Yorkshire. This importation, it will be noted, ante-
dates the Colling improvement. About two years
later, or somewhere between 1790 and 1795, one or
both of these same pioneer importers made a further
shipment of cattle of similar types from England.
FIRST IMPORTATIOXS TO AMERICA 159
That good use was made of this blood in the valley
of the South branch of the Potomac and adjaceuu
territory cannot be doubted. Then, as now, the
"first families" of the Dominion were proud of their
country estates, possessing the real English fond-
ness for rural pursuits and the finer types of domes-
tic animal.
Kentucky and the Patton stock. — The making of
the Ohio Valley States soon followed. Over the
walls of the Alleghenies, lured by the golden
promise of the fair and fruitful lands beyond the
Blue Kidge, the Virginians entered into the price-
less heritage of the blue-grass regions of Ohio and
Kentucky. The former grazing-grounds of the bison
were dedicated to lowing herds, showing in many
instances traces of the magic touch of roan. In the
first introduction of the Gough & Miller blood into
Central Kentucky we find, therefore, the genn of
the gigantic American cattle trade of the present
day. The conjunction of Short-horn blood with the
rich grains and grasses of the Ohio Valley called
into being an industry that has not yet received its
full credit in connection with ''the winning of the
West." Lewis F. Allen tells the story of how the
Pattons laid the foundation for nearly all that fol-
lows in this volume relating to the extension of
Short-horn blood throughout the great agricultural
States in the following language:
"Two years after the first importation, in the year 1785, two
sons and a son-in-law (Mr. Gay) of 'Mr. Matthew Patton, then a
resident of Virginia, took into Clark Co., Ky., one of its fine
160 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
bluegrass localities, a young bull and several heifers, half blooded
(and they could only have been calves or less than yearlings),
of their then-called 'English' cattle. These animals were said to
have been purchased of Mr. Gough. It is not necessary to fur-
ther note these animals, as they were but grades, only to show
the spirit of enterprise among some of the early cattle-breeders
of the State in obtaining better stock than Kentucky then af-
forded for their improvement.
"In 1790 the elder Mr. Patton removed from Virginia to Clark
County, in Kentucky, and took with him a bull and cow directly
descended from the Gough & Miller importation of the 'milk'
breed, also some half-blooded cows of both the 'milk' and 'beef
breeds. The 'beef breed were 'long-haired, large, coarse, slowly
coming to maturity and fattening badly until fully grown, yet
tolerable milkers.' The 'milk' breed (of which the bull and cow
first named were of pure descent) were short-horned, coming
early to maturity and fattening kindly. Their milking quali-
ties were extraordinary. It was not at all uncommon for cows
of this breed to give thirty-two quarts of milk daily. The Short-
horn bull, red in color, with white face, rather heavy horns yet
smooth and round in form, was called Mars. He is recorded by
number 1850, American Herd Book. The cow was called Venus,
white in color, with red ears, small short horns turning down.
She bred two bull calves to Mars and soon afterward died. Mars
got many calves on the native cows in Kentucky, which were said
by the old breeders to be both excellent milkers and good fatten-
ing animals. Mars remained with Mr. Patton until the death of
the latter, in 1803, when the bull was sold to a Mr. Peeples, in
Montgomery Co., Ky., in whose possession he died in 1806. Of
the two bulls descended from Mars and Venus one was taken to
Jessamine Co., Ky., the other to Ohio, probably the Scioto Val-
ley; but as all this breed or breeds, in their various intermix-
tures after their introduction in Kentucky, were called 'Patton
stock,' they became commingled, the shorter-horned and refined
ones with the longer-horned and coarser ones, and were, for
many years afterward, universally known by that name only.
"In the year 1803 Mr. Daniel Harrison, James Patton and
James Gray, of Clark Co., Ky., bought of Mr. Miller, the importer,
living in Virginia, a two-year-old bull, descended from a bull
FIEST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 161
and cow of his importation. This bull was called Pluto (825 A.
H. B.) and said to be of the 'milk' breed. He is described as
'dark-roan or red in color, large in size, with small head and
neck, light short horns, small-boned and heavily fleshed.' He
was bred mostly to 'Patton' cows and produced some fine milk-
ers. He was taken to Ohio about the year 1812 and died soon
afterward.
"In the year 1810 Capt. William Smith of Fayette Co., Ky.,
purchased of the before-mentioned Mr. Miller of Virginia and
brought to Kentucky a bull called Buzzard 304 (3254). He was
coarser, larger, and taller than Pluto, but not so heavy. He
was bred in different herds many years, and also used by the
Society of Shakers at Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky., in 1821
and for some years afterward.
"In the year 1811 the bull Shaker (2193 A. H. B.) was
bought of Mr. Miller aforesaid, and used some years both by the
Pleasant Hill, Ky., and Union Village, 0., Societies of Shakers.
They afterward sold him to Messrs. Welton and Hutchcraft of
Kentucky. He was of the 'milk,' or Short-horn breed. This ac-
count we have from Messrs. Micajah Burnett of the Pleasant
Hill and Peter Boyd of the Union Village Societies, and al-
though they each differ in some non-essential items the identity
of the bull is fully recognized. These four bulls, viz., Mars,
Pluto, Buzzard and Shaker, appear to have been purely bred
from the Gough & Miller importations previous to the year 1810.
From these bulls, but not on equally pure-hred cows of those
importations, descended many animals whose pedigrees have
been recognized and recorded as Short-horns in the earlier vol-
umes of the English Herd Book, and of consequence since in the
American Herd Book, as the latter is founded on the English
publication as standard authority in all matters of Short-horn
genealogy.
"During the years above mentioned several other bulls from
the Gough & Miller Virginia stock were brought into Kentucky
and Ohio — some with names and some without names other than
those of their owners — as 'Inskip's Bull,' 'Peeples' Bull' (Mars,
probably), 'Witherspoon's Bull,' 'Bluff,' and others. Some pedi-
grees in the herd books run back into several of those bulls,
which, as many pure-bred crosses have since been made upon
162 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
their descendants and been recorded in the English Herd Book,
must be classed in the family of Short-horns.
"From the above accounts it is understood where and how the
'Patton stock' originated. There can be no doubt that some of
the original importations of Gough & Miller were well-bred cat-
tle of the Short-horn or Teeswater breed (which were identical
in original blood), but without pedigrees; also that others of
them may have been of the Holderness variety— coarser and less
improved — of the same race. From the various accounts which,
we have gathered from different quarters in Ohio and Kentucky
some of them were rough animals, tardy in arriving at matur-
ity; others fine both in figure and quality, and most of the cows
descended from them proved excellent milkers. Their colors
were more or less red, white and roan, which are true Short-
horn colors.
"These accounts are about as accurate and as much to the
point as the English traditions relating to the ancient Short-
horns or Teeswaters in their native land, and may be received
as a fair basis on which to found the genealogy of all the pedi-
grees which trace back into the 'Patton' blood and are found
recorded in both the English and American Herd Books."
An early New York importation. — Tradition is
authority for the statement that about the year 1791
a Mr. Heaton, who liad emigrated from England to
New York in 1775 and followed for some years the
occupation of a butcher, returned to England and
brought back with him several Short-horn cattle
from the herd of George Culley of Northumberland,
What became of these cattle neither tradition nor
written history of the day records. In 1796 it is
further stated that Mr. Heaton returned to England
and brought out a bull and cow which he had bought
from one of the brothers Colling and took them to
his farm in Westchester Co., N. Y., where he then
resided. It is surmised that the Short-horns which
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 163
he had previously imported liad also been taken to
that place, but as to this there is no verified account.
What finally became of the Heaton cattle and their
descendants nothing definite is known, except that
some superior cattle were for many years grown in
Westchester Co., N. Y., after the present century
came in, but no pedigrees of them have been traced
except in one or two instances through "Brisbane's
bull," which was purchased of Mr. Heaton by the
late Mr. James Brisbane of Batavia, N. Y., in the
early years of this century. The bull left much val-
uable stock in the vicinit}^ of Batavia and was sup-
posed to be a pure-bred Short-horn. Of the Heaton
stock retained in the vicinity of New York nothing
further is known. It is altogether probable that the
people of that vicinity, knowing little of any breed
in those days, let the stock ' ' run out, ' ' and that the
blood was finally lost in the common herds of the
country.*
The Cox importation. — While the Virginians were
settling upon the virgin fields of Kentucky, and
helping to occupy the rich country to the north of
the broad stream of the Ohio, enterprising men were
seeking to introduce advanced ideas in agriculture
throughout the territory once dominated by the
Iroquois. " Squaw-f amiing " had not caused the
lands of the Empire State to blossom as the rose,
and the white pioneers had made little progress in
the line of live-stock improvement.
*In this connection see also tlie story of tlie importation and return
of "The American Cow," page 48.
164 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HOKX CATTLE
Immediately after the close of the war of 1812
with the mother country Mr. Cox, an Englishman,
brought into Rensselaer County, near Albany, N.
Y., a Short-horn bull and two cows that were placed
upon the farm of Mr. Cadwallader Colden. This
was before Coates and Whitaker had brought the
English Herd Book even to its manuscript stage.
No pedigrees came with the cattle. From this trio
a numerous progeny resulted, known in Short-horn
parlance as "Cox Importation Cattle." The de-
scendants of the Cox cows were subsequently crossed
by the bulls Comet (or Cornet) 2649 (158) and Nel-
son 1914, imported in June, 1823, by Messrs. Cox &
Wayne. Some of the cows thus descended passed
into the possession of a Mr. Matthew Bullock of
Albany County, and their progeny acquired local
reputation under the name of "Bullock stock."
They were described as "large, robust animals,
good, although not remarkably fine in quality, but
of true Short-horn type." Comet, or Cornet, was a
red-and-white (spotted) bull, bred by Sir H. C.
Ibbetson of Denton Park, Otley, and was got by
Meteor (432) — of the elder Booth's breeding — a son
of Albion (14) out of a cow by C. Colling 's Windsor
(698). Nelson was a red-and-white bull by Nelson
(449), a roan bred by Simpson of Babworth and got
by Colling 's Ketton (346), he by the $5,000 Comet,
going back on the dam's side to Charles Colling 's
herd.
The first pedigreed bulls. — According to Allen the
first pedigreed Short-horn bulls to set hoof on Amer-
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 165
ican soil were Marquis (408) and Moscow (9413),
imported into the Genesee Valley of New York, in
1817, by Samuel M. Hopkins of Moscow. Mr. War-
field lists this importation as ' ' supposed. ' ' The very
cream of the Charles Colling blood is represented in
the breeding of Marquis (from Mr. Jonas Whit-
aker's), as he had for dam the far-famed Magdalena,
by Comet, and his sire was Wellington (679), in-
tensely bred in the blood of Favorite (252) on the
Old Cherry foundation. Moscow (9413) was like-
wise deep in the richest Short-horn blood of his time.
He was a roan of Sir Henry Vane Tempest's breed-
ing, of the Princess blood, sired by Wynyard (703)
out of Elvira by Phenomenon (491); second dam
Princess by Favorite (252). Along wdth this well-
bred pair of bulls Allen says there came a cow called
Princess that was said to be descended from a
Eobert ancestry. It is said that descendants of
these cattle, crossed by bulls from Col. Powel's
herd, presently to be mentioned, were purchased by
the Holland Land Co. for the benefit of the settlers
upon that corporation's land near Batavia, in West-
ern New York, and were carefully bred for many
years.
The "Seventeens." — The first direct importation
from England into the territoiy west of the Alle-
ghenies was made by Col. Lewis Sanders of Ken-
tucky, "a gentleman of character and position,"
who was at this time actively engaged in manufac-
turing, merchandising and farming. He resided
166 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN^ CATTLE
latterly in Gallatin County not far from where the
Kentucky River flows into the Ohio, a short distance
below Cincinnati. The following statement as to the
cattle purchased on his order in 1817 is in Col. San-
ders' own language:
"I was induced to send the order for the cattle (in the fall
of 1816) by seeing an account of Charles Colling's great sale in
1810. At this sale enormous prices were paid — 1,000 guineas for
the bull Comet. This induced me to think there was a value
unknown to us in these cattle, and as I then had the control of
means determined to procure some of this breed. For somfe
years previous I was in the regular receipt of English publica-
tions on agricultural improvements and improvements in the
various descriptions of stock. From the reported surveys of
counties I was pretty well posted as to the localities of the most
esteemed breeds of cattle. My mind was made up, fixing on the
Short-horns as most suitable for us. I had frequent conversa-
tions on this matter with my friend and neighbor Capt. William
Smith, then an eminent breeder of cattle. He was thoroughly
impressed in favor of the old Long-horn breed. To gratify him
and to please some old South Branch feeders I ordered a pair
of Long-horns, and was more willing to do so from the fact
that this was the breed selected by the distinguished Mr. Bake-
well for his experimental, yet most successful improvements. I
forwarded to the house of Buchanan, Smith & Co. of Liverpool
$1,500 to make the purchase, expecting to get three pair only,
with instructions to procure a competent judge and suitable
agent to go into the cattle district and make the selection, the
animals not to be over two years old, and no restriction as to
price. At the time the Holderness breed was in highest repute
for milkers. I directed that the agent should be sent to York-
shire to procure a pair of that breed, then to the River Tees, in
Durham County, for a pair of Short-horn Durhams. then to the
County of Westmoreland for a pair of the Long-horns, etc.
"The agent sent from Liverpool, J. C. Etches, a celebrated
butcher of that place, went as directed and purchased six pair
instead of throe. It being soon after the war all kinds of prod-
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 167
uce had much cheapened and the stock sold lov/er than was ex-
pected.
"After the cattle were shipped from Liverpool on the vessel
Mohawk, bound to Baltimore, Md., where the cattle afterward
landed, I sold one-third interest in them to Capt. William Smith
and another third to Dr. Tegarden of Kentucky."
Of tlie twelve animals bought, eight (four bulls
and four heifers) were Short-horns and four (two
bulls and two heifers) were Long-horas. The im-
portation was made five years prior to the publica-
tion of Vol. I of the English Herd Book, at a time
when comparatively few of the old-country breeders
gave that strict attention to their private records
that afterward became imperative. The only infor-
mation furnished in tlie invoice as to the Short-
horns is indicated below:
" 'No. 1. Bull from Mr. Clement Winston, on the River Tees,
got by Mr. Constable's bull, brother to Comet.' afterward (155)
E. H. B. The name of this bull was San Martin, afterward
(2599) in E. H. B.
" 'No. 2. Bull, Holderness breed, from Mr. Scott, out of a
cow which gave thirty-four quarts of milk per day.' The name
of this bull was Tecumseh, afterward (5409) E. H. B.
" 'No. 3. Bull from Mr. Reed, Westholme, of his own old
breed.' This bull is probably the one called Comet, afterward
1382 A. H. B. Said to have been got by either Comet (155) or
his brother North Star (458) E. H. B.
" 'No. 4. Bull, Holderness breed, from Mr. Humphreys, got
by Mr. Mason's bull of Islington.' No herd-book record appears
to have since been made of this bull, and we know not what be-
came of him. Mr. Clay states that one of the bulls 'was sold to
Capt. Fowler, who afterward sold him to Gen. Fletcher, and was
taken to Bath Co., Ky., where he died.'
"Of the females the invoice states that
" 'No. 7 was a heifer from Mr. Wilson, Staindrop, Dunham
breed.'
168 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE^ CATTLE
" 'Nos. 8, 9, 10 were heifers from Mr. Shipman, on the River
Tees, of his own breed."
" 'In the division of the Short-horns above named Col San
ders became owner of the bulls San Martin and Tecumseh.' Col.
Sanders states that Comet became the property of Dr. Tegarden.
" 'Of the Shipman heifers No. 7 became the property of Capt.
Smith and was called the "Durham Cow." '
" 'Of the three remaining two were retained by Col. Sanders,
one of which was called "Mrs. Motte" and the other named the
"Teeswater Cow." '
"The fourth heifer died in Maryland, never having reached
Kentucky."
The descendants of the three heifers Mrs. Motte,
the Durham Cow and the Teeswater Cow are to this
day known as "The Seventeens," so called from
the date of the original importation. Mrs. Motte*
produced the four red heifers Lady Munday, Miss
Motte and Sylvia to San Martin, and Lady Alice
by Tecumseh, besides five bulls. The Durham Cow
was also prolific, dropping eleven calves — five
heifers and six bulls — her last four being sired by
her own son Napoleon 1899, by San Martin. The
Teeswater Cow gave birth to four heifers and two
bulls. The leading Kentucky and Ohio farmers of
that period availed themselves largely of this oppor-
*In view of the large number of descendants of Mrs. Motte through-
out the country the following excerpt from a letter written to the author
by Mr. William Warfleld under date of Feb. 21, 1899, may be of inter-
est: "Upon the occasion of Col. Sanders' last visit to my father in the
fifties I heard him state the facts as to the naming of Mrs. Motte. At
Charleston, S. C, during the Revolutionary War, lived Maj. Motte of
the United States army and his family. Mrs. Motte being a very great
patriot was much concerned in the destruction of a certain fort which
interfered very much with the reduction of the city. She learned that
the destruction of a very fine residence which was her own property —
and which was already in the possession of the enemy — would remove
the difficulty of reducing this fort. She presented the besiegers with a
quiver of African arrows to be used for that purpose. Skewers armed
with combustible materials were al-so used with more effect." In com-
memoration of this patriotic sacrifice Col. Sanders gave the name ot
Mrs. Motte to bis imported cow.
FIKST IIMPORTATIOXS TO AMERICA 169
tunity for improving tlieir herds, among those who
purchased progeny from the three Sanders cows
being Gen. Garrard, Dr. S. D. Martin, Maj. Gano,
Dr. AVarfield, Judge Haggin, Walter Dun, T. P.
Dudley and the Ohio Shakers. Mrs. Motte's daugh-
ters Lady Kate, Lady Munday and Sylvia inherited
the fecundity of their dam, producing in the aggre-
gate thirty calves, more than one-half of them
through Lady Munday and Sylvia, the property of
Gen. Garrard. The Durham Cow's daughter Lady
Durham left five heifers and three bulls, two of the
former going into the hands of Benjamin Warfield.
It thus aj^pears that the importation of 1817 became
an important element in the breeding operations of
those enterprising men who laid the foundation for
the subsequent popularity of the breed in the States
bordering upon the Ohio Eiver; and the cattle de-
rived from that source were for a long series of
years among the very best Short-horns known in
the LTnited States.
Notwithstanding the marked excellence of the
so-called "Seventeens" there sprang up, after the
era of herd books and "fashion" in blood lines
asserted powerful influence upon the breed, a preju-
dice against them which practical men were unfor-
tunately unable to wholly overcome. Parties who
were breeding from cattle drawn from the latter and
fully-pedigreed importations began casting asper-
sions upon the ''purity" of the blood of the Sanders
stock because the foundation dams had no extended
170 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
pedigrees. In regard to this mucli nonsense has
been written. For instance, the "cock-and-bull"
story of the late Ambrose Stevens, as published in
Vol. II of the American Short-horn Herd Book and
repeated in Allen's "History of the Short-horns"
(page 166), fitting Mrs. Motte out with a long pedi-
gree running back to Lady Maynard, alleged to have
been supplied by Thos. Bates. This had no basis
whatever in fact. The simple truth is that the cattle
bought by the butcher, Mr. Etches, were doubtless
good ones individually, although not bred by men
who had preserved records of their breeding or
acquired reputations. The animals clearly belonged
to the same class of market stock from w^hence
Thomas Booth drew the ancestral dams of a number
of those families that afterward acquired inter-
national fame at Killerby and Warlaby, as detailed
in preceding chapters. In the hands of such men as
Garrard, Clay, Warfield, Bedford, the Renicks,
Trimble, Harrold and other breeders of sound judg-
ment a class of cattle sprang from this foundation
that would have compared favorably with the best
results attained by their English contemporaries, the
Messrs. Booth and others, whose cattle — similarly
descended — became "fashionable." In vain was
this fact pointed out by thoughtful and disinterested
men. Vain were all the winnings of the descendants
of the importation of 1817 at the great shows of the
West. The fiat of fashion went out against them in
the later years, and whole herds of valuable cattle
FIRST IMPOETATIOXS TO AMERICA. 171
carrying but a mere droi^ of the original ''Seven-
teen" blood were practically lost to the breed be-
cause of the unreasoning prejudice created against
them.*
The imported Long-horns were sold by Col. San-
ders to Capt. Smith and Dr. Tegarden, in whose
hands they did not prove pojDular. Some experi-
mental crosses between cattle carrying Short-horn
blood and the Long-horns were made in Kentucky,
Virginia and Ohio,t but the judgment of the best
breeders of the day was not favorable and the Long-
horns presently disappeared.
In 1818 Mr. James Prentice of Lexington, Ky.,
imported the two bulls Prince Regent 877 and John
Bull 5981/^, both certified to be of pure Short-horn
*The late Judge T. C. Jones of Delaware, C, one of the closest stu-
dents of American Short-horn breeding, once said : "We have a great
many Short-horns of high, and even fashionable rank, the origin of
whose lineage is quite as obscure as that of the Short-horns of Col. San-
ders — at a period much less remote than the date of that importation.
* * * A large class of valuable cattle, with well-established char-
acteristics, has been sacrificed. Following the whims and fancies of
speculators in pedigrees, in some instances, thick-fleshed and quick-
feeding cattle of this and other unfashionable strains of blood have
been discarded to make way for light-fleshed and unthrifty animals of
the fancy sorts."
t George Renick of Ohio was among those who tried the cross and
discarded the Long-horn blood. Writing upon this subject Mr. Brutus
J. Clav of Bourbon Co., Ky., said: "We recollect in 1821, when just
verging into manhood, taking a horseback journey from Columbus to
Circleville, C, in the vicinity of which latter town the Renick brothers
owned large landed estates. We saw a herd of a dozen or more long-
horned cattle grazing in a field by the side of the road. Their singular
appearance, grazing on the rich blue grass or lying under the shade of
the majestic trees, attracted our attention. We rode up to the fence,
hitched our horse and went into the field to view them. They had every
appearance of being either pure-bred or high grades of the Long-horn
breed with long, drooping horns pushing forward beyond their noses or
falling below their jaws, light brindle in color, with white stripes along
their backs, as we now see their portraits in the books. They were
long-bodied, a little swayed in the back, not very compact in shape, but
withal imposing animals to the eye. We made no inquiries about them
at the time, as we knew little of breeds of cattle. Thirty years after-
ward, being again at Circleville, and having a better knowledge of
breeds, on inquiry for cattle of that character we could find no trace nor
even a recollection of them among the older farmers of the vicinity."
172 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HOEN^ CATTLE
blood but not supplied with pedigrees. John Bull
was described as a deep red, of fine size and good
form, with small down-curving horns. Prince Re-
gent was "pied," white with some red spots. As
indicating the enterprise of the Kentucky breeders
of that day in the work of improving their cattle, it
may be stated that these bulls were purchased by
Nathaniel Hart of Woodford County and John Hart
of Fayette County for $1,500, and they are said to
have left good stock. It thus appears that the
foundation of the Short-horn breeding interest in
Kentucky and Ohio was laid mainly in the Gough
& Miller (Patton) and the Sanders bloods, which
were more or less intenningled for a long series of
years.
Massachusetts importations. — In November, 1817,
Samuel Williams of Massachusetts, a merchant, at
that time residing in London, purchased of Mr.
Wetherell and sent out to his brother Stephen Wil-
liams of Northboro, Mass., the bull Young Denton
(963). He was a roan, sixteen months old at the
time of importation, and was used in Massachusetts
for about ten years, after which he was taken to the
State of Maine, where he died in 1830. He was con-
sidered a very choice specimen of the breed. In
1818 Mr. Cornelius Coolidge of Boston imported the
bull CcBlebs 349 and the cow Flora, both bred by
Mason of Chilton and both sired by the sons of
Comet (155). Mr. Williams sent out in 1822 the
roan yearling heifer Arabella, by North Star (460)
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 173
out of Aurora by Comet (155), wliich was also of
Mr. Wetherell's breeding. Her descendants, like
nearly all other Short-horns tracing to the earlier
importations into New York and New England, were
distinguished for their excellent dairy qualities.
The Arabellas were at one time a large and valuable
family. During the same year several other cows
were imported into Massachusetts by Messrs. Lee,
Orr, Monson, and perhaps others, most of them being
purchased from the Wetherell herd. Among these
were Tuberose, by North Star (460), and Harriet, by
Denton (198), a son of Comet. The latter was de-
scribed as a very fine cow, nearly white in color.
In 1823 and 1824 Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin of the
British Navy, who was born in the State of Massa-
chusetts, sent out to the Massachusetts Agricultural
Society the roan bull Admiral (1608) and the red-
and-white cow Annabella, by Major (398), also from
the Wetherell herd. A numerous progeny claim de-
scent from these animals. In another shipment he
sent the white cow Blanche, by a son of Comet;
Snowdrop, by Fitz Favorite (1042), and the heifer
Emma, by Wellington (683).
Reference is made in the American Herd Book to
a bull called Fortunatus, or Holdemess, as having
been bred by George Faulkner and imported by Gor-
ham Parsons, Brighton, Mass., in 1818. We cannot
identify him.
In 1828 Mr. Francis Eotch of New York, who was
then in England, shipped to his brother-in-law Ben-
174 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
jamin Kodman, New Bedford, Mass., the bull Devon-
shire (966) and the cows Adeliza, Dulcibella and
Galatea, all from the herd of Mr. Whitaker, all
roans, all possessing good pedigrees, and all sired
by the famous Frederick (1060). The cows gave
rise to families bearing their respective names,
which, like the Pansies and Arabellas, acquired wide
repute for their excellence at the pail. Devonshire
was bought by Lewis F. Allen, founder of the Amer-
ican Short-horn Herd Book, in 1834 and died at
eleven years of age. He was a bull of good scale
and fine points. Adeliza and Dulcibella were good
cows, prolific breeders, excellent milkers, and lived
to be aged animals.* In 1831-32 the young white
cow Eoxanne, by Frederick, and her white heifer
Mary Whitaker were added to Mr. Eodman's hold-
ings by purchase from Jonas Whitaker.
In 1830 Mr. Enoch Silsby of Boston imported the
cow Agatha, by Sir Charles (1440), and the year-
ling bull Boston (1735), both roans from the herd
of Mr. Curry of Northumberland. The.y proved ex-
cellent breeders, and Agatha's descendants subse-
quently became widely and favorably known.
Early New York importations. — Gen. Stephen Van
Eensselaer of Albany, N. Y., brought out in 1823
♦Speaking of the purchase of these Whitaker cattle Mr. Rotch said:
"I arrived at Otley just in time to attend an exhibition of stock, whicli
was then the great and leading show of the North for Short-horns. My
sudden arrival as an American created much interest and kindly feel-
ing, which showed itself in the strong wish that I should not go away
without obtaining the animals I selected, though they were not intended
for sale." Mr. Rotch was a fine type of that intelligent body of men
seeking in the early days the improvement of American live stock. He
lived to a green old age at his country home in Otsego Co., New York,
and retained a great interest in Short-horns to the last.
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 175
from the herd of Mr. Champion the bull Washington
(1566)* and the cows Conquest and Pansy by Blaize
(76). Conquest failed to breed, but Pansy had sev-
eral daughters by Washington that gave rise to a
very noted family of dairy Short-horns, afterward
popular throughout New England and the AVest.
In 1821 Humphrey Hollis, an Englishman who
emigrated to New York, brought out two cows
called Hart and Xudd, said to be sired by Ceilings'
Wellington. Their descendants were at one time to
be found in New York and Pennsylvania herds. In
1823 George M. Tibbetts of Troy brought out a red
bull called Young Comet 2419. In 1828 a Mr. Green
of New York imported the bull Banquo 1226 and
sent him to the State of Maine. About the same
date Abijah Hammond of Westchester County
brought out the cow Old Willey, unpedigreed, sev-
eral of whose descendants are recorded in the first
volume of the American Herd Book.
In 1822 and succeeding years Mr. Charles Henry
Hall, a New York merchant who had previously
lived and done business in various European coun-
tries, imported a number of Short-horns selected
from good English herds, among them the cows
Princess, by Lancaster (360), that was bred in 1816,
by Pobert Colling; Canada, by Sir Peter (606);
Primrose, by George; and bulls Eegent 899, Young
Hector and Comet. A few of Mr. Hall's cattle bred
* Lewis F. Allen lends his name to the statement that Washington
lived to be nineteen years old, doing service in his eighteenth year.
176 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOR^r CATTLE
from these importations were kept on a small farm
near Harlem, but the major portion were taken to
Greenbush, near Albany, where they were kept and
bred for some years. It seems that Mr. Hall was not
careful to preserve accurately the breeding records
of his stock, and through this inattention the cor-
rect lineage of many of his cattle was lost. Largely
through the influence of these purchases several
other New York business men imported Short-horns
and bred them on Long Island and in Westchester
County, but the pedigrees of these were neglected.
Col. Powel's purchases. — Between the years 1822
and 1831 Col. John H. Powel of Powelton, near
Philadelphia, imported about twenty-four head of
cows and heifers and seven bulls, a majority of
which were of Mr. Whitaker's breeding. Included
among these were the bulls Bertram (1716), Bolivar
(804), Gloucester (1074) and Memnon (1223)— all
by Frederick (1060) ; and the cows Belina by Barmp-
ton (54), Desdemona by Frederick (1060) ; Cleopatra
(of Richard Booth's breeding) by Pilot (496), Ruby
by Young Dimple (971) and Mandane by Richmond
(1380) — all of which founded good families of dual-
purpose cattle. Belina was indeed one of the great
dairy cows of her time, having a well-authenticated
butter record of 201^ lbs. per week. Cleopatra was
the first Booth-bred cow imported to America and
was sold by Col. Powel to David Sutton of Ken-
tucky in 1833. She was called ' ' a grand cow. ' '*
♦See Preface A. H. B., Vol. XIV.
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 177
The bull Bertram not only had the endorsement
of Thomas Bates* but was recognized by American
breeders as one of the best Short-horn bulls that had
been imported up to that period. He was a com-
pactly-fashioned, short-legged red of Colling 's Old
Daisy sort, possessing a fine touch, good hair and
an impressive individuality. Allen says: ''The
cows struck us as being of excellent quality, wdth
indications of giving large quantities of milk; were
good in form, long in body, straight on back, broad
in the hips, with fine heads and horns, excellent
coats of hair and well-shaped udders."
Ancestress of the Louans. — In 1821 a Mr. Law of
Baltimore, Md., imported the roan cow Rosemary
(of J. C. Curwen's breeding), by Flash (261), and
her white heifer Virginia, by General (272), that
afterward passed into the possession of Col. Powel
and became the ancestress of the family so noted in
Kentucky and other Western States under the name
of Louans. From the Curwen herd Mr. Law also
bought the bull Bishop (73) and the cow Assurance.
During the same year there was imported into
Maryland the roan bull Champion (864), the white
heifer White Rose, by Warrior (673), and the red-
and- white heifer Shepherdess, by Magnet (392) — all
*"I think the bxiU Bertram which you have bought of Mr. Whitaker
of Greenholme is the best bull I know of at present to lay the founda-
tion of a good stock of Short-horns in any country. He is descended
from one of the best-milking and quickest-grazing tribes, and one which
yielded meat of the best quality, and, as I found by experiments, left
the most for the food consumed. I used the Daisy bull, brother of the
great-grandam of Bertram, above thirty years ago. * * * j con-
sider Bertram a much superior bull to Comet, which bull I saw sold for
1,000 guineas at public sale, and afterward £1,500 was offej-ed for him."
— Thomas Bates to Col. Powel, 1831.
178 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
of Mr. Champion's breeding. White Rose was in
calf to Blaize (76) — sire of imp. Pansy previously
mentioned — and was sold to Gov. Lloyd of Mary-
land. She produced to this English service the bull
Wye Comet (1591). Shepherdess and Wye Comet
were sold to Col. Powel. Mr. Allen credits this
importation to Col. John S. Skinner, and Mr. War-
field to a Mr. Oliver.
Walter Dun's importations.— In 1833 Mr. Walter
Dun, a Scotchman living near Lexington, Ky., sent
an order to a friend, one William Douglas, residing
in the South of Scotland, to go into Yorkshire and
buy several head of Short-horns to be shipped out
to America. Ample funds were supplied, and the
animals were to be chosen with reference to quality
rather than to price or pedigree. Six head were
bought and shipped from Liverpool, Sept. 5, 1833,
arriving safely in Kentucky on Nov. 26 following.
This shipment proved of much value in capable
hands on both sides of the Ohio River, some of the
best cattle of succeeding years tracing descent to it.
The imported cows were Caroline (red), by Dash-
wood; Red Rose (red-and-white), by Ernesty; White
Rose (white), by Publicola; Multiflora (roan), by
Walter; Daisy (red-and-white), by Wild, and Pre-
mium (roan), by Maximus, which were accompanied
by the two-year-old bull Symmetry (5382). Some
of the bulls appearing in certain of these pedigrees
were not at that time recorded in England, on ac-
count of which efforts to discredit their descendants
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA 179
were subsequently made; and, as in the case of the
"Seventeens," Pattons and Cox cattle, such efforts
were attended with more or less success.
In 1836, in connection with Mr. Samuel Smith,
Mr. Dun sent another order to Mr. Douglas, which
was filled by the shipment of the roan bull Comet
(1854), the red-and-white George (2059), and the
cows Mary Ann (roan), by Middlesboro; Adelaide
(roan), by Magnum Bonum (22-13), and Jewess.
The latter proved barren. Adelaide was in calf to
Brutus (1752), and gave birth to the heifer Beauty
of Wharfdale. Mary Ann had been served in Eng-
land by Xorfolk, and gave birth to the roan bull
calf Otley (1632). To these cows the American
Adelaide and Mary Ann families trace. In 1838 Mr.
Dun imported two bulls from Premium, by Maximus,
and Young Charlotte, by Thorp, recorded as Otho
794 and Tarik 1022.
Meantime the Ohio Co. had begun its memorable
importations, and the desire for good Short-horns
among the better class of farmers was universal.
Messrs. Dun and Smith both died shortly after these
latter importations, and at an auction sale held by
their executors Sept. 11, 1838, the prices made re-
vealed the fact that the breeders of that period were
both prosperous and enterprising. Imp. Adelaide
brought $1,375 from Messrs. Dillard & Ferguson,
and her daughter $755 from F. S. Eead. The cow
Adeline brought $1,030, and her daughter $440. Imp.
Mary Ann and her Norfolk bull calf, then but ten
180 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
days old, fetched $2,100 from Messrs. R. G. Jackson
and B. P. Gray, and Allen states that Messrs. Wes-
son and Shropshire afterward gave that amount for
Otley alone. At this same sale R. T. Dillard and C.
R. Ferguson gave $1,235 for ihe cow Ellen, C. C.
Morgan $1,230 for the cow Cleopatra and W. S.
Hume $1,000 for the bull calf Oliver Keen— all the
property of Mr. Smith's estate. The bull Comet had
meantime become the individual property of Mr.
John G. Dun, and for him the great price of $3,000
was offered by Mr. Gray, one of the buyers of im]).
Mary Ann. He was bred by Mr. Crofton from a
Mason foundation, Otley was supposed to have
been bred by Mr. Fawkes.
CHAPTER VIII
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS
In a general way it may be said that during the
first period following the early introduction of
Short-horn blood into America the type developed
greatest favor among the holders of the rich lands
of Central Kentucky and Southern Central Ohio.
In New England and New York it had been chiefly
in the hands of gentlemen of wealth and leisure, and
the farmers of that section, who kept cattle mainly
for the dairy and the yoke, were rather inclined to
regard the breed as a mere "fancy" type, not
specially adapted to their comparatively thin soils
and rigorous climate. Still the merit of Short-horn
cows as dairy cattle was recognized, and the blood
was freely used by those who saw, particularly in
the AVetherell and Whitaker stock, a valuable "gen-
eral-purpose" type.
In Ohio and Kentucky the Short-horns found a
most congenial home, and quickly acquired favor
among practical men in close touch with the Balti-
more and Philadelphia markets— men who had
found in the Gough & Miller and Sanders cattle a
class of stock that made wonderful response to good
keep. Theirs was a veritable land of plenty — a
country teeming with corn and blue grass. York
181
182 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN- CATTLE
and Durham were fairly distanced in comparison,
so far as unlimited feed supplies were concerned.
Hundreds of prime Short-horn bullocks were
matured and driven across the mountains to the
seaboard markets. It was in the course of this trade
that the Ohio Valley drovers and graziers, living
remote from the great centers of population, learned
of the establishment of the Powel herd, and in spite
of the distance and obstacles to be overcome they
invested in fresh blood from that source and intro-
duced it upon their ''Pattons" and " Seventeens. "
When we consider the length of the journey from
Cincinnati to Philadelphia before the days of rail-
roads one can but admire the pluck and enterprise
displayed by the sturdy pioneers engaged in this
trans-Allegheny cattle traffic. Those who had been
fortunate enough in the first rush of the tide of
emigration to secure large holdings in Kentucky
and Ohio found that Short-horn blood enabled them
to reap a rich harvest from their grain and pasture
lands. Never has there been a more complete dem-
onstration of the value of good blood in farming
operations than was afforded by the history of the
introduction of the Short-horn into the Ohio Valley
States. To them the hoof of the ''red, white and
roan" was indeed golden, and to this day no other
type of cattle has found equal favor among those
enjoying the fruits of the Short-horn's peaceful in-
vasion of the ancestral acres.
Feeding for seaboard markets. — Virginians from
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 183
the valley of the South Branch of the Potomac were
the most influential of the pioneers who settled in
Southern Central Ohio and Kentucky early in the
nineteenth century. They had been accustomed to
breeding cattle for grazing and feeding purposes
and originated the system of fattening steers in
large numbers by feeding ' ' shock ' ' corn in the open
fields during the winter months. Among the earliest
of these emigrants were the brothers George and
Felix Renick, from Hardy Co., Va., who found their
way over the mountains on horseback, with the aid
of a compass,* and selected large tracts of land in
the valley of the Scioto River, near the present site
of Chillicothe, 0. Other members of the Renick
family followed them, but George and Felix by their
enterprise in cattle-growing gained the right to
recognition as the most distinguished of those who
laid the foundation for Short-horn breeding in the
State of their adoption.
George Renick first conceived the idea of driving
fat cattle from the Scioto to Baltimore, and although
his Virginia friends scouted the plan as impracti-
cable, he nevertheless put it to the test, and in 1805
successfully drove sixty-eight head through in good
condition and disposed of them at a round profit.
The problem of a market was solved, and the in-
dustry developed with amazing rapidity. In 1817
Felix Renick drove 100 head of prime fat Short-
*Hon. T. C. Jones' address before the Iowa Short-horn Breeders'
Association in 1881.
184 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORNT CATTLE
horn steers through to Philadelphia, receiving for
them in that market $134 per head ! In 1818 George
Renick sent a drove through to New York — the first
Western cattle ever seen there — that sold for $69
per head.* These cattle were descended from the
Gough & Miller stock, the roan bull Pluto 825 being
one of the sources from whence that blood was
derived. Felix Eenick became the leading feeder of
"top" cattle in his State, and aside from the Messrs.
Goff of Kentucky, was probably the most extensive
breeder and feeder of well-bred bullocks in the
United States in his day. George Renick also fed
largely for nearly fifty years.
Other successful Ohio breeders and feeders of the
early days were Gov. Allen Trimble, John I. Van
Meter, James Vanse, John Grouse, William, Jona-
than and Thomas Renick, Messrs. Huston, M. L. Sul-
livant and R. R. Seymour. The latter fed from 100
to 700 head annually, and in 1841 drove 840 head
through to Philadelphia.f The Shakers of Warren
County also gave their attention to the improvement
of their cattle by the use of the Patton and "Seven-
teen" blood. Cattle-feeding was thoroughly estab-
lished as a profitable industr}^ by the time the Walter
Dun importations were made, and the rivalry that
•Related by the late William Renick of Circleville, O.
tMr. Seymour removed from Virginia to Ohio in 1830. He says that
wlien he left Virginia all the principal cattlemen in the South Branch
Valley had stork of English blood, either of the Gough & Miller im-
portations or the Long-horns, and in some instances they had a mix-
ture of those bi-c-eds ; as was also the ca.«e to some extent in Kentucky
and Ohio. This accounts for the fact that about fifty years ago it was
not uncommon to hear people speak of "Long-horn Durhams." This
mixture, however, proved very generally unpopular.
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 185
developed between the breeders and feeders on
either side of the Ohio River was like unto that
which existed in Britain ' ' twixt North o ' Tweed and
South o' Tweed." The owners of the Dun cattle
were loud in their claims as to" the superiority of
their stock over the other Short-horns of that period.
The bull Comet was their trump card and was hav-
ing quite his own way at the cattle shows.* Ken-
tucky was for the time being "on top." Men of
similar blood and with equal pride in their herds
dwelt across the river, however, and they did not
propose to pennit their friends, relatives and com-
petitors in Fayette, Bourbon, Clark and adjacent
(Kentucky) counties to hold the whip hand. They
had the land, the feed, the brains and the capital to
defend their own position in the cattle trade, and
they were men of action. They had indeed already
taken steps to protect and promote their own in-
terests by the formation of the memorable
Ohio Importing Company. — Felix Eenick, a man
deserving high rank in American Short-horn history
as one of the most intelligent of all those who helped
to place the 'infant industry" squarely upon its
feet, was the prime mover in a proposition looking
to the formation of a joint stock company to be
made up of the leading contemporary cattle-growers
of the Scioto Valley and contiguous Ohio territory
for the purchase of English cattle. Nov. 2, 1833, ex-
Governors Allen Trimble and Duncan McArthur,
•William Warfield, in Breeder's Gazette, Aug. 5. 1886.
186 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HORX CATTLE
with the Messrs. Eenick and others, formed a com-
pany "for the purpose of promoting the interests
of agriculture and of introducing an improved breed
of cattle," and they, together with the subscribers
mentioned below, contributed the amount of money
necessary ' ' to import from England some of the best
improved cattle of that country."
There were in all about fifty shareholders, but two
of whom resided out of the State. These were Isaac
Cunningham of Kentucky and W. H. Cunningham
of Virginia. The following is a list of the other
subscribers from the several counties represented
in this association: Ross — Ex-Gov. Duncan McAr-
thur, Felix Renick, George Renick, James Vanse, R.
R. Seymour, E. J. Harness, Arthur Watts, S. Mc-
Neil, John McNeil, Wesley Claypool, John T. Webb,
Robert Stewart, Archibald Stewart, Jas. G. White,
John Pancake, John Foster, John Crouse, Presley
Morris, John L. Taylor, B. J. Davis and Charles
Davis. The subscribers in Pickaway County were:
William Renick, S. S. Denney, Thomas Huston, Elias
Florence, Josiah Renick, Harness Renick, Thomas
Renick, William Renick, Jr., Jonathan Renick, Elias
Pratt, John Boggs, Sr., J. M. Alkire, Francis Camp-
bell, Evan Stevenson, Ashel Renick and George Rad-
cliff. From Franklin County were: M. L. Sullivant,
Lyne Sterling and E. W. Gwynne. Fayette — Bat-
teal Harrison, A. Hagler and M. Patterson. High-
land — Ex-Gov. Allen Trimble and H. P. Gallaway.
Pike — John I. Vanmeter.
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 187
The stockholders appointed Felix Renick as their
agent to proceed to England and select the cattle.
That his experience was such as to qualify him ad-
mirably for the work must appear from what has
already been stated concerning his commanding
position in reference to bullock-breeding. Edwin J.
Harness and Josiah Renick were designated to act
as assistants. They were not limited to the purchase
of Short-horns, the idea being to entrust the trio
with plenary powers. Members of the company
were willing to experiment with other breeds if they
thought advisable, and in a letter written by Henry
Clay to Gov. Trimble, dated Washington, D. C, Dec.
13, 1833, the great Kentuckian advised the purchase
of tj^pical specimens of the ''Durham," Hereford
and Devon breeds. He thought the Devons might
do well, as being specially adapted for contending
with the hardships of the long journey from the
AVest to the Eastern markets. That Mr. Renick was
not averse to studying this proposition is shown by
the fact that while at Baltimore en route to England
he and his colleagues visited a herd of Devons be-
longing to Mr. Patterson of that city and they were
well pleased with the "rubies." Proceeding to
Philadelphia they called upon Col. Powel, examined
his Short-horn herd, and received many useful hints
from him in reference to the purchasing and ship-
ping of stock across the Atlantic. It is of interest
in this connection as showing the changes in popular
taste in respect to color that Felix Renick spoke of
188 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKN- CATTLE
the Powel cattle as "white, red-and-white pied and
the fashionable roan. ' ' They had set out from Ohio
upon their long journey on Jan. 29, 1834, and it is
needless to say that they arrived in England free
from prejudice not only as between the different
breeds but also as between the rival breeders of
Short-horns, concerning whom they had doubtless
heard something from Col. Powel before embarking
for the other side.
Felix Renick and confreres in England. — The Ohio
Co.'s agents landed at Liverpool March 24, 1834,
and immediately addressed themselves to the busi-
ness in hand. As the visit was an historic one,
by reason of its far-reaching effects upon Amer-
ican Short-horn breeding, some details will be of in-
terest.
After examining a few herds about Liverpool they
journeyed toward Yorkshire, stopping at Leeds to
see the herd of Mr. W. F. Paley. Finding his stock
of excellent breeding and quality they secured
options on a few animals. They next attended the
Eipley show, after which they proceeded to Studley
to see Richard Booth's herd. With the Studley cat-
tle Mr. Renick was well pleased, but as they were
then announced to be sold at a later date at auction
none could be priced. The herds of J. Woodhouse,
A. L. Maynard, J. Clark and the elder Booth (at
Killerby) were next seen. Arriving at Darlington
the Americans fell in with Thos. Bates. They were
at once invited to Kirklevington, Mr. Bates insisting
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 189
that they make his house their headquarters while
in that vicinity.* Mr. Renick writing of this said:
'"Mr. Bates is a wealthy bachelor, owns a fine farm
of 1,000 acres, all under best cultivation. He keeps
a dairy of forty or fifty cows, generally of the best
Short-horn blood, from which he raises some very
fine stock, and had then on hand some young bulls
and heifers better than any we have seen else-
where." Bates was evidently flattered by the com-
13liments bestowed by these intelligent foreign visi-
tors — the more so, doubtless, as they had alread}'
been at Studley and Killerby — and to the surprise of
his friends offered to sell them six of his best
females. The Americans were not yet ready to buy,
however, and continued their investigations. Bates
furnished them with horses and rode with his guests
for several days among the herds of the Valley of
the Tees; "but," says Felix Eenick, "from our own
observations, as well as the judgment of Mr. Bates,
their stock [that of the neighboring breeders] is
generally ' going back. ' ' ' He expressed disappoint-
ment at the character of many of the herds visited.
They then turned Southward, "Mr. Bates going
with us." Evidentlv the sage of Kirklevington was
*This incident is thus rejated by Cadwallader Bates : "On Easter
Monday, 1834, Bates was as usual at Darlington market. Some Ameri-
cans staying at the King's Head came up and spoke to him. « * •
In the course of the conversation Bates soon found that they possessed
a great knowledge upon the subject of Short-horns. * * * He gave
them full details of his experience, telling them, among other things,
that Belvedere's sire, Waterloo (2816). then in his sixteenth year, and
Norfolk (2377) were the only two bulls besides Belvedere (1766) that
were in his opinion the least likely to get good stock." — "Thomas Bates
and the Eirllevington Short-horns," page 2>7.
190 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOR>J CATTLE
determined that his guests should not "go wrong"
in their buying — from his standpoint — if he could
prevent it. In company with Bates they called on
Jonas Whitaker, who had dispersed his herd the pre-
vious autumn.
At this point in their inquiries it was arranged
for Messrs. Harness and Josiali Renick to go to Lon-
don and thence into Hereford and Devonshire as per
Henry Clay's suggestion. If pleased with those
breeds Felix Eenick was to join them and decide as
to what should be done. The impression made upon
these gentlemen was evidently not favorable as
against the Short-horns as no purchases were made.
Meantime Felix Renick went with Mr. Whitaker
and Mr. Paley to Lord Althorpe's, and with Bates
to Lord Feversham's. Mr. Fawkes, Col. Cradock
and Mr. Raine were also visited. It thus appears
that a very thorough examination of the English
herds of that date was made, and in a letter to his
friend, S. S. Denney of Ohio, Felix Renick gave his
impressions of the cattle as follows:
"From the appearance of many of the old bulls and cows we
have seen, which are now from twelve to twenty years of age, it
is very evident to me that their stocks here have been rather on
the decline for some years back owing to several causes, the
principal of which I believe to be the unbounded prejudices gen-
erally prevailing among the breeders, each one thinking his own
the best and consequently breeding in-and-in too much, to the
great injury of their stock, although some of them are now par-
tially convinced of tfteir error and in some measure changing
their practice.
"We have done the best we could and procured some that are
at least as good as the country affords, for which we have paid
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HEEDS 191
all sorts of prices, from 30 guineas up to 175 guineas, such is
the disparity of prices. The value depends almost entirely upon
the purity of blood and high pedigree. If a breeder here goes
to purchase an animal for his own use to breed from he will not
have it at all if he cannot trace it back some 50 or 100 years
and have it descended from the famous bull Comet, that sold
for 1,000 guineas, or some other equally as good; and on the
side of the dam it must also have descended from Old Daisy,
for whom some hundred guineas were refused, or some other
equal in their estimation. Thus you see the situation we are
placed in. We must either take cattle without pedigree or much
of anything else to recommend them or take those that have at
least pedigrees, with more excellence of form and size, at a high
price. The latter was in our judgment the better of the two
alternatives and the one we have so far pursued, and shall con-
tinue to pursue, and take fewer in number."
Having looked the ground over to Ms satisfaction
Mr. Renick selected and bought nineteen head of
cattle — seven bulls and twelve females. Norfolk he
had been unable to secure from Mr. Fawkes at an
alleged offer of 400 guineas. Mr. Bates had priced
his "pet beauty," Duchess 33d, at 150 guineas.
Duchess 34th at 100 guineas, and the Matchem Cow
at 15 guineas, but neither of these noted animals
was bought. It is alleged that the influence of Mr.
Whitaker was strenuously exerted against the pur-
chase of these two Duchesses, but as the former
(bred to Norfolk) became the ancestress of the
costly New York Mills cattle and the other produced
the Duke of Northumberland it was probably well
for Bates interests that the Americans did not take
them. Mr. Renick was particularly pleased with
the young stock by Belvedere and took four of his
get — two bulls and two heifers. The cattle were
192 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
skipped during the summer of 1834 to Philadelphia,
whence they were driven over the mountains through
to Chillicothe and placed upon Mr. Eenick's farm.
The judgment of the stockholders and contemporary
breeders was that Mr. Eenick had discharged his
difficult task in an eminently satisfactory manner.
The bulls were put out in service among the share-
holders and the company instructed Mr. Renick to
proceed with arrangements looking towards further
shipments.
Two of the heifers included in this importation
of 1834 gave rise to families of Short-horns which
are at the present day among the most numerous to
be found in the leading Short-horn breeding States.
These were the roan heifers Rose of Sharon, bred by
Mr. Bates and sired by Belvedere, and Young Mary,
bred by J. Clark and sired by Jupiter. Young Mary
was taken to Kentucky and is said to have produced
no less than fourteen heifer calves, besides one or
two bulls — possibly the most extraordinary case on
record. She lived to be twenty-one years old. The
red cow Blossom, by. Fitz Favorite, and the heifer
Matilda, by Imperial, also left numerous descend-
ants. Among the bulls of this first importation were
the three-year-old roan Reformer (2505), of Raine
breeding; the yearling Duke of York (1941), of
Whitaker's breeding, and Rantipole (2478), bred by
Mr. Paley, mainly of Booth descent.
Whitaker's selections of 1835 and 1836.— Mr.
Renick deemed it safe to risk the judgment of Mr.
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 193
Whitaker for such additional stock as might be
wanted, and made the company's desires known in
the course of a letter from which we quote :
"I am authorized by the company to make another small im-
portation in the spring, which I beg the favor of doing through
you. The calf of your old cow Minna by Norfolk I shall expect,
provided he still continues to do well and proves, when the
time arrives for starting him, to be first rate in form, size, han-
dling, etc. This will be left entirely to your own judgment and
decision. But we wish, if possible, to have something a little
superior to anything that has yet been imported. If you do not
consider him so at that time we do not wish him sent. We
also wish you to procure us two young cows with calves by Nor-
folk or other good bull. * * * The prices we were asked for
year-old bull calves by Lord Althorpe and Mr. Bates were fifty
guineas. From others we could have purchased them, perhaps
equally good, from that price down to thirty guineas. We want
none without fair pedigrees, but form and size they must have
or they will not be well received here. You will, of course, not
forget the handling and quality."
The importation of 1835 was a small one and in-
cluded several animals sent out on individual ac-
count. It was upon this occasion that Mr. Bates
shipped to America the Skipton Bridge Bull (5208)
and the heifer Hon. Miss Barrington as a present to
the Bishop of Ohio at Kenyon College. In 1836 a
large shipment was forwarded, including many
splendid specimens of the breed. These lots came via
New York, being shipped from Albany to Buffalo
by the Erie Canal, by lake from Buffalo to Cleve-
land, and thence driven "overland" to Chillicothe.
Great care and judgment were evidently used in
making these selections. Whitaker had the assist-
ance of Mr. Paley and Mr. Fawkes and wrote to Mr.
194 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE^T CATTLE
Renick shortly before the cattle were forwarded as
follows :
"Mr. Fawkes and I returned last night from our tour of in-
spection among all the principal breeders from Ripon to the
Bishop of Durham's; thence to Mr. Bates', Mr. Maynard's, Mr.
Wiley's, Mr. Harrison's in the East Riding, Castle Howard, and,
in conclusion, the Earl of Spencer's at Wiseton. We were at it
early and late for seven days. Booth had nothing to sell. Col.
Cradock will sell or let Magnum Bonum in the autumn, and in-
tends writing to Gen. Gerrard, who, he says, offered him 400
guineas for him, and, the Colonel refusing to sell, he asked if
another hundred would induce him. John Colling said the Gen-
eral offered him 300 guineas for two heifers. Mr. Colling has
now fixed to sell his entire herd in the autumn of 1837, John
Maynard his in the autumn of this year. * * * i attempted to
buy something of Mr. Bates, but he soared so high I could not
grapple with him. For a bull calf five months old, by Belvedere,
dam by Belvedere, grandam Duchess 34th, he had the modesty
to ask 400 guineas. I could have bought two young bulls, but
they were not good enough to send. Mr. Paley has bought three
females, but I have not seen any of them but Sherwood's. I
have finished my purchases within one beast but have not time
to give you particulars — in fact, cannot, not having received au-
thenticated pedigrees of several animals. I shall have exceeded
your limits, but could not avoid it."
The shipments of 1835 and 1836 embraced forty-
two animals, bringing the total number of cattle im-
ported by the Ohio Co. up to sixty-one head, a com-
plete record of which may be found in the valuable
list of imported cows compiled by Mr. William War-
field and published by the American Short-horn
Breeders' Association. Space will not permit us to
enumerate all in this connection. It should be
stated, however, that among the selections made by
Mr. Whitaker were the afterward-celebrated cows
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 195
Josephine, by Norfolk (2377); Young Phyllis, by
Fairfax (1023) ; Illustrious, by Emperor (1974), and
Harriet, by Young Waterloo (2817). When Mr.
Felix Kenick was at Mr. AVhitaker's in 1834 he fell
quite in love with the cow Minna, by Frederick,
mentioned in his letter already quoted. It seems
that this cow was also a special favorite with Mrs.
Whitaker, and she promised Mr. Renick that the
next heifer calf produced by Minna should be re-
served for him. The cow was bred to Norfolk, and
the progeny — the red-and-white Josephine, dropped
in November, 1835 — was sent out as a calf to Mr.
Renick according to promise. She developed into
a cow of outstanding excellence, and her descend- ,
ants for many years constituted one of the best
families of Short-horns known in the Western
States. Young Phyllis was a roan, dropped Sept.
11, 1831, bred by the Earl of Carlisle and imported
for Mr. E. J. Harness. This cow had a very dis-
tinguished career as a breeder in Kentucky, and her
descendants are now to be found in many first-class
herds. One of her daughters, Catherine Turley, by
Goldfinder (2066), lived to be eighteen years old.
Illustrious was also a roan, dropped March, 1835,
and bred by Mr. Crofton. A high price was paid
for her. Mr. Whitaker wrote: ''I consider her
dear, but being a beautiful calf and from one of
the best herds in the country I was obliged to give
more than I thought she was worth. As you wished
something superlative I could not leave her." De-
196 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
scendants of Illustrious attained high rank as show
and breeding stock in various Western herds. Har-
riet was a red-roan of March, 1835. She was im-
ported for Mr. James Renick of Kentucky, a son-in-
law of Mr. Felix Renick, and her blood, as well as
that of Josephine and Illustrious, was aftenvard
used by the late Abram Renick in crossing upon his
Rose of Sharon family.
Among the sixteen bulls imported in 1835 and
1836 one of the most noted was Comet Halley (1855),
a light roan bred by John Maynard, sired by
Match em (2281), dam by Frederick (1060), tracing
to Robert Colling 's Golden Pippin. After Reformer
.became inefficient this bull seems to haA^e been more
generally used upon the best cows of the company
than any other except the Duke of York. He had no
difficulty in defeating in the show-yard the bull
Comet of the Dun importation which we have pre-
viously mentioned. Goldfinder (2066), a roan of
1835, had a very successful career as a breeder, fully
confirming the hopes Mr. Whitaker expressed re-
garding him at the time he was selected as a calf.
Prince Charles (2461), another roan, calved in 1834,
bred by Mr. Whitaker and sired by Norfolk, ^vas im-
ported specially for Mr. Geo. Renick and ranked
among the very best of all the bulls brouglit out in
the course of the operations of the Ohio Co. and its
individual members. The roan bull Nimrod (2371),
by Norfolk, matured into a grand animal, but he de-
veloped what appeared to be a tumor before the
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 197
company's sale, and but for that would doubtless
have brought a very long j^rice, as Abram Renick
favored purchasing him instead of Matchem (2283),
but his associates did not agree with him in this.
Nimrod was bought by Col. Florence and used on
grades. A few pure-bred cows were sent to him,
however, by Harness, Eenick and others, the prod-
uce being cattle of extraordinary merit.
Sale of Oct. 29, 1836.— The object of the company
— the transfer from England of a valuable stock
of breeding cattle to Ohio soil — having now been
accomplished, it was decided to close up the finan-
cial affairs of the "syndicate" by means of auction
sales, at which stockholders and outsiders alike
would have the privilege of bidding. The first of
these — which was the earliest important event of
the kind in America — was held upon Felix Renick 's
Indian Creek Farm, in Ross County, in the autumn
of 1836. The cattle were in fine condition, the at-
tendance was large and high prices were realized,
as will appear from the subjoined report:
cows AND HEIFERS.
Teeswater, roan, calved Oct. 1832; bred by Bates, of
Princess blood, and heifer calf Cometess, by Comet
Halley— John I. Vanmeter, Pike Co., O $2,225
Young Mary, roan four-year-old, by Jupiter, and roan heifer
calf Pocahontas, by Comet Halley — Edwin J. Harness,
Ross County 1,500
Flora, roan four-year-old, by son of Young Albion (730),
and bull calf Powhatan 8281^, by Comet Halley— George
Renick, Ross County 1,205
Moss Rose, roan two-year-old heifer, by Stapleton (2698) —
Jonathan Renick, Pickaway County 1,200
198 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
Malina, red-and- white two-year-old, bred by Whitaker —
Isaac Cunningham, Kentucky $1,005
Blossom, red six-year-old, by Fitz Favorite (1042) — R. R.
Seymour, Ross County 1,000
MatiMa, red-and-white, five years old, by Imperial (2151) —
Arthur Watts, Ross County 1,000
Gaudy, red-and-white, five years old, bred by A. L. Maynard
— James M. Trimble, Highland County 985
Lily of the Valley of the Tees, roan, five years old, bred by
Raine — Thomas Huston, Pickaway County 950
Celestina, roan, two years old, bred by Whitaker — Thomas
Huston, Pickaway County 930
Beauty of the West, red two-year-old heifer from imp.
Blossom, by Fitz Favorite — Asahel Renick, Pickway
County 900
Lady Abernethy, roan yearling (imported), bred by Mr.
Wylie — Thomas Huston, Pickaway County 815
Illustrious, roan yearling, by Emperor (9174) — Abram Re-
nick, Kentucky '^''^
Lady of the Lake, red, little white, yearling heifer, by Re-
former (2505) out of imp. Rose of Sharon— R. R. Sey-
mour, Ross County 775
Poppy, red-and-white heifer calf, by Rantipole (2478) out
of Blossom by Fitz Favorite — Harness Renick, Picka-
way County 610
Fink, red-and-white heifer calf, by imp. Duke of York
(1941), dam imp. Duchess of Liverpool — William
Trimble, Highland County 575
Duchess of Liverpool, imported in 1834, but unpedigreed —
William M. Anderson, Ross County 570
Lady Paley, red-and-white heifer calf, by Rantipole (2478),
dam imp. Flora — Alexander Renick, Ross County 510
Lilac, red, little white, yearling, by Rantipole (2478), dam
Duchess of Liverpool — Elias Florence, Pickaway
County 425
May Flower, red-and-white heifer calf, by Duke of York
(1941), dam imp. Matilda — B. Harrison, Fayette County 405
Lucy, roan calf, pedigree in doubt — George Radcliff, Pick-
away County 405
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 199
Calypso, red-and-white, five years old, imported in 1834,
sired by Bertram (1716)— S. McNeil, Ross County...? 325
Lady Blanche, sold as doubtful breeder — Charles Davis,
Ross County 250
Lady Colling, doubtful breeder— J. T. Webb, Ross County. 205
BULLS.
Duke of Norfolk (1939), red-and-white yearling, imported,
sired by Norfolk (2377)— Robert Stewart, Ross County. $1,255
Young Waterloo (2817), roan, three years old, bred by
Bates, of Princess blood — R. D. Lilley, Highland Coun-
ty, for Gov. Trimble and others 1,250
Matchem (2283), roan, five years old, bred by J. Wood-
house, sired by Imperial (2151) — Renick, Cunningham
and Warfield of Kentucky 1,200
Greenholme Experiment (2075), roan, two years old, bred
by Whitaker — James M. Trimble, Highland County... 1,150
Duke of York (1941), red-and-white three-year-old, bred by
Whitaker, got by Frederick (1060) — R. R. Seymour,
Ross County 1,120
Goldfinder (2066), roan yearling, bred by J. Lawson, sired
by Charles (1815) — Renick, Cunningham and Warfield
of Kentucky 1,095
Nimrod (2371), roan yearling, bred by Mr. Tempest, sired
by Norfolk — Elias Florence, Pickaway County 1,040
Whitaker (2836), roan two-year-old, bred by Whitaker,
sired by Norfolk, dam Minna, hence own brother to
imp. Josephine — William M. Anderson, Ross county... 855
;iantipole (2478), red-and-white four-year-old, bred by W.
F. Paley — Arthur Watts, Ross County 810
Logan (2218), roan yearling, by Duke of York (1941),
dam imp. Young Mary — J. Renick 750
Earl of Darlington (1944), roan three-year-old, bred by
Bates and sired by Belvedere — B. Harrison, Fayette
County 710
John Bull (2161), red, little white, bull calf, by Earl of
Darlington, dam Gaudy — William Renick Jr., Ohio... 613
Duke of Leeds (1938), roan yearling, by Norfolk— John
Grouse, Ross County 575
200 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE>r CATTLE
Windham (2845), red-and-white yearling, bred by Earl
Spencer — Charles Davis, Ross County $ 500
Davy Crockett (3571), roan yearling, recorded as from imp.
Young Mary — Peter Ayres, Ohio 490
Snow Drop (2654), white yearling, by Reformer (2505),
dam Lily of the Valley of the Tees — Stewart & Mc-
Neil, Ohio 480
Independence (2152), roan yearling, by Earl of Darlington,
dam imp. Matilda — Hagler & Peterson, Ross County. . . 400
Commodore Perry (1859), red yearling, by Reformer, dam
imp. Teeswater — W. H. Creighton, Madison County... 400
Goliah (2068), red yearling by Earl of Darlington, dam
imp. Calypso — Isaac V. Cunningham, Scioto County... 300
24 females sold for $19,545; an average of $814.37
19 bulls sold for 14,995; an average of 789.20
43 animals sold for 34,540, an average of 803.25
The bulls Eeformer and Columbus were sold at
this sale as "unsound," and as they therefore com-
manded a low price they are not included above.
The company made a present to Felix Renick upon
this occasion of the roan six-months-old bull calf
Paragon of the West (4649), sired by imp. Duke of
York (1941) out of imp. Rose of Sharon. This was
a graceful act upon the part of the stockholders, as
the calf was regarded as perhaps the most valuable
young bull in the possession of the company at this
date. Like his sire, the Duke of York, he proved a
very superior stock-getter, and in the fall of 1837
won first prize as a yearling at the Ohio State Fair
at Columbus. Rose of Sharon's daughter, Lady of
the Lake, purchased by Mr. Seymour, proved a
great breeder. She never grew into a large cow,
but was exceedinglv neat, with a very handsome
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HEEDS 201
head and prominent eyes. She was of a deep-red
color, with a little white on each flank and star in
forehead. She was sold to George Renick, for whom
she bred five heifers, to-wit: 1838 — Rose of Shan-
non 2d, by Comet Halley (1855); 1839— Virginia,
red-and-white, by Powhatan 8281/2 ; 1840— Thames,
red, by Shakespeare (12062); 1842 — Flora, roan, by
Shakespeare, and in 1844 Lady of the Lake 2d, red-
roan, by Yonng Shakespeare 1311. All of these
heifers left a valuable progeny, some of which, in
the hands of Abram Renick of Kentucky, gained
international fame. After the conclusion of this sale
the imported bull Duke of Norfolk was resold to
Gov. Vance and J. H. James of Champaign County
for $1,400.
Final sale in 1837.— On Oct. 24, 1837, the com-
pany's affairs were finally closed up by a sale of
such stock as still remained in its hands, which con-
sisted at that date of the animals sold as per follow-
ing list: BULI^S.
Comet Halley (1855), light roan, bred by John Maynard;
calved December, 1832; sired by Matchem (2281), dam
by Frederick (1060)— George Renick and others $2,500
Acmon (1606),* roan, calved 1833; bred by W. Raine; by
Anti-Radical (1642), dam Sally by Young Rockingham
(2547)— M. L. Sullivant & Co., Columbus, 2,500
Hazlewood (2098), red-roan, calved April 9, 1836; bred by
W. F. Paley; got by Norfolk (2377)— Gov. Trimble and
R. R. Seymour i^OO
Powhatan 828 v,, red-and-white, calved Oct. 6, 1836; got by
imp. Comet Halley out of imp. Flora— Harness Renick 500
* Acmon was a great show bull and also proved a superior stock-
getter.
202 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Bouncer (3196), roan, calved March 18, 1836; bred by Col.
Cradock; got by Magnum Bonum (2243) — John Walk,
Pickaway County $ 450
Santa Anna, roan, calved July 4, 1837; got by imp. Comet
Halley out of Lily of the Valley of the Tees— J. C.
Vance, Ohio Co., Va , 425
cows AND HEIFERS.
Elizabeth (imported), roan, calved in 1832; bred by T.
Harrison; got by Memnon (2293); and calf — Gov. J.
Vance and William Vance, Champaign County $1,450
Flora (imported), roan, seven years, by son of Young Al-
bion (730)— M. L. Sullivant, Columbus 1,300
Matilda (imported), red-and-white, calved April 12, 1831;
by Imperial (2151) — Allen Trimble, Highland County.. 1,220
Arabella* (imported), red-and-white, calved March, 1834;
bred by R. Pilkington; got by Victory (5565); and
calf— Dr. Arthur Watts, Chillicothe 1,200
Blush (imported), white, calved Jan. 10, 1835; bred by Mr.
Bowen; got by Monarch (2326) — John H. James, Cham-
paign County 1,015
Emily (imported), "flecked," calved Feb. 25, 1875; by
Maximus (2284); Asahel Renick, Pickaway County... 875
Victress, roan, calved Jan. 8, 1836; got (in England) by
Norfolk (2377), dam imp. Meteor of the West— M. L.
Sullivant, Columbus 700
Charlotte (imported), roan, calved March, 1833; bred by
R. Pilkington; got by Alderman (1622)— J. G. White,
Ross County 630
Fidelle (imported), roan, calved 1830; by Adrian (7720);
bought of Whitaker, and the dam of bull Greenholme
Experiment in the sale of 1836— Allen Trimble 610
6bulls sold for $ 7,075 ; an average of $1,179.15
9 females sold for 9,000; an average of 1,000.00
15 animals sold for 16,075; an average of 1,071.65
•Arabella was a grand cow and proved a great breeder, producing
for Dr. Watts many fine animals — among others the twin show cows
Bessie Belle and Mary Grey. Her son Marshal (41990) was used by
George Renick and sired many fine cattle.
DEVELOPMEXT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 203
This was a period of great expansion. Values of
all sorts were inflated by paper-currency issues, and
cattle shared in the general "boom." Hence the
great price made at this sale. Allen speaks in his
''History of the Short-horns" (page 183) of the
stockholders reaping ' ' a large profit on their invest-
ment," but this was not true save in the case of a
few of the minor members of the association, who
were not buyers of cattle.*
Nearly all the capital stock subscribed was repaid
in cattle at high prices. Had the animals been re-
sold soon the shareholders would have made a good
profit, but most of them were in the business as a
steady pursuit and kept the cattle until overtaken
by the great depression that soon afterward set in.
George Renick invested more liberally than any
other one stockholder and had the largest herd, but
his sales of surplus stock were made at moderate
prices, and in 1846 he was obliged on account of
advancing age to give up the management of his
landed estates and his entire herd was offered at
auction. ''Hard times" prevailed, however, at that
period and but one-half the cattle were sold, and
those at ruinous figures. The other Eenicks, Gov.
Trimble, Messrs. Seymour, Sullivant, Vanmeter,
Watts, et al., had also to be content with moderate
returns until the revival which set in about 1850.
♦Among these was a well-known capitalist, Lyne Starling of Colum-
bus, who. when the agent of the company called after the last sale and
paid him more than double the amount of his investment, was amazed,
and told Mr. Renick that he had intended the amount as a contribution
for the improvement of the cattle of the country and had never expected
a dollar in return. — Hon. T. C. Jones, in Breeder's Gazette, Sept. 7, i882.
204 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORy CATTLE
The prime object, liowever — the providing of
material for the improvement of the Ohio and Ken-
tucky herds — had been attained, and in that fact
the enterprising men who made these memorable
importations found ample compensation. Speaking
of the first importation, in a letter written July 26,
1834, Felix Eenick said:
"We have already had a number of applications to purchase
some of them and have been offered $500 for the youngest, a calf
less than five months old. But we, as a company, have higher
views than that of immediately realizing a little profit, provided
it could be done. The object was first conceived and has so far
been carried out for the good of the country, whether it has
been well or illy executed is not for us to say."
It is indeed difficult to overestimate the value of
the Ohio Co. 's work. It gave to the West not only
the Roses of Sharon, Young Marys, Young Phyllises
and Josephines, but supplied crosses of fresh blood
that proved powerful influences for good upon the
herds derived from earlier importations. The entire
industry in Ohio and Kentucky felt the quickening
touch, and in later years the full fruition of the
fondest hopes of the company were more than
realized.
Thomas Bates to Felix Renick. — The Ohio Co. had
meditated a continuation of its importations, but the
financial drift of the times was not favorable. In
December, 1837, Felix Eenick had written to Mr.
Bates in reference to further purchases, inquiring
particularly about the Duke of Northumberland
(1940). While nothing came of these negotiations,
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 205
the appended I'eply of Mr. Bates is given in full as
possessing some historic interest. The italicized
sentence is especially characteristic and shows that
in spite of all his claims for the Duchess blood Bates
was fully aware of the fact that it was the Princess
bull Belvedere that really made his herd. We quote:
"KiRKLEViNGTON, ApHl. 1838.— I think it on the whole better
not to send you any of my own cattle this season, the exchange
being so much against you. Next year, as you say you intend to
continue importing, I might furnish you with ten young heifers
or young cows having had a calf or two, and five or six young
bulls, either of the age you got the two last from me or a year
older.
"The Duke of Northumberland (1940) and Short-tail (2621)
are the only bulls I am now using, and their stock is even more
promising than that of their sire Belvedere (1706). The four you
got of me were all by Belvedere, and all my stock are by him
and his sons. After the trials I have now had and seen of
Short-horns for nearly sixty years nothing could induce me to
use any bull that had not Belvedere's blood. You will find it all
money thrown away to buy any hull that has not sprung from
him.
"Twenty-eight days after the birth of the Duke of Northum-
berland (1940), Brokenleg (Duchess 34th), whom you will re-
member, was again put to her sire Belvedere and brought 2d
Duke of Northumberland. She has since brought me a heifer to
her sire, and is now I expect in calf to Short-tail.
"By putting Duke of York (1941) to the heifers you got of
me you will bring their produce into disrepute. I will on no
consideration whatever (if you would give me ten times the
price I would otherwise have charged you for a heifer) sell you
any heifers to put to any bulls but what I have bred, or are of
my blood. Nor will I sell you at any price till you and the
company you act with, under your joint hands, have solemnly
promised not to do so. My object has never been to make
money by breeding, but to improve the breed of Short-horns;
and if I know it I will not sell any to anyone who has not the
206 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORX CATTLE
same object in view. On this principle I began breeding, and I
am convinced I have a better breed of Short-horns in my pos-
session at present than there has been for the last fifty years,
even in the best days of the Messrs. Colling.
"The bull you ask me about sending you, Duke of Northum-
berland, is everything I can wish in a bull, and Short-tail has
taken after 2d Hubback, of whom his dam (Duchess 32d) had
two crosses. Short-tail's sister (Duchess 41st), the best animal
in my possession, I expect is in calf to the Duke of Northum-
berland. The six from which your two were taken were good,
but the breed of the years 1835-6 were far superior to those six,
though very good. Brokenleg (Duchess 34th) I offered you at
100 guineas. If you were to send twenty times that sum for
her and her produce I would not take it now. You will re-
member I told you after buying the two heifers that if either
of them died on the passage or did not breed when you got
them home I would give you the two nearest in blood to them.
Now (Red Rose 13th) a sister in blood to your Rose of Sharon
(calved since you were here) has produced a heifer (2d Cam-
bridge Rose) to her sire Belvedere; and for the two I would not
take 1,000 guineas. These would have been yours now had
yours not bred. I will not sell either cow or calf, but I have
no objection to sell the bulls I breed from them, or from my
Duchess tribe, which are far better animals than the Red Rose
tribe. I will not part with the females of these tribes at
present."
Mr. Clay's importations to Kentucky. — In 1836
and 1837 Mr. H. Clay, Jr., Fayette Co., Ky., imported
eleven head of Short-horns, including the bulls Lord
Althorpe 658 and Neptune 743, and cows Britannia
(roan), Victoria (White), by Osgodley, and Crocus
(red-and-white), by Imperial (2151). The pedigrees
of some of these cattle were imperfect or missing
entirely. In 1838, in connection Avith Gen. James
Shelby, Mr. Clay made a further importation, con-
sisting of twelve head, including the bulls Cossack,
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 207
alias Julius Capsar (3503), Don John 426, and cows
Jane, Dorcas, Charity, Nerissa, Moss Rose by
Eclipse, Columbine, Pet, Vixen, Princess and Pro-
tectress. The bull Cossack, or Julius Caesar, above
mentioned, was a roan, bred by Mr. Topham, sired
by Cossack (1880), bred by Richard Booth of Stud-
ley, dam imp. Moss Rose by Eclipse. He was im-
ported as a calf, was afterward sold to Benjamin
Warfield, and left much good stock. At a sale held
by Mr. Clay at Lexington in the fall of 1839 eight
cows and heifers averaged $420 each, the highest
figure reached upon that occasion being $835 for a
two-year-old.
Dr. Martin's importation in 1839.— Dr. Samuel D.
Martin of Clark Co., Ky., who had been breeding
Short-horns for some years, in 1839 sent an order to
Mr. Paley for a shipment of cattle. Mr. Paley had
assisted in the selections made for the Ohio Co. and
filled this order by sending out nine head, including
the cows Jessy (roan of A. L. Maynard's breeding),
by Plenipo (4724); Beauty (red-roan), by Laurel
(2188) ; Leonida (red), by Red Simon (2499) ; Rosa-
lie (red-and-white), by Cadet (1770), dam Leonida,
just mentioned; Sprightly (red-and-white), by Fitz
Roslyn (2026), and Jessamine (roan), by Leonidas
(4211) out of imp. Jessy, mentioned above. The
cow Sprightly gave birth in December, 1839, to a
pair of twin bulls, after^vard recorded as Specie
(5289) and Speculation (5293), both bred by Mr.
Paley, and sired by Mendoza (4456). Imp. Beauty
208 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
produced to an English service the red bull calf
Bullion (3240).
R. Hutchcraft's importation. — Reuben H. Hutch -
craft of Bourbon Co., Ky., imported seven head from
England in 1839, including the bulls Van Buren
1062, bred by Col. Cradock and sired by Magnum
Bonum (2243) and the yearling Don John (3603).
The females included the roan yearling heifer Wild
Rose, by Chorister (3378), bred by Mr. Watkin; the
red cow Harriet, by Gainford (2044), and the Mag-
num Bonum heifers Fatima, Beda and Blossom — all
of Col. Cradock 's breeding.
Fayette County Importing Co. — The first "syndi-
cate" fonued in Kentucky for the purchase of Eng-
lish Short-horns was that represented by the Fayette
County Importing Co., which, in the spring of 1839,
sent the Eev. R. T. Dillard and Mr. Nelson Dudley
abroad as agents. They bought twenty-one head of
cows and heifers and seven bulls. After arrival in
Kentucky the cattle were placed upon the farm of
David Sutton, near Lexington, and in July, 1840,
were sold at auction. This was considered a very
superior lot and included such fine bulls as Eclipse
(9069) and Carcase (3285), of S. Wiley's breeding.
Among the females that afterward gave rise to good
families of Short-horns were Victoria, by Plenipo;
Fashion (dam of heifer calf Zelia, by Norfolk);
Lady Elizabeth, by Emperor; Rosabella 2d, by
Velocipede, etc. Indeed, some of the best cattle bred
in subsequent years in Kentucky and the West
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 209
claimed descent from this selection, and on this
account we append herewith report of the sale:
cows AXD HEIFERS.
Victoria, roan, calved August, 1835; bred by J. E. Maynard,
sired by Plenipo (4724)— R. Fisher $1,750
Miss Maynard, roan, calved 1837; bought of A. L. Maynard,
sired by Chorister (3378)— A. McClure 1,005
Avarilda, white, calved April, 1846; bred by W. F. Paley,
sired by Norfolk (2377)— John Allen 920
Fashion, roan, calved April, 1832; bred by W. Cooper, sired
by Young Don Juan (3610), and red-and- white heifer
calf Zelia, by Norfolk (2377)— F. W. Williams 885
Miss Luck, roan, calved May 25, 1S34; bought of Mr. Whit-
aker, sired by Allison's Roan Bull (2999)— H. Clay Jr. 800
Nancy, white, calved Jan. 1, 1837; sired by Reformer (2510)
— C. J. Rogers 730
Tulip, roan, calved 1836, bred by Mr. Crofton, sired by
Bachelor (1666)— A. McClure 700
Beauty, roan, calved March, 1834; bought of A. L. May-
nard, sired by Belvedere (1706)— H. Clay Jr 700
Lady Elizabeth,* roan, calved Feb. 4, 1838; bred by M.
Crofton, sired by Emperor (1974)— H. Clay Jr 660
Splendor, roan, calved March, 1834; bred by Mr. Cattley,
sired by Bedford Jr. (1701)— B. Gratz 650
Elizabeth, roan, calved October, 1832; bred by J. E. May-
nard, sired by Plenipo (4724) — A. McClure 505
Rosabella 2d, roan, calved January, 1839; bought of Mr.
Whitaker; sired by Velocipede (5552), running to Col-
ling's Golden Pippin — W. A. W^arner 465
Flora, calf of imp. Beauty— H. Clay 410
Lily, white, calved 1834; bred by L. Severs, sired by Count
(3506)— T. Calmes 390
Britannia, roan, calved February, 1838; bred by Mr. Crof-
ton, sired by Emperor (1974), and heifer calf Dido — H.
T. Duncan 375
*Lady Elizabeth was an exceedingly well-bred cow and proved the
ancestress of one of the best families of Short-horns ever bred in the
Western States. The branch known as the Nelly Blys. in the hands of
Mr. J. H. Spears of Illinois and others, acquired national reputation for
their uniform high excellence.
210 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
Isabella, white, calved Oct. 14, 1839; bred by T. Crofton,
sired by Melmoth (2291)— R. Fisher, Boyle County... $ 355
Jessica, roan, calved Feb. 22, 1839; bought of Mr. Maynard,
sired by Velocipede (5552) out of imp. Beauty by Bel-
vedere — Joel Higgins 330
Maria, heifer calf from imp. Elizabeth — J. B. Ford 310
Miss Hopper, roan, calved 1835; bred by T. Crofton, sired
by Duke (1935)— W. T. Calmes 270
BULLS.
Eclipse (9069), calved April 26, 1837; bred by Mr. Arrow-
smith; sired by Velocipede (5552) — R. Fisher $1,050
Carcase (3285), red-and-white, calved July, 1837; bred by
S. Wiley; sired by Belshazzar (1704) — Benjamin
Gratz, Lexington 725
Nelson 741, white, calved Dec. 4, 1839; bred by Mr. Whita-
ker; sired by Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196)— P. Tod-
hunter 610
^olus 200, roan, calved April, 1836; bred by Mr. Rowland-
son, sired by Harlsey (2091)— R. Fisher 610
Prince Albert 2065, roan, calved May 25, 1840; bred by J. E.
Maynard; sired by Carcase (3285) out of imp. Victoria
by Plenipo — J. Flournoy 350
Bruce 289, bull calf from imp. Avarilda — M. Williams.... 315
Milton 713, calf of imp. Miss Maynard — James Gaines 285
19 females sold for $12,210; an average of $642.60
7 bulls sold for 3,945; an average of 563.55
26 animals sold for 16,155; an average of 621.35
From the above it appears that Fayette County
buyers took eight head, Bourbon, Scott and Mercer
Counties five each and Jessamine County four. In
view of the fact that this sale was made during a
period of declining values the prices obtained were
excellent and demonstrated the pluck of the Ken-
tucky breeders of that day.
Importations into Tennessee. — The great interest
manifested in Short-horn breeding in Kentucky ex-
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 211
tended at an early date into the neighboring State
of Tennessee, and a few cattle were imported into
that State prior to 1840. Unfortunately no exact
data exist in reference to these selections. It is
known that in 1837 Messrs. Grordon & Bradford of
Nashville imported the cow Hibernia, recorded in
Vol. XXIV of the American Herd Book. She was
white, with red markings, said to have been bred in
Ireland, and was sold soon after importation to the
Shakers of South Union, Ky. About the same date
Mr. Harvey Hill of New Orleans imported and sent
to his farm in Tennessee the roan heifers Gentle, by
Cupid (7941), Lady Littleton (white), by Ranuncu-
lus (2479), and Mild Spring, that were sold to Mark
R. Cockrill of Nashville. Messrs. Shelby & Williams
of Nashville imported the heifers Agnes and Butter-
cup (the former calved in 1835 and the latter in
1836) and the bulls Champion and Cassius. These
latter were without pedigrees so far as the records
show.
Mr. B. Letton imported in 1840 into Tennessee the
young cows Beauty, Spot and Cowslip. Beauty
calved the white Aqua, and Spot the red-and-Avhite
Neptune at sea. An unnamed roan and a red-and-
white heifer were included in this same shipment.
All were without herd-book record. Some five years
previous a Mr. Murdock had imported the red-and-
white Bella, by Silkworm (5129), and cow Rebecca
— bred by Sir John Kennedy — together with the
bulls Murdock and Silkworm — both roans. Bella
212 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HORX CATTLE
was pedigreed and passed into the possession of M.
R. Cockrill.
William Neif 's importation. — In June, 1838, Wil-
liam Neff, a public-spirited and wealthy business
man residing in Cincinnati, imported into Ohio the
roan cows Blossom, by Belshazzar (1704) ; Cather-
ine, by Eastthorpe (1947); Strawberry (of Booth
blood), by Ambo (1636); and bulls Prince William
1390, Cincinnatus and Clifford — the former roan and
the latter white. To this list, as given by Mr. War-
field, Judge Jones adds the roan heifer Lady Anne,
by Magnum Bonum (2243), and states that she was
a great dairy cow, giving thirty-two quarts of milk
per day for two months in succession. The Judge
also states that Mr. Neff imported the roan bull
Berryman (3143), but Mr. Warfield is authority for
the statement that Lady Anne and Berryman were
imported by Mr. Josiah Lawrence of Cincinnati, and
in addition states that Lawrence also imported in
1838 the heifers Juno, Fortuna, Adelaide, Empress
and Verbena.
Wait and other importations. — In 1839 Samuel
Wait imported, via New Orleans, Duchess, by Stud-
ley Royal (5342) ; Rosebud, bred by John Booth of
Killerby, sired by Harlsey (2091); Lily of the Tees,
by Belvedere 2d (3126); Pretender (4756), bred by
Lord Feversham; Velocipede (11098), Cleveland
(3405) and Livei-pool. Mr. Warfield states that
these cattle were sold to Messrs. Shirley & Birch of
Louisville, Ky. In 1840 Mr. Wait made another im-
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS 213
portation, consisting of the two bulls, Macadam 1814
and Anty (3021), and eight cows, Ellen Long, by
Beaumont (3115) ; Hebe, by a son of Highflyer
(2122) ; Victoria (or White Rose), by Matchem 4th;
Pink, by Belvedere 2d (3127); Flora, by Imperial
(2151); Splendour, bred by Mr. Cattley and sired
by Symmetry (2723), and Daisy, by Bamaby (1678).
It is said that most of these cows were imported for
Mr. S. Bradford of Tennessee. Splendour is said to
have been sold to Mr. E. P. Prentice of New York
in 1839. Daisy passed into the possession of the
Shakers of Kentucky. Messrs. Wait & Bagg also
imported about this same time the roan bull Albion
(2971), bred by R. Lawson and sired by Charles
(3343). The pedigrees of some of these cattle seem
to have been perfect and others were not. Mr.
Warfield says: ''So many errors and blunders have
been found in the pedigrees of the cattle imported
by S. Wait that it is deemed necessary to state that
they should be examined with great care."
In 1837 the bull Grosvenor (3946), tracing to a
Booth foundation, was imported for Mr. Michael
Boyne, and the bull Sovereign 995, with heifer
Strawberry, by Magnum Bonum, for Messrs. R.
Jackson and John Hodgson; presumably in connec-
tion with the Ohio Co.'s operations.
About 1840 Messrs. Joel Higgins and Calvin C.
Morgan imported into Fayette Co., Ky., five heifers
from the herd of Mr. Chrisp, as follows: Mary and
Theodosia, both by Prince Eugene (2643) ; Henri-
214 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HOEX CATTLE
etta, by Red Prince (2489); Eleanor, by Brougham
(1746), and Princess (or Anne), by Captain (3273);
the first four roans and the latter red.
First Bates bull in Kentucky. — Between the years
1839 and 1841 James Letton of Bourbon Co., Ky.,
imported several females and two bulls, one of the
latter being Locomotive (4245), bred by Mr. Bates
and sired by Duke of Northumberland (1940) out
of the Oxford Premium Cow. This bull was a half-
brother to Duke of Wellington (3654), imported by
Mr. Vail of New York. Mr. Warfield lists the Let-
ton importation as having been made in 1839. The
x\lbany Cultivator for July, 1841, (page 120), is our
authority for the statement that Locomotive arrived
in New York May 20, 1841, so that we believe our
statement on page 219, that Duke of Wellington was
the first Oxford bull bought for America, to be cor-
rect.* For Locomotive the sum of $1,225 was paid
in England, He became the property of W. T.
Calmes of Fayette Co., Ky., upon whose farm he
died. Among the cows imported by Mr. Letton was
the red-roan lanthe, by Barforth (3085), that gave
rise to a numerous family. Another that had many
descendants was Miss Severs, by Reformer (2510).
*It is said that Mr. Letton had seen the Bates-Oxford bull Duke of
WellinfTton, bought by George Vail, land at New York, and was so
favorably impressed tliat upon learning that Duke had a half-brother
(Locomotive, that had been bought of Mr. Bates by J. C. Etches of Liv-
erpool for 100 guineas) he determined to buy him. This he did, and the
bull (Locomotive) proved a successful prize-winner in Kentucky.
CHAPTER IX
EASTERN IMPORTATIONS— 1830 TO 1850
While the farmers and stock-growers of the Ohio
Valley States were making substantial jDrogress in
the improvement of their herds, as noted in the pre-
ceding chapter, large infusions of fresh blood from
England were introduced into New York and Penn-
sylvania. The more important importations made
into these and adjacent States, contemporaneous
with and following the important operations of
Colonel Powel already mentioned, will now be noted.
New York importations. — Mr. Wm. Jackson im-
ported into New York between the years 1833 and
1840 the roan cows Duchess, by Ebor (996) ; Rose,
by Skip ton, and Miss Scotson. The former was sold
to Messrs. Wasson & Shropshire and Rose to N. L.
Lindsey of Kentucky. The latter had numerous de-
scendants, among which were many excellent cattle,
but, as her sire was not pedigreed, these shared more
or less in the discredit that was cast in later years
upon cattle tracing to animals having such defects in
their lineage. Jackson also imported the bulls Mag-
net and Dimples 421, the latter being taken by Mr.
Brent to Bourbon Co., Ky., in 1835.
Around 1834 to 1836 Thomas Weddle imported
about fifteen head of Short-horns, most of which
215
216 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
were females. Some of these were pedigreed and
some were not. Among the pedigreed cows were
Daisy and Crocus, both by Romulus (2563) ; Prim-
rose, by Pioneer (1321), and Buttercup, by Sir Wal-
ter (1459). Primrose was bought at Mr. Weddle's
sale of 1838 by Gen. James Dudley of Fayette Co.,
Ky. The roan bull Charles (1816), bred by the Earl
of Carlisle and sired by Rockingham (2550) of the
Weddle importation, was taken to Kentucky the
same year by Gen. Dudley. Allen states that Mr.
Weddle was an Englishman, who had emigrated
from Yorkshire into Western New York and brought
these cattle with him. He states that they were all
well-bred Short-horns, chiefly from the well-known
herd of Major Bower.
In 1835 Samuel Allen is said to have imported into
New York the roan cow Rachel of Mr. Whitaker's
breeding on the same ship that brought out one of
the Ohio Co. 's importations. Although her pedigree
was mislaid she was guaranteed a purely-bred Short-
horn and gave (when in full flow of milk on pas-
ture) twenty-eight quarts per day. Mr. Allen also
brought out at the same time the roan cow Miss
Lawrence, said to have been bred by Richard Booth
at Studley. Her pedigree was also lost, but she is
said to have been a prize-winner as a dairy cow in
England before being shipped, and after her arrival
in America gave thirty-four quarts of rich milk per
day on grass alone. She was sold in 1839 to N. C.
Baldwin of Cleveland, 0. A third cow in this same
EASTEKN IMPORTATIONS 217
shipment was the white Miss Bellon, that became
the property of Lewis F. Allen, founder of the Amer-
ican Herd Book. She was also an excellent milker,
producing, Mr. x\llen states, for weeks in succession
twelve pounds of butter per week.
In 1836 Messrs. Edward A. Leroy and Thomas
H. Newbold of Livingston Co., New York, im-
ported three heifers and the bull Windle 185. The
heifers were Venus, by Magnum Bonum; Dione, by
Monarch, and Netherby, by the same sire. About
1836 Peter A. Eemsen of Genesee County imported
the red bull Alexander 4, of Mr. Maynard's breed-
ing, and several cows and heifers, including Ade-
laide, Pretty Face, Lavinia and White Eose. He
bred from these for several years, and after dis-
posing of some of them in New York removed with
the remainder to Maryland, where they were finally
dispersed. About 1838 Mr. John F. Sheaffe estab-
lished a Short-horn herd at his farm and country
residence in Duchess County, on the Hudson River.
He started with cattle descended from the early
New England importations. To these he added,
soon after 1840, the cows Phoebe 1st, Dahlia 1st
and Beauty 1st, but the pedigrees of these are im-
perfectly stated. He subsequently imported tlie
roan cow Seraphina, by Wharf dale (1578), and the
red-and-white bull Duke of Exeter 449 — the latter
bred by J. Stephenson of Wolviston. This bull is
said to have proved a capital sire. He is described
as an animal possessing remarkable quality and
218 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
subsequently passed into the possession of Lewis
F. Allen. Mr. Sheaffe bred cattle until Aug. 29,
1850, when his herd was dispersed at public sale.
Between the years 1840 and 1843 James Lenox of
New York, who owned a fine country seat adjoining
that of Mr, Sheaffe, imported three cows and two
bulls, including Daffodil, Red Lady and Gayly, and
the bulls Prince Albert 133 and King Charles 2d
84 — bred by Jonas Whitaker. The two bulls and
one of the females were sired by the noted Sir
Thomas Fairfax (5196). Between the years 1835
and 1841 Mr. E. P. Prentice of Albany imported
eight or ten head of Short-horns, which were placed
upon his villa farm near that city. He had founded
Lis herd with stock bought from the early importa-
tions of General Van Rensselaer already mentioned.
Among the females imported were several from the
herd of Mr. ^^Hiitaker, including Esterville, by
Alfred (2987), and Moss Rose, by Barden. He
maintained the herd until 1850, when it was
dispersed at public sale.
In 1836 Erastus Corning of Albany, in connection
with Mr. W. H. Sotham, who later became an active
advocate of Herefords, made an importation con-
sisting of seven females and three bulls. One of
the cows, the roan Wilddame, by Anthony (1640),
proved a very successful breeder, and left many
descendants whose pedigrees may be found in the
American Herd Book. She was from the stock of
Mr. W. Lovell, from whose herd Mr. Corning also
EASTERN IMPORTATIONS 219
obtained the heifers Mary, Mabel, Cherry, Pet,
Cleopatra and Venus. The bulls Columbus (5869),
also from Mr. Lovell's herd, and Ashley (3045)
were imported along with these heifers. About
1846 a Mr. Oliver of Westchester County imported
the bull Marius 684, a roan, bred by Earl Spencer
from Mason stock. He was sold to Col. L. G.
Morris, who exhibited him at the New York State
Fair at Buffalo in 1848, at which show he was sold
to David Harrold of South Charleston, C, in which
State he did excellent service for some years.
Vail's purchases of Bates cattle. — Somewhere
about the year 1835 Mr. George Vail of Troy, New
York, became enamored of Short-horn breeding and
established a herd at his country seat near that city.
Between the years 1839 and 1844 he imported, in
connection with Mr. S. P. Chapman, about fifteen
head of cattle. In 1840 he bought from Thomas
Bates, through Mr. Etches of Liverpool, the roan
bull calf Duke of Wellington (3654), that was sired
by the Duchess bull Short Tail (2621) and had for
dam the noted Oxford Premium Cow, winner at the
first show ever held by the Royal Agricultural So-
ciety of England. This purchase constituted the
earliest importation of the Duchess and Oxford
blood into this country.* Mr. Vail also bought from
*It may be of some interest to state that from an entry in the Kirk-
levington accounts, bearing date of June 3, 1840, it appears that Mr. Vail
paid for Duke of Wellington and Duchess the sum of £200. It appears
from a letter written by :\Ir. Bates to Mr. Vail in 18 43 that 100 guineas
each was being asked for such cattle as Bates was willing to spare. In
this same letter Bates adds : "The tribes of really good Short-horns are
very few. I have tried myself above two hundred varieties. Out of
these I have but six tribes which I do not mean to part with."
220 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HOEX CATTLE
Mr. Bates a cow called Duchess, although not be-
longing to the family of that name. She was a
white daughter of Duke of Northumberland (1940)
out of Nonesuch 2d by Belvedere (1706). This cow
produced the two bulls Meteor 104 and Symmetry
166, both by Duke of Wellington, but died without
leaving female progeny. Mr. Vail showed a marked
partiality for Bates blood and subsequently im-
ported the red heifer Lady Barrington 3d, bred by
Mr. Bates from Cleveland Lad (3407) out of Lady
Barrington 2d by Belvedere (1706). From Messrs.
Thomas and Eobert Bell, tenants of Mr. Bates, he
obtained the roan Hilpa, by Cleveland Lad (3407) ;
the roan Yarm Lass, by 4th Duke of York (10167) ;
the red-and-white Cecilia, by 3d Duke of Northum-
berland; the roan Agate, by 3d Duke of York
(10166), running on the dam's side to Acomb by
Belvedere; the red-and-white Arabella, also an
Acomb, sired by 4th Duke of Northumberland
(3649) ; the roan Frantic, by 4th Duke of York
(10167); Boukie (red-roan), by 4th Duke of York,
tracing on dam's side to Craggs, a cow obtained by
Messrs. Bell from Mr. Bates ; and the roan bull Earl
Derby 456, by 5th Duke of York (10168) out of
Lady Barrington 4th.
Prior to Mr. Vail's purchases of Bates-bred
Short-horns about the only specimens of Kirklev-
ington breeding seen in the United States, had been
the few brought out during the course of the Ohio
Co. 's importations. Mr. Vail was an enthusiast in
EASTERN IMPORTATIONS 221
Short-horn breeding and exhibited with success at
the York State shows of that period.* He made an
effort to be present at the closing-out sale of the
Bates herd in England, but the event occurred at an
earlier date than he had anticipated, so that he did
not arrive until the sale was over. He had mean-
time bought the herd of Mr. Prentice, but soon
afterward gave up breeding; his herd being sold in
October, 1852.
Whitaker's shipments to America. — Undoubtedly
the most active man in England in connection with
shipments to America during the period from 1820
to 1840 was Jonas Whitaker. He had not only sold
quite a number of cattle to the early New York and
Massachusetts importers as already detailed, but
had supplied Col. Powel of Philadelphia with many
first-class cattle. He had also been largely instru-
*Writing to Mr. Bates in 1847 Mr. Vail said: "I sent my bull Meteor
to the show for exhibition only at the request of some friends, as he had
taken the first premium for the best Durham bull in 18 44, as well as the
first prize for bull of any breed. The bull Marius, bred by Earl Spencer,
justly took first premium in Durham bulls. The judges in their report
on these said : 'The justly celebrated bull Meteor, belonging to Mr.
George Vail, was on the ground for exhibition only, being excluded from
competing at present. We think he stands unrivaled.' * * * i sup-
pose there were 30,000 or 40,000 persons present, among them many of
the first men in the country and two ex-Presidents of the United States.
* * * Mr. A. B. Allen of New York, whom you know, is continually
urging me to get a young Duchess bull from you. I would much like
one, but at present dare not venture the expense. * * * Meteor is
in some respects a finer animal than Wellington. He is better in the
hind quarters and across the hips. Wellington has not a broad hip
and is rather thin across the twist. His fore end cannot be beat. He
is a superior handler, as is also Meteor. The latter weighs 2,200 lbs.
and Wellington will weigh nearly 1,900 lbs. Meteor would take high
rank even in your country. * * * Our county show took place last
week and was the best we have had. I was equally successful in win-
ning premiums here as at the State show. Hilpa took the first prize,"
222 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
mental in the selection of the importations made by
the Ohio Co. and its individual members. Impelled
by the high prices made at the Ohio Co. 's sales Mr.
Whitaker determined to try the experiment of ex-
porting Short-horns to America to be offered for
sale on his own account. The first shipment was
made in August, 1837, the cattle being placed upon
the farm of Col. Powel. This lot consisted of fifteen
bulls and nineteen cows and heifers. Whitaker was
always a good ''keeper," and these animals were
forwarded in good condition; and as they were well
bred and their coming had been widely advertised
they attracted much attention, and when offered at
auction drew the presence of a great attendance not
only from the States of New York and Pennsylvania
but from the then distant cattle-breeding districts
of Ohio and Kentucky, The sale occurred at Powel-
ton in September^ 1837, the bulls averaging $353,
the cows $480, and the total sales aggregating
$14,215. Among those sold upon this occasion were
the following :
Clarksville, by Lottery (2227), a roan two-year-old heifer,
bought by Mr. Neff for $630 and subsequently sold to John Had-
ley of Clinton Co., 0., in which State she gave rise to a consid-
era,ble family.
Young Isabella, a red-and-white cow, bred by Richard Booth,
sired by Memnon (2295) out of the celebrated Isabella by Pilot.
She was bought by C. J. Wolbert of Philadelphia for $405.
Profitable, roan, two-year-old heifer, sired by Young Ebor
(3682), sold to Mr. Neff of Cincinnati for $550.
Ruth, red-and-white six-year-old, bred by Richard Booth and
belonging to the old Killerby Moss Rose family, also sold to Mr.
Neff at $460.
EASTERN IMPORTATIONS 223
Beauty,* red-and-white four-year-old, bred by Mr. Tempest,
sired by De Veaux (1916), running through Bertram (1716) and
Frederick (1060) to Ceiling's old Bright Eyes sort. This cow
was likewise purchased by Mr. NefE at $540.
Lucilla, roan four-year-old, by Edmund (1954), also bought by
Mr. Neff and resold to Benjamin Scott of Kentucky.
Brutus 31, roan yearling bull, bred by Whitaker, bought by
Mr. Neff for $330.
Bruce (3233), red yearling bull, bred by Whitaker, bought by
Mr. Rotch of New York for $360.
Miser (2323), white yearling bull, bred by Whitaker, bought by
Mr. Cunningham for $470.
While these prices were not altogether sat-
isfactory to Mr. Whitaker he sent out another
considerable shipment in 1838 or 1839 that were
also sold near Philadelphia. In this lot were
twenty-two cows and heifers and six bulls. They
were sold at sales held in the years 1838 aiid 1839,
but accurate records as to what became of many of
the cattle have not been preserved. There are in
fact few descendants of the females included in
these last shipments on record in this country. One
exception to this may be noted, however, in the case
of the roan Victoria, by Luck's All (2230), of Mr.
Cattley's breeding, that was bought at the sale by
Mr. George Brinton for $520. This was about the
highest price made at the last sales, values ranging
sharply downward from about that figure. The
♦From imp. Beauty was descended the great family of show and
breeding cattle known as "Profltables," afterward famous in Ohio in
the hands of the late David Selsor, from whose herd many splendid in-
dividual Short-horns of that tribe were sold throughout various West-
ern States. There was at one time an effort made to discredit this fam-
ily on account of alleged inability to trace the lineage direct to imp.
Beauty. The breeding was, however, certified to by Mr. J. J. Jones,
who bought the cow Profitable 2d from Mr. Neff. See reference to this
in Breeder's Gazette, Sept. 14, 1882.
224 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN' CATTLE
depression which was at this date beginning to set-
tle down upon American industries militated against
success in these operations of Mr. Whitaker and he
made no further shipments.
Introduction of Princess blood. — Mr. Vail's im-
portations had the effect of drawing public attention
lo the herd of Mr. Bates, and in the year 1849 Mr.
ximbrose Stevens of Batavia, N. Y,, went to England
with a letter of introduction to Bates from Vail and
purchased for importation the roan bull 3d Duke of
Cambridge (5941), then eight years old, sired by
the Duke of Northumberland (1940) out of Water-
loo 2d b}^ Belvedere. This bull represented a union
of the Duchess, Princess and Waterloo tribes, and
after his arrival in America an interest in him was
sold to Col. J. M. Sherwood of Auburn, N. Y. Along
with the Duke Mr. Stevens brought out from the
herd of Mr. Stephenson of Wolviston the roan year-
ling heifers Princess 2d, by General Sale (8099),
and Princess 3d, by Napier (6238), together with
Red Rose 2d, a red four-year-old cow by Napier.
These were the first representatives of the tribe of
Belvedere to be transferred to American soil. Red
Rose 2d was sold to Col. Sherwood. She was a
capital dairy cow, and it is recorded that *'she made
forty-nine pounds of butter in twenty-five consecu-
tive years in May and June, 1851, when four j'ears
old with her second calf." Mr. Stevens brought
out in 1849, as a calf, the Princess bull Lord Vane
Tempest (10469) and sold him to Col. Sherwood.
EASTERN IMPOKTATIONS 225
In 1850 Messrs. Stevens and Sherwood imported
the two-year-old Princess bull Earl of Seaham
(10181), of StejDlienson's breeding, that was after-
ward sold to Rev. John A. Gano, Kentucky. The
Earl also proved a successful stock-getter. Along
with him were imported the cows Princess 4th, by
Napier; Waterloo 5th and Wild Eyes 5th, both of
Bates blood, but they died without issue. The red
Princess bull Wolviston 1109 was also included in
this shipment, and was sold after imj^ortation to
William Asliton of Gait, Can. In 1851 Messrs.
Stevens and Sherwood imported the Princess bull
calf Earl Vane (14483) and the five-year-old cow
Princess 1st, by Napier. The following j^ear the
roan Princess heifer Lady Sale 2d, by Earl of Chat-
ham (10176), and the roan four-year-old Princess
cow Tuberose 2d, by Earl of Antrim (10174), were
brought out. Red Rose 2d, Tuberose 2d and Lady
Sale 2d became the matrons of the Princess tribe in
America, and in later years their descendants com-
manded enormous prices as a result of the great
appreciation in values of Bates-bred Short-horns.
This was of course due to the fact of the great
success met with by Mr. Bates in the use of
Belvedere.
Miscellaneous importations. — In 1835 Mr. Harmer
Denny of Pittsburg imported the red-and-white
yearling bull Young Buckingham (1758), a roan
two-year-old heifer and her sire, a bull called Archi-
tect ; the two latter not being fully pedigreed. These
226 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKX CATTLE
were selected in England by Rev. John A. Robert-
son. During the same year R. D. Shepherd of
Baltimore, Md., imported nine females and six bulls,
some of which were without pedigrees. Several of
the cows, including Lucrece, Haidie and Diana, were
sold to Hon. Henry Clay and taken to Kentucky.
In 1837 or 1838 William Gibbons of Madison, N. J.,
imported the roan bull Majestic (2249), bred by Mr.
Crofton, the roan Arthur (3040) and the white cow
Volage; both of the latter bred by Whitaker. In
1838 Dr. John A. Poole of Brunswick, N. J., im-
ported the white yearling bull Bernard 19, descended
from Magdalena, by Comet, and the cows Maria,
Fanny and Barmpton Cow. In 1839 Joseph Cope of
Pennsylvania bought at Kirklevington the roan bull
Yorkshireman (5700), bred by Bates and belonging
to his Blanche tribe ; paying for him something over
£100. In 1839 Daniel Plolman imported the red-
and-white three-year-old cow Jane, bred by G. L.
Ridley and sired by Young Magog (2247). We
should note the shipment of the roan cow Violet,
by Regent (2517), along with the bulls Young
Rocket (4979) and Rubens (2573) to H. Whitney
of Connecticut about 1840. Also the importation
by William Whitney of Morristown, N. J., about
the same date of the twin heifers Cornelia and
Harriet, by Birmingham (3152), and their dam, the
roan Ringlet, by Belshazzar (1704), of the Earl of
Carlisle's breeding.
CHAPTER X
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY IN AMERICA
During the decade from 1840 to 1850 a profound
depression overtook American agricultural indus-
tries. The outburst of activity in live-stock improve-
ment that had found manifestation in the new West
during the "thirties" in the operations of the first
Ohio and Kentucky importing companies, was fol-
lowed by ten or twelve years of declining values
and waning interest in all things agricultural.
Importations ceased. Discouraged by the absence
of demand for good cattle, leading breeders reluc-
tantly castrated many well-bred young bulls that
should have been doing service in the herds of the
farming community. Large numbers of good cows
and heifers were fed oif for the shaml)les. Pedigree
records were in many cases neglected. In this way
many descendants of the importations already noted
disappeared from view. As has been true, however,
during all such trying times, certain men who know
that history never fails to repeat itself stood stead-
fastly by the "red, white and roans," firm in the
belief that the tide would some day turn. And so
it did.
Soon after 1850 the clouds that had settled over
Ihe industry during the twelve years preceding
began to break. The price of meats advanced under
228 A HISTORY oy SHOET-HORN^ CATTLE
a renewed domestic demand and the opening up of
foreign markets for grains and provisions. Those
who had tenaciously held their ground in cattle
breeding discerned signs of better days near at
hand and began taking steps to recruit their herds
up to the former standard. We now enter upon a
most interesting period of Short-horn history: a
period characterized by remarkable activity on the
part of powerful interests; a period that witnessed
the founding of the great herds at Woodburn and
Thorndale ; the organization of numerous importing
companies in Kentucky, Ohio and New York, and
that also marks the extension of Short-horn breeding
into Indiana, Illinois and other Western States.
The first "Duke" for America. — Mr. Lorillard
Spencer of New York imported in the year 1851
or 1852 the red Bates Duchess bull Duke of Athol
(10150), that had been sold at the Kirklevington
sale of 1850 as a calf to Mr. Parker of Penrith for
forty guineas. Along with him came the young bull
Augustus (11125) and Woldsman (11026), together
with the heifers Sonsie 8th, by 2d Cleveland Lad;
Faraway, by 3d Duke of Oxford, and Jean, by Chev-
alier. He bred from these for a few years and
possessed a few other Short-horns bought from New
York State breeders. He maintained the herd,
however, but a short time.
Morris and Becar. — Col. L. G. Moms and Noel J.
Becar of New York attended the dispersion sale of
the herd of Thomas Bates in May, 1850, as reported
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 229
on page 108, and after looking over the cattle de-
termined to invest in the Oxford blood. Three
cows and heifers of the family that gave Mr. Bates
his Liverpool Royal Champion Cleveland Lad fell
to their bidding, viz. : The roan five-year-old Oxford
5th, by Duke of Northumberland ; the red-and-white
yearling Oxford 10th, by 3d Duke of York (10166),
and her full sister, the roan heifer calf Oxford 13th.
Col. Morris took the cow and the yearling, and Mr.
Becar the calf. Subsequently Col. Morris bought
the roan cow Beauty of Brawith (of B. Wilson's
breeding) ; the red-roan Bloom, by the Booth-bred
Sir Leonard (10827), and Romelia, a roan, by
Flageolet (8130). He also purchased the red-and-
white Bates-bred Balco (9918),* by 4th Duke of
York (10167) out of Wild Eyes 15th by 4th Duke
of Northumberland (3649), the first of that tribe
to come to America; Lord of Eryholme ( 12205 ); a
roan of A. L. Maynard's breeding; Marquis of Car-
rabas (11789), a roan, bred by Fawkes of Farnley
Hall, and the Bell-Bates bull Billy Pitt (9967). The
roan Romeo (13619), bred by the Marquis of Exeter,
was bought on joint account, and afterward proved
a valuable "outcross" upon the Oxfords.
Mr. Becar was a Frenchman who had emigrated
when a young man to the city of New York, where
he established himself as a merchant, which occu-
pation he for many years successfully pursued. He
•At a later period Balco passed into the possession of Gen, Sol.
Meredith of Cambridge City, Ind.
230 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
married an American wife, whose family held large
possessions of land on Long Island. He imported
on his individual account some sixteen head of cows
and heifers between the years 1850 and 1854. In-
cluded among these were the Bates-bred Oxford
6th, Lady Barrington 12tli and Apricot. The ship-
ment also included the Secret heifer Surprise and
the white cow Songstress, the first of the Gwynne
family (closely allied to the Princesses) imported
to America. This lot also included the roan cow
Actress, by Harkaway (9184), that was subse-
quently sold to the Hon. John Wentworth of Chi-
cago, 111. This importation is notable also as having
contained the first specimen of the Mason Victorias
brought to this country — namely, Victoria 26th,
bred by Mr. Holmes of Ireland and sired by the
Booth bull Baron Warlaby (7813). Two roan
heifers from noted English herds were Zoe, bred by
Mr. Tanqueray, and Miss Belleville, bred by Mason
Hopper and sired by the "never-beaten" Belleville
(6778). The former was the earliest representative
of the "J" branch of the Princess soft imported.
The Earl Ducie sale in England. — While Messrs.
Morris and Becar were making these purchases an
event that was destined to exercise an extraordinary
influence upon Short-horn breeding on both sides
of the water occurred in England. This was the
closing-out sale of the herd of Earl Ducie, at Tort-
worth, which took place Aug. 24, 1853, as a conse-
quence of the Earl's decease. It will be remembered
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 231
that at the Bates dispersion sale Ducie had bought
the 4th Duke of York, Duchess 55th, Oxford 6th,
Duchess 59th, Duchess 64th and Oxford 11th. He
bred Duchess 59th to Usurer (9763) — the Mason-
bred bull for which he paid 400 guineas at the sale
of the Earl Spencer cattle in 1848. The white
Duchess 67th resulted, but she seemed so unprom-
ising that Lord Ducie is said to have considered that
the cross was a failure and stated that he would
never again ''outcross" the Duchesses and Oxfords.
At the Tortworth sale Messrs. Becar and Morris
were represented and secured Duchess 66tli and the
red three-year-old bull Duke of Gloster (11382), by
Grand Duke (10284). For Duchess 66th they were
forced to pay 700 guineas — the top price of the sale.
She was a roan, coming three years old, sired by
4th Duke of York (10167) out of Duchess 55th, and
became the ancestress in America of the far-famed
Oneida, Geneva, and Thorndale branches of the
Bates Duchess tribe ; the sale of which at New York
Mills in 1873 proved the most sensational event in
Short-horn history.
This Ducie sale was also attended by Messrs.
Samuel Thorne and F. M. Eotch of New York. Mr.
Thorne was in quest of Short-horns for his father,
Jonathan Thorne of Dutchess County, and pur-
chased Duchess 59th, Duchess 64th and Duchess
68th. For these he gave 350 guineas, 600 guineas
and 300 guineas respectively. Had it not been for
the bidding of Mr. J. S. Tanqueray an(l Gunter
'2'62 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN- CATTLE
of Gloucestershire the American buyers would have
taken all of the Duchesses. It was the competition
between the Old World and the New that resulted
in such high prices as compared with those made at
Kirklevington three years previous. The six head
of cattle for which Earl Ducie had paid £955 10s.
upon that occasion brought at Tortworth £2,052 15s.
This sale, it may be said, fairly marked the begin-
ning of what is known this side of the Atlantic as
the great Bates *'boom. " Duchess 55th at 50
guineas, Oxford 6th at 205 guineas, Oxford 11th at
250 guineas, Oxford 16th at 180 guineas and Duchess
69th at 400 guineas were bought by Mr. Tanqueray ;
Mr. Gunter purchasing Duchess 67th, by Usurer, at
350 guineas, and Duchess 70th at 310 guineas. The
Earl of Burlington bought Oxford 15th at 200
guineas, and the Earl of Feversham took 5th Duke
of Oxford (12762) at 300 guineas. The 4th Duke
of York (10167) was bought by Gen. Cadwallader
and Mr. Vail of New York at 500 guineas, but did
not live to reach America, his neck having been
broken during a storm at sea.
Thomdale and the Duchesses. — Mr. Becar having
died in 1854 Col. Morris purchased his interest in
the partnership herd, and after selling quite a num-
ber of young bulls to various breeders in different
States disposed of the entire holding to Mr. Samuel
Thome of Thorndale Farm, Dutchess Co., N. Y. Mr.
Thome's father, Jonathan Thorne of New York
City, owned an extensive farm at Millbrook, which
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTR'ITY 233
is still in the possession of the family. This was
in 1857. In the year 1850 Mr. Thorne Sr. had sent
an order to his son Edwin, who was then in Eng-
land, for a Short-horn bull. A pair of cows had
previously been purchased from Mr. Vail of Troy.
The order was filled by the purchase and forwarding
of the bull St. Lawrence (12037), bred by Capt.
Pelham. This bull was afterward sold to Dr. E.
Warfield and taken to Kentucky in the autumn of
1853. In 1852 Mr. Thorne received on an order he
had given to Robert Bell the two Bell-Bates heifers
Countess (Craggs) and Forget-me-not 2d of Bell's
Fletcher family. He also bought from Mr. Tan-
queray the young cow Ellen Gwynne, bred by Mr.
Troutbeck.
In the spring of 1853 Mr. Samuel Thorne, in
company with Mr, F. M. Eotch, sailed for England
to purchase Short-horns, their intention being to
buy the best that could be found without reference
to cost. They attended the Ducie sale, at which
Duchesses 59th, 64th and 68th were selected. From
Mr. S. E. Bolden they secured the Duchess bull
Grand Duke (10284), that had been purchased by
Mr. Hay of Scotland at the Kirklevington disper-
sion at the top price of 205 guineas,* and the roan
•Mr. Bolden had bought at the Bates sale Duchess 51st, as a doubt-
ful breeder, at sixty guineas. He bred her first to Richard Booth's
Leonidas (10414), but the calf came dead. Bred to Grand Duke, Duch-
ess 51st gave Mr. Bolden the celebrated Grand Duchesses 1st and 2d.
the ancestresses of the family of that name. In this connection it is of
interest to note that Grand Duke had not been regarded as a satisfactory
sire in Mr. Hay's herd at Shethin, but there was no mistaking the out-
standing excellence of such of his get at Mr. Bolden's as the Gran4
Puchesses, Cherry Duchess 1st and 2d Duke of Cambridge.
234 A IIISTOEY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
lieifer Peri, by Grand Duke. From Tortworth the
red Gwynne cow Mystery, by Usurer, was obtained.
Col. Towneley's breeding was drawn upon for Fred-
erica and Lalla Rookli. The red cows Aurora and
Darling (the latter an Acomb by Grand Duke),
mainly of Bates blood, completed the purchases of
cattle brought out in 1853. Duchess 64th was left
in England until the following year, and in the
meantime dropped to a service of 4th Duke of York
the bull calf 2d Grand Duke (12961), which under
an arrangement previously entered into became the
property of Mr. Bolden. This shipment of 1853
had cost Mr. Thorne the snug sum of $18,000, thuo
making it the highest-priced lot of Short-horns im-
ported to America up to that date. The vessel upo:i
which they were shipped in October of that year
had a tempestuous passage. Duchess 68tli was killed
outright by the falling of a mast and Peri had
a hip knocked down, two ribs broken and lost one
horn. She nevertheless bred successfully and gave
rise to a family bearing her name that afterward
commanded long prices.
In 1854 Mr. Thorne imported nine females, in-
cluding Agnes, Cypress, Cherry and Constantia —
all by B. Wilson's Lord of Brawith (10465)— Lady
Millicent (from Fawkes), by Laudable; Diana
Gwynne, Dinah Gwynne and (from Tanqueray's)
the Bates Barrington heifer Lady of Athol. In the
fall of 1855 the bull 2d Grand Duke (12961), above
mentioned, was bought from Bolden for $5,000 to
SECOND PEEIOD OF ACTIVITY 235
succeed Grand Duke (10284). An accident had ren-
dered the latter practically useless, but he was nol
slaughtered until 1857. With 2d Grand Duke was
shipped in 1855 the Killerby-hred Booth bull Nep-
tune (11847), by Water King (11024) out of Bloom
by Buckingham; second dam the celebrated Haw-
thorne Blossom. At the sale of Sir Chas. Knightley
in 1856 Mr. Thorne bought the cows Blouzelind and
Mrs. Flathers, both by Earl of Dublin, and Elgitha,
by Balco. This gave him a dip into the most noted
dairy strain of the day in England. From Col.
Towneley he bought the two heifers Miss Buttercup,
by the celebrated Master Butterfly (13311), and
Buttercup 2d, by Horatio (10335). These five cattle
cost over $5,000. From other sources he obtained
Darlington 6th, Maria Louisa and Dewdrop.
In 1857 the entire Morris & Becar herd, consisting
at that date of fifty-three head, was purchased for
$35,000. This gave Thorndale a virtual monopoly
of the Duchess and Oxford blood in America and
an investment in Short-horns mounting well up
toward $100,000. Operations of such magnitude did
not fail to create more or less of a sensation in
cattle-breeding circles on both sides the Atlantic.
During this same year Mr. Edwin Thorne, then in
England, bought and sent out to his brother Samuel
the bull Grand Turk (12969), bred by Bolden, repre-
senting a cross of Grand Duke (10284) on the Booth
cow Young Rachel by Leonard (4210). It thus
appears that Thorndale drew upon the most noted
236 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
strains of the breed, besides imparting an impetus
to the trade in England and America that permeated
the entire industry and influenced in marked degree
the work of leading breeders at home and abroad
for many succeeding years.
Revival of interest in the West. — It was a trying
ordeal the business passed through in Ohio and
Kentucky in the "forties." Little more than butch-
ers ' prices could be realized. At the time the George
and Jonathan Renick herds were offered (1844-
1846) not more than $130 could be obtained for the
best. The value of the blood had been fully demon-
strated, but farmers generally were financially
unable to avail themselves of it save at extremely
low prices. The large landed proprietors, however,
maintained their herds and manifested their interest
by exhibiting stock at the various local fairs.* By
1850 times had brightened, and the Ohio State Agri-
cultural Society held its initial show near Cincinnati,
Harness Renick winning first prize on Sterling
1004 — tracing to imp. Blossom by Fitz-Favorite —
*In a report of the Ross County Fair for 1849, in the Ohio Cultivator,
it is said that "the Durham Short-horns were exhibited in all their sleek-
ness and beauty. These are, very justly, the pride of the principal
farmers and herdsmen of the Scioto Valley. We have never seen better
animals of this class than were exhibited on this occasion from the
herds of Geo. Renick, Dr. A. Watts, J. R. Anderson, Alexander Renick,
etc. As a whole it excelled in quality the show of this breed at either
of the New York fairs."
The report gives the weights of several Short-horn bullocks on ex-
hibition ; among them a steer of Dr. Watts, three years old in April,
weighed, Oct. 5, 2,200 lbs. ; one, two years in February, weighed, Oct. 5,
1,730 lbs. From the herd of George Renick a bullock of "great perfec-
tion of form," five years, weighed 2,800 lbs. Six others, only three
years, weighed 1,850, 1,750, 1,720, 1,680, 1,670 and 1,664 lbs. These cattle
had not been forced as Is the modern practice, having only good grass
in summer, — Hon. T, (7, Jones, in Breeder's Gazette, Oct, 5, 188S,
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 237
in aged-bull class, and Mr. Poage first on Lilac — a
descendant of imp. Duchess of Liverpool — in aged
cows. The modern system of training for show had
not at that date come into vogue. It should be
mentioned before proceeding further that shortly
after the settlement of Walter Dun's estate, in Ken-
tucky, his sons John G., James, Walter A. and Robert
G. located upon their father's extensive estates in
Madison Co., 0., taking with them a lot of good
Short-horns descended from their father's importa-
tion already mentioned. The bull Comet (1854)
was used by the Messrs. Dun in Ohio as late as
1845 and was an excellent getter.
With the return of better times the Ohio breeders
manifested renewed interest in their herds. In 1852
trade had re^aved to such an extent that it was
determined to make a fresh importation from Eng-
land. Eighteen years had elapsed since the first
purchase by the old Ohio Co., and breeders were
anxious to ascertain as to what progress had been
made in the improvement of the breed in England
during that period. The project took definite form
by the organization of the
Scioto Valley Importing Co. — The veteran Dr. Ar-
thur Watts and Mr. George W. Renick, son of Felix
Renick, were appointed agents, and the result of
their journey was the purchase and importation of
ten bulls and seven females that were sold at auction
at the farm of Dr. Watts, near Chillicothe. Stock-
holders had the privilege of bidding and took most
238 A HISTOEY OF SHOBT-HOKN- CATTLE
of the cattle at liigii prices. The sale list, with some
particulars, follows :
BULLS.
Nobleman (13392), roan two-year-old, bred by J. Wood; a
bull of marked excellence — Hon. John I. Vanmeter,
Pike County $2,510
Count Fathom (11316), roan yearling, bred by P. H.
Fawkes; got by Lord Marquis (10459); proved a very
successful sire — N. Perrill, Clinton County 2,075
Master Belleville (11795), roan two-year-old, bred by J. M.
Hopper; sired by the show bull Belleville (6778) and
described as "a grand, rangy bull and the sire of a
large number of fine Short-horns, including Billy Har-
rison 263, the prize bull Master Miller, etc." — Messrs.
Renick and Maypool 2,005
Lord Nelson 664, red-roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thorn-
ton — John L. Meyers, Fayette County 1,825
Gamboy (11503), red-and-white, bred by F. H. Fawkes;
tracing to the Booth cow Isabella by Pilot — M. L. Sulli-
vant, Columbus 1,400
Rising Sun 5130. roan bull calf, bred by Mr. Wetherell —
Isaac Cunningham, Scioto County 1,300
Alderman (9882), roan three-year-old, bred by R. C. Lown-
des; afterward became the property of Jacob Pierce
and used for some years in his fine herd — Hon. Alex.
Waddle, Clark County 1,150
Isaac 589, roan two-year-old, bred by A. Thornton; a low,
compact bull of fine quality, a good feeder and capital
sire; second-prize bull at the Ohio State Fair, 1854 —
Messrs. Gregg and J. O'B. Renick, Pickaway County.. 600
Young Whittington 1165, roan yearling; afterward owned
by Messrs. Brown of Sangamon Co., 111. — Arthur
Watts. Chillicothe 450
cows AXD HEIFERS.
Mary, roan tw-o-year-old, bred by J. Emerson; by Lord of
the Manor (10466)— Hon. A. Waddle $1,650
Sunrise, red. by Twilight (9758) — Hon. John I. Vanmeter.
Pike County 1,230
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 239
Blue Bonnet, roar two-year-old, by Earl of Antrim (10174);
a large, stylish cow of superior quality and a great
milker; dam of prize bulls Master Miller 693, Winfield
1107 and a valuable progeny of females — F. W. Ren-
ick, Pickaway County $1,225
Moss Rose, roan six-year-old, bred by J. W. Parrington;
sired by Ravensworth (9487) ; afterward became the
property of Jacob Pierce, in whose hands she dropped
the show coAv Mattie by Nobleman (13392)— Hon. Alex.
Waddle, Clark County 1,200
Raspberry, roan two-year-old, sired by Banker (11136); a
fino cow that in the hands of Messrs. Gregg and J. O'B.
Renick was champion female at the Ohio State Fair, at
Newark, in 1854, afterward becoming the property of
James M. Trimble, in whose hands she produced, among
other good things, the cow Maggie Trimble, dam of
Airdrie 2d 11267, used in the prize herd of J. R. An-
derson, Ross County — George W. Gregg, Pickaway
County 1,110
Strawberry, roan cow, bred by R. Thornton; sired by Post
Master (9487)— George W. Renick, Ross County 1,100
Enchantress, roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Thornton;
grew into a cow of superior quality and produced the
fine bull Noble 753 — Harness Renick, Pickaway County 900
9 bulls* sold for $13,315; an average of $1,479.45
7 females sold for 8,315 ; an average of 1,187.85
16 animals sold for 21,630; an average of 1,351.85
The prices wliich the stockholders were willing to
pay for these cattle inspired fresh confidence on
both sides of the river, and in the following year
several other importing companies were organized.
Madison Co. (0.) Co.— In 1853 the Madison Co.
♦The red-roan bull Adam (1233S), bred by J. Clark, of this impor-
tation was out of condition and not sold. He became the property of
M. L. Sullivant and was noted for his wonderful coat of hair. Mr. Har-
ness Renick's prize heifer Agatha, of the Blossom tribe, was one of his
get.
240 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE X CATTLE
(O.) Importing Co. was formed. Messrs. Charles
Phellis, B. B. Browning and Mr. Farrar were ap-
pointed agents and selected from the English herds
fifteen bulls and nine cows, which, after the usual
plan of these companies, were sold at auction. The
event occurred Sept. 27 at London, Madison County,
the result, together with a few notes upon the more
noted animals, being as indicated below. From this
it will appear that prices now mounted to a still
higher range than had yet been attained :
BULLS.
Starlight (12146), roan two-year-old, bred by R. Lawson;
sired by Lansdowne (9277), dam Beauty by Mussul-
man (4524). This bull was kept upon the farm of
James Fullington, in Union County, for many years
and was one of the best sires ever used in the State.
Though a first-prize bull at the State Fair of 1854,
Starlight was not a first-class show bull. His strong,
masculine front, with broad and massive brisket, were
quite imposing, and the length of his fore ribs gave a
chest of unusual capacity. He had a good back and
loin, but his quarters were a little short. He was a
bull of unusual vigor of constitution and required to
be carefully handled. Among his get that acquired dis-
tinction in show-yards were the champion bulls Star-
light 2d 2559, Buckeye Starlight 3718 and General
Grant 4825— Charles Phellis, Madison County $3,000
Marquis (11787), roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thornton;
sired by Whittington (12299); a fine, compactly-fash-
ioned bull of extra quality, extensively used on the fine
herds then owned in the region known locally as the
"Darby Plains" — James Fullington (Union County)
and others 3,000
Sheffielder (13693), roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Hall;
sired by His Grace (10323)— J. W. Robinson, Madison
County 1.800
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 241
Mario (11779), roan two-year-old, bred by J. S. Tanqueray;
sired by Horatio (10335) out of the Gwynne cow Mel-
ody by Sir Thomas Fairfax; a fine, large bull, with
wonderful depth of chest and of a remarkably quiet
disposition; his get were uniformly good; afterward
property of David Watson — Robert Reed, Madison
County $1,550
Colonel (12614), red-and-white roan yearling, bred by R.
Lawson; proved a good breeder; gained first prize as
bull with five of his get at Ohio State Fair, 1860;
progeny frequently shown with success — ^Messrs. Dun. 1,350
Farmer Boy (11464), roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thorn-
ton — Joseph Reyburn, Madison County 925
Thornberry (12222), white two-year-old, bred by Richard
Booth, Warlaby; sired by Hopewell (10332), dam
Hawthorne Blossom by Leonard; sold in bad condi-
tion; "off" on his feet and thin in flesh; low and level,
with wonderful spring of rib, splendid quarters and
real Warlaby chest and shoulders; one of the best
feeders ever known in Scioto Valley; imparted his rare
feeding qualities with great uniformity to his get —
Messrs. Harness and Felix W. Renick, Pickaway
County 875
Beau Clerc (11160), roan two-year-old, bred by F. H.
Fawkes — D. M. Creighton, Madison County 750
Symmetry (12167), roan two-year-old, bred by J. Knowles,
sired by Phosphorus 9477 — Messrs. Dun, Madison
County 1-150
Sportsman, roan bull calf — James Foster, Madison County 700
Duke of Liverpool, roan bull calf — George G. McDonald,
Madison County 555
Splendor 997ii., roan yearling— F. A. Yocum, Madison
County 500
Prince Edward 864, roan yearling— M. B. Wright, Fayette
County 475
Rocket 92114, white yearling — David Watson, Union County 425
Prince Albert 3284, roan yearling — J. F. Chenoweth, Madi-
son County 300
242 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
COWS AND HEIFERS.
Stapleton Lass, red-and-white roan three-year-old, bred by
R. Thornton, sired by Sailor (9592); afterward prop-
erty of James Fullington, in whose hands she proved a
capital breeder and great milker; she was dam of Da-
vid Watson's Fancy, that produced the great champion
show cow Jessie, by Starlight 2d; she was also dam of
the prize bull Buckeye Starlight 3718 — Jesse Watson,
Madison County $1,350
Picotee, roan six-year-old; sired by Robin Hood (8492) —
Jesse Watson, Madison County 1,275
Miss Hilton, roan two-year-old, bred by T. Raine — David
Watson 875
Princess, roan three-year-old, bred by W. Raine — William
Watson, Clark County 690
Blossom, roan yearling, bred by R. Thornton — David Wat-
son G50
Victoria, roan three-year-old, bred by W. Raine; after-
ward property of James Fullington — J. Q. Winchell,
Madison County 600
Alexandria, white yearling, bred by T. Raine — David Wat-
son 560
Yorkshire Dairy Cow (not pedigreed) — Joseph Negley,
Clark County 425
Monsoon (not pedigreed), dam Yorkshire Dairy Cow — Jos.
Reyburn, Madison County 295
15 bulls sold for $17,355; an average of $1,157
9 females sold fer 6,720; an average of 747
24 animals sold for 24,075; an average of 1,003
Northern Kentucky Association. — In 1853 an asso-
ciation of Kentucky breeders under this title
commissioned Messrs. Solomon Vanmeter, Nelson
Dudley and Charles T. Garrard to proceed to Eng-
land for the purchase of cattle. Fifteen cows and
ten bulls were selected and imported in July of that
year, which were sold at auction soon after their
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 243
arrival at the farm of B. J. Clay, in Bourbon
County, at the extraordinary prices noted below:
BULLS.
Diamond (11357), roan three-year-old, bred by Earl Fever-
sham— B. J. Clay, H. Clay Jr., George M. Bedford and
J. Duncan, Bourbon County $6,000
Challenger (14252), roan yearling, bred by Earl Ducie;
sired by 4th Duke of York (10167); dam Chaplet by
Usurer (9763), running to Magdalena by Comet — Isaac
and Solomon Vanmeter and T. L. Cunningham, Clark
County 4,850
Orontes 2d (11877), red two-year-old, bred by Earl of Bur-
lington; out of imp. Goodness, of Mason blood — R. A.
Alexander, Woodford County 4,550
Young Chilton (11278), white three-year-old, bred by J. Em-
erson; sired by Chilton (10054) — Dr. K. J. Breckenridge
and Messrs. B. & W. Warfield, Fayette County 3,005
Fortunatus 1564, roan bull calf, bred by F. H. Fawkes; sired
by Lord Marquis (10459) ; dam Fairy Tale by Sir Thos.
Fairfax — Messrs. Vanmeter, Fayette County 2,500
The Count (12191), roan two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler;
sired by 3d Duke of York (9047)— S. Goff, Clark County 2,500
Senator 2d (13687), white yearling, bred by H. Ambler; sired
by Senator (8548); dam Fair Frances by Sir Thomas
Fairfax (5196)— Allen & Curd, Fayette County 2,000
Belleville 3d (14150), roan yearling, bred by Mason Hopper;
sired by Belleville (6778)— G. W. Sutton, Fayette County 1,500
Fusileer (11499), roan two-year-old, bred by T. Bell; sired
by Grand Duke (10284)— R. W. Scott, Franklin County. . 1,400
.Yorkshire Maynard (14043), roan yearling, bred by A. L.
Maynard; sired by Lord George (10443) — Robert S.
Taylor, Clark County 1,000
cows AND HEIFEBS.
Mazurka, red-roan yearling, bred by W. Smith, sired by the
Booth bull Harbinger (10297), in calf to Orontes 2d— R.
A. Alexander, Woodford County $3,050
Maid of Melrose, roan yearling, bred by F. H. Fawkes,
sired by Lord Marquis (10459)— R. A. Alexander 2,200
244 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
Goodness, red, calved in 1847; bred by Mr. Hall, legatee of
Earl Spencer; sired by Orontes (4623)— G. W. Sutton. $2,025
Lady Caroline, roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Spearman,
sired by Newtonian (14991)— B. J. Clay, Bourbon County 1,825
Lady Stanhope, roan, calved in 1847, bred by A. L. Maynard,
sired by Earl Stanhope (5966)— B. J. Clay,. Bourbon
County 1,500
Lady Fairy, red, calved in 1848, bred by F. H. Fawkes,
sired by Laudable (9282) out of Fairy Tale, the dam
of imp. Fortunatus — Dr. Breckenridge and B. & W.
Warfield, Fayette County 1,100
Orphan Nell, roan yearling, bred by J. S. Tanqueray, sired
by Ruby (10760); dam of the Gwynne family— J. A.
Gano, Bourbon County 1,000
Equity, red yearling, bred by John Booth, sired by Lord
George (10439)— R. A. Alexander, Woodford County... 1,000
Roan Duchess, roan three-year-old, bred by Mr. Wetherell,
sired by Whittington (12299)— W. H. Brand, Fayette
County 900
Duchess of Sutherland, red two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler,
sired by Captain Edwards (8929)— W. H. Brand 900
Gem, roan two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler, sired by Broker
(9993): dam the Booth cow Gulnar (bred by Mr.
Fawkes) by Norfolk (2377)— S. Vanmeter and T. L.
Cunningham 825
Flattery, white yearling, bred by Earl Ducie, sired by 4th
Duke of York (10167)— W. R. Duncan, Clark County. . . 815
Necklace, roan yearling, bred by Col. Towneley, sired by
Duke of Athol (10150)— Henry Clay Jr., Bourbon County 805
Bracelet, roan twin-sister to Necklace above — M. M. Clay,
Bourbon County 75(V
MufBn, roan yearling, bred "by Earl Ducie, sired by Usurer
(9763)— W. A. Smith, Scott County 535
10 bulls sold for $29,305; an average of' $2,930.50
15 females sold for 19,230; an average of 1,282.00
25 animals sold for 48,535; an average of 1,941.40
The ten bulls cost in England about $5,570 and
fetched nearly $30,000. The females cost about
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 245
$5,920 on the other side and brought nearly $20,000.
The cattle were well chosen, fell for the most part
into good hands and were important factors in
subsequent Kentucky Shorn-horn history. The
liigh-priced bull Diamond proved impotent. Young
Chilton, Challenger and Orontes 2d were, in the
order named, remarkable stock-getters. It is worthy
of note in this connection with Young Chilton's sire,
Chilton (10054), was a white bull got by the "never-
beaten" show bull Belleville (6778) out of one of
that bull's own daughters. Belleville (see foot-note
page 104) was the bull that Mr. Bates so persistently
decried. As one of the best sires ever used in
Kentucky carried a double cross of the Belleville
blood, the infallibility of Mr. Bates' judgment is
not in this case apparent. In point of individual
merit Young Chilton also headed this remarkable
list of bulls, Orontes 2d standing second and Chal-
lenger third. As a sire, however, the latter, in the
hands of Messrs. Vanmeter, surpassed the work of
Orontes 2d at AVoodburn. Senator 2d, Fortunatus
and Yorkshire Maynard produced no extraordinary
stock. Of the cows of this memorable importation
it is only necessary to say that the descendants of
Goodness in the hands of George M. Bedford, of
Mazurka in the hands of Mr. Alexander, of Gem in
the herd of William Warfield, of Roan Duchess and
Orphan Nell in many different herds, and of Lady
Caroline at C. M. Clay's, demonstrated the fact that
the original selections were made with rare judg-
246 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ment and that their progeny was handled with
uncommon skill.
Scott Co. (Ky.) Importing Co. — Near the close of
the year 1853 a company was organized in Scott
Co., Ky., and Messrs. W. Crockett and James Bagg,
as agents, proceeded to England and purchased
seven females and five bulls, which were sold at
auction Jan. 10, 1854, at the fann of Mr. M. B.
Webb. Included in this lot were the bulls Baron
"Feversham 13414, a roan two-year-old bought at
the sale of C. Estill of Madison County at the top
price of $1,525; the bull Pathfinder 805, a roan
yearling, taken by Messrs. Webb & Ford of Scott
County at $860, and the cows Venus by Fair Eclipse
(11456), sold to J. Hill of Bourbon County at $710,
and Carnation by Budget 22265, bought by C. W.
Innes, Fayette County, at $610. The entire lot
brought $7,535, making the fairly satisfactory aver-
age of $685.
In 1854 the same parties who had been interested
in the Scott County Co. organized again under the
name of the Kentucky Importing Co. and sent
Messrs. Wesley Warnock and James Bagg to Eng-
land for a second lot of cattle. They purchased six
bulls and fifteen cows and heifers that were placed
upon the farm of C. W. Innes, near Lexington, and
in October, 1854, five of the bulls and fourteen of
the females were sold at auction, the former
averaging $994 and the latter $390. This sale was
memorable from the fact that Mr. E. A. Alexander,
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 247
whose extensive operations are shortly to be noticed,
paid $3,500 for the roan two-year-old bull Sirius
(13737), bred by E. Ackroyd; sired by Concord
(11302) out of a daughter of Mr. Fawkes' Fairy
Tale, that was also the dam of Fortunatus 1564.
The next highest-priced bull was the roan yearling
MacGregor 675 — also of Fawkes' breeding — that
was taken by John Hill at $600. The top price for
cows was $650, paid by Mr. R. A. Alexander for the
roan two-year-old Bessie Howard, and $600 paid by
the same buyer for Lizzie, hj Marquis of Carrabas
(11789), both bred by Mr. Fawkes. From the cow
Matilda, by Villiers (13959)— sold to S. Corbin of
Bourbon County for $205 — descended the celebrated
show heifer Fannie Forrester.
Clinton Co. (0.) Association. — An organization
formed in Clinton Co., 0., in 1854 sent as its agents
Messrs. H. H. Hankins, J. G. Coulter and A. E.
Seymour, who bought and imported seventeen cows
and heifers and ten bulls, that were sold Aug. 9 of
that year at Wilmington, Clinton County, at an
average of $1,037 for the bulls and $649 for the
females. The top price for females was $1,675,
paid by M. B. Wright and William Palmer, Fayette
Co., 0., for the roan cow Duchess, by Norfolk
(9442). The roan cow Princess, by Lord Newton,
was taken by Hadley & Hankins of Clinton County
at $1,060; the white cow Hope, by Duke of York
(6947), fell to the bidding of William Palmer at
$1,000, and the roan Victoria, sold without pedigree,
248 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
brought from Mr. Peringer a like sum. Of this
importation also was the cow Lady Jane, by Wliit-
tington, a red of Wetherell's breeding, bought by
David Watson, Madison County, for $500. She left
numerous descendants. Another cow to which some
of our American pedigrees trace was also in this
shipment — Miss Shaftoe, a red by Captain Shaftoe
(6833), bred by W. Smith, purchased at this sale by
Jesse Starbuck at $650. We should also mention
Louisa, a roan by Crusader, taken by J. E. Mills,
Clinton County, at $300. The bull Wellington
(13989), a roan two-year-old, bred by B.. Lawson,
commanded the great price of $3,700 from Messrs.
Coulter, Hankins and others. The white two-year-
old bull Billy Harrison 263, out of the $1,675
Duchess by Norfolk, was taken by Jesse Starbuck
of Clinton County at $1,500. The four-year-old
roan Warrior (12287), bred by Richard Booth,
sired by Water King (11034) out of Bagatelle by
Buckingham, went to B. Hinkson and H. H. Hankins
at $1,200.
Clark Co. (0.) Co. — The last of the importing
companies organized in the State of Ohio was
formed in Clark County in 1854. Dr. Arthur Watts
of Chillicothe and Alexander Waddle of South
Charleston were sent abroad to make the selection
and purchased twenty cows and heifers and nine
bulls that were divided by auction sale Sept. 6, 1854.
This importation included some very valuable cat-
tle, some of the most noted of which are listed
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 249
herewith, together with a few facts of historic in
terest :
New Year's Day (13383), sold at this sale as a roan yearling,
was bred by Lee Norman and sired by Magnet (11765) out of
Moss Rose by Killerby (7122). He was bought by C. M. Clark of
Clark County for $3,500. Before importation he won a first prize
at the Royal Dublin Show of 1853. He was extensively exhibited
throughout the West, and was doubtless the best show bull of his
day. His first appearance was at the United States Cattle Show
held at Springfield, 0.. in the fall of 1854. This was a great event
and the scene of a memorable contest between Kentucky and
Ohio bred Short-horns. The big light roan Kentucky show bull
Perfection 810, belonging to the Louan family; Mr. Bedford's
famous Laura and Abram Renick's Rose of Sharon cow Duchess,
by Buena Vista, were among the "cracks" present from south of
the river, but imp. Duchess, by Norfolk, gained for Ohio premier
honors among the cows shown. The Kentuckians were fairly cap-
tivated by the young imp. New Year's Day, and after a consulta-
tion in which Abram Renick participated they made an earnest
effort to buy him at a considerable advance, but without success.
New Year's Day won at all the leading shows, and when quite ad-
vanced in years was taken West and won prizes at exhibitions
held at St. Louis and Chicago. While he did not have any special
opportunities as a sire he begot, among other choice cattle, the
famous Lady of Clark out of the Miss Wiley cow Anna Hunt, that
Mr. Clark had bought in Kentucky. Lady of Clark was afterward
sold to go to Illinois. Flora Belle, bred by R. G. Corwin from imp.
Scottish Bluebell, was another daughter of New Year's Day that
acquired celebrity in the show-ring.
Medalist (13324), a white yearling bull, was, we believe, the first
representative of William Torr's breeding brought to America.
He was sired by Mr. Booth's celebrated Crown Prince (10087),
and was a bull of fine substance and extraordinary spring of rib,
deeply covered with flesh. He was purchased at the sale by Dr.
Watts for $2,100 and afterward sold to Harness Renick. Some of
the noted show animals exhibited by Mr. Anderson belonging to
his Matilda and Rose of Sharon families carried a Medalist cross.
Czar 395, a roan yearling got by Baron W^arlaby (7813), was
250 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
taken by A. J. Paige of Clark County at $1,900. He was not a
large bull, but showed the fleshy character of his Booth ancestors
and left much good stock, including the beautiful heifers Darling,
out of imp. Dahlia, and Delightful, from imp. Aylesby Lady.
Buckingham 2d 297— also of the Booth blood— brought $1,000.
He was bought by William D. Pierce of Clark County, and al-
though highly esteemed for his individual merit was not given
much chance as a stock bull in the hands of Mr. Pierce, who was
a very poor keeper.
The top price among the females of this importation was
$1,425, made by the roan Torr-Booth cow Aylesby Lady, by Baron
Warlaby (7813). She was bought by A. J. Paige and was easily
one of the best cows of her time in this country. She was ex-
ceptionally broad, deep and compact, carried a great wealth of
flesh, was neat in her bone and a capital milker. She was shown
with success at the Ohio fairs and produced several good calves,
including Delightful already mentioned.
Roman 13th, a roan cow bred by Mr. Wilkinson and sired by
Will Honeycomb (5660), possessed great scale and commanded the
next highest price — $1,300 — from Jacob Pierce. She produced the
bull Champion, by New Year's Day, that won sweepstakes at the
Ohio State Fair of 1858 as best bull of any age or breed, being at
that time only eighteen months old.
Easter Day, a roan yearling heifer bred by Mr. Fawkes and
sired by Lord Marquis (10459), was a low, thick-set, squarely-
built cow that was also very successful at the shows, but not a
good milker. She was bought at the sale by C. M. Clark at $1,125.
Dahlia, a red cow by Upstart (9760), was taken by A. J. Paige
of Clark County at $1,100.
Zealous, a roan cow bred by Mr. Wilkinson belonging to a
Mason family, went to Alexander Waddle at $1,000. In symmetry
of form, quality of hide, hair and flesh this cow was extraordi-
nary. She had an abundance of long, soft hair, possessed great
refinement of character and was an excellent dairy cow. She was
one of several head bought by the agents of the company at a
public sale made by Mr. Wilkinson, this being the first selection
made from that fine old herd for America.
Lavender 3d and Lancaster 17th — heifers from Mr. Wilkinson's
— are of special interest in this connection on account of the fact
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 251
that they were the earliest representatives in America of a family
which afterwards acquired celebrity in the hands of Amos Cruick-
shank, and through the exhibition in the West of imp. Baron
Booth of Lancaster. Lavender 3d was considered a very valu-
able heifer and was bought at this sale by Dr. Watts, for $600,
and was afterward sold to Walter A. Dun of Madison County.
Lancaster 17th was sold to W. D. Pierce at $900.
The nine bulls sold for $10,700, an average of
$1,188.88, and the twenty females for $13,215; an
average of $660.75.
From a consideration of the results obtained in
Ohio, Kentucky and other Western States by the
use of the blood introduced by the various Ohio
companies, it must be conceded that America owes
a lasting debt of gratitude to the enterprising men
who in these early days, actuated largely by a pure
desire to benefit the agricultural community, trans-
ferred at great cost to themselves so many valuable
Short-horns from Great Britain to the West.
R. A. Alexander of Woodbum. — No name in Amer-
ican Short-horn history is more revered than that
of Robert Aitcheson Alexander. Manifesting a
deep interest in cattle-breeding, contemporaneous
with Mr. Thorne of New York, Mr. Alexander's
operations were on a still more extensive scale than
those at Thorndale, already noted. Moreover they
had the additional advantage of being carried on in
a community that appreciated, to the utmost the
extraordinary opportunities offered by the estab-
lishment of such a herd. As the proprietor of the
princely estate of Woodbum, Woodford Co., Ky. —
252 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
a short distance west of Lexington, the ''blue-grass"
capital — Mr. Alexander, with characteristic Scottish
thrift, had brought his magnificent farm into a high
state of fertility. Stone walls and stone stabling
gave an air of solidity to the surroundings. The
far-famed Lothians of his native land afforded no
rural scenes so fair as those presented by the wood-
land pastures of this "old Kentucky home." Naught
was wanting to add grace and value to the great
estate but worthy tenants for its luxurious fields.
During the winter of 1852-53 Mr. Alexander and
his brother, A. J., visited Great Britain. The now
rapidly reviving interest in cattle-breeding in Amer-
ica had not escaped his notice, and it was determined
upon the occasion of this visit to the motherland to
lay the foundation for a great herd of Short-horns
at Woodburn.* In the selection of the stock, aggre-
gating about sixty-eight head of cows and heifers
and some fifteen head of bulls, Mr. Alexander early
gave evidence of his intention to give American
cattle-breeders the benefit of a wide range of choice
as between the different noted strains of blood then
prominent in Great Britain. This phase of Mr.
Alexander's character has been well commented
upon by Mr. Warfield in the following language:
"No importations ever made to America have been of more
value to this county than those of Mr. Alexander, and perhaps no
*Woodburn Farm afterward became quite as noted for its rare col-
lection of Thoroughbred and trotting horses as for its Short-horns. It
was the home of the great four-mile racer Lexington, and in later years,
after the property liad passed into the hands of A. J. Alexandei', the
fai-m, under the management of Mr. Lvicas Brodhead, achieved world-
wide fame as a nursery of great performers on the trotting turf. Jersey
cattle and Cotswold and Southdown sheep were also bred.
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIYITV 253
man in America has done more for the cultivation of pure-bred
stock than did the late Robert Aitcheson Alexander, whether we
speak of the Thoroughbred racer or the more sturdy trotter, or of
Short-horn, Ayrshire or Alderney cattle, or of Cotswold or South-
down sheep. He had an eye for the beauties in each and all.
Possessed of a large estate he used it unsparingly in the culti-
vation of the best quality of stock. Possessed of the power that
comes from great wealth he wielded it all in the support of the
best interest of the community. Able to command any blood in
Short-horns he insisted on having the best. Familiar with pedi-
grees and knowing what was good and what was bad he honestly
applied right principles to the end. Consequently he was carried
off into no crochets and gave no particular strain the sole benefit
of his great influence, holding it up to the public gaze as the true
and only pure blood. On the contrary, few herds have ever been
founded on a more varied basis, and few breeders have ever been
so catholic in their tastes. Pure Booth, pure Bates, Knightley,
Mason, Wiley, Whitaker, 'Seventeen,' every strain nearly that
has ever been known on the continent, had a place in his herd
and affections. The consequence was the gathering together of a
herd that in its prime had certainly no equal on this side of the
water, and perhaps as certainly none on the other. All of good
sterling worth and fancy, so long as fancy did not conflict with
worth, that money would gather together was to be seen on his
farm at Woodburn. Knowing what was good, when he found it
in other blood than what was represented in his herd, instead of
claiming it to be impure he purchased it and incorporated it with
what he already had. Thus he set an example of catholic appre-
ciation which it would do us of this day good to follow more
closely."
First of the Airdrie Duchesses. — Visiting the lead-
ing herds of Britain he bought, among other valua-
ble animals, the two-year-old roan heifer Duchess
of Athol and her half-brother, the yearling red-roan
bull 2d Duke of Athol (11376), both bred by Col.
Towneley, at 500 guineas for the pair. It may be
remarked in passing that on this same trip the
254 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
heifer Mazurka, offered at 100 guineas, was de-
clined and left behind, only to be bought at the
Kentucky Importing Co.'s sale the following year
at $3,050. The 2d Duke and the Athol Duchess* had
been produced at Towneley by Duchess 54th, that
was taken at the Kirklevington dispersion by Mr.
Eastwood at £94 10s. Colonel Towneley had bred
Duchess 54th to the Booth bull Lord George (10439),
a white bred by John Booth at Killerby from Fitz-
Leonard (7010) and the famous Toy cow Birthday,
daughter of the celebrated Bracelet. Mr. Alexander
was not one of those who insisted upon strict breed-
ing ''in line." He liked the yearling that resulted
from this "outcross" — 2d Duke of Athol — and
bought him, but the young Duchess and 2d Duke
were left for a time in England. To a service by
the 2d Duke of Athol or Valiant (10989) Duchess of
Athol produced Duchess of Airdrie — so called from
the Alexander family estate at Airdrie House,
Scotland — the first of the line of that name destined
to play a remarkable role in American Short-horn
history. Duchess of Athol was then bred to the
Duke of Gloster (11382), that had been bought at
Lord Ducie's sale in 1853 by Morris & Becar for
$3,350, with the understanding that he was to be
left in England one year before being shipped to
America; the progeny this time being the red-and-
white bull calf registered and afterward famous
throughout the Western States as imp. Duke of
Airdrie (12730).
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 255
The Alexander importation of July, 1853. — The
first lot consigned for Woodbnrn included thirty-six
females and five bulls, which were forwarded by the
same vessel that carried the valuable purchases of
the Northern Kentucky Co. in 1853. Few cargoes
of greater ultimate value have ever been discharged
upon American shores than that landed after this
voyage by the good ship Washington, under the
command of Capt. Duncan. Hundreds of herds of
pedigreed Short-horns and thousands of the best
bullocks ever bred in the Ohio and Mississippi Val-
leys in after years owed their excellence in a large
measure to the valuable blood introduced into the
West as a result of the two consignments brought
by tbis vessel. Among the animals in this initial
shipment for Woodburn was the red-and-white cow
Miss Hudson — bred by Wiley of Brandsby — belong-
ing to a tribe originated by Mason of Chilton.
Several of her daughters were also bought by Mr.
Alexander, and from this foundation sprang the
Miss Wiley and Loudon Duchess families afterward
so famous in Kentucky, Ohio and the West. Other
cows included in this consignment were the Bell-
Bates Filbert, a roan by 2d Cleveland Lad ; Jubilee,
Jubilee 2d, Joyful and Juniata of the "J" Prin-
cess family, all bred by Mr. Tanqueray; Miss
Towneley, mainly of Fawkes blood; Maid Marion,
Beatrice, Sweet Mary, Buttercup, Nightingale and
Grisi, by Grand Duke, of Bolden's breeding. Among
the bulls were Lord John (11278), a roan by Nor-
256 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
folk (9442),* and Fantichini (12862), bred by
Fawkes and tracing to Fair Sovereign, by Sir
Thomas Fairfax.
Subsequent shipments to Woodburn Farm. — Dur-
ing the years immediately following Mr. Alexander
purchased and imported thirty-two head of cows,
heifers and bulls from first-class English herds,
bringing out along with them Duchess of Athol and
her daughter, Duchess of Airdrie, and son, Duke of
Airdrie already mentioned. Also such cows as
Pearlette, red-and-white, bred by S. E. Bolden, sired
by the famous Booth bull Benedict (7828) ; Victoria
20th, a roan belonging to the Mason blood ; Filigree,
a white heifer, bred by Mr. Saunders and sired by
Abram Parker (9856), of Booth descent; Lady Gul-
nare, bred by Ambler from Mr. Fawkes' Booth cow
Gulnare by Norfolk (2377) ; Minna, Constance and
Rosabella, all bred by Mr. Fawkes and all sired by
Bridegroom (11203) ; Lady Derby and her dam, the
Bell-Bates cow Forget-me-not; Lydia Languish, by
Duke of Gloster (11382); Vellum, bred by Sir C.
Tempest, sired by Abram Parker (9856) ; Lady
Barrington 13th, bred by R. Bell from 4th Duke of
York (10167); Abigail, sired by Loyalist (10479),
and Minerva 3d, a red Gwynne cow, and her roan
heifer Lady Sherwood, by 5th Duke of York.
*This Norfolk should not be confused with Norfolk (2377), that has
been so frequently mentioned. He was not only the sire of Mr. Alex-
ander's Lord John but of the great roan cow Duchess, imported by the
Clinton Co. (O.) Co. in 1854, that was first-prize female at the United
States Cattle Show at Springfield, C, that year.
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 257
111 addition to tlie Bates bulls 2d Duke of Atliol
and Duke of Airdrie Mr. Alexander imported the
Booth-bred Dr. Buckingham (14405), bred by Am-
bler, sired by Hopewell (10332), El Hakim (15984),
a red-roan bred by Bolden from the Duchess bull
Grand Duke (10284) and the Booth cow Fame, by
Raspberry; The Priest (6246), a roan sired by The
Prior (13870) out of the Mason-bred cow Graceful
2d by Earl of Dublin (10178); Baron Martin
(12444), roan, bred by Holmes of Ireland, sired by
the Booth bull Baron Warlaby (7813) out of a Ma-
son Victoria dam ; and several others. This impor-
tation was destined to have a most extraordinary in-
fluence upon Short-horn breeding in both England
and America.
As will appear from the reports of the sales made
by the Northern Kentucky and Scott County com-
panies, Mr. Alexander added to his own extensive
importations, by purchase, the grand cows Mazur-
ka, Maid of Melrose and Equity and such bulls as
Orontes 2d and Sirius. After breeding from this
extraordinary array of cattle for several years the
"Woodburn herd numbered something like 200 head
and was beyond all question the best collection of
Short-horns then in North America. Indeed it is
doubtful if its superior, size considered, existed at
tliat time in either England or the United States.
The leading Kentucky breeders of that period were
not slow to take advantage of this valuable material,
and in a subsequent chapter we shall have occasion
258 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
to point out the far-reaching effects of Mr. Alex-
ander's importations* upon Short-horn breeding in
the Western States for a long series of years.
Importations by the Shakers. — In 1854 and 1856
the society of Shakers at Union Village, Warren Co.,
0., imported about eighteen cows and heifers and
eight young bulls, most of which were from the fine
old herd of James Douglas of Athelstaneford, Scot-
land. Among the cows were April Morn, Violante
(with white heifer Atalanta), Marchioness, Mar-
garet, Duchess, Blanche (with white heifer Lady
Blanche), Farewell, Bellevue and Heroine, all from
the Douglas herd. Of Mark Stewart's (of South-
wick) breeding was Hawthorne Blossom, and from
Mr. Hutchinson's stock they obtained the roan Prize
Flower, by Prince Charlie (13503). From Mr.
Douglas they also bought the bulls Captain Balco
(12546), Morning Star (14962), King of Trumps
(14767), Chancellor (12579), Hearts of Oak (14684),
Duke of South wick (14455), and Hawthorne Hero
(14682).
In 1854 the Shakers of Pleasant Hill, Ky., import-
ed the bull Duke of Cambridge 447. They had many
years previously bought, in connection with Hon.
Henry Clay, for $1,000 the imported bull Orozimbo
786, and also bought cows imported by Mr. Gambel,
via New Orleans.
*Mr. Ben F. Vanmeter, who afterward became a prominent breeder
in Kentucky, in the course of recent letter to the author says : "I came
home across the Atlantic with Mr. R. A. Alexander in 1853 just before
he made his first importation of blooded stock. He and I were the only
two Southern men on boai'd, and although I was then only nineteen
years old a friendship sprang up between us which continued to the end
of his life. I consider that he was the greatest benefactor the blooded-
stock Interest has ever had in America."
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 259
James S. Matson (Kentucky).— In 1852 J. S. Mat-
son of Paris, Ky., imported the roan two-year-old
l)ull John o' Gaunt (11621), bred by J. T. Tanque-
ray, and the roan yearling Javelin (11610) of Lord
Hill's breeding. The former was used on some of
the best cows in the State, including a number of
Abram Renick's.
Wilson & Seawright (Ohio). — In 1854 Messrs.
"Wilson & Seawright of Cincinnati, 0., imported the
bulls Fair Trader 1545, Lord Eglinton 1795, De-
ceiver 409, Locomotive 646, Benjamin Disraeli 1251,
and heifers Gaudy, White Stockings, Margaret and
Isidora. This same firm subsequently imported
four other heifers, two of which were named White
Rose (both white), one Fanny with heifer calf, and
a fourth the roan Laura. The two White Roses
and Laura were bred in Ireland.
Mason and Bracken (Kentucky) Association. — In
the year 1856 a group of Kentucky breeders organ-
ized a company under the name of the Mason and
Bracken Counties Importing Co. Their purchasing
agents were Messrs. Alexander R. Marshall and
Henry Smoot, the importation being landed at Phil-
adelphia in June of that year. It included sixteen
cows and heifers and five bulls. No sale was made
by this company until Oct. 1, 1859, after the financial
crisis of 1857 had swept values away, and we are
without details as to prices obtained. They were
doubtless low. Among the females were the follow-
ing : Duenna, roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Bolden
260 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
and belonging to a Bell-Bates family; Diana, roan
two-year-old, sold to J. E. French, Mason Co., Ky. ;
Alice, red-and-white two-year-old, sired by Harbin-
ger (10297), sold to J. C. Humphrey; Light of the
Harem, roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Fawkes, sold
to B. Jameson ; Lady Macbeth, two-year-old, bred by
Mr. Fawkes, sold to H. Smoot ; Jennie Deans, roan
two-year-old, bred in Ireland, sold to Messrs. Dur-
rett. Among the bulls were : Macbeth (13266), a roan
bred by Mr. Fawkes, sired by Bridegroom (11203) ;
Vatican 12260, a roan bred by Earl Ducie and sired
by Usurer (9763), Blandimar 19044, a roan, bred by
Sir Charles Knightley, sired by Earl of Dublin
(10178) and belonging to the Fawsley Walnut tribe.
The importation did not leave any special impress
upon Kentucky Short-horn breeding.
Livingston Co. (N. Y.) Association. — A number
of well-to-do farmers and cattle-breeders in the
Genesee Valley of New 'York formed a company
m 1854 known as the "Livingston County Stock As-
sociation," and through their agents, Messrs. David
Brooks and S. L. Fuller, purchased in England
twenty-four Short-horns. Unfortunately one-half
of these were lost during a storm at sea. Among
the surviving animals were the bulls Governor 2922,
Usurper 3522 and Bletsoe 2548, and the cows Music,
a roan of the Gwynne family bred by Mr. Tan-
queray, sired by Balco (9918) ; Hopeless, red-and-
white, sired by Horatio (10335) ; Lady Ellington,
red, sired by Broughton Hero (6811) ; Medora, also
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 261
a Gwyniie, by Horatio (10335) ; Phoenix 2d, red-roan,
by Horatio (10335) ; Australia, red-and-white, by
Lord Foppiugton (10437), and Camilla, red-roan
Gwynne of Tanqneray's breeding, sired by Fusileer
(11-499). Several of these cows passed into the pos-
session of Gen. James S. Wadsworth of Genesee and
left a valuable progeny. Soon after this importa-
tion was made the bull Governor 2922 was sent out
to the same parties.
Thomas Richardson (New York). — About the year
1854 Thomas Richardson of New York City import-
ed some Short-horns along with other live stock,
among them the Duke of Cambridge (12746) and the
Booth-bred cows Bijou, by Crown Prince (10087) ;
Fanella, by Baron Warlaby (7813) ; Fanny Warla1)y,
by same sire; Harmony, by Crown Prince; Rachel,
by Hopewell (10332), together with Laura, by Hec-
tor (13002), and Lady Constance, by Lord Derby
(13179). Three of the Booth cows were bred by Mr.
R. Chaloner, Kings Fort, Ireland, and one by Mr.
Torr. These were kept on Mr. Richardson's farm
at Westchester, the herd being sold soon after his
death, which occurred a few years after the arrival
of the importation.
Dr. H. Wendell (New York).— In 1856 Dr. H.
"Wendell of Albany brought out an importation of
four cows and heifers and the bull Lord Ducie 662
— all bred by R. Bell and crossed by Bates Inills.
The red Craggs cow Alice Maud, by Grand Duke
(10284) ; the roan Lady Liverpool, by 3d Duke of
262 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
York (10166); the red-and-white Acomb heifer
Agnes, by Earl of Derby (10177), and the roan two-
year-old Famous (of the Bell-Bates Fletcher tribe),
by Earl of Derby (10177), were in this shipment.
Agnes was in calf to Gen. Canrobert (12926) and
dropped the red-and-white Duchess of Cleveland
after importation to that service.*
J. 0. Sheldon (New York) .—Sheldon of Geneva,
N. Y., who afterward acquired the Thorne Duch-
esses, imported in 1857 the roan yearling Bates Ox-
ford bull Grand Duke of Oxford (16184), bred by
Capt. Gunter from Oxford 11th; the red yearling
Grand Duke 2d (14640), alias Clarendon 2632, bred
by Jonas Webb and afterward sold to N. L. Chaffee
of Ohio; and the roan heifer Miss Butterfly, by
Master Butterfly 2d (14918) out of Ratafia by King
Arthur (13110).
R. F. Nichols (Louisiana).— In 1856 Mr. E. F.
Nichols of New Orleans imported the two roan cows
Lady Stanhope 2d and Nightingale, both sired by
"Wliitaker Comet (8771). As to where they were
taken and as to what progeny they left we are not
advised.
First importations into Indiana. — We have now
to record the first direct importation from England
into the territory west of the State of Ohio. In
1838 Mr. Chris. Whitehead of Franklin County im-
ported the roan two-year-old bull Erj'x (1982), bred
*We have neglected to list in its proper order the importation of the
red-and-white cow Lucy, by Young North Star (2384). brought into
New York in 1836 by a Capt. Sproul. This cow was bought by J. S.
Berryman of Fayette Co., Ky., in 1838.
SECOND PEEIOD OF ACTIVITY 263
by Mr. Tempest and got by Brutus (1752) out of
Venus, by Sir Walter (2638) ; the cow Young
Venus, by Reveller (2529), in calf to Young Grazier
(3929) — the progeny being the roan bull Grazier
4041 — and heifer Strawberry, by Eryx.
In the year 1853 Dr. A. C. Stevenson of Green-
castle, Ind., imported four heifers and two young
bulls, as follows : Bloom, red-and-white, and Violet,
roan, both bred by John Emerson and both daugh-
ters of Master Belleville (11795) ; Miss Welbourn,
a roan bred by Messrs. Wetherell, sired by St. John
(27755), and Strawberry 5th, red-roan, bred by Mr.
Thornton of Stapleton, sired by Deliverance
(11347). The bulls were Prince of Wales 876, a
roan of Mr. Wetherell 's breeding, sired by Whit-
tington (12299), and the roan Fancy Boy 492, bred
by Mr. Thornton, sired by Major (11771). These
bulls left a useful progeny.
An early importation to Wisconsin. — In 1854 Mr.
John P. Roe of Waukesha County brought the tirst
imported Short-horns into Wisconsin. The lot con-
sisted of three or four females and a bull, all bred
by George Faulkner of Rothersthorpe. The ship-
ment included the red cow Sally, by Pilot (24748) ;
the two-year-old red heifer Raspberry, by Protection
(11956) ; red yearling heifer Diana, by Dictator
(11356), and red yearling bull Rothersthorpe 928,
by Dictator (11356). Raspberry was in calf to Roth-
ersthorpe, and dropped the red heifer Regina. (See
Vol. II, A. H. B.)
264 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Illinois Importing Co. — Prominent among those
who settled at an early date upon the fertile prairies
of the State of Illinois were a class of men, princi-
pally from the State of Kentucky, who not only
brought good cattle with them but advanced ideas
as to the value of good blood in the maintenance of
their herds. They found the grasses and grains of
Illinois quite as well adapted to beef-cattle as those
of their native State, and it was not long before
several good herds of Short-horns were established.
Chief among those who were foremost in this pio-
neer work with Short-horns in the newer West must
be mentioned the late Capt. James N. Brown, whose
magnificent estate of Grove Park in Sangamon
County still remains in the family and is still devot-
ed largely to cattle-growing and feeding operations.
Capt. Brown removed from Kentuckj^ in the year
1833 and brought with him some good Short-horns,
which constituted, we believe, the earliest introduc-
tion of the breed into the Upper Mississippi Valley.
Soon after these early settlers founded their herds,
however, the great depression from 1840 to 1850
settled down upon the country and slow progress
was made in the improvement of the Illinois cattle,
but with the revival of interest that occurred in oth-
er States in the fifties the enterprising breeders of
Central Illinois resolved to undertake in earnest the
work of bringing their herds up to the standard of
those that had existed for so many years in Ken-
tucky and Ohio. Accordingly in the year 1857 a
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 265
syndicate was formed for the purpose of making
a direct importation from England.
Capt. James N. Brown was the master-spirit of
this organization, and the whole project would have
failed had he not consented to act as one of the
agents for the purchase of the cattle on the other
side. Messrs. H. C. Johns and H. Jacoby were se-
lected to act as his assistants. They proceeded to
Great Britain, and after careful examination of
many of the leading herds in England, Scotland and
Ireland they purchased ten bulls and twenty-one
cows and heifers. These were shipped on the sail-
ing vessel Georgia, which had a stormy passage of
some sixty days' duration. Three bulls and one
heifer died at sea, but the rest were duly landed at
Philadelphia in July, 1857. Following the practice
of their predecessors in the older States the stock-
holders decided to divide up the cattle through the
medium of an auction sale. It was first agreed, in
order that the full benefit of this importation miglit
accrue to the State of Illinois, to bar all bidders
from other States. The sale was held on the local
fair-grounds at Springfield, Aug. 27, 1857, and at-
tracted widespread interest. There was not only a
great attendance from Illinois but numerous breed-
ers were present as spectators from adjacent States.
It was a great event in the early agricultural history
of the West.* It was an exciting day at Spring-
*To Mr. William Brown, son of the late Capt. James N. Brown, the
author is indebted for a copy of the original catalogue of this memor-
able sale, the title-page of which reads, "Catalogue of Pure-Bloodec^
266 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
field, and fortunately for the company (but perhaps
unfortunately for the individual buyers at the sale)
the event occurred a few weeks before the alarming
financial panic of 1857 overtook the business inter-
ests of the Nation.
In view of the fact that this was the primal auc-
tion sale of Short-horns in the Western country it
will be of interest to produce herewith a full report :
UULLS.
Defender (12687), roan three-year-old; bred by A. Cruick-
shank, Sittyton, and the first bull from that afterward
celebrated herd brought to America; sired by Matadore
(11800)— A. G. Carle, Champaign County $2,500
Admiral 2473, red two-year-old, bred by Lord Talbot of Ire-
land, sired by Chrisp's Phoenix (10608) out of the Booth-
crossed cow Maid of Moynalty by Beau of Killerby
(7821)— S. Dunlap & Co 2,500
Argus (14102), roan yearling, bred by H. Combe; sire by
Beau (12182) out of Annie by Broughton Hero (6811),
a roan bull illustrated on page 25, Vol. VI, Coates' Herd
Book, sired by Buchan Hero (3238) — George Barnett,
Will County 2,055
King Alfred (14760), red two-year-old, bred by Jonas Webb,
sired by Cheltenham (12588); dam Heart's Ease by
Lord of the North (11743)— Brown, Jacoby & Co., San-
gamon County 1,300
Dubloon 38331^, red yearling, bred by J. Topham, Ireland;
sired by Orphan Boy (13429) — W. lies, Sangamon
County 1,075
Master Lowndes 3140 M;, roan two-year-old, sired by Belle-
rophon (11165)— J. H. Spears, Menard County 725
Short-Horned Cattle, also Horses, Sheep and Hogs, owned by the Illinois
Importing Association." The horses seem to have consisted of a three-
year-old Cleveland Bay stallion, a two-year-old Thoroughbred stallion
and a black Thoroughbred mare that unfortunately died before the sale.
The sheep consisted of Cotswolds and Southdowns, the latter mainly
from the flock of Jonas Webb, the breeder of the bull King Alfred, to
be mentioned. The swine consisted of Berkshires from the herds of E.
Bowly of Siddington, Hewer of Highworth and others, and of Irish,
Cumberland and Yorkshire pigs, all purchased in the Emerald Isle.
SECOND PEEIOD OF ACTIVITY 267
Goldfinder 2920^1', roan bull calf, bred by H. Ambler; sired
by Grand Turk (12969), that was imported by Mr.
Thorne — J. C. Bone, Sangamon County $ 725
cows AXD HEIFERS.
Rachel 3d, roan two-year-old, bred by S. E. Bolden; sired by
Duke of Bolton (12738), a Bates-topped Booth bull;
dam the Booth-bred Rachel by Leonard (4210), tracing
to the Halnaby foundation — Jas. N. Brown, Sangamon
County $3,025
Emerald, roan yearling; bred by T. Barnes, Westland, Ire-
land; sired by the Booth bull Hopewell (10332); dam
Ruby by Royal Buck (10750), running to Mason's Lady
Sarah— J. C. Bone 2,125
Empress, roan two-year-old, bred by Edward Bowly of Sid-
dington; sired by Tortworth Duke (13892); dam Flip-
pant, by Bourton Hero (9983)— Henry Jacoby 1,725
Western Lady, roan two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler, sired
by Grand Turk (12969)*; dam Wiseton Lady by Humber
(7102), running through Earl Spencer's herd to a Mason
foundation — Capt. James N. Brown 1,325
Lady Harriet, roan three-year-old, bred by A. Cruickshank
and the first Sittyton-bred cow brought to America;
sired by Procurator (10657), dam Countess of Lincoln
by Diamond (5918); bulled by Lord Sackville (13249)
— J. H. Jacoby, Sangamon County 1,300
Fama, red-and-white yearling, bred by S. E. Bolden, sired
by imp. 2d Grand Duke (10284) and tracing to Booth's
Fame— J. H. Spears & Co., Menard County 1,050
Pomegranate, roan yearling, bred by Rev. T. Cator, sired by
Master Charley (13312); dam Cassandra by Norfolk
(9442), a granddaughter of Fawkes' Fair Maid of
Athens by Sir Thomas Fairfax, running to Booth's
Isabella by Pilot — T. Simpkins, Pike County 975
Stella, roan four-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Snow-
storm (12119)— Mr. Bonnman, St. Clair County 925
* Grand Turk was a bull of immense size, and for a big one quite as
smoothly put together as could be expected. He was imported to New
York by the Thornes. See page 235.
268 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
Perfection, red yearling, bred by A. Cruickshank, sired by
The Baron (13833), dam Model by Matadore (11800) —
E. B. Hill, Scott County $ 900
Adelaide, roan yearling, bred by A. Cruickshank, sired by
Matadore (11800), dam Edith Fairfax by Sir Thomas
Fairfax (4196) — R. Morrison, Morgan County 825
Minx, red yearling, bred by J. Christy of Ireland, sired by
Lord Spencer (13251) — J. G. Loose, Sangamon County. . 800
Bella, roan five-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Cali-
fornia (10017)— J. Ogle, St. Clair County 750
Violet, roan yearling, bred by Jonas Webb, sired by Young
Scotland (13681)— Col. J. W. Judy, Menard County 70)
Constance, roan two-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by
Snowstorm (12119)— George Barnett, Will County 700
Cassandra 2d, roan two-year-old, bred by Rev. T. Cator;
sired by Master Charley (13312), tracing to the Booth
cow Medora by Ambo — H. Owsley, Sangamon County.. 675
Empress Eugenie, red-and-white two-year-old, bred by H.
Ambler, sired by Bridegroom (11203), tracing to the
Cherry by Waterloo foundation — J. Ogle, St. Clair
County 675
Coquette, roan yearling, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Econo-
mist (11425)— George Barnett, Will County 550
Lily, white two-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Snow-
storm ( 12119 ) —George Barnett 550
Caroline, roan four-year-old, bred by Lowndes, sired by Ar-
row (9906)— J. M. Hill, Cass County 500
Coronation, red yearling, bred by Jonas Webb, sired by Chel-
tenham (12588) — J. A. Pickrell, Sangamon County 500
7 bulls sold for $10,880; an average of $1,554
20 females sold for 20,575; an average of 1,028
27 animals sold for 31,455; an average of 1,165
With the single exception of the imported cow
Mazurka, for which Mr. R. A. Alexander had paid
$3,050 at the Northern Kentucky Importing Co. 's
sale, the purchase of Rachel 2d by Capt. Brown at
SECOND PEEIOD OF ACTIVITY 269
$3,025 represented high-water mark up to that date
for a Short-horn female at public sale in North
America. This cow is described to us by Col. James
W. Judy as "a rich roan, rather leggy, quite lengthy
and somewhat light in the body." Unfortunately
for her buyer she lived but a few years and had no
produce that proved fruitful. Western Lady, Caro-
line and Constance were the cows that left the most
and best progeny among all the females of the im-
portation.' In fact, so far as herd-book records in-
dicate, these three cows are about the onh^ ones
that did found families of any consequence. AYliile
Emerald was perhaps the best individual cow sold.
Western Lady was easily the most valuable, as sub-
sequently demonstrated by the large and excellent
tribe she gave to the Western States. Caroline was
out of condition on day of sale, but proved to be a
good purchase. Among the bulls King Alfred of
Jonas Webb's breeding was undoubtedly the most
valuable although not the highest-priced. While he
was preferred by some as an individual to any other
bull in the lot, yet a majority of those in attendance
regarded Admiral and Defender as the two show
bulls of the importation.
Founding of the American Herd Book. — America
was practically without a public pedigree registry
for Short-horn cattle until 1855. The late Lewis F.
Allen of Black Rock, N. Y., had, it is true, issued the
small initial volume of the American Herd Book in
1846, but at that early date few breeders could be
270 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
found to take an interest in the project, and the en-
tries were limited largely to the pedigrees of such
stock as Mr. Allen was personally familiar with — ■
notably animals owned in New York, Pennsylvania
and New England. It was not until the second vol-
ume was issued in the autumn of 1855 that the
breeders of the West came to the support of the
register. Prior to that time some of the leading
breeders and importers had been content with re-
cording certain of their animals in the English Herd
Book. Others maintained, with more or less accu-
racy, their own private records, showing the lineage
of their stock. Another large class preserved no
detailed account of the breeding of their cattle, or
handled their records so loosely as to render them
of little value.
It was indeed an appalling task that confronted
Mr. Allen at the outset of his undertaking. It was
even a more difficult work than had been assumed
by George Coates in Yorkshire some thirty years
previous. Coates could throw the saddlebags upon
his old white '*nag" and jog about among the breed-
ers, within a day's journey, at his convenience.
Moreover he had the powerful influence of Jonas
Whitaker at his back. Mr. Allen had to collect the
data of half a century of breeding in the new world ;
the stock being mainly in the possession of people
unaccustomed to the preservation of pedigree rec-
ords. The cattle were in the hands of a great num-
ber of people in widely-separated States; scattered
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 271
in fact tlironghoiit an empire extending from New
England to the Central West.
Mr. Allen bad some qualifications for the work.
He had been breeding Short-horns himself in a mod-
est way, and enjoyed the personal acquaintance of a
number of Eastern importers, including such men
as Col. Powel, F. M. Rotch and others. The first
volume was issued during the depression of the
"forties." In the meantime, a committee of breed-
ers had been appointed in Kentucky to investigate
and collect the pedigrees of Short-horns bred in that
State. The results of this committee's investiga-
tions were not published, but supplied a basis for
further research.
When Mr. Allen undertook the second volume of
the book, after the revival of the ''fifties," he met
with good encouragement, the book ultimately ap-
pearing in the autumn of 1855 with something like
3,000 pedigrees.* The leading breeders of the West
had joined with those of the East in placing the
work squarely upon its feet. Pedigrees were for-
warded from Kentucky by such men as Edwin G.,
Benjamin C. and George M. Bedford; Dr. R. J.
Breckenridge, 0. H. Burbidge; Brutus J., Cassius
M., M. M. and H. Clay Jr. ; Silas Corbin, the Messrs.
Cunningham, R. T. Dillard, Messrs. Dudley, Jere
and William R. Duncan, J. P. Fisher, John Allen
Gano, the Garrards, James and Reuben Hutchcraft,
C. W. Innes, George W. Johnson, J. G. Kinnaird,
•This total includes stock recorded as produce under dams.
272 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Samuel D. Martin, James S. Matson, Abram and
James Renick, the Shakers, the Shropshires, the
Vanmeters, Warfields and others. From Ohio came
the pedigrees of the cattle of such breeders as James
R. Anderson, Ezra and Walter T. Carpenter, R. G.
Corwin; John G., Walter A. and Robert G. Dun;
James Fullington, John Hadley, H. H. Hankins;
Chas., David and William Harrold ; R. Jackson,
William Neff, Jacob Pierce; Felix W., George and
Harness Renick; M. L. Sullivant, the Shakers of
Union Village, Allen Trimble and Alexander Wad-
dle. From the farther West pedigrees were received
— indicating that the Short-horns were gradually
working their way toward the Mississippi River —
from such men as Hon. John Wentworth of Chi-
cago; Capt. James N. Brown and James D. Smitli
of Sangamon Co., 111. ; George Barnett of Will Co.,
111., and Gen. Sol Meredith of Cambridge City, Ind.
The East contributed largely from such herds as
those of Samuel Thorne, S. T. Taber, S. P. Chap-
man, Messrs. Cowles and Haines of Connecticut,
William Kelly of New York, Paoli Lathrop of Mas-
sachusetts, John R. Page of New York, J. A. Poole
of New Jersey, T. P. Remington of Pennsylvania,
and J. T. Sheafe, J. M. Sherwood, Lorillard Spen-
cer, Ambrose Stevens and others of New York.
The records set forth in these initial volumes were
not in all cases complete. Errors and even forger-
ies crept in, but the foundation was laid. Quickly
recognizing the necessity of such public registra-
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 273
tioii, breeders generally co-operated in the work and
the herd book soon attained National support. It
was continued as a private enterprise by Mr. Allen
until 1883, when it was purchased by the American
Short-horn Breeders' Association.
CHAPTER XI
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK
Thus far our story has of necessity dealt mainly
with foundation facts. We have sketched briefly the
upbuilding of the breed in its native land and have
now outlined the importations that formed the basis
of breeding operations in the United States. We
pass, therefore, at this point to a consideration of
the more important results flowing from the exten-
sive introduction of English blood already noted.
We have shown that the Gough & Miller, Sanders,
Powel, Dun and other early importations were util-
ized to the fullest possible extent in developing cat-
tle-feeding as a leading industry in the Ohio Valley.
The descendants of those importations were bred
before the days of herd books and ''fashions" pure-
ly for the practical business purposes of the farm
and feed-lot. As illustrating the absence of preju-
dice against the blood of the older importations in
the early days, it may be mentioned that at a sale
held by Samuel Smith in Kentucky Sept. 11, 1838,
the Mrs. Motte ("Seventeen") cow Cleopatra, by Ac-
commodation (2907), brought $1,230, and her daugh-
ter Ellen, by the great Powel bull Oliver (2387),
$1,235— the latter bought by Dillard & Ferguson.
The bull Oliver Keene, only five months old, fetched
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 275
$1,000 from William P. Hume. At same sale Dillard
& Ferguson got imp. Adelaide at $1,375, and imp.
Beauty of Wharf dale went for $755. For imp. Mary
Ann and calf Richard Jackson and B. P. Grey paid
$2,100. Evidently the home-bred stock was as good
as the imported. This fact is also proved by the
show-yard records of that period.* It is apparent
from the ratings in these competitions that the
"Seventeens" were of good form and character,
and that the Kentucky breeders had kept pace up
to the time of the Ohio Co. 's operations with the
work of their brother-breeders in Britain. Such
bulls as Mr. Sutton's Frederick 575, Capt. War-
field's Pioneer 819, Mr. Wasson's Otley (4632), Mr.
Vanmeter's Charles Colling 333, Dr. Kinnaird's
Patrick Henry, Capt. Warfield's Oliver (2387) and
Cossack (3503), Cunningham & Co. 's Goldfinder
(2066) and Mr. Renick's Paragon of the West
(4649) were prominent among the earlj^ prize-win-
ners. Such cows as Dr. Kinnaird's Olivia, Mr. Dun's
*At the fair at Lexington, September, 1834, the judges — H. Clay,
James Renick, Jacob Hughes, Isaac Vanmeter and W. P. Hume — cer-
tainly very competent men — assigned the prizes as follows : Aged bulls
— "Seventeens" both first and second ; two-year-olds — "Seventeens"
both first and second ; yearlings — "Seventeens" both first and second ;
bull calves — first to a "Seventeen," second to a Patton. Aged cows —
first to Imp. Caroline (by Dashwood), second to a Powel cow ; two-year-
olds — "Seventeens" both first and second ; yearlings — "Seventeens"
both first and second ; calves — "Seventeens" first. Dun importation sec-
ond. In 1835 about the same result was recorded. The old stock won
seven first prizes and six second prizes, the newly-imported stock one
first prize and two seconds. Coming down to 1839, at the Lexington
Fair that year the first-prize aged bull came from the Smith and Dun
importation ; two-year-old heifer, Ohio Co.'s ; yearling, from Dun's ;
calf, Ohio Co.'s ; two-year-old heifer, Ohio Co.'s ; yearling, "Seventeen" ;
cow calf, "Seventeen." In 1840: Aged bull, Powel; two-year-old, Ohio
Co. ; yearling, Ohio Co. ; calf, "Seventeen" ; aged cow, "Seventeen" ;
two-year-old, "Seventeen" ; yearling, "Seventeen" ; calf, "Seventeen."
In 1841: Aged bull (late importation), Letton's ; two-year-old. Let-
ton's : yearlings, H. Clay ; aged cows, "Seventeen" ; two-year-old. Ohio
Co. ; yearling, Letton's ; calf, Ohio Co.
276 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Caroline, Mr. Letton's lantho, Mr. Vanmeter's Han-
nah More, Capt. Cunningham's Catherine Turley
and Capt. Warfield's Helen Eyre, Ellen Ware and
the never-beaten Caroline would be a credit to any
modern show-ring. Large numbers of the prize ani-
mals were sired by Oliver, Goldfinder and Cossack.
With the various shipments of the Ohio Co., Vail,
Stevens, Morris & Becar, Thorne, the Northern
Kentucky Co. and R. A. Alexander, and the estab-
lishment of the herd book, the question of "caste"
was projected into the trade. Time-honored strains
were presently sneered at by some who had invested
in the blood of the later importations. Bates and
his followers had inoculated some of the American
buyers with the idea of a select Short-horn aristoc-
racy based upon the "only bloods at all likely to do
anybody any good"; and the American competition
at the Ducie sale, together with the prices paid by
Mr. Thorne for the Grand Dukes and the Morris &
Becar cattle, had attracted very general attention
to the Bates-bred sorts.
A new era dawns. — By the time Mr. Alexander
brought the first Duchess blood to Woodburn the
herds of Kentucky had attained a high degree of
excellence. Untrammeled by fashion, prejudice, line
breeding and other latter-day problems the brothers
James and Abram Renick, the Vanmeters, War-
fields, Bedfords, Clays, Jere Duncan, Dr. Brecken-
ridge, and their contemporaries on both sides of the
Ohio River, had developed their cattle along prac-
SOME HISTOEIC KENTUCKY STOCK 277
tical lines until they would bear favorable compari-
son with the parent herds of York and Durham.
They had been free to follow the dictates of their
own individual judgment, regardless of color, blood
lines or aught else — save the one paramount con-
sideration of the practical utility of their stock.
They were selling breeding animals to go into Ohio,
Virginia, Indiana and Illinois, and with the creation
of the great herd at Woodburn the position of Ken-
tucky as the center of Short-horn breeding activity
in America was, for the time being, well assured.
With the advent of Mr. Alexander's Bates Duch-
ess bull imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730) a new era
may be said to have dawned in Western Short-horn
breeding. Notwithstanding the fact that the two
highest-priced cows sold at auction in America prior
to the Civil War — imp. Mazurka and imp. Rachel
2d — were representative of Booth blood the cross
of the Duke of Airdrie upon the Kentucky-bred cows
proved so satisfactory that the Bates cattle straight-
way attained a widespread popularity. As the herds
of the Central West — the present seat of Short-
horn power in America — were primarily founded
by purchase, mainly in Kentucky after the Duke of
Airdrie 's use, it will be of interest to note briefly
the main facts concerning his career.
Duke of Airdrie (12730). — It is not too much to
say that this impressive Bates Duchess sire did
more to shape the course of Short-horn breeding in
the West during the twenty years following his im-
278 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
portation than any other animal of that period. It
will be remembered (see pages 254-256) that Mr.
Alexander brought him to Kentucky in September,
1855. He was at that time two years old. He was
immediately put in service in Mr. Alexander's mag-
nificent herd of cows and there had an extraordi-
nary opportunity. In March, 1857, he was let for
a year to George M. Bedford of Bourbon County,
under a contract permitting the bull to serve fifty
cows, for a net sum of $1,250. Mr. Alexander, with
his usual generosity, permitted substitutions in
cases where cows failed to stand, so that nearly
fifty calves were secured during the year he was on
hire from Woodburn. His get from the earlier ser-
vice at Woodburn proved of extraordinary merit, but
his work while at Mr. Bedford's was even more re-
markable. While in Bourbon County he was per-
mitted to serve some cows for Abram Renick and
Maj. Jere Duncan, and it was for years asserted
that these services from the Duke of Airdrie fairly
established the reputation of the three breeders
named.
Individually Duke of Airdrie was perhaps not the
equal of his sire, Duke of Gloster (11382), that was
imported by Morris & Becar into New York. He in-
heri'ted from the Duke a lot of quality in addition
to long, level hind quarters and the fault of promi-
nent hips ; but, like old Gloster, he proved a wonder-
fully successful sire of good bulls. He was prob-
ably not above the average in size, with a short,
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 279
well-carried head, rather strong horns and smoother
shoulders than his sire, with an exceptionally
straight and level top. He would probably be con-
sidered at the present time as rather too high from
the ground, a characteristic, by the way, that has
not been held to be so objectionable by many of the
Kentucky breeders as by their brethren of the North
and West.* He was never kept in high condition.
No portrait was ever made of him in his prime, but
about six months before his death, when he was
very low in flesh, Mr. John R. Page of New York
executed an oil painting of him, from a copy of
which the picture presented in this volume has been
prepared.
George M. Bedford's lease of "The Duke."— As
one of the original demonstrators of the Duke of
Airdrie's outstanding value as a sire, some account
of George M. Bedford's career as a breeder will
be of interest. He began about 1828 with the Long-
horns and other crosses, together with some Patton
stock. In 1838 he purchased at Gen. Garrard's sale
the ''Seventeen" bull Eclipse, for which he paid the
*The late Gen. Sol. Meredith of Indiana once visited Kentucky to
see among other noted animals the $4,850 bull imp. Challenger (14252),
of Ducie's breeding, a son of the 4th Duke of York (10167), owned by
the Vanmeters and Cunningham. The General was perhaps the tallest
breeder of Short-horns north of the Ohio River at this time. On visit-
ins the stalls the owners were not present, but the herdsman led out
Challenger for the big "Hoosier's" examination. While thus engaged
one of the Vanmeters, who himself was perhaps over six feet tall, came
up and patiently waiting till the General was through and had ordered
the bull back to his stall approached and said : "Well, stranger, you
have given him a close look ; what do you think of him?" The General
had admired the bull in many of his points, and after mentioning these
concluded by saying that he thought the bull was "rather too high from
the ground." Mr. Vanmeter, looking up at the towering Indianian, said :
"Well, sir, I think you are the last man on the ground that should
find that objection to the bull."
280 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
sum of $688.* In 1842 Mr. Bedford acquired an in-
terest in the cow Rosabella, out of imp. Rose by
Skipton, which, bred to Sir Alfred 969 (he by Rose
of Sharon's only son Paragon of the West out of a
daughter of Mr. Dun's imp. Red Rose by Ernesty),
produced the prolific white heifer California, from
which, by the use of such bulls as D'Otley 432, King
Cyrus 609, etc., Mr. Bedford bred his afterward cele-
brated family of Brides. About 1853 he bought
three females descended from Abram Renick's imp.
Harriet; and about the same time, in connection
with Messrs. Clay and Duncan, purchased the im-
ported bull Diamond at the Northern Kentucky
Co.'s sale at $6,000. This proved an unfortunate
investment, as Diamond failed to breed. The red
bull King Cyrus, bought of Mr. Renick, was sired
by Renick 903 out of a granddaughter of imp. Har-
riet, and proved a remarkable stock-getter.f In
*At this same sale Hon. B. J. Clay and Mr. Hutchcraft paid $1,830
for the bull Exception (3746), which Mr. Bedford considered the best
"Seventeen" he ever saw. Indeed, upon being a.sked in his later years
how Exception would compare with the best Short-horns of the present,
he answered : "Well, sir, I should have to call him a good bull even
now."
fin connection with the illustration of King Cyrus, which appears at
page 166, Vol. II, of the American Herd Book, a good story is told. If
the reader will look at this picture, it will be seen that just behind the
bull's fore legs and above his back are the faint outlines of another
picture which has been practically obliterated by the engraver. Tlie
other picture was that of a negro herdsman who had been in Mr. Bed-
ford's employ for many years. King Cyrus, when being shown, had a
habit of "humping" his back, and tlie colored herdsman upon such oc-
casions would invariably be found busy with his cloth rubbing him
down, as strangers would suppose. In reality he was pinching the bull's
back to keep it straight. Mr. Page went to Mr. Bedford's to sketch the
bull. In showing the drawing to certain other breeders one of the party,
witli a view toward a little fun, said : "The picture is all right, but it
would be much improved if you would sketch tlie 'darky,' who always
shows him, with his hand on the bull's back." Page thought this would
make a good background and sketched in the picture of the herdsman.
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 281
1854 Mr. Bedford and Abraiii Renick had bargained,
at the United States Cattle Show in Ohio, with
Messrs. Coulter for the imported Booth bull War-
rior (12287), but for some reason the sale failed to
go through. The incident is of interest as illus-
trating the fact that at that date the great Kentucky
breeders had not acquired that fondness for Bates
blood that afterward characterized their breeding
operations.
At the time the Duke of Airdrie was hired by Mr.
Bedford he owned a small herd of Harriets, Brides,
Britannias and the cow Goodness 3d, by Senator
2d. The cow last named dropped to the Duke of
Airdrie the 1st and 2d Duchesses of Goodness, from
which Mr. Bedford bred his remarkable family of
that name. Mr. Bedford was considered one of the
best judges not only of breeding cattle but of steers
(of which he fed a large number in his time), and
it may be remarked in passing that he considered
imp. Goodness (of Mason blood) of the Northern
Kentucky Co.'s importation of 1853 as the best cow
of that famous importation, although Mazurka out-
sold her by $1,000. He was so delighted with the
Duke of Airdrie 's get that he afterward purchased
from Mr. Alexander the first bull calf sired by the
Duke at Woodburn — Bell Duke of Airdrie 2552, out
of Lady Bell by 2d Duke of Athol. Bell Duke of
After the picture was engraved and sent to Mr. Bedford he of course
took great offense at what had been done, and when Page found there
was something wrong he "squared" himself as best he could by having
the herdsman's figure obliterated. He drew no more pictures, however,
for George M. Bedford.
282 A HISTOKY OF SHOBT-HORN CATTLE
Airdrie had a remarkable career in the show-ring,
winning, among other notable prizes, the $1,000
sweepstakes at St. Louis in 1858 and the champion-
ship at same show in 1860. The Harriet cow Atos-
sa, by King Cyrus, to a service by the imported
Duke dropped Grand Duke 2933, that was also a St.
Louis winner as a two-year-old.
Mr. Bedford was a man of very decided convic-
tions and prejudices and was not always consistent.
He became a great opponent of the ''Seventeens"
and found fault with the breeding of some of the
Louans. At the same time his own cattle of that
family had the cross of Dun's imp. Ked Rose by Er-
nesty; while his beautiful Brides and his Zoras went
direct to Rose by Skipton. It was largely on account
of Mr, Bedford's caustic criticism of these other
strains that the late Mr. Parks of Glen Flora (Illi-
nois) raised the question of the purity of the breed-
ing of the Dun importation — a striking exemplifica-
tion of the fact that people who occupy glass houses
should not throw stones at their neighbors' roofs.
George M. Bedford was an eminently successful
producer of good cattle, but the love of Bates blood
engendered by his successful use of the Duke of
Airdrie and his sons finally drew him into unfortu-
nate pedigree speculations in that line of breeding.
Jere Duncan and Duke of Airdrie 2743. — Promi-
nent among the great bulls, sired by imp. Duke of
Airdrie while at Mr. Bedford's was Maj. Jere Dun-
can's Duke of Airdrie 2743. Duncan was the orig-
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 283
inator of a family of cattle known as the Louans,
that played a prominent part in Ohio, Kentucky and
Western breeding herds and show-rings for many
years, gaining many championship prizes and com-
manding great prices. The original cow of that
name was bred by George H. Williams and was sired
by imp. Otley (4632). She produced eight calves, in-
cluding the famous show bull Perfection 810, sold to
E. G. Bedford. In Duncan's hands was another
family of Powel origin known as the Rubys. Both
sorts were bred to such bulls as D 'Otley 432, Prince
Albert 2d 857 and Sir Alfred 969, and one of the
Ruby cows, bred to the latter, produced the famous
prize cow Nannie Williams. Her sire. Sir Alfred,
was one of the noted bulls of his time, and was bred
by Dr. Kinnaird of Fayette Co., from Paragon of
the West (4649) and the handsome and prolific Red
Rose (by Ernesty) cow Mira. He was sold when
about two years old to Messrs. Bedford of Bourbon
County, and was described as a light roan, with
straight top and bottom lines, good head, smooth
shoulders, fine heart-girth, broad ribs, good flank
and level quarters. He sired many valuable cattle
while in Bourbon County, including Mr. Bedford's
cow California, already mentioned, but owes his
fame largely to Nannie Williams. Sir Alfred w^as
owned for a time by James S. Duncan, son of Maj.
Duncan, but becoming ^'breechy" was given to a rel-
ative in Tennessee and died while en route to that
State.
284 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Duke of Airdrie 2743, dropped by Nannie Wil-
liams in February, 1858, to a service by imp. Duke
of Airdrie, proved a first-class show bull, winning a
championship as a two-year-old at the Bourbon
County Fair in 1860. He was second at the Ohio
State Fair the same year and second at the United
States Fair as welL As a three-year-old he swept
the decks at the Fayette, Bourbon and Harrison Co.
(Ky.) Fairs, and in 1863 was first-prize and cham-
pion bull at the Kentucky State Show. In 1866, at
eight years of age, he won first prize as the best aged
bull at the Bourbon County Fair. One of his sons,
Duncan's Airdrie 5615, a Louan, was a first-prize
and champion bull at the leading Kentucky and Ohio
shows from 1865 to 1873; but as a sire Duncan's
Duke was specially distinguished as a heifer-getter,
fairly making the reputation of the Louans; speci-
mens of which for many years were great prize-win-
ners at leading shows. He was the bull to which
Mr. Warfield bred Miss Wiley 4th, securing from
that service the great show cow Loudon Duchess 2d.
Abram Renick and Airdrie 2478. — None profited
more largely by the services of imp. Duke of Airdrie
than Mr. Abram Eenick, who sent his Rose of
Sharon show cow Duchess, by Buena Vista 299, to
be bred to the Woodburn Duke. The issue was the
celebrated Airdrie 2478 — the bull that made the rep-
utation of Mr. Renick and his Rose of Sharon tribe.
Abram Renick, who was of the same family as the
Ohio Renicks, had been a member of the original
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 285
Ohio Importing Co., and bred Sliort-liorns for a
number of years in connection with his brother
James. They owned imp. Harriet, imp. Illustrious
and imp. Josephine, and had bought in Ohio the
heifer Thames, by Shakespeare 961 out of Lady of
the Lake, daughter of imp. Rose of Sharon by Belve-
dere — for which cow Mr. Renick paid Mr. Bates in
England $700. From Thames descended the entire
Renick Rose of Sharon family. The blood of these
Ohio cows was more or less intermingled during the
earlier years of Mr. Renick 's breeding. That of
imp. Illustrious was utilized through the medium of
such bulls as Young Comet Halley 1134 and Ashland
220 ; the Harriet blood through Pilot 817, and that
of imp. Josephine through Buena Vista 299, the in-
bred Josephine Renick 903 and General Winfield
Scott 530. Rose of Sharon's blood came in not only
through her granddaughter Thames but in the bull
line through the imported cow's only son, Paragon
of the West (4649). Thames had been bred in 1845
and 1846 to Prince Charles 2d 861, tracing to imp.
Blossom by Fitz Favorite (1042). The progeny in
the one case was the heifer Red Rose and in the other
the heifer Dorothy. Red Rose, bred to Ashland,
produced the roan Poppy in 1849, and she in turn,
bred to Renick 903, gave birth in 1853 to the light
roan heifer Norah. Red Rose, bred to Buena Vista,*
*Buena Vista's sire was the grand bull Cossack, alias Julius Caesar
(3503), bred by Mr. Clay and sold to P. Warfleld. Cossack (3503) was
by Cossack (1880), bred by Richard Booth at Studley from the old
Killerby Moss Rose tribe.
286 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
produced in 1850 the red-and-wliite heifer Duchess,
that afterward became the dam of Airdrie 2478. A
few cows were also bred to the Tanqueray bull John
o' Gaunt (11621), imported into Bourbon County by
Mr. Matson in 1852. To a service by this bull Duch-
ess produced in 1853 the heifer Ophelia. These cows
were among the noted matrons of the Eose of Sha-
ron family in the Renick herd.
Airdrie 2478 was a red, with little white, of only
medium size. In good thrifty breeding condition he
weighed about 1,900 lbs. at full maturity. He was
repeatedly shown by Mr. Renick, but was never made
fat enough to weigh more than 2,100 lbs., although
he could have been made to carry 2,200 lbs. in ex-
cessively high flesh. He was very sj^mmetrical in
conformation; smooth, neat and stylish, with no se-
rious faults. Airdrie may safely be listed as one of
America's greatest progenitors of valuable Short-
horns; imparting finish and quality with a rare de-
gree of uniformity to his progeny. Like his sire,
the imported Duke, he was more impressive as a
stock-getter than as an individual animal. Duncan's
Duke of Airdrie, as already noted, proved a won-
derful heifer-getter, but Airdrie 2478 gained lasting
fame as a sire of bulls. He was used by Mr. Renick
for a period of about twelve years to the fullest pos-
sible extent, the only limit to his service in the herd
being placed upon his own daughters, some of which
were afterward bred with success to the 13th Duke
of Airdrie 5535; the splendid cow Poppy 5th being
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 287
thus produced. For several generations none but
sons and grandsons of Airdrie or imp. Duke of Air-
drie were keiA in service.
Airdrie a bull-breeder. — Among Airdrie 's great-
est sons may be mentioned Sweepstakes 6230, after-
ward famous in the show herd of Mr. Pickrell of
Illinois; Joe Johnson 10294; the inbred Airdrie 3d
13320 out of Duchess 2d by Pilot— all Rose of Sha-
rons; and Vanmeter's Dick Taylor 5508 and Airdrie
Duke 5306; both great heifer-getters, out of the
Young Phyllis cows Ruth and Ruth 2d. Sweep-
stakes' remarkable career in the West will be no-
ticed further on. Joe Johnson was almost a fac
simile of Sweepstakes, the only difference being
that the former was rather a finer bull. They were
both exceedingly successful in the show-yard. Joe
Johnson once gained a champion prize at the Bour-
bon County Fair, with something over twenty bulls
in the ring, probably as good a lot as were ever
shown at one time in the State.* About the only
objection that was urged against either of these bulls
was their color. The "craze" for red cattle was al-
ready setting in, and both Sweepstakes and Joe
Johnson had too much white to suit the public taste.
They had white spots to the extent of perhajDS one-
*Joe Johnson was a successful prize-taker in Kentucky, and also
stood at the head of the $300 prize herd, composed wholly of Rose of
Sharons, at the Ohio State Fair of 1870. He was the sire — among other
high-priced cattle — of the heifer Duchess 10th, sold in 1872 to Earl Dun-
more at $5,000. He represented a double cross of imp. Duke of Airdrie,
having been sired by Airdrie 2478 out of Cordelia by Dandy Duke 2691.
The latter was a red-roan bull Mr. Renick had secured by breeding
Easterdav (daughter of Poppy) by Pilot 817, to imp. Duke of Airdrie
(12730).
288 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
fourth of their entire color. Airdrie 3d was quite
a successful show bull also. Had he been as perfect
behind as he was in front he would have been fairly
invincible. At one time bulls sired by Airdrie were
gaining prizes at all of the best fairs of Kentucky,
Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois almost without de-
feat.
Inbreeding of the Roses of Sharon. — Mr. Renick
was so pleased with the results of Airdrie 's use that
he adopted a comprehensive course of in-and-in
breeding, using the sons and grandsons of the bull
for many years with great success, attracting the at-
tention of the entire cattle-breeding world. John
Thornton, the veteran Short-horn salesman of Eng-
land, who visited America after the Airdrie blood
had been thoroughly concentrated in the Renick
herd, said :
"I saw the bull Airdrie, rising thirteen years old, a magnifi-
cent animal, not too large but exceedingly symmetrical, stylish
and handsome, with a splendid head and fine masculine char-
acter. The cows and heifers were called from the fields by a lot
of negroes — men, women and children — and it was wonderful to
observe the singular uniformity and great excellence of the cattle
as they walked past to a corner of the field where they stood to
be milked. The heifers, mostly by Airdrie, were splendid ani-
mals, combining great length, elegance and sweetness of character
with rich full colors, roan or red hair, good form and great sub-
stance. Some of the older cows were thinner and slightly lame,
owing, as it "was said, to the thick cornstalks fastening in their
hoofs. The calves were also good, and two or three young bulls
were of great promise. Seeing how very superior this herd was
and how closely it was in-and-in bred I was induced to ask Mr.
Renick how he came to take such a course. He told me he took
up the herd books and saw what Colling, Mason and other early
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 289
breeders had done, and he thought he would do the same thing;
his neighbors thought he would ruin his stock, but he thought
that he had got quite as good as any of them."
At tlie time of Mr. Thornton's visit (1869) every
animal in the herd was of Mr. Renick's own breed-
ing. Not only that, but their dams, grandams, great-
grandams and even great-great-grandams had been
bred on the farm — certainly a fact unique in the his-
tory of Short-horn breeding in the United States.
For years he declined to part with any Rose of Sha-
ron females at any valuation, but latterly high prices
tempted him to do so. He has generally been re-
garded as one of the greatest constructive breeders
ever identified with Short-horn breeding in America.
A disciple of Thomas Bates, and like that famous
breeder without immediate family, Mr. Renick was
thoroughly devoted to his cattle and made them the
subject of his most untiring personal attention.* He
♦Visitors at shows where Mr. Renick was exhibiting his cattle were
very apt to find him feeding or currying his stock with his own hands.
He was particularly wrapped up in old Airdrie, and upon such occa-
sions would usually be found near him. Perhaps the best show Mr.
Renick ever made was the year that the Kentucky State Fair was held
in Bourbon County. He had an exhibit in nearlv every ring and never
came out without a ribbon, usually a blue one. In some classes he
gained both first and second. One of the best exhibits he made at this
show was for a prize for bull with five or six of his get. He had taken
Airdrie up out of the pasture without preparation, and with him and
his progeny won the group prize over a number of competitors. Airdrie
was then eight or nine years old.
Speaking of this event Mr. Ben F. Vanmeter says : "I do not think
I ever saw Mr. Renick enjoy a day more than he did this one. As he
came out of the ring leading old Airdrie a gentleman from Ohio sent
an intimate friend of Uncle Abe's to me with a request that I go with
him to see if he could not get a price on the old bull. I told him it was
a waste of time, but he insisted and we went. We readily found Mr.
Renick, and my friend Taylor lost no time in broaching the subject
The old man was at first almost ready to take it as an insult. Then he
suspected us of plaving a joke on him. Taylor finally told him that he
considered the bull nearlv worn out, but was satisfied that his Ohio
friend would give ?1,000 for him. The old man then straightened him-
self up two or three inches above his normal height and with his fist
tightly closed and eyes flashing exclaimed : 'A national bank can't buy
him! If I outlive him he will die mine.' "
290 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
was always partial to the golden-skinned yellow-
reds, and insisted that Short-horns of that color
were invariably better feeders and possessed more
quality than the dark reds, in which contention he
had the unanimous acquiescence of the most experi-
enced breeders. Of his subsequent purchase and use
of the 4th Duke of Geneva we shall have occasion to
speak elsewhere. The mingling of the Duchess blood
with that of the Roses of Sharon, thus reuniting the
Bates lines, proved in this case a successful opera-
tion; a fine illustration being seen in the case of the
celebrated pair of "Genevas," Minnie's Duchess of
Geneva and Poppy's Duchess of Geneva, familiarly
known as ''Big Geneva" and ''Little Geneva," sired
by 2d Duke of Geneva.* These fine cows had a re-
markable show-yard career, "Little Geneva" usu-
ally winning the blue ribbon and her larger sister
the red whenever exhibited. They rarely lowered
their colors in any company".
The Vanmeters. — The State of Kentucky was for-
tunate in possessing distinguished families of Short-
horn breeders who, like the Messrs. Booth in Eng-
land, displayed an hereditary love for cattle and for
several succeeding generations bred Short-horns
with a high degree of skill and intelligence. We
have already noted the prominent part played by
Messrs. George, Felix and Abram Renick and may
*2d Duke of Geneva 5562 was bred by J. O. Sheldon and bought by-
Edwin Bedford, whose success with the Loudon Duchesses, etc., g-a\ e
him ranlc among the leading Kentucky breeders of his time. The 2tl
Duke died young, leaving a limited number of calves, but they were aa
a rule exceptionally good.
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 291
now mention the Vanmeters as worthy of rank
among those who contributed most to the extension
of Short-horn breeding in the West. To them the
West is indebted for the Young Marys and Young
Phyllises to be found in almost every good herd.
About the year 1817 Mr. Isaac Vanmeter, who was
a native of Hardy Co., Va. — in the valley of the
South Branch of the Potomac — emigrated to Ken-
tucky and soon afterward married a daughter of
Capt. Isaac Cunningham, another Virginian who had
purchased, early in the present century, the farm
and some of the stock of Mr. Matthew Patton, who
had introduced the Gough & Miller blood into Ken-
tucky. The elder Vanmeter and Capt. Cunningham
formed a partnership for the purpose of carrying
on farming and cattle-breeding operations in Clark
Co., Ky., and in 1834 they took stock in the newly-
organized Ohio Importing Co., acquiring from that
company's selections imp. Young Mary, with heifer
calf Pocahontas; imp. Young Phyllis, with heifer
calf Catherine Turley, and imp. Lavinia, together
with the bull Goldfinder (2066). Capt. Cunningham
also purchased an interest in imp. Matchem (2283).
Prior to this time Messrs. Vanmeter & Cunningham
had bred for some twenty years a large herd prin-
cipally descended from the original Patton stock,
upon which had been used, among others, the noted
bull Rising Sun.* Lavinia, after producing a bull
*Capt. Cunningham died in 1842, making the sons of his daughter,
Mrs. Solomon Vanmeter, executors of a good estate. Mr. Isaac Van-
meter died in 1854, leaving his son, Ben F. Vanmeter, then but twenty-
292 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
calf, died, but Young Phyllis and Young Mary
proved among the most useful cows of the breed
ever brought to America. As in the case of the
Eenick herd, the blending of the blood of these Ohio
Co. cows with that of imp. Duke of Airdrie resulted
in the production of an excellent class of cattle.
Young Phyllis. — This cow ranked as one of the
best of her day in America. In fact she has repeat-
edly been called the best of all Short-horn cows of
her time owned in the State of Kentucky. Unfor-
tunately she died young, leaving but three or four
calves. She produced, besides Catherine Turley, a
heifer named Eliza Woods, by Matchem, and the
prize bull John Randolph 603, by Goldfinder. Eliza
Woods was rather disappointing as an individual,
although some excellent cattle descended from her.
Her sire, Matchem, was a large, stylish bull ; rather
coarse in his conformation and of a vicious disposi-
tion. Quite a number of his get were unpopular on
account of their dark-colored noses. Catherine Tur-
ley is said to have been a cow of fine character. She
was much inclined to make flesh and unfortunately
one years cf age, sole executor of an estate quite as large as that left
by Capt. Cunningham. Mr. Ben F. Vanmeter's elder brother, Solomon,
who died at forty years of age, proved himself also a most capable
breeder and when the Northern Kentucky Importing Co. was organ-
ized in 1853 he was selected as Clark County's representative upon the
committee sent to England to buy the cattle constituting that memor-
able puichase. Ben F. Vanmeter was a mere lad at this date attending
college at Danville, Ky. Learning of the proposed expedition to Eng-
land after cattle, he pleaded earnestly to be allowed to leave school and
accompany the committee. He was given the choice of either going or
remaining and graduating that spring. Without hesitation he aban-
doned his aspirations in reference to a diploma and accompanied his
brother upon a tour of the Short-horn herds of Great Britain. In later
years he attained international reputation not only as a breeder of
high-class cattle of the Vanmeter tribes, but also in connection with the
notable operations of Abram Renick with the Roses of Sharon.
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 293
was allowed to become so fat that she stopped breed-
ing. From her descended such famous bulls as Dick
Taylor 5508, Airdrie Duke 5306, Clarendon 2634,
Mr. Pickrell's $3,000 Baron Lewis and many other
old-time celebrities.
Dick Taylor 5508 was one of the best stock-getters
produced by the Phyllis family. He was a red, bred
by Dr. J. J. Taylor and Abram Vanmeter, and rep-
resented a peculiarh' rich combination of the best
blood introduced into the Ohio Valley up to the time
of his production in 1863. Sired by the Duke of
Airdrie-crossed Rose of Sharon bull Airdrie 2478,
he had for dam Ruth by the $4,850 bull imp. Chal-
lenger (14252) ; second dam Maria Edgeworth by
Arthur Watts' Prince Albert 2d 857, carrying much
of the best of the Ohio Importing Co. 's blood; and
his third dam, Susan Turley, was by Cossack (3503),
son of the richly-bred Booth bull Cossack (1880),
that will be remembered as the sire of Abram Ren-
ick's Buena Vista 299. Dick Taylor proved par-
ticularly successful when mated with the descendants
of imp. Young Mary. Indeed one branch of that
tribe became so celebrated throughout the West that
it was given (and still bears) his name. He was re-
peatedly shown with success, and upon one occasion
gained a $100 sweepstake against several of the most
noted sires of the day for best five calves the get of
one bull. We cannot in the space at our command
make detailed reference to the many distinguished
animals sired by Dick Taylor. We should, however,
perhaps mention his two sons, Washington 9284 and
294 A HISTOEY or SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Dick Taylor 2d 16637, bred by the Messrs. Sudduth.
The former belonged to the Leslie branch of the
Marys, tracing from the show cow Hannah More,
and won a great many first and sweepstakes prizes
at the Kentucky shows from 1869 to 1871. Dick
Taylor 2d, a few years later, was one of the ruling
show-yard champions of Kentucky and was sold for
$1,100.
Airdrie Duke 5306, like Dick Taylor, was a red
son of Mr. Renick's Airdrie 2478. His dam, the
Phyllis cow Ruth 2d, was by Mr. Alexander's fa-
mous prize bull exp. 2d Duke of Airdrie 2744, so
that he represented a double cross of the Airdrie-
Duchess blood. Airdrie Duke was bred by Abram
Vanmeter, and was one of the great heifer-getters
of Kentucky in the later sixties. Like Dick Taylor,
he made a pronounced ''hit" when mated with the
Marys. His greatest daughter was probably Ben F.
Vanmeter 's renowned Young Mary show cow Red
Rose 8th, the best Short-horn cow Mr. Vanmeter
ever bred. Another celebrated show cow got by Air-
drie Duke was the roan Phoebe Taylor of the Po-
mona family, that gained prizes all over the West-
ern country from 1871 to 1874 in the herd of J. H.
Kissinger. He was also sire of the Mary cow Miss
Washington 2d, that sold for $1,000, whose daughter
by 4th Duke of Geneva brought a like price, and of
the $3,200 Poppy's Julia and the $2,000 Princess
cow Princessa 2d,
Another branch of the Phyllis tribe that acquired
SOME HISTORIC KEXTUCKY STOCK 295
high repute in Kentucky was bred by John W.
Prewitt of Clark County from the roan cow Gentle
Annie, by imp. Challenger (14252), that was bought
by Mr. Prewitt at the administrator's sale of the
Solomon Vanmeter cattle in 1859. She was a grand-
daughter of Susan Turley.
Young Phyllis was of a rich roan color, with neat
head, small, crumpled horns, short, neat neck, fine
shape and style and a first-class show cow in her day.
She was frequently exhibited at the fairs in Ken-
tucky when in her prime and never failed to receive
the first prize when in the ring except once, and
then she received the second. Although imported
for Mr. Harness in 1834 at a cost of $1,500, she
passed to the possession of Capt. Isaac Cunning-
ham and Mr. Isaac Vanmeter in 1836 and remained
the property of the latter until she became barren
and was slaughtered. Catherine Turley was be-
gotten in England and calved at Sycamore, in Ken-
tucky, soon after her arrival.
Young Mary. — This celebrated cow and her
daughter Pocahontas, sold at the Ohio Co.'s sale of
1836 to Mr. Harness for $1,500, were bought and
taken to Kentucky that same year by Messrs. Van-
meter & Cunningham. Although not a show cow
like Young Phyllis, Young Mary was one of the
practical, profitable sort that often do more for their
owners than animals of show-yard character. She
is descrilied as having been a large cow of striking
appearance, a light roan in color with some white,
296 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
especially on her legs. Her horns, which were in-
clined to be ''crumpled," were rather strong and
well carried out from her head, which was broad
and well shaped, with a good full eve. Her neck
was rather thin, shoulders smooth, back broad, rib
deep, udder large and good. In fact she was an ex-
traordinary milker — one of the best dairy cows ever
owned in the Vanmeter herds. She was a remark-
ably prolific breeder, and during the first month or
six weeks after calving (if on grass) could be de-
pended upon to >4eld a large pailful of milk morn-
ing and evening after the calf had drawn its fill.
Unfortunately Isaac Vanmeter 's private herd rec-
ords were lost or destroyed during the Civil War,
but it is a commonly-accepted fact that Young Mary
jived to be about twenty years old and died after
having given birth to her sixteenth calf.
She produced but four bulls ; two of them — Davy
Crockett and Logan — were dropped while she was
in the possession of the Ohio Co. The former was
purchased by Mr. P. L. Ayres of Ohio for $490 for
use upon unrecorded stock. Logan was bought by
Elias Florence of Ohio for $750. In Kentucky
Young Mary produced a red-and-white bull calf
named Romulus, by Match em (2283), that was sold
while young to James Stonestreet of Clark County,
in whose hands he was bred to but few pure-bred
cows. The last calf she ever produced that lived to
be useful was the roan bull Tom Bigbee, by Prince
Albert 2d, calved in 1848 and sold while young to
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 297
Rice Campbell of Bourbon County. He proved quite
a good show bull.
Young Mary's female produce after Pocahontas
cannot now be named in the order of their respec-
tive ages. Her next calf was the bull Romulus above
mentioned, and then followed five heifer calves by
Goldfinder (2066),* to- wit: Hannah More, Judith
Clark, Sarah Hopkins, Lilac and Florida, all of
which were very superior and lived to be useful
cows. All of these except Sarah Hopkins were owned
by Isaac Vanmeter as long as he or they lived. Sarah
Hopkins was given to Mr. Vanmeter 's son, I. C. Van-
meter, who sold her after a few years to George W.
Sutton of Fayette County.
The records do not reveal further facts of interest
concerning Young Mary's progeny. All that is
known is that she was a regular breeder of good
stock and lived to an extreme age. The great fam-
ily of Young Marys, still so popular throughout the
United States, has descended from the Goldfinder
heifers and Pocahontas above mentioned. Probably
the best individual of all of Young Mary's daugh-
ters was Hannah More. She was exhibited at all
of the leading Kentucky shows and was, we believe,
never defeated. Her sisters were almost as good,
but Hannah More and Pocahontas, in particular, like
their Phyllis companion Catherine Turley, proved
*Imp. Goldfinder (2066) was taken to Kentucky in 1836 and was
successfully used for many years, largely in Clark and Fayette Counties,
although he died the property of Joel Scott in Franklin County. Few
better sires were known at that time. He was a large, rich roan, light-
bodied and somewhat leggy, high-styled and impressive,
298 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
mines of wealth to Kentucky and the West. Poca-
hontas gave rise to the famous Red Rose and Han-
nah More to the Beck Taylor, Leslie and Flat Creek
branches of the Mary tribe. Judith Clark also left
a valuable progeny, among her descendants being
the Grace Youngs, once so prolific of good show
cattle in the West, and the Leopardess family, which
gave to the show-yard Lucy Napier. The success
of the blending of the Mary and Phyllis bloods in
the hands of Messrs. Vanmeter was instantaneous.
Bred to John Randolph 603, son of imp. Young
Phyllis, Hannah More had a daughter — Queen Anne
— that produced to the cover of Prince Albert 2d
857 the bull Albert Gallatin 202. Randolph and Gal-
latin did some of the local shows in company and
carried many ribbons; the older (Phyllis) usually
securing first honors at the hands of awarding com-
mittees and the Mary second.
Ben F. Vanmeter gave the Marys international
fame. From his father's red-roan Red Rose, by
Pearl 2012,* he bred the celebrated family of Red
Roses ; and by mating the Hannah More cow Beck
with the Phyllis show bull Dick Taylor he bred the
red Beck Taylor, the matron of a family of that
name still popular in the West. Probably the best
two cows ever produced in his herd were Red Roses
♦Pearl was a red bull bred bv Solomon Vanmeter that became the
property of Robert S. Taylor of Clark County. He was got by Van-
meter, Duncan & Cunningham's Imported $4,850 bull Challenger (14252)
from the imported cow Gem by Earl Ducie's Broker (9993), got by
Usurer (9763). Pearl's grandam was Gulnare, by Whltaker s Norfolk
(2377) and his great-grandam was the Booth-bred Medora by Ambo
(1636)!
SOME HISTORIC KEXTUCKY STOCK 299
8tli and 11th, own sisters by the Phyllis bull Air-
clrie Duke 5306. The Airdrie Duchess blood was by
this time producing remarkable results in all the
leading Kentucky herds, and when the Renick, Yan-
meter, Warfield and Bedford cows carrying the
Bates cross met at the local shows there was "war to
the knife." Upon one memorable occasion Mr. Ben.
Vanmeter with Eed Roses 8tli and 11th encountered
one of the greatest cow combinations Kentucky had
ever seen, meeting Mr. Renick 's pets, ''Little" and
*'Big" Genevas, two of Edwin G. Bedford's Loudon
Duchesses, besides one of the best of that family
ever produced by Mr. AYarfield, and three or four
imported cows. Li the cow class Red Rose 11th
won, but in the sweepstakes Red Rose 8th gained
the prize.* She was afterward champion Short-
horn cow at the Philadelphia Centennial and subse-
quently sold to the Grooms for $1,750 and exported
to England. Her companion at this show, Red Rose
11th, sold to Mr. Fox of England at $2,325, was the
only cow that ever defeated Red Rose 8th. Mr.
Vanmeter, however, never considered her so good.
This cow was the dam of the famous roan Young
Mary steer that was the champion four-year-old
bullock at the first American Fat-Stock Show at
Chicago; a beast that weighed 2,440 lbs. and sold to
the late John B. Drake of the Grand Pacific Hotel
♦After the ribbon was tied on Red Rose 8th Mr. Vanmeter asked Mr.
Renick what he thought of it. The old man was very slow in making
his reply, but finally said : "I reckon it is all right. She is a devil of
a good one,"
300 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
for $150 for Christmas beef. An own brother to
Red Rose 8th and 11th, the bull Rosy Man 27764,
was also a prize winner at various old-time Ken-
tucky shows.
Ben F. Vanmeter sustained close relations with
Mr. Renick and in later years became identified
with the Rose of Sharon interest, further reference
to which will presently be made. It may be re-
marked in passing that the two prize-winning Young
Mary bulls Washington 9284 and Dick Taylor 2d
16637— both by Dick Taylor 5508 and both Ijred by
Messrs. Sudduth of Clark County — were of Van-
meter stock, the former being of the Leslie branch
and the latter coming through Judith Clark, own
sister to Hannah More. Dick Taylor 2d won a cham-
pionship at a Bourbon County fair in a ring of
thirty entries. We may also add here that the bull
Seaton 4356, bred by Solomon Vanmeter, appearing
in certain pedigrees of cattle of Kentucky origin,
represented a cross of Mr. Alexander's imp. Orontes
2d upon a daughter of the imported Wilkinson-bred
cow Lavender 3d, that was of the same foundation
as the Cruickshank Lavenders.
The Warfields. — The city of Lexington, the blue-
grass capital, is situated in the fertile county of
Fayette, which, in connection with the adjacent
counties of Clark and Bourbon, had from the earli-
est periods constituted the headquarters of the
breed south of the Ohio River. The name of War-
field is so intimately and honorably identified with
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK, 301
the cattle-breeding interest, not only of Fayette and
contiguous counties but of the entire West, that
no history of Short-horns in America would be com-
plete without some reference to the services ren-
dered by those of this name.
The Warfields are descended from Eichard War-
field, who in 1663 settled in the Puritan colony of
Anne Arundel Co., near Annapolis, Md. In Octo-
ber, 1790, Elisha Warfield and his wife, Ruth Bur-
gess (descended from Gen. William Burgess, who
commanded the troops of the colony of Maryland in
the latter part of the seventeenth century), removed
to Fayette Co., Ky., from Anne Arundel Co., Md.,
bringing with them their sons, Elisha, born in 1781,
and Benjamin, born Feb. 8, 1790. They settled
about seven miles east of Lexington, near Bryan's
Station. Benjamin Warfield began to breed cattle
in 1824, but had no pure-bred Short-horns until 1831.
He practiced law until the outbreak of the war of
1812, and again until 1831; meantime purchasing
the farm of Grasmere, near Lexington. His brother.
Dr. Elisha Warfield, also engaged in stock-breeding,
but gave more attention to the Thoroughbred horse
than to cattle; breeding old Lexington and other
celebrities of the turf. The former became the own-
er of Mrs. Motte's bull Partnership (6277) and of the
Durham Cow's daughter Lady Durham, by San
Martin (2599). The latter owned the Teeswater
Cow's bull Mirandi (4428), by San Martin, and
Messrs. Smith & Warfield bought the Teeswater
302 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Cow's daughter Pink, by Mmiday's Bull 727.* At
a later date, when the Kentuckians were availing
themselves of the stock imported by Col. John ?I.
Powel of Pennsylvania, Messrs. Warfield were for-
tunate enough to secure the bull Oliver (2387),t
that proved a remarkably successful stock-getter —
undoubtedly the best of all the Powel bulls brought
West. Capt. Ben Warfield became part owner of
the Ohio Co. bulls Matchem (2283) and Goldfindor
(2066), and also had some service from imp. Prince
Charles (2461). Probably none of the earlier War-
field bulls, however, proved more successful than
the famous roan Cossack, alias Julius Csesar (3503),
dropped the property of Mr. Clay by the im-
ported cow Moss Eose, by Eclipse (1949), brought
out from England by H. Clay Jr. and Gen.
James Shelby of Fayette County in 1839. This bull
had for sire the Booth-bred Cossack (1880), and his
blood was for many years to be found in some of the
best Short-horns in leading Kentucky herds.
Renick 903.— This great Kentucky sire, bred by
♦The "Seventeens" were brought by Col. Sanders to Fayette, and
Mrs. Motte and the Teeswater Cow were retained there, the property of
Messrs. Munday and Haggin, respectively. The Durham Cow was taken
by the importer to Gallatin County. See page 165.
tNo less than twenty-two bulls and thirty-two cows of Col. John
Hare Powel's breeding or importation were taken to Kentucky — largely
between 1831 and 1836. While Oliver (2387) was undoubtedly the best
of these Powel bulls, the outstanding cow acquired by Kentucky from
the Powelton Herd was the Booth-bred Isabella, by Pilot, (see pa^e
176) She was probably the most celebrated cow of her day in the Ohio
Valley States and at the sale of her produce by her owner Mr. Sutton
of Favette Countv, Sept. 26, 1837, her son Frederick 515 sold to Buford
*^^ 4ott of Franklin Countv for $1,310; her heifer Western Daisy went
fo Joel Scott at .$7 45: heifer Wliite Rose to James Shelby of Fayette
County at $735. and bull Cyrus to E. S. Washington of Fayette County
at $810 Another daughter of Cleopatra, Sally Jackson, was sold pri-
vateb- to J. S. Berryman & Co. for $2,000 !
SOME HISTOBIC KENTUCKY STOCK 303
James Keiiick and sired by Tippecanoe 1036 out of
a daughter of imp. Josephine, was bought by Capt.
Warfield as a six-months calf. He was begotten in
Ohio, and although his sire and dam were both de-
scended from imp. Josephine"*^ by Norfolk he was
not specially promising as a calf and was by no
means satisfying as a yearling. For this reason he
was sent to Dr. Breckenridge for a year of trial. As
soon as his calves began to come, however, all doubt
as to Eenick's value disappeared and he was freely
used with extraordinary success. He was a red with ■
a long and level carcass, well-sprung ribs and supe-
rior handling qualities. He stood somewhat high
on the leg, and was not in fact what would be con-
sidered a real show bull. He was often exhibited,
but his success lay in his progeny rather than in his
own individuality. He therefore furnishes an in-
stance — along with Goldfinder (2066) and imp. Duke
of Airdrie — where a plain bull proved to be a stock-
getter of unquestioned capacity. Eenick soon ac-
quired reputation as the best sire of his time in
Kentucky. Of the show cows among his progeny
perhaps the most distinguished were the light roan
Tulip and the roan Fleda, both of these being de-
* Josephine was a fine show cow; proving a successful prize-winner
at the Ohio fairs. She produced in 1838 a roan cow calf named Non-
pareil, by Comet Halley (1855). In 1839 — bull calf Hubback, by Para-
gon of the West (4649). In 1840 — bull calf Tippecanoe, by Rover
(5015). In 1841 — cow calf Lady Harrison, red and white, by Rover
(5015). She then produced twin bull calves, neither of which lived to
be useful, after which she ceased breeding — was fatted and slaughtered.
Nonpareil and Lady Harrison, the female produce above mentioned,
were sent by Mr. Felix Renick to his son-in-law, Mr. James Renick of
Bourbon Co., Ky., to breed on shares in some way, but the latter finally
became the owner of the stock.
304 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
scended from Capt. Warfi eld's never-beaten sliow
cow Caroline. The former was sold to Capt. James
N. Brown and the latter to J. D. Smith, both of San-
gamon Co., 111., and for many years they divided the
verdicts of Western show-yard juries. Indeed, the
late Capt. Brown considered that Tulip was a vastly
better cow than Capt. Warfield's celebrated Mary
Magdalene, that had been bred by Abram Renick
from a Harriet dam from a service by Renick 903.
Mary Magdalene combined astonishing substance
with rare finish. Although she was of enormous
size, weighing in show condition 2,250 lbs., still an
ordinary hand could span her ankle with thumb
and forefinger. Lizzie Higgins, the dam of Fleda,
invariably produced a show animal to a service by
Renick, her heifers Sally Campbell and Pearl and
the bull Magyar 677 illustrating this fact. Still
another cow that "nicked" well with Renick was
Lucy, a descendant of imp. White Rose, by Publi-
cola, that gave to Renick the two great heifers Lucy
2d and Lucy 3d and bulls Francisco 2266 and Duke
of Stockdale 1483. That excellent old cow Cherry
2d, by Don John 426, also produced to Renick a pair
of extraordinary calves known as Amy and Sally
Smith. Another great Renick heifer was Adah, and
we should also mention Mr. William Warfield's
Princess and Mr. Kinnaird's Pearl.
Muscatoon 7057. — This celebrated sire of prize
cattle in the herd of Mr. William Warfield of Gras-
mere was one of the finiits of the great herd assem-
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 305
bled by Mr. Alexander at Woodburn. He was a red
bull, sired by the Bates-bred Royal Oxford (18774)
out of Mazurka 2d by Orontes 2d (11877); second
dani that famous Lincolnshire roan imp. Mazurka
by Harbinger. There is no question as to this
COW having been one of the best ever imported.
Rich in color, her capital carcass, with its far-famed
back and flank, was set off by a head of surpassing
sweetness. Muscatoon was a red with a perfect head
and the full eye of the kindly feeder. He was
strongly filled behind the shoulder and had the rib
and full lower line of Mazurka joined to the great
loin and thighs of Orontes 2d. He was bought by
Mr. Warfield as a yearling, and his career at Gras-
mere both as a show bull and a stock-getter did
much to strengthen the reputation of the Woodburn
stock. Although shown by Mr. Warfield with ex-
ceptional success from 1867 to 1871 his most lasting
fame w^as gained as a getter of extraordinary show
and breeding animals. In fact in the rings for best
lot of calves the get of one bull he was almost in-
vincible in the State of Kentucky in the later sixties.
The most remarkable feature of his services at Gras-
mere was the uniform excellence of his get. They
were all good, and some of them attained such out-
standing excellence that they were for many years
reigning show-yard champions. Among these were
the heifers Duchess of Sutherland 4th, Maggie Mus-
catoon, 1st and 2d Ladies of Grasmere and Loudon
Duchess 4th. He also sired the Rose of Sharon cow
306 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Grace and Louan of Waveland, for which Walter
Handy paid respectively $1,000 and $1,150 at a sale
of E. L. Davison's. Among the noted stock and
show bulls of his get were Loudon Duke 6th 10399;
Tycoon 7339, Lord of the Manor 12332 and 2d Duke
of Grasmere 13961. He died as the result of an acci-
dent in 1873, and it may be said that he shares with
the Duke of Airdrie bulls the reputation of having
materially advanced the name and fame of the Short-
horn breed throughout the entire Western country.
Indeed rank as a sire of show cattle has been claimed
for this Mazurka bull along with such English ce-
lebrities as Booth's Crown Prince and Towneley's
Frederick.
The Loudon Duchesses — Mr. William Warfield
has the honor of having originated one of the best
tribes of Short-horns yet evolved by the breeders of
the United States. We allude to the Loudon Duch-
esses produced by his skill and intelligence by a
judicious utilization of Woodburn blood. The Hon.
Frank Key Hunt, an able lawyer and a neighbor and
kinsman of Mr. Warfield, having expressed a desire
for a good Short-horn heifer to grace his spacious
lawn, Mr. Warfield purchased for him at a sale held
by Mr. E. A. Alexander in 1856 Miss Wiley 4th,
sired by 2d Duke of Athol (11376) out of imp. Miss
Hudson, at $470, which, we believe, was the highest
price of the day. Mr. Warfeld was to direct her
breeding and was to take each calf at six months of
age at $300. He believed that as she promised to
SOME HISTOEIC KENTUCKY STOCK 307
make a big, large-framed cow good results would
follow her mating with the finely-finished imp. Duke
of Airdrie (12730). The first calf proved to be the
red bull registered as Loudon Duke 3097, whose
name was derived from the title of Mr. Hunt's farm.
In the meantime Mr. Hunt suggested that Miss
Wiley 4th- be bred to imp. St. Lawrence (12037),
that had been imported by Mr. Thome of New York
and purchased by Elisha Warfield. Mr. William
Warfield objected to this cross on the ground of in-
compatibility of type, but Mr. Hunt insisted upon
trjdng it, releasing Mr. A¥arfield from any obligation
to take the calf if not satisfactory. The experiment
was a failure and the bull calf that resulted was
steered. The cow was then bred back to imp. Duke
of Airdrie, and in 1860 dropped the red heifer Anna
Hunt, subsequently sold by Mr. Warfield to Charles
M. Clark of Springfield, 0., from whose hands she
passed into the possession of Daniel McMillan of
Xenia, becoming the ancestress of a great family of
cows known as the Ladys of Clark. Miss Wiley 4th
had by this time grown into a cow of immense scale,
weighing 1,700 lbs. off grass. The development of
Loudon Duke and of Anna Hunt demonstrated that
the cross with the fine but rather "rangy" imp.
Duke of Airdrie was a success, and she was again
sent to be served at Woodburn. This time she
dropped the red bull calf Duke of Edinburgh 4724
(also known as Loudon Duke 2d), that was sold to
a Mr. Woodruff of Indiana. The result of the next
308 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
service to the imported Duke was tlie roan bull calf
Loudon Duke 3d 10398, sold to Mr. Wilson of Cin-
cinnati and used with success in Ohio herds. In
1863, to imp. Duke of Airdrie, she dropped the red
bull Loudon Duke 4th 5906, sold to Mr. Edwin G.
Bedford and afterward the property of Mr. D. S.
King of Ohio. During this period Mr. Wai-field had
used the first Loudon Duke with success, finally sell-
ing him to Mr. Isaac Vanmeter of Clark Co., Ky.
In 1864 Miss Wiley 4th dropped to imp. Duke of
Airdrie the red heifer calf destined to fame under
the name of Loudon Duchess. The imported Duke
having meanwhile died, it was decided to breed Mr.
Hunt's cow to Duncan's Duke of Airdrie 2743, which
Mr. Waiiield considered the imported Duke's best
son; and from a service by that bull the red heifer
Loudon Duchess 2d was dropped in 1865. In the
fall of that year Mr. Warfield had sent a small bunch
of cattle for exhibition to the local fairs, included
among the number being the yearling Loudon Duch-
ess. The stock was taken to the Bourbon show in
Mr. William Warfield 's absence in attendance at the
Illinois State Fair, which was held the same week,
and during the continuance of these shows the fol-
lowing telegram was received from Kentucky: "I
am offered $500 for your yearling heifer and $250
for your steer; shall I take it?" This referred to
Loudon Duchess and a great steer of the Rosabella
2d by Velocipede tribe. In those dull days the prices
seemed large, and as Mr. Warfield believed that Lou-
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 309
don Duchess 2d would make a better heifer than
her sister by the imported Duke he replied in the
affirmative, and thus Mr. E. G. Bedford of Bourbon
County became the owner of Loudon Duchess, the
prize yearling of that season and subsequently a
great prize-taker and dam of winners. Loudon
Duchess 2d proved to be Miss Wiley 4th 's last calf
and Mr. Warfield decided not to part with her.
These two heifers then embarked upon a show-yard
and breeding career that has probably not been sur-
passed in this country.
The Bedford heifer produced one bull and one
heifer (Loudon Duchess 3d) to services by The
Priest 6246, and one bull (Loudon Duke 7th 10400)
and three heifers (Loudon Duchesses 5th, 7th and
nth) to services by that capital Bates Duchess sire
2d Duke of Geneva 5562. It had previously been
agreed between Mr. Warfield and Mr. Bedford that
the Loudon Duchess name should be given to the
progeny of these cows. To avoid confusion Mr.
Bedford was to use the odd numbers and Mr. War-
field the even numbers. Mr. Warfield 's Loudon
Duchess 2d produced ten calves — six bulls and four
heifers — three of which were by Muscatoon 7057,
two by Eobert Napier 8975, one by 5th Duke of Ge-
neva 7932, one by 11th Duke of Geneva, one by 4th
Duke of Airdrie, one by 14th Duke of Thorndale and
one by 2d Duke of Grasmere 13961. Loudon Duch-
ess 4th, one of the Muscatoon heifers, was considered
by Mr. Warfield to be the best female produced by
.310 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
either of the celebrated sisters, and Loudon Duke
6th 10399, afterward so famous in Missouri and the
West, was counted the best bull. He was sold to
Mr. J. G. Cowan of Missouri for $3,000 in 1872, a
great price for that time.
We have already alluded to the fact that during
the great expansion of the Short-horn trade follow-
ing the Civil War a prejudice was unfortunately
created by interested parties against cattle carrying
crosses of stock descended from the Walter Dun im-
portation. Inasmuch as Duncan's Duke of Airdrie
had such a cross, those w^ho in later years sought to
discredit the Dun importation insisted that the de-
scendants of Mr. Bedford's Loudon Duchesses by
imp. Duke of Airdrie were more valuable than the
descendants of Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchess 2d.
The absurdity of this contention is clearly shown by
the fact that, judged by the stringent requirements
of the show-yard, Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchesses
were even better individuals than those bred by Mr.
Bedford. While Loudon Duchess gained twelve first
prizes, Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchess 2d won fifty-
six, some of them gained at the State fairs of Ohio
and Indiana. The female calves of Loudon Duchess
won while in the hands of Mr. Bedford five prizes,
but Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchess 4th alone won
fourteen and his Loudon Duchess 6th alone won over
forty. There was always a friendly rivaliy as to
the merits of the original cows between Mr. Bed-
ford and Mr. Warfield, but it is self-evident that
SOME HISTOEIC KENTUCKY STOCK 311
there was no foundation whatever for any assump-
tion of superior value in behalf of the Bedford line
of breeding. Mr. Warfield was the first to secure
extraordinary prices, selling Loudon Duchess 8th to
Mr. J. F. Cowan of Virginia for $2,500 and Loudon
Duchess 6th to W. H. Richardson of Kentucky for
$2,005, the highest-priced female at the auction sales
of that year. Mr. Bedford, how^ever, surpassed even
these exceptional values at his closing sale of 1874,
where seven Loudon Duchesses averaged $3,521
and two bulls $2,033; one cow (Loudon Duchess 9th)
going to Mr. B. F. Bedford at $6,000 and one bull
(Loudon Duke 19th) to W. E. Duncan of Illinois for
$3,500. A very superior bull produced by Loudon
Duchess 2d was Mr. E. L. Davison's red Loudon
Duke 3d 8542, sired by Muscatoon. This bull should
not be confused with Loudon Duke 3d 10398 from
Miss Wiley 4th. The latter had been sold into Ohio
by Mr. Warfield and passed from notice before the
Muscatoon bull w^as assigned a name. There were
thus two Loudon Duke 3ds, uncle and nephew. Lou-
don Duke 3d 8542 was shown extensively from 1868
to 1870 at all of the leading Kentucky fairs, and won
many first and championship prizes.
Mr. William Warfield steadfastly resisted the dic-
tates of fashion and clung tenaciously to the right
of selecting sires of approved form and quality be-
longing to established tribes without reference to
the whims and fancies of the speculative element.
While on this account he did not profit largely by
312 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
the great speculative advance that resulted in such
enormous prices being paid in subsequent years for
certain ^'line-bred" families, he stood manfully by
the best traditions of the breed, and has up to the
end of the present century consistently advocated
the breeding of Short-horns for individual excel-
lence from the best sources regardless of particular
blood-lines.*
Adoption of Bates type and methods. — Imp. Duke
of Airdrie was extensively used by Mr. Alexander
at Woodburn and sired a large number of good cat-
tle of both sexes in that superb herd. We have
already mentioned the prize bull Bell Duke of Air-
drie 2522 used by Mr. Bedford. Another noted son
was Clifton Duke (23580), that was used by Mr.
Alexander upon the Airdrie Duchesses and was also
hired by George M. Bedford. He was out of the im-
ported Filbert Bell-Bates cow Lady Derby. Another
good bull by the old Duke, bred at Woodburn, was
Princeton 4285 (from imp. Princess 4th by Revo-
lution), that was sold to Dr. Breckenridge and left
much valuable stock. The Duke of Airdrie heifers
at Woodburn, as elsewhere, proved very valuable as
breeders. From one of these, Minna 2d — a daughter
of imp. Minna by Bridegroom — Mr. Alexander bred
the celebrated show bull Minister 6363, whose career
♦William Warfleld was a son of Capt. Ben Warfield and became one
of the aclinowledged authorities on all subjects pertaining to American
.Short-horn history. A frequent contributor to the Breeder's Gazette and
other agricultural journals and the author of "A History of Imported
Short-Horns" and of "Cattle-Breeding" — published by the Sanders Pub.
Co., Chicago — he has perhaps done more than any other one man in
America to preserve the records of early importations and build up a
Short-horn literature in the United States.
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK 313
in the liaucls of William R. Duncan in Illinois will
presently be mentioned.
Another noted show bull that served to prove to
the minds of Kentucky breeders the efficacy of Duch-
ess blood for crossing purposes at this period was
Burnside 4618, a red bred by H. Clay Jr. of Bourbon
County, dropped in 1861 by the Duke of Athol
(10150) cow imp. Bracelet to a service by Duke
John 2741, he a roan bull by imp. Duke of Airdrie
(12730) out of the Gwynne cow Lady Sherwood by
5th Duke of York. Burnside was shown with much
success and died in November, 1873.
While Woodburn made no apparent effort to con-
centrate the Duke of Airdrie 's blood, Abram Renick
and George M. Bedford did not hesitate to double it
up at every opportunity. Messrs. Vanmeter were
also inclined to the belief that the "more of the old
Duke's blood the better." The pronounced success
of such bulls as Duncan's Duke 2743, Airdrie 2478,
Sweepstakes 6230, Joe Johnson 10294, Airdrie Duke
5306, Dick Taylor 5508 and of the Loudon Duch-
esses, etc., established thoroughly the popularity of
Bates sires in Kentucky; and Mr. Renick 's skillful
concentration of Airdrie and Rose of Sharon blood
rooted the idea firmly in the minds of most of the
Kentucky breeders that by a system of in-and-in
or line breeding based on the use of Bates bulls the
best Short-horns were likely to be produced. Pro-
nounced style, good scale, level lines and great finish
were cardinal points with those who were most
314 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
active in shaping the course of Short-horn breeding
in the West at this time. These characteristics were
secured and thoroughly established largely through
the use of the sons, grandsons, daughters and grand-
daughters of imp. Duke of Airdrie. Such was the
general situation, therefore, at the time when Illi-
nois and other Western States began stocking up
largely with Short-horns; the foundation animals
for nearly all of the leading Western herds being
secured from Kentucky sources.
An unbiased and thoroughly capable judge who
visited the herds of Kentucky at intervals during
this period — the late Simon Beattie of Canada and
Annan, Scotland — called the attention of the breed-
ers of that State to the fact that while they were
securing a marked uniformity, fine heads, a beau-
tiful finish and gay carriage by this system of close
breeding, they were at the same time sacrificing
heavy flesh, substance and hair, and "working their
cattle toward a leggy type, thin about their rumps,
thighs and hind quarters. ' ' In rebuttal of this criti-
cism Mr. Alexander's Mazurkas were cited as a
family that had escaped these defects, but the fact
was promptly pointed out by Mr. Beattie that imp.
Mazurka was by Mr. Booth's Harbinger and her dam
by Mr. Lax's Baron of Eavensworth — both bulls
that imparted short legs and thick flesh to nearly all
their offspring. Mr. John Thornton, the able Eng-
lish live-stock auctioneer, who visited the States in
1869, apparently approved of this observation of
SOME HISTORIC KEXTUCKY STOCK 315
Mr. Beattie's in a measure, for lie was quoted as
saying that he regarded the Mazurkas as the most
promising foundation for a fine family of cattle of
anv one sort he had seen in America.
CHAPTER XII
PROGBESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST
From 1857 down to the close of the Civil War in
1865 importations of Short-horns had practically
ceased ; and during a great portion of that time val-
ues ruled so low that there was little encouragement
for those engaged in the trade. The financial crash
of 1857, with the War of the Rebellion in its train,
put a damper upon enterprise in this direction.
Kentucky, the active center of Short-horn breeding
in America at this time, was a border State between
the North and South and was a theater of military
operations. A few of the leading breeders, Mr. R.
A. Alexander among the number, sent their Short-
horns north of the Ohio River for safety, the Wood-
burn cattle being placed temporarily in the charge
of Mr. J. M. Woodruff of Nineveh, Ind. Others
drove their pets into their most secluded pastures,
hiding them as best they might when the exigencies
of the occasion called for special care, and bided
their time. With the advent of peace the business
entered upon an extraordinary period of expansion
toward the West, to which section we must now di-
rect our attention.
First Illinois herds. — Virginia carried the Short-
horn colors into Ohio and Kentucky, and emigrants
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 317
from those States in turn bore tlie banner of the
"red, white and roans" into Indiana, Illinois and
Missouri, from which vantage grounds the breed
ultimately spread throughout the entire West.
The earliest introduction of Short-horn blood into
Illinois was made by Capt. James N. Brown of Grove
Park, Sangamon County, who had previously bred
and shown cattle successfully in Kentucky. The
herd at Grove Park was founded in 1834. The stock
was brought from Kentucky, probably the most
noted of the earlier members of the herd being the
cow Lady McAllister, for which $900 was paid in
1837. In 1852 he bought in Kentucky the cows
Beauty and Miss Warfield and the bull Vandal 1065.
These were followed two years later by such animals
as Margaretta, Bentona, Stella, Sally Campbell, Lulu
and Tuscaloosa. In 1856 Capt. Brown bought in
Kentucky Queen Victoria, Maude and Orphan 2d.
These cattle and others purchased subsequently by
Capt. Brown, in common with most of the other
stock of that period, carried more or less of the
blood of the importation of 1817. In the meantime
(in 1854) he had purchased in Ohio the imported
bull Young Whittington and the imported cow Pico-
tee and bull calf Buckeye. In 1857 Capt. Brown
organized and directed the notable importation from
England listed on page 266, securing for his own
herd the $3,025 cow Rachel 3d, the $1,325 roan heifer
Western Lady and an interest in the bull King
Alfred (14760). The Grove Park Herd was shown
318 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
with more or less regularity at the Morgan and San-
gamon County Fairs until the establishment of the
Illinois State Fair in 1853 and the St. Louis Fair in
1856.
Capt. Brown's brother, Judge William Brown of
Jacksonville, was a partner in some of these earlier
operations, and Col. G. M. Chambers of Jacksonville
was also associated with him in the purchase of
stock brought from Ohio. His neighbor and kins-
man, Hon. J. D. Smith, also began breeding Short-
horns during this period, and at a somewhat later
date Judge Stephen Dunlap of Morgan County
founded a herd. Prior to 1840 Messrs. E. B. Hitt
& Bro. introduced Short-horns into Scott County,
and in that same year Messrs. Samuels and Forsythe
brought in what was afterward the foundation herd
of the Messrs. Dunlap. In 1853 Messrs. Calef and
Jacoby shipped some good Short-horns into Illinois
from Kentucky, the latter making a fine exhibit at
the first Illinois State Fair. In this connection it
may be stated that prior to 1856 Messrs. Calef and
Jacoby had acquired and fed 100 head of high-grade
Short-horn steers that were marketed at an average
weight of 1,965 lbs. — a fact which did much to at-
tract the attention of Illinois farmers to the value
of the blood. About this same time Mr. B. F. Harris
of Champaign County collected a lot of 100 grade
steers that were fed to the enormous average weight
of 2,377 lbs. While such weights are not wanted at
the present time, this feeding experiment served as
PROGRESS IN' THE CENTRAL WEST 319
a great advertisement for Short-horn blood. About
1854 Mr. John Huston, father of the late Rigdon
Huston, introduced Short-horns into McDonough
County, and the Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago
also entered the list of breeders. The Wentworth
Herd was one of the oldest in the Northwest. Its
owner was a man of gigantic stature — familiarly
known as "Long John" — who was prominent in the
politics of the State of Illinois and amassed a large
fortune in Chicago. He drew most of his foundation
stock from the East, but bought also from his early
Illinois contemporaries. His farai was located at
Summit, Cook County. Mr. Wentworth maintained
the herd continuously until his death, which oc-
curred some fifteen years since, and a peculiar fea-
ture of his management was the fact that he was
in the habit of putting a uniform price of $100 per
head upon his crop of bulls irrespective of breeding
or quality. With his customers it was "first come
first served."
While we cannot undertake in the space at our
command to particularize concerning all of the many
herds established in Illinois in ante-bellum days, we
may mention the following owners of registered
stock, some of whom continued in the business for
many years and achieved great reputation : Stephen
Dunlap, J. G. Strawn, Elliot Stevenson, John P.
Henderson and E. Pollock of Morgan County; E. H.
Whiting, George Newman, Luther Martin and God-
frey & Sumner of Knox County; Truman Hum-
320 A, HISTOEY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
phreys, Peoria County; J. C. Bone, William B.
Smith & Bros, and H. H. Jacoby, Sangamon County ;
J. M. Hill, Cass County; J. H. Spears, J. W. Judy
and James Purkapile of Menard County; E. L. Gil-
ham of Scott County; George Bamett, Robert Milne
and S. W. Randall of Will County; Davis Lowman
of Stark County; A. G. Carle of Champaign County;
S. S. Brown of Jo Daviess County; William Black
of Greene County; A. Kershaw of Dupage County;
The Bishop Hill Colony of Henrj^ County; J. P.
Reynolds and Ed Bebb of Winnebago County;
Thomas Wray and D. B. Tears of McHenry County;
Ralph Anderson, James Makepeace and S. Simpkins
of Pike County; E. C. Marks of La Salle County;
George M. Bedinger of McLean County; A. W.
Bowen of Will County; D. J. Townsend, Kendall
County; P. Hudson, Edwards County; Green &
Davis and W. Marks, La Salle County ; Charles Mer-
riam and S. W. Ball of Madison County; A. Pyle, St.
Clair County; George Severs and W. W. Parrish,
Kankakee County; Caleff & Jacoby, Piatt County;
H. C. Johns, Macon County; Parks & Trundell, Mer-
cer County; H. N. Cross, Jersey County; M. W.
Riggs, Scott County; David Graft, Woodford Coun-
ty; and Messrs, Green, Paul & Wurts of McLean
County.
Early Indiana breeders. — Short-horns were intro-
duced into Lidiana soon after the importations of
the Ohio Co. in 1836, at several different points. The
late Dr. A. C. Stevenson of Greencastle was the
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 321
''Nestor" of Sliort-lioni breeding in the "Hoosier"
State. We have already referred (on page 263)
to his importation from England, consisting of four
heifers and two bulls, made in 1853. He had been
interested in Short-horn cattle for some years prior
to' that date, having used the Ruby bull Monarch
717, that was bred in Kentucky in 1845. By both
example and precept Dr. Stevenson never lost an
opportunity to impress upon the farmers of his State
the advantages of good blood, and he maintained his
interest in the trade until his death, at a very ad-
vanced age, a few years since.
The late Gen. Meredith, who bought his Oakland
farm adjoining Cambridge City, in Wayne County,
in 1851, was one of the most prominent of the early
Indiana breeders, and afterward acquired interna-
tional reputation for his herd. He was a native of
North Carolina, but removed to Indiana about 1830.
He was a man of notable physique, standing six feet
seven inches in height, and for a number of years
was one of the most conspicuous figures in the fra-
ternity of American Short-honi cattle-breeders. His
entire life was marked by that same determination
and perseverance that impelled him when little more
than a lad to make the toilsome journey from North
Carolina over the mountains into the West on foot
and after arriving to work for $6 per month cutting
wood. He bought his first Short-horn bull in 1836,
and from that time until his death, which occurred
Oct. 21, 1875, he never lost his interest in the breed.
322 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
He was closely associated with the leading breeders
of his time, included among his earlier Short-hom-
loving friends being such men as Samuel Tliorne,
Lewis G. Morris, Lewis F. Allen and Eobert A. Alex-
ander. The foundation cows for the Meredith herd
were bought mainly in Kentucky. The first notable
purchase of a bull was the Bates Wild Eyes imp.
Balco (9918), the highest-priced bull of his family
at the Kirklevington dispersion sale, mentioned on
page 229. It was something of an undertaking
to transport him from New York to Indiana in
those days. A letter written by his former own-
er, Col. Morris accompanied Balco on the trip,
addressed to *' Railroad and steamboat agents en
route to Cambridge City," bespeaking special
attention to the wants of "this very valuable
bull."
Gen. Meredith was an exhibitor at the first United
States Cattle Show, held at Springfield, 0., in 1857,
where a prize of $500 was offered for the best Short-
horn herd. There were five herds in competition —
two from Ohio, two from Kentucky and Gen. Mere-
dith's from Indiana. There were five judges, two
of which voted for the Indiana herd, two for the
Ohio herd and one for the Kentucky herd. After
two days' fruitless balloting the committee unani-
mously made the rather remarkable recommenda-
tion that no premium be bestowed, but that, instead,
the money remain in the society's treasury! And it
was so ordered- Gen. Meredith was considered a
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 323
fine judge not only of cattle but of Southdown slieep,
improved swine and high-class horses, and unques-
tionably rendered the farmers of the State of his
adoption signal service along the line of live-stock
breeding. He was a gallant soldier during the War
of the Eebellion, commanding the famous "Iron
Brigade" at the battle of Gettysburg. We shall
have occasion a little further on to make references
to some of the more valuable animals included in
the Oakland Herd in its prime.
Thos. Wilhoit of Henry County was another of
the Indiana pioneers whose herd achieved celebrity.
He began with Short-horns in 1851, when he bought
of Milton Thornburg of Wayne County two heifers
and a bull. They were good cattle for that day,
although unrecorded. It is related that Mr. Wilhoit
paid $35 per head for these unregistered animals,
and his neighbors and friends considered this pure
extravagance and laughed at what they termed his
folly. His experience with them was nevertheless
so satisfactory that in later years he made several
journeys to Kentucky, selecting animals approach-
ing as nearly as possible his ideal as represented in
the beef type. He bought four heifers from H. H.
Hankins of Ohio and also purchased females from
W. H, Richardson and the administrator of T. G.
Sudduth of Kentucky, paying as high as $500 for
single animals. Subsequently the Wilhoit herd de-
veloped into one of the best in the Western States,
largely through the use of the Booth-bred Forest
324 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Richard and Seotcli bulls, reference to which will be
made further on.
Other enterprising men who helped to introduce
the breed into Indiana were J. M. Woodruff of John-
son County, in whose hands Mr. R. A. Alexander
placed the Woodburn Herd for safe-keeping during
the Civil War; A. Root, Lake County; Chas. Lowder,
Hendricks County; W. W. Thrasher, Fayette Coun-
ty: J. D. Wilson, Greensburg; Alfred and Washing-
ton Had ley, Parke County; Smith Wooters, Union
County, Jacob Taylor, Henn*^ County; Joseph Allen,
R. N. Allen and Messrs. Farrow of Putnam County;
James Wright, Franklin County; Messrs. Lott and
T. S. Mitchell, Jefferson County; Thos. E. Talbot,
Jefferson County; John Owen, Monroe County; Levi
Druley, George Davidson and L. F. Van Schoick of
Wayne County; Eli Harvey, Addison Hadley and
Sidney Hadley of Morgan County; W. I. Walker of
La Porte County; J. W. L. Matlock, Abram Hoadley,
V. Lingenfelter and Alfred Coffin of Hendricks
County; Messrs. Scholfield, Johnson County; Joseph
H. Hendricks and John R. Cravens, Jefferson Coun-
ty; Rockhill & Nelson and L. S. Bayless, Allen
County; Nicholas Druley, Union County, and E.
Pierce, Whitley County.
Pioneer breeders of Michigan. — In 1843 Mr. A. S.
Brooks of Oakland County, who had removed to
Michigan from New York several years previous,
ordered sent from York State three heifer calves and
a bull calf, all to be pure-bred Short-horns. With
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST * 325
the cows came a lot of Merino lambs. After a peril-
ous journey on the lake from Buffalo they were,
through the carelessness of an attendant, turned
loose in the streets of Detroit and were not located
until three days afterward. They were then driven
from Detroit to Mr. Brook's farm. Some idea of
the discouragement which attended early ventures
of this sort in the West may be gleaned from the
fact that one of his neighbors remarked after the
arrival of this stock: "The calves are a very good
lot, but the bull has evidently been fed on shortcake
and honey. But I do not see what you wanted to
bring those little lambs so far for. It would take a
dozen of them to make a pot-pie. ' ' The critic was <i
man by the name of Chapman, and his was not the
first instance on record where one who "came to
scoff remained to pray." Mr. Chapman was the
first to buy a Short-horn heifer calf from Mr.
Brooks, for which he paid the magnificent sum of
$10! It must be remembered that this was an era
of very low prices and scarce money in the West,
and the fact that Mr. Brooks sold a calf for such a
price fairly established his reputation as a cattle-
breeder, for the simple reason that one could buy a
cow at that period for the price named.*
The first Michigan State Fair was held at Detroit
in 1849, and Short-horns were exhibited by Messrs.
Brooks and Ira Phillips. The following year the
show was held at Ann Arbor, and it is recorded that
* Paper by N. A. Clapp before the Michigan State Short-horn Breed-
ers' Association, 1881.
326 ' A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
there were thirty-four head of Short-horns on exhi-
bition distributed among nineteen breeders. Some
of these were, however, unable to present satisfac-
tory evidences of pure breeding and were classed as
grades. In 1851 the Short-horn exhibit had in-
creased to thirty-seven head. In 1853 Mr. Brooks
sold at auction his herd of non-pedigreed stock, and
then brought from New York the bull Yonondeo
1116, sired by Old Splendor 767 of the Weddle stock.
He also bought the yearling heifer Fatima, for
which he paid $250, and in 1858 the imported
Gwynne cow Camilla. These purchases were fol-
lowed by the bull John o' Gaunt 17071/0, a white,
sired by imp. John o' Gaunt (11621) out of imp.
Eomelia, brought out from England by Morris &
Becar in 1854. Soon after this it is stated that Mr.
Brooks sold a pair of two-year-old Short-horn steers
for the very gratifying price of $228.50. This was
in 1860. Soon afterward he bred a very famous
white heifer that attracted the attention of enter-
prising farmers throughout the entire State. She
was fattened and bought by Mr. Wm. Smith of De-
troit, with the expectation of exporting her to Eng-
land for exhibition at the Smithfield Show. This
project was not carried out, however, and she was
slaughtered in Detroit. Imp. Camilla gave Mr.
Brooks the bull Sunrise 4411. He was white in
color, symmetrical in form, and of extraordinary
handling quality. He remained at the head of
the herd until five years old, and his descendants
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 327
were for many years much sought after by Michi-
gan breeders.
In 1847 George W. Phillips of Eomeo began breed-
ing from cows descended from the importations of
Messrs. Weddle and Xewbold of New York, his first
bull being Young Splendor 3611. In 1818 Edward
Belknap of Jackson County founded a herd with
the bull American Comet, a son of the Bell-Bates
cow imjD. Hilpa, at the head. Mr. Belknap's founda-
tion cow was Estelle 2d, descended from Whitaker
stock. Messrs. Moore of Kalamazoo County owned
a few Short-horns in the early fifties. In 1857 Mr.
D. M. Uhl of Ypsilanti appears as an exhibitor and
breeder. About the same time Silas Sly of Wayne
County engaged in the trade and was a successful
showman at the Michigan State Fairs. In 1855 Mr.
J. B. Crippen of Coldwater entered the lists and
pushed the breed with vigor. He was quite an ex-
tensive breeder and did much to encourage the use
of Short-horn bulls throughout the State. In the
spring of 1857 William Curtis &: Sons of Hillsdale
County laid the foundation of a herd which after-
ward became very prominent in the State. In 1861
they bought the entire Crippen herd, and in 1864
secured the bull Llewellyn 6596 from J. 0. Sheldon
of New York. They afterward visited Kentucky
and purchased females of the Illustrious, Harriet,
Young Mary, Young Phyllis and White Eose tribes,
as well as the bull J. E. B. Stuart, that was shown
with great success. Other Michigan breeders re-
328 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
cording in Vol. V of the Herd Book, issued in 1861,
were B. J. Bidwell of Tecumseli — who seems to have
started his herd with cattle purchased mainly in
Ohio and Kentucky; his foundation stock consisting
largely of "Seventeens," Daisys (by Wild), Ame-
lias, etc. — and M. Shoemaker of Jackson, whose
Belleflowers (of the Pansy tribe) obtained a good
local reputation. The latter also had the Estervilles
of the E. P. Prentice (N. Y.) stock.
Amos F. Wood of Mason became interested in
Short-horn breeding as early as 1852 in the State
of New York before his removal to Michigan. In
1867 he brought to the latter State representatives
of several well-known Eastern families, such as
Pansy, by Blaine, and Bright Eyes, by Favorite.
He bred these two families until 1872, when he add-
ed another Pansy and a Bloom heifer. He contin-
ued breeding from this stock until June, 1874, when
they were sold at auction at an average of $271.50.
Mr. Wood was a Short-horn enthusiast and after-
ward established another herd.
First Short-horns west of the Mississippi. — The
first pedigreed Short-horn cattle taken west of the
Mississippi Eiver of which we have any record were
those with which the late N. Leonard founded his
Ravenswood Herd in Cooper Co., Mo. This was in
1839, at which date Mr. Leonard bought from George
Renick of Ohio the bull Comet Star 9676. It is of
interest to note that this, probably the first pedi-
greed Short-horn bull ever seen in the trans-Missis-
PEOGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST 329
sippi region, was a white. He was a yearling, sired
by imp. Comet Halley (1855) out of imp. Evening
Star. Along with him came the heifer Queen, by
imp. Acmon (1606) out of Lady Paley by Rantipole
855; second dam imp. Flora by son of Young Albion
(15). For these the sums of $600 and $500 respec-
tively were paid. They were shipped via steamer
on the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers, being
landed at Booneville at large expense for transpor-
tation. From these Mr. Leonard bred a number of
fine cattle, and they, with their produce, were ex-
hibited at the earliest Missouri fairs. Thus was the
breed introduced into the farther West; the Ravens-
wood Short-horns commanding the admiration of
the pioneer farmers of that period. In 1853 Mr.
Leonard bought the bull Malcolm 10436, a red-roan
descended from imp. Teeswater, by Belvedere. He
proved a good sire. The first "State fair" held in
Missouri occurred at Booneville in 1852, Mr. Leon-
ard being an exhibitor and receiving many prizes.
He continued to exhibit stock at various fairs, al-
ways with success, until the breaking out of the
Civil War.
The early volumes of the herd book indicate that
pure-bred Short-horns were owned in Missouri prior
to and during the early days of the war by the fol-
lowing: Thomas S. Hutchinson, who was associated
with Mr. Leonard; Elisha N. Warfield, Horace H.
Brand and David Castleman of Cooper County; H.
Larimore, Callaway County; James B. Hughes, Pet-
330 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
tis County; Messrs. Brown, Saline County; James
Donegliy, Jackson County; Messrs. Hubbell, Kay
County; Lewis Bryan, Elmira; J. A. Talley, St.
Charles County; B. S. Wilson, Booneville; W. D.
McDonald, Gallatin; D. K. Pitman, St. Charles
County, and Messrs. McHatton and Phillips of St.
Louis County. At a little later period Messrs. H. V.
P. Block of Pike County, Richard and William Gen-
try of Sedalia; C. E. Leonard, Jeff Bridgford, John
G. Cowan, the Duncans, J. H. Kissinger and many
others became prominent in the trade.
Foundation stock in Iowa. — In the report of the
ninth Iowa State Fair, which was held in 1862, it is
stated that Judge T. S. Wilson of Dubuque was a
breeder of Short-horns twenty years prior to that
date, which would indicate that specimens of the
breed were taken to Iowa as early as 1842. He ex-
hibited at the fair mentioned a white bull called
Rocket. At the first Iowa State Fair, which was
held at Fairfield in 1854, Mr. H. G. Stuart of Lee
County and Timothy Day of Van Buren County ex-
hibited Short-horns, or "Durhams," as they were
then commonly called in the West. In 1858 J. H.
Wallace, at that time Secretary of the Iowa State
Agricultural Society, published what he termed the
Iowa Herd Book and continued it for a few years.
An examination of these volumes shows no record
of cattle calved prior to 1849, and most of them were
bred in the early fifties. Col. E. W. Lucas of Iowa
City bought a Short-horn bull as early as 1845, and
PROGRESS IX THE CEXTRAL WEST 331
there is a record of a pure-bred bull having been
taken into Muscatine County by Charles A. Warfield
in 1841. These are the first references we have to
the introduction of the breed into the "Hawkeye"
State.*
So far as herd-book records reveal the facts, the
first pure-bred Short-horn produced in the State of
Iowa was the bull Marion 1833, registered as bred
by and the property of Samuel Hollingsworth, Pilot
Grove, Lee County, calved April 4, 1851, sired by
Fremont 516 and tracing on dam's side to Lady
Washington by Diomed, said to have been imported
in 1837, but as to the facts connected with her im-
portation all Short-horn records are silent. Mr.
Hollingsworth seems to have owned several females
belonging to this same Lady "Washington family,
which will be found recorded in the early volumes
of the herd book. We should place the beginning of
his work a few years prior to 1850.
Mr. Timothy Day of Van Buren County was one
of the first to begin in a systematic way the breeding
of registered Short-horn cattle in Iowa. He com-
menced about 1854, his foundation stock being ob-
tained mainly from Kentucky, and consisted of ani-
mals descending from the importation of 1817. The
earliest sires used in his herd seem to have been
Fillmore 2855, a light roan, bred by E. G. Bedford
and sired by the Louan show bull Perfection 810,
and Star of the West 3469, a Mrs. Motte bull of
*We are indebted for these facts to Mr. H. W. Lathrop of Iowa City.
332 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEX CATTLE
Brutus J. Clay's breeding. He also seems to have
used the bull Nicholas Jr. 752, a white, bred by Jere
Duncan and sired by D'Otley 432, tracing to imp.
Fashion. At least he recorded females in Vol. IV
of the American Herd Book, entering them as bred
by himself and sired by that bull. It is possible
that he simply bought the dams in Kentucky in calf
to this bull and recorded the progeny as his own
breeding on account of their having been dropped
in his possession. During the great extension of
Short-horn breeding in the West, following the War
of the Rebellion, the Day herd became one of the
most prominent in the Western States through the
enterprise of Messrs. A. H. & I. B. Day, who pur-
chased and bred some of the best cattle ever owned
in the State of Iowa, and exhibited them with suc-
cess in competition with the leading herds of the
time.
Contemporary with the elder Day, Mr. H. G.
Stuart of Lee County founded a herd and bred
Short-horns in considerable numbers, descended
mainly from cows of Kentucky breeding, a majority
of them belonging to the "Seventeen" and Rose, by
Skipton, families. One of his earliest bulls appears
to have been the light roan Tom Claggett 2299, bred
in Bourbon Co., Ky., by Peter Hedges. About this
same date — 1854 — an organization known as the
Ohio Stock-Breeding Co. operated quite largely in
Ohio-bred Short-horns in Butler County, making
their purchases mainly from the herds of Messrs.
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST 'Soo
Dun, HaiTold, Jacob Pierce and their contempo-
raries. They seem to have pushed their business
with vigor; at any rate they were enterprising
enough to have prepared and inserted in Vol. Ill of
the herd book, published in 1857, an illustration of
their big red-and-white Caroline, by Dashwood, cow
Quince, of James Dun's breeding. In this same vol-
ume of the herd book Peter Melendy of Butler Coun-
ty first appears as the owner of the Ohio-bred light-
roan "Seventeen" cow Artemesia 3d, whose bull
calf of December, 1857 — Champion 2615 — was sold
to William Briden of Bremer County. Mr. Melendy
seems to have first used the bull Young Colonel
3584, bred by John G. Dun of Ohio. He sold an
Artemesia heifer, calved in 1858, to George Clark of
Cedar Falls. Among the other owners of Short-
horns in Iowa in the "fifties" were John Patterson
of Burlington; B. N. Moore of Van Buren County;
George Griffen of Monroe County; J. H. Majors of
Mahaska County; John E. Teter of Jasper County,
who owned a roan Ohio-bred Rose of Sharon cow
that was calved in 1856; and W. Duane Wilson of
Fairfield, who appears in Vol. Ill as the owner of
an Ohio-bred Rosabella.
About 1860 a religious order holding 3,000 acres
of good land in Dubuque County under the title of
the Corporation of New Melleray* established a herd
of Short-horns. They bred largely from stock trac-
*The Brothers making up this Catholic organization came originally
from Ireland in 1831 ; establishing upon the fertile body of land secured
in Dubuque County what is known as New Melleray Abbey.
334 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOBN CATTLE
ing to the importation of 1817; one of their earliest
bulls having been Emperor 3910, bred by Capt.
James N. Brown of Illinois and sired by imp. King
Alfred. One of their foundation cows was the roan
Beauty Spot — a daughter of Mr. Warfield's Renick
903 — bred in Kentucky in 1854. They also pur-
chased a cow from Hon. J. D. Smith of Illinois, and
another bred in 1854 from John P. Henderson of
Morgan Co., 111. It was from this corporation that
"Uncle John" G. Myers of Washington County
bought his first Short-horns in the early "sixties";
hauling them across country in wagons.
Such were the beginnings of the Short-horn trade
in the great cattle-growing State, w^hicli perhaps
now numbers within its borders more herds than any
other State in the Union.
Early Wisconsin herds. — We have referred on
page 263 to an importation made into Wisconsin
direct from England by John P. Roe of Waukesha
County in 1854. Mr. Roe bred from imp. Raspberry
and other females for some years, his herd being a
source of supply for the farmers of that part of the
State. So far as we can ascertain, however, a start
in Short-horn breeding had been made shortly be-
fore this importation; the earliest owners of regis-
tered stock in the State being Messrs. C. H. Williams
of Baraboo and Lambert H. Kissam of Berlin, Mar-
quette County. Mr. Kissam 's operations do not ap-
pear to have been very extensive, but the Williams
herd was maintained for many years and became
PEOGKESS IX THE CENTEAL WEST 335
prominent. G. W. Bicknell of Kock County appears
in the herd book as an owner of registered Short-
horns prior to 1860, as does also the late Richard
Eichards of Kacine. Mr. Richards was a devoted
admirer of improved farm stock, and secured his
first Short-horns from Northern Illinois herds and
by purchase in Ohio. One of his first investments
was the Rose of Sharon cow Camilla and her heifer
calf, bought of Edward Bebb of Winnebago Co., 111.
These were of Harness Renick's (Ohio) sort. In
the fourth volume of the herd book entries were
made by Messrs. E. E. Elkins of Kenosha, A. G.
Knight of Racine and C. F. Hammond of Fond du
Lac County, all of whom owned Short-horns prior
to 1859. During the Avar little was done in the way
of extending the trade in this State, but Wisconsin
took a prominent part in the great revival of inter-
est in the breed that occurred immediately after the
conclusion of peace.
Activity in the show-yard. — While it thus appears
that the foundations of Short-horn breeding had
been laid throughout the central corn belt of the
Middle West prior to the Civil War, it was not until
about 1865 that the business received impetus suffi-
cient to enlist general attention. Quick to realize
the advantage of public exhibitions as a means of
bringing the breed to the notice of the farming com-
munity, enterprising men began, about the date men-
tioned, to seek for the best obtainable specimens
for show-yard purposes. Conspicuous among those
336 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
who came to the front in this line of work were the
breeders of the State of Illinois. They had already
taken the lead so far as the new West was concerned
when they made the importation of 1857, and they
now began a campaign in behalf of Short-horns at
the fairs that proved productive of far-reaching re-
sults, bringing to the support of the trade scores of
new recruits whose liberal investments and enter-
prise spread the reputation of the Short-horn
throughout the largest area of rich corn and blue-
grass land in the world. Some of the more im-
portant of these show-yard operations leading up to
the great "boom" of the "seventies" will now be
noticed.
William R. Duncan and Minister 6363.— Mr. Wil-
liam R. Duncan, a Kentuckian who removed to Mc-
Lean Co., 111., about 1864, had bred cattle for many
years in his native State, having had in service at
one time in his Clark County herd Mr. Alexander's
imp. Orontes 2d (11877), which he had hired in the
fall of 1855 for one year at $655. He brought with
him to Illinois a good lot of stock, including quite a
number of Vanmeter Young Marys, Phyllises, etc.,
and also the roan Woodburn-bred bull Oxford Wiley
8753, sired by imp. Royal Oxford (18774) out of a
Miss Wiley dam. This bull subsequently became
the property of J. B. Ryburn of Bloomington. Mr.
Duncan is chiefly distinguished, however, in con-
nection with Western Short-horn history by reason
of his exhibition of the show bull Minister 6363, bred
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 337
by R. A. Alexander, calved in 1863 and brought to
Illinois by Mr. Duncan as a two-year-old in 1865. He
was a strong-backed red, of great scale and fine
style; indeed quite a typical specimen of the class
of bulls then so popular in Ohio and Kentucky. He
was sired by the Filbert Bell-Bates bull Lord Derby
4919* out of Minna 2d by imp. Duke of Airdrie
(1273.0); second dam the red cow Minna by Bride-
groom, which Mr. Alexander had imported from the
herd of Mr. Fawkes of Farneley Hall.
Minister was not only one of the star show bulls
of his day in Illinois but sired show stock, one of
his best sons being the prize bull Eoyal Rose 12852,
that was out of a Vanmeter Red Rose-Young Mary
dam and sold at auction in 1874 for $1,000. Minister
was also the sire of the roan Miss Leslie, a Young
Mary that sold at Col. King's Dexter Park sale in
1874 along with her daughter by Gen. Napier for
$4,020 to the late C. A. DeGraif of Minnesota. He
was also the sire of the Young Phyllis show" cows
Pattie Moore, Pattie Moore 2d and Queen of the
Meadows.
J. M. Hill's sale. — Among the earlier Illinois
breeders who took an interest in the show-ring was
Mr. J. M. Hill of Harristown. Like most of the
other Western breeders of that day he had relied
largely upon Kentucky for his breeding stock, and
he not only bought some good cattle from the blue-
*Lorrl Derbv Was sired bv Albion 2482, a white bull by imp. Grand
Turk (12969) — a Bates-crossed Booth. Albion's dam was imp. Frances
Fairfax, bred bv Mr. Ambler and a half-sister to Mr. Cruickshank's
noted stock bull Lord Ragland, by Crusade (7938).
338 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
grass country but had secured the services as herds-
man of David Grant, who had been for a time in the
employ of Geo. M. Bedford. Grant was a Scotch-
man, who had gone from Canada to Kentucky to
feed show stock, and later on had charge of some of
the most celebrated prize-winners ever shown in the
West. Mr. Hill died suddenly at Quincy, 111., while
the Illinois State Fair of 1867 was in progress, and
Nov. 20 of that year his herd was closed out at auc-
tion under the management of J. H. Pickrell as ad-
ministrator.* Everything offered sold quickly at
good prices. It was here that the 15th Duke of Air-
drie was bought by Hon. John Wentworth of Chi-
cago for $1,260, and "thereby hangs a tale." Hon.
M. H. Cochrane of Hillhurst, Can., wanted this bull
and sent Simon Beattie to the sale to buy him. The
bidding was mainly by Mr. Beattie and a stranger
whose identity was unknown to any of the breeders
present. The "unknown" had his way in the mat-
ter, and after the Duke was knocked off to him pre-
sented credentials from Mr. Wentworth, who was
one of the best-known men in the State. After the
bull had been put on board the cars the buyer pro-
duced two cards, upon which were written in Mr.
Wentworth 's own handwriting these words: "If
*The Grove Park Herd of James N. Brown & Sons had never failed
to get the herd prize at the lUinois State Fair after the herd competi-
tion was inaugurated until 1867 at Quincy. At that fair J. H. Pickrell's
herd was awarded the first prize both for aged animals and for young
herd. Mr. Hill, who died on the grounds at the close of that show, won
the second prizes on both herds. Hill had always said that he would
just like to Hve long enough to beat Capt. Brown's herd, so that he
really accomplished his object. He was sick when the show was made
and died the next day, but he was told that his herd had beaten Mr.
Brown's.
PROGRESS IN^ THE CENTRAL WEST 339
this * green-liorn ' of an Irishman gets lost send this
bull to John Wentworth, Chicago. ' ' The cards were
tied to the Duke's horns, and it is needless to say
he arrived safely at Summit Farm, where he did
good service up to his fifteenth year. At this sale
Mr. D. McMillan of Ohio, whose herd was one of the
foremost of that day, sent an unlimited order to buy
the cow White Lady, a daughter of imp. Western
Lady, for which Capt. James N. Brown had paid
$1,325 at the Importing Co.'s sale in 1857, and se-
cured her at $800.
J. H. Pickrell. — We now reach the point where
consideration must be given to the work of Hon. J.
H. Pickrell — the present editor of the American
Short-horn Herd Book — formerly of Harristown, 111.,
whose long and active identification with Short-
horn interests in the United States calls for conspic-
uous recognition.
Mr. Pickrell descends from a Kentucky and Vir-
ginia ancestry. His father removed from Kentucky
to Illinois in 1828, settling in Sangamon County. J.
H. (or ''Henry," as his friends are fond of calling
him) was bom March 20, 1834, in this State. In
regard to his earliest induction into the Short-horn
trade we can do no better than quote the following
characteristic account furnished by Mr. Pickrell
himself:
"The month of September, 1859, found me in Kentucky for the
purpose of attending the Bourbon County Fair at Paris (that was
then said to be the oldest continuous fair in the United States)
and the Kentucky State Fair, that was held in Lexington the fol-
340 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
lowing week. Arriving at Paris I took a room at the Bourbon
House, expecting to occupy it during the week. Reaching the
fair ground soon after dinner I found a large crowd in attend-
ance. An Illinois gentleman who happened to be visiting in an
adjoining county and had come to the fair recognized me and
informed one of the directors that the President of the Macon
Co. (111.) Fair was on the grounds. The Marshal was at once
started around the amphitheater to call me. I responded, sup-
posing that he had a telegram for me. He invited me into the
ring and introduced me to the officers, who no doubt thought
that Illinois must have been hard up for men when such a young
one as I was should be chosen for such a position. I was older,
though, when I resigned after nineteen years' continuous serv-
ice. Whether they thought so or not I was heartily welcomed
and royally entertained during my visit. At the close of the
day's exhibition I was invited by two or three directors to go
home with them. I at first declined, stating that I had my room
secured for the fair. After some good-natured contention between
them one of them remarked that he had one of the nicest nieces
in the world and that she was going to his home for the night.
The hotel room was given up. and you can guess which one of
them I went home with.
"The next week the fair was held at Lexington. As Hon. Bru-
tus J. Clay was President of both fairs and Mr. William Warfield
one of the chief managers of the State Fair; and as the gentle-
man who had charge of the Bourbon County Fair, together with
the young people I had met at Paris, were also in attendance, I
began to feel that I was not so much of a stranger after all. The
young ladies were nearly all daughters of prominent Short-horn
breeders and were of course much interested in the awards, and
we all indulged in guessing which would win the prizes. It was
the largest and much the best display of Short-horns I had ever
witnessed at a fair, and I had been quite successful in naming
the prize-winners. When the sweepstakes ring was called from
thirty to forty cows and heifers put in an appearance. One of
the young ladies remarked that she would bet that I could not
name the winner. I asked her to name the stake. She laugh-
ingly said that she did not know what she had to bet unless It
would be herself, so it was arranged that I should bet myself
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 341
against her. She granted me the privilege of accepting the invi-
tation that Mr. Warfield had tendered me of examining the ani-
mals before the awards were made. Upon returning to the
amphitheater I named Emma Hickman (Vol. VIII, p. 338), that
had just turned her two-year mark, and she won the blue ribbon
and I won the girl and got the stakes. Of course it was a safe
bet, for had she won I would have paid. It was my first and last
bet, and, as getting married is a game of chance anyway, I have
never been censured for making it. And as I had proved (to
myself at least) that I knew a good one (cow, and girl, too) I
concluded to make Short-horn breeding my business, and under
the circumstances I do not think that even the Hereford or the
'doddie' men would wonder at my becoming a Short-horn
breeder."
Sweepstakes 6230. — Mr. Pickrell's prominence in
the Western Sliort-horn trade may be said to date
from the year 1865, when he purchased from George
M. Bedford of Kentucky the red-and-white Eose of
Sharon bull Sweepstakes 6230 at $600 as a yearling.
Mr. Bedford had bought the bull as a calf from
his breeder, Abram Eenick, for $150. Mr. Pickrell
had previously seen Minister 6363 and liked him so
well that he would have been willing to purchase
him at a long price, but Mr. Duncan would not part
with him. Sweepstakes had won a championship
at the Bourbon County Fair as a yearling, having
been "made up" for that show by the late John
Hope, afterward prominent in connection with the
Bow Park Short-horns in Canada. Sweepstakes was
sired by Mr. Eenick 's Airdrie 2478 out of Cordelia
by Dandy Duke 2691, and therefore carried a double
cross of Mr. Alexander's imp. Duke of Airdrie
(12730). Mr. Bedford afterward regretted having
342 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
sold the bull, but was induced to do so on account of
his color. He had considerable white, and the Bed-
ford herd at that time included quite a large pro-
portion of light-colored cows and heifers. As the
red fancy was even then asserting itself, and as Mr.
Bedford had been offered by Mr. Renick an own
brother to Sweepstakes that was darker in color, he
parted with the bull to come to Illinois. It is related
that when "Uncle Abe" Renick heard that Mr. Bed-
ford had received $600 for Sweepstakes he decided
that his Bourbon County contemporary should not
get the calf that he had already priced at $150. Mr.
Bedford went over at once to see about it, and found
Mr. Renick ill. The housekeeper, who was quite fa-
miliar with all of Mr. Renick 's eccentricities, ad-
vised Mr. Bedford not to notice what the old gentle-
man had said, saying "old Abe never would do any-
thing when he was sick." This did not satisfy Mr.
Bedford, however, and he left and never secured the
bull. Mr. Pickrell states that Mr. Bedford there-
upon offered him the choice of his entire herd if
he would leave Sweepstakes, but as he (Pickrell)
was desirous of securing a first-class show bull he
declined to avail himself of this privilege and
shipped the bull to Illinois.*
*The first Short-horn Mr. Pickrell purchased for breeding purposes
was Lord Highland 4113, which came to the farm in August, 1860. In
January, 1861, he brought from Kentucky Duke of Rockland 2785 and
three young bulls and seven cows and heifers. They were good ones
of "Seventeen" extraction. The next addition to the herd was in June,
1863, when purchases were made in Kentucky from William Warfleld,
the late James Hall and Maj. Duncan. In 1864 stock was bought from
the herd of Capt. James N. Brown and James M. Hill of Illinois. In
PROGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 343
At the time Sweepstakes landed in Illinois Dun-
can's Minister was having it all his own way in the
West, but Mr, Pickrell's purchase soon acquired
rank over him. The first meeting of these two young
bulls occurred at the Illinois State Fair at Chicago
in 1866. Minister was a year older than Sweep-
stakes, and in their respective classes each received
first prize, but in competition for a $100 bull cham-
pionship the Rose of Sharon was successful. The
following week at St. Louis he again captured $300
in prizes. These victories were repeated at the same
shows in 1867, $600 in money being awarded the
Pickrell bull. Of the four large prizes shown for
by these two bulls during the years of 1866-1867,
1865 came Sweepstakes 6230 and the Phyllis cow Kate Lewis, of Ben
F. Vanmeter's breeding — a cow that was good enough to win first prize
at the Illinois State Fair in 1868, in competition with one of the best
collections of cows ever seen in the West, besides many other prizes.
Mr. Pickrell says : "Kate Lewis was one of the best specimens of a
beef cow that I ever saw and at the same time was the best milk cow
that was ever in my herd. We did not make formal tests then, as they
do nowadays, to see the amount and quality of milk she would give,
but I often measured it after a good big calf had finished nui-sing, and
frequently we would get a wooden pail full. She was the dam of Baron
Lewis 9484, that I sold for $3,000 (the first animal bred in Illinois that
sold for that much). He was her third calf and she died of milk fever
after he was produced." At this same time Princess Ann was purchased
from B. J. Clay. She produced Princess Belle (Vol. VlII, page 516), a
heifer that won a sweepstakes at the Illinois State Fair over all com-
petitors at two years old. She unfortunately took the lump-jaw, and
as medical aid failed to cure her was slaughtered and her skeleton was
preserved and mounted and sent to the University of Illinois, at Cham-
paign. This was at the beginning of the revival in prices, and these
three animals cost, respectively, $600, $400 and $250. The price was
thought by many to be exorbitant, but it did not turn out so. They
proved to be a splendid investment. The principal addition to the herd
in 1866 was made from Israel Pierce, whose stock came from the Messrs.
Dun of Madison Co., O. This purchase was followed the next year by
others from Messrs. John G. and W. D. Dun, seven from B. C. Bedford
of Paris (Ky. ) and five from the administrator's sale of the late J. M.
344 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
aggregating in value $1,000, Sweepstakes gained
three, possessing a value of $900. At the Illinois
State Fair of 1868 Sweepstakes won the $200 prize
offered for bull with five of his get. In brief he was
the ranking bull of the breed in the West for the
years mentioned. He was closer to the ground than
Minister, possessed fine finish, ample substance, and
good depth and quality of flesh. He had been well
handled from the time Mr. Hope had first fitted him.
Hill, held in November of that year. In 1868 Hannibal 6838 was pur-
chased. Imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730) was his grandsire, great-grand-
sire and great-great-grandsire.
In December, 1868, Baron Booth of Lancaster 7535 and Prairie
Blossom, Vol. IX, page 879 (from the herd of J. O. Sheldon, Geneva, N.
Y. ), were added. In 1869 some cows were purchased from Thomas War-
field of Macon Co., 111. In the lot was the mother of Lord Highland
4113. Her first calf after coming into the herd was Daisy Booth, by
Baron Booth of Lancaster, that sold for $1,310 as a yearling. In this
purchase also was Bride 15th (Vol. X, page 321), that produced Lady
Bride, that sold at public auction for $2,850, and afterward won every
prize she showed for. Another noted cow that came about that time was
Lady Fairy 12th, from Mr. Warfleld's herd, and Princess Royal 5th,
from B. J. Clay's herd. One or two animals were added in 1870. In
1871 some Lady Elizabeths were bought from T. C. Stoner, ]Macon
County, who had bought them from the herd of the Messrs. Hamilton
of Kentucky. In this lot was a. calf, Maggie Ellen (Vol. XI, page 861),
by Baron Booth of Lancaster, that was sold to the Government of Japan
for $1,000, one of the first lot of cattle ever known to have been ex-
ported to that country.
Mr. Pickrell displayed a fondness for the excitement of the show-
yard at an early age. Jn tlie spring of 1840 his grandfather gave him
a sucking mare colt, and although the boy was but six years old at the
time he rode the dam to Springfield, exhibited the colt and took first
prize, which was a big silver spoon, marked "Sangamon County Agri-
cultural Society, 18 10." Mr. Pickrell has that token of his early show
ring prowess yet. The first year that he owned a Short-horn (1861) he
made an exhibit and won a prize. The next year he showed at Macon,
Logan and Sangamon County (111.) Fairs. His career at the Illinois
State Fair commenced in 1863 and continued for many years, in the
course of which he visited as an exhibitor various other State fairs, in-
cluding Indiana, Ohio and Iowa, and never missing the St. Louis show
when they had a fair at that city. Deducting amounts paid for trans-
poi'tation, feed, etc., he received during the nine years from the fall
of 1866 to the fall of 1874 $9,120 in prizes, and it may also be added that
during the first fifteen years he bred Short-horns he received from other
breeders $2,570 for the use of bulls, a certain indication that they were
good ones.
Mr. Pickrell says : "Just for curiosity at one time I computed the pe-
i-iod of gestation of 100 cows in my herd. The shortest period was 256
davs and the longest 296 days (both cow calves), the average being
283 days."
PROGEESS IX THE CENTRAL, WEST 345
and proved an exceedingly useful stock-getter, leav-
ing many valuable calves in the Pickrell herd.* He
was finally sold to Mr. G. J. Hagerty of Ohio, in
whose hands he added still further to his laurels,
siring among other choice stock there the show heif-
ers Blue Belle 14th and Bonnie Belles 7th and 13th.
Gen. Grant 4825. — While Kentucky was the chief
source of supply for the early Illinois, Indiana and
Missouri herds, it remained for Ohio to contribute to
the West one of the greatest all-around show and
breeding bulls of American production ever owned
in the Western States — the far-famed Gen. Grant
4825. Few bulls can boast a longer list of show-yard
honors, and no other sire ever used in the State left
a legacy more valuable than the daughters of Gen.
Grant proved to be in leading Western herds.
Calved in 1862 in the herd of D. McMillan of Xenia,
this remarkable bull was shown for five years by
his breeder at the leading fairs of Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois with but one defeat. Passing into the hands
of Mr. J. H. Spears of Tallula, Ill.,^in 1867, he not
only continued to carry prizes at the Illinois, Iowa
*After the Hill dispersion sale ^Ir. Pickrell had engaged David Grant
to take charge of his stock, and that capable feeder and herdsman was
identified with the great triumphs of Mr. Pickrell's show herds most of
the time until 1875, and It is not too much to say that a large share of
the success attained was due to "Davy's" fidelity and good judgment.
George Story was also at Mr. Hill's at the time of the proprietor's
decease. His brother William Story came to Mr. Pickrell's in time to fit
Sweepstakes and the rest for the shows of 1867. He was also from
Canada and had been working with sheep with William Miller. It is
needless to say that William was a proud lad when his pets won first
that year over the Hill cattle brought into the ring by Grant and George
Story.
346 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOKN CATTLE
and St. Louis shows, but sired some of the best cat-
tle the West has ever known.
Gen. Grant came of a noble ancestry. His sire was
the $3,000 bull imp. Starlight (see page 240), one of
the best bulls ever owned in the State of Ohio.
His dam was Mr. McMillan's great show cow Jessie
(winner of more first and championship prizes at
leading Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky fairs
from 1860 to 1867 than any other cow of her day),
by Starlight 2d 2259. It thus appears that Gen. Grant
was the product of mating a son and a daughter of
old imp. Starlight. The youngster grew to be a re-
markably compact bull, with the general appearance
at first glance of being somewhat undersized; but
in good flesh he would tip the beam at 2,400 lbs.
His head was good — perhaps a little too masculine
to fill the eye of some; but "sweet" heads are not
specially to be desired in breeding bulls. His eye
was remarkably mild, his neck short, his shoulders
smooth and his chine and back good. He was rather
high at root of tail and wanted filling at the flank;
but he was well balanced in essential points, had a
mellow hide and one of the silkiest coats of hair
ever seen. In disposition he was so quiet that a
child could handle him, in this respect resembling
his great-grandsire Mario, a bull that Judge Jones
states never required a nose-ring.
Of the career of Gen. Grant in the show-ring it is
scarcely necessary to speak at length. In the hands
of Mr. McMillan he was exhibited in Ohio and Indi-
PBOGRESS IX THE CENTRAL WEST 347
ana up to and including his fifth year, and in all
that time met with but one defeat.* Passing into
the possession of Mr. Spears he was shown with his
get all over the West, capturing the highest honors
in competition that would astonish some exhibitors
at the present day. Often ten or twelve first-class
herds and twenty to forty animals would show in
single rings, and all of them good ones. He was
the first-prize bull calf at the Ohio State Fair of
1862; sweepstakes winner at same show, 1863; first
in his class same year at Wayne Co. (Ind.) and In-
diana State Fairs; first and sweepstakes at same
fairs, 1864; first prize and sweepstakes at the Ohio
State Fair, 1865; first prize and sweepstakes and
gold medal as prize bull with five of his calves at
Indiana State Fair in 1866, and at head of prize herd
at same fair; first, with five of his calves, and at
head of prize herd at Ohio State Fair, 1866. In the
year 1865 he stood at the head of the herd awarded
first prize at the Iowa and Illinois State Fairs. He
was repeatedly awarded the first prize at many
county fairs in Central Illinois, won first prize at
*An amusing: incident occurred one year when Mr. Spears exhibited
Gen. Grant at the head of his herd at the Illinois State Fair at Peoria.
He was the oldest and perhaps the largest bull in the ring at the head
of a herd. As the regularly-appointed committee failed to respond to
the call the superintendent concluded that he would send in a commit-
tee composed of strangers to the exhibitors. As there was a big show
on this action rather startled the exhibitors. When the "unknowns"
Btarted in Mr. Byram of Abingdon, 111., who was showing his mother's
herd, said to Mr. Spears: "Who's that committee?" Mr. Spears looked
a long time, and not knowing any of them said : "I do not know, but
/ think they are a lot of shoemakers and tailors." When after examining
the herds they brought the first-prize ribbon to Mr. Spears Mr. Byram
said: "What do you think of them now?" "Well," said Spears, "I
reckon they thought my bull's hide would make more shoes than any
bull in the ring."
348 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOEX CATTLE
St. Louis and first with five of his get at the Illinois
State Fair at Peoria in 1873.
In the herd of Mr. McMillan Gen. Grant proved a
most valuable sire, two of his get, Mignonette and
Wenona, bringing respectively $3,800 and $3,000 at
his great sale soon to be mentioned. As to what he
did in Illinois we can do no better than to quote
the language of Mr, Spears: "He was a sure and
good server, and, allow me to say, the best and most
uniform breeder I ever saw or ever expect to see. He
never got a calf in all his long career but what would
readily sell at a first-class price; while as a show bull
and getter of show animals he stands unrivaled."
At Mr. Spears' great sale of 1875 the Nelly Bly fam-
ily, largely the get of Gen. Grant (tracing to imp.
Lady Elizabeth by Emperor), were pronounced by
many of the most prominent breeders of Kentucky
and other States the best family of cows they had
ever seen together, and the fine average of over
$1,500 was attained in the sale-ring that day.*
Prominent among the Nelly Blys may be mentioned
the 5th and 7th of the family, the latter a grand
breeder and show cow and sold for $2,000. Of his
*Col. James W. Judy of Tallula, 111., the veteran auctioneer who made
this sale, in response to a query as to the character of these cattle,
under date of Feb. 4, 1898, said: "The Nelly Blys bred by Mr. Spears
were a grand family of cattle — good feeders, good milkers and very
prolific and almost invariably good colors and very uniform m their
general make-up, which was very neat, and I think many of their
sterling qualities were largely due to the blood of Gen. Grant. He was
a low-down, well-proportioned, blocky bull ; a yellow or pale red, with
no white : solid red, v/ith a remarkably mellow hide and as fine a coat
of silkv hair as I ever saw on a bull, and was a very uniform and regu-
lar breeder, and was a great factor in spreading the fame of the Spears
Nelly Blys — in fact did more for the reputation of Mr. Spears' herd of
Short-horns than any bull he ever owned, the 21st Duke of Airdne not
excepted."
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST 349
bull calves tlie most noted that we now recall were
Mr. Kissinger's famous Starlight 11018, Duke of
Forest Hill (never beaten in the show-ring except
by bulls got by Gen. Grant), and Major Story. The
two latter were shown at all the leading fairs of the
West, usually winning first and second. A wonder-
ful show calf also was Major Jones, that during a
whole fall campaign of State and county fairs (in-
cluding St. Louis) was never beaten, taking sixteen
first prizes — and we believe every time by a unani-
mous vote of the awarding committee — in rings
where there were often twenty or more competitors.
It is idle to attempt to say which were most uni-
formly good of the get of Gen. Grant — his bulls or
his heifers. Mr. Spears was never able to decide,
and Mr. McMillan often said, after the bull came
West, that for uniformity of breeding he had never
known the General's equal. He died at Mr. Spears'
Forest Hill Farm at the ripe age of fourteen years.
Baron Booth of Lancaster,— We now have to note
an epoch-making event. Mr. Pickrell had parted
^vith Sweepstakes and Spears was triumphant with
Gen. Grant. The desire to gain honors in the show-
ring now asserted itself actively throughout the
West. Leaders in the trade sought in every direc-
tion for heavy show-yard timber. While the Ken-
tucky and Ohio-bred cattle and their descendants
were contending among themselves for the mastery
in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys Hon. M. H.
Cochrane of Hillhurst, Can., began a series of im-
350 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
portations destined to produce marked changes in
the prevailing channels of trade. In 1867 his agent,
that fine judge of a good Short-horn, the late Simon
Beattie, selected and brought out by the steamship
Austrian from Glasgow to Montreal a cow and a bull
calf that proved to be makers of history. One was
Rosedale; the other, Baron Booth of Lancaster 7535.
Of the former we shall have more to say later on.
Of the latter we must now speak as a new force in
the progress of the breed in the Western States.
Greater cows than Eosedale may have trod Ameri-
can show-yards. Greater Short-horn bulls than
Baron Booth of Lancaster may have "starred" the
great show circuits of the Nation. History has
failed, however, to record the names of any such.
The Baron came from Scotland. He was bred by G.
R. Barclay of Fifeshire and was got by Baron Booth
(21212)* out of Mary of Lancaster — one of a set of
triplets bred from the herd of Amos Cruickshank
of Sittyton — by Lord Raglan (13244). His second
dam was Lancaster 25th (of same derivation as Mr.
Cruickshank 's Lavenders — from Wilkinson of Len-
ton) by Matadore (11800), a bull that was a brother
to Mr. Alexander's imp. Mazurka, by Harbinger.
Mr. Cochrane exhibited the youngster as a yearling
at Montreal, Hamilton and at the New York State
* Baron Booth was bred by Mr. R. S. Bruere of Braithwaite Hall,
Yorkshire. He was got by Prince George (13510) out of Vesper by
King Arthur (13110), and was bought by Mr. Barclay when a two-
year-old for $1,000. He was the sire, among other noted animals, of
the $6,000 bull imp. Cherub ; Star of Braitliwaite ; the great .show heifer
Booth's I^ancaster, Booth's Seraphina, and tlie bull Knight of Warlaby,
used by Messrs. Hunter in Canada.
PROGRESS IN" THE CENTRAL WEST 351
Fair in 1868. At each show he won first in his class
and headed the winning herd. A scale of points was
used in the judging at the York State Fair, and
Baron Booth was credited with 950 out of a possible
970 points; 1,000 being counted as perfection in a
female, 30 points being allowed for udder.
Through Wm. Miller of Canada, afterward of
Stomi Lake, la., Mr. Pickrell learned of the won-
derful young bull Mr. Cochrane had flashed upon
the public in Canada and the East, and in company
with W. R. Duncan visited Hillhurst. They found
the bull even better than they had anticipated, and
for a consideration of $1,550 Mr. Pickrell secured
him for the Harristown Herd.* He was brought to
Illinois by Mr. Miller, who with characteristic thrift
ran the gauntlet of the customs with a valuation of
$100 on the bull. The new arrival was installed in
his new position in January, 1869, where he re-
mained in service until his death, which occurred
while en route to the Illinois State Fair of 1873. It
is doubtful if a grander-backed bull has ever been
produced by the Short-horn breed. His top from
crest to tail-root was the wonder of the time. Such
breadth and depth and evenness of flesh had not be-
fore been seen in the West, and his smoothly-covered
hips were something of a revelation to those who
had been accustomed to the roughness often observ-
able at the ''hooks" in the leading herds of that
*Duncan bought a yearling- heifer on this same trip out of Rosedale by
a Duke bull, concerning which "Willie" Miller says : "The sire was
emphatically bad and impressive. I believe the heifer never bred, which
was just as well, for she was a bad one."
352 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
date. He was a bull of magnificent substance, pos^
sessing great depth of chest and was heavily filled
behind the shoulders. That he was a kindly feedei
is well shown by the following figures: When he
went into herdsman David Grant's hands in Janu-
ary, 1869, he weighed 1,580 lbs.; April 28, 1,730 lbs.;
June 16, 1,810 lbs.; Aug. 31, 1,965 lbs.; Feb. 22, 1870,
2,170 lbs.; July 1, 1870, 2,290 lbs.; Sept. 2, 2,400 lbs.,
and at full maturity 2,600 lbs. He at once took and
held a commanding position in the show-ring, and
was never beaten, as a sire shown with his progeny.
It must be remembered that we are now dealing with
the days of the battles of the giants of the Western
arena; that the "all-star" combination of Col. Wil-
liam S. King, the like of which has possibly not since
been seen in America, was on the road; that Gen.
Grant and Tycoon were in the field; that ten to
twelve herds often entered the competition; that
sometimes thirty to forty animals were engaged in
a single ring. To have been the most successful bull
of this golden age of the Western shows is sufficient
to stamp Baron Booth of Lancaster as the greatest
Short-horn of his day and generation on this con-
tinent.
The Baron began his career as a show bull in the
United States at the Ohio State Fair of 1869 at To-
ledo, Mr. Pickrell having shipped his Illinois cattle
to that point, where he met great competition, eleven
herds competing in the Short-horn class. Daniel
McMillan of Ohio had been winning the herd prize
PROGRESS IIT THE CENTRAL WEST 353
at the Buckeye show for so many years that it was
considered rather presumptuous on the part of an
Illinois breeder to beard the lion in his den in this
manner. On the morning of the show Mr. Pickrell
would have been very willing to have divided the
money with McMillan, but before night he had been
awarded the $200 prize for best herd, the Baron
also receiving first prize in his class and the $100
bull chamiDionship. The McMillan herd was very
celebrated at this date, being headed by the Canada-
bred Plantagenet 6031, and included some of the
best of the Jere Duncan (Kentucky) Louans and
other good sorts. Mr. Pickrell had visited it before
the Toledo show, and then went to Kentucky to
attend the Bourbon County Fair. Mr. McMillan
asked him to examine the Kentucky herds carefully
to see if he thought it would pay to send the Ohio
show herd to that State. Mr. Pickrell reported fav-
orably and the McMillan herd was so exhibited, and
with success. The Ohio cattle were then shipped to
the Toledo and afterward to the Peoria (111.) Fair,
being defeated at both points by the Pickrell herd.
Soon after these shows the Pickrell and Spears herds
came together at the Illinois State Fair at Decatur.
Messrs. McMillan and Charles Fullington, who were
both noted Ohio breeders of that date, were present
as visitors, and, desiring to honor them, the superin-
tendent placed them upon the committee, to which,
of course, nobody could object, although under the
circumstances it was scarcely fair, as Mr. Spears had
354 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
purchased Gen. Grant from Mr. McMillan and the
bull's dam, Jessie, had been bred and owned by Mr.
Fullington. They gave the Spears herd the prize.
After the awards had been made the gentlemen
passed up to the amphitheater, where Mrs. Pickrell
and her sister. Miss Bedford, who lived in Kentucky,
were stationed, and of course the award was dis-
cussed in the presence of the ladies; whereupon Miss
Bedford remarked that she was "getting scared."
She "didn't know Kentucky was getting so far be-
hind. An Ohio herd went South and beat every-
thing there was in Kentucky. This same herd then
goes to the Ohio State Fair and an Illinois herd
comes along and defeats it. Then the following
week the very herd that beat the Ohio herd is beaten
by another Illinois herd." So she thought Illinois
was getting clear ahead of Kentucky and was get-
ting a little ahead of Ohio. All of which rather
annoyed the Ohio breeder and incidentally fore-
shadowed the future. At this same show Baron
Booth of Lancaster was so unfortunate as to be
turned down to third place in the class for two-year-
old bulls, first prize going to 25th Great Republic,
owned by the Shakers and shown by John Martin,
and second prize to a bull called Sucker Boy shown
by Harvey Sodowsky of Vermilion Co., 111. Neither
of these bulls cut any figure in subsequent showings,
and the committee that did the work was severely
criticised.
In 1870 Baron Booth w^as first-prize and champion
PROGRESS IN' THE CENTRAL WEST 355
bull at Qiiincy, 111., at the Iowa State Fair and at
the Illinois State Fair, champion at St. Louis, first
and champion at Canton, and stood at the head of
the groups that won the $100 championship for best
display at the Iowa Show and the $100 prize for the
bull showing five best calves at the Illinois State
Fair. In 1871 he was first and champion at the Illi-
nois State Fair, first at St. Louis, and at the head
of the first-prize herd at same show, besides winning
numerous firsts and championships at local fairs for
himself and get. In 1872 he was again first and
champion at the Illinois State Fair, won the $200
bull sweepstakes at St. Louis and was everywhere
first with his get. In fact he was never defeated in
showing with his progeny, and during these four
years gained for the Pickrell herd prizes aggregat-
ing in value over $-4,000 cash.*
As a stock-getter he ''nicked" especially with
cows and heifers by Mr. Renick's old Airdrie 2478
and those by the 11th Duke of Airdrie 5533. It was
a cross upon an Airdrie cow that gave Mr. Pickrell
Baron Lewis, a bull that defeated his sire for the
bull championship at an Indiana State Fair and was
the first bull ever bred in Illinois that commanded a
*Mr. Pickrell entered a competition at Canton, HI., in 1870, where
$500 was offered for the best display of not less than ten nor more than
twenty head. He had Baron Booth of Lancaster at one end of a string
of eighteen head of nice cows and heifers and at the other end of the
line had the Baron's best son. Baron Lewis. Mr. Dunlap of Jacksonville
showed ten head and was awarded first prize. The relative values of
the competing lots mav be judged from the fact that Mr. Dunlap made
a sale the following vear at which his ten prize-winners brought a total
of $2,700 and were considered well sold at that. Mr. Pickrell sold Baron
Lewis alone for $3,000 and had his sire and eighteen cows and heifers
left.
356 A HISTORY OF SHORT-IIORX CATTLE
price of $3,000. Another Airdrie "nick" was the
phenomenal Lady Bride, that sold for $2,850 and
walked through the Illinois, Iowa and Missouri
shows an undefeated heifer. Among the great Baron
Booths out of the 11th Duke of Airdrie dams may be
mentioned Louan Hill's 4th and 5th and Caroline
15th, all noted show animals.
CHAPTER XIII
THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM "
While the breeders of the Central West were suc-
cessfully extending the Short-horn power in the
Upper MississiiDpi Valley States, largely through
the medium of impressive show-yard displays,
operations were under way in England and the East
that were soon to stir the trade to its very depth.
Prior to the appearance in the West of imp. Baron
Booth of Lancaster the Duke of Airdrie-crossed cat-
tle — mainly of Alexander, Bedford, Renick, War-
field, Vanmeter and Duncan origin — practically held
undisputed possession of the field. Aside from Gen.
Grant there were but few great show cattle that did
not carry some percentage of the blood and show
more or less of the character of the Woodburn Duke.
Daniel McMillan of Ohio had, it is true, headed his
show herd with the Canada-bred Plantagenet 6031,
but that bull was got by Oxford Lad (24713), bred
by J. 0. Sheldon of New York from imp. Duke of
Airdrie's sire imp. Duke of Gloster (11382) out of a
Bates Oxford cow, so that he also fell within the
rule that the Bates-crossed Short-horns were the
ruling ring-side power. The American-bred cows,
with which the Bates blood had "nicked" so kindly,
were possessed, as a rule, of sound constitution and
357
358 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ample scale, and among them were many extraordi-
nary milkers. Some of them were more or less lack-
ing in refinement of character. Under these circum-
stances it is easy to understand how the Bates cross
acquired public favor; the prepotent, fine-styled,
level-lined bulls of that strongly-bred type stamping
neatness and finish wherever their impressive seal
was set.
"Royal" honors for Bates cattle. — On the other
side of the Atlantic, while Booth and Towneley had
been doing most of the winning at the shows, certain
wealthy and enthusiastic followers of the fortunes
of the Bates-bred tribes had occasionally tried con-
clusions with their rivals at the National shows with
good success. The Earl of Feversham was first at
the Chester Royal of 1858 with 5th Duke of Oxford
(12762).* At the Leeds Royal of 1861 Col. Gunter
won high honors, gaining first in the cow class with
Duchess 77tli over animals shown by Richard Booth
and Lady Pigot. He was also first in three-year-old
heifers with Duchess 78th — twinned with Duchess
79th, that was placed fourth in same class; Richard
Booth's Soldier's Bride being second. In yearling
heifers Gunter was first with Duchess 83d. It soon
became evident, however, that the stock would not
successfully withstand forcing for this purpose, and
the show business was not persistently pursued.
♦Speaking- of this event Richard Gibson says : "This was my first
Royal, and the impression left upon my mind by 5th Duke of Oxford has
never been obliterated. He was large and carried lots of flesh. The
way he moved and the air of conscious superiority he assumed I have
never forgotten-"
THE BIRTH OF A BOOM dO'J
Gunter liad started in 1853 with Duchess 67th and
69th, both white, and Duchess 70th, red-and-white,
and soon became the only possessor of the tribe in
England.
Duchesses exported to England. — In the spring of
1861 Samuel Thorne visited England and was be-
sought on all sides for Duke and Oxford bulls.
Accordingly, he sent over soon afterwards the roan
3d Duke of Thorndale 2789, the roan 4th Duke of
Thorndale 2790, the white 5th Duke of Thorndale
3488, the red Imperial Oxford 4905, and the heifer
4th Lady of Oxford. The 5tli Duke sickened on the
voyage and died in Queenstown harbor, but the rest
sold quickly after landing at Liverpool at prices
varying from 300 to 400 guineas each in gold. Of
these the 4th Duke of Thorndale and Imperial Ox-
ford acquired great celebrity in England as sires.
The former was bought by Mr. Hales at 400 guineas
and earned that amount in fees alone during the first
two seasons. At Mr. Hales' sale in 1862 he was taken
for the Marquis of Exeter at 410 guineas after a
sharp contest with Col. Gunter, who subsequently
acquired the bull (in 1867) at 440 guineas. He was
maintained in service at Wetherby until his death at
ten years of age in 1869. The 4th Duke was sired by
Duke of Gloster (11382) out of Duchess 66th, and
enjoyed with the 7th Duke of York (17754) the dis-
tinction that attached at that time to the fact that
the pair were the only "pure" Duchess bulls in Eng-
land. Of his career abroad Mr. Thornton writes:
360 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
"The stock left by this bull is not only numerous but valuable,
showing the style and character for which the blood is remark-
able. Probably no bull earned more money in single fees. In ap-
pearance he was a fine-looking animal; his head and crest were
magnificent, his hind quarters long and good, but the tail-head
was rather too high. His shoulders, which were perhaps a little
upright, made him appear somewhat deficient behind them, and
the great length of his quarters detracted from his middle. In
hair, quality of flesh, and in grandeur of style and carriage he
v/as wonderfully good."
One of the 4tli Duke of Thorndale's English-bred
heifers from a Cambridge Rose dam gave rise to
what is known as the Thorndale Roses, the original
heifer of that name being sold privately in 1864 for
200 guineas to Mr. Betts. Her half-sister, The
Beauty, by Puritan (9523), for which Mr. Jonas
Webb gave 160 guineas at the Cobham Park sale,
was bought by Lord Braj^brooke at "Webb's sale of
1863 in calf with Heydon Rose, which in the hands
of his lordship founded a costly family bearing her
name. Nine descendants of The Beauty at the Webb
sale made 1,253 guineas; one bull. Lord Chancellor
(20160), afterward a Royal winner, bringing 400
guineas.
Imperial Oxford was extensively used upon the
Grand Duchesses, being the sire of the famous Grand
Duchess 17th. 4th Lady of Oxford also acquired
renoAvn, not only as a breeding animal, but in the
show-yard as well. In 1862 Mr. Thome sent to Eng-
land Lord Oxford 3091, 2d Lord Oxford, Bishop of
Oxford, and Duke of Geneva 3858 of J. 0. Sheldon's
breeding. These also brought high prices, 600
THE BIRTH OF A ''bOOM " 361
guineas being obtained for the latter. The Duke
entered the English show-yard with success and be-
came very famous in the Bates Short-horn breeding
ranks, dying the property of Lord Penrhyn in 1867,
These shipments were followed by the exportation
by Ezra Cornell* of Ithaca, N. Y., of the young bull
3d Lord of Oxford 4958, bred by Mr. Thorne; that
also sold on the other side for 600 guineas.
Early in the "sixties" Mr. E. A. Alexander ex-
ported to England 2d Duke of Airdrie (19600), 5th
Duke of Airdrie (19601) and the 6th Duke of Airdrie
(19602). These all represented outcrosses upon the
Duchess tribe. The 2d Duke w^as a roan sired by the
Duchess-crossed Booth bull imp. El Hakim (1598-4),
He was calved in the fall of 1856 and in 1859 was
awarded a $1,000 championship at the St. Louis Fair.
He "was a bull of marked excellence, and became the
property in England of Messrs. C. Howard of Bid-
denham and J. Robinson of Clifton Pastures. The
5th Duke was also a roan, calved in the spring of
1859. He was sired by a bull called Lord Languish
(20188), that had been bred at Woodburn from imp.
2d Duke of Atliol and imp. Lydia Languish, by Duke
of Gloster (11382) ; a cow that traced in the maternal
*Mr. Cornell, who ^"SlS the muniflcent founder of Cornell University,
had made an importation of Bates cattle from England, in 1863, con-
sisting of two Fidget heifers (Bell-Bates), and a Kirklevington from
C. W. Harvey. He maintained a herd of Short-horns for a number of
years ; the pedigrees of most of which may be found in Vols. VIII to
XVI of the herd book.
Among other Eastern breeders who were becoming prominent in
Short-horn breeding about this time were Messrs. A. B. Conger, T. L.
Hai-ison, George Butts and Messi's. Wadsworth of New York : Messrs.
Winslow and A. W. Griswold of Vermont ; Augustus Whitman of Mass-
achusetts and B. Sumner of Connecticut.
362 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
line to the herd of Mr. Eobertson of Lad^^kirk. The
5th Duke was used by Mr. T. Barber of Sproatley
Else. The 6th Duke of Airdrie was a red, dropped
in the spring of 1860 by 2d Duchess of Airdrie to a
service by the white bull imp. Albion, son of imp.
Grand Turk (12969) and Fawkes' Frances Fairfax.
The breeding of these bulls and the fact of their ex-
portation shows that the fashion for cattle bred
strictly in the Bates line did not receive the coun-
tenance of the broad-minded proprietor of Wood-
burn, and that fresh blood in Mr. Bates' favorite
family was not deemed an objection in the minds of
at least a portion of the English Short-horn breed-
ing public at that date. Imp. Albion was also ex-
ported back to England along with these Dukes of
Airdrie.
The Grand Duchesses. — A very famous branch of
the Duchess tribe, descended from Mr. Bates'
Duchess 51st, had been founded in England under
the name of Grand Duchesses. They originated with
Mr. S. E. Bolden of Springfield Hall, Lancashire,
who sought to correct what he regarded as the faults
of the Bates type by means of fresh crosses. Accord-
ingly he introduced extraneous blood through the
medium of the bulls Cheny Duke (12589), Prince
Imperial (15095) and 2d Duke of Bolton (12739).
The two latter carried Booth blood; the Prince hav-
ing for dam Bridecake of the Bliss tribe, and the
latter running to Richard Booth's Fame. While the
family attained great reputation, and produced some
THE BIRTH OF A ^'bOOM '' 363
extraordinary individual animals, such as Grand
Duke 3d (16182) and that remarkable cow Grand
Duchess 17th, by Mr. Thome's Imperial Oxford
(18084), some of tlie partisans of Bates breeding
have strenuously denied that the outcrosses really
did anything for the vitalitj' of the stock. The fact
nevertheless remains that in later years the so-called
"pure" Duchesses became totally extinct, and had
it not been for the Airdrie and Grand Duchesses,
both of which carried Booth outcrosses, Mr. Bates'
favorite family would have disappeared.
Mr. Bolden had sold in 1860 twenty head of Bates
AVaterloos at an average of £92; Sir Curtis Lampson
giving 165 guineas for "Waterloo 20tli. In 1862 he
disposed of his entire herd, including the Grand
Duchesses, to Mr. Atherton, who soon afterward
parted with the Grand Duchess family, consisting of
nine cows and four bulls, to Mr. Hegan of Dawpool
at private sale for the lump sum of £5,000. Three of
these cows proved barren, and after Mr. Hegan 's
death in 1865 the tribe — by that time numbering
seventeen head, of which twelve were females and
five bulls — sold at a memorable auction held at
Willis' rooms in London. The Thorndale bull Impe-
rial Oxford had been used in the herd and was also
included in this sale. It had been Mr. Hegan 's de-
sire to close the lot out as a whole, and it was under-
stood that the Hon. Col. Pennant had offered £6,000
for the twelve females. This was perhaps the first
case on record where cattle were sold at auction
364 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
without the animals being in the presence of the
bidders. The stock had been previously examined at
Dawpool.
The sale proved thoroughly sensational in many
respects, as is shown by the comments of the London
press at that time. From the Illnstrated Neivs we
quote :
"A perfect bridal lunch greeted the congress of about 120 lead-
ing Short-horn men — peers, M. P.'s, clergymen and laymen — who
attended to see the great battle at Willis' rooms over the eighteen
Grand Dukes and Duchesses. Lord Feversham was in the chair,
supported by Gen. Hood (who came, like several other members
of council, direct from Hanover Square), and the Bates men made
up a most imposing array, while Mr. Torr and Mr. Thomas Booth
v.'ere at the head of the great rival house of 'the red, white and
roan.' The noble chairman declared his Kirklevington faith in
such unwavering fashion that the Booth men complained he
rather ignored Bridecake's share in the Grand Duchess pedigree."
Mr. E. L. Betts, of Preston Plall, Kent, bought the
whole herd of Grand Duchesses, which were sold in
"blocks of three." For the first trio he paid 1,900
guineas; for the second, 1,300 guineas; for the third,
1,800 guineas, and for the fourth, 1,200 guineas; also
securing Imperial Oxford to accompany them at 450
guineas. The Grand Dukes were scattered; the Duke
of Devonshire buying Grand Duke 10th at 600
guineas. The London Times said on the follow-
ing day:
"The splendor of such an event almost pales the strongest
blaze that can be got up by agricultural societies. There is no
such test of value, no such triumph of enterprise as that which is
obtained without shows and judges and prizes in the auction-
room, Here is a plaih commercial proof of what can be done and
THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM " 365
how far we have advanced upon our forefathers in the matter
of kine."
Mr. Betts, the new owner of the family, closed out
his herd at auction in May, 1867. He had not been
particularly successful. Grand Duchesses 10th, 12th
and 14th all died from indigestion and impaction
resulting from the feeding of undecorticated cotton-
seed cake. The 7th and 13th were slaughtered and
his best bull calf of the tribe died just before the
sale. Nevertheless some astonishing prices were
made; the thirteen head bringing 5,615 guineas, an
average of 432 guineas. Grand Duchess 17th, de-
scribed as "a beautiful cow with good ribs, mossy
coat and splendid touch," was carried to 850 guin-
eas, at which figure she was taken by Capt. E. E.
Oliver of Sholebroke Lodge, who also secured the
18th at 710 guineas. C. H. Dawson gave 700 guineas
for Grand Duchess 19th; Lord Penrhyn 550 guineas
for Grand Duchess 8th, and Earl Spencer 430 guineas
for Grand Duchess 20th. The highest price for a
bull was 510 guineas, paid by Mr. Roberts for Grand
Duke 16th (24063); Mr. A. Brogden giving 305
guineas for Grand Duke 17th.
Havering Park Sale.— In May, 1867, Mr. D. Mcin-
tosh of Havering Park, Essex, Eng., who had de-
voted himself successfully to the breeding of Bates
cattle, held a sale that attracted widespread atten-
tion. 3d Duke of Thorndale and Grand Duke 4th
had been largely used, and the sale included four
descendants of Mr. Thome's Lady of Oxford 4th.
Her daughter Lady of Oxford 5th, ''a splendid roan.
366 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
with much substance and quality," had been a win-
ner as a calf at the Worcester Royal in 1863 and at
this sale brought the top price of 600 guineas from
the Duke of Devonshire. Baron Oxford, a two-year-
old by the American-bred Duke of Geneva (19614),
was eagerly competed for, falling to Col. Towneley
at 500 guineas, while his half-brother Baron Oxford
2d went to Mr. Holland at the same price.
Sheldon of Geneva.— Mr. J. 0. Sheldon of White
Spring Farm, Geneva, N. Y. (not Illinois, as certain
English writers persist in putting it), upon whose
shoulders fell the mantle of Samuel Thorne, began
breeding Short-horns by making the importation
mentioned on page 262. A few years later he bought
from Mr. Thorne the bull imp. Duke of Gloster
(11382), Duchess 64th and her daughter 1st Duchess
of Thorndale, together with Duchess 66th and her
daughter Duchess 71st. In 1860 he bred from the
latter the bull Duke of Geneva (19614), sold to Mr.
Thorne and exported to England. Sheldon also
secured some of the Oxford blood from Thorndale,
and in 1860 bred from that family the bull Oxford
Lad (24713), which acquired great reputation in the
herd of the Hon. David Christie of Canada. Sheldon
also bought largely from Mr. R. A. Alexander, secur-
ing a number of the daughters of imp. Duke of Air-
drie, among others the Victoria cow Vara (that be-
came the dam of the noted stock bull Weehawken
5260), and females of the Mazurka, Constance, Miss
Wiley, Vellum, Jubilee, Lady Bates, Roan Duchess,
THE BIRTH OF A ''bOOM " 367
Pearlette and other noted Woodburn families. He
also bought from Mr. Alexander the 7th Duke of
Airdrie 5532.
In 1866 Samuel Thorne decided to close out his
herd and devote his entire time to the leather trade
in New York city, the business that had been his
father's chief source of revenue, and Sheldon with
characteristic shrewdness bought the entire Thorn-
dale Herd of Duchesses, Oxfords, etc., at a reported
price of about $40,000. This gave him a monopoly
of the so-called "pure" Duchess blood in America;
and as the English landed proprietors, as well as
prominent Kentucky breeders, were developing a
marked preference for Duke of Oxford bulls he now
occupied a strong speculative position.
Geneva cattle abroad.— In the fall of 1867 Mr.
Sheldon exported to England two bulls and a heifer
of the Duchess tribe, and six Oxford heifers. They
were taken to the Queen's farm, Windsor Park, and
sold Oct. 15 of that year. After inspecting the
American cattle the company adjourned for business
to the cafe of the Castle Hotel, where champagne
flowed freely, and for the first time in a long pror
fessional career Mr. Strafford, as auctioneer, sold
cattle by candlelight. The white 7th Duchess of
Geneva was knocked off to Mr. Leney of Kent at 700
guineas. In fact Leney was the chief bidder, and
his persistency and activity added great zest to the
proceedings. 8th Lady of Oxford and 6th Maid of
Oxford were taken respectively by Col. Towneley at
368 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
450 and 400 guineas. Leney paid 300 guineas for
4th Maid of Oxford, Col. Kingscote 250 guineas for
Countess of Oxford and Mr. Downing 200 guineas
for 5tli Maid of Oxford. Leney also paid 260 guineas
for 7tli Maid of Oxford. The young bull 12th Duke
of Thorndale was very much out of condition and
was bought in by Edwin Thome at 185 guineas,*
but the roan 3d Duke of Geneva went to Mr. Mcin-
tosh at 550 guineas. For the entire lot $16,475 was
obtained, an average of $1,830. The six Oxfords
averaged $1,550. When to the total the then exist-
ing premium on gold was added Sheldon had nearly
$20,000 in American currency, less the expenses of
transportation. In commenting upon this result the
London Illustrated Ne7vs said: ''People differ in
opinion as to whether the American lots would have
made most under the greenw^ood or around the
mahogany tree; but the sale was unique in character
and served to stamp 1867 as an annus mirabilis in
Short-horn history." In fact this invasion of Eng-
land by Sheldon created something of a sensation on
both sides the water.f
In 1869 Mr. E. H. Cheney of Gaddesby Hall bought
from Mr, Sheldon the two-year-old heifer 11th
Duchess of Geneva, the yearling 14th Duchess of
Geneva and the bull calf 9th Duke of Geneva for
the lump sum of $12,500; and at the same time the
*12th Duke of Thorndale afterward became the property of D. R.
Davies of Mere Old Hall.
tLondon Punch took up the affair and dropped into verse under the
caption, "The Golden Short-horns."
THE BIKTH OF A "bOOM " 369
roan bull calf 8tli Duke of Geneva was exported to
Messrs. Harward & Downing at $-i,000.
Walcott & Campbell. — While Mr. Sheldon was
thus acquiring international position in the Short-
horn trade Messrs. Walcott & Campbell, proprietors
of the extensive New York Mills Sheeting Factories,
on the Mohawk Eiver, some two miles north of Utica,
had laid the foundation of the herd that was des-
tined to confound the agricultural world. The Hon.
S. Campbell of this firm was a native of Ayrshire,
Scotland, who, from working at the loom, became
superintendent and eventually partner in the great
cotton mills mentioned. In acquiring water jorivil-
eges for the mills it had been necessary to purchase
some 1,400 acres of rich bottom land, which the firm
desired to put to some profitable use. The idea of
cattle-breeding suggested itself, and Mr. Campbell's
early instincts inclined him naturally to the daiiy
breed of his native county. He first turned his atten-
tion, therefore, to Ayrshires, in partnership with Mr.
James Brodie, a Scotchman who had also imported,
in connection with a Mr. Hungerford, a few Short-
horns, among which were two cows and a bull from
the herd of J. Mason Hoj^per. These cattle had a
double cross of Belleville (6778) and were superior
specimens. Mr. Campbell bought Hungerford 's in-
terest and eventually acquired Brodie 's.
Eichard Gibson was employed as manager of the
farm and cattle, and speaking of the transaction just
mentioned says:
370 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
"By this deal Mr. Campbell became possessed of Short-horns,
for which he had no love at the time, and I doubt if he ever had.
It was only the calves that he cared for. Of an Ayrshire he was
a fair judge, and as they were a paying investment in supplying
milk to the operatives they were looked upon with a great deal
more favor by the proprietor than were their swell relatives the
Short-horns. 'Gibson, what good are they? They give no milk;
just one mass of blubber; you can't eat them.' This idea of a cow
simply raising a calf was preposterous, just as among the opera-
tives every child must work, and usually the mother as well. So
it is easy to understand that in this community of busy workers
no drones were allowed, and the Short-horn cow at rest in the
rich pastures of the Mohawk Valley, negligently chewing her cud,
was entirely out of keeping with the surroundings. Why should
the patrician English cattle live in purple and fine linen? They
weaved not, neither did they spin!
"The remark quoted came in response to my question as to
what bull to breed the Short-horn cows to. I was led to make
this inquiry on seeing the men take out the Ayrshire bull to the
Short-horn cow imp. Rosamond. My ire arose. No more such
sacrilege was permitted, but it was some months before I could
persuade Mr. Campbell to allow me to buy a bull. I eventually
secured Weehawken, bred by J. 0. Sheldon. Upon this bull
hinged the destiny of the breed so far as the Mills was concerned.
He proved a most impressive sire, and as his progeny developed
his value became more established, and yearly the treasury of the
New York State Agricultural Association was laid under con-
tribution. After returning from one of our successful trips Mr.
Campbell put the situation in this way: 'Now I find your things'
(he always called them 'Gibson's things' up to a certain time)
'are giving us notoriety. We must either get rid of them or go
in deeper. I don't ask your opinion; I know what that will be;
but this I ask, can we take as high a position with Short-horns as
we have done with Ayrshires? Remember, I will play second to
none.' My reply was: 'You can't unless you can persuade Mr.
Sheldon to sell his herd, which I feel sure he will not do. But
you can do this: go on the opposition tack and buy Booths and
ijeat him in the ring wherever he shows.' "
Gibson* was quite familiar with the extraordinary
*Mr. Gib.son was born in England in 1840. almost beneath^^^^^^^
of Belvoir Castle, the seat of the Duke of Rutland. E^ducatea at tne
THE BIRTH OF A "^BOOM " 371
show-yard career of Booth Short-horns in England
and had not failed to notice the sensation created on
this side the water by Mr. Cochrane 's importation of
Baron Booth of Lancaster and Rosedale. He accord-
ingly had a long conversation with Mr. Campbell,
explaining that there were then practically no Booth
Short-horns in America, and it was decided that Gib-
son should go to England at once and make pur-
chases of cattle of that blood. This was in 1869;
and the events that followed may best be understood
by a brief digression at this point.
First Hillhurst importations. — Hon. M. H. Coch-
rane of Hillhurst Farm, Quebec, Can., was prominent
among those enterprising men who contributed
largely to the great expansion in Short-horn trade
and values that set in just prior to 1870. It was in
1867 that he began his memorable series of importa-
grammar schools of Derby and Lincoln he entered a grain merchant's
office for a period of two years, after which he studied closely for four
yesLVS the farming- methods of his father, who had gained various prizes
for the best cultivated farm in Derbyshire. Speaking of his early life
iVIr. Gibson says : "INly fathej- always kept a pure-bred bull. The first
I remember was a son of Earl of Dublin, the white Princess bull used
by Sir C. Knightley ; and the first noted bull I recollect was the same
Earl of Dublin. The farm reeked of Short-horns, as it was occupied by
Mr. Smith, a purcliaser at Collings' sale, and a member of the Dishley
Club. The old men talked of Lancaster and Comet, and the yarns when
shearing sheep, etc., fell on ears whose sensitive organism was receptive
to the quaint language and enthusiasm of the illiterate but observant
herdsman." One of the family of fourteen children and the eldest of
eight sons he determined upon arriving at the age of twenty -one to seek
his fortune in America. He landed at Quebec in 1861 and for two years
following worked at farming in Ontario, after which he received an ap-
pointment as manager for Mr. Delamater, a shipbviilder of New Tork,
wlio owned a 1,.500-acre farm on Long Island. After two years' service
in this capacity he was employed by Mr. Campbell to manage the farms
at New York Mills. He retained this responsible position until about one
year prior to the great closing-out sale of the herd, subsequently engag-
ing in Canada in the importing and expoi'ting trade on his own account,
and afterward purchasing his present farm of Belvoir, where, after a
remarkable experience in connection with the international trade in pedi-
greed live stock, he still resides.
In the course of his eventful career Mr. Gibson has crossed the Atlan-
tic more than thirty times, usually on business relating to the live-stock
372 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
tions. The initial shipment, selected by the late
Simon Beattie, consisted of two of the greatest show-
yard celebrities known to American Short-horn his-
tory, to-wit: Baron Booth of Lancaster, already re-
ferred to, and the wonderful Booth cow Rosedale,
bred by Lady Pigot. Along with Rosedale came her
bull calf Capt. Aiton 6512. Baron Booth went into
the West to win imperishable renown in the herd of
Mr. Pickrell, and Rosedale soon afterward followed;
being purchased by Col. William S. King of Minne-
apolis, in whose hands she proved the sensation of
her time.
Li 1868 Mr. Cochrane imported eleven head, four
of which were of Bates breeding and the remainder
of Booth blood from the herds of William Torr and
R. S. Bruere. He resolved to be " in " on the Duchess
proposition as well as the trade in show stock of
Booth derivation, and bought from Col. Gunter of
Wetherby Grange, Yorkshire, the yearling heifer
trade, and has enjoyed the acquaintance of a majority of the most promi-
nent Short-horn breeders of his time. He has been a frequent contribu-
tor to the agricultural press and has served as an expert judge of many
different varieties of live stock at the leading- siiows of North America,
besides being President of the Dominion Sliort-horn Breeders' Associa-
tion and of the Dominion Kennel Club. Like Jorrocks of old he is a
thorough believer in the efficacy of "a bit o' blood, whether it be in a
'orse, a 'ound" or any other of the many four-footed or feathered pets
by which Anglo-Saxons of rural tastes love to surround themselves. One
of the most companionable of men, fond of a good dinner and a good
story, an admirable raconteur himself, he is never so happy as when
living again in retrospect the stirring scenes of which he has been a
witness, and his wealth of cattle lore is ever at the service of those who
share his interest in the great achievements of the rare old worthies of
the past.
Mr. Gibson belongs to a remarkable family. His brother John T. was
manager for Col. William S. King when Lyndale was in its prime, and
was subsequently manager for J. J. Hill of North Oaks. Another
brother, William, was manager of the Niagara Herd of Mr. Bronson C.
Rumsey of Buffalo, N. Y. Still another brother, Arthur, is manager for
Mr. Philo L. Mills of Ruddington Hall, Nottingham, Eng., and a fifth
brother, Charles, is his assistant. A sixth member of the family, Edwin,
is in Australia, and Fred is in India.
THE BIRTH OF A "^BOOM " 373
Duchess 97tli for $5,000* — the highest price up to
that date ever paid for a cow or heifer of any breed ;
and from C. W. Harvey of Walton-on-the-Hill, Liv-
erpool, the young Bates cow Wild Eyes 26th and her
bull calf. Meantime he had secured from Sheldon
the 11th Duke of Thorndale. This shipment is
notable not only for the purchase of the Duchess
heifer at a startling price but as having included the
roan bulls Eobert Napier 8975 and Star of the Eealm
11021 ; the f onner bred by Mr. Torr, descending from
Booth's Anna, and the latter bred by Mr. Bruere
from his Vesper tribe. We have already alluded to
the great impression made by Baron Booth of Lan-
caster ujDon the breeders of the Central West, and
quick appreciation of the value of these Booth bulls
was shown in another quarter. William Warfield
became the owner of Eobert Napierf and A. J. Alex-
ander, who had succeeded to the ownership of Wood-
burn upon the death of his brother, E. A. Alexan-
der — which occurred Dec, 1, 1867 — took Star of the
Eealm.
In 1869 Mr. Cochrane made two importations, one
in June and one in August. These were practically
*This was the first Duchess female Gunter had parted with up to
1868. He had refused in 1865 an offer from Mr. Betts of 1,000 guineas
for Duchess 84th and her heifer calf Duchess 9 2d.
tMr. Warfield says : "Robert Napier was a large bull of great scale
and weight, but not what I would call a very fine bull, neither was he a
uniform breeder. His calves — Bertha (Vol. XV, page 447), Loudon
Duchess 6th (Vol. XI, page 838). 3d Gem of Grasmere (Vol. XXI, page
6527), Loudon Duke 12th 23847, and Bridesmaid (Vol. XXII. page
17075) — were as fine animals as I ever bred. He received an injury on
being shipped to the fairs on the railroad, which I believe was perma-
nent. I gave him to a neighbor and I think he finally fell into the hands
of Mr. Dean. Maryville, Mo." Another fine daughter of this bull, bred
by Mr. Warfield, was Lucy Napier, bought and shown by J. H. Pickrell.
374 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
all Booth-crossed stock, from the herds of such suc-
cessful adherents of the house of Booth in Great
Britain as Messrs. R. Chaloner of King's Fort, Ire-
land; T. E. Pawlett of Beeston, T. Barnes of West-
land, Ireland; Torr of Aylesby and Hugh Aylmer of
West Dereham Abbey, Norfolk. One of the bulls,
the roan Torr-bred Gen. Napier 8199, was bought by
Col. William S. King, the owner of Eosedale, who
was easily the most daring operator of his day in the
Western States.
The time seemed ripe, therefore, for New York
Mills to follow Gibson's advice and go gunning for
Sheldon with Booth weapons.
Gibson buys Booths for New York Mills. — T. C.
Booth of Warlaby was now at the climax of his show-
yard renown. Commander-in-Chief (21415) and the
marvelous Lady Fragrant had been champions of
the breed at the Leicester Eoyal of 1868.* While the
Bates men had forced prices for their favorites to
a high point Warlaby also had a powerful following
throughout the United Kingdom, and nothing but
very tempting offers would induce Mr. Booth to part
with any of his best cattle to come to America. Mr.
Gibson had not gone so far, however, for the pur-
pose of purchasing inferior specimens, and at the
handsome figure of $5,000 secured the great roan
heifer Bride of the Vale, sired by Lord of the Valley
(14837) out of the famous Soldier's Bride. He also
*The last appearance of the Booths at the English Royal was at
Manchester in 1869, upon which occasion Lady Fragrant was cham-
pion female and Earl of Derby (21638), bred and shown by Wiley of
Brandsby, was champion bull.
THE BIETH OF A ''bOOM " 375
bought the roan bull calf Eoyal Briton (27351), bred
at Warlaby from Lord Blithe (22126), tracing
through Crown Prince to Bride Elect. From the
same noted nursery of show-yard champions came
the roan heifer Merry Peal, by Commander-in-Chief,
and the white heifer White Eose, by Mountain Chief.
From E. Chaloner, King's Fort, Ireland, he bought
the white heifer Fair Maid of Hope and her bull calf
King of the Ocean. Four other heifers were also
selected, included among them being the white
Knightley heifer Lady Oxford. Hillhurst had
already set the pace. The price paid for Bride of
the Vale ($5,000) was fixed by the fact that Gunter
had just obtained that unprecedented figure from
Mr. Cochrane for a Duchess heifer. The Booths were
quite as proud of their reputation and prestige as
were the followers of the fortunes of Thomas Bates,
and AVarlaby females were quite as difficult to obtain
as were specimens of the Duchess tribe. It had been
Mr. Booth's settled policy not to sell females to con-
temporary British breeders to be retained in Eng-
land. He had permitted Mr. Bolden to send out a
shipment to Australia, and we believe that a
Christon heifer had been sold to Mr. B. St. John
Ackers of Prinknash Park, who was a distant rela-
tive. At that time, however, this tribe had not been
admitted into full fellowship with the time-honored
Booth Short-horn strains. Aside from these trans-
actions Bride of the Vale and Merry Peal were, we
believe, the only heifers Mr. Booth had parted with
376 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
for breeding purposes, and tliey were only sold with
the understanding that they were to be taken to
America.
In 1870 ten head were imported, including the
Christen heifers Patricia and Minaret. In this lot
were two heifers from Torr's Waterloo tribe and the
roan Baron Oxford's Beauty from Col. Towneley's.
This shipment experienced cold weather at sea, but
the day the cattle landed in New York harbor the
thermometer registered 105 deg. in the shade. Poor
Patricia, for which $5,000 had been paid, succumbed
to the heat on shipboard before the cattle could be
landed. Had the rest not been carefully handled
after unloading other losses would doubtless have
occurred. Gibson had them hauled from the dock to
the railway freight-yard in canopy-covered "lor-
ries," with a big sponge tied on top of the head of
each animal and a boy alongside of each cow to
apply cold water. In this way they were safely
started for the farm.
The Mills now had indeed the nucleus of a herd
which might well set Bates men thinking. Cochrane
and Simon Beattie in Canada were at this time at-
tracting the attention of the trade on both sides of
the water by their extensive importations of Booth-
crossed stock, and it really began to look as if that
type might at last become a formidable rival of the
Bates tribes in the New World.
Sensational transfer of the Sheldon herd. — Shel-
don was nothing if not shrewd, and soon scented
THE BIRTH OF A '^BOOM " 377
danger in the Booth propaganda with such backers
in the East as Walcott & Campbell, Simon Beattie
and M. H. Cochrane, and such sympathizers in the
West as the influential breeders already mentioned.
He resolved, therefore, to make tenns with the
New York management, and offered to sell Mr.
Campbell one-half of the Geneva herd. This was
in 1869. Mr. Gibson advised that the purchase
be made. Mr. Campbell replied: "But you don't
know the price." The imperturbable Gibson re-
joined: "Never mind that. Buy." The price
was a big one, and the herd was to be divided
by a process of alternate selection. Sheldon secured
first choice in the "toss up" and picked 12th
Duchess of Geneva. The selection proceeded until
Mr. Sheldon had, in addition to the 12th, the 4th
Duchess of Geneva and the 10th, 12th and 13th
Duchesses of Thorndale. Walcott & Campbell got
the 6th, 8th and 13th Duchesses of Geneva and the
3d and 9th Duchesses of Thorndale. Of the Oxfords
Sheldon secured 6th Lady, 3d Maid, 2d Countess and
Gem of Oxford. Gibson took the 7th and 10th Ladys
and 2d Maid. The entire lot was gone over in the
same fashion, and the 4th Duke of Geneva, then at
the head of the herd, was retained in common. Fur-
thermore, it was agreed that no Oxford or Duchess
female was to be sold by either party until the other
had the first option. The Duchesses had cost Wal-
cott & Campbell an average of $5,500 each and the
Oxfords $2,800 each.
378 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN" CATTLE
Immediately after this division of the herd Shel-
don began stocking up again and within a year his
stables were found full to overflowing. He, of
course, looked to Walcott & Campbell to buy the
entire outfit. He was playing the Duchess game for
all there was in it. The New York Mills people de-
clined to be baited, however, in any such wholesale
manner. They were perfectly willing to take the
Duchesses and Oxfords, but this did not suit Shel-
don. The facts as to the deal which finally resulted
in their transfer to Walcott & Campbell in 1870 are
set forth by Mr. Gibson in the following language :
"Sheldon had not filled ? 's barn for naught. A deadlock en-
sued. James Wadsworth ^. . nibbling, Col. King of Minnesota
was after them and so was Cochrane of Canada. A sale cata-
logue was then circulated and date arranged. Walcott & Camp-
bell's hands were forced and they were obliged to buy in self-de-
fense. The lot was taken, fifty females and fourteen bulls, at a
round $100,000, with interest at 6 per cent until paid. Now Mr.
Campbell, though born an alien, had confidence in the Govern-
ment's pledges to pay. Mr. Sheldon was a Democrat and guessed
otherwise. Gold was about 160 and the agreement was that when
the settlement was made it was to be on the basis of gold as
quoted on the day of sale. Result: $60,000 paid the original debt
of $100,000. Mr. Campbell could have paid at time of purchase
just as well as not, but preferred waiting under the circum-
stances and therein got a chance to 'even up' with Mr. Sheldon."
"Duke" bulls in demand.— Thorne and Sheldon's
European trade had served as a great advertisement
for the Thorndale and Geneva stock. The Kentuck-
ians, naturally predisposed to favor the Duchess
proposition by reason of their satisfactory experi-
ence with the kindred Woodburn blood, contributed
to the upbuilding of the "boom." Edwin Bedford
THE BIETH OF A '^BOOM " 379
had bought 2d Duke of Geneva 5562, and during his
brief career that bull made a distinct "hit," as
stated on page 290. Mr. Bedford then got the 5th
Duke at $3,000. Col. King of Minnesota secured the
6th at the same price. In 1869 Mr. Alexander took
the 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458) from Sheldon at
$5,500. A. W. Griswold of Vennont had given
$3,000 for the 14th Duke of Thorndale (28459) as a
calf, and in 1869 George M. Bedford purchased him
at $6,000. The 8th and 9th Dukes of Geneva had
gone at $4,000 each, and Cochrane had the 11th.
The Bates tribes were now (1870) firmly held by
powerful interests on both sides the Atlantic. Wal-
cott & Campbell, after their preliminary flirtation
with the Booths, had gone into the Duchess specula-
tion,* and this gave the Kirklevington sorts a pres-
tige that needed only the great sale at New York
Mills to fairly stampede America to the Bates colors.
Meantime the West was aroused to action by the
announcement of a dispersion sale of the entire
herd of Mr. McMillan of Ohio, and as this was the
opening gun in a most extraordinary era of auction
sales in America the event will be noted in detail.
The McMillan sale.— Mr. Daniel McMillan of Oak-
land Farm, Xenia, 0., had for many years been
breeding Short-horns descended from the Ohio and
Kentucky importations. He had been a frequent
exhibitor at the leading fairs of the West, and the
♦The New York Mills Booth cattle were afterward sold to Mr. Coch-
rane, who sent some of them back to England.
380 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
herd was one of the best known in the United States.
Indeed Mr. McMillan was the first breeder north of
the Ohio River to cross swords with the Kentuck-
ians in their own show-yards. This event occurred
in 1869. The herd was at that time headed by Plan-
tagenet 6031, but Mr. Warfield's Muscatoon de-
feated this bull in the class showing. In the herd
competition, however, the McMillan cattle pre-
vailed.* The great prices that were now current in
England and the East stimulated the rapidly-rising
interest in Short-horns throughout the entire Union,
and it was indeed an historic gathering that assem-
bled at Oakland on the morning of the 8th of June,
1870. Practically all of the leading breeders and
exhibitors, not only of the East but of the West, were
present. The cattle were tied in line along a fence
for examination, and here for the first time the
Short-horn breeding fraternity of America may be
said to have actually assembled, all former auctions
having been more or less local in their character.
*The best of the McMillan show herds had been fitted by James
Lyall, a Scotchman, who had come to America in 1856 as an assistant
in connection with the ill-fated shipment of Short-horns made that year
via New Orleans by Alex. Barrett of Henderson, Ky. The ship experi-
enced a tempestuous passage, being nearly six weeks at sea, and all of
the Short-horns but two were lost, included among those that perished
being tlie famous Douglas show cow Queen of Trumps, by Belleville
(6778), for which 500 guineas had been paid.
Lyall's father was at this time herdsman in the old country for Doug-
las of Athelstaneford, so that the young man had been reared to the
cattle business. He remained with Barrett four years, going to McINIil-
lan in 1863. The show bull Gen. Grant was then a yearling. Mr. Lyall
fitted the show herds for their most successful campaigns, as well as
for this closing-out sale, after which he was identified with the noted
herds of George Murray of Racine, Col. William S. King and others.
Unfortvmately the show bull Plantagenet and the great cow Louan
13th had been lost shortly before the sale. Plantagenet was a very
massive bull of imposing presence, a bull of more substance than Gen.
Grant, although a bit rough at the tail-head, and not so good in his
quarters.
THE BIRTH OF A ''bOOM " 381
The sale was held in a grove and no seats were pro-
vided for the company. This did not detract, how-
ever, from the complete success of the occasion, as
the bidding w^as active and spirited from start to
finish.
Following is the list of females sold for $500 or
over:
Mignonette,* red show cow; sired by Gen. Grant out of his
own dam, Jessie— C. C. & R. H. Parks, Waukegan, 111. .$3,800
4th Louan of Oakland, yearling heifer; by 2d Duke of
Geneva 5562— J. C. Jenkins, Petersburg, Ky 3,650
Louan 21st,t eight-year-old show cow, bred by Jere Duncan;
sired by Duke of Airdrie 2743 — Geo. Murray, Racine,
Wis 3,600
Wenona, red show cow, tracing to imp. Louisa; sired by
Gen. Grant— W. J. Neely, Ottawa, 111 3,000
Forest Queen, red two-year-old; by Plantagenet — George
Murray 2,800
Louan 35th, red show cow; by Duke of Airdrie 2743 — E. G.
Bedford, Kentucky 2,625
Highland Lady, roan cow, bred by J. M. Hill, Illinois; sired
by imp. King Alfred (3053), dam White Lady, bought
by Mr. McMillan at the Hill sale already mentioned —
J. H. Spears, Tallula, 111 2,075
6th Louan of Oakland,:]: red show heifer; by Plantagenet —
George Murray 2,000
♦Mignonette, it will be observed, was incestuously bred. She was a
very fine show heifer as a yearling and two-year old, but grew too
"lumpy" for the show-yard and did no good as a breeder. She was sold
by Messrs. Parks immediately after the sale to George Murray at $4,000.
tLouan 21st was the best of her family in the herd at this time, al-
though in the opinion of Herdsman Lyall not so good a cow as old Jessie,
the dam of Gen. Grant. He describes Jessie as a red of great scale, with
good head, excellent quarters and fine quality, altogether the best cow
that Mr. McMillan had ever owned, although inclined to be up on legs.
JLyall, who had been consulted by Mr. Murray as to what to buy, and
who afterward entered the employ of Mr. Murray, tried to induce him to
take the 4th Louan instead of the 6th, as the former was a good one and
Louan 6th was slack in her loin and never could make a cow. This ad-
vice, however, was not followed. It had been generally believed that Mr.
Murray really bought what stock he wanted privately, before the sale,
and had it passed through the ring.
382 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Louan 23d, roan show cow; by Lord Derby — A. J. Dunlap,
Galesburg, 111 $1,750
Louan 39th, red cow; by Duke of Airdrie 2743— T. J. Megib-
ben, Cynthiana, Ky 1,650
Linda Belle 2d, red show heifer; by Plantagenet — J. H.
Spears 1,525
6th Duchess of Oakland, red-and-white three-year-old; by
Plantagenet — George Gregg, Beechville, Can 1,500
7th Duchess of Oakland, red two-year-old; by Plantagenet
— James Fullington, Union Co., 1,400
Flora Belle 3d, roan yearling — J. H. Spears 1,325
Magenta, red heifer calf; by Plantagenet, dam Clinton Lady
—J. H. Spears 1,105
Oxford Duchess, red cow — W. M. Baines, Metamora, Ind... 1,075
P'annie Hunt, red three-year-old; dam Anna Hunt, of Mr.
Warfleld's breeding — A. J. Dunlap 1,025
Myrtle, roan twelve-year-old cow; by imp. Starlight (12146)
— James Fullington 1,005
Anna Clark, red-and-white cow, bred by C. M. Clark — Mil-
ton Briggs, Newton, la 950
Eudora 2d, red heifer; by Plantagenet — B. H. Campbell,
Batavia, 111 910
Clinton Lady, red nine-year-old cow — Jesse Hagler, Fayette
Co., 850
Louan of Oakland, red cow — Milton Briggs 800
Louan 12th, red eleven-year-old cow — R. G. Dun, London, O. 800
Rosa Bonheur, red-roan three-year-old — James Fullington.. 750
Emma 2d, red cow— B. H. Campbell 730
Anna Eggleston, red cow — Thomas Kirk, Fayette Co., 0. . . . 730
ICth Belle Republic, red cow— Milton Briggs 700
141st Belle Republic, red cow— Milton Briggs 700
3d Louan of Oakland, roan two-year-old — J. W. Armstrong,
Deer Park, 111 GOO
Honey Bud, roan two-year-old — B. H. Campbell 000
Oxford Queen, heifer calf; by Plantagenet — J. W. Arm-
strong 560
Vain Lady, red two-year-old; by Gen. Grant — B. H. Camp-
bell 525
Minna Watson, roan heifer calf — H. B. Sherman, Toledo, 0. 525
May Day, red-and-white cow — B. H. Campbell 525
THE BIRTH OF A ''bOOM " 383
Bride of Greenwood, red-and-white, bred by David Selsor —
George Gregg, Canada $ 525
Emma Palmer, red-and-white cow, twelve years old; by
imp. Warrior (122S7)— Thomas Kirk, Fayette Co., O. . 500
Eudora, roan cow — Charles Hook, Xenia, 500
Oneota, cow; by Duke of Airdrie 2743 — Jesse Hagler 500
-1th Belle Republic, roan cow — Milton Briggs 500
Of the bulls Eoyal Oakland, a red two-year-old
by Plantagenet out of Miguonette, brought the
highest price, $1,300, from James Fullington. This
bull had been winner of first prize at the Ohio State
Fair of 1868, and stood at the head of the breeders'
herd at the same show in 1869. He was resold the
next day for $2,000. The rest of the bulls ranged in
price from $75 for old Oxford Lad up to $825 for
Eoyal Lad — a yearling by Plantagenet. The entire
herd brought $63,980, an average of $864.60. Twen-
ty-four head went to Illinois at $23,625, twenty-five
head to Ohio at $13,265, six head to Iowa at $1,350,
six head to Kentucky at $11,090 and three to Wis-
consin at $8,400.
Col. WiUiam S. King-. — One of the most interested
spectators at the McMillan sale was Col. William S.
King of Minneapolis, Minn., who was one of the first
to introduce Short-horns into the Northwest and
whose lavish investments in show and breeding stock
contributed so largely to the development of a taste
for Short-horn breeding in the Western States. The
controlling motive in the establishment of his Lyn-
dale Herd was the improvement of the cattle stocks
of the Xorthwest. Short-horns were but little known
in Minnesota even while Brown, Pickrell, Duncan,
384 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
McMillan, Spears and their contemporaries were
fighting their earlier show-yard battles in Illinois.
Col. King was himself without special knowledge of
them at that time, and indeed began his work by an
unavailing effort to introduce Ayrshires among the
farmers of the Northwest. Reared in the stock-
growing and dairy region of Northern Central New
York his thoughts naturally reverted first to the
herds of the Empire State, and he has given us an
amusing account of how his attention became first
diverted from the Ayrshires to the Short-horns and
as to how his first purchase was received upon ar-
rival at St. Paul in 1867. In the autumn of that
year he visited the J. 0. Sheldon herd at Geneva,
N. Y., and was captivated by it. One of the Duch-
esses had just dropped a bull calf — the 5th Duke of
Geneva — which he contracted for at $3,000; but be-
fore the youngster was shipped Sheldon arranged
for an exchange of the 5th Duke to Edwin G. Bed-
ford of Kentucky for the 6th Duke of Geneva.* In
*"I took occasion on one of my frequent trips east to visit the New
York Mills Herd of Ayrshires, which was then reputed to be the finest of
the kind in the United States. It was on that occasion that I first met
both Mr. Campbell and Richard Gibson and formed acquaintance with
the latter which led to many later business transactions between us and
friendship which still exists and has been to me a source of much pleas-
ure. But to my story. Telling Mr. Campbell the purpose of my visit the
old gentleman left his business office and walked with me to the barn,
where, calling for Gibson, he ordered out for review his Scottish pets,
which Gibson began to assemble from the various small lots adjoining
the barns and yards. While standing on the platform of the barn lool?-
ing at the Ayrsliires there was a great crasli near by, and looking in tliat
direction I saw a young Short-horn bull about eighteen months old which
had dashed through a partly opened gate to an adjoining yard and with
head and tail erect stood before us a living picture of animal beauty.
•What's that?' said I to Mr. Campbell. 'Oh, that's one of Gibson's
things, a Sliort-horn, but I don't think mucli of them,' was the reply.
But a friend who had accompanied me to inspect the herd turned to
me and said: 'Colonel, that's tlie kind of stock you want for the West.
Your Western people will never be satisfied with these Ayrsliire cattle.'
Mr. Campbell was evidently nettled at this remark and replied : 'Then
385
1869 Col. King added by purchase from the Sheldon
herd a Bloom, two Gwynnes, a Mazurka, and several
other females, including Constance 6th, which latter
proved to be the most profitable cow ever owned at
Lyndale. Such was the foundation. These Sheldon
cattle were shown at the Minnesota State Fair of
the people of the West don't know what is best for them.' Truth com-
pels me to sav that I was a little nettled myself. It was Ayrshires that
I 'went out to see' ; Ayrshires that I had fully decided were to be my
instruments in the work of stock and dairy reform in Minnesota, and
the result was that before leaving the barn I had picked out a small
number of young Ayrshire heifers and a yearling bull and arranged
for their shipment. Before I left, however, Gibson found an opportunity
to whisper in my ear : 'Tou will make no mistake if you take the
advice of your friend and take along a few Short-horns.' So just as we
were about leaving I turned to Mr. Campbell and asked : 'What will
you price me that young bull for?' 'Oh, if you want him you may have
him for $100,' was the reply. 'WTiy, Mr. Campbell," spoke up Gibson
qulcklv,' ':Mr. Sheldon would never sell such a bull as that for a cent
less than $400.' 'No matter,' said Mr. Campbell, 'if Mr. King wants him
for $100 he can have him.' 'Take him,' said my friend decidedly; 'he
will be worth more to you than all the Ayrshires on this farm." I took
the bull, and with him two or three young heifers of the same strain
of blood, all, I think, by Weehawken from dams of the Rosamond, or
Mason blood. And thus began my Short-horn purchases. Whether
Gibson put up a job to have that Short-horn bull appear on the stage
at that particular moment I do not venture to assert, but that his ap-
pearance at that time had much to do in shaping my future course as
a breeder is a solid fact.
"\Mien advised by telegraph that the boat on which the stock was
shipped from La Crosse would reach St. Paul at a given hour I was on
hand to receive them. When the passengers had disembarked the cat-
tle were led off, the Ayrshires first being unloaded. Among the crowd
of levee loungers who were 'watching out' to see what was going on
was one tall, lank, uncouth-looking chap who eyed my little Ayrshires
with great apparent curiosity, and finally addressing me he broke out :
'I say. Mister, what do you call them are critters there?' 'Young Ayr-
shires,' was the short reply. 'Young wharf rats,' he rejoined, and
added : 'I say. Mister, you'll have to look out or them little critters will
crawl through the cracks of your barn floor and you'll lose 'em.' Too
indignant to reply to this gross insult put upon my beautiful young
Ayrshires I turned away from the fellow just as the young Short-horn
bull was being led off the boat, when my tormentor, espying him, broke
out again : 'I say. Mister, there comes a critter something like what
a critter should be. I know that kind myself.' '"What kind of a critter
do you call that?' some one standing by inquired,' '"UTiy,' said this ex-
pert judge of live stock, 'that's a Devon. I've seen hundreds of them
cattle down in Maine 'fore I ever came West.' Offended pride and pa-
tience could stand no more, and sharply turning upon this critic I said
to him : "Young man, that bull doesn't come anj-where as near being a
Devon as you do to being a natural-born jackass.' The fellow turned a
half -pitying, half-offended look upon me as though debating in his own
mind whether I was really as big a fool as he evidently rated me, or
whether it was his duty to resent in some effective way my ill manner
In thus characterizing his pedigree, but finally strolled off into the crowd
while I headed my young bovine pilgrims for Minneapolis, where I
soon had them safely and comfortably housed in their humble quarters."
386 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE.N CATTLE
1869 and attracted much favorable notice, although
not in high condition. Meantime the proprietor had
been a visitor at some of the important shows else-
where, and realizing that his stock could not hope
to cope successfully with the great show herds of
Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky he determined to bring-
all the resources of large means to bear upon the
acquisition of animals of such character as would
enable him to break a lance with the leading show-
men of the day. He had heard of Baron Booth of
Lancaster and of Eosedale, and following Mr. Pick-
rell's example visited Mr. Cochrane 's.
The LyndaJe show herd. — At Hillhurst he saw and
bought the great Rosedale, imp. Queen of Diamonds
and Maid of Atha, of William Miller's breeding.
This was a grand foundation for a show herd, but
no bull of the requisite character could be found,
and a two-year-old heifer and yearling were also
needed. The Colonel's ambition was now thoroughl}^
aroused, and with characteristic enterprise and lib-
erality he gave Mr. Cochrane and Simon Beattie
carte blanche to select and l)ring out from Great
Britain the best animals money could buy in the
United Kingdom to fill out the herd. About this
same time Mr. John Gibson (brother to Eichard,
then at New York Mills) was engaged to take gen-
eral charge of the Lyndale Herd. The McMillan dis-
persion occurred while Col. King's agents were look-
ing for show cattle abroad. This was the first
auction sale of cattle he had ever attended, and like
£ 2
— >
> -
^S
z ^
THE BIRTH OF A ^'bOOM " 387
all others who were present upon that occasion he
was fairly carried away by the excitement and
enthusiasm of the day. It w^as here that he met
Lyall, McMillan's herdsman, and engaged him to
undertake the detailed training of the show herd
then in progress of formation.
Beattie arrived Aug. 2, 1870, with the imported
cattle. He had brought out forty head altogether,
including the bulls Scotsman 10951 and Old Sam
10551, both tw^o years old, and a pair of roan two-
year-old show heifers — Booth's Lancaster and
Countess of Yarborough — for Col. King's exami-
nation. The bulls were both good; in fact so evenly
balanced that it seemed impossible to make choice
between them. After extended deliberation, how-
ever, in which Messrs. Beattie, Cochrane, King and
Gibson all participated, they decided to make their
stand with Scotsman. He was a roan, bred by the
Duke of Buccleuch and sired by Royal Errant 22780
( the sire of the dam of the afterward celebrated imp.
Duke of Richmond) out of Comet by Lord Stanley
(18275). Even more difficulty was experienced in
trying to choose between the two heifers. They
were both grand thick-fleshed specimens and in
beautiful bloom. Booth's Lancaster was a great
"chunk"— full sister in blood to Baron Booth
of Lancaster — being by the same sire out of one of
the celebrated triplet daughters of Lord Raglan
from the cow Lancaster 25th, bred by Mr. Cruick-
^hank. The Countess was bred by Dudding from
388 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Baron Rosedale (21239), a bull out of the dam of
Rosedale. The Lyndale people were afraid that if
they left either of these at Hillhurst there would be
grave danger of meeting the other later on in hos-
tile hands at the Western shows. There was but one
safe thing to do; buy them both. No yearling had
been bought, but hearing of Rosedale 's last calf,
Rosedale Duchess, her purchase was decided upon
without the formality of an examination; the price
being $5,500. She proved a disappointment. In Col.
King's expressive language, '' richly worth about 5
per cent of the price paid. ' '
En route to Minnesota Scotsman developed a case
of foot-and-mouth disease, which necessitated his
being quarantined at Lyndale, and in spite of the
most careful treatment he was in no condition to
head the herd as the fall shows drew near. The Illi-
nois State Fair was being held the w^eek before "the
Great St. Louis" Show, which was in those days the
"Royal" of America, and after loading the cattle
(and some imported Cotswold sheep) on board a
river steamer at St. Paul for St. Louis Gibson was
started post haste for Decatur, with instructions to
buy a show bull, if there was one on the Illinois State
Fair Grounds, at any cost. On Saturday before the
opening the Lyndale cattle were in their stalls at
St. Louis, minus a bull, but that same day Gibson
wired that he was starting with Scotsman's ocean
companion Old Sam. Mr. Cochrane had not sold the
bull during the summer, and had shipped him out
THE BIRTH OF A ''bOOM " 389
to the Illinois State Fair in the expectation of find-
ing a purchaser. James N. Brown's Sons had Ty-
coon 7339 at Decatur that year as a three-year-old,
and Mr. Gibson offered $2,500 for him without effect-
ing his purchase. As this was one of the most noted
of the home-bred show bulls of that time a brief
statement concerning him will be of interest at this
point.
Tycoon 7339. — This noted roan must be credited
primarily to Kentucky, as he was sired by Mr. War-
field's famous Muscatoon 7057 out of Nannie by
Derby 4689, he a son of Eenick 903; second dam
Maria Hunt by imp. Young Chilton, tracing in the
maternal line to imp. Illustrious by Emperor (1974).
He was dropped on Capt. James N. Brown's farm in
Sangamon County, March 27, 1867. While his sire
and dam were both bred at Grasmere the credit for
his development into one of the most noted show
bulls of his day rests with Capt. Brown and his sons,
who had by this time become associated with their
father in the management of the herd at Grove
Park.* At three years of age he attained a weight
of 2,360 lbs. His head was neat, horns slightly
drooping, and of masculine character. He was well
filled behind the shoulders, good at the chine; level
in his top and bottom lines; square and well finished
about the rumps, with thighs carried well down to
straight and well-filled legs. He was rated bv good
*Capt. James N. Brown died Nov. 16, 1868. His sons still carry on
the farm, although doing little now in pedigreed cattle.
390 A HISTORl OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
judges as one of the best bulls of his time in the
West, and his victories in the show-yard at the
Illinois State Fair, at St. Louis and other leading
exhibitions gained for him much reputation.
Tycoon was a uniformly good breeder and many
of his heifers were fitted for show with great suc-
cess. Prominent among his get may be mentioned
the $1,000 show heifer Maud Muller, Illustrious 5tli
and the famous Young Marys, Grace Youngs 4tli,
5th and 6th. He was sold at auction in 1871 to Mr.
S. C. Duncan of Missouri and died in 1873. His
sister. Illustrious 3d, was also a great winner in the
herd of Messrs. Brown.
King's victory at St. Louis. — When the great St.
Louis show of 1870 opened its gates Old Sam was
found at the head of the Lyndale Herd. He was a
red, bred by H. R. Crabb of Chelmsford, Essex, Eng.,
and was got by the Bell-Bates Duchess Nancy bull
Duke of Grafton (21594), a son of exported Duke
of Geneva (19614), and similar in his breeding to
the celebrated Grand Duke of Oxford (28763), sire
of Rev. B. B. Kennard's great English-bred prize
cow Queen Mary. Old Sam's dam was the mixed-
bred cow Roma, by Baron Roxwell (21240). He
gained first prize in the aged bull class over Baron
Booth of Lancaster, but the latter was awarded by
another committee the male championship of the
class. Rosedale* was an easy winner among the
* John Gibson desci-ibes Rosedale as follows : "Rosedale was one
of the best cows I ever saw. She was laid out on a much larger scale
than the cows now shown. She had an extraordinary front that waa
THE BIETH OF A '^BOOM '' 391
aged cows; Queen of Diamonds carried the three-
year-old ribbon, Booth's Lancaster the first for two-
year-old heifer and Countess of Yarborough second.
In yearlings the $5,500 Rosedale's Duchess was not
noticed, but in heifer calves the sweet-faced heavy-
coated Constance of Lyndale, by 5th Duke of Geneva,
headed the list.* The herd prize fell to Lyndale
after one of the most exciting contests ever known
in America show-j^ards, Illinois, Missouri and Ken-
tucky were defeated, but Great Britain and Canada
had been ransacked with a blank check-book to do
the trick.
History tells of the "Field of the Cloth of Gold,"
where the kings of France and England met in the
midst of such luxurious surroundings as to make the
conference memorable mainly for its extravagant
splendor. The tent which flew the flag of Lyndale
and from whence Col. King dispensed hospitality to
the fraternity of Short-horn breeders at this show
well carried back to her hips. She was long, wide and deep, with great
thickness of flesh, evenlv laid. She was just a little plain from her
hips back, which was about her only fault. With all her size and wealth
of flesh she had no coarseness or roughness, showing a fine feminine
head, well carried. Queen of Diamonds tied her for sweepstakes at St.
Louis, but the old cow rightly got it. One of the best things we showed
at St. Louis in 1870 was the Constance heifer. One gentleman who
saw her before the show remai'ked what a good one she was and said :
'You have trained wrong ; kept too much hair on. That is all right for
the Roval, but will not do for the States.' I replied that I never saw a
Short-horn with too much hair of the right quality, and the St. Louis
judges seemed to think the same."
* Constance was shown here in the wrong class, as was afterward
acknowledged. There was always considerable contention between
Edwin Bedford and George Bedford. Mr. Edwin Bedford had bought
the 5th Duke of Geneva, and when this heifer made the rounds, really
a yearling and shown as a calf, she was awarded great honors and, of
course, Edwin was vcrv proud of her. Mr. George Bedford said he need
not be. because she could not be a daughter of 5th Duke of Geneva, as
she was too voung. Then, of course. Col. King either had to deny her
sire or acknowledge — as, upon investigation, he subsequently did — that
she was shown in the wrong ring.
392 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
was not carpeted with gold exactly, but it lacked
little that money could supply that would minister
to the tastes or appetites of the most fastidious
among the congenial spirits congregated to do honor
to that princely entertainer upon this great gala
occasion. It was a famous victory; a magnificent
herd and a royal celebration ; an event which will be
recalled as long as show-yard battles retain their
interest as probably the most remarkable event, in
some of its features at least, in the annals of cattle
competitions in America.
W. R. Duncan's sale. — The McMillan sale, it is
needless to say, gave a great impetus to Short-horn
breeding in the West, and trade at once grew active,
both at public sale and private treaty, at high prices.
At an auction held by W. B. Duncan at Towanda,
111., Aug. 24, 1870, the show bull Minister 6363 was
sold to Andrew Wilson of Topeka, Kan., at $1,760.
Oxford Wiley 8753 fetched $705 and several other
bulls brought from $400 to $500 each. The seven-
year-old Young Mary cow Red Rose 3d, a red-roan
of Ben F. Van Meter's breeding, went to George
Otley of Neponset, 111., at $1,500. The red cow Gem
3d, also of Van Meter's breeding, fetched $1,150,
going to Ed. lies, Springfield, 111. The cow Oxford
Belle, bred at Woodbum, made $1,000 to Robert
Otley, Neponset, 111. Others were sold at from $400
to $750.
The beginning of live-stock journalism.— It may
fee of interest at this point to note that from the
THE BIRTH OF A '^BOOM " 393
month of May, 1869, may be dated the beginning of
live-stock journalism as a special feature of agricul-
tural newspaper work. Upon that date Mr. J. H.
Sanders, founder of the Breeder's Gazette, began
the publication of a sixteen-page monthly called the
Western Stock Journal, issued at Sigourney, la., the
initial number representing a portrait of Mr. Mc-
Millan's celebrated Louan 21st. Mr. Sanders was at
that time interested in stock breeding himself, and
feeling the need personally of information bearing
upon the business took advantage of his ownership
of a small country printing-office to undertake on his
own account the first venture of this kind of which
we have record. The publication acquired imme-
diate popularity, and its success attracted the atten-
tion of Mr. George W. Rust, at that date engaged in
newspaper work upon the Chicago Times, who in
connection with the Hon. John P. Reynolds estab-
lished at Chicago in September, 1871, a more pre-
tentious magazine, which was christened the
National Live-Stoch Journal. The immediate object
of Mr. Sanders having thus been accomplished he
accepted a proposition for the consolidation of his
own paper with that of Mr. Rust, assuming at the
same time a position as associate editor of the Chi-
cago periodical.
Mr. Rust was a ready and forcible writer, and at
once made a special study of the Short-horn trade.
His paper soon attained National circulation and in-
fluence and afforded stock-breeders in general and
394 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
the Short-born fraternity in particular a needed
medium of communication. The National Live-Stock
Journal, with which Messrs. Charles P. Willard and
William Hallowell also became identified, was soon
recognized as a powerful influence in the develop-
ment of the American interest in pedigreed stock
breeding.* In the course of time the Journal gave
way to the weekly Breeder's Gazette, which was
established in 1881.
*The author may perhaps be pardoned for stating that it was in the
worlt of compiling- Short-horn ratalogues in the office of tlie monthly
magazine mentioned that he acquired, some twenty years ago, his first
acquaintance with the intricacies of the Short-horn Herd Books of Great
Britain and America.
CHAPTER XIV
AN EEA OF EXPANSION
Important events now followed thick and fast.
Hundreds of herds were in process of formation all
the way from New England to the Pacific Coast.
The fame of the Short-horn had become co-extensive
with North American agriciiltnre and the demand
greater than at any previous period. To mention,
therefore, in detail all those who took a prominent
part in this broad expansion of Short-horn interests
would be to transcribe to these pages volumes of
facts and pedigrees that may best be gathered from
the herd-book records of the period. AVe can, there-
fore, touch only upon matters that fairly possessed
National or international interest.
Hillhurst and Lyndale operations. — Three impor-
tations were made to Hillhurst in 1870, aggregating
some sixty-five head of cattle representing the lead-
ing Bates and Booth strains. In the first lot were
the show cattle sold to Col. King, as already men-
tioned. Along with these Mr. Cochrane brought out
from Col. Gunter's Duchesses 101st and 103d — at the
extraordinary price of $5,000 and $7,500 respec-
tively — both sired by exp. 4th Duke of Thorndale.
and in the fall of that year these Duchesses dropped
heifer calves by 8th Duke of York (28480). In this
395
396 A HISTOKY OF SHOET-HOEJST CATTLE
same shipment was the roan show cow Jessie Hope-
well, of Aylmer's breeding, that was sold to Ed lies
of Springfield, 111. In the second shipment were
several heifers from Warlaby and Killerby and three
Booth bulls, one of which, Royal Richard 15415, was
sold to A. Van Meter of Kentucky. Mr. Cochrane
continued his operations in 1871, bringing over a
large number of well-bred and individually excellent
animals, including the roan heifer Royal Duchess 2d,
sold to Mr. lies; the red Portulacca, that became
the property of C. E. Coffin of Muirkirk, Md.; the
red bull The Doctor 13021 and Cherub 11505, both
subsequently famous in the West; the roan Breadal-
bane 11429, of Torr's breeding, sold to S. R. Streator
of Cleveland, 0., etc.
Richard Gibson selected for importation by Col.
King in 1871 a lot that included such noted animals
as Baron Hubback 2d 13199, of Col. Towneley's
breeding; Countess of Oxford, from Messrs. Hosken
of Cornwall; Lady Brough, largely of Booth blood,
etc. Meantime Mr. Cochrane had sold Duchess 97th
to Col. King at the enormous price of $12,000, but
shrewdly foreseeing the result of the manipulations
going on at New York Mills the proprietor of Hill-
hurst repurchased this heifer, and along with her
the 6th Duke of Geneva.
Exportations to England. — In April, 1871, Mr.
Cochrane sold through Mr. Thornton to Col. Kings-
cote for $4,000 the red yearling bull Duke of Hill-
hurst 9862, by 14th Duke of Thorndale out of
AN ERA OF EXPANSIOIT 397
Duchess 97tli, that afterward sired the highest-
priced bull of any breed ever sold in the world, to-
wit: Duke of Connaught (33604), for which Lord
Fitzhardinge gave $22,500. Along with Duke of
Hillhurst Mr. Cochrane shipped the roan heifer 11th
Lady of Oxford to the Earl of Dunmore, Stirling,
Scotland, at $3,750.
In October, 1871, Walcott & Campbell shipped
three Oxford heifers, the 9th Maid and 10th and 13th
Ladys of Oxford, together with the yearling Oxford
bull 5th Lord Oxford 10382 and the 1st Duke of
Oneida 9925, all sold to E. H. Cheney. For the 1st
Duke $4,250 was received. He was afterward resold
to Lord Skelmersdale. The 9th Maid of Oxford was
a particularly valuable heifer, having been success-
fully exhibited before exportation at the New York
State Fair. Unfortunately she died soon after land-
ing abroad.
In November, 1871, Mr. Cochrane made another
sale to Dunmore, consisting of the white Duchess
107th and the roan Duchess 108th, the 8th Maid of
Oxford, Marchioness of Oxford, and four Kentucky-
bred Roses of Sharon. For the Duchess heifers the
enormous price of $12,500 was paid. The two Rose of
Sharon cows Red Rose, of Mr. Renick's breeding,
by Airdrie 2478, and Red Rose 2d, of William War-
field's breeding, by Duke Frederick, were taken, to-
gether with their heifer calves, at $2,500.
Clark Co. (Ky.) Importing Co. — The importing
trade into Kentucky, which had languished for
398 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
many years, was now revived. An organization
made up mainly of Clark County breeders sent Lewis
Hampton and W. C. Vanmeter to England early in
1871 to make a selection of cattle for immediate im-
portation. The stock landed in New York April 11
and was disposed of on tlie fair grounds near Win-
chester on Aug. 26. Twenty-three head brought
$19,685, an average of $855.87, the highest price
realized being $1,300 for the red heifer Cowslip 2d,
bought by Lewis Hampton. The red cow Pride of
the West, bred by Mr. G. Game and sired by exp.
6th Duke of Airdrie (19602), went to W. H. Nelson
of Montgomery County at $1,250. The same buyer
took the red yearling heifer Lady Spencer 2d, by
Baron Oxford (23375), at $1,220. For Rarity, of the
Charmer tribe, Asa Bean gave $1,080. The roan
bull Peabody (29535) went to W. C. Vanmeter at
$900, Duke of Babraham (25934) to W. L. Sudduth
at $790, and the Pawlett-Booth bull calf Pioneer
12593 to same buyer at $400. At this same sale a
draft of home-bred cattle was offered, the highest-
priced animal contributed by local breeders being
the Young Mary cow Beck Taylor, by Dick Taylor,
taken by Mr. J. E. Sudduth at $600. The Young
Phyllis yearling heifer Queen of Hearts, sired by the
show bull Burnside 4618, brought $550.
High prices in Illinois. — Edward lies sold twenty-
nine head at Springfield, 111., Nov. 15, 1871, for
$14,940, an average of $515.17. The show cow Jessie
Hopewell, by a Booth bull on a mixed English foun-
AN EEA OF EXPANSION 399
dation, was included in this sale and was taken by
J. H. Kissinger of Clarksville, Mo., at $2,500. J. U.
Taylor of Decatur, 111., bought Oxford Duchess, a
two-year-old Bates-topped heifer (imported by Hon.
M. H. Cochrane), for $2,100. The yearling show
heifer Nelly Ely of Forest Hill, by Gen. Grant 4825,
commanded $1,800 from Mr. Spears. Mr. Sodowsky
of Indianola, 111., gave $1,800 for the red cow Poten-
tilla, of mixed English breeding, also imported by
Mr. Cochrane. J. H. Pickrell took the imported roan
cow Statesman's Daughter 2d at $700, and other
parties, afterward well known and active in the
trade, such as C. E. Lippincott, Messrs. Parks, A. R.
Babbage, William Stew^art, Samuel Dysart, AVilliam
Smith, Jeff Bridgford (Missouri), et al., were buyers
of cows and heifers. The ten-year-old Ttli Duke of
Airdrie was bought by W. B. Dodge, Waukegan, 111.,
at $500, and the roan bull calf Chief Napier — a ''J"
Princess by imp. Gen. Napier — was taken by E. W.
Mills, Sullivan, 111., at $800.
The great trade of 1872. — During the year 1872
exportations at high prices to Great Britain were
renewed on a still more extensive scale, and the
domestic trade was vastly in excess of anything
previously recorded, no less than 1,014 head of
Short-horns being sold at auction in the United
States during the year for $317,256, an average of
$313 each. This, of course, does not include the
great list of transfers at private sale.
Richard Gibson, who was now located at London,
400 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Out., went to Woodburn in April and bought tlie 8th,
13th and 14th Duchesses of Airdrie for export to
Cheney of Gaddesby Hall. Along with the Duch-
esses he sent the Princess cows Primula (bred by A.
B. Conger), Lady Wellington and Lady Sale of Put-
ney (both bred by Messrs. Winslow of Vermont), the
Gwynne cow Lady Susan 3d and heifer calf (bred
by Mr. White of Framingham, Mass.), and the Con-
stance heifer Rosina, bred by Cowan of Canada.
Lord Dunmore again drcAV upon America, order-
ing from Hillhurst the Booth-bred bulls Eoyal
Blithe and Breakspear and the red yearling 3d Duke
of Hillhurst. Mr. Cochrane had now acquired pos-
session of the Booth stock imported for New York
Mills. Royal Blithe was a son of the Warlaby-bred
Merry Peal, but died on shipboard. A stormy pas-
sage was encountered and the other two bulls ar-
rived at Liverpool in December much reduced in
flesh.
This year is memorable in the annals of Kentucky
Short-horn breeding especially for the sale to Earl
Dunmore by Abram Renick of the Rose of Sharon
heifers Red Rose of the Isles, Red Rose of Thorn-
dale and Red Rose of Rannoch, the first a daughter
of old Airdrie, the second by 8th Duke of Thorn-
dale and the third by Joe Johnson. All were in
calf to the 4tli Duke of Geneva. Dunmore had been
attached to the staffs of various Confederate com-
manders during the American Civil War in quest of
military experience. He was with Lee, Wade Hamp-
AN ERA OF EXPANSION 401
ton and Kirby Smith, and when the latter made his
dash into Kentucky the Scottish Earl improved the
opportimity to have a look incognito at some of the
Short-horn herds of the blue-grass country. Out of
this visit grew his subsequent orders for cattle of
the Rose of Sharon tribe.
Col. L. G. Morris of New York brought out in
August, 1872, five heifers and two bulls of Bates
blood, including the bull Oxford Beau 2d, of Kings-
cote breeding. Australia was also buying freely in
the mother country about this period, paying the
Duke of Devonshire $5,000 for 24th Duke of Oxford
(31002).
The first public sale of cattle ever held at Dexter
Park, Chicago, occurred this year, the herd of Mr.
E. P. Brockway of Wisconsin, that acquired consid-
erable reputation in the show-ring, going under the
hammer at an average price of $693 per head. Col.
William S. King sold twenty-eight females at auc-
tion at an average of $452, the show heifer Booth's
Lancaster bringing $1,700 from Messrs. Parks of
Glen Flora Farm, Waukegan, 111., and the imported
cows Henrietta and Countess Oxford going to the
same noted herd at $1,500 and $1,000 respectively.
Booth's Lancaster was resold later to S. E. Streator
of Cleveland, 0., for $2,000.
It was during this year also that J. H. Pickrell
sold imp. British Flag 13211,* bred by Messrs. Dud-
*British Flag- was one of an importation made in 1871 by a Capt.
Pratt, that passed into tlie possession of Mr. Piclvrell. Baron Lewis
was the first Short-horn bred and reared in Illinois to bring so great a
402 A HISTORY O'F SHORT-HORX CATTLE
ding, for $1,800, and Baron Lewis, a Phyllis bull by
Baron Booth of Lancaster, to "Uncle Harvey" So-
dowsky of Indianola, 111., for $3,000 at a public sale
that averaged $603.
Many important transactions were consummated
this season at private treaty. George Murray, a
Scotchman in the lumber trade at Racire, Wis., who
had been a heavy buyer at the McMillan sale, now
acquired from Mr. Alexander the afterward cele-
brated lOtli Duchess of Airdrie. He w^as using at
this time at the head of his Slausondale Herd the
17th Duke of Airdrie, and had paid $1,210 for Ma-
zurka 26th. J. H. Kissinger of Missouri received
during this season's trade $1,800 for his Caroline
Airdrie heifer by Mr. Pickrell's Sweepstakes 6230
to go to California.
While all this was going on in America prices
were "booming" abroad. At Earl Dunmore's sale
Sept. 5, 1872, the English sale record was broken
when Mr. Thornton disposed of forty-eight coavs
and heifers for over $60,000, an average of some
$1,250. At this sale Baron Oxford 5th brought
$2,000. The highest price for a female was $6,000
price. At this sale a very persistent stranger bid for Baron Lewis
against Mr. Sodowsky, and when the $2,500 notch was reached the ex-
citement was intense. Turning to his opponent Mr. S. said: "Well,
stranger, vou must have lots of money." The only reply was an advance
of the bid. The belligerent Vermilion County breeder, however, had
some "sand," as well as means, himself, and forced his rival out at
$3,000. The stranger did have money sure enough, or at least he repre-
sented it, for he was the agent of the Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago.
"Long John," as he was familiarly called, was fond of sending "un-
knowns" out after valuable cattle offered at public sale, and in this in-
stance only repeated his tactics as already noticed in his purchase of
the loth Duke of Airdrie some years previous.
AN EBA OF EXPANSION 403
for a yearling Oxford heifer, another of the same
family bringing $5,050. The part of the Earl's herd
not offered npon this occasion comprised his Ameri-
can importations, one or two favorite old cows, and
a tribe known as the Revelrys — twenty-two head in
all — for which $75,000 in a lump sum was said to
have been refused. After this sale two of the Eed
Roses (Renick Rose of Sharon) were parted with
privately at $10,000. On Nov. 30 following Mr. Si-
mon Beattie shipped for Lord Dunmore from Amer-
ica five heifers, all descended from imp. Rose of
Sharon, by Belvedere (1706). Three of these were
bred by Abram Renick — Minnie 4th, by old Airdrie
(30365) ; Duchess 10th, by Joe Johnson, and Rose of
Thorndale, by 8th Duke of Thorndale. The other
two were of the Ohio branch of the tribe, tracing
through Lady of the Lake, and were bred by Mr.
Chauncey Hills of Delaware; one of them got by Mr.
Hills' Imperial Starlight 8270 and the other by
Judge Jones' Mazurka Duke of Airdrie 10478. Re-
markable as was the Dunmore sale of Sept. 5 a still
more sensational one was soon to follow. Messrs.
Harward & Downing sold on Sept. 18 sixty-one head
for £15,458, an average of £253, the three-year-old
bull 8th Duke of Geneva going to Mr. Leney at
£1,650, or fully $8,250 in gold, the highest price paid
at auction for any animal of the breed up to that
date. Mr. Downing had paid Mr. Sheldon of New
York $4,000 for the bull in 1869. Col. L. G. Morris
of Fordham, N. Y., was a hujer at this sale. The
404 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE X CATTLE
highest-priced female was 5th Maid of Oxford at
$4,500.
Oakland Favorite 10546 and Loudon Duke 6th
10399.— In 1870 Mr. Charles E. Leonard of Ravens-
wood Farm, Mo., had purchased from D. McMillan
of Ohio the eight-months bull calf Oakland Favor-
ite 10546, sired by Loyal Duke of Oakland 6977 out
of Mignonette by Gen. Grant 4825 ; second dam Jes-
sie—the dam of Gen. Grant— by Starlight 2d 2259.
He sustained the good reputation of the McMillan
stock, proving an extra show bull and winning for
Mr. Leonard many first and championship prizes
west of the Mississippi River.
In 1872 Mr. John G. Cowan of Holt Co., Mo., pur-
chased the celebrated Loudon Duke 6th 10399, bred
by Mr. Warfield and sired by Muscatoon 7057 out of
the great show cow Loudon Duchess 2d by Duncan's
Duke of Airdrie 2743. We believe this bull was once
defeated at Kansas City by Mr. Leonard's Oakland
Favorite, but his career in the Missouri, Kansas and
Nebraska show-yards represented an almost un-
broken line of victories. He was a red with straight
top and bottom lines; a broad, deep chest; good on
the fore ribs and through the heart; possessing
smooth, well-laid shoulders, deep ribs, low flanks,
faultless hind quarters and the traditional Duke of
Airdrie neatness. He had been shown by Mr. War-
field with great success in Kentucky, Ohio and Indi-
ana, where he had only been beaten once as a year-
ling. Mr. Cowan paid $3,000 for him as a two-year-
AN ERA OF EXPANSION 405
old, and his exhibition at the Western fairs served
to sjjread the reputation of the Short-horns well be-
yond the Missouri River. Shown with his get he
never met defeat. In fact as a breeding bull he had
no equal in the Western country in his day. His de-
scendants in tho Cowan herd were distinguished
show and breeding animals for many years, and one
of his sons contributed much to the success of the
late Hon. D. M. Moninger in his great steer-breeding
operations in Iowa. In the hands of Mr. Richard
Daniels, one of Nebraska's pioneer breeders,* bulls
by Loudon Duke 6th rendered capital service, and
one of his daughters, Loudon's Minnie, was a fea-
ture of the Short-horn exhibit at the Philadelphia
Centennial.
First National convention.— On Nov. 27, 1872, the
first National convention of breeders of Short-horns
ever held in America met at Indianapolis, Ind., the
chairman of the committee that issued the call for
this important meeting having been the late Hon.
*Mr. Ralph Anderson of Falls City was possibly the first breeder of
Short-horns in Nebraska, but Mr. Daniels shipped, in 1867, the first
specimens of the breed ever taken to the State by rail, paying $200 per
car from Chicago. A chute for unloading had to be specially built at
Council Bluffs. Mr. Daniels' initial purchases, like those of most of the
other Western breeders, were largely of "Seventeen" blood, and con-
cerning these he says : "I think they were as good beef cattle as I
ever saw." He also brought with this lot a two-year-old steer for which
he paid $100 in Michigan, keeping him until he was six years old, when
he was sold to Shirley Bros, of Omaha for Christmas beef at a high
price. Mr. Daniels bought from Mr. Cowan the breeding bull Knight of
St. George 8473, that had been bred by W. R. Duncan of Illinois. He
was a Phyllis, sired by Minister 6363, and cost Mr. Daniels $1,000. Then
for many years he bred from sons of Loudon Duke 6th. Speaking of
his experience with Short-horns "Uncle Dick," as this veteran Nebraska
breeder is familiarly called, says: "If I had to begin life over again
I would breed Short-horns. They always paid me."
406 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
Claude Matthews of Indiana. This great mass meet-
ing grew out of a desire on the part of those who
were the recognized leaders in the trade at this date
to have a higher standard of registry established
for the herd book, which was at that time the private
property of Mr. Lewis F. Allen. Those who had
been paying long prices for stock of comparatively
recent importation, or immediate descendants there-
of, sought to cast discredit upon cattle bred from
many of the earlier importations, and it was argued
that inasmuch as some of the foundation stock in
the herd book had no pedigree, and as others regis-
tered in the early days boasted pedigrees known to
be of questionable character, it was necessary to
practically treat the descendants of such cattle as
"grades." Indeed the question of demanding a
more rigid standard of admission to the herd book
was the prime factor in the calling of this conven-
tion. George W. Rust, through the Live-Stock Jour-
nal, had published scathing denunciations of what
he characterized as the inexcusable laxity of the
Allen rules, and the fact that the "purists" had
already gone so far as to establish in Kentucky
(under the powerful patronage of Mr. A. J, Alex-
ander and under the immediate direction of Maj.
Humphrey Evans) a rival pedigree register known
as the "American Short-horn Record" indicated the
extent and depth of the feeling existing in respect
to this matter.
After extended debate the following resolutions
AN ERA OF EXPANSION 407
bearing upon this and another mooted question were
adopted :
Resolved, That the ancestry of the animals should be traced
on both sides to imported animals, or to those heretofore recorded
in the American Herd Book, with pedigrees not false or spurious,
before they can be entitled to registry.
Resolved, That the person under whose direction the animals
are coupled should be recognized as the breeder of the produce.
Mr. Allen accepted these and the other recom-
mendations of the convention and agreed to be gov-
erned by them in the conduct of the herd book.
Opposition to prevailing "fashions" developed. —
The era of speculation was now in full swing. Bell's
history of Bates cattle and Carr's history of the
Booth herds had appeared in England, and were
widely read in America. Controversies were waged
through the public press and at every gathering of
breeders over the pedigrees and character of the
great rival types. Prominent among those who took
part in this in the States were Hon. T. C. Jones of
Delaware, 0., and A. S. Matthews of Wytheville, Va.,
both of whom ridiculed many of the claims made by
the partisans of the Bates Short-horns. Judge Jones
was a man of strong intellect, deeply versed in
Short-horn lore, and as fond of a controversy as any
native of Erin. He was an experienced breeder, and
for a period of nearly twenty years was one of the
leading American writers on Short-horn cattle. His
ability, honesty of purpose and virile character
commanded the respect even of those who differed
with him in relation to the various controverted
408 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
tenets of the Sliort-liorn faith. There was a sharp
tilt in England between Lord Dunmore and Mr. J.
B. Booth, in the course of which the latter chal-
lenged the Earl to show twenty head of the Killerby
Hecubas against a like number of any one tribe at
Dunmore for $5,000 a side, to which His Lordship
responded that he did not have that number of any
one tribe in his pastures. It is of interest at this
juncture, as reflecting a feeling that was becoming
very prevalent at this stage of the proceedings, to
note that the National Live-Stoch Journal in com-
menting upon the Booth-Dunmore controversy in its
issue of January, 1873, used the following significant
language :
"The Booth and Bates men usually profit by these discussions;
they no doubt intended that this controversy should tend, as pre-
vious ones have, to attract public attention to those rival strains,
until purchasers should be persuaded that the only question for
them to decide was which of the 'breeds,' to use the language of
Mr. Bates, should be selected. Hearing this perpetual contro-
versy it is not strange that amateurs should be willing to pay
long prices for a Booth or Bates pedigree, without regard to the
excellence of the animal. But that practical men, who have had
experience in breeding, and especially that managers of publica-
tions supported by the owners of Short-horns of all strains,
should aid in keeping up this mania is a matter we cannot com-
prehend. For our own part we mean in the future, as in the past,
to keep clear of this mania. While admitting, as we always have,
the high excellence of these rival stocks we shall insist that they
are not superior in blood or in valuable characteristics to the
cattle of other good breeders, and that those, therefore, who claim
for them this pre-eminent superiority are misleading the public
and unjustly depreciating the value of other Short-horns."
This is the first time we find any public editorial
condemnation of the tendency of the times in Short-
AN EEA OF EXPANSION 409
horn breeding circles, a fact which indicates clearly
that the rank and file of American Short-horn breed-
ers were beginning to grow restive under the con-
stant and nsually arrogant assumptions of superior-
ity indulged in by the dealers in the "fashionable"
strains of that day.
CHAPTER XV
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE
The year 1873 dawned with the breed basking in
the sunshine of a popularity such as no other variety
of improved live stock has ever enjoyed. The wealth
of the cattle-breeding world was now ready to be
poured at the feet of the Short-horn, Notwithstand-
ing the internal dissensions noted in the preceding
chapter, agricultural history has no parallel to the
enthusiasm and boundless devotion displayed by the
followers of the "red, white and roan" during this
and the years immediately succeeding. The beauty
and practical utility of the breed had captivated the
great landed proprietors of both hemispheres, as
well as the farmers and feeders of both continents;
and under the stimulus of a demand almost world-
wide in its character those who had the means to
gratify their taste for rare specimens of the breed
were forced to measure values not so much by the
mere intrinsic worth of individual animals for the
feed-lot or the dairy as by the degree of personal sat-
isfaction flowing from the ownership of Short-horns
of illustrious lineage or bearing the badge of show-
yard superiority.
It is true there were certain parties identified
with the trade who were engaged in promoting pub-
410
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THEEE 411
lie interest from purely mercenary motives. Such
individuals did what they could, of course, to add
fuel to the fire, but it goes without saying that their
utmost efforts would have been wholly unavailing
but for the existence of an abiding appreciation of
the breed upon both sides the Atlantic, which was
as profound as it was widespread and persistent.
It therefore came to pass at this period that those
who sought what they regarded as the most desir-
able cattle of the breed were compelled to pay ex-
orbitant and finally fabulous prices; but the mere
fact that breeders and fanciers were willing to fol-
low their favorites to the amazing figures quoted in
the following pages is in itself a tribute to the fas-
cinating character of the Short-horn such as no other
race of domestic animals has ever yet received.
"Coming events cast their shadows before."
While it was not until the autumn of 1873 that the
pent-up enthusiasm for the Duchess blood was at
length unchained, transactions both at auction and
at private treaty forecasted portentous events early
in the year. Trade opened up briskly in the "West.
Spring sales 1873. — At the Parks* and Murray
sales, in April, Col. James W. Judy as auctioneer
♦Messrs. C. C. & R. H. Parks were Wall street brokers, and had for-
merly resided at Waukegan. After acquiring possession of the Glen
Flora Farm they soon decided upon stocking it with pedigreed cattle,
horses and sheep. Their attention was drawn to Short-horns through
the herd that Mr. W. B. Dodge had established at Waukegan. Their
first investment was in 1869, when they bought five heifers, by Minister
6353, of W. R. Duncan for $2,000. They bought Lady of Racine, a
daughter of Lady of Clark, famous in Ohio Short-horn history, from
Mr. Dodge and sold her to George Murray for $4,000. This transaction,
we believe, occurred while the parties were in attendance at the McMil-
412 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
disposed of twenty-four females for the former at
an average of $783, and thirty-two for Mr. Murray
at an average of $848. Of the Glen Flora (Parks)
lot Messrs. Sodowsky took the two imported cows
Countess of Oxford and Henrietta at $2,000 each.
D. M. Flynn of Des Moines, la., bought Moss Rose
at $1,610, and A. H. & I. B. Day of Utica, la., took
imp. Lady Brough at $1,680. Elliott & Kent of Des
Moines secured imp. Frill at $1,050. Sodowsky
bought in^jD. Scotsman 10951, of Lyndale fame, at
$1,000. Scotsman was a roan of the Duke of Buc-
cleuch's breeding, and it is of interest to note in
passing that he was a half-brother to the dam of
the afterward famous Duke of Richmond, so cele-
brated in the herd of J. H. Potts & Son. At the
Murray sale A. B. Conger of New York bought the
17th Duke of Airdrie for $2,300, and S. W. Jacobs
of West Liberty, la., the cow Forest Queen at $1,280.
Ian sale. Messrs. Parks hired the late Mr. John Hope as herdsman in
the spring of 1870, and bought the Torr bull imp. Gen. Napier from Col.
King with a view toward showing at the Wisconsin State Fair and va-
rious local shows, where they met George Murray, Messrs. Brockway
and others. Gen. Napier was a very low, thick, mellow-fleshed bull, and
one of the very first of his get was the famous Jubilee Napier, sold to
Mr Pickrell. Other good ones were Miss Leslie Napier, that went to
C. A. "DeGraff at a high price, and Gem of Eryholme, sold to S. W.
Jacobs of Iowa. All of these made great reputations and were grand
individual cattle. Gen. Napier was afterward sold to Stephen Dunlap,
but realizing their mistake Messrs. Parks bought him back. They pur-
chased the entire herd of C. K. Ward of New \ork besides a number
of cattle from Messrs. Lusk, Wadsworth, Pratt and other prominent
Eastern breeders, and were for several years among the most active in
the American Short-horn trade.
The Glen Flora Herd that was shown in the fall of 1872 won some-
thing over $2,000 in prizes at Michigan and Wisconsin State Fairs and
the district fiirs held at Aurora and Dixon, 111. It included the bulls
imp Gen Napier, imp. Scotsman, imp. Baron Hubback 2d, and among
the females were the champion cow imp. Henrietta, imp. Ruberta, imp.
Lady Brough, shown as a two-year-old ; Miss Leslie Pattie Moore, Miss
Leslie Napier, and the calf 3d Gem of Eryholme. This was a strong lot.
admirably fitted.
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THEEE 413
Gen. Sol Meredith of Indiana gave $1,325 for Va-
leria; S. "W. Jacobs $1,350 for 3d Louan of Slauson-
dale; William Stewart of Taylor, 111., $1,700 for 2d
Lady of Eacine and $1,400 for Mazurka 20tli, and
G. W. Gaines of Ridge Farm $1,775 for Mazurka 23d.
W. B. Dodge of Waukegan sold a lot at the same
time at high prices, G. J. Hagerty of Ohio paying
$1,010 for Elsie, and Elliott & Kent $1,000 for Ma-
zurka of Woodlawn.
In May of this year Col. King sold ten head to
William S. Chapman and J. D. Carr of California for
$10,000, including the prize bull Old Sam 10551.
Dunmore's big deal. — Meantime Lord Dunmore
closed a trade with the Hon. M. H. Cochrane for ten
head of Bates-bred cattle for $50,000. This lot in-
cluded 6th Duke of Geneva, Duchesses 97th, 101st
and 103d, one Waterloo and five Wild Eyes. Duch-
ess 97th at the time of this sale to Dunmore was at
Walcott & Campbell's, being bred to the 2d Duke of
Oneida. Duchess 103d died at Hillhurst before the
order was filled.
Summer sales. — In July Edward lies sold imp.
Cherub 11505 at auction at Springfield for $6,000
to J. H. Spears of Tallula, 111.,* and at the same
sale Gen. Meredith paid $2,000 for Joan of Arc,
$1,650 for Royal Duchess 2d, $1,200 for Royal Duch-
ess 3d and $2,200 for two Louans; Henry Clark of
* Cherub was bred by Lord Sudeley of Gloucestershire, Eng.. and was
gotbv Baron Booth (21212), sire of imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster, out
of Seraphina 13th by John o' Gaunt (16322). He was imported by
Cochrane, who sold him to lies.
414 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Missouri $1,000 for Anna Boleyn; S. C. Duncan of
same State $1,100 for Florence; J. H. Kissinger
$1,000 for Prairie Blossom, and W. R. Duncan $1,000
for Baroness Bates 3d. About the same time Wil-
liam Stewart of Franklin Grove, 111., sold a lot at
an average of $540, chiefly notable now from the
fact that it contained the first specimen of the breed-
ing of Mr. Amos Cruickshank of Sittyton, Aberdeen-
shire, Scotland, to pass through the sale-ring in the
West since the Illinois Importing Co.'s sale of 1857,
viz.: the show cow Violet's Forth, bought by J. H.
Spears for $1,525. George Otley gave $1,000 at this
sale for Dove 6th. On June 25 J. H. Kissinger held
a sale that averaged $540 on the females, the "top"
of which was Illustrious 3d at $2,050 to T. W. Gar-
rard of Missouri. This was one of the best cows of
her time — a red-roan, bred bj^ James N. Brown's
Sons and sired by the Roan Duchess bull Gallant
Duke 6749 from a cow descending from imp. Illus-
trious by Emperor. She was five years old at the
time of this sale. J. H. Spears bought the Pomona
show cow Phoebe Taylor for $1,500 and Mr. Pickrell
the red Beauty by De Vaux cow Farina 2d, also a
noted prize-taker, at the same figure. The Daisy
(by Wild) show bull Duke of Airdrie 9800 went to
H. Clark of Missouri at $1,000. At Dr. A. C. Steven-
son's sale at Greencastle, Ind., Aug. 13, $1,000 was
paid by J. Bridges, Bainbridge, Ind., for Stevenson's
28th and $1,100 by same party for Stevenson's 37th.
At R. R. Seymour's sale at Chillicothe, 0., a half-
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE 415
interest in 3d Duke of Oneida sold for $3,300 to John
Montgomery, Licking, 0. At R. H. Prewitt's sale at
Pine Grove, Ky., July 31, Gen. Meredith gave $2,800
for the Booth bull imp. Forest Napier 11973, At
Winchester, Ky., Aug. 1, at a sale conducted by
Capt. P. C. Kidd for the estate of Lewis Hampton,
$3,300 was paid by B. B. Groom for Mazurka Belle
and $3,150 by same party for Lady Pawlett. At the
same sale Geneva Lad 10129 went to A. H. Hampton
at $1,850, the cow Mazurka Belle 2d to Hon. T. J.
Megibben at $2,050, Annie Laura to S. F. Lockridge,
Greencastle, Ind., for $1,000, the bull Mazurka Lad
15928 to J. V. Grigsby at $1,400, and the bull Ma-
zurka Duke 2d 15927 to Mr. W. Voorhies of Illinois
at $1,225. Abram Van Meter sold at Winchester,
Ky., Aug. 2 and received $2,000 from R. H. Prewitt
for Forest Queen, $1,010 from John Grigsby for
Forest Beauty and $1,000 from the same buyer for
May Cadenza. On Aug. 5 George M. Bedford made
an average of $849 on twenty-seven females, receiv-
ing for 5th Duchess Louan $3,575, for 23d Duchess
of Goodness $2,950, for 22d of same name $1,000, for
the 21st $1,025— all to local buyers— and for 9th
Duke of Goodness 11736 $4,500 from Strawn & Lewis
of Ottawa, 111. At James Hall's sale at Paris, Ky.,
Aug. 6, S. F. Lockridge gave $1,060 for Sarah Rice
5th. At Silver Lake, Kan., on Aug. 20 the State
Agricultural College paid Andrew Wilson $1,050
and $900 respectively for a pair of Young Marys —
Grace Youngs 4th and 5th.
416 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HOEX CATTLE
While these sales serve to indicate the prevailing
furore as evidenced around the auction block, lead-
ing breeders were making important private trans-
fers. Leney took to England from New York Mills
10th Maid of Oxford and 6th Duke of Oneida. A. J.
Alexander sold 15th Duchess of Airdrie for export
to Cheney at $10,000 ! J. H. Pickrell while attending
the Kentucky sales bought the famous Booth bull
Breastplate 11195 from Prewitt for $6,250. George
Murray bought 11th Duke of Geneva 9813 from
George M. Bedford at a reported price of $10,000.
The bull had been bought by Mr. Bedford at Hughes
& Richardson's sale of 1872 for $6,000. Richard
Gibson exported a half-dozen females of the Frantic
or Fletcher Bell-Bates sort, a Kirklevington cow and
two Princesses, and sent word back from England
that at Cheney's sale the 9th Duke of Geneva's
heifers averaged over $2,000 each! The pot was
boiling furiously on both sides the Atlantic and —
then came the deluge.
New York Mills dispersion. — Hon. Samuel Camp-
bell, after acquiring the interest of his partner (Mr.
Walcott) in the Duchesses and other Short-horns at
New York Mills was now ready for the coup toward
which the events detailed in the foregoing pages had
all been tending, to-wit: the closing out of the entire
herd at auction. The 10th of September, 1873, was
the day set for the event. John R, Page, Sennett,
N Y., was engaged as auctioneer and Mr. Carr of
England was asked to write up the herd on the
THE SENSATION- OF SEVENTY-THEEE 417
otlier side of the water for a consideration of li/^
per cent of the gross receipts. H. Strafford, the cele-
brated English auctioneer and editor of the English
Herd Book, was corresponded with. He was to sell
the Duchesses for a fee of 1,000 guineas! He pub-
lished a sale catalogue of the Duchesses and Ox-
fords. Page announced : "I have the sale and shall
be pleased to see Mr. Strafford and have his assist-
ance, but he will sell what I choose to assign him.
I am the auctioneer." The Carr episode led to a
long and heated newspaper controversy, in the
course of which BelVs Messenger of London said:
' ' The words quoted by Mr. Carr mean that when he
offered to Mr. Campbell as a salable commodity his
influence with British Short-horn buyers and Mr.
Campbell agreed to accept it at a price both Mr.
Campbell and Mr. Carr (on their own showing) were
guilty of disgraceful traffic in public confidence."
All of which served as capital advertising.
There were now no Duchesses living on either side
the Atlantic descended direct from Mr. Bates' herd,
without admixture of blood from other sources, save
those at New York Mills, and they were all derived
from Duchess 66th.* Just why this should have
*The leading outcrosses on the Duchesses came through 2d Duke of
Athol (11376) into the Duchesses of Airdrie, through Usurer (9763) into
the English Duchesses, through Imperial Oxford 4905, Prince Imperial
(15095) and 2d Duke of Bolton (12739) into the Grand Duchesses, and
through Grand Turk (12969) into some of the Dukes of Thorndale. Out-
crosses put upon the Oxfords included Romeo (13619) and his sons Ox-
ford Lad 4220 and Imperial Oxford 4905 ; Marquis of Carrabas (11789),
bred by Fawkes, and Lamartine (11662), bred by J. M. Sherwood. Im-
perial Duke (18083), that was half-Duchess and half-Knightley, had
also been introduced into some of the Duchess and Oxford pedigrees.
418 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
made the Mills cattle so much more precious than
their distinguished relatives is not apparent at this
time, especially in view of the freedom with which
Mr. Bates had outcrossed the family during his life-
time, except upon the hypothesis that all skill and
judgment in mating cattle perished with the founder
of the tribe. As a matter of fact evidence was not
wanting that this very element of "purity" carried
with it the seeds of danger. At the time Gibson
severed his connection with the herd* it was of high
average merit, but it had been culled freelj^ and han-
dled with consummate judgment. The desire to
possess, the "pure" blood, regardless of all other
considerations, had taken firm hold upon those who
considered that the Duchesses as Bates had left them
♦"Richard Gibson, speaking- of the sale, says: "The question of the
hour was not what the average would be but what would a Duchess
bring? Some were sanguine enough to place the figure at $20,000. In
the morning the tension was something terrific, and as the time to com-
mence drew near little coteries were beginning to bunch together, Ken-
tucky's tall sons to the northwest of the ring, the English visitors on the
southwest, while the others weie promiscuously seated in the stand.
Kello, the incomprehensible, was alone away from all the rest, fearful to
mix with these dreaded Yankees lest they should steal not his purse but
his thoughts and intentions. During the forenoon W. R. Duncan had
approached Mr. Campbell, saying : 'I apprehend, sir, you are aware that
Mr. Page can't sell this bunch of cattle in one day.'
"Mr. Campbell posted off to Page and said : 'T hope you will not at-
tempt to sell all these cattle in one day.' 'I shall," replied Page. 'Then
sir, I shall consider that you are sacrificing my property,' was Camp-
bell's rejoinder. 'May I take the bids as fast as they come?" asked the
auctioneer.
"On a watering trough in the center of a ring Mr. Page took his
stand. The proverbial pin could have been heard to drop. The excite-
ment at this moment was intense ; not noisy or boisterous, but for two
or three davs the tension had gradually been increasing. There was the
keenest anxiety as to what the Englishmen were after, and a determi-
nation to prevent them from taking all the best. Mr. Page gauged the
feeling of his company. They had not come, some of them over three
thousand miles, to hear a lot of Cheap John spread-eagleism, but for
business. He said : 'Gentlemen, please give me your attention and I
will read the conditions of this sale.' The 2d Duke of Oneida was
brought into the ring while he was reading them. 'Will anyone make
me an offer on the bull?' were the opening words. 'Ten thousand dol-
lars,' came the answer from the Kentuckians, and so the sale began."
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THEEE 419
constituted the creme cle la creme of the Short-horn
breed. The National pride of the English breeders
was appealed to with success. America had taken
from the mother-land what many of the Britons
esteemed as the highest single source of Short-horn
excellence. Hence they came to New York Mills
prepared to heap their golden guineas high against
American dollars. History has long since character-
ized this as a day of monumental folly, but as the
event stands out in bold relief as the crowning sen-
sation of the century in the realm of stock-breeding
it therefore demands adequate record in these pages.
Some idea of the nature of the scene may be gleaned
from the following notes made by an eye witness —
the late George W. Eust, whose library and manu-
scripts were acquired by purchase by the author
many years ago:
The Duchesses of course formed the attractive feature of this
sale; and in the lobbies at the hotels, which were thronged with
breeders from all parts of this country, and a liberal representa-
tion of English breeders, speculation was rife as to the prices
which would be realized. It was rumored that the Englishmen
(with the exception of Mr. Kello, who represented Mr. R. Pavin
Davies, with whom the other English gentlemen refused to enter
into any arrangement) had a private understanding as to which
animal each person would bid upon, the others agreeing not to
compete with their countrymen in these cases, and that Earl Bec-
tive's representative had brought £13,000 (about $70,000) with
him, and it began to be whispered that some of the females would
bring as high as $15,000 each. This seemed like a fabulous price,
however; and as every one took great pains to conceal his own in-
tentions there were many persons loth to believe that this much
was to be paid, and the probability of $15,000 being paid for a
single animal on the morrow was the staple subject of discussion
420 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
as long as the lobbies contained any people. Gradually they
thinned out, and soon after midnight they were entirely deserted
and Short-horns and Duchesses passed out of mind, save as the
anxious ones painted and pictured them in their dreams. With
the earliest streak of dawn the hotel lobbies began to fill, and the
probable events of the day engaged the attention of all. Before
the breakfast hour had passed it was evident something new and
startling had been discovered; and soon it was whispered that a
delegation from Clark Co., Ky., was present with $60,000, which
had been raised for the purchase of three females, and the proba-
bility of $20,000 being paid formed the subject of eager discus-
sion. The sum seemed so enormous, however, that few believed,
it, although the minds of all were in a measure prepared for such
an event.
By 10 o'clock the hotels were deserted and the crov/ds had
transferred themselves to the Mills, where they thronged the
stables or gathered in excited groups about the ample grounds.
At 1 o'clock Mr. Page announced the sale. Those in attendance
had gathered upon the stand with seats ranged one above an-
other, and the reporters and clerks sharpened their pencils at the
tables. The first animal led into the ring was the
2d Duke of Oneida, a deep red, calved Aug. 3, 1870, got by 4th
Duke of Geneva 7931 out of 13th Duchess of Thorndale by 10th
Duke of Thorndale (28458). Mr. Alexander of Kentucky wanted
him, as did Mr. T. J. Megibben of the same State, and negotiations
had been pending between them all the morning looking to the
transfer to Mr. Megibben of Mr. Alexander's Duke of Airdrie,
which, if they had proved successful, would have taken Mr.
Megibben out of the competition and brought Mr. Alexander in.
These negotiations, however, were not successful, in consequence
of the price demanded by Mr. Alexander; and making a final un-
successful effort to reconcile their differences, while the auc-
tioneer was making his preliminary remarks, Mr. Megibben
started the bull at $10,000. The English gentlemen w'ere gath-
ered in a little knot at the left of the auctioneer and wanted
the bull also, and the opening bid fell among them like a bomb-
shell and gave them the first intimation of the character and
nerve of the gentlemen who were to contest with them the
honors of the day. "Eleven thousand dollars" was said by one
of them in an agitated voice, so uncertain and tremulous that
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THEEE 421
Mr. Page for the moment was uncertain whether the bidder
meant it or not, and then their heads were laid together in anx-
ious consultation. A number of Kentuckians also gathered around
Mr. Megibben, and on both sides of the ring there was a group of
anxious faces. With those around him Mr. Megibben made a
private arrangement for the service of the bull in case he fell to
him, and to carry him (as we afterward learned) past $17,000 be-
fore surrendering him. As the group of Kentuckians separated
Mr. Megibben raised the bid to $12,000, and still the Englishmen
consulted. It was evident they wanted the bull; but the females
were more valuable, and they were of the opinion that if they ad-
vanced the price of him to the point to which the Kentuckians
were prepared to go the price of the females might be correspond-
ingly advanced, and perhaps put altogether beyond their reach.
Their minds were quickly made up on this point, and the 2d Duke
of Oneida was knocked off to Mr. Megibben at $12,000, the highest
price ever paid to that moment for a Short-horn. Then the cheers
rose, peal on peal, and the more distant seats of the stand were
deserted and their occupants gathered closer to the scene and
clustered like bees around the auctioneer.
1st Duchess of Oneida was then led in. She was a red-and-
white, calved Jan. 24, 1870, got by 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458)
out of 8th Duchess of Geneva by 3d Lord of Oxford (22200), and
in calf since Dec. 10 to 2d Duke of Oneida. The Clark Co. (Ky.)
combination started her at once at $15,000, which Lord Skelmers-
dale of England raised at once to $30,000, shutting out a bid of
$25,000 proffered by Mr. George Murray of Racine, Wis. His Lord-
ship was evidently informed that the Clark County gentlemen
had brought $60,000 for the purpose of buying three, and his bid
called upon them to place the half of it on the head of a single
animal. This took them by surprise, and to gain a moment's
time for reflection they interposed an additional bid of $100,
upon which his Lordship promptly placed another $100. The
Kentuckians concluded to follow her no further, and then Mr.
Kello, the representative of Mr. Davies of England, advanced the
$200 bid to $300, which Lord S. promptly made $400. Mr. Kello
and Mr. Brodhead (the representative of Mr. Alexander), who
were quietly smoking in the rear of the English party, which by
this time had gathered inside the fence, bid $500 simultaneously,
and $30,600 was his Lordship's response. All were now done and
422 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
she was quickly knocked off to him on this bid. Considering her
age and that she is almost at the calving she was one of the best
bargains of all the Duchesses. Thirty thousand dollars; it seemed
incredible, and for a few moments none could realize it; but in
a short time it seemed to break upon the minds of all and such
a scene of excitement was never witnessed before. Men shouted
themselves hoarse and hats were waved and flung wildly into the
air on all sides, and several minutes elapsed before order could
be restored and the ring cleared for the entrance of her calf, the
7th Duchess of Oneida, a red-and-white, calved Aug. 1, 1872, by
2d Duke of Oneida 9926 out of 1st Duchess of Oneida by 10th Duke
of Thorndale (28458). The audience began to feel the reaction
which follows every unusual excitement and to repent of such ex-
treme figures. She was led around the ring and not a bid; the
contestants eyeing each other from all sides, as if striving to
master each other's intentions. Finally Col. King started her at
$5,000 and the ball opened— $7,000, $8,000 by two, $10,000 by two,
$11,000 by two, $12,000 by two, followed in such rapid succession
that it was impossible to see from whom the bids came. "Twelve
thousand five hundred makes it my bid," came from Mr. Brod-
head, which the Englishmen in his front promptly raised to $13,-
000. From the further side of the ring Mr. E. G. Bedford of Ken-
tucky interposed another $500, which the Englishmen made $14,-
000, only to elicit an additional $500 when it came to Mr. Brod-
head's turn. Mr. Bedford, who had crowded to the front, now
saw between whom the competition lay and shook his head, as a
token that he would not interfere, and $500 bids followed until
the calf was declared the property of Mr. Alexander at $19,000.
The audience, who began to fear from the sale of the dam that
the English gentlemen were determined to have them all, greeted
Mr. Brodhead's victory with the most rapturous applause. The
next animal to come under Mr. Page's hammer was the
10th Duchess of Geneva, a roan, calved May 15, 1867, got by 2d
Duke of Geneva (23752) out of 5th Duchess of Geneva by Grand
Duke of Oxford (16184), in calf since March 30 to 2d Duke of
Oneida. Col. Morris of New York led off with $5,000, which Col.
King of Minnesota raised to $10,000. Mr. Kello advanced the fig-
ure to $15,000 for Mr. Davies, and Mr. Berwick for Earl Bective
made it $20,000, when it was very evident there was to be such a
trial of nerve as had not before been witnessed. One of the KeU'
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE 423
tuckians bid $25,000, and Col. King added another $1,000, which
Mr. Berwick lost no time in advancing to $30,000. This bid Mr.
Brodhead advanced $100, when Mr. Berwick declared, "I am
done," and started to leave the ring. His English friends, how-
ever, rallied him, and he exclaimed in an excited manner, "Thirty
thousand dollars! how much is that in sterling?" One of them
pushed him again to the front, exclaiming, ''Buy her, and count it
afterward!" but not until Mr. Kello had taken advantage of his
excitement to raise the price to $30,500. Mr. Berwick returned
with $31,000, Mr. Kello with $100, which Mr. Berwick raised to
$500, with no other effect than to bring from his opponent a bid of
$32,000. Mr. Berwick seemed to be nettled by Mr. Kello's undis-
turbed manner and added another $1,000, making $33,000; and Mr.
Kello, not at all dashed, added $500 more without delay, and then
Mr. Berwick advanced it to $34,000; "and $500," was Mr. Kello's
response. Mr. Berwick put on enough to make $35,000, and Mr.
Kello's flag and the auctioneer's hammer came down. The Amer-
icans, who had not made a bid after the $26,000 and were aware
that Mr. Kello had not been permitted to become a member of the
English party, watched this contest between the two English in-
terests with no little concern; and his opponents, although evi-
dently feeling they had paid dear for the victory, were in high
glee that they had won it. Of course the price, $35,000, would
never be equaled again, and the audience gave itself up once more
to various expressions of astonishment. The entrance to the ring
of the
8th Duchess of Oneida served to restore order. Another roan
she proved to be, calved Nov. 18, 1872, got by the 4th Duke of
Geneva 7931 out of 10th Duchess of Geneva by 2d Duke of Geneva
(23752). She was started at $5,000 and advanced rapidly to $14,-
000. Between this and $15,000 the bids were quick but small, but
she finally passed this point, and was sold to Mr. Berwick for
Earl Bective at $15,300. Then came the
13th Duchess of Thorndale, red, calved Feb. 25, 1867, got by
10th Duke of Thorndale (28458) out of 10th Duchess of Thorndale
by 2d Grand Duke (12961), served July 8 by 4th Duke of Oneida.
She, too, was started at $5,000 by Col. Morris, which was doubled
by Col. King. Mr. A. B. Conger of New York added another
$1,000, and $1,000 bids followed quickly until she was declared
to be the property of Mr. Conger at $15,000. Then came the
424 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
4th Duchess of Oneida, red, calved Jan. 17, 1872, got by 4th
Duke of Geneva 7931 out of 13th Duchess of Thorndale by 10th
Duke of Thorndale (28458). She was started by the English party
and ran up in two or three bids to $10,000, and a few $500 bids
sent her up to $13,000, which several gentlemen raised to $13,500,
and Mr. George Murray made it $14,000 to prevent dispute. Mr.
Brodhead then signified his willingness to contend for her by ad-
vancing her $500 more, and Mr. E. G. Bedford advanced the fig-
ure to $15,000; and here it seemed as if the battle was over, for
Mr. Brodhead came back with only $100. Mr. Bedford responded
with another $100, Mr. Brodhead made it $300. At this point Mr.
Holford of England, considering the Americans had about got
through, entered the lists with a $200 bid, and she stood at $15,-
500. Mr. Brodhead greeted his new competitor with an additional
$500 bid, to which the Englishman responded with a $1,000,
making it $17,000. Mr. Brodhead promptly interposed another
$100, and the Englishman, adopting the same tactics, bid $100
more, and she climbed up slowly, $100 at a time, until Mr. Brod-
head had bid $17,600, when Mr. Holford, as if hoping to shake off
the Kentuckian, bid sharply $18,000. And to show that he could
not be bluffed by that game Mr. Brodhead added promptly an-
other $1,000. From $19,000 to $21,000 the bids were $100 each in
most cases, and when that point was reached Mr. Holford, seeing
the Kentuckian was in no measure disturbed, dropped out of the
contest, and Mr. E. G. Bedford came forward, just as she was
about to be knocked off, with a $500 bid, Mr. Brodhead respond-
ing with a similar amount, and $500 more was bid by Mr. Megib-
ben, the gentleman who had purchased the bull, and Mr. Brod-
head made it $23,000, and, with $500 jumps, she advanced to $25,-
000, as Mr. Bedford's bid. Mr. Brodhead then discovering that
it was one of his Kentucky neighbors who was bidding against
him declined to go farther, and she was knocked off at $25,000 to
Messrs. E. G. Bedford and T. J. Megibben of Kentucky. The an-
nouncement that she was to remain in this country again made
the audience extremely demonstrative, but when the
8th Duchess of Geneva was led into the ring a tolerable de-
gree of silence and order was restored. She proved to be a red-
and-white, calved July 28, 1866; got by the 3d Lord of Oxford
(22200) out of the 1st Duchess of Geneva by 2d Grand Duke
(32961) ; served June 1 by 2d Duke of Oneida. Being seven years
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THEEE 425
old and over, and having produced nearly the full complement
of calves which this family of cows produce in this country, it
was not expected that she would sell so well as some of the
others, and Mr. Kello doubtless expected to get her on the first
bid, when he placed $10,000 on her head. But the other Eng-
lish gentlemen had agreed among themselves that Mr. Kello
should not have a Duchess, and they raised him at one jump to
$15,000, and the audience were at once overcome by the excite-
ment. $16,000 and $17,000 were bid from the stand, and then
$20,000 by two, one of them being Mr. Kello, and some one of
the English party made it $25,000. Mr. Kello made it $26,000,
and his opponents $30,000. Mr. Kello added $1,000 more, and his
bid was promptly raised to $32,000. Then $33,000 came from the
stand (from either Col. King, Col. Morris, Mr. Murray, or G. M.
Bedford), and was the highest American bid, and Mr. Kello
raised that to $34,000, when the other Englishmen made it $36,-
000. Mr. Kello hesitated, but remembering his unsuccessful
contest for the 10th Duchess of Geneva, and that his country-
men had combined to rule him out altogether from this much-
coveted family, he determined to take Lord Skelmersdale's ad-
vice to Mr! Berwick and "ftwy her" and added $500, which
brought $37,000 from his opponents. ''Thirty-eiglit thousand"
said Mr. Kello. Evidently thinking that one more bold push
would crowd Kello from the course one of them bid forty thoti-
sond dollars! For a moment Mr. Kello faltered, but finally
added $100. Here she seemed likely to go, but Mr. Berwick
added $100 more. ''Forty thousand three hundred dollars, just
in time, from Mr. Kello." The excitement was now so intense
that every individual in that vast throng seemed to hold his
breath; the silence was absolutely oppressive, and broken only
by the words of the auctioneer as he slowly repeated: "Forty —
thousand — three — hundred — dollars — Are — you — all —
dene — gentlemen?" Softly Simon Beattie, with an English order
in his pocket and Mr. Cochrane at his back, ventured another
$100. ''Forty thousand four hundred; are you all done, gentle-
men?" were the measured words which alone broke the deathly
silence. Reluctant to go farther, still more reluctant to yield,
Mr. Kello stood like a statue, while every eye was resting upon
him, and finally added $50 more. "Five hundred," said Berwick,
in a sharp, impatient tone, as if anxious to end in some way the
426 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
terrible suspense. "Forty thousand five hundred dollars: are
you all done? Once! Twice! Six hundred, and in time," and
she was knocked off to Mr. Kello for R. Pavin Davies of Eng-
land. One long breath and then the cheers went up, and the
thousands there seemed fairly beside themselves, and the ex-
travagant things which were said and done would fill a volume.
A few minutes were given to allow people to recover their
senses, and then the
10th Duchess of Oneida was led in — a last spring's calf
(dropped in April), red-and-white, by the 2d Duke of Oneida
out of 8th Duchess of Geneva by 3d Lord Oxford (22200). Be-
fore order was restored Col. Morris of New York started her
at $5,000. Col. King of Minnesota, who sat beside him, made it
$10,000; $11,000 and $12,000 were bid, when George M. Bedford
of Kentucky from the seat behind put her at $15,000. Mr. Rich-
ard Gibson, who had hurried home from England to attend this
sale with an order in his pocket, added $2,000 more, and then
Mr. Brodhead, who desired her to grace the blue grass at Wood-
burn, placed her at $18,000, and Mr. Gibson put her at once to
$20,000. But this was a game at which two could play, and Mr.
Brodhead advanced the figure to $22,000, and Mr. Gibson went
$2,000 better still. Twenty-five thousand, even money, seemed
a point hard to pass, and Mr. Brodhead, evidently thinking Mr.
Gibson would not get over that limit, made the bid. Mr. Gibson,
however, had another thousand, and Mr. Brodhead was compelled
to pay $27,000 before he secured her. The contest was a short
one, and the announcement that the Englishmen had again failed
to capture a Duchess provoked the wildest enthusiasm. The
9th Duchess of Oneida, another calf of the present year
(dropped March 2), was next led in. She proved to be a roan
by 2d Duke of Oneida 9926 out of 12th Duchess of Thorndale by
6th Duke of Thorndale (23794). She had two outcrosses in her
pedigree, the Romeo through the 6th Duke of Thorndale, and the
Imperial Duke through her second dam, and for that reason per-
haps, and because of the natural reaction from the various ex-
citement, did not attract so much attention. She was started
at $5,000 by Col. King of Minnesota and knocked off to Mr. Ber-
wick for Earl Bective on the next bid — $10,000. She was fol-
lowed by the
12th Duchess of Thorndale, roan, calved Oct. 13, 1865, by 6th
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THEEE 427
Duke of Thorndale (2S794) out of 5th Duchess of Thorndale by
Imperial Duke (18083), in calf since April 17 by 2d Duke of
Oneida. She had the Romeo and Imperial Duke crosses in her
pedigree, and besides was eight years old and her prime as a
breeder about passed, and for this reason the first bid was but
$500. This was too cheap, however, and there was considerable
competition for her developed, and finally at $5,700 she was
knocked off to A. B. Conger of New York. As she was led out
there was led in the
3d Duchess of Oneida, roan, calved March 19, 1871, by 4th
Duke of Geneva 7931 out of 8th Duchess of Thorndale by 3d
Duke of Airdrie (23717) through which she gets the Lord George
outcross, served July Sd by 4th Duke of Oneida. She was started
at $5,000 by Mr. Duncan of Illinois, which was promptly doubled
by Col. Morris of New York. Mr. Duncan added $2,000, Col.
King $1,000, G. M. Bedford $500, and Mr. Murray of Racine bid
$14,000. Then Mr. Berwick of England bid $15,000, to which Mr.
Brodhead added $100. Mr. Holford of England then appeared
as a competitor, and finally secured her at $15,600.
SUMMARY OF HIGHEST PRICES AXD AVERAGES.
8th Duchess of Geneva— R. Pavin Davies, England $40,600
10th Duchess of Geneva— Earl Bective, England 35,000
1st Duchess of Oneida — Lord Skelmersdale, England 30,600
10th Duchess of Oneida — A. J. Alexander, Kentucky 27,000
4th Duchess of Oneida — E. G. Bedford and T. J. Megibben,
Kentucky 25,000
7th Duchess of Oneida — A. J. Alexander 19,000
3d Duchess of Oneida— T. Holford, England 15,600
8th Duchess of Oneida— Earl Bective 15,300
13th Duchess of Thorndale— A. B. Conger, New York 15,000
9th Duchess of Oneida— Earl Bective 10,000
12th Duchess of Thorndale— A. B. Conger 5,700
2d Duke of Oneida— T. J. Megibben, Kentucky 12,000
4th Duke of Oneida — Ezra Cornell, New York 7,600
7th Duke of Oneida— A. W. Griswold, Vermont 4,000
11 females* sold for $238,800; an average of $21,709
3 bulls sold for 23,600; an average of 7,866
14 Duchesses sold for 262,400; an average of 18,742
*This is exclusive of the 8th Duchess of Thorndale, that was sold
as barren to C. F. Wadsworth of New York at $450,
428 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Countess of Oxford— A. B. Conger $ 9,100
12tli Lady of Oxford— T. Holford 7,000
2d Maid of Oxford— A. W. Griswold 6,000
12th Maid of Oxford— Col. L. G. Morris, New York 6,000
10th Earl of Oxford— A. B. Cornell, New York 2,500
2d Countess of Oxford— A. W. Griswold 2,100
Cth Lord of Oxford— Simon Beattie 1,300
3d Maid of Oxford— Warnock & Megibben 1,000
6 females* sold for $31,200; an average of $ 5,200
2 bulls sold for 3,800; an average of 1,900
8 Oxfords sold for 35,000; an average of 4,375
Lady Knightley 3d— Col. L. G. Morris $ 5,000
Lady Knightley 4th — ^A. W. Griswold 4,000
Lady Knightley 2d— E. K. Thomas, Kentucky 3,100
Lady Bates 4th— E, G. Bedford 3,250
Lady Bates 6th— George M. Bedford 2,300
Lady Bates 7th— A. B. Cornell 1,600
Lady Worcester 5th (Wild Eyes)— T. Holford 3,100
Lady Worcester 4th (Wild Eyes)— T. Holford 3,000
Atlantic Gwynne — Lord Skelmersdale 2,000
Miss Gwynne— Col. William S. King 1,700
Brenda (Bloom)— Col. L. G. Morris 2,500
Berlinda (Bloom)— Col. L. G. Morris 2,300
Bloom 4th (Bloom)— A. B. Cornell 1,000
Beauty's Pride (Foggathorpe) — A. W. Griswold 1,725
Baron Oxford's Beauty (Foggathorpe) — Bush & Hampton,
Kentucky 1,500
Cherry Constance 2d— T. J. Megibben 1,725
Cherry Constance — Col. King 1,100
Peri 4th— Col. King 1,700
Peri 5th— Col. King 1,300
Moselle (Mazurka) — A. W. Griswold 1,425
Rosamond 10th— W. R. Duncan, Illinois 2,050
Victoria 7th— A. W. Griswold 1,525
Water Lily — Bush & Hampton 1.125
Roan Duchess 3d — George M. Bedford 1,025
92 females sold for $350,775; an average of $ 3,813
17 bulls sold for 31,215; an average of 1,836
109 animals sold for 381,990; an average of 3,504
•Exclusive of 7th Lady of Oxford, sold as doubtful breeder to Ezra
Cornell at $400.
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE 429
Kello's mistake. — After the sale it developed that
the agent of Mr. Davies had made an error in esti-
mating American currency while bidding the 8th
Duchess of Geneva up to $40,600. Davies, while not
disavowing his agent's act, cabled Mr. Campbell to
resell the cow and he would adjust the difference be-
tween such price as might be received and the price
bid by Kello. Campbell wrote to Col. L. G. Morris
stating the facts and asked him to make an offer on
the cow. Morris replied that he was willing to take
her at the price made by her daughter at the sale,
viz.: $30,600, and the offer was accepted. Meantime
Davies was forming a syndicate in England to take
the cow at the $40,600 bid, and finally cabled:
"Don't sell the cow. Have arranged to take her."
This arrived too late, however, as the trade with Col.
Morris had been closed. The cow, being forward in
calf, was left at Mr. Campbell's farm until parturi-
tion should take place. A few days before her time
she dropped a fully-developed dead heifer calf, and
soon thereafter the cow herself died, all efforts to
save her proving fruitless.* Mr. Davies then sent
a bill of exchange for $5,000 to Mr. Campbell, which
was handed over to Col. Morris, thus alleviating to
that extent his lamentable loss. Morris had no
thought of buying a Duchess before the sale, but as
the bidding progressed and the "plums" seemed
*It has been said by those familiar with the facts that the 8th Duch-
ess was literally done to her death by an ignorant Irish employe of Mr.
Campbell's. She developed at parturition a case of false presentation,
with which she wrestled for thirty-six hours, while the poor beast was
driven up and down the road during her distress "to make her calve
430 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
falling steadily to the English party, Samuel Thome
remarked to Col. Morris : " It is a' pity there is no
American Gunter here. ' ' This was an allusion to the
first contest for the possession of the Duchesses at
the Tortworth sale in England in 1853, as noted on
page 230. Upon that occasion Gunter had driven
out to Earl Ducie's without the slightest idea of be-
coming a bidder, but in response to an appeal to the
"patriotism" of the large crowd of Englishmen
present to prevent the capture of the tribe bodily by
the Americans he entered the lists.
Sources of deterioration. — England was more for-
tunate than America in her Duchess investments ; or
it may be nearer the truth to say that in the hands
of English herdsmen the cattle were handled with
better judgment. The English purchases were
shipped late in the autumn of 1873. Along with the
Campbell cattle went five Princesses, bought for
account of E. H. Cheney. The $35,000 10th Duchess
of Geneva produced in the hands of Earl Bective the
bull Duke of Underley (33745), that became a sire
of great renown. The Duchesses that remained in
America failed to meet the expectations of their
buyers, and through deaths and failures to breed
the line became extinct on this side the Atlantic
within ten years. That incestuous or long-continued
aisy!" It is also related that one of Mr. Alexander's purchases was
driven to A. Renick's by a colored hand on horseback, to be bred to the
4th Duke of Geneva. At New York Mills the Duchess would have rid-
den and her attendant walked. This cow arrived at Renick's overcome
by the heat, was turned out in pasture, and a thunder-shower at night
completed the job. Commenting upon this incident and contrasting it
with the treatment given to his pets at their York State home Gibson
remarks: "The nigger lived."
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE 431
close breeding tends to impairment of vigor and
infertility does not admit of doubt. The Sheldon
Duchesses certainly had not proved, as a rule, either
fruitful or long-lived in Mr. Campbell 's hands. That
fact is shown by the comparatively small number of
females in the herd at the time of the dispersion. Six
of the twelve bought in 1869 and 1870 had disap-
peared before the sale of 1873, leaving no offspring
in the herd. It has been commonly claimed that
tuberculosis was the cause of this and the subse-
quent mortality and lack of fecundity, but it has,
perhaps, not been generally known that every cow
and calf at New York Mills had contracted from the
English importation of 1870 one of the most aggra-
vating of all bovine plagues, foot-and-mouth disease,
which scourge during the years 1867 and 1868 had
so sorely tried the courage of Mr, Booth and others
in Great Britain. The only two beasts upon the farm
that escaped attack were the bulls 4th Duke of Ge-
neva and Eoyal Briton. A frame that had been used
for shoeing oxen was procured from a blacksmith
away in the woods of Oneida County and each ani-
mal had its feet dressed daily; even the cows that
were heavy in calf being subjected to this treatment.
Aside from the Hillhurst people, who were going
through the same ordeal, no one knew at the time
of this difficulty. Linseed-meal gruel was provided,
and as a result of careful nursing no deaths occurred.
Like la grippe in the human subject, foot-and-mouth
disease in cattle is chiefly to be dreaded for its after
432 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
effects. It will be recalled that during one season
(probably 1870) after the disease had been prevalent
at Warlaby Mr. Booth raised but one heifer calf.
To this cause, therefore, Mr. Gibson attributes most
of the troubles of the New York Mills Duchesses
after his connection with the herd ceased.*
4th Duke of Geneva. — As the chief stock bull in
service at New York Mills this bull occupied a com-
manding position in the minds of those who were
following the Bates colors. Through the instrumen-
tality of Ben F. Vanmeter of Clark Co., Ky., he was
bought in the spring of 1873 for the joint account of
himself and Abram Renick at $6,000. He weighed
at that time about 2,000 lbs. Mr. Wright, herdsman
for Mr. Alexander, had looked at him as a yearling
with a view toward securing him for Woodburn, but
left him on account of his showing at that time a
defect behind the shoulder. He improved in that
respect, however, and is generally credited with
having proved a great success in Kentucky, to which
State he was taken May 1, 1873. He was let to forty
♦The history of this herd reads like a romance. The fight against
fate at first, the importation of the Booths, the first purchase of half
the Geneva herd, the compulsory acquirement of the second and the
final dispersion were all the outcome of peculiar circumstances. The
climax was a success, but that success was not commanded by superior
knowledge nor sagacity, but simply caused by a fortuitous sequence of
favorable events — all having a bearing. Old Weehawken, the success
as sires of American Duchess bulls in England, the extinction of the
pure Duchess line there, the constant refusal to price one. England's
competition in the sale-ring, and a favorable time, all conspired to
bring about the astounding result. Two months later we were in the
throes of financial trouble. The gratuitous advertising through con-
troversy in England, and above all the tact and skill of the auctioneer,
were also important factors.
"Are you satisfied, Mr. Campbell, 100 head of cattle can be sold in an
afternoon?" asked the auctioneer after it was all over. "I am aware it
has been done, sir,' rejoined Mr. Campbell ; and the auctioneer's fee was
two black-nosed Victorias that were not worthy to be put in the sale ! —
Richard Gibson in "Breeder's Gazette."
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE 433
COWS from other herds at a service fee of $150 each
within a year. Cows were turned away during the
following year after services for twenty had been
arranged at $250 each. After the New York Mills
sale Lord Skelmersdale (afterward Earl of Latham)
visited Kentucky and endeavored to buy the 4th
Duke of Geneva, but could get no price upon him,
although intimating that he was willing to give
$16,000.
English sales of 1873. — At Cheney's sale in July
thirty-five head averaged £294, 14th Lady of Oxford
making 905 guineas from Earl Bective, 12th Duchess
of Geneva 935 guineas from Sir Wilfred Lawson, 3d
Duke of Gloster 820 guineas from Earl Bective, the
Gwynne heifer Geneva's Minstrel 600 guineas from
J. P. Foster, and an American-bred Princess cow
(Lady Sale of Putney) 470 guineas from Earl Bec-
tive. At Lord Penrhyn's sale in May forty-one head
averaged £210, the highest prices being 755 guineas
for Cherry Duchess 14tli to Earl Bective, 550 guineas
for Waterloo 33d to Lord Skelmersdale, 500 guineas
for Waterloo 30th to F. Leney, and 505 guineas for
Cherry Duchess 20th to C. A. Barnes. At the dis-
persion of the famous herd of Col. Towneley forty
head averaged £126, the top being 800 guineas for
6th Maid of Oxford.
CHAPTER XVI
A GOLDEN AGE
The Campbell sale fairly electrified tlie breeding
fraternity on both sides the Atlantic, and although
followed by a period of financial disturbance, yet
during the years immediately succeeding an enor-
mous business was done in Short-horns at both pub-
lic sale and private treaty. The Central West still
busied itself with the fairs, and having the require-
ments of the ring steadily in view afforded a strong-
market for show stock as well as for animals of the
prevailing fashionable blood.*
Spring sales of 1874. — The great show herds of the
West now depended very largely on Canadian im-
portations for their heaviest ''timber." Stock of
the high-styled, "rangy" type could no longer win.
Mr. Cochrane had fitted out Col. King with his
famous herd, and other champions had found their
way into the West from the Dominion. American
breeders were frequent visitors in Canada in these
♦Writing of the situation in the fall of 1873 John Thornton said : "A
slight reaction in favor of not breeding from 'pure' strains was notice-
able during the autumn. Close in-and-in breeding is doubtless the
method whereby many of ovir finest animals are produced, as it is also
the cause of delicacy and decay. The judicious blending of sound tribes
must naturally result in the perfection of form and quality, to which
fair milking properties should also be added. The combination of milk
with the feeding qualities and graceful beauty of the Sliort-horn has
been the cause of its supremacy, but if the milking properties are re-
duced the Short-horn is brought to a level with other breeds, and its
value consequently depreciated."
434
14TH DUKE OF THORXDALE (28459) AT 18 MONTHS — SOLD FOK
$17,900.
4TH DUKE OF GENEVA (309oTl AX THREE YEARS— USED AT NEW
YORK MILLS AND ON EENICK ROSES OF SHARON.
A GOLDEX AGE 435
days in quest of show stock. It is related that a
Western buyer, whose ambition exceeded his judg-
ment, after examining the stock of Simon Beattie
and James I. Davidson in quest of a show cow^, was
advised to look at an animal then in the hands of a
neighbor, which he was assured could be bought for
$250. After starting away the prospective buyer
came back and gravely asked Mr. Davidson if he
thought the cow in question was as good as Rose-
dale. "A coo as gude as Rosedale for $250!" ex-
claimed the old Scotchman in amazement. "Weel,
mon, if that's a' ye ken aboot coos ye better gang
liame where ye came from." Those Americans,
however, who attended Simon Beattie 's sale in the
early spring of 1874 were of a different class. They
did not expect to get Rosedales at the price of com-
mon cows, for it was here that George Murray of
Racine, Wis., bought the grand roan three-year-old
show heifer imp. Maid of Honor, of Game's breed-
ing, at $2,600, and the mixed-bred imp. Lady Gunter
at $2,000. C. C. Parks bought the roan heifer Malm-
sey, also of Game breeding, at $3,100. Gen. Sol.
Meredith took Rose of Racine, a Bates-topped Rosa-
bella by Bridegroom, and her heifer calf at $3,420,
and the grand roan Ruberta, another Garne-bred
cow, imported by William Miller in 1869, at $1,275.
On April 8 at John Snell's sale at Edmonton, Ont.,
Messrs. Day of Iowa paid $1,225 for the Scotch-bred
imp. Golden Drop 1st, then eight years old, and
$1,005 for the roan yearling heifer Golden Circle.
436 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
On the following day at Hugh Thompson 's sale John
Collard of Des Moines, la., gave $1,015 for imp.
Raspberry, and J. R. Craig $1,000 for the two-year-
old Golden Drop 3d; the six-year-old Golden Drop
2d falling to Richard Gibson's bidding at $1,005.
About this date Mr. Rigdon Huston of Blandinsville,
111., sold the Kentucky-bred Galatea show bull Bour-
bon Star 11425 to M. W. Fall of Eddyville, la., for
$1,000. May 13 the Muirkirk Herd of C. E. Coffin
was sold by John R. Page in Maryland, the highest
price paid being $1,425 by Hon. T. J. Megibben for
Muirkirk Gwynne. Leslie Combs Jr. of Kentucky
bought Water Nymph at $1,200, and T. S. Cooper
of Pennsylvania paid $1,060 for Portulacca.
The Glen Flora sale at Waukegan on May 20 re-
sulted in an average of $900 on fifty-five females.
Col. Judy wielding the hammer. Imp. Jubilee
Gwynne w^as taken by Stephen Dunlap at $2,500
and Melody Gwynne by C. F. Wadsworth of New
York at $1,000. For Melody Gwynne 6th Elliott &
Kent of Iowa gave $1,600. The same firm bought
Mazurka Duchess 2d for $1,520 and for another Ma-
zurka B. B. Groom of Kentucky gave $1,350. Gen.
C. E. Lippincott purchased imp. Malmsley at $1,500
and Irene 11th at $1,000. Mr. Megibben took Oxford
Princess at $1,500 and 5th Miss Wiley of Glen Flora
at $1,250, and Emery Cobb gave $1,425 for 4th Louan
of Glen Flora. J. H. Kissinger paid liberally for
several cows of the Louan family, $1,325 for one and
$1,000 for another. Rigdon Huston took 7th Louan
A GOLDEN- AGE 437
of Glen Flora at $1,500 and Avery & Murphy of De-
troit 2d Louan at $1,825. John Niccolls of Bloom-
ington, 111., was also a free buyer, paying np to
$1,825 for Victoria of Glen Flora. James W. AVads-
worth of New York secured Lydia Languish 2d at a
bid of $1,000. For imp. Lady Oxford H. Ludington
of Milwaukee gave $2,350. A feature of this big sale
was the high average of the Gwynnes, eight averag-
ing $1,100 each.
LyndaJe sale at Dexter Park. — Col. William S.
King made a memorable sale at Dexter Park, Chi-
cago, on the following day. May 21. But one speci-
men of the popular Bates Duchess family was in-
cluded, and in view of this fact the prices paid were
considered at that time quite as extraordinary as
those made at the great sale at New York Mills. A
summary of the highest prices and averages is
appended :
2(i Duke of Hillhurst 12893— George Robbing, London, Eng.$14,000
Lady Mary 7tli (Princess) — Charles F. Wadsworth, New
York 5,500
Lady Mary 8th — Charles P. Wadsworth 5,500
Lyndale Wild Eyes— T. J. Megibben 5,000
Bell Duchess — James Wadsworth, New York 4,400
Peri 5th — James Wadsworth 4,000
Bell Duchess 3d— T. J. Megibben 3,300
Peri 4th— T. J. Megibben 3,000
Lady Mary 5th— Gen. N. M. Curtis, New York 3,000
3d Malvern Gwynne— T. J. Megibben 3,000
Miss Gwynne — A. W. Griswold, Vermont 3,000
Baron Hubback 2d— C. A. DeGraff, Minnesota 2,600
Peri 2d of Lyndale — Avery & Murphy, Michigan 2,500
True Blue (bull)— P. A. Coen, Illinois 2,240
Peri 3d— A. W. Griswold 2,100
438 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEX CATTLE
Hubback's Garland — William Sodowsky, Illinois $ 2,100
Garland — T. J. Megibben 2,100
Bell Duchess 2d — B. B. Groom, Kentuckj' 2,100
Miss Leslie Napier — C. A. DeGraff 2,015
Miss Leslie— C. A. DeGraff 2,005
5th Lady Sale of Brattleboro— C. F. Wadsworth 2,000
Butterfly's Gift— Maj. S. E. Ward, Missouri 1,900
Gem of Lyndale— Maj. S. E. Ward 1,850
Star of Lyndale— S. E. Ward 1,850
2d Tuberose of Brattleboro— T. J. Megibben 1,800
Florence — D. M. Flynn, Iowa 1,700
Constance of Lyndale 2d — A. W. Griswold 1,675
Moselle 6th— A. W. Griswold 1,600
8th Lady of Brattleboro— C. F. Wadsworth 1,600
Roan Princess— D. M. Flynn 1,600
Constance of Lyndale 3d — John R. Craig, Canada 1,600
Mazurka of Lyndale — S. Meredith & Son, Indiana 1,525
2d Lady Gwynne— T. J. Megibben 1,500
Oakwood Gwynne 2d — Gen. N. M. Curtis 1,500
Mazurka of Lyndale 3d — J. H. Kissinger, Missouri 1,475
Mayflower — E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,435
Medora 14th— John R. Craig 1,300
Scottish Lady — S. W. Jacobs, Iowa 1,275
June Flower — J. G. Coulter, Ohio 1,225
58 females sold for $101,615; an average of $ 1,752
21 bulls sold for 25,375; an average of 1,208
79 animals sold for 126,990; an average of 1,628
The sale of 2d Duke of Hillliurst to the English
bidder was not consummated on account of delay in
making settlement. It is included in this report,
however, for the reason that the sum of $13,900 was
bid in good faith for the bull by Hon. John Went-
worth of Chicago. Mr. Wentworth had started the
bidding at $12,000. The contest from that point
up to $13,000 was between "Long John" and the
Englishman. George Murray of Wisconsin then
A GOLDEX AGE 439
entered the competition and carried the price to
$13,800. A bid of $13,900 was made by Mr. Went-
worth, which was raised by Eobbins to $14,000. It
stated that Bobbins was bidding for joint account
of Lord Duumore, Earl Bective and Col. Gunter of
England, and as the price was the largest ever made
up to that date for a bull of any breed in any country
the result was greeted with hearty cheers. Eobbins
left for Buffalo the evening of the sale for the al-
leged purpose of drawing the funds, but on Saturday
telegraphed Col. King that he must go to New York
to complete his arrangements. Feeling that he had
given him reasonable time Col. King wired in reply
that he did not consider himself bound to delay any
longer, and that the 2d Duke would return to Lyn-
dale. Eobbins was a fraud pure and simple.
A noticeable feature of this sale was the great
price made by the Princesses and the comparative
lack of appreciation of the Booth-bred lots. Mr. De
Graff resold Baron Hubback 2d after the sale to B.
Sumner of Connecticut.
Other Western events. — At Cambridge City, Ind.,
on the day following this exciting event Gen. Mere-
dith & Son sold fifty-three head at an average of
$454, the thirty-nine females bringing $20,985, an
average of $515. For imp. Boyal Duchess 2d Hon.
T. C. Jones and G. J. Hagerty of Ohio gave $2,000,
and Avery & Murphy took Joan of Arc at the same
price.
J. H. Spears & Sons held a sale at Tallula, 111., on
J:40 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HOEN CATTLE
May 27, at which Gen. Lippincott paid $5,800 for
Cherub 2d and $1,600 for Duchess of Sutherland 4th.
Several Sanspareils — then a new sort in the West —
sold at high prices, Messrs. James N. Brown's Sons
of Berlin, 111., paying $2,250 for two females of that
family. Gen. Meredith gave $1,000 for Mazurka
20th and J. H. Kissinger $1,025 for Rosettie 4th.
The thirty-four females sold averaged $630 and
eleven bulls $950. About this date Mr. S. F. Lock-
ridge of Indiana bought the Booth-crossed Scotch
bull Lord Strathallan from Mr. John Miller of Can-
ada for $2,500. J. H. Kissinger disposed of forty
head at auction at an average of $427.50, Mr. Pick-
rell paying $1,675 for Bride 15th. Messrs. J. H.
Potts & Son made liberal purchases upon this occa-
sion. W. R. Duncan's sale made an average of $525
on twenty-six head, George Otley giving $1,500 for
Rosamond 10th, P. A. Coen $1,000 for Mazurka 34th,
Gen. Meredith $1,025 for Rosamond 7th and J. H.
Pickrell $1,500 for Lady Bates. At Decatur, 111.,
April 28, Messrs. B. Z. & T. M. Taylor disposed of
thirteen females at an average of $843, including six
Louans that averaged $1,399 each, Louan 6th of
Poplar Farm, by Aristocrat 7509, bringing $2,110
from E. W. Miller, Lula, 111. ; Louan 4th, by Baron
Booth of Lancaster, $1,760 from John Niccolls of
Bloomington; Louan 5th (by Aristocrat) $1,300 from
Claude Matthews, and Louan 3d, by 11th Duke of
Airdrie, $1,100 from Emory Cobb.
Kentucky summer sales. — The Kentucky auction
A GOLDEN" AGE 441
sales of 1874 were largely attended and made some
big averages. At Hughes & Richardson's eighty-
eight head averaged $581. Lady Bates 3d fetched
$2,150, Geneva Gwynne $1,675, Minna of Elkhill
$1,905 and Loudon Duchess 6th $1,775 — all to Ken-
tucky buyers; Candidate's Duchess 2d, $1,425, and
Wilda, $1,200, to Gen. Meredith; Louan of Elkhill,
$1,025, to Leslie Combs; Louan 5th of Elkhill, $1,100,
to J. H. Kissinger; Louan 4th of Elkhill, $1,100, to
W. N. Offcutt; Mazurka Belle 2d, $1,000, and Lady
Newham 10th, $1,050, to Theodore Bates; Bertha,
$1,640, to Bush & Hampton. At E. L. Davison's
Gen. Meredith paid $1,725 for Mazurka 36th and
$1,000 for Grace 4th. Walter Handy gave $1,150
for Louan of Waveland and J. R. Shelley of Illinois
$1,250 for Mazurka 37th. At Warnock & Megib-
ben's seventy-eight head averaged $457, George M.
Bedford giving $1,700 for Airdrie Belle, Col. Wil-
liam E. Simms $1,800 for Rose Jackson, Kirk &
Cunningham of Ohio $1,550 for Cambridge Rose 3d,
Ed Thomas $1,300 for Miss Stonewall Jackson, Col.
J. B. Taylor of Canada $1,000 for Cambridge Rose
2d, John Niccolls & Sons $1,525 for 3d Mazurka of
Woodlawn, Abner Strawn of Illinois $1,735 for 9th
Duchess of Springwood and Mr. Megibben $2,475 for
two females of same family, etc. At this sale, held
July 28, Mr. George W. Rust, editor of the National
Live-Stock Journal, was the victim of a murderous
assault, narrowly escaping assassination. The affair
grew out of charges made through that paper in
442 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
1873 in relation to the pedigree of the famous Shrop-
shire show heifer Fanny Forrester.
Ben F. Van Meter sold thirty-four head for
$18,000, an average of $539. Abram Van Meter's
eighty-three head averaged $565. A notable private
sale in the fall of this year was the transfer of four
head by David Selsor of Ohio to Mr. Keyes of Wis-
consin for $4,000, and three head from same herd to
an Ohio party at $3,000.
Closing events of 1874. — The great events of the
autumn of 1874 were the sales of E. G. Bedford and
B. B. Groom in Kentucky. At the former seven
head of Loudon Duchesses sold for $24,650, an aver-
age of $3,521, four being bought by Kentuckians —
C. M. Clay, T. J. Megibben and Ben F. Bedford—
and three by Illinois breeders, J. H. Spears taking
two at $2,250 and $2,000 respectively and Col. Rob-
ert Holloway one at $2,700. The highest-priced one
was the $6,000 Loudon Duchess 9th, that was bid
off by B. F. Bedford. At this same sale S. F. Lock-
ridge gave $1,700 for Cora 3d, E. L. Davison paid
$2,075 for Cannondale 2d, E. K. Thomas $2,325 for
Lady Bates 4th, two Louans brought $2,225, the 21st
Duke of Airdrie $7,000 from J. H. Spears, Loudon
Duke 19th $3,500 from W. R. Duncan and Loudon
Duke 15th $2,100 from S. Meredith & Son. The
thirty-five head averaged $1,672. At the Groom
sale 119 head sold for an average price of $573,
twenty-two head commanding prices ranging from
$1,000 up to $2,550, the top price being paid by
A GOLDEN^ AGE 443
C. C. Childs of Independence, Mo., for Bell Duch-
ess 2d.
No less than 2,592 head of Short-horns passed
through the sale-ring in America during 1874, bring-
ing $1,004,159, an average of $387, the great year's
business closing with the private sale of the 2d Duke
of Hillhurst and the 10th Duchess of Airdrie and six
of her descendants to Hon. M. H. Cochrane by Col.
William S. King and Mr. George Murray at terms
not made public but known to be extraordinary. The
transfer of the 7th Duke of Oneida from A. W. Gris-
wold to Mr. A. J. Alexander of Woodburn Farm,
Ky., for $10,000 has also to be noted at this time.
The public sales in England of the year 1874 were
sixty-eight, aggregating 2,165 head, at an average
of $323 each, a total sum of $702,556, being 236
animals more than in 1873, and at an increased price
of $45 per head, yet lower by $69 each than the
American public-sale prices. The exceptional sales
in England were those of Messrs. Leney & Sons, of
forty-one head, at an average of $1,458; Duke of
Devonshire, forty-three head, $1,913; Earl Bective,
fifty-five head, $1,816; E. H. Cheney, twenty-seven
head, $2,095— all of Bates blood.
The sales of 1875. — There seemed no abatement
of public interest as the trade of 1875 was inaugu-
rated. As in the previous year, the initiative was
taken by Canada. John R. Craig made a sale of
thirty-three head at an average of $548, Col. Robert
Holloway of Illinois leading the bidding with $2,600
444 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOKN^ CATTLE
for Waterloo J and $625 for the Scotch-bred Miss
Ramsden 5th. Wesley Warnock of Kentucky took
Peri Pink at $1,350 and W. E. Simms of Kentucky
bought Mystery at $1,175. Ware & McGoodwin of
Kentucky secured Campaspie 3d for $1,000. A still
better sale was that of William Miller's, where
thirty-five animals commanded an average of $583.
Col. Holloway was a liberal buyer upon this occa-
sion also, securing Princess of Atha for $725, Wave
Duchess at $660 and the Kinellar-bred Golden Drop
2d at $775. Still Bates blood was on top. Ware &
McGoodwin paying $3,360 for Fennel Duchess •7th
and $1,200 for Fennel Duchess of Lancaster. B. B.
Groom took the Craggs 7th Duchess of Winfield at
$805 and Warnock the Bell-Bates Duchess of Spring-
wood at $1,225. Birrell & Johnston of Canada also
sold some good cattle in this series, including two
Scotch Golden Drops that fetched $850 and $550 re-
spectively from local buyers. That a lively trade at
full figures was to characterize the year in the Cen-
tral West was foreshadowed by the spring sales as
well as by the private transfers. Mr. Pickrell re-
ceived $1,000 early in the year for the young bull
Breastplate Louanjo, by the famous Breastplate out
of a Louan cow by imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster,
the buyer being B. Vantress of Maiden, 111. Li Vir-
ginia George W. Palmer sold a Craggs cow to A. M.
Bowman at $1,700. Vol. IV of the Kentucky Short-
horn Record was announced as ready for deliveiy at
$8, a price quite on a parity with prevailing values
A GOLDEN^ AGE 445
for cattle. In March William Stewart of Illinois
held a successful sale, at which Mr. R. H. Austin
of Sycamore, 111., gave $1,900 for 1st Duchess Louan
and $1,500 for 2d Lady of Racine. N. P. Clarke of
St. Cloud, Minn., entered the lists here, taking
among other lots Caroline 6th at $810. During this
same month Col. Holloway journeyed to Mr. Coch-
rane 's and bought the 4th Duke of Hillhurst for
$7,000, and Messrs. Grimes and Montgomery of Ohio
sold the 3d Duke of Oneida to Ware & McGoodwin
of Kentucky for $12,000.
Glen Flora dispersion. — The closing out of the
Glen Flora Herd of Mr. C. C. Parks at Waukegan,
111., in April drew out a great attendance from far
and near and resulted in an average of $612 on 122
head of cattle. The best prices of the day were as
follows: $2,500 for Peri of Fairview from Mr. Me-
gibben; $2,000 for Oxford Bloom 4th from same
buyer; $2,000 for Bright Eyes Duchess 2d from
George Otley; $1,800 for 6th Duchess Louan from
N. P. Clarke and $1,600 from same buyer for Peri's
Duchess; $1,500 for the bull Baron Bates 3d 11332
from George Otley; $1,325 for Victoria of Glen Flora
from Mr. Megitben; $1,200 for 2d Rose of Racine
from H. F. Brown of Minneapolis; $1,225 for Oxford
Gwynne 5th from William Miller, Atha, Ont.; $1,850
for Princess of Oxford 7th from N. P. Clarke; $1,550
for Atlantic Gwynne 2d from George Grimes of
Ohio; $1,200 for Princess Gwynne and a like sum
for Oxford Bloom from J. R. Shelley of Illinois;
446 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HOEX CATTLE
$1,200 for Jubilee Gwynne 2d from Mr. Grimes, etc.
Large purchases were made by Hon. Wm. M. Smith,
Lexington, 111., Albert Crane, Durham Park, Kan.,
and many others afterward prominent in the trade.
Kissinger's sale. — This important sale was fol-
lowed by another from the herd of J. H. Kissinger of
Missouri, who received an average of $606 for forty-
one head. It was here that Ed lies gave $2,200 for
the bull Kissinger's Breastplate 17476, sired by old
Breastplate out of imp. Primula by Falstaff (21720).
The same buyer also took Mazurka of Linwood at
$1,600. George Otley increased his investment in
high-priced stock by paying $1,180 for 3d Louan of
Linwood and $1,650 for Orphan Gwynne. Albert
Crane bought Miss Wiley of Linwood at $1,200 and
J. H. Spears & Son gave $1,000 for Illustrious 3d.
Elliott & Kent. — This Iowa firm had been liberal
buyers of cattle for several years and this spring
placed sixty-one head on the market that averaged
$559. The sensational event of this sale was the
purchase of the Princess cow 4th Tuberose of Brat-
tleboro by Col. Eobert Holloway at $3,500 and the
high price brought by other specimens of that
famous old family. W. E. Simms of Paris, Ky.,
paid $1,810 for 2d Red Rose of Brattleboro. George
Grimes of Ohio gave $1,550 for 13th Lady Sale of
Brattleboro and $1,150 for 39th Lady Sale of Putney.
J. R. Shelley took 37th Lady Sale of Putney at
$1,050. All these were primarily descended from
the Stephenson Princess tribe, from whence Mr.
A GOLDEX AGE 447
Bates obtained Belvedere. At this sale A. Ludlow
of Monroe, Wis., bought Mazurka Duchess 2d at
$1,700 and Albert Crane took Louan 5th of Elm
Grove at $1,400.
Spears and the Nelly Blys. — J. H. Spears & Son
made a memorable sale this spring, which had for
its most interesting feature great prices for a family
of cows built up in their herd from a descendant of
the roan cow Lady Elizabeth (by Emperor), brought
out from England in 1839 by the Payette Co. (Ky.)
Importing Co. and sold at their sale for $660. These
Nelly Blys, as they are still called, were fine show
cattle, as w^ell as capital breeders, and at this sale
nine head of cows and heifers belonging to it sold
for $11,350, an average of $1,261. The top price for
these was $1,825, paid by Mrs. Kimberly of West
Libert)^, la., for Nelly Bly 4tli. Most of them were
daughters of Gen. Grant 4825. Still higher prices
were made, however, by a pair of Loudon Duchesses,
the 13th and 17th of the line, the former, by 5th
Duke of Geneva, going to S. W. Jacobs of West Lib-
erty, la., at $3,200, and the latter, by 21st Duke of
Airdrie, to E. K. Thomas of North Middletown, Ky.,
at $2,750. Mr. E. C. Lewis paid $1,600 for Magenta
2d, by Gen. Grant, and J. R. Conover, Petersburg,
111., took her dam, the McMillan-bred Magenta, by
Plantagenet, at $1,325. James N. Brown's Sons of
Grove Park, Sangamon Co., 111., paid $1,995 for
Highland Lady 2d, by Royal Oakland 9034, tracing
to imp. Western Lady, by the celebrated Grand Turk
448 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
(12969). This cow's heifer by Col. Towneley 13691
went to Mr. Conover at $1,750. C. W. Goff of Mon-
mouth, 111., bought 14th Louan of Woodlawn, a
daughter of the Woodburn-bred Laudable 5890, at
$1,650. Duchess of York 9th, a Canadian-bred roan,
fetched $1,000 from Albert Crane. The imported
cow Lady Highthorn was bought by Mr. Conover at
$1,000. The Cruickshank cow Violet's Forth, then
in her ninth year and belonging to a family of cattle
practically unknown at that time in the West, went
to Mrs. Kimberly at $1,000. The 21st Duke of Air-
drie was purchased by Gen. Lippincott at $10,500.
The forty head sold brought an average of $1,163.
Pickrell's great sale. — J. H. Pickrell's sale of
twenty-three head at Decatur, 111., April 27, 1875, at
an average of $1,265 stands next to Col. King's Dex-
ter Park average of 1874 as the highest ever made
in the Western States. The celebrated show bull
Breastplate 11431, for which Mr. Pickrell had paid
$6,000, was bought by Mrs. Kimberly for $6,100.
This bull was a red, bred by Hon. M. H. Cochrane
from Star of the Realm 9150 out of Bright Lady by
Lord Blithe (22126). He was largely of Booth blood
and at the shows of 1872 and 1873 had won over
$1,000 in cash prizes. Some fine specimens of the
Bedford Bride family and choice show things of the
Louan sort brought ' ' four figures. " A. E. Kimberly
paid $2,850 for the red cow Lady Bride, by imp.
Baron Booth of Lancaster out of Bride 15th by Air-
drie 2478. E. W. Miller, Raymond, 111., took the
A GOLDE^r AGE 449
splendid roan Baron Booth of Lancaster heifer
Louau Hill 5th, then three years old, at $2,000. Wil-
liam and W. Pickrell bought Louan Hill 4th, a four-
year-old roan, also by Baron Booth of Lancaster, at
$1,925, and resold her to Col. Robert Holloway for
$2,225. Louan Hill 3d, a red-roan five-year-old
daughter of Sweepstakes 6230, went to L. B. Wing
of Bement, 111., at $1,225. Another Baron Booth of
Lancaster heifer, Caroline Cochrane (out of an 11th
Duke of Airdrie cow tracing to imp. Caroline by
Arrow), was bought by J. H. Kissinger & Co. for
$1,800. The red-roan two-year-old heifer Jubilee
Napier fell to the bidding of A. E. Kimberly at
$1,600. She was by imp. Gen. Napier (26239), the
Booth bull that Messrs. Parks sold to Col. Stephen
Dunlap in 1873 for $5,000 and bought back in 1874
at same price. The Caroline, by Dashwood, heifer
Detura, another daughter of Baron Booth of Lan-
caster, was secured by J. R. Shelley at $1,100. The
imported Booth cow Amelia, bred by Messrs. Dud-
ding, was purchased by Thomas Windle, Lincoln,
111., at $1,025. Her yearling bull Royal Baron 18238,
by Baron Booth of Lancaster, was taken by William
and W. Pickrell at $1,000.
At a combination sale held at Bloomington, 111.,
in April Mr. C. M, Niccolls sold Princessa 2d, a red
of Abram Van Meter's breeding, sired by Airdrie
Duke 5306 out of a Princess dam, to J. V. Grigsby
of AVinchester, Ky., for $2,000, the same buyer tak-
ing Mazurka of Lyndale 4th at $1,825. At the same
450 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN^ CATTLE
sale E. L. Davison of Kentucky paid $1,450 for Ox-
ford Gwynne.
Jacobs' sale at West Liberty. — At West Liberty,
la., April 14, 1875, occurred the sale of Mr. S. W.
Jacobs, the first ever held at that point. Eighty-
three cattle averaged $614, and the attendance was
estimated at 1,500. This was one of the memorable
events of the period. The Lady Sale Princess cow
Maude, by Earl of Grass Hill 8071, was bid off at
the extraordinary price of $7,200, and her yearling-
heifer by Col. Wood 13692 — Princess Maude — at
$2,800. Mrs. Kimberly gave $2,025 for the fine show
heifer 3d Gem of Eryholme, bred by Messrs. Parks
and sired by imp. Gen. Napier. D. M. Flynn took
the Vellum heifer Lady King at $2,025 and the mas-
sive 1,800-lb. Cruickshank Secret cow imp. Sylvia,
by Champion of England — the great cow of the sale
—at $2,500. J. W. Handley of Mount Vernon, la.,
bought Forest Queen (of McMillan's breeding and
sired by Plantagenet 6031) at $1,550, and George
Chase bid off the McMillan cow Louan of Slauson-
dale at $1,100. M. Bunker, Tipton, la., purchased
the ''crack" Kissinger show cow Bettie Stewart
(running to imp. Daisy by Wild) at $1,425, and Mrs.
Kimberly bought imp. Royal Booth (of Game breed-
ing and out of Malmsey) for $1,075, Scottish Lady,
by Col. King's imp. Scotsman, at $1,425, the noted
Kissinger Caroline (by Dash wood) show cow Russie
Pierce at $1,500 and Fannie Pierce of same family at
$1,100. C. S. Barclay took the roan show heifer
A GOLDEX AGE 451
British Baron's Gem, by imp. Britisli Baron, at
$1,000. Tliis was a grand lot of cattle. Many of the
cows weighed from 1,600 to 1,800 lbs. and were neat
as well as large. As illustrating the character of the
demand for Short-horns at this time Mr. C. S. Bar-
clay tells us that the evening after this sale he sold
nearly $2,000 worth of cattle, some of which were
bought by the light of a lantern! The fact is that
the only way a man could keep a cow in those days
was to refuse to price her. West Liberty became a
great Short-horn breeding center, a distinction
which it has ever since held.
Milton Briggs of Kellogg, la., sold on the day
following the West Liberty sale 122 head at an aver-
age of $308. This sale was remarkable for the large
number sold and the uniformity of values main-
tained. But two animals passed the $1,000 mark,
one, Anna Clark, at $1,075, to S. Corbin, Paris, Ky.,
and the other. Jubilee of Spotwood, at $1,025, to W.
M. Blair, Liland, la.
Dexter Park auctions. — In May a notable series
of sales occurred at Dexter Park, Chicago. On the
19th some long prices were again made by the Prin-
cess family, the occasion being the sale of L. W.
Towne of Clarence, Mo. These were descendants of
the Lady Sale branch of the tribe, coming through
Highland Maid, one of whose daughters brought
$7,200 at the Jacobs sale already mentioned. Col.
William E, Simms of Kentucky was the heaviest
buyer, taking the three-year-old Highland Maid 7th
452 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
at $3,600, Highland Maid 5tli at $1,900 and High-
land Maid 4th at $1,125. For Highland Maid 8th
Robert Otley gave $1,600. At this same sale Col.
Simmes paid $1,600 for Lady Hester 3d and $1,025
for Lady Hester, both Lady Sale Princesses. On
May 20 J. P. Sanborn of Port Huron, Mich., received
$2,600 for the Craggs cow Duchess of Huron, by 22d
Duke of Airdrie, from John R. Craig of Edmonton,
Can., and $1,500 from same buyer for her dam, 2d
Duchess of Springwood, then ten years old. T.
Hickman of Ashland, Mo., gave $1,025 for the Ohio
Rose of Sharon Crystal Queen 5th. A few Scotch-
bred cattle were included in this sale and met with
fair appreciation, the imported cow Wastell 's Jenny
Lind 7th, by Lord of the Isles, falling to Mr. Heck-
man's bidding at $800.
The Avery & Murphy sale. — On May 21 Avery &
Murphy of Port Huron followed with a sale of sev-
enty-five head averaging $670. The yearling Bates-
topped Peri heifer Peri 2d of Lyndale, of Col.
King's breeding and sired by the $14,000 bull 2d
Duke of Hillhurst, was taken by S. W. Jacobs of
Iowa at $4,000. The 18th Duke of Airdrie cow Miss
Wiley 4th was bought by Col. Simmes of Kentucky
for $2,675, and the roan Miss Wiley 25th, by 10th
Duke of Thorndale, by same buyer at $1,825. The
2d Louan of Glen Flora at $2,350; the Ohio Rose of
Sharon cow Rose of Fairholme 4th (of Judge Jones'
breeding) at $1,275, and the imported Kinellar-bred
Scotch cow Wastell 's Golden Drop 4th at $1,100, all
A GOLDEN AGE 453
fell to the persistent bidding of Col. Robert Hollo-
way. The Aberdeenshire cattle were not well known
in the West at this time, but their merit was begin-
ning to win them many friends, and at this sale Mrs.
E. Byram of Abingdon, 111., bought the Cruickshank
cow Michigan Casket, by Senator (27441) out of
Cactus by Champion of England, at $1,725; the
mixed-bred imp. Michigan Daisy and Welcome at
$1,000 and $1,025 respectively. For the fine im-
ported show cow Joan of Arc, of mixed English
breeding, Albert Crane paid $1,000. The 23d Duke
of Airdrie was sold at this sale to J. P. Sanborn for
$9,600. On the 22d day of May at same place J. R.
Shelly sold the Princess cow 37th Lady Sale of Put-
ney to E. L. Davison of Kentucky for $1,600, and
Princess 3d to D. Eichholtz of Shannon, 111., for
$1,150. Also Mazurka Duchess 3d to Campbell &
Chase of West Liberty, la., for $1,550, and the roan
Victoria cow Venus to J. P. Sanborn, Port Huron,
Mich., for $1,000.
Long Prices at Meredith's. — On May 28 at Cam-
bridge City, Ind., S. Meredith & Son made a great
sale of fifty-three head, averaging $829. It was here
that the famous Woodburn-bred cow Mazurka 36th,
by Star of the Realm 11021 out of Mazurka 31st by
12th Duke of Airdrie, brought $4,005, the buyer
being J. C. Jenkins of Petersburg, Ky.- Mazurka of
Lyndale, by 17th Duke of Airdrie, and her heifer
calf Oakland Mazurka, by 2d Duke of Hillhurst,
were taken for George Fox of Cheshire, Eng., at
454 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HORX CATTLE
$3,100 and $2,500 respectively. The Rose of Sharoii
cow Grace 4tli, bred by Mr. William Warfield and
sired by Muscatoon 7057 out of Grace by Airdrie
2478, at $3,000, and the roan yearling heifer Craggs
Duchess of Cambridge, by 22d Duke of Airdrie, at
$2,400, went to John R. Craig of Canada. The red
Victoria cow Valeria, bred by George Murray and
sired by 17th Duke of Airdrie, was taken by R. H.
Prewitt of Kentucky at $1,800. Duchess Cadenza,
a Cypress cow by 10th Duke of Thorndale, and her
yearling heifer brought $3,150 from Benjamin Sum-
ner of Woodstock, Conn. The Young Mary cow
Miss Washington 3d, by the great Kentucky breed-
ing bull Airdrie Duke 5306, and her heifer calf Lady
Geneva, by 4th Duke of Geneva, were taken by
James Mix, Kankakee, 111., at $2,150. The imported
cow 2d Lady, of F. H. Fawkes' breeding, went to
Ed lies at $1,250. For the show cow Maggie Stone
(by Airdrie Duke 5306 out of a Margaret, by Snow-
ball, dam) Hon. Pliny Nichols of West Liberty, la.,
gave $1,000. Rigdon Huston of Blandinsville, 111.,
bought the show bull imp. British Baron 13557, of
Col. Towneley's breeding, then five years old, for
$975. The Messrs. Meredith sold privately, after the
conclusion of the sale, the Bates-bred 5th Duchess
of Springwood to Mr. Craig for $2,000.
Airdrie Duchesses at $18,000 each.— Mr. Fox, the
English buyer of the Mazurkas at this sale, bought
privately from Mr. A. J. Alexander that excellent
bull 24th Duke of Airdrie for $12,000, and the 20th
A GOLDEN^ AGE 455
Duchess of Airdrie at $18,000 for exportation, and
from Gen. N. M. Curtis of Ogdensburg and James
W. Wadswortli of same place a number of Prin-
cesses. About this same time Mr. Alexander sold
to E. H. Cheney of England the 16th Duchess of
Airdrie for $17,000.
At a sale from the herd of Mr. Cochrane, held in
June, 1875, at Toronto, Airdrie Duchess 5th was
bought by Avery & Murphy for $18,000, and the
5th Duke of Hillhurst by Mark S. Cockrill of Ten-
nessee for $8,300. 4tli Louan of Slausondale was
taken by B. B. Groom at $2,850. Messrs. Beattie &
Miller sold some cattle at high prices at same time,
receiving $3,000 for Princess of Oxford 4th, a like
sum for Princess Maud, $2,200 for Princess of Raby,
$2,700 for Surmise Duchess 5th, $2,400 for Surmise
Duchess 10th, $3,100 for Duchess of Raby, $4,600 for
Kirklevington Princess 2d, $4,025 for Kirklevington
Duchess 8th, and $2,300 for Careless 8tli — thirty-
four females averaging $1,226 each.
Another important transaction in the spring of
1875 was the purchase by Avery & Murphy of the
entire high-priced herd of Col. L. G. Morris, includ-
ing five of his purchases at New York Mills.
Big sales in the Blue Grass. — The Kentucky sum-
mer sales of 1875 were well attended, and Renick,
Vanmeter and Bates blood commanded great prices.
At Ben F. Vanmeter 's twenty Rose of Sharon s
brought $44,340, an average of $2,217, C. D. Chenault
of Richmond, Ky., taking Julia's Rose at $3,900, and
456 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
H. P. Thomson of Kentucky 2d Cambridge Lady at
$5,550. Poppy 5th was bought for Earl Bective at
$2,000. At the same sale twelve Red Eoses (Young-
Marys) averaged $890, Messrs. Groom paying the
top, $2,350, for Eed Rose 11th. At E. S. Cunning-
ham's the Grooms paid $4,150 for Duchess of
Sharon, and Messrs. Meredith $1,600 for Rose of
Wicken. At J. G. Kinnaird's B. Sumner of Con-
necticut gave $2,650 for Oneida Rose, Messrs. Mere-
dith $2,050 for Minna of Elk Hill, and Emory Cobb
$1,600 for Mazurka 25th. At William Lowry's J.
W. Bean of Winchester, Ky., gave $2,380 for Val-
eria. At Walter Handy 's Messrs. Meredith bought
4th Mazurka of Chesterfield at $3,500, Mr. Megibben
gave $3,150 for Peri of Clifton and B. Sumner $2,025
for Grace Sharon. At Wesley Warnock's $2,675 was
paid by L. F. Pierce of Kentucky for Cambridge
Rose 3d, $2,250 by John R. Craig of Canada for
Duchess of Springwood, and $1,600 by J. H. Spears
& Sons for Miss Wiley of Vinewood. At J. C.
Jenkins' sale Mrs. Jesse Long of Iowa gave $2,125
for Mazurka 36th, George M. Bedford $2,500 for 4th
Louan of Oakland and $2,000 for Louan of Prospect
Farm, E. K. Thomas $2,055 for Blooming Heath 2d,
and J. H. Spears took Mazurka 33d at $1,650. Mr.
Jenkins' fifteen head averaged $1,274.
Pushing the Princesses. — While the champions of
this fine old sort did not score as dazzling a success
during this speculative era as might have been an-
ticipated in view of Belvedere's brilliant career and
A GOLDEN AGE 457
the conceded dual-purpose capacity of the tribe, still
they enlisted the support of several daring spirits
prominent in the trade during these halcyon days of
Short-horn prosperity.
The American-bred Princesses were all descended
from the three imported cows, Red Rose 2d, Lady
Sale 2d and Tuberose 2d. Those tracing to Red
Rose 2d were unquestionably the best. Wherever
they were fairly treated and intelligently bred they
displayed fine substance, thick flesh and scale, as well
as dairy propensity. The Princesses had been
largely in the hands of dairymen in the New Eng-
land States, and were treated as dairy stock, devel-
oping milk qualities of the highest order. The
Tuberose branch manifested a tendency to present
dark noses; a point which has never met with the
favor of the fraternity of Short-horn breeders.
Prominent among those interested in the Princesses
in the East about this time may be mentioned
Messrs. A. W. Griswold, a New York lawyer who
had a farm in Vermont that was in charge of J. 0.
Sheldon's old herdsman, Mr. Williams, one of the
best men of his profession England has ever given
to this country; D. S. Pratt, a clothing merchant at
Brattleboro, Vt., who was in the business purely as
a speculation and not because of any special love
for the cattle; the Messrs. Winslow of Putney, Vt.,
who were practical farmers and dairymen; the
Messrs. Wadsworth of Geneseo, N. Y.; A, B. Conger,
Haverstraw, N. Y.; T. L. Harison, Morley, N. Y.;
458 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Col. Jolm B. Taylor,* London, Ont., and Richard
Gibson of Canada, who bought and exported a num-
ber of cattle of this tribe to England. These were
reinforced by Col. William S. King of Minnesota,
Col. W. E. Simms of Paris, Ky.; B. B. Groom, Win-
chester, Ky., and others. In July, 1875, Mr. C. F.
Wadsworth, after conferring with leading owners of
Princesses throughout the country, issued a small
volume entitled "A Record of Princess Short-horns
in America," which, it was expected, would assist
in building up a Princess aristocracy by separating
the pedigrees of cattle of that tribe from the great
mass of records carried by the Short-horn Herd
Book. As might have been anticipated, however,
and as was predicted by some of the level heads in
the Princess camp, this attempt at "exclusiveness"
was resented by the breeders at large. While long
prices were established for a time the manipulations
of speculators failed to attain for any extended
period their cherished object. In common with
other tribes that were at this time largely at the
mercy of those who were handling Short-horns for
speculative purposes only — and often with violent
disregard of correct principles and practice — the
Princesses suffered more or less deterioration; the
*Col. Taylor was an English army officer who had served with his
regiment, the Sixtieth Rifles, in the Crimea. He settled in Canada and
was made Deputy Adjutant-General in command of the militia of the
district in which he resided. He bought a small place near London
and began breeding Short-horns with marked success. He was a great
enthusiast and one of the closest students of pedigrees of his day.
Probably his greatest success was with the Bates Craggs tribe. He died
a few years since at Winnipeg while in command of that military
district.
A GOLDEX AGE 459
blame for wliicli, as in the case of the Bates tribes,
rested upon the folly of reckless men rather than
upon the hapless cattle that were made the subject
of egregious blundering.
In August, 1875, Almon W. Griswold sold in the
historic Duchess ring at New York Mills five Prin-
cesses for $18,100, an average of $3,620 each, the top
being $5,600 for Lady Mary 2d to Eichard Gibson
for Col. King. The laird of Lyndale also obtained
Lady Mary at $4,000 and Avery & Murphy got Lady
Mary 9th at $2,200 and 6th Lady Sale of Brattleboro
at $3,300. Several Gwynnes — near kin to the Prin-
cesses — also sold well, Gibson paying $3,000 for one
and $1,900 for another. These traced to Tanque-
ray's Minerva 4th, imported by Morris & Becar. At
this same sale 7th Lord of Oxford 17586 fetched
$3,700 and Avery & Murphy paid $3,000 for Peri 3d.
The thirty-three animals disposed of brought $56,-
000, an average of $1,697.
As a matter of fact the Gwynnes of this period
ranked with the best Short-horns of their time.
Indeed for many years, while the old Princess sort
and their cousins the Elviras and " Js" were still in
comparative obscurity, under the skillful manage-
ment of careful handlers in Cumberland and the
North the Gwynnes were making Short-hom his-
toiy. Their intrinsic merit and solid worth, their
grand flesh and scale, their finish and dairy quality
gained for the Gwynnes the plaudits of the entire
country-side even in the very heart of the old Short-
460 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
horn country. As one after another of these hand-
some specimens of the breed made their appearance
in the English show-yards and sale-rings their
name became a bye-word, synonymous with sym-
metry and persistent quality. ' ' The Gwynnes can 't
be downed," an expression often heard in those
days across the Atlantic, meant that no matter what
cross or alien blood was resorted to the Gwynne
character seemed to assert itself. Richard Gibson,
appreciating fully their position abroad, became an
ardent supporter of the tribe on this side, and many
breeders subsequently profited largely by the
presence of Gwynne cows and heifers in their pas-
tures. The late Simon Beattie offered Gibson $4,000
for one specimen of the family to be exported to
England.
At H. P. Thomson's sale of 1875 in Kentucky six
Princesses were disposed of at a valuation of $15,-
725, an average of $2,620. D. L. Hughes of Iowa
took two, paying $4,100 for Lady Sale 29th and
$1,700 for 2d Tuberose of Grass Hill. D. S. Pratt
of Vermont acquired Lady Sale 29th on a bid of
$4,000. Avery & Murphy paid $2,500 for Lady Sale
31st. S. W. Jacobs of Iowa bought Lady Sale 36th
at $1,800 and John Collard of the same State became
the owner of 6th Tuberose of Brattleboro at $1,625.
At this sale Emory Cobb of Illinois took Constance
of Putney 4th at $1,950, and E. Stedman of Massa-
chusetts bought Blush of Glen Flora at $2,750. The
$1,000 mark was passed sixteen times during the
A GOLDEN- AGE 461
sale, the ninety-six head sold fetching a total of
$53,070, an average of $553.
The Trans-Mississippi trade. — The summer of
1875 was a season of sore trial and tribulation to
the farmers beyond the Missouri River on account
of the ravages of grasshoppers. Feed was in short
supply in the newer West, so when Mr. J. G. Cowan
of Missouri, the owner of the $3,000 show and breed-
ing bull Loudon Duke 6th 10399, arranged for a pub-
lic sale, to include that distinguished animal, it was
decided to offer the stock at Ottumwa, la. The
event occurred Aug. 18, and with the exception of
the fine Young Mary cow Grace Young 3d every-
thing was taken by Iowa and Missouri breeders,
the thirty- six head commanding $19,340, an average
of $537. Loudon Duke 6th was bid off by E. Gillis-
ton of Mound City, Mo., at $1,950; S. W. Jacobs
gave $1,000 for Loudon's Minna; D. A. Rouner of
Newark, Mo., $1,000 for Red Daisy of Faii^iew 5th,
and J. G. Strawn of Illinois, a like sum for the Mary
cow above mentioned.
In September, 1875, D. M. Flynn of Des Moines
made an average of $699 on eighteen head. D. L,
Hughes of Vinton had opposition on Roan Princess
up to $3,500 and S. W. Jacobs had to carry the
Scotch-bred Minnie's Annandale 2d to $2,000. For
Lady King the same buyer paid $1,500. Dr. George
Sprague of Des Moines sold nineteen head in con-
nection with Mr. Flynn that made an average of
$592. Red Daisy of Fairview 4th, that the Doctor
462 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
had bought at the Cowan sale for $710, fell here to
D. L. Hughes ' bidding at $1,550. For Oakwood Miss
Wiley John Collard paid $1,100. 2d Duke's Gem
went to A. W. Thomson of Kentucky at $1,200.
At John Collard 's sale the red six-year-old Scotch-
bred imported cow Easpberry, by Prince of Wor-
cester, was taken by William Hastie, Somerset, la.,
at $1,200. For Lady Dahlia the same price was
given by J. D. Brown of Omaha.
$3,500 for a Scotch heifer. — Shortly before this
Mrs. A. E. Kimberley of West Liberty, la., had
broken the record for Scotch-bred cattle by paying
J. H. Kissinger $3,500 for the celebrated Cruick-
shank show heifer imp. Orange Blossom 18th.
Short-horns were enjoying a great "boom" west
of the Mississippi. Mention has been made of some
of the more notable purchases of Mr. Albert Crane
of Durham Park, Kan., at auction sales. About this
time he bought some Booth-bred cattle from Mr.
Coffin of Maryland, and from F. W. Belden, Kane-
ville, 111., he secured for stock purposes the Booth-
bred Hecuba bull Lord of the Lake at $1,000. He
manifested his interest in Bates blood, however, by
purchasing privately about this same date from Mr.
Alexander of Woodburn the white bull Lord Bates
3d, by 24th Duke of Airdrie, at $1,000.
Groom importations and sale. — One of the most
prominent of the breeders and importers of this
period was Mr. B. B. Groom of Vinewood Farm,
near Winchester, Clark Co., Ky. In April, 1875, the
A GOLDEN" AGE 463
firm of B. B. Groom & Son imported from England
thirty-one liead of Bates-bred cattle, belonging
mainly to families originated by the Messrs. Bell;
included in the shipment being the roan 8th Maid
of Oxford, of Sheldon's br-^eding, that had been ex-
ported to England some years previous. In July
of the same year Messrs. Groom imported 7th Maid
of Oxford and her bull calf and the roan bull 8th
Duke of Geneva (28390), both of Sheldon's breed-
ing. These had been bought at Leney's sale at
$10,000 for the Duke and $3,325 for the Oxford cow
and calf. On Oct. 14 a number of these imported
cattle, together with a selection of American-bred
stock, was offered at public sale, and the event drew
out a great attendance from all parts of the United
States. The prices paid and the wide distribution
of the animals indicate the remarkable character of
the demand at this time for Short-horns carrying
the Bates blood. We append herewith a summary
as to the leading lots, together with the general
averages :
22d Duchess of Airdrie— J. H. Spears & Sons, Illinois $17,500
Kirklevington Duchess 18th — John R. Craig, Canada 5,150
Brightness — Benjamin Sumner, Connecticut 5,100
Highland Maid 6th— J. C. Tyler, Vermont 5,050
Duchess of Clarence — J. H. Spears & Sons 4,100
Kirklevington Lady 6th — Avery & Murphy, Michigan 3,900
2d Duchess of Clarence — J. H. Spears & Sons 3,175
Wild Eyes Rose— W. N. Offutt, Kentucky 3,050
Kirklevington Lady 3d— J. V. Grigsby, Kentucky 3,000
Princess of Vinewood 1st — D. L. Hughes, Iowa 3,000
Georgia Hillhurst 3d— Avery & :\Iurphy 2,800
Duchess of Kingscote — J. V. Grigsby 2,550
464 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Kirklevington Lady 4th — Avery & Murphy $ 2,550
Fennel Duchess of Knightley Hall — T. J. Megibben, Ken-
tucky 2,500
2d Lady Bates of Vinewood — E. S. Bussing, New York. . . . 2,000
Kirklevington Lady 5th — Henry Corbln, Kentucky 2,000
Annette of Knightley Hall — John CoIIard, Iowa 2,000
Wild Flower Duchess — N. G. Pond, Connecticut 1,900
Duchess of Knightley Hall — John Collard, Iowa 1,850
Highland Maid 7th— D. L. Hughes 1,700
Wild Eyes of Horton Park— W. N. Offutt, Kentucky 1,700
Lady Sale 10th— D. L. Hughes 1,600
Princess of Vinewood 2d — J. V. Grigsby 1,550
3d Lady Bates of Vinewood — E. S. Bussing, New York. . . . 1,500
Rosa Bonheur 8th — Avery & Murphy 1,400
Ruby Duchess — John R. Craig 1,225
Bright Eyes 9th — T. Stedman & Son, Massachusetts 1,175
Duenna Duchess 7th — J. H. Spears & Sons 1,125
Victoria 11th — J. G. Cowan, Missouri 1,050
Duenna Duchess 6th — B. Sumner & Co., Connecticut 1,050
Jubilee Oxford 4th— J. V. Grigsby 1,000
Sanspareil 10th— J. H. Spears & Sons 1,000
Oxford Geneva — D. L. Hughes, Iowa 5,000
2d Compton Lord Wild Eyes — John Collard, Iowa 2,500
3d Duke of Under-Edge— John Collard 2,100
2d Duke or Under-Edge — Hon. William M. Smith, Illinois 1,650
1st Duke of Under-Edge — Mrs. Jesse Long, Iowa 1,050
64 females sold for $109,445; an average of $ 1,710
9 bulls sold for 14,015; an average of 1,557
73 animals sold for 123,460; an average of 1,691
Other important transactions. — At H. D. Ayres'
sale Mr. Groom bought Hilpa Duchess at $2,500; at
W. L. Sudduth's a pair of Miss Washingtons (Young
Marys) fetched $2,000; at John W. Prewitt's B. F.
Vanmeter gave $1,000 for a Gentle Annie Phyllis,
and at B. P. Goff's Mr. J. H. Pickrell took Bright
Lady of the Realm at $4,000. This Booth heifer was
out of Bright Lady, the dam of Breastplate.
A GOLDEX AGE 465
At Wesley Warnock's seventy-three females sold
for $29,510, an average of $404, L. F. Pierce of Mays-
ville giving $2,675 for Cambridge Kose 3d, John R.
Craig of Canada $2,250 for Duchess of Springwood,
and J. H. Spears & Son $1,600 for Miss Wiley of
Vinewood. At J. C. Jenkins' sale fifteen head
brought the great average of $1,274, Mrs. Jesse Long
of Iowa going to $2,125 for Mazurka 36th ; George M.
Bedford bid $2,500 for 4th Louan of Oakland and
$2,000 for Louan of Prospect Farm; E. K. Thomas
followed Blooming Heath 2d to $2,055, and J. H.
Spears went to $1,650 on Mazurka 33d.
Mr. Warfield sold to John Comstock of Lidiana the
bull calf Loudon Duke 12tli, by imp. Eobert Napier,
at $1,500. Gen. Meredith & Son bought 3d Mazurka
at $2,000, Julia 3d at $1,000 and Martha Muscatoon
at $1,000 from C. M. Niccolls, Bloomington, 111.
All records broken at Dunmore. — On Wednesday,
Aug. 25, 1875, the greatest average ever made at an
auction sale of cattle in the world was obtained by
Lord Dunmore at a draft sale held on the Earl's
estate, near Stirling, Scotland, upon which occasion
thirty-nine head brought the enormous total of $149,-
336, an average of $3,829 on the entire lot. It was
here also that the greatest price ever obtained for a
bull of any breed was paid, to-wit: 4,500 gs., which
reduced to American gold at that date was the equiv-
alent of $26,904, the bull being Duke of Connaught
(33604) of the Bates Duchess tribe.
It is of special interest to American breeders to
466 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
note that tlie best price made at this sale by a female
was by a representative of the Renick Rose of
Sharon family, and that the sire of Duke of Con-
naught was the American-bred Duke of Hillhurst
(28401), that was bred by Hon, M. H. Cochrane from
the 14th Duke of Thorndale (28459). Furthermore,
the high-priced Oxford females sold were the prod-
uce of the 8th and 11th Maids of Oxford, bred in
New York and exported in 1871. In addition to this
the second highest-priced bull of the sale — and the
sire of a number of the most valuable heifers
offered — was the American-bred 3d Duke of Hill-
hurst (30975), by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959).
The case of Duke of Connaught is ilnique in the
annals of stock-breeding for the reason that he
proved to be one of the most successful sires of high-
class Short-horns ever used in Great Britain, and so
great was the demand for stock of his get on account
of their conceded excellence that the buyer of the
bull. Lord Fitzhardinge of Berkeley Castle, Glouces-
tershire, received in stud fees and for Connaught
calves an aggregate sum of money which more than
reimbursed him for his extraordinary outlay at Dun-
more. This was indeed an outstanding example of
the fact that if one is certain of his premises in seek-
ing to estimate the probable value of a stock bull it
is difficult to place any limit within reasonable
bounds upon the price to be paid.
This sale was conducted by Mr. John Thornton,
whose maiden effort on the auction block had been
A GOLDEI^ AGE 467
made at Rugbj^ in 1868, in the employ of the Rev.
John Storer of Hellidon.* A list of the animals that
brought $2,000 or upward is presented below, the
English values being reduced to their current equiv-
alent in American gold :
cows AND HEIFERS.
Red Rose of the Isles, red, calved March 9, 1870; bred by
Abram Renick, Kentucky; got by Airdrie 2478, dam
Duchess 3d by Dandy Duke— Lord Bective $11,658
Marchioness of Oxford 3d, white, calved March 3, 1873; got
by 2d Duke of Collingham (23730) out of 8th Maid of
Oxford by 2d Duke of Geneva — Duke of Manchester. . 10,821
Red Rose of Balmoral, red, calved Nov. 17, 1873; got by 3d
Duke of Hillhurst (30975) out of the Rose of Sharon
cow Red Rose of Braemar by 11th Duke of Thorndale
—Lord Bective 7,852
Oxford Duchess 2d, roan, calved June 20, 1872; got by 2d
Duke of Collingham (23730) out of 11th Lady of Ox-
ford by Baron of Oxford (23371)— Lord Fitzhardinge. 5,978
Fuchsia 12th, roan, calved Feb. 15, 1872; got by Duke of
Albany (25931) out of Fuchsia 10th by Grand Duke of
York (24071)— T. Lister 5,380
"Water Flower, red-and-white, calved Dec. 20, 1871; got by
6th Duke of Geneva (30959) out of Waterloo 38th by
Earl of Eglinton (23832)— T. Halford 3,706
Lady Worcester 5th, roan, calved March 30, 1869; got by
3d Duke of Claro (23729) out of Lady Worcester 2d
by Charleston (21400)— A. H. Brassey 3,706
*Tlie Hellidon sale was indeed a red-letter day in Mr. Thornton's
career. Storer was quite an authority on Sliort-horns at that time and
actively identified with the fortunes of the Booths. In common with
Messrs. Torr, Aylmer, Booth and their friends Mr. Storer felt that Straf-
ford, who was at this date the presiding genius at all the great Short-
horn sales, was too active in behalf of the breeders of Bates cattle.
Thornton was in Strafford's employ, and the idea of encouraging a paid
helper to usurp the throne of his employer was an unheard-of thing in
England among such conservative men of means as were represented
by the backers of the Booths. Nevertheless the Booth men brought
Thornton out at the Hellidon sale, and, although it was his first attempt
with the sand glass, he proved his fitness for the work by keeping cool
even under circumstances calculated to excite an old hand.
468 A HISTOKY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Blythesome Eyes, red, calved Dec. 22, 1874; got 3d Duke
of Hillhurst (30975) out of Wild Eyes Duchess by 9th
Grand Duke (19879)— Lord Bective % 3,617
Fuchsia 13th, roan, calved March 4th, 1872; got by Duke
of Albany (25931) out of Fuchsia 9th by Grand Duke
of York (24071)— J. W. Larking 3,886
Lady Worcester 12th, white, calved Nov. 15, 1872; got
by 8th Duke of Geneva (28290) out of Lady Worces-
ter 5th by 3d Duke of Claro (23729)— Lord Bective. . . 3,318
Lady Worcester 11th, white, calved Oct. 2, 1872; got by
3d Duke of Claro (23729) out of Lady Worcester 3d
by 3d Duke of Wharfdale (21619)— Duke of Manches-
ter 3,283
Lady Worcester 16th, roan, calved May 23, 1875; got by
3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975)— Lord Bective 3,288
Water Lily, red, calved June 25, 1874; got by 3d Duke of
Hillhurst— T. Halford 3,108
Wild Eyes Duchess, red, calved Feb. 3, 1865; got by 9th
Grand Duke (19879)— T. Wilson 2,863
Wild Eyebright, roan, calved Sept. 10, 1872; got by 6th
Duke of Geneva (30959)— T. Wilson 2,720
Lady Worcester 13th, red-and-white, calved Jan. 28, 1874;
got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975)— George Fox... 2,690
Lady Worcester 9th, red-and-white, calved Aug. 19, 1871;
got by 3d Duke of Claro (23729)— Mr. Brogden 2,630
Hazel Eyes, roan, calved Nov. 30, 1874; got by 3d Duke
of Hillhurst (30975)— H. J. Sheldon 2,390
Lady Worcester 15th, red, calved Feb. 1, 1875; got by 3d
Duke of Hillhurst (30975)— R. Loder 2,152
Fuchsia 14th, roan, calved March 19, 1874; got by Duke of
Albany (25931)— Mr. Lister 2,152
Wild Rose, red-and-white, calved Feb. 2, 1872; got by 6th
Duke of Geneva (30959)— Col. Kingscote 2,092
Sparkling Eyes, red-and-white, calved Nov. 18, 1873; got
by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959) — Lord Feversham 2,092
BULLS.
Duke of Connaught (33604), roan, calved Aug. 10, 1873;
got by Duke of Hillhurst (28401) out of Duchess 108th
by 8th Duke of York (28480)— Started at $10,000 and
sold to Lord Fitzhardinge $26,904
A GOLDEN^ AGE 469
3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975), red, calved Dec. 2, 1871;
got by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959) out of Duchess
101st by 4th Duke of Thorndale (17750)— Started at
$5,000 and sold to J. W. Larking $17,936
30 females sold for $98,457.28; an average of $3,281.91
9 bulls sold for 50,878.73; an average of 5,653.19
39 animals sold for ..149,236.01; an average of 3,829.13
Torr's Triumph. — While the Bates flag fluttered
this defiance from its stronghold in the North, the
broad pennant of the Booths was spread upon the
autumn breeze from a moated manor house in Lin-
colnshire, where, under the guidance of the squire
of "Warlabv in person, the challenge met with a re-
siDonse that reverberated throughout the Short-horn
cattle-breeding world.
Torr of Aylesby was dead. Warlaby had been
passing through the fiery furnace of epidemic foot-
and-mouth, and now leaned for support upon the
great herd which the genius of "the first farmer of
England" had builded by thirty years of unwaver-
ing devotion to Booth bulls. "The well-knit frame,
the cheery sun-at-noonday smile, the organizing
head, the dauntless, warm heart whence welled un-
flagging energy, determined perseverance, eloquent
speech and endless hospitality" was to be seen no
more about the picturesque cottage or among the
fine old trees of Aylesby, but the results of a long
and useful life were in striking evidence in those
rich East Anglian pastures. When it came to be
known, therefore, that the herd was to pass at
auction on the 2d day of September, 1875, beneath
470 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
the shifting sands of Thornton's fateful glass,* the
very flower of England's Short-horn chivalry assem-
bled to do honor to the memory of one of the most
striking personalities British agriculture has devel-
oped. Indeed the fame of Aylesby, its Short-horns,
its Leicesters, its ponies and its well-kept fields had
extended to the four corners of the earth. The story
of how the great tenant-farmer had begun by leasing
Leonard in 1844; of his persistent hiring of Mr.
Booth's best sires; of his recourse to the Mantalinis
of Barnes of Westland, Ireland, while Warlaby was
contending with disease; of his creation of the
Bright, Flower, the " G, " the " M " and other famous
Riby and Aylesby families, was familiar to all the
well-informed cattle-breeders in Europe, America
and Australia. Hence it came to pass that when the
dispersion of the herd was announced visitors from
far and near gathered literally by the thousands.
Luncheon had been set for 1,500 guests, a great can-
vas accommodating 2,000 people was provided, and
yet the crowds overflowed all Aylesby and vicinity.
Great landed proprietors and peers of the realm
mingled with eminent breeders, all intent upon show-
ing their respect and love for the man who had ac-
complished so much for his country 's good. Factors,
herdsmen and agents mingled with the throng,
eagerly examining the cattle and making notes on
the various lots preparatory to laying bids for
"The English auctioneer uses a sand-glass in closing bids. After
due warning the glass is held aloft and the sand allowed to run. The last
bid in before the upper chamber of the glass empties itself mto the
bottom secures the animal.
A GOLDEX AGE 471
absent principals. It was, in brief, a scene that has
had few parallels in agricultural history; and the
disposition of eighty-five head of Torr's own produc-
tion for the great sum of $243,144.57 must be re-
garded, all things considered, as the most remark-
able result ever yet worked out by an individual
breeder of Short-horns or any other class of cattle.
Mr. Torr had once remarked, "It takes thirty
years to make a herd and bring it to one's notion
of perfection. ' ' Fortunately for himself and for the
breed he lived to exactly that limit from the date
when he first began his final breeding operations
with Booth bulls as sires. He sought to produce
animals combining superior quality, with faultless
pedigree, uniformity of character and "hard, nay,
iron constitutions." He bred for oblique shoulders,
great fore ribs, strong loins, and heavy flesh possess-
ing mellowness without softness, and covered with
abundance of furry hair; avoided at all times what
is generally referred to as "loose handling." : To his
sound judgment, his unequaled knowledge and ex-
perience, his unchangeable determination to keep his
best "even when tempted by the golden hand of
fashion" may be attributed the fact that his herd
at the time of his death was called "the best large
herd in Britain. ' '
Torr's favorite family was the Flower sort, de-
scended in the maternal line from Robert Colling 's
Wildair; whose own brother. Phenomenon (491) —
the sire of Angelina, the dam of Belvedere — was
472 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
counted at Barmpton a better bull than Comet. The
Aylesby Flowers traced to Wildair through the
famous roan Nonpareil, the highest-priced cow at
Robert Colling 's sale of 1818 — sold to Earl Spencer
at 370 guineas. The tribe came into Mr. Torr's
hands in 1841 through Flora of Farnsfield, by
Rinaldo (4949), a bull of Booth blood. The great
cow Highland Flower (see sale list below) was of
this family. The five head sold averaged $2,880.
The Ribys and Brights went back to Booth's Anna,
by Pilot, through Rose, a cow bought by Whitaker
at the Studley sale of 1834. Rose had two daughters.
White Rose, by James Chrisp's Bull, and Red Rose,
by Scrip (2604). The Brights came from the former
and the Ribys from the latter. Although several
crosses of extraneous blood intervened in the breed-
ing of these Aylesby Annas between the Whitaker
purchase of 1834 and the subsequent return to War-
laby lines in the hands of Mr. Torr in 1851 the re-
uniting of the Booth current proved a happy stroke.
Mr. T. C. Booth took advantage of the Aj^lesby dis-
persion to rejuvenate the herd at Warlaby by trans-
ferring the best of this sort to his own pastures. For
Bright Empress he was forced to pay the record
price of $12,900 — the highest ever given for a cow
of any breed at auction up to that date in Great
Britain. The twenty-two Annas made the astound-
ing average of $4,180 each.
Mr. Torr's *'G" and "M" tribes— so called from
the fact that those were the initial letters used re-
A GOLDEN AGE 473
spectively iu the family nomenclature — had a com-
mon origin in the herd of Mr. Rob son. The ancestral
dam of the "Gs" was Golden Beam, and of the
"Ms" Moonbeam, both bought about 1840 and sired
by Prince Comet (1342). The strongly-bred War-
laby bulls made a great impression upon this sound
old foundation, producing many good Short-horns.
The "Beams" were reduced to but seven head at
the sale, but made an average of $1,530 each, the
"M" cow Mountain Vale fetching $2,500 from the
Earl of Tankerville.
Although a devout believer in Booth blood Torr
had an eye for a good beast however bred. He was
impressed at the Bates dispersion sale by the excel-
lence of the Waterloos. Mr. Bates had bred and
sold to Eev. T. Cator Waterloo 3d, by Norfolk, from
which Mr. Cator had Water Witch, by 4th Duke of
Northumberland (3649). The last-named cow was
bought by Mr. Torr in 1845, and from her a large
and meritorious family of Booth-topped Waterloos
descended. In the herd catalogue for 1868 no less
than forty cows and heifers were included. At the
sale of 1875 twenty-one head brought an average of
$1,275 each.*
Several other families, including the Tellurias —
descended from a cow of that name bred by Earl
*Mr. Torr regarded Bates' Duke of Northumberland (940) as the
"best show bull" he ever saw. It is related that he once went to Kirk-
levington to hire the 4th Duke of Northumberland, believing him to be
even a better bull than the first Duke. An agreement as to price was
made, but Mr. Bates added the stipulation that the bull must not serve
more than twentv-flve cows. Torr replied that he was willing to pay
the price asked, "but could not permit such a restriction upon his use.
474 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Spencer and sold to Col. Towneley — were included in
the herd at the time of the sale, but we have not
space to supply details concerning them.
The following is a list of such animals only as
brought $3,000 or upward at this extraordinaiy sale.
As in the case of the foregoing report of the Dun-
more sale, the English prices are reduced to their
equivalent in American gold, which was at that date
at a premium which rendered the English guinea
worth $5.9787:
cows AND HEIFERS.
Bright Empress, roan, calved July 19, 1871; got by Lord
Napier (26688) out of Bright Queen by Fitz-Clarence
(14552)— Started at $5,000, sold to T. C. Booth, War-
laby $12,914
Bright Saxon, roan, calved Feb. 22, 1872; got by Royal
Prince (27384) out of Bright Spangle by Prince of
Warlaby (15107)— T. C. Booth 8,997
Highland Flower, roan, calved Aug. 6, 1868; got by Moun-
tain Chief (20383) out of Clarence Flower by Fitz-
Clarence (14552)— Rev. T. Staniforth 8,9S8
Riby Marchioness, roan, calved March 31, 1875; got by
Knight of the Shire (26552)) out of Riby Peeress by
Breastplate (19337)— Mr. Crosby of Ireland 7,533
Bright Marchioness, white, calved July 20, 1871; got by
Lord Napier (25688) out of Bright Countess by Breast-
plate (19337)— H. Chandos Pole-Gell 7,084
Bright Spangle, roan, calved March 8, 1866; got by Prince
of Warlaby (15107) out of Bright Dew by British
Prince (14197)— T. C. Booth 6,307
At that time he had about thirty cows and heifers. Bates repeated :
"I should not lilie him to be put to more than twenty-five cows," where-
upon Mr. Toil- <hopi)C(1 the matter, saying: "Very well. Mr. Bates, vou
have got your bull and 1 have got my money." It is recorded that Mr.
Torr liad expressed, along with many other of Mr. Bates' visitors that
year, an admiration for his three cows by Whitaker's Norfolk. These
estimates did not meet with Mr. Bates' approval, and he finally sold two
out of the three, to-wit. : Blanche 2d and Waterloo 3d, as some alleged,
"to get rid of the eulogy."
A GOLDEN" AGE 475
Bright Baroness, roan, calved Aug. 21, 1870; got by Lord
Napier (26688) out of Bright Countess by Breast-
plate (19337)— Mr. Mitchell of Scotland $ 5,978
Bright Design, roan, calved Feb. 7, 1875; got by Knight
of the Shire (26552) out of Bright Spangle by Prince
of Warlaby (15107)— T. C. Booth 5,081
Heather Flower, roan, calved July 10, 1871; got by Lord
Napier (26688) out of Highland Flower by Mountain
Chief (20382)— Rev. Mr. Staniforth 5,978
Bright Dowager, red, little white, calved Nov. 12, 1873;
got by Duke of York (23804) out of Bright Queen by
Fitz-Clarence (14552)— B. St. John Ackers 4,812
Riby Pearl, white, calved Jan. 1, 1874; got by Knight of
the Shire (26552) out of Riby Peeress by Breastplate
— Hugh Aylmer 4,643
Bright Jewel, roan, calved Feb. 1, 1874; got by Knight of
the Shire (26552) out of Bright Spangle by Prince of
Warlaby (15107)— T. C. Booth 4,633
Flower of Germany, red, calved A.pril 13, 1869; got by
Breastplate (19337)— T. H. Miller 4,543
Lowland Flower, roan, calved April 12, 1871; got by Man-
fred (26801)— B. St. John Ackers 4,782
Foreign Queen, roan, calved March 7, 1873; got by Blink-
hoolie (23428) out of Foreign Empress by Fitz-Royal
(26167)— Mr. Crosby of Ireland 4,812
Bright Queen, red-and-white, calved July 19, 1864; got by
Fitz-Clarence (14552) out of Bright Princess — Lady
Pigot 4,484
Riby Empress, red, calved Nov. 4, 1872; got by Duke of
York (23804)— J. W. & E. Cruickshank, Scotland 4,484
Flower Alpine, red-and-white, calved Oct. 11, 1870; got by
Lord Napier (26688)— Mr. McCulloch, Australia 4,244
Fair Saxon, red-and-white, calved March 11, 1869; got by
Breastplate (19337)— B. St. John Ackers 4,185
Flower of Holland, red, little white, calved Aug. 8, 1871;
got by Breastplate (19337)— Mr. Wardle 4,065
Riby Lassie, red, calved May 7, 1869; got by Blinkhoolie
(23428) out of Riby Countess— T. C. Booth 3,796
Riby Peeress, roan, calved Sept. 18, 1865; got by Breast-
plate (19337) out of Riby Queen— T. C. Booth 3,587
476 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Bright Swede, roan, calved July 23, 1874; got by Lord
Cain (31630) out of Bright Saxon— Mr. Wilson $ 3,587
Flower of Belgium, roan, calved June 17, 1872; got by
Royal Prince (27394)— Mr. Phillips 3,587
Foreign Beauty, roan, calved Feb. 26, 1875; got by Knight
of the Shire (26552)— Hugh Aylmer 3,108
Warluck, red, calved Feb. 25, 1871; got by Lord Napier
(26688) out of a Waterloo dam— Mr. McCuUoch, Aus-
tralia 3,108
Flower of the Rhine, roan, calved June 12, 1874; got by
Knight of the Shire (26552)— Sir William S. Maxwell 3,049
Mountain Vale, red-and-white, calved Feb. 14, 1869; got
by Blinkhoolie (23428)— Mr. Wilson 3,079
BULLS.
Riby Knight, roan, calved April 14, 1874; got by Knight
of the Shire (26552) out of Riby Lassie by Blink-
hoolie (23428)— J. Marshall of New Zealand 4,185
Fandango, roan, calved July 6, 1872; got by Royal Prince
(27384) out of Flower of Germany by Breastplate
(19337)— Sir William S. Maxwell 4,185
Balmoral, roan, calved Feb. 17, 1875; got by Knight of the
Shire (26552) out of Bright Queen by Fitz-Clarence
(14552)— Rev. J. N. Micklethwaite 4,185
Lord Lamech, roan, calved Nov. 21, 1874; got by Knight of
the Shire (26552) out of Lady Adah by Killerby Monk
(20053)— J. H. Pickrell, Harristown, 111., U. S. A 3,348
72 females sold for. . .$215,585.30; an average of $2,994.25
13 bulls sold for 27,558.27; an average of 2,119.87
85 animals sold for.. 243,144.57; an average of 2,860.52
Additional importations. — Mr. J. H. Pickrell, who
was among the Americans present at the English
sales of 1875, made two shipments for account of
himself and Mr. J. H. Kissinger of Missouri. The
first, which came out from London in August along
with some Clydesdale horses, long-wooled and South-
down sheep and Berkshire pigs, included some first-
class heifers from the noted herd of Messrs. Hosken
A GOLDEN^ AGE 477
of Cornwall, a pair of roan Booth heifers from Hugh
Aylmer of West Dereham Abbey, Norfolk, and two
Bates-bred yearlings from J. W. Larking, one a bull
and the other a heifer, and both sired by G-rand Duke
of Geneva (28756). The second shipment was made
from Glasgow in September and included Mr. Pick-
rell's purchases at the Torr sale, the $3,350 roan bull
Lord Lamech, the red-and-white bull calf Flower
Lad, the red "G" cow Germania, the roan Waterloo
heifer Waterloo Shield, by Knight of the Sliire
(26552), and the red bull calf 2d Marquis of Worces-
ter of the Bates Wild Eyes tribe from Dunmore
at $900.
Messrs. Cochrane, Beattie and Hope of Canada im-
ported in October, 1875, twenty-five head, mainly
of Bates breeding; and on the same steamer four
females were shipped to S. R. Streator of Cleveland,
0., and six for Albert Crane, a Chicago capitalist
owning the Durham Park Eancli in Kansas. In
November eleven head were imported by Mr. Robert
Ashburner of California.
Coming events were already beginning to cast por-
tentous shadows before. Even while speculation in
stock of the Bates and Booth tribes was at its very
heighth shrewd and practical men were turning their
attention to the herds of Scotland, hitherto little
known in America. In 1874 Mr. Robert Milne, a
former neighbor and friend of Amos Cruickshank of
Aberdeenshire, had imported a half-dozen females
and the bull Viscount 18507 from the Cruickshank
478 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
herd. Favorably impressed by these Messrs. Low-
man & Smith of Toulon, 111., imported during the
summer of 1875 seven females from North Britain,
including two Cruickshank Butterflys and a Missie
from the herd of Mr. Marr of Uppermill; but of
these more anon.
Another Renick exportation. — Prominent English
dealers in cattle of the Bates blood continued to set
a high valuation upon Mr. Renick 's Rose of Sharons,
and in August, 1875, an additional shipment selected
by Simon Beattie, consisting of seven cows and
heifers, was made on an order from Earls Dunmore
and Bective at a reported price of $25,000. The
Dunmore purchase consisted of the roan cow Poppy
5th, by loth Duke of Airdrie ; Norah 7th, by 4th Duke
of Geneva, and Duchess 17th, by same sire, which
were in England christened respectively Red Rose
of Luskentyre, Red Rose of Dalmally and Red Rose
of Killigray. Lord Bective took for his herd at Un-
derley Hall Rosebud 10th, Duchess 16th and Lenora
2d, all by 4th Duke of Geneva, and Poppy 11th, by
Airdrie 3d. These were also given titles on the other
side, in the order mentioned, to correspond with the
English Red Rose nomenclature as follows: Red
Rose of Tweeddale, Red Rose of Annandale, Red
Rose of Nithsdale and Red Rose of Eskdale.
North Elkhorn (Ky.) importation. — On Oct. 16,
1875, a sale of seventy-nine head was made by the
North Elkhorn Co. in Kentucky, which resulted in
an average of $652 per head. This company had
A GOLDEX AGE 479
made an importation of more than forty head from
England in May, 1875, the cattle being selected by
Messrs. Eichardson & Boswell acting as agents for
the company. Some of the animals of this importa-
tion afterward acquired high rank as producers of
first-class stock. Bates blood predominated in the
shipment, but there were also included the good
cows Lady Seraphina 6th and Seraphina Carissima
3d of Lord Sudeley's breeding. There was also a
sprinkling of Knightley and Booth blood. The im-
ported cattle were sold along with a lot of home-
bred stock on date above mentioned, top prices rang-
ing as follows:
Seraphina 3d — W. H. Richardson, Kentucky $2,800
Pretty Miss Prim — George M. Bedford, Kentucky 2,400
Georgia Hillhurst — C. M. Clay, Kentucky 2,050
Acacia — E. G. Bedford, Kentucky 1,900
Georgia Clarence — E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,900
Lady Seraphina 6th — John R. Craig, Canada 1,600
Surmise Duchess 9th — T. J. Megibben, Kentucky 1.575
Lady Seaham of Roseneath — W. & W. Pickrell. Illinois.... 1,500
Brunette 3d — J. W. Burgess, Kentucky 1,275
Una — J. G. Kinnaird, Kentucky 1,225
Cateress — H. C. Hutchcraft, Kentucky 1.225
Duke of Wotton 2d — E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,225
Bohemian Knightley — E. G. Bedford, Kentucky 1050
Alpha — H. P. Thomson 1,050
Water Girl — W. L. Grimes, Kentucky 1,000
Azalea 2d— W. N. Offutt, Kentucky 1,000
Closing events of 1875.— In December, 1875, the
national convention was held at Toronto under the
Presidency of Mr. Pickrell. After adjournment a
combination sale from the herds of J. R. Craig, Col.
J. B. Taylor and Sumner & Hilton was held, at which
480 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Mr. Cochrane paid $4,000 for Kirklevington Duchess
18th. Ayres & McClintock of Kentucky bought the
17th Duke of Airdrie at $4,500, and Mr. Ayres took
Grace Sharon at $2,900. Simon Beattie bid off
Duchess of Raby at $3,050, and S. R. Streator took
Grace 4th at $3,300. Princesses again commanded
good prices, quite a number selling at from $1,000
to $2,200. Mr. Cochrane gave $2,400 for Careless
8th, and Groom & Son $3,700 for Oneida Rose. A
pair of Constances fetched $3,100, and the bull imp.
Baron Hubback 2d went to M. W. Terrill at $2,500.
During the year 1875, 115 public sales of Short-
horns were held in America, at which 4,347 head
were sold for a total of $1,832,383, an average of
$422. During the same time there were sold in Great
Britain fifty-five lots, aggregating 2,355 head, at an
average of $515. One of the characteristic out-
growths of this remarkable period of activity in the
trade was the appearance of Bailey's Short-horn Re-
porter, issued from the office of Mr. Allen, proprietor
of the American Herd Book, It was a quarterly,
modeled on the general lines of John Thornton 's in-
valuable English Short-horn Circular.
THE WOODBURX-BRED lOTH DL'CIIESS OP AIRDRIE, WHOSE DE
SCENDANTS SOLD FOR SUMS AGGREGATING NEARLY $300,000.
IMP. MAID OF HONOR— BRED BY T. CAKNE; IMPORTED 1873 BY
THE LATE SIMON BEATTIE.
CHAPTER XVII
THE TURN OF THE TIDE
On the surface there was still great apparent
enthusiasm on the basis of the extraordinary range
of values already established, but the trade of 1876
developed indications that the market was becoming
"top heavy." As is usual in the case of all such
extensive speculations there had been a great expan-
sion of credits. Notes given for cattle bought at
high prices were beginning to mature. Such paper
now became the subject of closer scrutiny at the
hands of prudent bankers, and this fact marked the
beginning of the end of the most astounding trade
in pedigreed cattle to be found in agricultural his-
tory. The decline at first was neither sudden nor
severe, and for several seasons great prices were
occasionally obtained. In fact average values held
up well under heavy offerings, but nevertheless the
waters of speculation were now palpably receding.
Space admonishes that we must deal more briefly
with the details of the transactions attending the
subsidence of the "boom," and we shall therefore in
this chapter only sketch the most noteworthy events
during the great ' ' down turn ' ' in values marked by
the period extending from 1876 to 1880.
Hon. George Brown and Bow Park. — In the spring
482 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
of 1876 the Hon. George Brown of Canada, one of
the most remarkable characters ever identified with
the Short-horn trade in America, proceeded to Scot-
land (the land of his birth) and through the assist-
ance of his brothers-in-law, Messrs. William and
Thomas Nelson, of the great firm of Thomas Nelson
& Sons, organized a limited company under the name
of the Canada West Farm Stock Association. While
this enterprise was launched at a most unfortunate
time for the stockholders, and was therefore fore-
doomed to ultimate financial failure, its operations
were so extensive and were carried forward with
such enterprise that a deep impression was made
upon the fortunes of the breed on this side of the
Atlantic.
Mr. Brown had come to Toronto from Edinburg
as a young man and had worked himself up through
the field of journalism and politics into the very
highest circles of power in the Dominion. He had for
many years been proprietor of the Toronto Globe,
a paper known all over Canada as "the Scotchman's
bible." Personally he was a man of marked force
of character, and his vigorous intellect, combined
with a magnificent physique, rendered him one of
the most conspicuous figures of his day. Inflexible,
as a rule, in his dealings with others, and a dictator
in his editorial office, he failed to control the political
elements with which he came in contact, but ani-
mated by an ambition to promote the material inter-
ests of his adopted country, and having a natural
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 483
taste for agricultural pursuits, he took up first at
Bothwell, a small town west of London, Ont., and
latterly at Bow Park, Brantford, Ont., the business
of farming. Naturally a man of broad ideas he de-
veloped at Bow Park the breeding of Short-horn cat-
tle upon a most extensive basis. In June, 1874, an
invoice showed that he had then upon the farm 330
Short-horns, of which 274 were females and fifty-six
bulls. At that time his plan was to rear the cattle
on what is known as the "soiling" system. The
Short-horns were never turned out to graze but had
green food during the summer months and dry fod-
der, along with beets and turnips during the win-
ter.* In addition to being exceedingly expensive this
system was, of course, unnatural. The herd at that
time consisted mainly of cattle of mixed breeding,
good individually, as a rule, but in the belief that
something still better existed the enterprising pro-
prietor decided upon a change of base. The Nelson
alliance was perfected and the original herd dis-
posed of at low prices, but for many years following
its practical value was reflected throughout the
whole of Canada in the steers produced upon the
Dominion farms.
* While in attendance at some cf the Kentucky sales Mr. Brown com-
mented in the most complimentary terms upon the excellence of the
Renick Rose of Sharons, his expression ordinarily being : "A grand lot
of cattle ; but they ought to be !" A Kentuckian finally asked the Cana-
dian visitor what he meant by the latter part of his remark. He replied
in Yankee fashion by asking the question : "How many acres in Mr.
Renick's farm?" He was informed: "Mr. Renick's estate consists, sir,
of about 2, .500 acres of the best blue-grass land in Central Kentucky,
sir." To which Mr. Brown rejoined: "I believe that great body of
land carries only a herd of 100 cattle. We have had at Bow Park 350
head upon 900 acres."
484 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
The Canada West Farm Stock Association, with
a capitalization of $400,000, made its initial impor-
tation by the Polynesian from Liverpool in June,
1876, which was followed in July by two other ship-
ments, aggregating in all some seventy-five head of
high-priced Bates-bred cattle. It was the plan of the
company to import only animals of the finest indi-
vidual quality belonging to the most popular strains
of blood, and something like $200,000 was represent-
ed by its investments in cattle, horses, sheep and
pigs.
4th Duke of Clarence. — In the shipment that came
out from Liverpool in July, 1876, by the good ship
Circassian was a long, lank, undeveloped roan year-
ling bull, bred by Col. Gunter of Wetherby Grange
and sired by 18th Duke of Oxford (25595) out of
Duchess 109th by 2d Duke of Claro (21576). Mr.
Brown was so little enamored of this youngster upon
his arrival that his first idea was to return him to
England and have him resold. Fortunately for him-
self and the Bow Park Short-horns better counsel
prevailed. It was pointed out that the calf had been
badly kept on a farm on the Yorkshire '' wolds" and
had proved a poor sailor on the Atlantic. He was
accordingly retained at Bow Park and lived to de-
velop into the crowning glory of that great Short-
horn breeding establishment; known to Short-horn
fame for all time to come under the title of 4th Duke
of Clarence. He developed all of the best points of
Mr. Bates' old type, with few of the defects shown
THE TURX OF THE TIDE 485
by many of his carelessly-bred relations. Maturing
into a massive, mellow-fleshed bull of beautiful
quality, grand breed character and commanding
presence the 4th Duke was the pride of his day and
generation among the adherents of Bates Short-
horns in the new world. Mated with the many good
cows and heifers imported and bought for the Bow
Park Herd, and under the skillful management of
the late John Hope — who took charge of the herd in
1878 — he sired many valuable cattle that gained high
honors in the show-yards of Canada and the United
States, conspicuous among which may be mentioned
the celebrated white bullock Clarence Kirklevington,
champion of the American Fat-Stock Show of 1884.
The 4th Duke proved not only a great stock-getter
but was also shown with success at Cleveland (Ohio),
Toronto and London in 1878 and 1879. He remained
at the head of the Bow Park Herd until his death,
which occurred in 1887.
Opening sales of 1876.— The sales this year opened
in Iowa, where a large number of cattle were offered
at West Liberty and Des Moines. No sensational
prices were made except at S. W. Jacobs' sale, where
2d Peri of Lyndale was bid off at $7,050 by D. S.
Bussing of New York. D. M. Flynn took Boan Prin-
cess at $3,900. Bussing bought Lucy Napier at
$2,475, and Minnie Annandale 2d for $2,500. For
Loudon's Minnie D. Wilson of West Liberty gave
$2,550. For Nelly Bly 7th Bigdon Huston of Illinois
paid $1,975. The bull Oxford of Springwood
486 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORX CATTLE
fetched $2,000 from John R. Owens of Illinois.
Jacobs' 146 head brought $86,895, an average of
$595. C. S. Barclay sold eighty-eight head for
$27,275, and Campbell & Chase ninety-seven head for
$27,446.
In Illinois Davis Lowman of Toulon held a sale
which was topped by the Cruickshank cow Red Lady
3d, bought by W. & W. Pickrell for $1,200. A. J.
Dunlap paid $1,010 for the Scotch-bred imp. Lovely
18tli, and at the same sale Winfield Scott, Wyoming,
111., bought Miss Wiley of Green Lawn for $1,100,
and J. H. Spears paid $1,005 for the bull Sam Wiley
12880. At A. J. Dunlap 's sale Mr. Spears paid $l,3ob
for Fanny Hunt 5th, and George Otley of Neponset,
111., $1,060 for Sonsie Lass 2d.
Potts buys imp. Duke of Richmond. — At Spring-
field, 111., on May 3, J. H. Kissinger sold twenty-two
cattle for $25,335, an average of $1,152. D. A. Rou-
ner of Newark, Mo., bid off the bull 2d Marquis of
Worcester at $3,000 and the cow Knightley Belle at
$2,275. J. H. Potts & Son bought the Scotch-bred
imp. Duke of Richmond for $2,250, the cow Mattie
Richardson at $1,805, and 2d Louan of Linwood at
$1,850. W. & W. Pickrell took Caroline Cochrane at
$2,100. A. E. Kimberley of West Liberty paid $2,700
for Loudon Duchess of Bedford. Mr. J. H. Pickrell
owned a half interest in the cow last named, and at
the same time and place sold ten head of cattle at
an average of $862, including Countess of Cornwall
at $2,050 to Col. Robert HoUoway and Countess of
THE TUKX OF THE TIDE 487
Oxford 4tli at $1,500 to James X. Brown's Sons. On
the following day Messrs. Spears, lies, et al., sold
at Springfield; Harvey Sodowsky paying $1,600 for
Airdrie Bloom, and AVinslow Bros, of Kankakee
$1,025 for Prairie Blossom.
Col. Holloway's big average. — On May 25 Col.
Robert Holloway sold sixty-three cattle at Dexter
Park, Chicago, for an average of $1,087. The top
price was $4,250, given by A. J. Streeter of New
Windsor, 111., for Rose of Sharon of Durham Lawn.
The next was $3,925 paid by F. J. Barbee of Ken-
tucky for Loudon Duchess 15th. For the bull imp.
Oxford Beau 2d the West Liberty breeders gave
$3,800. For 1st Rose of Sharon of Durham Lawn
John Hope, then in business at Markham, Ont., gave
$3,200. For the Princess cow 4th Tuberose of Brat-
tleboro George Otley paid $3,025. For Roan Duchess
7th of Bow Park Streeter gave $3,250. For 11th
Belle Duchess of PluniAvood William Thomson's
Sons of Kentucky paid $3,050. Streeter also gave
$2,750 for imp. Waterloo J., $1,700 for Roan Duchess
7th of Auvergne, $1,250 for Lady Goodness and
$1,425 for the bull Grand Airdrie 19894. Mr. Pogue
of Kentucky gave $2,500 for Geneva Duchess of
Goodness.
On the following day W. B. Dodge sold at Chicago;
the highest price obtained being $1,800 for the Prin-
cess cow 7th Lady Sale of Brattleboro, bought by
Bailey & Goodspeed of Wisconsin. The same par-
ties purchased 9th Lady Sale of Brattleboro at
488 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HOBN CATTLE
$1,500. S. W. Jacobs of West Liberty took the
famous Garne-bred Murray cow imp. Maid of Honor
at $1,525 and imp. Nectar at $1,000. At a sale from
the herd of Nelson Jones next day Pliny Nichols of
West Liberty gave $1,050 for 2d Red Rose of Wood-
side, and P. A. Coen of Washburn, III, paid $1,000
for Baron Bates 4th.
At the Meredith sale at Cambridge City, Lid,, in
June fifty-two head brought $20,555, the most nota-
ble transaction of the day being the purchase of 4th
Mazurka of Chesterfield by Walter Handy of Ken-
tucky at $2,525. At Stephen Dunlap's sale in Illi-
nois Gen. C. E. Lippincott gave $1,800 for imp. Jubi-
lee Gwynne.
Albert Crane pays $23,600 for an Airdrie Duchess.
— At Cochrane, Beattie and Hope's sale in Canada
Albert Crane of Chicago, whose purchases of cattle
for his 17,000-acre ranch at Durham Park, Kan.,
have already been mentioned, came into the market
for Duchesses, and took Airdrie Duchesses 2d and
3d at $21,000 and $23,600 respectively. J. P. Foster
of England bought Wild Eyes Lassie at $4,500. Col.
Le G. B. Cannon, a wealthy Vermonter, took Kirk-
levington Duchess 18th at $4,000. Messrs. W. & W.
Pickrell of Illinois bought the bull Baron Sidding-
ton at $2,200. The fifty-four head averaged $1,709.
About this same date Avery & Murphy of Port Hu-
ron, Mich., purchased Airdrie Duchess 5th as a calf
from Mr. Cochrane for $18,000. At a sale by John
Snell's Sons, held in Canada at same time, W. Wil-
THE TUEX OF THE TIDE 489
liams of Massachusetts gave $1,520 for Lady Sera-
phina 6th, and N. G. Pond of Milford, Conn., $1,800.
Hon. George Brown of Bow Park sold at Toronto in
this same series, receiving $1,500 from John R. Craig
for 3d Duchess of Springwood and $1,000 from S. W.
Jacobs of Iowa for Mazurka 10th. Messrs. A. H. &
I. B. Day sold at Keokuk, la., on June 15, West
Liberty breeders proving the best buyers. Messrs.
Jacobs & Wilson bought the three Scotch-bred fe-
males imp. Golden Drop 1st, Golden Drop A. and
Golden Drop B. at $1,000, $1,475 and $1,275 respec-
tively. D. Wilson & Son also bought Louan of Van
Buren at $1,200.
$17,900 for 14th Duke of Thomdale.— At the Ken-
tucky summer sales of 1876 the highest price ever
made in America for a bull of any breed was ob-
tained for the 14th Duke of Thorndale (28459). He
was sold by George M. Bedford and knocked off at
$17,900 to kr. W. C. Vanmeter of Winchester, Ky.,
bidding for Levi Goff of Paris, a son-in-law of Mr.
Bedford's. At this same sale A. L. Mccolls of Ot-
tawa, Kan., bought $18,000 worth of stock — twelve
head — including Lady Bates 6th at $6,000, the bull
Imperial Bates at $3,300, and the 20th Duchess of
Goodness at $2,100. The security tendered on his
notes, however, was not satisfactory and the cattle
remained at Mr. Bedford's. Mr. Erabry of Rich-
mond, Ky., took Airdrie Belle at $2,750, Airdrie Belle
3d at $4,050, and Oneida Belle at $2,000. At a sale
made by B. J. Clay, Hall & Taylor and B. F. Bed-
490 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ford eighty-one cattle sold for an average of $400.
Brown and Gregg of Canada paid $1,425 for Roan
Duchess 12th, and H. C. Smith of Kentucky $2,750
for Cambridge Rose 5th. A pair of Valley Prin-
cesses brought $2,300 from Corbin & Patterson. At
Leslie Combs' sale Hon. George Brown and Maj.
Gregg paid $1,400 for Moss Rose 2d. At Walter
Handy 's Ware & McGoodwin of Kentucky bought
4th Mazurka of Chesterfield for $1,740. On Aug. 17
at Chillicothe, 0., George Grimes and others sold
fifty-three cattle for $17,680. At this sale John
Montgomery of Granville, 0., paid $1,000 each for
Oxford Gwynnes 2d and 6th and Rose of Cashmere.
J. S. Kirk of Washington C.-H. gave the same for
Elsie.
Closing events of 1876. — In the autumn of this
year Ware & McGoodwin of Kentucky sold the 3d
Duke of Oneida at public sale for $6,800 to Ayres,
Barton & Hutchcraft of same State. At a sale by
H. P. Thomson in Kentucky forty-one head aver-
aged $977. Quite a lot of Princesses were included
and a determined effort was made to secure long-
prices for them. Winslow Bros, of Illinois took 4th
Princess of the Valley at $2,200; Col. J. B. Taylor
of Canada Princess of the Valley at $2,450; Hon. M.
H. Cochrane 2d Princess of the Valley at $2,500, and
Col. Simms of Kentucky Highland Maid 6th at
$1,650. For the Bates-bred 2d Duchess of Kirklev-
ington F. J. Barbee gave $2,000 and Belle Duchess
was bid off by Joseph Julian of Bainbridge, N. Y,,
THJB TUiiX OF THE TIDE 49]
at $4,000. At Bush & Hampton 's sale Abner Strawn
of Illinois gave $2,050 for Geneva Rose. At J. V.
Grigsby's no less than thirteen head sold in the four
figures; the Hamiltons of Mount Sterling, Ky., took
Sharon Eose at $3,400; Col. Simms bought Geneva
Rose at $2,325, and W. C. Vanmeter several high-
priced lots. The $1,000 mark was also passed sev-
eral times at the sales of Robinson, Bean and the
Hamiltons. In connection with Ayres & McClin-
tock's sale August Whitman sold two Princesses
(Tuberoses) to T. L. McKeen, Easton, Pa., for $2,750.
During 1876 there were sold at auction sale in
America 4,014 animals for $1,366,805, an average of
$341.28. Of these 1,151 head were sold in Illinois
for $395,005, 1,011 head in Kentucky for $373,830,
751 head in Iowa for $232,475. The general average
was $41 below that for 1875. In Great Britain 2,802
head were sold at auction for $728,270, an average of
$260 each.
B. B. Groom & Son shipped six more Renick Roses
of Sharon this year to England, and also the
6th Duke of Kirklevington (30182) to J. R. Shelley
of Freeport, 111., for $5,000. Another event of gen-
eral interest this season was the removal of Messrs.
A. M. Winslow's Sons (Henry and Peleg), with
their herd of Princesses, from Putnev, Vt., to Kan-
kakee, m.
Pickrell & Kissingei-.— In the early spring of 1877
Messrs. J. H. Pickreil and J. H. Kissinger pooled
their valuable Short-horn holdings, one-half, headed
492 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
by imp. Flower Lad 23170 (Torr-Booth) and Baron
Siddington (Bates), being maintained at Clarks-
ville, Mo., and the other portion, with the imp. Lord
Lamech (34578), at Harristown, 111. We have al-
ready detailed at some length Mr. Pickrell's promi-
nent identification with Western Short-horn inter-
ests, and have made some allusion to Mr. Kissin-
ger's successful operations. Some further facts in
reference to the latter 's connection with the trade
will be of interest.
Mr. Kissinger was born in Pike Co., Mo., in 1840
from Kentucky parentage. Reared on a farm and
possessed of great natural love for agricultural pur-
suits, he developed a deep interest in Short-horns
and in 1867 made his first appearance in Western
show-yards. At the Illinois State Fair of that year
he exhibited a grade Short-horn steer four years old
weighing 2,400 lbs., to which a first prize was award-
ed. The bullock was afterward sold to J. H, Spears
for $300. It was here that Mr. Kissinger made his
first purchases, buying the cows Dove 3d (A. H. B.,
Vol. VIII, p. 316)*and Beauty (Vol. VIII, p. 257);
the latter proving a grand show animal, beaten at
St. Louis in 1871 only by Col. King's renowned imp.
Rosedale. Kissinger's next purchase was at J. H.
Spears' sale in 1868 where he bought the cow Iva
Jones (Vol. XV, p. 608) and her bull calf Duke of
Airdrie 9800, which stood at the head of his herd
for four years and proved a successful show bull as
well as a sire of prize-winners. The next addition
THE TVEX OF THE TIDE 493
to his herd consisted of four females from Mr. Pick-
rell's, bought in 1869. Among these was Caroline
Airdrie (Vol. IX, p. 519), which was sold in 1871
to Thomas S. Page of California for $1,800. From
1870 to 1872 he made numerous purchases of females
in Kentucky, and in June, 1873, made his first sale
at Linwood Farm, his residence in Pike Co., Mo.,
when fifty head brought an average of $400. In 1874
he purchased largely from the best Kentucky herds,
securing Kissinger's Breastplate 17476 at six
months old at $1,250. His next purchase was the
yearling Cruickshank heifer imp. Orange Blossom
18th for $2,500, which he kept for one year and sold
to Mrs. Kimberly of AYest Liberty for $3,500. He
also bought the afterward celebrated Scotch-bred
bull imp. Duke of Eichmond, subsequently so famous
in the herd of Messrs. Potts. Mr. Kissinger was one
of the first to recognize the great merit of the Aber-
deenshire Short-horns on this side of the water. In-
deed imp. Duke of Eichmond laid the foundation for
their later popularity in this country. In 1875 he
bought a car-load of Cruickshank-bred cattle from
James I. Davidson of Canada. At the great West-
ern fairs that year his herd, headed by imp. Duke
of Eichmond, and including the cows Mattie Eich-
ardson, Caroline Cochrane, Caroline Pickrell, 2d
Louan of Linwood, and Pretty Jemima 2d, won first
prize at Jacksonville, 111. ; Hannibal, Mo. ; the Illinois
and Iowa State Fairs, at St. Louis and Louisiana,
Mo. The cattle were then sold at auction, as already
494 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
detailed. The famous show herd of J. H. Potts &
Son was largely founded from this stock.
Messrs. Pickrell & Kissinger were for years ruling
spirits at our Western shows. During a period of
twelve years, running from 1867 to 1879, cattle
shown in their names won, in competition with the
best herds of the United States and Canada, prizes
aggregating $40,000. Their aim was ever individual
merit in the animal and the promotion of the best
interests of the breed. Lavish in their expenditures
for high-class Short-horns, enterprising and per-
sistent in their efforts at demonstrating the excel-
lence of the breed in the great show-yards of the
West, it is but simple justice to record that no men
ever connected with the American Short-horn trade
have done more to set up correct standards and fur-
ther the substantial interests of Short-horns on this
side of the Atlantic.
Spring sales of 1877. — The opening sales of 1877
were disappointing, but at John Bond's at Abing-
don, 111., the Scotch-bred imp. Missie 39th, of Marr's
breeding, brought $1,040 from J. McClellan of As-
toria, 111., and imp. Butterfly 45th, from Sittyton,
fetched $1,000 from George Chase of West Liberty,
la. At S. W. Jacobs' sale at West Liberty A.
Shropshire of Monroe, la., gave $1,600 for the
Cruickshank heifer Village Girl and $1,550 for Lucy
Napier. C. McCune of Solon, la., paid $1,460 for
the Bates cow imp. Acomb Belle, $1,200 for the
Scotch-bred imp. Golden Drop 2d, $1,000 for Golden
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 495
Drop A., and $1,120 for imp. Maid of Honor, taking
also the Bates bull imp. Underley Wild Eyes at
$700. A cross of this bull upon the Golden Drops
produced the branch of this fine Kinellar family that
afterward became so celebrated in the herd of Col.
W. A. Harris at Linwood, Kan. At a sale by Abner
Strawn at Dexter Park, Chicago, May 8 Trimble &
Henshaw of Plattsburg, Mo., gave $2,425 for Geneva
Eose, and William E. Simms of Kentucky $1,500 for
Grace 3d. During the same series C. A. De Graff of
Minnesota paid $3,000 for Peri's Duchess, and Wil-
liam Slater of Massachusetts $1,500 for 7th Lady
Sale of Brattleboro — both sold by Bailey & Good-
speed of Wisconsin. At Lippincott & Spears' sale
at the same place Gen. Lippincott bid off the 22d
Duchess of Airdrie for $15,000, and the 21st Duke
of Airdrie was knocked down to William Babcock of
Canton, 111., at $8,000. On June 6 the 22d Duke of
Airdrie was sold by Richard Gibson at London, Ont.,
to Col. Le G. B. Cannon of Vermont for $4,900; Rosy
Princess 2d to Winslow & Wadsworth for $1,250;
Rosy Princess 5th to A. L. Stebbins of Detroit for
$1,225 ; Ursuline 3d at $1,500 and Constance of Lyn-
dale 6th at $1,000 to Col. Cannon; thirty-nine head
averaging $591. On the same day John Hope sold
Kirklevington Duchess 8th to U. J. Harris of Web-
ster, Mass., for $2,300, and Duchess of Clarence 12th
at $1,500 and Docile at $1,225 to Hon. George Brown
of Bow Park. At the same sale T. L. Harison of
New York sold the Princess Lady Gertrude to Win-
496 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
slow & Wadswortli for $4,000. Shortly after this
sale Mr. Hope took charge of the herd at Bow Park.
During the summer Messrs. Winslow sold six young
Princess bulls at an average price of $1,000 each,
the 19th Duke of Airdrie being in service in their
herd at the time.
At S. Meredith & Sons' summer sale the Messrs.
Hamilton of Mount Sterling, Ky., bought the 20th
Duke of Airdrie for $6,975. In their Flat Creek
Herd this bull afterward left a very valuable set of
heifers; many of which were introduced into promi-
nent Western herds. He seemed to ' ' nick " particu-
larly well with the Young Marys, Eoses of Sharon,
and Josephines of which the Hamilton herd was so
largely composed.
At A. E. Kimberley's sale at West Liberty, la.,
S. W. Jacobs bought Breastplate 11431 at $5,000.
J. H. Bowman of Waverly, la., gave $1,010 for the
bull Jubilee's Breastplate, $2,025 for Jubilee Napier,
and $1,750 for Jubilee Napier 2d. At Wilson & Sons'
sale at West Liberty Mr. McCune, Solon, la., added
to his herd imp. Golden Drop 2d at $1,160. At S. C.
Duncan's sale in Missouri B. F. Winn gave $1,200
for Duke of Tuberose 26408. At C. L. Vanmeter's
summer sale in Kentucky Messrs. Hamilton were
free buyers, taking Ophelia's Geneva at $1,350 and
7th Belle of Bath at $1,000. At Mr. Barbee's sale
in Kentucky the Hamiltons gave $1,570 for Loudon
Duchess 15th and John Hope bought two Kirklev-
ingtons at $1,225 each.
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 497
Cochrane at Windermere. — On Sept. 4, 1877, at
Bowness, Cumberland, amid the beauteous surround-
ings of the Lake district of Northwestern England,
so famed in poetry and song, the Hon. M. H. Coch-
rane of Hillhurst, Can., offered at public sale thirty-
two head exported for this purpose from Canada,
along with eleven head belonging to Simon Beattie.
Mr. Cochrane had been from the beginning one of
the clearest-sighted men identified with the Short-
horn trade. He was one of the first to profit by the
rising tide of Short-horn values in America after
the close of the Civil War; engaging boldly and
profitably in the early Duchess speculations, made
numerous sales at high prices to leading buyers on
both sides the Atlantic, and when he observed that
America was not taking kindly to the high-priced
Booths, began turning them back upon the English
market. In the fall of 1875 he sold to Mr. A. H.
Browne of Northumberland five Booth heifers at a
reported price of $17,500. During that same year he
exported Royal Commander (29857) and sold him
at the Aylesby sale for 1,150 guineas to Hugh Ayl-
mer. In August, 1876, he shipped two heifers and
three yearling bulls, also of Booth blood, to Scot-
land, and in 1877, as above mentioned, he appeared
at Windermere with a group of cattle deep in the
most fashionable Warlaby blood.* Believing also
*Mr. Cochrane attributed the failure of the Booths to score a specu-
lative success in America during this period largely to the fact that
American buyers at that time insisted, as a rule, upon fine style and
finish. The Booths, more especially the bulls, were somewhat inclined
to roughness about their heads, having been bred more for flesh and
498 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
that the English market at this time afforded a bet-
ter prospect for high prices for Bates cattle than
America he included in this shipment the red Duch-
ess heifers 3d and 5th Duchesses of Hillhurst and
the 2d Duke of Hillhurst.
The event demonstrated that Mr. Cochrane 's
judgment was, as usual, not at fault.* The yearling
5th Duchess of Hillhurst was taken by Earl Bective
at 4,300 guineas, the highest price ever paid for a
cow in Great Britain; the yearling 3d Duchess went
to R. Loder at 4,100 guineas, and the six-year-old
constitution than for refinement. Again they ran strongly toward light
colors. Another reason was found in the fact that quite a number of
the high-priced imported Booth cows and heifers had failed to breed.
♦This sale was one of the few events in Short-horn history to which
a genuine international interest attached. While no American bidders
were present the occasion stirred the British Short-horn breeding fra-
ternity to its very depths. Senator Cochrane had shrewdly baited his
hook to attract the heavy-weights of both the Bates and Booth factions.
The excitement was intense, as record prices were made on the Duchess
heifers, and after the sale a rather clever parody entitled "The Far-
mada, by Thomas Babblington Mock-a-lay," appeared in the London
Live-Stock Journal, from which we make the following excerpts :
"High on his break sits Bective ; meek near the ring stands Torr,
While Staniforth with Loder hold with Allsopp friendly war ;
There is Crosbie from wild Kerry and Foster from Killhow,
Thei'e is Salt from busy Bradford and Longman from 'The Row ;'
The rival strains commingle and forget their deadly hates.
As now the cry's for Booth blood and now again for Bates.
But hark ! the war commences, fair sliines the sun upon
The friendly legions marshalled by the wand of 'Honest John.'
At first the bids are modest, and the small men have their way.
But fiercer grows the struggle when the giant 'plungers' say.
A Duchess proudly walks the ring and 'thousands' fly like liail,
But Whittlebury scores the prize, the second of the sale ;
The vales of Troutbeck ring with cheers and echo back the sounds
As Hillhurst's Third is landed for o'er four thousand pounds.
« * «
Waves now the field for Warlaby as Vesper Star comes in,
And silent though the Bates men are the Booths maintain the din.
A Crosbie wins the maiden for a thousand guineas down.
Nor rues the lucky bid that claimed her for his own.
More Stai's sliine forth in beauty and make but little stay.
For sturdy Bootli is 'wanted' and quickly wins its way."
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 499
2d Duke of Hillliurst to A. H. Longman at 800
guineas. The Bates-bred heifers Marchioness of
Barrington and Lady Surmise, that had also been
exported, fetched respectively 800 guineas and 400
guineas from Sir W. H. Salt. The Booth cow Ves-
per Star went to Mr. W. Talbot Crosbie of Ardfert
Abbey at 1,000 guineas. The eleven-year-old Vernal
Star made 450 guineas to Mr. Darby. The nine-year-
old cow White Rose, by Mountain Chief, was taken
by Rev. T. Staniforth at 300 guineas. Mr. John
Torr, M. P., bought Bright Lady, a nine-year-old
roan, at 330 guineas. British Queen, eight years
old, became the proj^erty of Rev. T. Staniforth at
230 guineas, and Welcome Lady and Queen of
Beauty were bought by Mr. J. B. Booth at 226
guineas and 120 guineas respectively.
Mr. Beattie did not have as good luck with his
lot, although the 41st Duchess of Goodness (of Ken-
tucky breeding) fetched 205 guineas from Earl Bec-
tive. His Princesses and other American-bred cat-
tle sold at low figures.
SaJe summary for 1877. — During this year 3,237
Short-horns were sold in America for $742,871, an
average of $230, a falling off of $111 per head from
the average of 1876. Li Great Britain 2,455 head
were sold at an average of about $274, an increase
over the average of 1876 of about $12. During the
year Col. Gunter had received $10,000 for the Duch-
ess bull 5th Duke of Clarence, a brother to the Bow
Park 4th Duke of Clarence. On Sept. 18 E. H. Che-
500 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ney had sold at Gaddesby the 13th Duchess of Air-
drie to R. Loder for $11,000; 13th Lady of Oxford to
H. Allsopp for $9,500; 10th Maid of Oxford. to Earl
Bective for $8,025; 11th Maid of Oxford to H. Lovatt
for $7,000, and the 7th Duke of Gloster (39735) to
the Duke of Devonshire for $9,250. On the follow-
ing day Capt. R. E. Oliver sold Grand Duchesses
at Sholebroke Lodge, receiving $13,750 from Earl
Bective for Grand Duchess 23d; $12,250 from the
wealthy brewer H. Allsopp for Grand Duchess 29th;
$9,000 from Lord Skelmersdale for Cherry Grand
Duchess 4th; $7,550 from Earl Bective for Grand
Duke 31st (38374) ; $5,000 from Sir G. R. Phillips
for Grand Duke 29th (38372), and $4,500 from Mr.
Allsopp for Cherry Grand Duchess 8th. On July 5
George Fox made a sale at Elmhurst Hall, at which
Allsopp gave $5,500 for 2d Cambridge Lady and
$3,500 for Geneva's Kirklevington Duchess. At
William Ashburner's sale at Conishead Grange Mr.
Allsopp gave $3,900 for Bright Eyes 6th, $3,050 for
Mild Eyes 4th, and $3,050 for Conishead Wild Eyes,
by 24th Duke of Airdrie. Mr. Albert Crane sold
during this season a pair of Airdrie Duchess heifers
to Mr. Holford of England for $28,000.
Notwithstanding these fancy figures abroad the
year's business closed in America in bad condition.
Two of the leading speculators of the United States,
Messrs. B. B. Groom of Kentucky and S. W. Jacobs
of Iowa, had been forced into liquidation, with
heavy liabilities, and these failures only proved the
THE TUEX OF THE TIDE 501
prelude of many others to follow.* The fall sales in
America were everywhere disappointing.
No Short-horns were imported during 1877, but
some sales were made for export to the Japanese
Government.
A falling" market. — There were some private sales
during 1878 at high prices, but the general result of
the year's business was disastrous to the speculative
element. Numerous failures in the American trade
had precipitated general liquidation.
The assignment of the Grooms brought 178 head
of Bates-bred Short-horns upon the market at auc-
tion June 19 and 20, 1878, but support was furnished
by numerous bidders, and a general average of $405
was made upon the entire lot. Leading sales were
as follows: Kirklevington Duchess of Horton,
bought for Bow Park at $2,800; Kirklevington Duch-
ess of Kent 2d, Avery & Murphy, $2,000; Wild Eyes
of Vinewood, same firm, $2,800; Winsome 16th, taken
to Bow Park at $2,600; Miss Wild Eyes 3d, Hon. M.
H. Cochrane, $1,900; Lally 8th and Barrington Lally,
A. L. Hamilton, $1,550 and $1,525 respectively; May
Eose 4th, Col. Le G. B. Cannon, $2,010; Bell Duchess,
*An Incident of the trade that attracted widespread attention about
this period was a suit for damages brought by Hon. T. J. Megibben
against E. G. Bedford, both of Kentucky. The case grew out of the
purchase bv Mr. Megibben of Mr. Bedford's half interest in the Duchess
bull Duke of Woodland that had been dropped by the 4th Duchess of
Oneida, purchased jointly by these gentlemen at the New York Mills
sale for $25,000. The calf was imperfect — showing but one testicle —
and proved impotent; hence the suit. The most eminent lawyers In
Kentucky were engaged as counsel, including the Hon. John G. Carlisle,
W. C. P. Breckenridge and others. Nearly all the leading Kentucky
breeders of Short-horns were summoned to give expert testimony. The
jurv disagreed, and at a second trial the result was still the same. On
the" third hearing Mr. Megibben secured judgment for $9,000.
502 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
A. F. Duckworth, $1,325; 2d and 4tli Duchesses of
Vinewood, C. H. Andrews, Youngstown, 0., $1,225
and $1,075 respectively; 6th Duchess of Vinewood,
S. White, Windsor, Ont., $1,100; 15th Lady of Ox-
ford, bought for Bow Park at $1,000. T. Corwin
Anderson of Side View, Kentucky, was a free buyer
at this sale.
At H. N. Moore's sale in Iowa T. R. Westrope
paid $2,150 for the roan Bates Secret cow Silver
Lady, bred by J. P. Foster of Killhow and imported
by John Hope. Notwithstanding occasional prices
of this sort the 2,048 head sold at auction in America
during 1878 averaged but $154. The situation
abroad was better, as the English were doing busi-
ness with more capital. During the same period
2,877 head were sold in Great Britain at an average
of $285.
Top prices in England for 1878.— Earl Bective
sold privately to Allsopp of Hindlip Hall six head
for about $55,000; among the number being 8th
Duchess of Oneida, purchased at New York Mills
and now transferred at a reported valuation of about
$22,500; Duchess of Underley 2d, a granddaughter
of 10th Duchess of Geneva, at a valuation of $15,000,
and a Red Rose valued at $5,000. Simon Beattie
shipped during this season to England for account
of Mr. Albert Crane the 27th Duke of Airdrie and
some Bates and Booth females; for Avery & Mur-
phy, Airdrie Duchess 3d and heifer calf Airdrie
Duchess 9th, 4th Fordham Duke of Oxford and
THE TUEN OF THE TIDE 503
Grand Airdrie; and for Pickrell & Kissinger the
Bootli-bred Bright Lady of the Eeahn, an own sister
to the famous Breastplate.* The 27th Duke of Air-
drie fetched $2,225 at the sale of A. Brogden, being
bought by Mr. A. H. Lloyd.
The Duke of Devonshire had meantime become
one of the great Short-horn powers of Great Britain.
His herd was specially distinguished for the excel-
lence of its Oxfords, and under the skillful manage-
ment of Mr. Drew^ry, one of the most intelligent of
all those who have contributed to Short-horn pres-
tige abroad, the Holker Hall Short-horns gained
international fame. Drewry was probably one of
the best judges of his time, and, while partial to
Bates blood, gave careful consideration to the in-
dividual character and quality of the herd under
his charge. At the Holker sale of 1878 Baroness
Oxford 5th, by 5th Duke of Wetherby (31033), was
taken by D. Mcintosh at $13,300; Grand Duchess
of Oxford 22d was bought by W. McCuUoch at
$10,500; Grand Duchess of Oxford 21st, by Lord
Penrhyn, at $7,750; Grand Duchess of Oxford 40th
went to S. P. Foster at $8,000; Grand Duchess of
Oxford 19th to Maj. Chaffey at $4,275; the 44th
Duke of Oxford (39774) to H. A. Brassey at $8,250;
the 45th Duke of Oxford to Lord Fitzhardinge at
$7,500, and the 46th Duke to the Earl of Ellesmere
at $3,330.
At a sale made by Mr. J. W. Larking Sir Curtis
♦Mr. T. C. Booth of Warlaby died in 1878.
504 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Lampson gave $7,550 for the American-bred 3d
Duke of Hillhurst (30975). The Duke of Devon-
shire invested $4,525 in Cherry Duchess of Hill-
hurst and $4,250 in Marchioness of Worcester, by
8th Duke of Geneva; and Mr. Allsopp gave $3,000
for Belle of Worcester. At a sale made by T. Hol-
ford A. H. Lloyd paid $4,050 for Winsome 12th; D.
Mcintosh gave $4,000 for Viscount of Oxford
(40876), and Allsopp paid from $2,000 to $3,000 for
several lots.
Dark days of 1879. — The year 1879 was a repeti-
tion of the previous season except that the depres-
sion in values of such cattle as were expected to
sell on the strength of their breeding was still more
profound on this side of the Atlantic. Trade at both
public and private sale in America was flat, and
hundreds of tliose who had been chasing the rain-
bows of fashion found themselves in the possession
of cattle that were not good enough to command
high prices on their merits as individuals and for
which no market existed among those who had been
engaged in the mad race for "blue" blood regard-
less of all other considerations. There Avere a few
speculators who believed that the depression was
only temporary, one of whom was the late T. Corwin
Anderson of Side View, Ky., who insisted that pur-
chases made at prices then prevailing would ulti-
mately show a handsome profit. At a sale made from
BoAV Park at Dexter Park, Chicago, Oct. 17, Mr.
Anderson gave $1,000 for Kirklevington Duchess
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 505
23d; but there were few who had sufficient courage
to take hold at any such price. The total number
of cattle sold during the year in America was 2,865,
disposed of at the very unsatisfactory average of
$115. Of these more than 2,000 were sold under the
hammer of Col. J. W. Judy. An illustration of the
general desire to liquidate was afforded by the fact
that during this season the Hamiltons of Kentucky
sold 336 head at auction at Kansas City at an aver-
age of $109 each.
Wealthy English noblemen and land-holders still
managed to keep things moving on the other side.
Mr. Fox sold Duke of Elmhurst, out of the Ameri-
can-bred 20th Duchess of Airdrie, to go to Australia
at $10,000. At Lord Dunmore's sale Allsopp gave
$16,000 for Duchess 117th and $13,500 for Duchess
114th, and Sir Curtis Lampson paid $6,250 for Duke
of Cornwall 2d (43082). At Lord Skelmersdale's
sale at Latham House in September Mr. R. Loder
of Whittlebury paid $10,000 for Duchess of Orms-
kirk. At Lord Braybrook's sale at Audley End,
Allsopp gave $5,000 for Thorndale Rose 7th; Earl
Bective paid $4,500 for Thorndale Rose 9th and Sir
Curtis Lampson $3,000 for Thorndale Rose 12th. At
Col. Kingscote's sale Lord Fitzhardinge gave $5,500
for Oxford Belle 5th; and the bull Oxford Beau 7th
(42082), by Duke of Hillhurst, was bought by Mr.
Angas of Australia at $3,375. Mr. Angas also
bought a number of the get of Duke of Connaught
at Lord Fitzhardinge 's Berkeley Castle sale, includ-
506 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ing Lady Wild Eyes 12th at $2,000. At this same
sale Mr. J. A. Rolls gave $3,750 for Kirklevington
Empress 2d, by Duke of Connaught. Notwithstand-
ing these occasional high prices the general trend
of values in Great Britain was also downward, the
sales for the year aggregating 2,354 head at an aver-
age of $240. This average would have been mate-
rially less but for the few sensational prices above
quoted.
The rally of 1880. — The panic which had prevailed
among the holders of speculative lots in America
for several years had now spent its force in large
degree and a somewhat better feeling prevailed. On
June 30 Hon. M. H. Cochrane ventured the sale of
forty-three head at Dexter Park, Chicago, which
made the handsome average of $900. This result
was largely due to the liberal bidding of Col. Le
Grand B. Cannon, a wealthy fancier of Burlington,
Vt., who paid $8,000 each for the 7th and 8th Duch-
esses of Hillhurst. Mr. N. P. Clarke of St. Cloud,
Minn., purchased the 7th Duke of Hillhurst 34221 at
$3,900. The Bow Park management took Kirklev-
ington Duchess of Kent 2d at $2,600 and Mr. Bron-
son C. Rumsey of Niagara Stock Farm, Buffalo, N.
Y., paid $4,150 for Marchioness of Barrington 5th
and 6th.
In December, 1879, two disastrous fires had oc-
curred among the buildings of Bow Park, the insti-
tution suffering great loss. The indirect result of
this was to force the company to ship a large num-
THE TUKN OF THE TIDE 507
ber of cattle to the States. The old Glen Flora
Farm of Messrs. Parks at Waukegan, 111., was select-
ed as a suitable distributing point, and several sales
were afterward made at which prices ranged well
above the average being obtained at Western sales.*
The Hamiltons of Kentucky were still free sellers,
disposing of 190 head at Kansas City in May for an
average of $118. At a sale in Chicago they sold
sixty-four head at an average of $219, at which Maj.
S. E. Ward of Kansas City paid $1,300 for the cow
Eosebud. About 500 head were sold at auction in
Kentucky during this summer; Mr. T. C. Anderson's
sixty-six head averaging $227; Vanmeter & Hamil-
ton's fifty-five head averaged $30-4; W. T. Hearne's
fifty-two head averaged $287; I. C. Vanmeter 's nine-
teen head averaged $320; E. S. Cunningham paying
$1,510 for Sharon's Beauty and A. M. Bowman of
Virginia $1,500 for Sharon's Belle. Messrs. Tracy
sold forty-nine head at an average of $272.
The 3,222 head sold publicly in America during
1880 averaged $141-. The British average for the
same period on 1,820 head was $175; the only extra-
ordinary price made in England during the year
being $10,000 paid by the Earl of Feversham for 3d
Duchess of Underley at Earl Bective's. Sir Curtis
Lampson gave $4,900 at same sale for 12tli Maid of
Oxford.
The Vaile and Rumsey importations. — In October,
♦The Hon. George Brown died in the spring of 1880 ; his death re-
sulting from a shot fired by one of the employes in the office of the
Toronto Globe. The shooting resulted in a flesh wound from which
blood-poisoning set in.
508 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
1880, importations of Bates cattle were resumed,
important purchases being made by Col. H. M. Vaile,
Independence, Mo., and B. C. Rumsey, Buffalo, N. Y.
The Vaile importation consisted of sixteen head,
including some capital Waterloos from the fine herd
of the Rev. J. I. D. Jefferson of Thicket Priory,
Yorkshire ; Kirklevingtons from J. W. Larking, Ash-
down House, Sussex; the roan Wild Eyes 34th, etc.
From this importation many valuable Short-horns
were bred. Indeed, the Vaile Waterloos became
famous throughout the West for their fine quality
and flesh.
Mr. Rumsey 's lot included the Duke of Connaught
cows Oxford Duchess 3d, Kirklevington Empress
4th, and Wisdom 2d; Rowfant Kirklevington 4th
and Rowfant Peach from Sir Curtis Lampson's; a
Barrington heifer from H. Lovatt's and the roan
bull Knight of Oxford 2d (39549), bred by R. P.
Davies. During this season Mr. Rumsey bought
Airdrie Duchess 8th from Avery & Murphy at a re-
ported price of $10,000.
Sales of 1881. — Considerable activity and some
strong prices characterized the auction sales of 1881.
An offering of fifty-five head from Bow Park made
at Glen Flora Farm, brought the gratifying average
of $516.35. Messrs. DeGraff & Brown of Minnesota*
*Col. Charles A. DeGraff, who bought this cow jointly with H. F.
Brown, was the owner of the beautiful estate known as Lake Elysian
Stock Farm, near Janesville, Minn. He was a big, broad-gauged, gen-
erous-hearted man, wlio for some years contributed lai-gely to live-
stock improvement in the Northwest, and his death, which occurred a
few years since, removed from the fraternity of American stock-breed-
ers one of its most admirable characters.
THE TUEN OF THE TIDE 509
paid $4,200 for Duchess of Oxford 21st; H. L. Stout,
Dubuque, la., $2,550 for Kirklevingtou Duchess
26th, $2,350 for 46th Duke of Oxford and $1,810 for
10th Duchess of Barrington, and Hon. John Went-
worth took the 8th Duke of Kirklevingtou at $1,760.
As indicating the magnitude of the business being
transacted at West Liberty, la., it may be mentioned
that in the spring of this year the late Robert Miller
and others sold about 250 head at auction, the aver-
age price received on the lot being $123.50.
On May 18 and 19 at Port Huron, Mich., Messrs.
Avery & Murphy and John P. Sanborn sold 122 head
at an average of $950. The Messrs. Hamilton of
Kentucky bought Airdrie Duchess 2d at $7,000 and
Airdrie Duchess 5th at $3,000. Mitchell Bros, of
Detroit bid off Airdrie Duchess 11th at $5,055. T.
C. Anderson of Kentucky paid $2,900 for Wild Eyes
of Vinewood and $2,000 for Wild Eyes of Vinewood
2d. G. J. Hagerty of Ohio gave $1,500 for Marquis
of Oxford 39861, and J. S. Berry of Kentucky took
imp. Kirklevingtou Princess 2d at $2,010.
At the Hamilton sale in Kentucky, in August,
sixty-one head averaged $489.25; top prices being
$1,705 paid by E. L. Chrisman, Independence, Mo.,
for Kirklevington Lady Oxford 2d; $1,515, $1,500
and $1,025 by Gen. John S. Williams of Kentucky
for three Kirklevingtons; $1,510 by J. M. Bigstaff of
Kentucky for Barrington Place, and $1,225 for T. C.
Anderson for Peach Blossom 9th. Mr. Ben. F. Van-
meter was at this time in partnership with the
510 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Messrs, Hamilton,* and at a sale held by the firm of
Vanmeter & Hamilton this season seventy-three
head averaged $519; ten head of Renick Roses of
Sharon being knocked off at prices ranging up to
$3,000.
On Nov. 10 the Bow Park people sold thirty-eight
head at Glen Flora Farm at an average of $555 ; Mr.
A. J. Alexander of Woodburn Farm, Kentucky, buy-
ing imp. Kirklevington Duchess of Horton — famous
as the dam of the fat-stock show champion Clarence
Kirklevington — at $2,030. Messrs. Henshaw, Trim-
ble & Pickett of Plattsburg, Mo., gave $4,025 at this
sale for imp. Grand Duchess of Oxford 29tli, of the
Duke of Devonshire's breeding. Mr. S. F. Lockridge
of Greencastle, Ind., paid $1,700 for Waterloo 38tli,
and the Hon. Emory Cobb of Kankakee, 111., pur-
cliased imp. Kirklevington Duchess 17th at $1,270.
A new era at ha^nd. — Another milestone in Short-
horn history had now been reached. The great out-
burst of enthusiasm for cattle of the Bates, Booth,
and allied tribes which had swept over England and
America was now subsiding. In its earlier phases it
represented the tribute of the cattle-breeding world
to the genius of successful breeders; the verdict of
two continents upon the refinement, beauty, and
quality of the Batos-bred tribes and the sturdy sub-
stance and deep flesh of the Warlaby stock. Un-
doubtedlv merit lav at the foundation of the fashions
♦Messrs. Vanmeter & Hamiltons had a few years prior to this sale
acquired by purchase about one-half of Mr. Renick's herd, including
quite a number of the 4th Duke of Geneva cows.
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 511
that ruled the sale-rings of both continents for so
many years, as detailed in the foregoing pages. Un-
fortunately not all of those who made investments
during this period were actuated by a desire to pro-
mote the interests of the breed. Indeed, as the great
' ' boom ' ' progressed it drew to itself many who sim-
ply improved the opportunity to indulge their specu-
lative instincts without any special reference to the
effect of their operations upon the general welfare.
Many of the Duchesses, Princesses, Rose of Sharons
and other favorites were bought at enormous prices
not because they were better than the average well-
bred Short-horn of their time, but in the hope that
some other eager investor would be willing to pay a
like price for the progeny. It will be observed from
a perusal of the preceding chapters that only such
tribes were systematically "promoted" as were com-
paratively scarce and in few hands. It would have
been idle for any man or group of men to attempt to
maintain such figures for any of the more prolific or
widely-distributed sorts.
Injudicious breeding. — In some instances these
high-priced cattle fell into the hands of careful men
who handled them with a decent regard for sound
principles of breeding. In some herds they were
mated with consummate skill and judgment, and the
original merit of the stock was in these exceptional
cases fairly well maintained. Too often, however,
these unfortunate descendants of a noble ancestry
became the mere tools of speculators and the victims
512 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
of a vicious system which could have but one result,
to-wit: inevitable deterioration. A certain set even
undertook the foolhardy task of breeding the Bates
tribes ' ' absolutely pure. ' ' There were still in exist-
ence more than thirty-five years after the death of
Thomas Bates cattle belonging to families orig-
inated either by himself or his tenants, the Messrs.
Bell, which had been kept squarely within strict
Bates lines; that is to say, entirely free from admix-
tures of blood from any other than the Bates source.
One has but to hark back to the practice of Bates
himself to find ample warrant for characterizing this
procedure on the part of certain of his alleged disci-
ples as utterly unworthy not only of the master of
Kirklevington, but, as a proposition in scientific
breeding, not to be considered by intelligent men.
Fortunately there were but few who undertook to
carry this reckless practice to extreme lengths. It
was pointed out that but for the outcrossed families,
not only of the Bates but of the Booth tribes, the
main channels of those bloods would have ceased to
cut much figure upon the Short-horn map. The
"pure" Duchesses about this time became extinct
both in Europe and America, leaving the field, so
far as Mr. Bates' favorite family was concerned, to
the outcrossed branches. The effort to preserve the
Kirklevington tribes for an indefinite period free
from admixture of other blood met with no success
so far as sustaining the individual merit of the cattle
was concerned.
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 513
Evils of speculation. — There is nothing so danger-
ous as popularity. Whenever it is demonstrated
that cattle of any particular line of breeding possess
pronounced merit and represent a blood concentra-
tion likely to insure prepotency a widespread de-
mand leads to the retention for breeding purposes
of "all sorts and conditions" of cattle carrying the
coveted jjedigree. The really good specimens are
taken by leading breeders or wealthy speculators at
fancy prices, leaving the inferior and indiiferent
"misfits" for those whose purse does not permit of
the purchase of the best. Thus it came to pass that
during the years of inflated values the tendency of
Short-horn breeding was away from correct stand-
ards, so far as practical excellence for the farm, the
dairy, or the feed-lot was concerned. The entire
breed was "honeycombed" by the speculative
mania. At the same time there were not only in
Great Britain but America certain sturdy characters
who refused to be stampeded at the crack of fash-
ion 's whip. There were in nearly every State in the
Union, as well as in Canada and Great Britain, de-
voted lovers of the breed who, often at great appar-
ent cost to themselves, maintained the sacred fires
of the early Short-horn faith. True to the principles
of those who gave the breed to the world they per-
sistently pursued individual excellence in the animal
as the corner stone of all progress ; and to these men
the breed owes its preservation from those who were
unintentionally poisoning the very fountains of its
vitality.
514 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOEN CATTLE
The spur of opposition. — Several causes conspired
to bring American breeders to their senses about
this period. Coincident with the declining merit for
practical purposes of those tribes that were most
frequently in the public eye came the invasion of
the markets of the West by two of Britain's most
distinguished beef types, to-wit: the Herefords and
black polls. The establishment of the American
Fat-Stock Show at Chicago, which occurred in 1878,
gave these new candidates for public favor an oppor-
tunity of which they were not slow to take advan-
tage. "White-faces" and "doddies" began to ap-
pear in force for the first time in the history of
American cattle-breeding at the great State fairs of
the West. Enterprising and intelligent men devoted
time and ample capital to a presentation of their
merits as feeders' and butchers' beasts. It was ap-
parent from the beginning that before the tribunal
of practical men constituting the great body of
Western feeders and stock-yards buyers only such
Short-horns as possessed substance, feeding capacity
and natural wealth of flesh could successfully defend
the colors of the ''red, white and roan." Style with-
out stamina could not resist the shock. Finish with-
out flesh failed to satisfy the cold logic of the block.
Those who had been dictating terms to the Short-
horn cattle-breeding fraternity Avere now confronted
with a competition that based its claims not upon
past reputation, but upon actual present worth.
Those who were endeavoring to sustain the prestige
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 515
of the prevailing fashionable type made a brave
effort to cope with their formidable adversaries, and
in some noteworthy instances succeeded in present-
ing animals fit to stand for the credit of any breed at
any time in any place. Such isolated instances,
however, only served all the more effectually to
prove that something weightier than mere pedigree,
something more tangible than mere pride of birth
was the crying need of the hour.
Scotch cattle to the fore. — Naturally in such an
emergency the character of the Short-horns avail-
able at the time for repelling the newly-introduced
breeds became the subject of close scrutiny. Exam-
ination of the breeding of the cattle that had been
sustaining and were still battling for the honor of
the breed at leading shows in the West revealed the
fact that the fighting line was not held, as a general
proposition, by animals representing the prevailing
fashionable blood. It so happened that at this crit-
ical juncture in Short-horn affairs on this side the
Atlantic some of the stoutest defenders of Short-
horn fame against rival breeds had been brought
from the old-established herds of Scotland, Baron
Booth of Lancaster (half-Booth, half-Scotch), Vio-
let's Forth, the Golden Drops, Orange Blossom 18th,
and other North Country cattle that had been seen
in the West in former years were recalled as types
of the stamp now demanded. The Scotch-bred Duke
of Eichmond 21525 and other cattle of his compact,
fleshy conformation were even then holding back
516 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
the Hereford host. The hour had struck; and the
early ''eighties" found the Aberdeenshire Short-
horn claiming the center of the American Short-
horn stage.
CHAPTER XVIII
SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST
On the rich farming lands of England and Amer-
ica the Short-horns, as a prolific source of both profit
and pleasure, had received early and adequate recog-
nition. For half a century ' ' John Bull ' ' and ' ' Broth-
er Jonathan" had been heaping honors and riches
at the feet of the ' ' red, white and roan ' ' with a reck-
lessness unparalleled in agricultural history, but in
winning its way into their affections the breed had
reveled in the bounty of the most opulent agricul-
ture the world has ever seen. Could it maintain its
superiority when the path no longer led through the
grassy vales of York and Durham, or by the rustling
cornfields of ''the States"! It was not until long
after the great feeders of the Ohio Valley began driv-
ing their fine big Short-horn steers to seaboard
markets that the tenant farmers of the North of
Scotland undertook to answer this pertinent ques-
tion in a district where balmy breezes, sunny skies,
rich pastures, groaning grain bins and other bovine
"creature comforts" were conspicuous mainly by
their absence; and the triumphant vindication of the
intrinsic value of Short-horn blood, under appar-
ently adverse conditions of soil and climate, result-
ing from that practical test makes up one of the
517
518 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
brightest chapters in the annals of the breed. Inci-
dentally it also furnishes a lesson in good farming
that is world-wide in its application. The story of
the Short-horn in the North of Scotland has, there-
fore, a deep significance.
"Caledonia stern and wild." — Within the memory
of the generation now passing Aberdeenshire, a com-
paratively bleak and unproductive country, was
unknown as a producer of prime beef. To-day,
thanks to Short-horn blood, turnips, Capt. Barclay
of Ury, Grant Duff of Eden, Hay of Shethin, AVatson
of Keillor, McCombie of Tillyfour, the Cruickshanks
of Sittyton, their contemporaries and successors, it
is one of the primary factors in the world's supply.
Reaching from the Northern Highlands of Perth
and the forest of Glen Ey,
"Land of brown heath and shaggy wood;
Land of the mountain and the flood,"
to where Kinnaird Head finally plows its way into
the surf of Northern seas, Aberdeenshire presents a
rolling landscape, strewn for the most part with
the stony debris deposited by the ancient glaciers of
the Grampians. A rough, broken country, possess-
ing but limited areas of good soil, wanting in natural
shelter, swept for a good portion of the year by the
chill East winds of the German Ocean, and enduring
the long, dark winters of a latitude of 58 deg. north,
it is one of the marvels of our time that the Aber-
donian tenantry and their neighbors of adjacent dis-
tricts in the face of such environment should have
won so high a place in the farming world.
scotlaxd's searching test 519
Science, "roots" and Short-horns. — For genera-
tions the Northern farmers had made but little prog-
ress in the improvement of their cattle. A scanty
herbage was grazed by the native, unimproved,
black hornless breed of the district, or by the shaggy
little steers from the Western Highlands, and these
supi^lied what beef was required for local consump-
tion. The feeding of cattle for distant markets, as
a regular source of revenue, could receive but scant
attention. In the course of time, however, science
came to the rescue. Experience proved the benefi-
cent effects of lime and bone dust upon many hith-
erto sterile stone-fenced fields, thus paving the way
for the successful introduction of the culture of
turnips as a stock food; since carried to a degree of
IDerfection unknown in any other country. Marsh
and moor-lands were transformed by drainage and
artificial fertilization. Some good grass followed;
and this, along with the "neeps"* and oat fields,
provided a firm foundation for a more profitable
agriculture. Indeed, "roots" fairly revolutionized
Xorth-Countiy farming and rendered it possible to
attempt the improvement of the size and weight of
the Aberdeenshire, Banff and Forfar herds with
prospects of success.f The experiment was made
♦Colloquial Scotch for turnips.
tDuring a visit to Aberdeenshire in 1892 the author was shown a
fine turnip field — on one of the farms held by Mr. William Duthie from
the Earl of Aberdeen — which, originally a peat bog, had been drained
and reclaimed at a cost to the tenant of about £30 per acre. Inasmuch
as this sum ($150) represents about double the value in fee simple of
good American farms, this fact affords a fitting illustration of the ex-
pense and labor with which many North of Scotland farms were adapted
to the requirements of successful cattle-breeding.
520 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
and carried to a successful issue primarily by the
use of Short-horn blood.
Feed-lot considerations paramount.— Those who
inaugurated this work of improvement, as well as
those who followed in their footsteps, were, as a
rule, men who made a living by their own unaided
efforts. Upon those Northern hills life was real and
earnest. There was no place in the local agriculture
for the purely ornamental. Cattle had first of all to
be of a rent-paying sort. This called for sound con-
stitutions to enable the animals to withstand the cli-
mate and for a feeding quality and early maturity
that would give prompt and full returns in the feed-
lot for all forage consumed. Those to whom the
early breeders had to look for the sale of their sur-
plus bulls were men who had roofs to keep over their
heads. They could indulge in no "fads" or fancies.
The get of any sire, no matter how distinguished his
lineage, were studiously shunned unless showing
plainly the qualifications demanded in an atmos-
phere where economy and practical utility were the
essential handmaids of thrift.
It thus happened that Short-horn breeding in the
North rested from the beginning on the bedrock of
actual merit for feeding purposes.
Crossing the border. — Tweedside marks the
Northern confines of England. At the river's mouth,
on the Scottish side, stands the historic city of Ber-
wick, sternly typical of the character of the people
pver whose destinies it kept "watch and ward" for
scotlaxd's searching test 521
centuries. On the grassy southern bank lies ancient
Northumbria and Flodden Field. The ruined battle-
ments of Norham Castle remind the traveler in these
parts of the Border Country's stormy past; but since
the days of William Wallace and King James this
pastoral region has fallen under gentler sway. From
the Cheviots to the Hills of Lammermoor the herds
and flocks of a thrifty husbandry have grazed, free
from war's alarms, for generations.
Prior to the introduction of the breed into the
Northern Countries it had already been proved that
Short-horns would thrive in the South of Scotland.
Indeed, they had been successfully transplanted
early in the century from the Valley of the Tees
across the border into the district lying between the
Eiver Tweed and the Firth of Forth. Robertson of
Ladykirk and Eennie of Phantassie were the pio-
neers in this forward movement toward the North;
and after the introduction of Short-horn bulls had
aroused the spirit of improvement among the farm-
ers of the higher latitude the blood of these earliest
Scottish herds became an important element in the
evolution of the Aberdeenshire type.
Robertson of Ladykirk. — Residing near Cold-
stream, Berwickshire, close by the placid waters of
the Tweed, Robertson of Ladykirk, Scotland's first
breeder of Short-horn cattle, acquired an early fa-
miliarity with the merits of the original Short-horn
stock of Northumberland and Durham. A contem-
porary of the CoUings, Mason, Grey of Dilston, Bates
522 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
and Thomas Booth he had ample opportunities for
making a thorough study of the breed while still in
its infancy. Quick to adopt practical ideas into his
own farming operations he resolved to transfer to
Scottish territory some of the best of the Ketton and
Barmpton blood. Cows and lieifers of the most ap-
proved Teeswater type were selected mainly on their
merits as individuals and crossed by herd-book bulls
of Colling and kindred breeding. The canny Scot,
however, was opposed to the whole scheme of pedi-
gree registration. Geo. Coates and his saddlebags
found no welcome at Ladjdvirk. Robertson held that
the attempt to limit the choice of cattle reared for
practical farai purposes to such as might chance to
be bred within herd-book lines constituted an unrea-
sonable check upon freedom of individual judgment
and would prove a bar to real progress. Fortu-
nately for the breed Jonas Whitaker and others saw
the wisdom of providing a foundation for the future
by recording the lineage of the first of the "im-
proved" Short-horns. Although registration went
steadily on in England the Berwickshire breeders'
patronage was stubbornly withheld. It transpires,
therefore, that the breeding of the Ladykirk cows,
although well known to their owner, was never put
on record and those who started from this essentially
sound and substantial stock of Short-horns were
unable to trace their pedigrees to their actual Eng-
lish origin. That the herd was well bred has never
been questioned. That it attained a high standard
C
Scotland's searching test 523
of excellence is borne out by all the early chronicles
of Tweedside agriculture. That it furnished the
foundation for many a fine family of cattle in the
North is one of the primary propositions of Scotch
Short-horn history.
Rennie of Phantassie. — The colors of the "red,
white and roan" were carried from Tweedside to
the Forth by John Rennie of the farm of Phantassie,
in the County of Haddington (East Lothian). His
father, George Rennie, had been one of the most
active promoters of agricultural improvement in his
day; having been sent when a mere lad into the
Tweedside country to study the farming of that dis-
trict, where such men as Lord Kames, Renton of
Lamberton, Hume of Ninewells, Fordyce of Ayton,
and others had begun extensive improvements upon
their estates. The knowledge thus gained by ob-
servation was afterward turned to good account at
Phantassie. A man of fine business ability and
sound judgment, Rennie rose to great eminence as
a breeder and feeder of fine Short-horns in a region
already famous for the skill of its farmers.* He
bought from Robertson of Ladykirk, with whom he
was on terms of intimate friendship, and also drew
upon the herds of the first English improvers of the
breed.
Rennie agreed with Robertson in reference to the
then newly-established Short-horn Herd Book of
England and also refused to record his cattle in it,
•The farming of the Lothlans Is to this day a source of National
pride in Scotland.
524 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
but the perfection to wliich lie brought his herd is
attested by references made to his stock by Youatt,
McCombie and other authorities. The Northern
farmers who bought cattle from these Southern
herds were in quest of a profitable feeding type
rather than particular blood-lines. They knew little
and probably cared less about the disputes as to the
relative values of different strains as carried on by
their English brethren. Indeed, those who owned
animals tracing descent from these two primal Scot-
tish herds were quite content to rest the pedigrees
at the base upon the substantial names and character
of "Rennie of Phantassie" or "Robertson of Lady-
kirk." An abrupt termination this, one might say,
and yet to those who drew material from those
sources it meant a foundation in genuine Short-horn
merit as firm as the granite hills of their native land.
Rennie has the honor of having supplied the first
Short-horn bull ever taken into the territory North
of the River Dee, reference to which will be made
further on.*
*"We have been honored with a letter from Mr. John Rennie on the
subject of his stock from which we make the following extract, con-
firmatory of Mr. Brown's account, and which, in justice to so enter-
prising and skillful a breeder as Mr. Rennie, should be placed upon
record: 'The principal breed (he means among the few who have di-
rected their attention to the breeding of cattle) is Short-horns, or Tees-
waters, which were introduced by myself, having selected them from
Mr. Robertson of Ladykirk, who, I have no hesitation in saying, had
some of the best Short-horns in the kingdom. I also had two or three
bulls of the best blood from the County of Durham. I had three or
four large sales of stock which were attended by some of the most
celebrated breeders in England and Scotland. Bulls were bought at
from £50 to £120 each to-go 200 miles north and above 300 miles south.'
"Mr. Brown of Drylaw Hill, to whom we are indebted for some pre-
YJQUs remarks, Informs us that about the years 1818 and 1819 the Short-
Scotland's searching test 525
Barclay of Ury. — The father of Short-horn breed-
ing in the North was one of the best known char-
acters of his day and generation — Capt. Barclay of
Ury. Descended from an old Kincardineshire fam-
ily, distinguished for great physical strength, a sol-
dier by profession and a sportsman by instinct, he
developed a fondness for farming, which resulted in
his founding a herd of Short-horns about the date
of Mason's sale, from which those who afterwards
engaged in the trade drew many of their most valu-
able foundation animals. Notwithstanding his suc-
cess and reputation as the introducer of the Short-
horn in North Scotland it is an open question as to
whether or not his fame in other directions was not
even greater than his celebrity as a cattle-breeder.
An athlete himself, Barclay was passionately fond of
all foiTQs of out-of-door sport. It is said that he
once walked 1,000 miles in 1,000 hours on a wager.
He was financially interested in the operation of the
mail coaches of East Scotland, and one of these,
horned or Teeswater breed of the best and purest sort was introduced
into the county principally from the stock of the late :Mr. Robertson of
Ladykirk and which were descended in a direct line from those of
Messrs. Colling of Darlington. Others were likewise brought from some
of the most celebrated stocks in the North of England. For this he says
the county was indebted to Mr. John Rennie, son of Mrs. George Rennie.
The produce of his stock is now spread over the county, and as a proof
of its merits a bullock bred by Mr. Rennie and fed by Mr. Boyne
of Woodhall received the second prize at the Smithfield Cattle Show
in 1831.
"Mr. Rennie obtained many prizes from the Highland and his own
~ district society. He has had many beasts that weighed from eighty to
one hundred stone (imperial weight) when at two and a half or three
years old ; and he once sold eighteen steers at two and a half years
old which weighed from eighty -five to one hundred stone and for which
he received £33 per head." — Yoiiatt on Cattle, page J'/S.
526 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
notably the famous "Defiance," was one of the noted
outfits of its time.* He had a very celebrated breed
of game fowls, and was a devoted patron of the cock-
pit and the prize-ring. Fond of arranging fistic en-
counters between the expert boxers of that period
he often served in the capacity of "trainer" as well
as backer. Good dogs and the "mimic warfare of
the chase" also claimed his attention. Indeed for
more than a generation the exploits of Barclay of
Ury, by flood and field, furnished the theme for many
a "rattling" story told at officers' "mess" or way-
side inn.
Barclay had inherited from his father the estate
of Ury on the banks of the River Cowie, hard by the
seaport of Stonehaven. At large expense of time
and labor, by the liberal use of lime and by the
importation of skilled plowmen and improved imple-
ments from Norfolk, the elder Barclay had secured
fair grass and had successfully introduced the cul-
ture of turnips. The Captain was on terms of inti-
mate friendship with Wetherell and had many inter-
esting "sessions" with Watson and McCombie, the
great improvers of the Aberdeen-Angus polls. His
first great success with Short-horns followed his pur-
chase of the best cow sold at the dispersion sale of
Mason of Chilton — the beautiful roan Lady Sarah
•Barclay once drove the "Defiance" through on a wager of £1,000
from London to Aberdeen without leaving the box. It is said that on
this trip the coach was "horsed" at two stages by Thoroughbreds as
leaders that had never been in harness before. On arriving at Aber-
deen a friend remarked, "Captain, you must be tired." Barclay replied,
"I have £1,000 that says I can drive back to London again starting in
the morn."
Scotland's searching test 527
at 150 guineas. She was a daughter of the massive
roan cow Portia, illustrated in the first volume of
Coates' Herd Book. At Ury she proved prolific,
producing the bulls Monarch (4495), Mahomed
(6170), Pedestrian (7321), Sovereign (7539), and
the three heifers, Julia, Cecily and Helen. Barclay
was familiar with the Bakewell scheme of the Col-
lings, Bates and the elder Booth, and produced the
valuable roan bull Mahomed, above mentioned, by
breeding Monarch back to his own dam, Lady Sarah.
Mahomed was sold as a calf, but, developing into a
capital bull, was bought back in 1839. He appears
to have been used in the herd until 1841, and sired
among other valuable animals The Pacha (7612),
the progenitor of many animals afterward distin-
guished in Scotch Short-horn history. Lady Sarah's
daughters Cecily and Helen were sold to Mr. Pollock
of County Meath, Ireland, along with their produce,
and their descendants were afterward to be seen in
the noted Booth-bred herd of Barnes of Westland.
Besides Mahomed Monarch sired the successful
stock bull Billy (3151), that was sold as a calf to
Hutcheson of Monyruy, who afterward parted with
him at a high price to Boswell of Kingcausie. He
was winner of the Highland Society's prize in 1840
and his heifers gave rise to many valuable Scottish
tribes. He was the sire of the cow Clipper, the
matron of the famous Cruickshank bull-breeding
tribe bearing her name. Billy (3151), The Pacha
(7612), Conqueror (6884), and Premier (6308), all
528 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
bred by Barclay, were used in founding the Cruick-
sliank herd.*
The Ury cattle of this date are said to have pos-
sessed great scale and substance. In 1838 the orig-
inal herd, which owed its excellence very largely to
Lady Sarah, was dispersed in order, it is said, to
replenish the Captain's purse. The bull Mahomed
seems, however, to have been retained at Ury. The
best lots in this sale were the get of Monarch (4495),
three of whose daughters made over £100 each.
About eighty head were sold for a total of £3,000.
Lady Sarah at thirteen years old was sold to Mr.
Wetherell at 40 guineas. It has been asserted that
she afterward became the property of Hugh Watson,
in which case she would be entitled to credit in con-
nection with the birth of the Aberdeen-Angus breed
as well as furnishing the foundation of the Aber-
deenshire Short-horns. Speaking of this remarkable
cow the late Amos Cruickshank once said: '^I ques-
tion if ever there was a better breed of Short-horns
either in England, Scotland or anywhere else than
the Lady Sarah tribe."
About 1840 Barclay began another herd with Ma-
homed at the head. He bought ten females at a sale
made by Hon. J. B. Simpson of Babworth, in Not-
* Messrs. Cruickshank had in their herd at Sittyton at one time
sixty females descended from cows sired by Billy (3151). In color
he was a light i-oan, almost white, with broad forehead, eyes prominent
and mild, horns very short and pointing toward his ears, carcass lengthy
and deep, on short legs. He had also a very fine disposition. At eight
years old his live weight was 2,500 lbs., and his girth around the heart
eight feet four inches. He was very heavy in front, but not so neat
and good in his hindquarters. This description was given by Mr. T. F.
Jamieson of Ellon. Aberdeenshire, in the London (Eng. ) Livestock
Jo^nnal for May 26, 1893.
Scotland's searchixg test 529
tinghamshire, and Wetherell purchased some heifers
and calves for him from Burrows of Carleton Hall,
near Carlisle. It is stated that probably the best
cow in this second herd was Julia, a roan that car-
ried more or less Booth blood and was sired by
Paganini (2405). She became the dam of two bulls
afterward extensively used at Ury — Pacha (7612)
and The Duke (7593). Paganini was full of Col.
Cradock's blood. The 2d Duke of Northumberland
(3646) was hired for service from Mr. Bates in 1842,
but after serving a year at Ury was transferred to
Mr. Grant Duff's herd at Eden, where he remained
two years and got one very good bull called Dupli-
cate Duke (6952). The Duchess bull nevertheless
did not leave a very good reputation in the North.
Duke (7953) was another of his sons, which, along
with The Pacha, did most of the work in the herd
during the remainder of its existence.
The final dispersion occurred Sept. 22, 1847, with
"Wetherell as auctioneer. There were about ninety
of the Ury cattle at that date, but prices were not so
good as at the previous sale. Probably the quality
was not equal to the original Lady Sarah lot. Forty-
two cows averaged £34 14s. each, the highest being
Eosamond, by Sultan (5349), which went to Long-
more of Eettie at 73 guineas, and Molly, by The
Pacha, bought by Hay of Shethin for 71 guineas.
Campbell of Kinellar here laid the foundation for his
afterward celebrated herd by the purchase of two
heifers bv The Pacha. The Messrs. Cruickshank of
530 A HISTOEY OF SHOBT-HORN CATTLE
Sittyton were also buyers. The ninety-one animals
fetched an average of £31 Is. each.
Ury was undoubtedly the corner stone of the Scot-
tish Short-horn structure. The bulls from the Bar-
clay herd were used originally to cross upon the
native black cows, and the improvement wrought
was so apparent that probably a majority of the
herds of the district received an infusion of Ury
blood. The result was a demand for Short-horn
bulls that finally turned the attention of such men
as Grant Duff of Eden, Hay of Shethin, the Cruick-
shanks of Sittyton, and many others to the produc-
tion of pure-bred Short-horns.*
Hutcheson of Monyruy. — John Hutcheson, tenant
of the farm of Monyruy, near Peterhead, was the
owner of a large granite quarry that supplied many
of the great blocks for the London docks, and was
also interested in the whale fisheries. He made a
capital start in Short-horn breeding in 1837 by the
purchase of Capt. Barclay's Billy (3151), above men-
tioned, and secured females from B. Wilson of Bra-
with, Fawkes of Farnley Hall, Rennie of Kinbleth-
*McCombie of Tillyfour, who knew Barclay well, says : "Thovigh he
remains without a national acknowledgment of his merits, no man de-
served better of the farmers of Scotland, for he was their firm supporter
through life, in good and bad report. * * « j have been many a
day in company with him and have the most vivid recollection of him
as he examined the stock in a show-yard. * * * He was a claimant
of the Earldom of Monteith. No one would have made any mistake
as to Capt. Barclay being a gentleman, although his dress was plain —
a long green coat with velvet collar, and big yellow buttons ; a colored
handkerchief : long, yellow cashmere vest : knee breeches ; very wide
top-boots, with long brown, dirty tops, and plain black hat, generally
pretty well worn. * * * His horses were the strongest and his
fields the largest in the country. He said, 'He did not like a field in
which the cattle could see one another every clay.' * * * He was
found dead in his bed in 1854 ; and in him the tenant farmers of Scot-
land and the poor of his own neighborhood lost one of their best friends."
Scotland's searching test 531
mont, and others. He also bought in England the
great prize-winning bull Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196),
of Whitaker's breeding. The bull was eight years
old at the time of its purchase in 1845, and, although
he was of massive character and had never been
defeated in the South, long-continued training for
the show-yard proved his ruin, as he died six months
after being taken to Scotland, leaving but two calves,
both heifers. These grew up to be excellent cows,
one of which, Edith Fairfax, was bought by Messrs.
Cruiekshank, leaving some good descendants at Sit-
tyton. The other. White Fairfax, became the ances-
tress of a good family in the herd of James Bruce of
Inverquhomery. Speaking of these Fairfax heifers
Mr. Jamieson, to whom the author is indebted for
many valuable facts in relation to the early Aber-
deenshire herds, says : ' ' Edith Fairfax was out of a
fine breeding cow called Fancy, by Billy (3151),
while White Fairfax's sire and dam were by Billy.
The latter seemed to have put constitution into
everything he got. ' *
In 1847 Hutcheson visited England in company
with Mr. Amos Cruiekshank* and hired from War-
*"Just as the Scotchmen were starting," says Jamieson, "a letter
came from Peterhead saying that Hutclieson's ship, tlae Traveller, had
arrived from Davis Straits with a bumper cargo of oil. He therefore
resolved to set about things in proper style. On reaching Hull a car-
riage was chartered with a pair of spanking horses and the two Aber-
donians drove through the Nortliern counties inspecting the various
herds. Mr. Cruiekshank had set his heart on buying a fine bull called
Fairfax Royal, bred by Torr, and to be sold at an approaching sale at
Walkeringham. Knowing the high spirits of his companion he dreaded
that Hutcheson might take a fancy for the same animal and be an
opponent at the sale, but. as luck would have it. Richard Booth came
on the scene and carried Hutcheson off with him to Warlaby. whfere he
concluded the bargain for Fitz Leonard."
532 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
laby the bull Fitz Leonard (7110) at 80 guineas the
season. He was shipped by steamer to Hull and
walked thirty miles to Monyruy where he was re-
tained two years. Fitz Leonard was described by
Peter Boddie, Hutcheson's herdsman, as a lengthy
enough beast but not very broad ; with shortish legs
and good enough quality. In the language of the
old cowman, "the warst thing aboot him was his
heed." Although he proved something of a disap-
pointment in Scotland, and Amos Cruickshank
averred that he would not have used him at all, yet
on his return to Warlaby Fitz Leonard sired Mr.
Booth's world-famous Crown Prince (10087). The
Hutcheson herd was dispersed in 1852, some of the
best cattle going to Sittyton,
Grant Duff of Eden. — The farm of Eden was a
small estate along the banks of the River Deveron
in Northwestern Aberdeenshire, on the Banffshire
border, and between the years 1839 and 1854 one of
the best of the early Scottish herds was there main-
tained, Mr. Grant, as he was known in his earlier
manhood, had been in the employ of the East India
Co. and had acquired reputation as a man of fine
judgment in that service in Bombay. It was upon
his inheriting the property of Eden that he assumed
the name of Duff. He set about the foiTQation of his
herd with a determination to possess as good cattle
as could be found in all Britain. He visited the
Short-horn breeding districts of England and bought
some of his first cows from Chrisp of Northumber-
Scotland's searching test 533
land. From Mr. Crofton he bought the bull The Peer
(5455). Heifers were obtained from the Earl of Car-
lisle and Benjamin Wilson of Brawith. On one of
his English visits he met Thomas Bates, who suc-
ceeded in inoculating him with somewhat of his own
enthusiasm for his pet strains. The result was the
purchase of the bull Holkar (4041), sired by Belve-
dere and out of a cow having two crosses of 2d Hub-
back. He was a good individual, four years old,
deep red in color, with a few white patches, and was
taken to Eden in May, 1840, at a cost of £162. Unfor-
tunately he remained useful but a short time. A
few years later the 2d Duke of Northumberland
(3646), that had been on hire at Capt. Barclay's, was
leased for service. He was not as good a bull as
Holkar, being harsh in his hair and possessed of a
vicious disposition, as well as a dark nose, but re-
mained at Eden two seasons nevertheless and sired
some good stock, including the two bulls Duplicate
Duke (6962) and Dannecker (7949), the latter sold
to Longmore of Rettie.
The show-yard victories of the Booths had by this
time begun to interest the North, and an agent was
dispatched to Warlaby for a bull. It is stated that
he was offered the use of Buckingham (3239), then
five years of age; but as that great sire was never
an impressive animal individually the proposition
was not accepted, and Duff's deputy proceeded to
Kirklevington, where he hired Duke of Richmond
(7996), sired by 2d Cleveland Lad (3408) out of
534 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOE.X CATTLE
Duchess oOtli. This bull was followed by two others
of Bates blood— Young 4th Duke (9037) and 11th
Duke of York (11399); both bred by G. D. Trotter,
near Darlington. AVhile it thus appears that the
majority of the Eden bulls were of Bates origin,
there was another sire, introduced from the herd of
Wilson of Brawith, that proved perhaps a better
stock-getter than any of them save Holkar. This
was Robin o' Day (4973), sired by Mr. Wiley's Car-
case (3285).
Brawith Bud. — The best cow ever introduced into
the herd and one of the most valuable ever taken
into Scotland was the red-and-white Brawith Bud —
the highest-priced animal at the Brawith sale of
1841, the opposing bidders being John Booth of Kil-
lerby and Mr. Maynard — two of England's best
judges. Grant Duff was one of the first breeders to
publish a private catalogue with foot-notes, and in
one of these is found the following: "Although
Brawith Bud was as well recollected in this district
(Banff) as any cow that ever was imported yet, as
this is intended as a record, it may be as well to re-
peat that she was bred with great care and highly
prized by the late Peter Consett of Brawith and left
by him in special legacy to his near relative, Benja-
min Wilson, who never intended to sell her. She cost
Mr. Grant Duff £178 19s., and paid him several hun-
dred per cent. She was a useful cow until eighteen
years of age and her sire was a good bull when eight-
een years old." This remarkable cow had been bred
Scotland's searching test. 535
from a line of bulls belonging mainly to Charles
Colling 's Old Cherry tribe, receiving also a bit of
Booth through her dam's sire, Young Jerry (8177).
She was to Eden what Lady Sarah had been to Ury,
her descendants proving the best cattle in the herd.
Two of them, the heifers Second Mint and Pure Gold,
went into the Cruickshank herd, where they gave
rise to one of the best Sittyton families.
Numerous public sales were held from the herd at
different times, so that the Eden stock became well
distributed throughout the Northern counties. In
1854 the entire herd was disposed of at auction,* the
sale being in charge of Mr. Strafford, at that time
editor of Coates' Herd Book and the leading auc-
tioneer of Great Britain. No better evidence of the
quality of the herd is required than is furnished by
the fact that among those who attended and pur-
chased were Messrs. Cruickshank, Torr, Tanqueray,
Long-more and others prominent in the trade. The
top price was 100 guineas, paid by Tanqueray for a
*Kothwithstanding the fact that 23 Duke of Northumberland did not
make a particulariv favorable impression in the North, it is apparent
that Grant Duff believed that the Kirklevington blood would prove of
value At the conclusion of his last annual catalogue, issued (Decem-
ber, 1853) before his dispersion, we find the following:
"The sale of the late Earl Ducie, in Gloucestershire, has stamped a
value on Mr. Bates' blood, such as Mr. B. frequently foretold. The
above animals, with verv few exceptions, have all more or less Kirklev-
ington blood, which, fortunately, had been already partially infused
into the stock of this district before the value in England exceeded all
ordinary competition.
"All the animals included in the above list, with the exception of two
cows (Star Pagoda and Manganese) and one bull not yet selected, are
intended to be included in the displenish sale at Mains of Eden, on
"^Vednesdav, 24th Mav, 1854, when their present owner must cease to
share in forwarding that important branch of rural economy, namely the
rearing of the best kinds of stock, but he trusts a fair and generous
rivalrv mav prolong and far excel our present progress in the im-
provement of domestic animals, which it has been his endeavor to aid
and stimulate."
536 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
daughter of Brawith Bud. Amos Cruickshank took
Pure Gold at 91 guineas, and other lots commanded
up to 90 guineas and 95 guineas.
Simpson and Buchan Hero. — Mr. Ferguson Simp-
son, tenant of the farm of Mains of Pitfour, bred a
good herd of Short-horns from 1835 to 1846. His
chief claim to distinction rests upon his production
of the celebrated show bull Buchan Hero (3238),
winner of the Highland Society's £100 prize at Ber-
wick-on-Tweed in 1841 as the best bull of any age,
competition open to all Britain.* He was a massive,
deep-bodied, short-legged roan, with a beautiful
coat, and was bought at Berwick by Jonas Whitaker,
afterward passing into the possession of Sir Charles
Tempest at 350 guineas. A yearling bull sired by
him brought 200 guineas. The dam of Buchan Hero,
a cow called Young Broadhooks, produced a heifer,
Eliza, that was bought for Sittyton, and from her
the champion show bull New Year's Gift (57796),
bred by Lord Lovat and sold to the Queen of Eng-
land, was descended. Indeed it is said that this
noted prize-winner resembled in essential character-
istics old Buchan Hero himself.
Hay of Shethin. — One of the most substantial
characters among all those who early gave their
*"The Druid" in his delig-htful reminiscences of Scottish flocks and
herds, published under the title of "Field and Fern," speaking of Buchan
Hero's victory at Berwick says : "One of his greatest admirers who
had his eye to a 'crack' in the palings on that memorable day thus de-
scribes the contest. 'I lookit, and they drew them, and they sent a vast
o' them back. Again I lookit, and still the Buchan Hero stood at the
heed. They had nae doot of him then. A Yorksliireman was varra
fond of him. And he wan ; and Simpson selt him to Sir Charles Temp-
est for 200. It was a prood day, that, for Aberdeenshire and Mr.
Simpson.' "
Scotland's searching test. 537
attention to Sliort-liorn breeding in the North was
William Hay, tenant of Shethin, one of the many
good farms on the extensive estates of the Earl of
Aberdeen, situated in the valley of the Ythan, near
Tarves, and not far removed from Collynie, Upper-
mill, Tillycairn, and others since made famous by
Duthie and Marr. Before taking up with pedigreed
cattle Hay was one of the leading graziers and feed-
ers of this district and is credited with having been
the first to ship bullocks by rail from Aberdeen to
the London market. McCombie says that the bull
Jerry that was brought to Shethin from Eennie of
Phantassie in 1828 by Alexander Hay, a brother of
William's, was the first Short-horn that ever crossed
the River Dee. This primal bull was white and was
both long-lived and prolific, leaving a deep impres-
sion on the native black polls of the district.
Hay began his Short-horn breeding operations by
purchases from Barclay of Ury. Two of his best
cows, Molly and Clara 2d — both by The Pacha —
were bought at the Ury sale of 1847. From Molly
came the family of Mysies. The cow Vesta, bred by
Robert Smith of Burley, became the ancestress of the
Venuses and Princess Royals, both of which have
since become prime favorites with the admirers of
Scotch Short-horns, but probably the best cow
obtained in England was Marion, from the herd of
Mr. Lovell, selected for Mr. Hay by one of the lead-
ing cattle salesmen of London. She produced the
good stock bull Kelly 2d (9265), besides becoming
538 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
the fountain head of a fine family of cows known as
the Lovelys, afterward celebrated in the hands of Mr.
Cruickshank, producing at Sittyton the prize bull
Scotland's Pride (25100), Lord Lancaster (26666)
and Lord Lansdowne (29128). Another tribute to
the remarkable breeding qualities of Simpson's
Young Broadhooks was to be seen at Shethin in the
shape of the splendid cow Scotland's Queen, de-
scended direct from the dam of Buchan Hero.
For a number of years home-bred bulls were used,
no less than five of which descended in a direct male
line from the bull Billy (8888) of the Ury stock,
fresh blood being brought in each time through the
dams. Some service was also had from the good
bull Robin o' Day (4973) of Brawith breeding. Mr.
Hay had brought his herd to a rare state of excel-
lence by 1850. There was no better in all Scotland.
In that year, along with the brothers Cruickshank,
he attended the Bates dispersion where he pur-
chased, besides Waterloo 13th, the Duchess bull
Grand Duke (10284) at 205 guineas, the highest-
priced lot of the day. It is related that before the
sale began the Messrs. Cruickshank had discussed
with Mr. Hay the idea of a joint purchase of the 4th
Duke of York, which Mr. Amos Cruickshank thought
much the best bull of the sale. Earl Ducie's opening
bid of 200 guineas for that bull, however, scattered
all opposition at the start; so that the project of
taking the bull to Scotland fell through with at once.
Grand Duke was a bull with rather more length, both
Scotland's searching test. 539
of body and leg, t-liaii the Scotch breeders desired,
but was used two years by Mr. Hay as an experiment.
It was thought that he made no improvement in the
herd, and he was sold to S. E. Bolden of England at
the original purchase price. In Bolden 's herd he
proved more successful and was ultimately sold to
America at $5,000. The Booth bull Bed Knight
(11967), from Killerby, was next in line. He had
been first as a two-year-old at the English Eoyal of
1852, and headed the aged bulls at Aberdeen in 1852.
He was a compact, thick-set, short-legged, well-
fleshed bull, and in 1856 was sent to the Paris Expo-
sition. On the return trip he contracted foot-and-
mouth disease and was slaughtered in London.
Mr. Hay's death occurred in 1854 and his herd
passed into the possession of his son-in-law, Mr.
Shepherd, who, in 1856, bought the bull Bosquet
(14183), of Sir Charles Knightley's breeding, and in
1858 Cherry Duke 2d (14265) from Mr. Bolden. The
latter made a great record at the great Northern
shows 1859-1861, but was not specially satisfactory
as a sire. In fact, it has usually been claimed that
the Shethin cattle were better before the Bates,
Booth or Knightley bloods were introduced. The
herd was' dispersed in 1863, at which time it aggre-
gated 134 head, including sixteen Mysies, ten Love-
lys and nine Waterloos, besides a lot of Claras, Rose-
marys, etc. The event occurred "Wednesday, July
29, Mr. Strafford presiding. Messrs. Cruickshank
bought the eleven-year-old red Mysie at 50 guineas,
540 A HISTOKY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Mysie 26th at 21 guineas, Princess Eoyal 5tli at 46
guineas and Lovely 8tli at 41 guineas. Mr. Marr of
Uppermill bought Princess Royal 6th for 24 guineas.
William Duthie bought a pair of Wanton heifers at
17 and 20 guineas. The Duke of Richmond made a
number of purchases and one of the Waterloos was
bought by Col. Pennant of Penrhyn Castle, Wales,
at 51 guineas. The highest price was 64 guineas,
given by Mr. Wilson of Brayton for the heifer
Waterloo 21st.
^•'^I&vv,
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON.
CHAPTER XIX
AIMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON
To Ketton, Kirklevington, Killerby and Aylesby
Ave have now to add the name of Sittyton. Mr.
Bates, the elder Booth and AVilliam Torr did not
survive to witness the crowning show-yard and sale-
ring triumphs of their favorites. Amos Cruick-
shank, ' ' the herdsman of Aberdeenshire, ' ' more for-
tunate in that respect than the great English breed-
builders, lived to receive recognition both at home
and abroad as one of the few great constructive
breeders of Short-horn history. An inspiring story
this of Sittyton. Not a legend of Aladdin and his
lamp, but a plain, unvarnished tale of patient, per-
sistent, unfaltering pursuit of an idea followed over
all obstacles to the goal of final and complete success.
Born in 1808 and reared in the County of Aber-
deen, entering the ranks of the tenant-farmers of the
district at the period of greatest activity and prog-
ress in the development of the modern agriculture
of the North ; engaging in the very thick of the fight
for leadership in the work of evolving a type of
cattle suited to the exacting requirements of his
native heath; competing with a class of farmers
probably unmatched in all the world in respect to
the intelligence and skill with which they manage
their lands and live stock; leaving- all beaten tracks
541
542 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
and marking out a distinctive policy of his own;
loyally supported in bis task by bis enterprising
brotber-partner, tbe life and work of Amos Cruick-
sbank looms up above all contemporary effort in tbe
Nortb of Scotland even as Ben Nevis dominates in
majesty tbe mountain wilderness of tbe West.
A new type sought. — Amos Cruicksbank was a
man with a well-defined pui-pose. Firm as a rock in
his convictions, steadfast to tbe end in maintaining
bis views, he recognized no test of value in cattle
save that of demonstrated ability to turn straw, tur-
nips and "cake" into pounds, shillings and pence at
a profit. Beauty was to bis severely practical eye
but skin-deep at best. Of itself it paid no rent. He
never allowed himself, therefore, in making bis selec-
tions of breeding stock to lose his heart or head to
any beast, be it ever so "bonny," if it had only
graceful outlines or mere "sweetness" of character
to recommend it.
The Cruicksbank creed demanded first of all "a
good middle." The signs of constitution and diges-
tive capacity in cattle present their most visible
manifestations in tbe body rather than in tbe ex-
tremities. Vitality and feeding quality were with
Amos Cruicksbank considerations paramount. A
broad, full chest, wide back and deep ribs were bis
all-in-all. Tbe head had attention only as it gave
some token as to tbe vigor or probable capacity of
tbe animal for feed-lot or reproductive purposes.
The inimp carried cheap meat and was, in his view,
AMOS CRUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 543
of wholly secondary importance. Level quarters and
fine fronts lie fully appreciated, but if the ' ' middle ' '
was weak the fault with him was fatal. While not
opposed to "finish," and fully sensible of the value
of "style," he took the ground that, from the ten-
ant-farmer's viewpoint, if other and more vital qual-
ifications were wanting the Short-horn could not
hope to withstand the ordeals of the climate of North
Scotland or satisfy the close calculations of feeders
who wrested their forage from an unwilling soil.
As for pedigree he had originally imbibed some-
thing of the same contempt felt by Rennie of Phan-
tassie and Robertson of Ladykirk. When in quest
of stock to suit his purpose his mind was an open
book so far as the great rival strains of blood were
concerned. The names of Bates, Booth, Towneley,
or Torr moved him to no expression of mere senti-
mental regard for the stock of the English leaders.
He listened with comparative indifference to the
story of the Duchesses and viewed with equanimity
the rising reputation of Warlaby. Cool and calcu-
lating, deliberate always, never carried off his feet
by the currents of fashion that whirled round about
the Short-horn breeders of his time, it was with him
always and forever a question only of ' ' what is best
for our country, our agriculture, our people?" And
so he started out on the indifferent soil of Sittyton
of Straloch to rear a class of cattle that should meet
the Scottish want. Untrammeled by prejudice, un-
moved by the gongs and cymbals of those who were
544 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
attracting the attention of the majority of his con-
temporaries, this silent man of destiny, keeping his
own counsel, reserved and retiring beyond all his col-
leagues; honest, faithful, upright and inflexible in his
service in behalf of Northern agriculture, pursued
the even tenor of his way, often discouraged but
never despairing, seeking in every nook and corner
of the United Kingdom for material likely to aid in
developing his herd ; testing first one blood and then
another, until finally a blade was found that cut the
Gordian knot for him and Scotland.
While the Sittyton herd was progressing to its
apotheosis it had the service of a succession of dis-
tinguished sires and show bulls. It has been said that
Mr. Cruickshank did not participate in the "wild
hurrah" for "fashionable" blood, because of the
proverbial Scottish prudence; that is to say because
he was not enterprising enough to relax the partner-
ship purse strings for the purpose of securing speci-
mens of the prevailing popular sorts. This is alto-
gether lacking in truth. For years the breeding
farms and National show-yards of England, Scotland
and Ireland were visited in quest of such material as
approximated the Sittyton ideal. There was nothing
niggardly in a policy that dictated the payment of
$2,000 for individual bulls and nothing narrow in the
plans that finally brought the herd to a total of over
300 head of registered cattle — the largest in all
Britain.
The brothers Cruickshank. — Amos and Anthony
AMOS CEUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 545
Cruickshank, who were jointly interested in the
breeding operations carried on at Sittyton, were
born and reared on a farm near the little village of
Inverurie, some fifteen miles northwest of the Aber-
donian capital. Amos, retiring by nature and pre-
ferring the peace and quiet of rural scenes to the
bustle of shops and streets, devoted his attention
wholly to agricultural pursuits. Anthony decided to
engage in trade at Aberdeen, where he succeeded in
establishing a good business and subsequently ac-
quired local prominence in commercial and banking
circles. He was a man of great energy and public
spirit, and while the credit for the development of
the Sittyton Short-horns must be rested primarily
upon the sound judgment and practical sense of
Amos, still it must not be forgotten that it was
largely through the determination of Anthony that
such vigorous and persistent efforts were made for
so many years in the matter of foundation stock. It
was in a little back room at Anthony Cruickshank 's
place of business in the city of Aberdeen that the
idea of the Eoyal Northern Show was first con-
ceived. Barclay of Ury, Grant Duff and other kin-
dred spirits were called in conference and the result
of their deliberations was the establishment of that
afterward useful agricultural show association. The
Sittyton Short-horns were for a long series of years
exhibited at the leading Scottish National and local
shows, winning their way to great public favor and
general patronage.
546 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Anthony with his commercial instincts was
anxious to secure a reputation for the partnership
herd. He favored all schemes looking toward the
bringing of the Sittyton Short-horns prominently
before the public. He served, therefore, as an
efficient ' ' promoter. ' ' Amos soon developed a genius
for practical cattle-breeding. Quick to detect faults
he never allowed an unsatisfactory sire to remain
long in the herd no matter at what cost a bull might
have been placed in service. Philosophical always
he remarked after having lost the $2,000 purchase,
Master Butterfly 2d, shortly after his arrival at Sit-
tyton: "It is the best thing that could have hap-
pened, for he would only have done mischief in the
herd. He hasn't died a day too soon." He was not
the man to "enthuse" over any beast, no matter how
great its reputation or its cost, unless he thought he
could see some indications that it would prove useful
in developing the type of cattle sought. The broth-
ers therefore proved each useful to the other. To-
gether they gave the world one of its greatest and
most valuable herds.*
Anthony Cruick shank died in 1879 at the age of
*"The two brothers made an excellent combination, but in some ways
were very unlike. Anthony was the keener, brighter, more intellectual
spirit of the two. He had a fine rich voice and dark bright eyes, the
sparkle of which denoted a high degree of intelligence. Amos was
stouter built, of a quieter and more phlegmatic type. The one was
always ready to converse : the other was of the silent sort. No inter-
viewer or newspaper correspondent could make anything of Amos ; even
the genial 'Druid' failed to draw him. Anthony would discuss the
merits of an animal in detail, be it Short-horn or Clydesdale, and give
a reason for the faith that was in him ; but it required almost a surgical
operation to get anv deliverance on the subject from Amos. 'A good
beast' or 'Not a good beast' was about all you might expect. Anthony
attended to the herd-book entries, the advertising and cataloguing of
the stock, and, I believe, named all the animals, but the practical man-
AMOS CRUICKSHAN^K OF SITTYTON 547
sixty-six years. Amos lived to be eighty-seven years
of age, passing from the scene of his long and useful
life at Sittyton May 27, 1895, the herd having been
closed out at private sale as an entirety in 1889.
Like many other of the most noted Short-honi breed-
ers of the century he never married. He was wedded
only to the herd that received for such an extended
period his most earnest thought and devoted atten-
tion. A devout Quaker he carried into his daily life
agement of the farms and herd devolved, of course, on his brother. In
their numerous pui-chases of stock Anthony looked much to show-yard
reputation and pedigree. Amos almost entirely to the personal appear-
ance of the animal itself, and he had his own notions of what consti-
tuted a good sort. 'I had often great battles,' he told me, 'with Anthony
about the bulls we were to use. A vast deal of money was spent in
the purchase of animals that did no good whatever.' Amos did not
bother much with the herd book, and I am told could seldom be got to
look at it. In this respect, 1 believe, he resembled Richard Booth, AVil-
kinson of Lenton and many other noted breeders. His brother's object
in a large measure was to make the undertaking a commercial success.
He studied what would attract and please his customers. Amos, on the
other hand, had the eye of a breeder and strove to get his animals of
the type that pleased himself. He seemed to have an intuitive knowl-
edge of what constituted a good beast and the development of that
which is known as the Cruickshank type of Short-horn I believe to have
been almost entirely due to Amos.
"His success as a breeder was no doubt due to the patient, persever-
ing nature of the man, his innate turn for the pursuit, and also, per-
haps, in some degree to the fact that he was totally devoid of any senti-
mental notions about 'blood' and pedigree. He looked at the animal
squarely as it stood before him ; if it did not come up to his standard it
mattered not what the pedigree was or who the breeder. I remember
visiting him on one occasion shortly after the arrival of some cows
from a distant herd, which had been taken in exchange for an equal
number from Sittyton. They had splendid pedigrees of great length,
with Roan Duchesses and I know not what, all running back to Fred-
erick, Belvedere and many a far-famed sire, but they lacked the sub-
stance, flesh and hair which Amos loved. As he pointed them out he
could not conceal his dissatisfaction. Not one of them would please
him. I ventured to remark that some of them looked to be milky, 'They
may have some milk,' said he, gloomily, 'but that is about the only
good thing about them.' Long experience and observation had made
him a very thorough judge. For half a century he had watched over
a herd of Short-horns which for many years was the largest in the
kingdom, and which sent out animals that have made the fortunes of
many other herds, not only in this country but in other lands. He en-
joyed a long, healthy life, due partly to his good constitution and also
to his regular, temperate habits. Notwithstanding his great age his
mind remained wonderfully clear to the very last. He was a type of
character rarely met with nowadays ; so free from all vanitv, affecta-
tion and humbug, so unpretending, simple and true. As some one well
said, 'There was only one Amos Cruickshank and he is gone.' " — T. F.
Jamieson in London (Eng.) Livestock Journal.
548 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN" CATTLE
tlie simple, upright, kindly teacliings of his faith. It
is indeed not recorded that he ever spoke ill of any
man. Given little to speech it was with difficulty
that even his best friends could draw him out. The
house in which he lived and died at Sittyton was a
modest one, as befitted the character of its tenant.
He was very fond of his shrubbery, vines and flow-
ers, and here, far removed from "the madding
crowd," he worked out in his own original way the
great problem that confronted the cattle-growers of
his time in the North of Scotland.
The farm of Sittyton. — The farm upon which the
Messrs. Cruickshank began their breeding operations
is situated about twelve miles northwest of the gran-
ite city of Aberdeen. From the roadway leading
to this, the foremost nursery of Scotch-bred Short-
horns, one may catch upon the east glimpses of the
German Ocean and toward the west, when the air is
clear, the outlines of the distant Grampians. It con-
sists of about two hundred and sixty acres, consti-
tuting a part of the estate known as Straloch. It
has no natural advantages adapting it to successful
cattle-breeding from the standpoint of those accus-
tomed to the fertile and well-sheltered farms abound-
ing everywhere in England and America. When
Amos Cruickshank took possession in 1837, at the
age of twenty-nine years, the land was in poor con-
dition and stood greatly in need of buildings, as well
as drainage, but he went to work with a will; the
necessary improvements were provided and an im-
AMOS CRUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 549
mediate start was made with Short-liorns. Some ten
years later the herd had increased to proportions
that made it necessary to take a lease of the neigh-
boring farm of Clyne, rendering about five hundred
acres of land available. This sufficed for a time, but
the breeding oj^erations were carried forward on
such an extensive scale that it was found desirable
to increase the holding still further by leasing
another adjacent tract of about one hundred and
thirt}^ acres, known as Longside. Still their ambi-
tion was unsatisfied, and in 1855 the brothers
obtained control of the fine farm known as Mains of
Udny, some five miles distant, bringing the total
area under their control up to 900 acres. The herd
attained a membership of more than three hundred
head during the period of its greatest expansion,
say between the years of 1860 and 1870, and a lease
of the small tract known locally as Middleton gave
them possession of fully 1,000 acres. About 1873
the lease of Longside terminated and a few years
later that of Mains of Udny, necessitating a large
reduction of the herd. In the latter years of Mr.
Cruickshank's life he was tenant of about 600 acres,
the herd numbering at the time the last complete
catalogue was issued 120 head.
General plan pursued. — Briefly stated, the
methods of the Messrs. Cruickshank did not differ
materially from those of the elder Booth. Bates pro-
ceeded on the theory that a combination of certain
bloods must necessarily produce the type he sought.
550 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOE N^ CATTLE
Thomas Booth and Amos Cruickshank worked for
type alone, utilizing at first any good material at-
tracting their attention and finally ' ' fixing ' ' the de-
sired conformation by resort to in-and-in breeding.
In the purchase of the foundation cows and heifers
for Sittyton choice was usually made of those that
seemed to possess good constitutions and an aptitude
to fatten. If milking qualities were shown that point
was also prized at its full value. Cattle were drawn
from widely separated sources, and while Mr.
Cruickshank endeavored to adhere to one general
ideal as closely as possible, he was unable to collect
a cow herd which in point of uniform excellence
would satisfy his aspirations. Realizing that the
bull was the key to the situation, greater attention
was bestowed upon the selection of sires than upon
choice of females. Beginning with bulls bought
from Capt. Barclay, no stone was left unturned for
a quarter of a century to obtain for service at Sitty-
ton stock bulls of the very highest order of merit.
In the course of that time nearly every leading herd
and every important show-yard in the Kingdom was
visited in quest of sires of the desired type. In this
search no attempt was made at confining selections
to any particular line of blood. It was a question
not of descent but of type.
It was not until after 1860 tliat the policy of
purchasing bulls for service was modified. Up to
that time, notwithstanding the fact that a remark-
able succession of noted bulls had seen service in
AMOS CRUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 551
the herd,* that uniformity in essential characteris-
tics which Mr. Crnickshank so earnestly desired had
not been attained. When, therefore, the get of the
home-bred bull Champion of England (17526) made
their appearance the whole policy vras changed and
a system of inbreeding begun. His stock approached
closely the Sittyton idea of what a North of Scotland
Short-horn ought to be, and for generations after-
ward the best of his sons, grandsons and great-
grandsons were kept in service. From that time
forward improvement in the matter of uniformity
was rapid. Latterly the stock bulls were all bred
upon the farm: the size of the herd and the great
variety of blood represented in it enabling Mr.
Crnickshank to carry on his process of concentration
for many years with little danger of deterioration.
To undertake an enumeration of all the various
purchases made for the herd would be a useless task.
Sittyton was represented for a long series of years
at every auction sale of any consequence in Great
Britain, and many animals from many different
herds and of various lines of breeding were bought.
Some of these srave satisfaction and some did not.
*McCombie in his interesting little volume on "Cattle and Cattle-
Breeders" says : "Foremost among' eminent breeders of Short-horns in
the North at the present time are the Messrs. Cruickshank, Sittyton.
Their fame is European ; they own the largest lierds of Short-horns in
the world. It is only necessary to name Fairfax Royal. Prince Edward
Fairfax, Velvet Jacket, Matadore, Lord Sackville, The Baron by Baron
"Warlaby, IMaster Butterfly 2d, John Bull, Lancaster, Comet, Lord Rag-
lan, Ivanhoe, Lord Garlies. Malachite, "V^'indsor Augustus, Sir James
the Rose and last, though not least. Forth, to show the distinguished
position their herd has taken. Suffice it to say that no other breeder
of Short-horns can claim having owned such an array of flrst-class
bulls."
552 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN" CATTLE
We need allude here only to such as left some Im-
press on the herd.
The first of the Violets. — It was in 1837 that Amos
Cruickshank laid the foundation for the Sittyton
Herd. In that year he made a pilgrimage to the
South in quest of Short-horns, proceeding as far as
the County of Durham, England, With character-
istic caution he returned to the North with but a
solitary heifer as the fruit of his travels. The fol-
lowing year he again visited England and secured
about a dozen heifers. These are said to have been
bought from a Mr. George Williamson of North Lin-
colnshire, and one of them. Moss Rose, became the
maternal ancestress of a family afterward famous
at Sittyton as the Violets. In 184.3 Moss Rose pro-
duced to a service by the Ury bull Inkhorn a dark-
roan heifer that was named Red Rose, that became
the dam of the beautiful cow Carmine Rose, by Fair-
fax Royal, which, bred to the bull Hudson (9228),
dropped China Rose, whence came Roseate, by Mata-
dore, the dam of the great roan Violet, by Lord
Bathhurst (13173). Violet proved an extraordinary
breeder and her name was given to the females trac-
ing descent in their maternal line from her. She
was the dam of the grand cow Village Rose, by
Champion of England; the prize-winning Sweet Vio-
let, by Lord Stanley, and Red Violet, by Allan, and
of the roan stock bull Grand Monarque (21867), by
Champion of England.
Venus tribe. — This sort at Sittyton was originally
AMOS CRUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 553
derived from a red heifer bought at a sale held by
Mr. Eennie of Kinblethmont, Forfarshire, who was
said to have been a brother of Rennie of Phantassie.
This was in 1841. Venus was out of a cow called
Dair5^naid, bred from the stock of Eobertson of
Ladykirk. It is stated that the immediate descend-
ants of Venus were "real good milkers, but rather
rough and bare of flesh." Later on, however, they
acquired the valuable general characteristics of the
best Sittyton stock, those descending through Flora,
by Fairfax Royal, and her granddaughter, Morning-
Star by Champion of England, being perhaps the
most highly prized. The bull Beeswing (12456),
sold to Campbell of Kinellar, was a son of Flora.
The Venus family was retained until the final disper-
sion of the herd.
The family of Mimulus. — A good Short-horn cow
was bought in 1841 from the Rev. Robert Douglas
of the parish of Ellon, not far from Sittyton. The
minister was engaged in fanning and had the repu-
tation of being a first-class judge. The cow in ques-
tion had been bred by John Rennie of Phantassie
from a Ladykirk foundation. At Sittyton she was
bred to Inkhorn and produced the heifer Phantassie,
which in turn left the heifer Maidstone, by Mata-
dore. The latter to a service by Lord Raglan pro-
duced Mistletoe, that was the dam of the extraordi-
nary red cow Mimulus, by Champion of England.
This cow was sold to Hon. John Dryden of Canada,
after having produced at Sittyton the bull calf that
554 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
subsequently developed into the great bull Royal
Duke of Gloster (29864), the sire of such bulls as
Roan Gauntlet (35284), Barmpton (37763), Grand
Vizier (34086) and Privy Seal (50168); and such
cows as Custard, the dam of Cumberland, Souvenir,
Silvia, Lavender 17th, Garnish and Violet Queen.
In Canada Mimulus became the dam of the famous
bull Barmpton Hero that did splendid service up to
the age of fifteen years, contributing many thick-
fleshed, compactly-fashioned cattle of the real Aber-
deenshire type to various American breeding and
show-yard herds. The family of Mimulus was never
numerous at Sittyton and exerted its influence upon
the herd mainly through Royal Duke of Gloster,
Picotee and her progeny. — In 1841 a cow called
Sunflower, descended from Phantassie and Lady-
kirk blood, was bought from James Walker. She
produced two heifers, one of which, Picotee, gave
rise to a numerous and valuable family. Indeed
Picotee herself at ten years of age was one of the
first-prize pair of cows at Aberdeen in 1855. From
her descended Joyful 2d, a first-prize heifer at the
Royal Northern of 1862 ; the handsome red cow Flor-
ence Nightingale, by The Baron; the great roan
Village Belle and the red British Queen, both by
Champion of England.
The Matchless sort. — A heifer called Premium,
sired by George (2057) and in calf to the Bates-bred
Holker (4051), was bought from Grant Duff in 1841.
To the Holker service she produced the heifer
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 555
Matchless, considered one of the best of her day in
the herd and winner of first prize at a Highland
Show at Dundee. She proved the first of a noted
race of cows bearing her name, besides contributing
through her daughter Kindly a. family of "K," of
which Kindness and Kindred were early representa-
tives. This tribe w^as closed out in the reduction of
the herd in 1876.
The Broadhooks.— Eliza, by White Bull (5643), a
heifer that was an own sister to the celebrated Bu-
chan Hero (3238), was bought from Hutcheson of
Monyruy, and produced several good bulls besides
founding an excellent family of cows known as the
Broadhooks that disappeared from the herd about
1870. Eliza went back to the old Ladykirk stock.
This Broadhooks tribe was the same as that con-
tained in the herd of Lord Lovat at Beaufort, that
produced the champion bull New Year's Gift
(57796).
Origin of the Lady tribe. — Always on the lookout
for a good one, Mr. Cruickshank saw and admired
at the Edinburgh Show of 1842 the two-year-old
heifer Amelia, that had succeeded in getting into
the prize-list not only at Edinburgh but at Berwick.
From Amelia came one of the best of the earlier
Cruickshank tribes, known as the ''Ladys. " Writ-
ing of these a correspondent of the Banffshire
Journal in 1864 said: "The most remarkable de-
scendant of Amelia is Grand Lady, out of Lady
Louisa and sired by Lord Sackville (13249). Grand
556 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
Lady is worthy of her name. She is a beautiful roan
and the very perfection of symmetry."
The Nonpareils. — A good red cow, called Nonpa-
reil 3d, came into the herd in 1844 from the stock
of Mr. Cartwright of Lincolnshire. She proved a
fortunate investment and gave rise to the Sittyton
Nonpareils that acquired much celebrity throughout
the Northern Counties. Several of the family were
disposed of at from 100 to 200 guineas each. Non-
pareil 16th of this line was a first-prize heifer at
Aberdeen in 1855. The demand for females of this
sort was extensive. Many were parted with and
some of the Nonpareils proved persistent bull breed-
ers; hence it came about that much to the regret of
the Messrs. Cruickshank the original line disap-
peared from the herd about the year 1864. A few
years later the cow Nonpareil 12th was bought
at Mr. Cartwright 's dispersion sale, but as a
breeder she did not prove as successful as the first
purchase.
Sittyton Butterflys. — Upon the occasion of the dis-
persion of Capt. Barclay's herd at Ury in 1847
Messrs. Cruickshank improved the opportunity for
making additions to their stock. The first bulls
used at Sittyton were of Ury extraction, and a num-
ber of females of Barclay breeding were now se-
cured. Among these were Clara, by Mahomed, and
Strawberry, by 2d Duke of Northumberland. Al-
though it is stated that Strawberry was not so good
an individual as Clara she produced at Sittyton the
AMOS CKUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 557
famous bull Pro Bono Publico, that was sold to
Lord Clancarty and after a noted career as a prize-
taker in Ireland was shown with success at the
Paris Exposition of 1856. Strawberry's daughter
Bounty, by The Pacha, dropped the splendid cow
Buttercup, by Eeport (10704), and she in turn pro-
duced the stock bull Baronet (16614). From her
also was derived a great set of cows known as the
Butterflys, that proved prolific breeders of the right
sort of stock. Indeed Buttercup was called one of
the very finest cows ever seen at Sittyton. She was
a red, with an exceptionally strong back and rib,
and all of her immediate descendants were similarly
distinguished. Butterfly 1st carried the Highland
Society's first prize in 1856, and Butterfly 4th was
first at the Eoyal Northern in 1862. The original
Butterfly, by Matadore, was described as "a deep-
ribbed rather high-standing red cow." She proved
long-lived and produced many calves, among others
two bulls that saw some service in the herd, to-wit.
Lord Byron (24363) and Royal Forth (25022). But-
terfly 9th of this family produced the red bull Bread-
albane (28073), by Champion of England, that was
used for a time by Mr. Cruickshank and imported
into Canada in 1871 by H. Thompson.
The Ury cow Clara, above mentioned, became the
dam of the heifer Barcliana that produced the noted
roan stock bull Lord Sackville (13249). Another
one of the Barclay cows, Emily, left a number of
descendants at Sittyton, one of which, Lucy, by The
558 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Baron, produced the bull Lord Chamberlain used in
the herd in 1864, and also the bull Lord Lyons,
bought by Mr. Marr of Uppermill at the sale of that
year for 76 guineas.
Orange Blossoms. — This tribe, which has to its
credit the highest-priced Cruickshank cow ever sold
in America; to-wit. Orange Blossom 18th at $3,500,
descends from the roan cow Fancy, by Billy (3151),
obtained in 1847 from Hutcheson of Monyruy.
Fancy's dam, Jessie, had been purchased by Hutche-
son from Rennie of Kinblethmont, going back to the
old Ladykirk foundation. Fancy did so well at
Sittyton that her daughter, Edith Fairfax, was also
bought from Hutcheson in 1851. She was one of
the two calves sired by the noted Sir Thomas Fair-
fax (5196), that died at Hutcheson 's. From Edith
Fairfax some splendid Short-horns were bred ^t
Sittyton, among others Queen of Scotland, by Mata-
dore, whose daughter. Queen of the South, was one
of the greatest cows of her day in all Scotland. She
was a roan of splendid flesh and substance, and as a
yearling won first prize at the Royal Northern of
1862, besides the Formartine Society's medal as the
best animal in the yard. From Queen of Scotland
was also bred the original Orange Blossom, by Doc-
tor Buckingham (14405), one of whose daughters,
Orange Blossom 2d, became one of the acknowledged
queens of the herd. From this family also came the
roan Delight, dam of the bull Diphthong, first-prize
winner at Aberdeen in 1862 and 1863 and challenge-
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 559
cup winner at the Royal Northern. From this sort,
also, sprang one of the greatest of all the latter-day
Scottish sires, William of Orange, so celebrated in
the herd of Mr. Marr of Uppermill.
Admah, Kilmeny 3d, ajid Eliza by Brutus.— Cows
introduced into the herd in the early "fifties" that
had descendants upon the farm for many years were
Admah, by Fitz Adolphus Fairfax; Kilmeny 3d, by
Eobin o' Day, and Eliza, by Brutus. The first-
named came from Hutcheson and was out of a cow^
by Richard Booth's Fitz Leonard that had been on
hire two seasons at Monyruy. Her grandam had
been bought from Rennie of Kinblethmont. From
Admah came Aroma, by Matadore, whose daughter
Oakleaf, by The Baron, produced the bull Royal Oak
(22792), by Champion of England, that saw some
service at Sittyton. Kilmeny 3d came from Grant
Duff's, and her descendants were maintained in the
herd for some years. Eliza, by Brutus, a red cow
bought from Mr. Cochrane of Glasgow Forest, ac-
quired distinction as the dam of Emily, by Lord
Sackville, that produced the stock bull Caesar Au-
gustus (25704). Eliza was descended from the stock
of Ben Wilson of Bra with.
Clipper tribe. — By the year 1852 the number of
females a.t Sittyton exceeded 100 head, but still the
quest for good material went on. During that year
there was bought from Mr. Boswell of Kingcausie,
near Aberdeen, two cows that exerted, perhaps, a
greater influence upon the fortunes of the herd than
560 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
any other. These were Verdant and Clipper. The
first named became the grandam of the celebrated
Champion of England and will be referred to further
on in connection with the appearance of that epoch-
making sire.
Clipper, by the Barclay bull Billy (3151), was a
light-roan cow, not very large, "slightly hollow in
the back, but very fleshy and of great substance."
She was seven years old when she came to Sittyton,
and was descended from a sort that had been in Mr.
Boswell's hands for several generations, tracing her
maternal descent from the Chilton herd of Mr, Ma-
son. It is worthy of note that she continued to breed
until fifteen years of age and produced her best
heifer, Cressida, by John Bull (11618), in her four-
teenth year. To tlie cover of The Czar (20947) Cres-
sida produced the good red-and-white cow Carmine,
whose daughters by Champion of England — Princess
Royal and Carmine Eose — proved mines of bovine
wealth. Indeed this pair did much toward convin-
cing Mr. Cruickshank that in Champion of England
he had found the sire he long had sought. Jamieson
of Ellon tells us that in her day Carmine Rose was
considered the best combination of beef and milk in
the entire herd; that "her bag would have excited
the cupidity of a London dairyman," and of the
same extraordinary pattern was her daughter Cochi-
neal, which, bred to Princess Royal's great son Roan
Gauntlet (35284), produced the massive Cayhurst
(47560), used by Mr. Duthie, sold to Mr. Jamieson,
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 561
and eventually passing to Mr. Sutton-Neltliorpe of
Lincolnshire.
Princess Eoyal is said to have been a grand, big
roan, but not so great a dairy cow as her sister Car-
mine Rose. As a breeder her influence in the herd
was felt for generations. She became the dam of the
four fine cows Custard, Claret, Crocus and Chrysan-
themum, besides giving birth to the renowned Roan
Gauntlet, one of the most famous of all Sittyton
sires. Custard was a heifer of rare beauty from
the beginning, neat, but not large, and produced the
two bulls Cumberland (46144) and Commodore
(54138). She was specially strong in her hind quar-
ters, a characteristic that was inherited by Cumber-
land, a bull that was extensively used by Mr. Cruick-
shank in his later years. Commodore grew into a
bull that was the admiration of his time, but unfor-
tunately after having been used for a short period
of great success he died at sea en route for South
America.
Claret carried the size and substance of her
mother, but produced only two calves, one of which
was the fine sire Clear-the-Way (47604), used at
Cairnbrogie and by Bruce of Inverquhomery. The
table-backed white Chrysanthemum, that became
the property of Mr. William Duthie of Collynie on
the final sale of the herd, was the dam of the massive
bull Chamberlain (60461), that passed into the pos-
session of Mr. Philo L. Mills of Rudington Hall. All
in all it is doubtful if Sittyton ever produced a
562 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
greater breeding cow than Princess Royal. From
this same Clipper foundation came Mr. Duthie's
prize bull Pride of Morning (64546).
The Victorias. — The first of this Mason-bred tribe
to enter the Cruickshank herd was Victoria 19th, by
Lord John (11731), that was bid off by Anthony
Cruickshank at the sale of Mr. Holmes of West-
meath, Ireland. Although full of the best English
blood she lacked the substance which Mr. Amos
Cruickshank had invariably insisted upon. On her
arrival in Scotland she was sent to Mr. Hay's at
Shethin to be bulled by the Booth-bred Ked Knight
(11976), and to this service produced the twin heif-
ers Victoria 29tli and 30th. It is said that the
former "had weak loins and was not good; the latter
much better, but left no female stock." The dam
was called delicate and the sort showed no special
merit at Sittyton until crossed with Champion of
England. That great sire seemed to bring them out.
Victoria 39th, by that bull, was a good one and bred
on to old age. Her heifer Victoria 41st, by Lord
Privy Seal, was of the right stamp and a good
breeder, producing the thick Victoria 57tli and the
good stock bull Ventriloquist (44180). The family
improved with age under Mr. Cruickshank 's skillful
crossing, and Victoria 48tli, by Lord Lancaster, a
cow of marked merit, produced Royal Victor
(43792), that became the sire of Gravesend (46461).
Of this tribe also was the bull Vermont (47193), that
did good service in the herd of Mr. Campbell of
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 563
Kinellar, and Deane Willis' 500-guinea prize bull
Count Victor (66877).*
The Sittyton Victorias imported to America have
proved among the most valuable Scotch-bred Short-
horns that ever crossed the Atlantic. The first to
come out was the roan Victoria 51st, by Royal Duke
of Gloster (29864), imported by Mr. Davis Lowman
of Toulon, 111., in 1876. From this cow some of the
veiy best Cruickshank cattle ever seen in Western
show-yards and breeding herds have descended.
Probably the greatest success, however, ever scored
by the tribe in North America was through the ex-
traordinary record of imp. Baron Victor (45944), a
son of Victoria 58th, as a bull-getter in the fine herd
of Col. W. A. Harris, Linwood, Kan.
The Lancasters. — Three capital cows were bought
at the sale from the fine old herd of Wilkinson of
Lenton in 1854 — Lancaster 16tli, Pomp and Roman
9th. Lancaster 16th produced the good bull Lord
Bathurst (13173), that was sold from the herd be-
fore his value was realized. She was one of the
first-prize pair of cows at the Royal Northern of
♦Although the Victorias had a pedigree running back to "the beauti-
ful Lady Maynard" of Charles Colling's herd the original females of
this family at Sittyton were not well liked by Amos Cruickshank. The
old Scot's Boswell, Mr. Jamieson, says: "I remember passing through
the byres at Sittyton one day many years ago when we came upon a
roan cow. 'This,' said ]Mr. Cruickshank, 'is a Victoria ; my brother
thinks a great deal of them.' With characteristic reticence he said
nothing as to his own opinion, bvit I gatliered from the tone that it
was not quite so favorable. It was not until their constitution had
been renovated by one or two crosses of Champion of England blood
that any bulls of the tribe were kept for service in the herd." Latterly,
however, the original defects were quite bred out and the substance,
flesh and feeding quality for which Sittyton finally became so famous
was impressed upon the Victorias in common with the other leading
Cruickshank tribes.
564 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORISr CATTLE
1856 and for one of her descendants, the handsome
Lancaster 25th, Mr. Barclay of Keavil gave 150
guineas. She proved in calf at the time to Mr.
Cruickshank's Lord Raglan (13244), and in April,
1862, gave birth to three heifer calves, two of which,
Anne and Mary of Lancaster, won prizes at Kelso
as yearlings. The latter subsequently became the
dam of imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster 7535, whose
remarkable influence in America in the herd of Hon.
J. H. Pickrell has already been commented upon in
these pages. Mr. Cruickshank had one weakness.
He would occasionally put his best cattle in price to
wealthy patrons. Tempting offers induced him to
part with the best of these three Wilkinson cows —
Roman 9th. The Lancasters also got away from
him, so that after a few years he had nothing left
from his judicious Lenton purchase.
The Brawith Buds. — This celebrated Cruickshank
family comes from the cow Pure Gold, descended
from the famous Brawith Bud already mentioned in
connection with the operations of Mr. Grant Duff
of Eden. Pure Gold cost Messrs. Cruickshank 90
guineas at five years old at the Eden sale of 1854.
Old Brawith Bud had cost 160 guineas in 1841 and
produced calves until eighteen years of age, during
all that period maintaining perfect health. Amos
Cruickshank considered her one of the most remark-
able cows he had ever seen. Pure Gold was often
exhibited, and carried home to Sittyton many first
prizes from Aberdeen. Like her maternal ancestress
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON^ 565
she lived to a good old age, in fact, was the senior
matron of the herd for many years.
Pure Gold's daughter Golden Days, a great milker
and grand breeder, sustained the reputation of her
family for longevity. She gave to the herd the three
fine bulls Golden Rule, by Champion of England;
the prize bull Pride of the Isles, by Scotland's Pride,
and Lord of the Isles, by same sire. Pride of the
Isles was chief stock bull at Sittyton for a number of
years, leaving a most valuable progeny, including
such bulls as Cumberland (46144), Athabasca
(47359) and Shapinshay (45581). Lord of the Isles
was sold to Bruce of Inverquhomery, but was after-
ward bought back because of the great service ren-
dered by his brother. One daughter of Golden Days,
named Golden Morn, was bought by Mr. Jamieson
of Ellon and in his hands developed into an excellent
breeder. She was quite a dairy cow. Another heifer
from Golden Days retained by Mr. Cruickshank was
Golden Year. True to the traditions of her tribe she
rounded out a long life of usefulness in the herd.
Among the most famous of the Brawith Bud cows
may be mentioned Gilliver, Garnish, Godiva and
Glowworm; the line that gave rise to Roan Robin
(57992), Gondomar (55821), Gondolier (52950),
Wanderer (60138) and other noted sires.
It is stated that the original Brawith Bud cows
at Sittyton, while presenting a satisfactory broad-
side view, were somewhat lacking in spread of rib,
which characteristic was not whollv corrected until
566 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
the days of Champion of England. That they pos-
sessed remarkable constitutions, however, is clearly
apparent. They were developed into great flesh-car-
riers as well as good milkers and did much toward
establishing the name and fame of Sittyton.
Duchesses of Gloster. — This sort, like the Victo-
rias, owed its excellence at Sittyton to the skill and
judgment of Amos Cruickshank. Although, like the
Victorias, they were descended originally from a
very celebrated English cow; yet the female that
brought the blood of Magdalena, by Comet — the only
cow that Charles Colling reserved at the time of the
Ketton dispersion — to the Cruickshank herd was not
herself an animal of special superiority. The blood
was acquired by purchase of a cow called Chance,
by Duke of Gloster (11382), bred by Earl Ducie and
bought in 1855 from a Mr. Robinson of Burton-on-
Trent, who had obtained her from Tortworth. She
is said to have been somewhat wanting in constitu-
tion and her first heifers produced only two or three
calves each. Her descendants were named Duch-
esses of Gloster, and the first good one of the line is
said to have been the 7th Duchess, sired by Lord
Raglan. She had five calves by Champion of Eng-,
land that measured well up to Mr. Cruickshank 's
standard. In fact, the Lord Raglan Duchesses of
Glosters seemed to "nick" particularly well with
the Champion. It was this blending of blood that
produced the very handsome and thoroughly satis-
factory breeding bull Grand Duke of Gloster
AMOS CKUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTOX 567
(26288). This bull perhaps resembled Champion of
England more than any other of his sons; unfortu-
nately, however, he broke a leg as the result of an
accident at two years old, leaving but few calves, all
of which were of pronounced merit. Among them
was Eoyal Duke of Gloster (29864), that was not
only a bull of superb individual merit, but proved
one of the most valuable sires ever used in the herd.
Mr. Cruickshank always considered that his loss of
Grand Duke of Gloster was almost irreparable.
The Duchess of Gloster w^as not largely repre-
sented in the herd toward the last, but at different
times has thrown some of the most perfect speci-
mens of the real Cruickshank type.
The Secrets. — Another one of Anthony Cruick-
shank 's purchases was the cow Sympathy, bought at
Mr. Tanqueray's sale at Hendon, along with the bull
The Baron (13833), in 1855. She represented the
Bates line of breeding and was got by the Duchess
bull Duke of Athol (10150). She w^asin calf to The
Baron at the time of purchase and produced to that
service the heifer Sunrise. Sympathy aftei^ward
produced two heifers. Splendor and Splendid, by
Lord Sackville (13249). While Sympathy and Sun-
rise were rather deficient in substance the Lord
Sackville heifers were full of it. Mr. Cruickshank
retained at Sittyton only the descendants of this
robust pair. The sort proved prolific and consti-
tuted quite a feature of the herd up to the very last.
Probably one of the best of the Secret cows was
568 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Surname, dam of the successful Collynie stock bull
Scottish Archer (59833). None of the Secret bulls
were used at Sittyton.
The Cicely sort. — In 1860 there was bought from
Mr. Morrison of Bognie an evenly-built, low-legged,
level-fleshed red cow, with white marks, called Cro-
cus, sired by Jemmy (11611). She was bred to Lan-
caster Royal (18167), of the Wilkinson Lancaster
sort, and produced the heifer Cicely, that became
the ancestress of some of the grandest cows Mr.
Cruickshank ever bred, including Courtesy by Scot-
land 's Pride, Champion by Roan Gauntlet, Circassia
by Champion of England, Cornucopia by Grand
Vizier and Corolla by Feudal Chief. Those who
were familiar with the herd in its prime have al-
ways asserted that Courtesy and Campion were
among the greatest cows ever produced upon the
farm, possessing splendid substance and great scale.
Mr. Deane Willis' fine show heifer Cactus is of
Cicely descent.
The Cicely s trace on the dam's side to the cow
Premium, by George (2057), that was bought by
Mr. Cruickshank from Grant Duff in 1841; so that
they are of kindred origin with the Matchless sort
already mentioned.
Avalanche. — Contemporary with Crocus was the
cow Avalanche, bought as a yearling at the sale of
Mr. Dudding of Panton in 1860. She was a roan,
sired by the closely-bred Booth bull Sir Samuel,
and, although not particularly strong as an indi-
AMOS CRUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 569
vidual, she left a lieifer in the herd, Anemone, by the
prize bull Forth (17866), that was fruitful of good
results. Bred to the Champion of England bull
Caesar Augustus (25704), Anemone produced Aza-
lea, the mother of the great Field Marshal (47870)—
undoubtedly the grandest of all the latter-day Cruick-
shank bulls. She was also the dam of the good sire
Athabasca (47359), used with success by Mr. Marr
at Uppermill. Alma, a granddaughter of Anemone,
was one of the best cows produced by the Avalanche
tribe; acquiring considerable renown in the herd of
Mr. Mitchell. No bulls of this tribe were tried by
Mr. Cruickshank.
Violette. — A rather plain-looking cow of this
name, that produced valuable stock w^hen crossed
with Cruickshank bulls, was bought in 1860 at the
sale of her breeder, Mr. Morrison of Montcoffer.
Mated with Champion of England she gave birth to
three capital daughters, known as Violante, Finella
and Victorine. To Grand Monarque she produced
Vellum. Violante was a noble cow and bred until
fifteen years of age. Vellum produced the bull Privy
Seal (50268), that proved useful in the herd of Bruce
of Inverquhomeiy. These daughters of Violette
were among the best cows of their time at Sittyton.
The Lovelys. — As already stated in our references
to Mr. Hay of Shethin this Sittyton sort was derived
from the two good cows Lovely 6th and Lovely 8th,
bought at the Shethin sale of 1863. The family came
originally from the beautiful cow Marion, by An-
570 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
thony (1640), that had been bought in England from
Mr, Lovell of Edgcott. Bred to Grand Monarque
(21867) Lovely 8th gave the Messrs. Cruickshank
one of the bulls that made their reputation — Scot-
land's Pride (25100). She also left the handsome
cow Lovely 9th, which, bred to Champion of Eng-
land, produced Lord Lancaster (26666), also used in
the herd. The Lovelys were prime favorites with
Mr. Cruickshank, and he also put in service the bull
Lord Landsdowne (29128), a grandson of Lovely
6th.
Barmpton Roses. — The Sittyton branch of this re-
nowned English show-yard tribe descended from
Butterfly's Pride obtained from Col. Towneley in
1864. She was sired by the champion show bull
Eoyal Butterfly (16862), and at the time of her pur-
chase was in calf to the Bates Duchess bull 2d Duke
of Wharf dale (19649). The produce was a heifer,
Butterfly's Joy, that was scarcely up to the family
standard. The astonishing success of Towneley 's
great herd manager, Joseph Culshaw, with the
Barmpton Roses in the great show-yards of Eng-
land, Scotland and Ireland, as well as at the Paris
Exposition of 1856, seemed to have been due largely
to the successful "nick" of Booth blood, and that
of the bull Frederick (11489), with the Barmpton
Rose base.* At any rate the Bates cross, as repre-
*The author regrets that Towneley has not that close identification
with American Short-horn breeding- operations wliich has made it
necessary to discuss at sucli lengtli various other British herds. Those
who write specially for English readers certainly have in Culshaw a
character unique in Short-horn history, and in his beauteous Butter-
AMOS CKUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 571
sented by Butterfly's Joy at Sittyton, did not seem
to produce equal results; but a dash of the blood
of the great North-country show bull Forth, through
his son Allan (21172), seemed to bring back much
of the beauty of the sort as displayed at Towneley.
Bred to the bull last named Butterfly's Joy produced
flys and regal Roan Duchesses an inspiration that should tempt the
dullest pen to flights rhetorical. While the subject is of only collateral
interest to America the Short-horn breeding world claims the name
and fame of Towneley as a part of the common heritage. A few of
the main facts relating to the herd may therefore be here recorded.
The West of England, like the North of Scotland, developed some
great herdsmen. There is notliing like having to overcome obstacles
to build up mental power. Tlie County of Lancaster is noted for its
manufacturing lather tlian for its agricultural interests. It has within
its borders tliose great emporiums of trade tlie cities of Liverpool and
Manchester. Col. Towneley's home fai-m adjoined Burnley, one of the
smaller, but none the less busy, Lancastrian centers of industry. The
soil was cold and sour. Grain rarely ripened and roots gave up in
disgust. The land was impervious to drainage on account of its stiff
clay subsoil ; moreover it was encroached upon by the Burnley fac-
tories and shops, and the smoke and gases from the furnaces de-
stroyed much of the vegetation. Science could avail little against such
conditions so far as farming operations were concerned. Nevertheless
a Short-horn herd, probably the peer of any that has ever existed else-
where, was here developed. Not many leagues to the north was Hol-
ker Hall, where the Duke of Devonshire also scored a brilliant success.
It is worthy of note, however, that Culshaw came before the birth
of the Butterflys and that Drewry preceded the Grand Duchesses of
Oxford.
It was in 1848 that Col. Towneley got through that rare judge Mr.
Eastwood of Whitewell, in the Valley of the Hodder, the twenty head
of cattle that brought him fame imperishable. At the sale of Henry
Watson Eastwood had bought the fine cow Buttercup, "a sort of yel-
low-red, and like Hubback in her flecks," a daughter of the celebrated
Barmpton Rose. The latter was bred by Mr. AValdy of Barmpton, near
Darlington. She was full of Robert CoUing's old Red Rose blood, and
was a heavy-bodied, broad-ribbed, deep-milking strawberry roan.
"He whome the gods call Culshaw,
And men on earth call 'Joe,' "
was under "Tom" Mason at Sir Charles Tempest's when Barmpton Rose
was brought from the Walkeringham sale to Broughton Hall, and her
buxom beauty made a deep impression upon the "future great" trainer
and breeder. When a mere lad Culshaw betrayed an irrepressible en-
thusiasm for the "red, white and roans." Upon one occasion he was
sent with a cow that was to be bred to a bull at Whitaker's, and the
brightness of the boy and his interest in the cattle so attracted the
attention of the proprietor that he personally showed the youthful am-
bassador through the Greenholme Herd in detail. That was indeed a
great day for "little Joe." Would that all of those who have such op-
portunities would evince the same disposition to encourage young men
who manifest a love for good cattle !
Col. Towneley was a man of great wealth and many acres and en-
gaged Eastwood as his general manager. The latter was fond of Kil-
lerby and its Short-horns, and after buying Buttercup hired from John
Booth the bull Jeweler (10354), son of Necklace, "a short bull with a
572 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOKN CATTLE
the good cow Barmpton Flower, wliicli, mated with
Royal Duke of Gloster gave Mr. Cruickshank the
excellent stock bull Barmpton (37763), famous
throughout America as the sire of imp. Baron Vic-
tor, the bull that fairly made the herd of Col. W. A.
Harris of Linwood. An own sister to Barmpton
bad head and a light neck, but with capital sides and quality." But-
tercup, served by this bull and weak from an attack of "foot-and-
mouth," and her half-sister Bessie, another daughter of Barmpton
Rose, in calf to Lax's Duke (9032), were included in the lot that went
to Towneley in 1818. The former dropped butterfly and the latter the
great stock bull Frederick (11489) — the pair from whence came those
show-yard monarchs Master Butterfly (13311) and Royal Butterfly
(16862).
After having served a long apprenticeship under Mason at Sir
Charles Tempest's Culshaw was hired by CoL Towneley in 1849. He
had been with Mr. Ambler, the breeder of the celebrated Grand Turk
(12969), for the previous eighteen months, and while there had taken
Senator to the Royal and defeated Mr. Bates' 2d and 3d Dukes of Ox-
ford. Jeweler went with the Eastwood cows to Towneley, and soon
afterwai'd tlie Booth-bred Lord George (10439) — son of Birthday and
sire of 2d Duke of Atliol in tlie Airdi-ie Ducliess pedigree — followed.
The opportunity that Culshaw had so long desired was now pre-
sented : He had under his control at Towneley a rare good lot of
cows selected by ]Mr. Eastwood and Mr. Strafford. He was keen to
try conclusions with the best breeders and fitters of the realm at a
time when show-yard enthusiasm had been fanned into a fierce flame
largely through the triumphs of the Booths. With the active sympathy
and support of his employers Culsliaw charged tlie entire line of oppo-
sition with one of the most admirably brouglit out collections of Short-
horns the world has ever seen. Butterfly herself opened the ball,
and with her rich loins, beautiful bosom and wonderful quality walked
through the show-rings of her time almost without defeat. She had
six living calves, and after her frame was bent with age produced
Royal Butterfly that was seen as late as in his thirteenth year at the
National Show at Manchester. He was a noble, thick-fle.shed roan
with wonderful thighs. It was in 1853 that Butterfly gave birth to
the world-famous roan Master Butterfly. After winning firsts and
championships over all Britain, and heading the great Gold Medal
herd shown at the Paris Exposition of 1856, he was sold at the then
extraordinaiy price of 1,200 guineas for export to Australia. Beauty's
Butterfiy was one of the most noted of the winners and after gaining
Royal honors, won at the London Smithfleld Fat-Stock Show, and re-
turned to fresh triumphs in the breeding rings the following year,
earning for Culshaw a characteristic recognition from Punch in verse
under the heading "Joe's Lament." Space will not admit of our record-
ing here even the names, much less the winnings, of the Towneley
cattle. From the year 1850 to 1864 they were constantly seen at the
leading exhibitions of England, Scotland and Ireland, winning upward
of $10,000 in cash besides twenty-two challenge cups. Culshaw was not
only the prince of all "trainers" of his time, but had most extraordi-
nary success in holding his show cows to their work as breeders.
Richard Gibson, who knew him well, submits the following tribute :
"Mr. Culshaw was one whose name will be identified with Short-horns
long after many of his contemporaries are forgotten. Of a quiet, un-
AMOS CRUICKSHA>rK OF SITTYTON 573
Flower, known as Butterfly's Delight, produced the
bull Barmpton Prince (32995), by Viceroy, that was
chosen for service in the herd. He had to be sent
to the butcher, however, at an early age as the result
of a broken leg, and left but few calves, all of ex-
cellent character. Mr. Cruickshank earnestly de-
sired to introduce the Barmpton Eose blood into his
herd, and used another bull from Butterfly's Joy,
known as Ben Wyvis (30528).
obtrusive temperament, still he had a forceful manner ; his word was
trusted, but in his strong provincial dialect he had more power with
which to express himself than had he been loaded to the muzzle with
Latin and Greek. Of him it is said that his equal had never been
who could keep on showing successfully and have his show cattle breed
regularly and keep on producing winners. He graduated from a good
school, his father being employed at Sir C. Tempest's, and under Tom
Mason he and his half-brother, George Moore (still at Holker), made
for themselves reputations that will be ever green. Moreover, from
the same school was sent forth James Knowles, whose name was so
intimatelv connected with the herds of Lord Ducie and of Col. Gunter."
A second herd was begun by Col. Towneley shortly after the disper-
sion of the original stock in 1864. Some of the Butterfly cows were
bought back, but Bates blood predominated. Royal Butterfly had been
reserved at the closing-out sale at an upset price of 1,200 guineas. The
Bates-bred Baron Oxford, however, was the principal sire used in the
second herd. Some Oxford females were also added. The show-yards
were again invaded and daughters of Baron Oxford were winners at
the Manchester, Oxford and Cardiff Royals from 1869 to 1872. The
second herd was closed out in 1873 at high prices, as noted in a pre-
vious chapter.
Col. Towneley received some great prices for his pets at private
treaty. Douglas of Athelstaneford gave 500 guineas for Ringlet, that
became the dam of his 500-guinea Queen of Athelstane. For Freder-
ica and Lalla Rookh Mr. Thorne paid 700 guineas. The former had
been the first-prize yearling at the Lewes Royal, but was accidentally
killed at sea. The great Towneley sale of fifty-six head, of which
twenty-eight were Barmpton Roses, proved one of the most memo-
rable "in English Short-horn history. A company of not less than 3,000
persons assembled and competition for the best lots was active be-
tween the best breeders of the Kingdom. Royal Butterfly's Duchess
fetched £.500 and the bull Royal Butterfly 11th £400 from the agent of
Sir William Sterling Maxwell for his Scottish herd at Keir to take
the place of Forth that had been sold to Messrs. Cruickshank. The
general average of the sale was £128.
The Towneley Butterflys were specially distinguished for their fine
style, finish, quality and long, level quarters. While somewhat on the
upstanding order, they were of a substantial mold, possessing gay car-
riage and stepped like "hunters."
All hands at Towneley were fond of a good horse. Kettledrum, a
Derby winner, and the "king bull" of his day, Royal Butterfly, were in
the "Towneley stables at the same date. Eastwood and Culshaw owned
Butteifly, winner of The Oaks and other races, adding to the herds-
man's bank account not less than $10,000. "Joe" had named the filly
"after 'tauld coo."
574 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
The Spicys. — There was bought from Mr. Milne
of Kinaldie, Aberdeenshire, in 1868, a cow known as
Spicy 4th. She was a daughter of a cow that had
been brought from the herd of Mr. Harvey Combe
of Cobham Park, Surrey, Eng., who had obtained the
family originally from the Earl of Carlisle. Spicy,
by Marmaduke (14897), the cow taken from Surrey
to Aberdeen by Mr. Milne, had the reputation of
being an extra good one. At Sittyton her daughter
Spicy 4th, bred to Champion of England, gave birth
to the fine cow Silvery, the ancestress of an excel-
lent, although not numerous, family. To this source
the bulls Strongbow (52230) and Sea King (61769)
traced their maternal origin. Strongbow was used
two seasons by Mr. Cruickshank, and one of his get
— the bull Norseman (56233) — entered the herd of
Her Majesty Queen Victoria at Windsor. Of this
same sort also was the roan Spicy Robin (69638),
the pick of the Deane AVillis bulls of 1895 and sold
at twelve months old for 250 guineas.
The Lavenders. — Mr. Cruickshank always regret-
ted having parted with the Wilkinson cows previ-
ously mentioned in our references to the Lancaster
family, and he made repeated efforts to recover some
of the original Lenton blood, for which ho had the
highest respect. Some difficulty was met with, how-
ever, in again acquiring satisfactory representatives
of that noted Nottingham herd. A few of the Hebes
were finally obtained from Messrs. Budding of Pan-
ton, but they proved unsatisfactory and were soon
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 575
disposed of. From a Mr. Harris of Worcestershire
a Lenton Lady and a Lancaster were then obtained,
but they also proved disappointing. It was not until
1870 that the original Lenton threads were gathered
up successfully. Li that year some Lavenders were
obtained from Mr. Butler of Badminton, who had
purchased the matron of the family in his hands
from a Mr. Logan of Newport, Ireland, who had got
the blood direct from Wilkinson. Mr. Cruickshank
bought these Butler cows solely on account of their
Lenton origin, in spite of the fact that the inter-
vening crosses had materially modified the original
type. At first they did not promise the desired re-
sults, but after being subjected to several infusions
of Sittyton blood they began to justify his faith.
It is stated that Lavender 16th, by Lord Lands-
downe, and Lavender 17th, by Royal Duke of Glos-
ter, and their descendants were much the best of
the tribe. Lavender 17th was considered the best
heifer of her year in the herd and matured into one
of the great cows of her time. Lavender 16tli pos-
sessed great scale and produced many calves, among
others the bull Feudal Chief (51251), used in the
herd at the very close of its career. Some of the
best Cruickshank females we have had in America
were of this Lavender family, and it has to its credit
in recent years in England the production of Mr.
Deane Willis' Eoyal prize-winning bull Count Lav-
ender (60545).
First Sittyton bulls. — The first Sittyton sires came
576 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
from Barclay of Ury. While the foundations were
being laid cows and heifers were in many cases sent
to be bred to bulls on neighboring farms. Notably
that of James Walker of Wester Fintray, afterward
well known in the Aberdeen-Angus trade. Walker
liked a good Short-horn, and among the Webster
Fintray bulls patronized by Mr. Cruickshank were
General Picton (3876) and Sovereign (7539). The
first Barclay bull purchased was the white Inkhorn
(6091), whose name was derived from the farm from
whence he came. Barclay, like Robertson and Ren-
nie in the South, had been somewhat indifferent to
herd book registration. Inkhorn traced on his dam 's
side to the best English foundations, as set forth in
the herd book, but his sire is not given. The bull
calves Chancellor (5850) and Premier (6308), both
bred by Capt. Barclay and both by Mahomed (6170),
were next purchased. Premier, out of the cow Mary
Anne by Sillery, was retained, and Chancellor sold
to Mr. Bruce of Heatherwick. The latter, however,
turned out to be the better bull. Then came Con-
queror (6884), bought as an aged bull. He was also
of Ury blood and by Mahomed.
Fairfax Royal (6987).— The first of the long line
of distinguished bulls used at Sittyton was Fairfax
Royal (6987), a rich dark roan, bred by William
Torr. He was bought in 1845 as a two-year-old for
150 guineas at a sale made by Mr. Watson of Walk-
eringham, who had given 100 guineas for him as a
calf. According to all the accounts that have been
AMOS CRUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTOX 577
handed down concerning the earlier Sittyton stock,
and judging by the illustration in Vol. VI Coates'
Herd Book, Fairfax Royal was a bull of outstanding
merit, full of substance, flesh and hair. He was sired
by Lord Adolphus Fairfax (4249) out of Fair Eosa-
mond, and was a prime favorite with Amos Cruick-
shank. He was a first-prize bull at Aberdeen in
1847, and in the opinion of those who knew the best
of the North Scottish bulls, ranked with the famous
Forth as one of the best bulls ever owned in Aber-
deenshire. Jamieson states that his heifers had this
peculiarity that many of them would not breed until
three years old, but when once started bred regu-
larly and well. Several, however, were sold fat to
the butcher before this was discovered. The same
authority says: "I remember having seen the cow
Carmine Rose, by Fairfax Royal, whose name ap-
pears in the pedigree of the Violet family. She was
a grand beast, very fat and had been put to the plow
for awhile to get her to breed."
Hudson (9228), Report (10704) and Velvet Jacket
(10998).— At the English Royal Show of 1848 the
first-prize bull in the class for yearlings was Hudson
(9228), bred by W. Linton of Sheriff ^Hutton, York-
shire. Being in need of a bull Amos Cruickshank
went to see him and although not particularly im-
pressed bought him — it is stated because he could
not suit himself better at the time — for use at Sitty-
ton. Hudson was a yellow-red, somewhat lacking
in scale, but possessed of exceptional quality, and
578 A HISTOKY OF SHOBT-HOKN CATTLE
won second at a Royal Northern Show. He was kept
in service two years and two of his daughters, both
possessing his golden skin and quality, were retained
for breeding purposes. One of these was China Rose
out of the Violet cow Carmine Rose previously men-
tioned.
Resort was next had to the herd of S. Wiley of
Brandsby, from whom was hired the roan bull Re-
port (10704), described as "neat and compact, but
smallish; and chiefly remembered as the sire of a re-
markably fine cow. Buttercup, which had both sub-
stance and style in an unusual degree." Fair suc-
cess seems to have attended the use of the Wiley
bull.
The roan Velvet Jacket (10998), bred by Mr. Un-
thank, was bought in 1850 from Douglas of Athel-
staneford, whose East Lothian herd had leaped into
fame as a result of some remarkable show-yard
victories. Bred to Rose of Autumn, one of the great-
est of the Douglas cows. Velvet Jacket sired the
celebrated Rose of Summer. Before she was devel-
oped, however, Amos Cruickshank offered Douglas
£50 for the bull, which was accepted and he went
to Sittyton. It is said that "Amos considered him
a good-looking beast, but happening soon after to
see his dam he thought her so very bad that he sold
Velvet Jacket at the first opportunity." What few
calves he sired while in the herd made no special
mark. He was winner of first prizes at the High-
lands, Royal Northern and Royal Dublin Shows.
AMOS CKUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTOX 579
Matadore (11800). — None of the earlier Sittyton
sires proved of more practical worth than the dark-
roan Matadore (11800). At the time he was intro-
duced into the herd the females numbered about 120
head. This was in 1853. Matadore was bred by Mr.
"W. Smith of West Rasen, Lincolnshire, Eng., and
was an own brother in blood to one of the most valu-
able cows ever imported into America; to-wit, the
red-roan Mazurka for which Mr. Alexander paid
$3,050. Both were out of the fine cow Moselle, by
Baron of Ravensworth (7811); and both were sired
by Booth bulls — Mazurka, by Harbinger (10297),
and Matadore, by Hopewell (10332). Mr. Cruick-
shank purchased from Mr. Smith at the same time
another son of Hopewell, called Bushranger (11228),
and thought the latter rather the better of the two.
He practically failed to breed, however, and was
soon turned off.
Matadore is said to have been a bull of fine qual-
ity, with a capital skin and hair and strong in the
loin; his fault being some little lack of width through
the chest. He responded readily to feed, and had
been first at the Yorkshire Show of 1851 as a year-
ling. He was first at the Highland Show at Perth
in 1852 as a two-year-old and first at the Royal
Northern of 1853. He was used in the herd for four
years with much success. He was specially distin-
guished as a bull-getter; his sons used in other Scot-
tish herds giving the best of satisfaction and doing
much toward establishing the reputation of Sittyton.
580 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Among these were Magnum Bonum (13277), used by
the Duke of Richmand; Pro Bono Publico (13528),
sold to Lord Clancarty of Ireland ; Prince of Coburg
(15100); Goldfinder (14629); Beeswing (12456), the
first noted bull used by Campbell of Kinellar; De-
fender (12867), the first Cruickshank bull sold for
export to America (see page 266) ; and Lord Sack-
ville (13249), that was the first home-bred bull ex-
cept Prince Edward Fairfax retained for service by
Mr. Cruickshank.
Lord Sackville was a roan of great constitution,
possessing the same great back and loin that distin-
guished both Matadore and Mazurka. It was the
cross of Lord Sackville upon the Secret cows that
first brought that sort up to the Sittyton standard.
A portrait of Matadore will be found in Vol. X of
Coates' Herd Book.
Plantagenet (11906). — This red-and-white bull,
bred by Col. Towneley, had been bought as a calf
by Douglas of Athelstaneford, who sold him to Mr.
Cruickshank as a yearling in 1852. He was sired
by Duke of Lancaster (10929) — bred by Mr. East-
wood and got by Lax's Duke (9032), sire of Towne-
ley 's famous Frederick (11489) — out of Madeline,
bred by John Booth of Killerby. Plantagenet was
shown at Aberdeen as a yearling, winning first prize,
but died after one year's service at Sittyton. He
was the sire of the twin heifer calves Virtue and
Verdure, that became the dams of two of the great-
est bulls ever known in Scotland — Virtue producing.
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 581
to a service by Lancaster Comet (11663), the most
renowned of all Cruickshank bulls, Champion of
England (17526). Her sister, Verdure, bred to The
Baron (13833), dropped Scarlet Velvet (16916), a
very stylish bull that had a successful career in the
herd of Mr. Campbell. It is stated that Mr. Cruick-
shank did not credit Plantagenet very largely in
connection with the production of Champion of Eng-
land, that honor being attributed rather to Lancas-
ter Comet. Virtue and Verdure and another Plan-
tagenet cow, Sharon's Eose, were all good milkers
but rather plain in appearance.
Doctor Buckingham (14405). — This red bull was
a pure Booth, bred by Ambler, and sired by Hope-
well (10332) out of the Warlaby-bred Bloom. He
cost Messrs. Cruickshank 400 guineas. Much diffi-
culty was experienced in getting him to sei've prop-
erly and after a short time he was sold to Mr. R. A.
Alexander, who imported him to Kentucky. He
figures in Mr. Cruickshank 's operations mainly as
the sire of the first of the Sittyton Orange Blossoms.
The Baron (13833).— At Mr. Tanqueray's sale at
Hendon, near London, in 1855 Mr. Anthony Cruick-
shank purchased for 400 guineas the two-year-old
red bull The Baron (13833), that had been bred by
Mr. Richard Chaloner of Ireland. He was sired by
Baron Warlaby (7813) out of Bon Bon, of Earl Spen-
cer's breeding. As a yearling he had headed his
class at Dublin and in Scotland was one of the nota-
ble winners at the Highland and Royal Shows of
582 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
1854, 1855 and 1856. He was described as very neat
in his quarters, but rather lacking in masculine char-
acter. In spite of this fact, however, he proved a
very prolific and, as was thought at the time, a very
successful sire, especially of heifers ; his get showing-
more style and finish than had yet been seen in the
herd. His bulls generally lacked substance, al-
though Scarlet Velvet and Magnus Troil constituted
exceptions to this rule.
The Baron was used for six or seven years, and
his heifers grew into very handsome cows up to
about five years of age, but after that seemed to lose
"bloom" and a number of them showed signs of
disease. They were, for the most part, indifferent
milkers, and few of them lived to be more than seven
or eight years old. Speaking of this Jamieson says:
"There was evidently a want of constitution about
The Baron, but it must have been many years before
suspicion arose that he was doing mischief in the
herd, for several bulls out of cows sired by The
Baron were kept for service. None of them, how-
ever, proved a success and gradually The Baron
blood was well cleared out. Only two of his own
sons seem to have been used as stock bulls, namely.
Baronet (1614) and Lancaster Royal (18167). Baro-
net was out of an extra good cow, Buttercup, and
was used for two or three seasons. He had more
substance and less style than The Baron, was sound
and robust and proved to be a useful sire. Lancaster
Royal was kept because he was from a Lancaster
AMOS CKUICKSHANK OF SITTYTOX 583
COW whose dam came from "Wilkinson of Lenton. He
was little used, but sired the good cow Cicely, whose
descendants formed one of the best families at Sitty-
ton in the latter years of the herd's existence."
Lord Bathurst (15173). — This bull was dropped
at Sittyton July 5, 1854, by the Wilkinson cow Lan-
caster 16th, that had been bought at the Lenton sale
the previous year in calf to Monarch (13347). He
was one of three yearling bulls exhibited by Messrs.
Cruickshank at Aberdeen in 1855 that won first,
second and third prizes, the latter position being as-
signed to this Lancaster calf. Although the Wilkin-
son sort was held in high esteem at Sittyton a red
breeding bull was wanted just at this time, and as
Lord Bathurst was roan and had inherited white
legs from his dam he was sold to Mr. Stronach of
Ardmeallie, in whose hands he proved a remarkable
getter. He met with an accident, however, and had
to be killed after one season's use. Before leaving
Sittyton he had been bred to several heifers and two
of his females, Violet and Vintage, grew into good
cows and were excellent breeders. Violet produced
Grand Monarque (21867), a stock-getter of outstand-
ing merit, and also Village Eose, that was in all
probability about the best cow the Cruickshanks
ever bred. Vintage was the dam of Village Belle.
It has always been considered that Village Rose
and Village Belle were the two best of all the great
cows sired by Champion of England.
Master Butterfly 2d (14918).— This was a son of
584 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Col. Towneley's champion bull Master Butterfly
(13311), that was sold to go to Australia for 1,200
guineas after having headed the Towneley herd at
the National Shows of Great Britain and at the In-
ternational Exposition at Paris in 1856. His dam
was the show cow Vestris 2d. He had been bought
by Mr. Marjoribanks at twelve months old for 300
guineas, and at his sale in 1856 was purchased for
Sittyton at 400 guineas. The purchase of this bull
doubtless reflected Mr. Anthony Cruickshank's de-
sire to profit by the advertising involved in the own-
ership of a high-priced son of the greatest English
show bull of his time. Amos, however, never liked
him and upon the bull's death some twelve months
after his purchase remarked that the beast had not
died any too soon. It is stated that what few calves
he sired at Sittyton were ''light-made, light-fleshed,
too leggy and never had carcass enough." We be-
lieve the only one of the Sittyton pedigrees in which
this bull's name appears in recent years is one
branch of the Victorias.
John Bull (11618).— From the foregoing it will
be observed that the Messrs. Cruickshank were in-
clined to test all of the leading bloods of the period;
and as they had been well pleased with the use of
the Wiley bull Beport, already mentioned, they now
went to Brandsby for another sire; purchasing in
1858 John Bull (11618). He is said to have been an
animal of great length and rather high on leg.* It
•Speaking of John Bull, Jamieson says: "He was a very lengthly
animal, not too well let down, tender on his feet and walked very slow.
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 585
is interesting to note as evidencing the intent of Mr.
Cruickshank to weed out mercilessly everything that
did not suit, that only two of John Bull's calves were
retained. These were the cows Cressida and Jubilee,
' ' both compact, deep, well-proportioned cows, not at
all too long, and real good beasts."
Lord Raglan (13244). — This noted bull came to
Sittyton at seven years of age, in 1860, and was used
until twelve years old. He was bred by Mark Stew-
art of Southwick and sired by Maynard's Crusade
(7938). He had been used by Douglas of Athel-
staneford, as well as by Lord Kinnaird and Lord
Southesk. He was purchased from the latter at 110
guineas. It is of interest to state that Mr. William
Miller, then of Canada and later of Storm Lake, la.,
came near buying Lord Raglan in 1856* and never
ceased to regret that he did not transfer the bull to
America.
Lord Eaglan grew into "a large, stylish, rather
highstanding bull, fertile as a yearling, quite useless
as a two-year-old and unusually prolific ever after.
In outward appearance he took after his sire, Cru-
A worthy neighbor, Mr. Phillip of Boynds, watching him on one occa-
sion as he gradually emerged out of a door said : 'If I am to wait until
all of your bull comes out, Mr. Cruickshank, I would need a chair to
sit doon on.' "
*Mr. Miller, who was in Great Britain in 1856 buying Short-horns,
says : "This was the time tliat I ought to have sent out Lord Raglan
before Cruickshank got him. Simon Beattie and I went to Southwick
to see him, but Stewart priced him Just high enough to keep liim out
of my reach. I got within £5, but although Simon was pushing me I
dare not go it. However, I have no doubt the bull did a lot more good
as it was. Of all the bulls I saw in Britain at that time I preferred
Lord Raglan. I think he was priced to me at about £100. He was then
two years old and impressed me as being one of the substantial rather
than the showy sort."
586 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
sade, whom Douglas considered the best bull of his
day in England." He was a Highland winner in
the hands of Lord Kinnaird in 1857 and on being
taken North to Sittyton in 1860 w^as the Challenge
Cup winner at the Royal Northern and first at the
Perth Highland of 1861. Probably the two best in-
dividual cows among his get at Sittyton were But-
terfly 5th and The Gem. His most valuable daugh-
ter, however, proved to be Golden Days, possibly
the best milker of her time in the herd. She left a
valuable progeny, including the prize bull Pride of
the Isles (35072), and lived to be one of the oldest
cows of the herd.
The Czar (20947).— This was the best of the Lord
Raglan bulls and saw considerable service at Sitty-
ton. He was a red, "compact and well set on his
legs," and sired Carmine, a thick-fleshed, well-
haired cow, with extraordinary back and ribs, that
produced the famous Princess Royal already de-
scribed. Mr. Cruickshank is quoted as saying that
he did not reap as much benefit from the use of Lord
Raglan as he had anticipated. Notwithstanding this
fact some of his very best cattle, including Grand
Duke of Gloster (26288), Pride of the Isles (35072),
Bridesman (30586) and the handsome Mimulus were
bred from Lord Raglan cows.
Lancaster Comet (11663).— Mr. Cruickshank had
long been partial to the stock of Wilkinson of Len-
ton. We have already noted his efforts at intro-
ducing the blood through the Lancasters and Laven-
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTO:^ 587
ders. Robert Bruce relates that in speaking of bis
first visit to Lenton to inspect Mr. Wilkinson's herd
Mr. Cruicksbank said: "After seeing tbe cattle I
was so excited that when I tried to write to Anthony
at night I could not use a pen. I had to write with
a pencil." This little incident proves two things.
First, the fact that in spite of his habitual self-con-
trol Amos Cruicksbank possessed a quiet enthusiasm
capable of being thoroughly aroused. It indicates
also that there was something in the Wilkinson
stock not found in other contemporary herds. In
fact, the Lenton blood alone seems to have been the
subject of Mr. Cruicksbank 's steadfast devotion.
In the autumn of 1858 it was thought desirable to
purchase a stock bull for use at Sittyton. A good
young red one was desired at that time. Mr. Cruick-
sbank wrote to Wilkinson, inquiring if he could fur-
nish such a bull. He replied that he could not, but
recommended old Lancaster Comet (11663), then in
his eighth year, which he offered to sell at a nominal
price. After first examining the herds of Mark
Stewart, S. E. Bolden, Richard Booth, Col. Towne-
ley and Messrs. Dudding without success Mr. Cruick-
sbank wrote to Wilkinson that he might ship Lan-
caster Comet. He was forwarded to Sittyton in No-
vember, 1858. Mr. Cruicksbank went to the station
to meet the bull, and his first glimpse of "his great
head and horns lowering upon him over the side of
the truck" caused him to turn away in disappoint-
ment. Lancaster Comet had a large head, with
588 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
horns of great length. They were well enough set
onto the head and curved toward the front. They
were not very thick, nor were they pointed at the
tips, being more uniform in thickness from base to
point than is ordinarily observed. One sarcastic
neighbor, of the type often present upon such occa-
sions, remarked: "If he wanted a Highland bull he
might have got one nearer home." Notwithstand-
ing the horns, however, Lancaster Comet was a good
bull. He stood near to the ground, had a beautiful
coat of hair, a round barrel, straight top and bottom
lines, level quarters, nicely-filled thighs, carried
plenty of flesh and was active on his feet. In size
he was about medium. He had been a great favorite
with Mr. Wilkinson and was somewhat inbrecl, both
his sire — The Queen's Roan (7389) — and dam hav-
ing been got by the same bull, the roan Will Honey-
comb (5660), illustrated in Vol. IV, Coates' Herd
Book; a bull that was bred by Mr. J. Beetham of
West Harlsey, near Northallerton, and used by Mr.
Wilkinson for some years.
Lancaster Comet was scarcely as massive as Mr.
Cruickshank would have liked and was relegated
to the Clyne farm, it is said, *'to hide his horns."
The following spring he was turned into a pasture
along with a lot of cows that had not settled to the
bulls by which they had been served. He ran out
quite late in the field that fall and contracted rheu-
matism so severely that it became necessary to send
him to the shambles. Not more than a dozen calves
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 589
are known to have been sired by him at Sittyton,
perhaps a half a dozen of each sex. None of the
females were retained. One of them called Camelia
made a fine yearling and two-year-old, but was dis-
appointing at full maturity. One of the bulls, re-
corded as Moonshade (18419), was bought by Bruce
of Inverquhomery. Another that attracted no spe-
cial notice for a time was retained by Mr. Cruick-
shank under the name of Champion of England
(17526). Lancaster Comet had cost but 30 guineas,
but so far-reaching was his influence upon the herd,
as exerted through the bull just mentioned, that the
history of the Cruickshank cattle naturally divides
itself into two epochs, one dealing with the period
before his introduction and the other a record of
w^hat followed after that date.
Champion of England (17526). — From the founda-
tion of the herd in 1837 down to 1860 it had been
with Amos Cruickshank one long, continuous and
but partially successful search for the type of cattle
he so earnestly desired. During that time great
numbers of cows, heifers and bulls had been bought
from the best Scotch and English herds, but in spite
of a long list of show-yard victories, and notwith-
standing the production of at least an average per-
centage of good cattle, Amos Cruickshank 's ideal
had scarcely been realized. As yet there was a lack
of uniformity in essential characteristics. Lancaster
Comet, however, supplied, through Champion of
England out of the cow Virtue by Plantagenet
590 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
(11906), the means of correcting this fault. He was
a roan, dropped Nov. 29, 1859, and although not a
phenomenal calf at the start was deemed good
enough to be sent to the Royal English Show at
Leeds in 1861. Being a November calf he had to
compete upon that occasion against two-year-olds,
and as he was only a yearling he failed to secure a
place. He was also shown at Aberdeen, but was only
able to secure a third prize. On account of tliis non-
success he came near being disposed of, but there
was something about the young bull's hair, quality
and thrift that led Mr. Cruickshank to decide upon
his retention for a time at least. The bull was par-
ticularly strong on his fore ribs, developed remark-
able feeding quality and soon began to assume more
massive proportions than had been displayed by his
sire. He was not so level in his quarters as Lan-
caster Comet, drooping a bit from the hips to the
tail, a fault which he probably inherited from his
dam.* His calves soon evidenced rare promise.
They were robust, thick-fleshed, near to the ground
and possessed a propensity for putting on flesh such
as had not been shown by the get of any of his prede-
cessors/in service. Mr. Cruickshank resolved to use
him freely and not risk impairment of his usefulness
*Mr. Jamieson writes : "I do not remember having seen the Cham-
pion's dam, but one day when going through the byres with Amos
Cruickshanlc I asked him what like a beast she was. 'Well,' said he,
'she was very like that one,' pointing to a cow standing at the end
of the byre. This was a good-sized red animal, with planish hind quar-
ters. Champion of England was nev^er kept on account of the merits
of his dam."
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 591
by putting liim in high condition for the shows.
Meantime the settled policy of testing the best bulls
obtainable from contemporary stocks was not aban-
doned.
Windsor Augustus (19157). — The selection of this
roan bull represented another effort on the part of
Messrs. Cruickshank to utilize Booth blood. Like
the previous experiments, however, in the same di-
rection it did not altogether fulfill expectations.
Windsor Augustus was bred by Mr. Carr and sired
by Eichard Booth's Windsor (14013). He had been
a winner at the leading English shows, and was one
of the highest-priced bulls ever bought for service
in the herd. He was used during the seasons of 1863
and 1864, but Amos Cruickshank never liked him
and did not retain many of his progeny. He left a
few good things, nevertheless, including the fine
cow Lovely 9th, that produced to Champion of Eng-
land the stock bull Lord Lancaster (26666).
Forth (17866).— This famous bull was taken to
Sittyton in 1864 at four years of age with the repu-
tation of being "the grandest Short-horn of his
time." He was a light roan, possessing great scale
and substance, bred by Sir William Sterling Max-
well of Keir. He had been a champion show bull at
leading exhibitions both in England and Scotland,
and w^hile some doubt was felt as to his proving a
breeder high hopes were entertained as to what he
would accomplish when mated with the ''crack"
cows of the Sittyton herd. There can be no doubt
592 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
tliat lie was individually tlie best bull ever bought
for Sittyton. His portrait will be found in Vol. XVI
of Coates' Herd Book. He was described as "a re-
markably fine animal on a large scale, having length,
breadth and depth to satisfy the most fastidious and
was extremely good tempered. He had a good head,
a full, placid eye, a rich coat of hair, great girth of
body, with ribs arching well out from his back. His
horns were somewhat coarse." Forth remained in
service until 1870 and notwithstanding his high con-
dition left a large number of calves. While filling
the eye much more perfectly than Champion of Eng-
land he did not approach the latter as a sire. Still
he left some good stock, among others the cow Vio-
let's Forth, that was imported to America and
shown with success in the Western States, as has
already been noted. It was the exhibition of this
cow that first drew prominent attention to Mr.
Cruickshank's breeding in the United States. Vice-
roy (32764), by Champion of England out of Violet's
Forth, was used a short time in the herd. Another
of the Forth cows, Anemone, although not much to
look at, was a capital breeder. Two sons of Forth
bred at Sittyton, Eoyal Forth (25022) and Julius
Caesar (26486), had a trial in service but did not
give satisfaction and were sold. One of the best of
his get. Lord Forth (26649), was used by Mr. Long-
more of Rettie.
Allan (21172), a red bull bred at Keir and sired
by Forth prior to his purchase for Sittyton out of a
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 593
COW of Knightley blood, was bought and used in the
herd for three years with a good degree of success.
Lord Privy Seal (16444). — In 1865 Anthony
Cruickshank bought at a sale by Lord Kinnaird the
roan bull Lord Privy Seal. He was bred by the late
Prince Consort at Windsor and was sired by the
Booth bull Prince Alfred (13494) out of Cowslip by
the famous show bull Belleville (6778). He was then
in his seventh year, having been taken North as a
yearling and bought by Lord Kinnaird in 1860. All
hands at Sittyton were disappointed in the bull upon
his arrival. He lacked size as well as flesh, and was
not extensively used. Like most of his predecessors,
however, he left a few good calves, such as the bull
Multum in Parvo (26934), and the cow Victoria 41st,
one of the best of her family and a fine breeder — the
dam of the bull Ventriloquist (44180).
Prince Alfred (27107).— In 1871 Mr. Pawlett
offered to sell to Mr. Cruickshank Baron Killerby
(23364) . Amos went to see him, but was more favor-
ably impressed with one of his sons. Prince Alfred
(27107), and wished to take him instead of the sire.
Being unable to buy the young bull without taking
them both, he closed a trade for the pair and shipped
them to Sittyton. Baron Killerby was then six
years old and possessed a bad temper. He was too
heavy in the bone to suit Mr. Cruickshank, and was
but little used. Prince Alfred was a young bull of
much promise, but, as luck would have it, foot-and-
mouth disease appeared in the herd not long after
594 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
his purchase and he succumbed to the malady. He
was the only animal in the herd that was lost. This
is rather a sui-prising fact in view of the statement
that Prince Alfred is said to have been of robust ap-
pearance and was thought to have capital constitu-
tion. While no opportunity was had to breed any
great number of cows to him, the heifers that he left
in the herd indicate that his untimely death was a
severe loss. One of his daughters, Garnet, proved
the ancestress of some of the best cows in the herd
during its later years. Another, Alma, sold as a
yearling to Mr. Mitchell, "developed most wonder-
fully and expanded into one of the largest and
grandest cows that was ever seen, with immense
loins and back and good shoulders. Indeed, as a
show-yard animal, few cows ever bred at Sittyton
would have been a match for her." She took first
prize at the Highland Show of 1876, the cup at Aber-
deen in 1879 as best breeding animal in the Short-
horn class, besides many other honors.
Other outside bulls. — Between the years 1866 and
1877, in addition to Baron Killerby and Prince Al-
fred, there was bought and tried in the herd the
bulls Eob Roy (22740), Count Eobert (30812),
Scotch Rose (25099) — out of the famous Rosedale;
Knight of the Whistle (26558), Master Darlington
(37067), Meridian (38748), Ravenshope (22681),
and General Windsor (28701). None of these, how-
ever, gave as good satisfaction as the home-bred
bulls used during the same period.
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 595
Concentration of the Champion of England blood.
— Writers of romance after following the fortunes of
their heroes and heroines through various trials and
tribulations to a point where all is joy and rapture
usually dismiss them with the remark that "they
lived happily ever after." It may almost be said
of Amos Cruickshank that when he produced Cham-
pion of England, after twenty-five years of conscien-
tious work, he was at the beginning of the end of his
troubles as a Short-horn breeder. One after another
of the sons and daughters of this, the greatest stock
bull Scotland has ever known, grew up into cattle
of the real rent-paying sort. Pages might be filled
with the names, pedigrees and performances of his
descendants in the show-yards and breeding-pens of
Britain and America, but space will not here per-
mit. Such cows as Village Belle, Village Rose, Prin-
cess Eoyal, Morning Star, British Queen, Carmine
Rose, Silvery, Mimulus, Surmise, Circassia, Violante,
Finella and Victorine would alone suffice to make
the reputation of the most ambitious breeder. Not
only were these and other of the best of the Cham-
pion's heifers retained for breeding purposes, but
his bulls were given a trial along with sires obtained
from other herds.
It must be borne in mind that in resorting to bulls
of his own breeding Mr. Cruickshank was contra-
vening what had been almost universal practice in
Scotland. It is generally believed by those most
familiar with his work that if he had begun placing
596 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
his own bulls in service many years earlier lie would
have more quickly realized his ambitions. It seems
clear that the grand roan bull Lord Sackville
(13249), mentioned on page 580, might have filled
the place later held by Champion of England had he
been given the opportunity; for he possessed such
grand constitution, substance and quality, and with
his limited opportunity wrought such an improve-
ment on the Secrets and a few other Sittyton sorts
that he would doubtless have made a great reputa-
tion had he been more freely used. Longmore of
Rettie is generally credited with having been the
first of the North of Scotland breeders to place
home-bred bulls in service. He was a man of rare
intelligence, and although his herd was small as
compared with that at Sittyton he met with marked
success by his departure from the then prevailing
usage, his stock possessing unusual size, flesh and
real show-yard character. Experience had now
taught Mr. Cruickshank the uncertainties attending
the use of even the best individual bulls acquired
from various sources and representing many diverse
elements. With his usual caution he felt his way
slowly at first with the Champion of England bulls,
but when once convinced that he was on the right
track he pursued his plan to the end.
Among the bulls chosen for the purpose of con-
centrating this blood may be mentioned the roan
Caractacus (19397), a winner of challenge cups at
Aberdeen and Perth, that was calved in 1862 by
AMOS CRUICKSHAXK OF SITTYTON 597
Nonpareil 20tli, a daughter of The Baron; the roan
Grand Monarque (21867), calved in 1863 by Violet
by Lord Bathurst; the roan Royal ' Oak (22792),
dropped in 1864 by Oakleaf by The Baron; the red
Prince Imperial (22595), calved in 1864 by Candia
by The Baron; the red Lord Byron (24363), dropped
in 1865 by Butterfly by Matadore; the red Caesar
Augustus (25704), calved in 1867 by Emily, daugh-
ter of Lord Sackville; the roan Grand Duke of Glos-
ter (26288), dropped in 1868 by 9th Duchess of Glos-
ter, daughter of Lord Raglan; the roan Lord Lan-
caster (26666), of the crop of 1868, dropped by
Lovely 9th by Windsor Augustus; the roan Master
of Arts (26867), dropped same year by The Gem by
Lord Raglan; and the roan Viceroy (32764), calved
in 1871 by Violet's Forth, afterward a noted show
cow in America.
It does not appear that the bulls from cows by
The Baron made any special impression on the herd.
Those representing the cross of Champion of Eng-
land upon cows carrying the blood of Lord Raglan,
Lord Sackville and Lord Bathurst, including Grand
Monarque, Caesar Augustus and Grand Duke of
Gloster, were potent factors in bringing the herd to
its best estate.
Scotland's Pride and Pride of the Isles. — Scot-
land's Pride, calved in 1866, was sired by Grand
Monarque out of Lovely 8th, a cow that belonged to
a tribe much esteemed in the North. His sire, like
many other of the sons of Champion of England, did
598 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
not have a head entirely to Mr. Cruickshank's lik-
ing. This was a characteristic doubtless inherited
from old Lancaster Comet, and on account of the
clamor about his head and horns Grand Monarque
was sacrificed before his real value as a stock-getter,
as illustrated in Scotland 's Pride, was fully realized.
The latter was a stylish, deep-fleshed roan, winning
first prize as a yearling at the Highland in 1867 and
a $250 Challenge Cup same year. He proved one of
the best sires ever bred at Sittyton; one of his sons,
the roan prize bull Pride of the Isles (35072) from
Golden Days by Lord Raglan, calved in 1872, acquir-
ing great celebrity. Speaking of this valuable bull
Mr. Edward Cruickshank says: ''I do not think
that Pride of the Isles ever had his merit fairly rec-
ognized. He was a grand animal himself, and his
young stock looked well ; but as cows they were such
good milkers that they were never much to look at,
although good breeders." An own brother to Pride
of the Isles, known as Lord of the Isles, was also
used in the herd. They were of the Brawith Bud or
Pure Gold tribe.
Caesar Augustus. — This good red bull, calved in
1867, joined the blood of the two grand bulls Cham-
pion of England and Lord Sackville, and became one
of the most valuable sires and show bulls used in the
herd. He was exhibited with great success, and
some of his daughters proved among the most valu-
able breeding cows owned at Sittyton, among them
being Azalea, the dam of Field Marshal.
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON 599
Royal Duke of Gloster. — This remarkably success-
ful stock bull, a red, calved in 1870, was got by
Grand Duke of Gloster out of Mimulus, a good cow
descending in the maternal line from the stock of
Eennie of Phantassie. He represented the strongest
concentration of blood Mr. Cruickshank had up to
that date used; both his sire and dam having been
got by Champion of England out of Lord Raglan
cows. As the sire of Eoan Gauntlet and of the dam
of Cumberland Eoyal Duke of Gloster acquired high
rank in the great galaxy of Sittyton bulls. His sire,
Grand Duke of Gloster, was considered the best of
all of the sons of Champion of England; inheriting
in a remarkable degree his robust constitution, thrift
and thickness of flesh. Unfortunately the Grand
Duke met with an accident which resulted in his
death as a two-year-old.
Roan Gauntlet. — The mating of the inbred Eoyal
Duke of Gloster with the Champion of England cow
Princess Eoyal resulted in the production in 1873
of the most famous of all the latter-day Sittyton
stock bulls, Eoan Gauntlet (35284).
This was certainly subjecting the Champion of
England blood to a searching test, and as Eoan
Gauntlet proved one of the greatest sires of his day
Mr. Cruickshank 's judgment found in his case ample
vindication. Some of the objectionable features of
old Lancaster Comet's head were visible in Eoan
Gauntlet, but the outstanding excellence of his prog-
eny furnished fresh proof of the fact that it is a
600 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
mi,stake to discard an otherwise remarkable bull for
a minor defect of that nature. Among other extra-
ordinary animals begotten by Roan Gauntlet may
be named the renowned Field Marshal (47870) — the
sire of Mario (51713) and the good stock bull Baron
Violet (47444), used at Sittyton. A glance at the
subjoined tabulation will be of interest:
CChampion of England
i
Royal Duke of Gloster
(29864).
t^r /•o(;9fic\ 1 9th Duchess of Glos-
ter (J6J88). ter, by Lord Rag-
l Ian (13244).
(Champion of England
Mistletoe, by Lord
Raglan (13244).
(Lancaster Comet
(11663).
Virtue, by Plantage-
- , net (11906).
fTheCzar (20947).
Carmine. ■< Cressida, by
L John Bull (11618).
Barmpton. — Whatever may be the relative rank
assigned to the latter-day Cruickshank bulls in their
own country American breeders will always set a
high value upon the red Barmpton (37763). He was
another son of Royal Duke of Gloster that was drop-
ped in 1875 by the good cow Barmpton 's Flower (of
the Towneley Butterfly line), a daughter of Allan
(21172), son of the great Forth. If Barmpton had
done nothing more than sire Baron Victor (45944) so
celebrated in the Linwood Herd of Col. W. A. Harris
of Kansas, he would still be entitled to the recogni-
tion here accorded.
Cumberland. — One of the bulls most extensively
used after Roan Gauntlet was Cumberland (46144),
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON
601
a massive roan that was calved in 1880 and main-
tained steadily in service for a period of eight years.
He was described as ' ' short in the leg, deep and long-
in the body, with an excellent head, full, wide chest,
well-laid shoulders, strong loins, well-sprung ribs,
with such a cover of lean flesh as is rarely met with. ' '
As will be observed from the following tabulation
Cumberland's dam, the fine cow Custard of the Clip-
per tribe, was own sister in blood to Eoan Gauntlet,
so that his selection for service resulted in still fur-
ther intensifving Mr. Cruickshank 's favorite blood:
r Pride of the
Isles (35072).
2 .
Q CO
r Scotland's Pride
J (25100).
L Golden Days.
Custard.
rGrand Monarque (21S67),
J by Champion of England.
I Lovely 8 th.
5 Lord Raglan (13244).
( Pure Gold.
{Grand Duke of Gloster
(26288)
by Champion of England.
Mimulus,
by Champion of England.
Princess Royal.
{Champion of England
(.17526).
Carmine,
by TlaeCzar (20947).
There is not in Short-hom history a record of
greater success attained in the production of valua-
ble cattle for practical farm and feed-lot purposes
than that which attended the breeding operations at
Sittyton after the practice of using only home-bred
bulls was adopted. The herd began at once to take
on a uniformity in essential points which it had not
hitherto possessed, and the further the concentration
of blood was carried — up to a certain point — the bet-
ter the results. The fruit of Mr. Cruickshank 's ap-
602 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
peal to the practice of inbreeding was the establish-
ment of a well-fixed type of short-legged, broad-
ribbed, thick-fleshed cattle feeding to satisfactory-
weights at an early age; and the same concentration
of blood that served to fix these desirable character-
istics insured the prepotency of the stock for repro-
ductive purposes. The herd became the fountain
head of Short-horn breeding in the North. The
Sittyton bulls became the standard sires of Scotland.
The value of the service the Messrs. Cruickshank
had rendered was now universally conceded in their
native land and leading American breeders gladly
availed themselves of the privilege of selecting stock
bulls from this premier Aberdeenshire herd.
The closing years at Sittyton will form the subject
of further reference.
CHAPTER XX
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS
The constructive work carried out to such extraor-
dinary success at Sittyton was destined to exert an
influence over the breed on both sides the Atlantic
as far-reaching as it was beneficent. There were
none to dispute the supremacy of Sittyton in the
North. It was the source from whence nearly all the
breeders of Aberdeenshire and adjacent counties
drew their best material as well as their inspiration.
While Amos Cruickshank must therefore be called
the real leader of the line of Short-horn progression
in Scotland, passing notice should be taken of the
work of some of his contemporaries.
To review the operations in detail of all those who
contributed largely to the upbuilding of the Short-
horn interest in the North would require more space
than can here be given. Indeed, we cannot under-
take to list in full their names. Coates' Herd Book
must be consulted by those who wish to delve deeply
into the subject. We should, however, give a place
in this record to the names of Gen. Simson of Fife-
shire, Douglas of Athelstaneford, Barclay of Keavil,
the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Montrose, Lord
Lovat of Beaufort, Sir William Sterling Maxwell of
Kier, Longmore of Rettie, Mark Stewart of South-
603
604 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
wick, the Braces of Inverquhomery and Bumside,
Syme of Bed Kirk, Mitchell of Alloa, Sylvester
Campbell of Kinellar, William S. Marr of Uppermill,
John W. and Edward Cruickshank of Lethenty, and
Duthie of Collynie. While we need not undertake a
detailed account of the operations of these and other
leading breeders of that time it seems essential to a
correct understanding of the career of the Scotch-
bred Short-horns in America that some facts be fur-
nished relating especially to the herds at Athelstane-
ford, Kinellar, Uppermill, Lethenty and Collynie.
Douglas of Athelstaneford. — A herd that was in
every way worthy of the district that had been the
home of Eennie of Phantassie was begun about 1842
by Mr. James Douglas, an enterprising tenant farm-
er at Athelstaneford (locally called "Elshinford")
in East Lothian. Douglas was ambitious from the
first for show-yard honors, and as a competitor at the
great exhibitions of the United Kingdom, as well as
at the Paris Exposition of 1856, he met with a brim-
ming measure of success. The herd was begun about
1842, but it was not until the Newcastle Eoyal of
1846 that he made notable purchases. The famous
show bull Belleville (6778) was then at the height of
his reputation, and several of his daughters were
purchased. One of these, the roan Queen of Trumps,
bred by Mr. Unthank, was one of the greatest prize-
winners of her time. She was bought for shipment
to America at a high price by Mr. Barrett of Ken-
tucky, but was lost at sea.
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS
605
In 1852 a sale was made which included practi-
cally the entire original herd. Reservation was
made, however, of the celebrated Mantalini show
cow Rose of Summer, by Velvet Jacket (10998),
Scottish Blue Belle and a few others of special ex-
cellence. At this sale Rose of Summer's dam. Rose
of Autumn, together with Brenda (then carrying
Lord Raglan, by Crusade) were bought by Mark
Stewart of Southwick. Subsequently Lord Raglan
was bought back, together with Rose of Sharon, a
daughter of Rose of Autumn, and the four fine heif-
ers Hawthorne Blossom, Heather Belle, Cherry
Queen and Imperial Cherry, a quartette that cost 600
guineas. Prior to the sale the Athelstaneford cattle
had won some sixty prizes at leading shows, and the
second herd, with Rose of Summer and Scottish Blue
Belle as its trump cards, inaugurated another cam-
paign that was even more successful. Scottish Blue
Belle was ultimately sold to Mr. R. G. Corwine of
Lebanon, 0., and brought to the United States. Kil-
lerby and Warlaby were then drawn upon for fe-
males. The sum of 500 guineas was offered Richard
Booth in vain for Charity, and a 550-guinea bid for
Nectarine Blossom was also declined. Mr. Douglas
secured, nevertheless, Birthright, a granddaughter
of Bracelet, Isabella Hopewell and Venus de
Medicis.
Douglas scored a great success with the roan bull
Captain Balco (12546) of Ambler's breeding. He
stood next to Towneley's undefeated Master Butter-
606 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
fly at the Royal Dublin, and after being used for a
time in the herd was sold along with Hawthorne
Blossom and a lot aggregating some twenty head to
the Shakers of Ohio. The Booth-bred bull Hymen
(13058), of Bolden's breeding, out of Bridecake, was
next bought and fitted as a member of the herd sent
for exhibition at Paris in 1856, at which show he was
sold to M. de Trehonnais for 200 guineas. Bates
blood was acquired by the purchase of the cow Play-
ful, by 4th Duke of York. Some of Troutbeck's
Gwynnes were also secured. A son of Captain Balco,
called Sir James the Rose (15290), out of Rose of
Summer, succeeded his sire at the head of the herd
and proved a capital stock-getter. Rose of Summer
and her descendants were of a remarkably thick-
fleshed, neat-boned, blocky, short-legged, squarely-
built sort; and such cattle as Rose of Athelstane,
Maid of Athelstane, Lady of Athelstane, Queen of
Athelstane, Pride of Athelstane and Crown Prince
of Athelstane constituted a collection that has rarely
been excelled in any herd on either side the water.
In 1864 the late Hon. David Christie of Canada
bought and imported a number of the best cattle of
the Douglas herd and they exerted a great influence
for good on this side the Atlantic. We believe that
this sale to Mr. Christie practically closed the opera-
tions of Mr. Douglas as a breeder of Short-horns.
Further reference to the importation just mentioned
will be made in a subsequent chapter.
Campbell of Kinellar. — Although not one of the
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 607
earliest the herd of the late Sylvester Campbell was
one of the best in Aberdeenshire. Founded in the
year 1847 by the purchase of a pair of heifer calves
at Barclay of Ury's sale, one costing 20 guineas and
the other 9, the Campbell herd affords a striking
illustration of what an intelligent farmer can accom-
plish from a modest beginning. Situated about nine
miles northwest of the city of Aberdeen, located in a
district noted for its fine fanns and known locally as
' ' the Howe of the Garioch, ' ' the farm of Kinellar, of
which Mr. Campbell was tenant, lies in the valley of
the Eiver Don. Jamieson says: ''The scenery here
is picturesque and beautiful. The winding river, a
fine salmon stream, is flanked by wooded heights,
with some handsome villas nestling here and there
among the trees. At times the valley naiTows be-
tween rugged woody banks and then widens out
again into broad, fertile meadows — haughs, as they
are called in Scotland — where the fat sheep browse
and the cattle doze away their time in sleepy satis-
faction among the buttercups and clover. A sweet
spot it is in sunny days of June when the sky is with-
out a cloud and the skylarks are fluttering and sing-
ing over the grassy fields. The farm lies among the
banks and braes that slope up from the river and
consists for the most part of good loamy soil, laid
oif in square fields, inclosed by massive stone
dykes."
The foundation heifers above mentioned were both
sired by The Pacha (7612) — the grandson of Ma-
608 A HISTOEY OF SHOBT-HOEX CATTLE
son's Lady Sarah heretofore referred to — and were
known as Isabella and Susannah. From the 20-
guinea heifer, Isabella, Mr. Campbell derived two
good families, known as the Urys and Clarets. He
seems to have proceeded leisurely in his cattle-breed-
ing and at first bred his cows and heifers to sires in
service on neighboring farms, among them being
Fairfax Hero (9106), Vice-President (11002) and
Unrivaled (13926) — all bred at Sittyton and two of
them sons of that capitalbull Fairfax Eoyal (6987).
In 1854 he bought from Mr. Whitehead of Little
Methlick the cow Crocus, a granddaughter of a
Pacha heifer that had been bought at Ury in 1817.
The Nonpareils, Miss Ramsdens and Golden
Drops. — The big, massive Thalia came to Kinellar
in 1857 from Longmore of Eettie and a few years
later Nonpareil 21th, by Lord Sackville, was got
from the Messrs. Cruickshank. From the latter
came the famous Kinellar Xonpareils. The origi-
nal cow of this tribe had been brought to Scotland
from the herd of Mr. Cartwright of Tathwell on the
Lincolnshire wolds, in whose hands the sort had been
greatly esteemed. Indeed, the first Xonpareil, a
roan cow sired by the white bull Tathwell Studley
(5101), carrying considerable infusions of the blood
of the $5,000 Comet, proved useful until seventeen
years of age. Another one of the Kinellar matrons
was Miss Eamsden, bred by Sir J. Eamsden, and
taken to Scotland by Mr. Jopp, from whom she was
purchased by Mr. Campbell. Another cow that
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 609
proved a good investment was Maid of Promise,
obtained from Mr. Benton in Alford. From her was
descended probably the best cow ever seen in the
Kinellar pastures, Maid of Promise 6th, that won
the challenge cup at Aberdeen some years ago as the
best Short-horn of either sex on exhibition. Thes-
salonica, that gave rise to the beautiful Kinellar
Golden Drops, was dropped by Jewess, a cow bought
from Mr. Harvey of Tillygreig, in calf to Duke of
Clarence (9040), a fine white bull bred by Wetherell
and illustrated in the eighth volume of Coates' Herd
Book. Another purchase that proved fruitful was
the cow Euby Hill, by Elphinstoue (14-492), that was
bred by Messrs. Smith, Billhead of Nairn.
Early Kinellar sires. — For some years the herd
of Messrs. Cruickshank was resorted to for sires.
Mr. Campbell was remarkably fortunate, or, perhaps
we should say, exercised extraordinary judgment in
selecting young bulls at Sittyton. Mosstrooper
(11827), Beeswing (12456), Scarlet Velvet (16916),
and Diphthong (176S1) proved exceptional stock-
getters. The two latter were sent into the leading
showyards of the Xorth in 1S62 and 1863 and over-
came all opposition. Indeed, the use and exhibition
of these bulls was an important factor in building up
the reputation of the Sittyton stock. Of Cruick-
shank breeding also was the handsome bull known
as The Garioch Boy (15384), bought by Mr. Camp-
bell at a high price, but lost soon afterward. Bee-
swing was a red, sired by Matadore (IISOO), tracing
610 A HISTOEY or SHORT-HOE N CATTLE
on the dam's side through Venus and Dairymaid to
the stock of Rennie of Phantassie. He left at Kinel-
lar a lot of useful, deep-bodied cows; and when these
were crossed with the stylish show bull Scarlet Vel-
vet the progeny proved among the best Short-horns
of their day. Scarlet Velvet was a red, sired by The
Baron (13833) out of Verdure of Plantagenet
(11906), running to the cow Tranquil by Barclay's
Billy (3151). He was sold to go into Morayshire.
Diphthong, another red ' ' with a curious mark like a
tapeline around his left fore ribs, ' ' was a thick, good
bull by Lord Stanley (16454) out of a daughter of
Fancy, also by Billy (3151), and had a brilliant
career at the Scottish national show^s.
Booth cross disappointing. — So great had been the
success of the use of these Sittyton bulls that Kinel-
lar began to take rank as a rival of the Cruickshank
herd itself, then the most famous in all Scotland, and
Campbell thought to emphasize his independence by
turning elsewhere for his herd bulls. From 1863 to
1877 he went South for his sires and bought bulls
largely of Booth blood. Probably the most noted of
these was Prince of Worcester (20597), that had
been a Royal winner as a yearling and a champion
as an aged bull at Aberdeen. He also had Sir Chris-
topher (22895), bred by Richard Booth, but notwith-
standing the enterprise he had displayed in this re-
gard the results were disappointing, and in the later
years of his breeding operations he returned to his
first love and in large measure restored the useful-
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 611
ness of his stock by breeding from such Cruickshank
bulls as Vermont and Gravesend. The latter in par-
ticular did excellent service, acquiring distinction as
a heifer-getter, and afterward passed into the pos-
session of William Dutliie of Collynie.
Mr. Campbell died in 1891, and the herd was final-
ly dispersed in 1897. The proprietor had been high-
ly respected throughout the entire North Country
and the sale drew out a large attendance. Although
prices at that time were not at their present range,
the heifers by Gravesend and Royal James were
greatly admired and averaged over £42 each. Lord
Eoseberry, Mr. Duthie and Fletcher of Rosehaugh
bought a number of the best lots. A few went into
Yorkshire, and the bull Royal James to Lincoln.
Mr. Duthie says: "The Kinellar cattle were noted
for their substance, and the cows generally were
heavy milkers. ' '
The Kinellar Short-horns are best known in Amer-
ica through the fine family of Golden Drops, de-
scending from the cow Thessalonica already men-
tioned. The sort was introduced on this side by
Messrs. Geo. Isaac and J. S. Thompson of Canada.
In the hands of Messrs. Avery & Murphy, Col. Hollo-
way, Messrs. A. H. & I. B. Day and others they sold
at strong prices and made an enviable show-yard
and breeding record. Subsequently they acquired
additional fame as perhaps the best family in the
Linwood herd of Col. W. A. Harris. Some of the
Miss Ramsdens and Nonpareils were also imported
612 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
into the West and proved good breeders as well as
successful show animals.
Marr of Uppermill. — The late William S. Marr,
one of the most eminent of all the Aberdeenshire
breeders of Short-horns, entered upon the farm of
Uppermill in 1833. It is situated in the same district
as Sittyton, Shethin, Collynie and other noted nur-
series of North-Country stock. Mr. Marr was twen-
ty-two years of age at the time he took the lease of
Uppermill, which was at that time in a very rough
state. Much of the land had to be reclaimed at great
expense, and it was not until about 1851 that he was
able to turn his attention to Short-horns. His first
purchases were made in the North of England, but
with one notable exception the original investment
proved altogether unsatisfactory; the cattle doing
no good under the conditions to which they were
subjected in their new home.
The Maudes. — The ancestress of this Uppermill
tribe was the fine cow Maude that constituted the
exception just mentioned. She belonged to a family
that had been bred by Mr. Thomas Chrisp of North-
umberland, who had obtained the sort from the herd
of Mr. Jopling. The foundation dam. Duchess of St.
Albans, had a double cross of the Princess bull St.
Albans (2584). The present proprietor at Upper-
mill says: *'My father used to tell me that Maude
was a very fine cow and a grand milker." Crossed
with such bulls as Heir of Englishman (24122) and
Cherub 4th (33359), both of Lord Sudeley's Sera-
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 613
phina sort, the Maudes developed into one of the
strongest of Mr. Marr's tribes.
The Mis3ies. — This celebrated Scottish family
originated in the hands of Capt. Barclay of Ury. The
primal cow of this name was bred by Mr. A. Mori-
son from Countess of Ury blood, and was obtained
by Mr. Marr about 1854. She was considered an
extraordinary animal, possessing great substance
and wealth of flesh. The earlier Missies were sired
by such bulls as Augustus (15598), Lord of Lome
(18258), Young Pacha (20457), and Macduff
(26773) ; and in later years the sort was brought to
a high degree of perfection by the use of Seraphina
and Sittyton bulls. The tribe not only proved pro-
lific, but steadily improved in merit until acknowl-
edged on both sides the Atlantic as one of the best
of all Scotch Short-horn families. Indeed, it is
doubtful if any other one sort has done more for the
good of the breed in the North of Scotland, or has
produced more noted prize-winners. During the
''seventies" the late Mr. Marr showed cattle of this
family with great success; conspicuous among the
winners being the bull Young Englishman (31113),
got by Heir of Englishman out of Missie 19th. He
was calved in 1871 and was first and champion at the
leading shows for three successive years, besides
leaving many good sons and beautiful daughters at
Uppermill. In recent years Mountaineer (63027), a
Missie bull of Mr. Marr 's breeding, was shown with
success in the herd of Messrs. Wright of Lincoln-
614 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
shire, Eng. Miranda, in the hands of Mr. Deane
Willis, and the Royal champion Marengo, owned by
Mr. Philo L. Mills of Nottinghamshire, have brought
additional honor to the tribe. Mr. Duthie has incor-
porated the sort into his famous herd at Collynie,
and such cows as Missie 141st, by William of Or-
ange, and Missie 150th, by Dauntless, now at Upper-
mill, afford capital illustration of the manner in
which the blood breeds on.
The Princess Royals. — This sort and the Missies
constitute the two largest families now at Uppermill,
there being about twenty females of each. The
Princess Royals trace their descent in the maternal
line to the herd of Mr. Hay of Shethin. They have
.responded well to the use of Cruickshank bulls, dis-
playing good constitution, great wealth of flesh,
broad ribs and strong loins. Many good specimens
both of the Princess Royals and the Missies have
been imported to the United States and Canada dur-
ing the past twenty years.
The Alexandrinas. — This tribe is of the same
origin as the Sittyton Crocus sort, both descending
from the herd of Mr. Morison of Mountblairy, Aber-
deenshire, who obtained the family from Grant Duff.
The Alexandrinas have to their credit the produc-
tion of the famous American champion show bull
Gay Monarch 92411. The family came into the pos-
session of Mr. Marr about 1860.
The Roan or Red Ladys.— About 1855 Mr. Marr
purchased from the late Mr. Whitehead of Little
OTHER XOETH COUXTKY HEEDS 615
Metlilick, Aberdeenshire, a cow called Roan Lady,
from which he bred a heifer by the Kinellar bull
Young Pacha called Eed Lady. Descendants of
these cows have since been known at Uppermill as
Roan or Red Ladys. They have been distinguished,
as a rule, for their rich colors, good Short-horn char-
acter, fine style and depth of flesh. Representatives
of this sort have several times topped the Uppermill
young bulls. Indeed, at the sale held this year
(1899) the best price, 270 guineas, was paid by Mr.
Mills for Royal Fame from Roan Lady 14th — a fine
old cow, still useful at the age of fourteen years.
The Bessies. — This tribe came to Uppermill in
1862 and, like the Roan Ladys, was acquired by pur-
chase from Mr. Whitehead. The latter had obtained
the blood from Barclay of Ury. It is one of several
valuable Scottish sorts tracing in the maternal line
to Mary Anne, by Sillery. The Bessies are now well
known in connection with the champion show bull
Sign of Riches (60324), sold in 1898 for export to
South America and called by many good judges the
best Short-horn bull in Great Britain at the time of
his exportation. He was a bull of extraordinary
depth and wealth of flesh that overcame all opposi-
tion not only at the Highland show but at the Royal
Dublin. He was sold at auction in Buenos Aires for
£650, and one of his sons (Farrier) was recently sold
in Argentine by the Messrs. Nelson for £1,300.
The Claras. — Mr. Marr, in common with nearly all
of the other Aberdeenshire breeders, was indebted
616 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORJST CATTLE
very largely to the Ury blood of Capt. Barclay for
his foundation stock. In addition to the Ury tribes
already mentioned he obtained in 1860 from Mr.
Shepherd of Shethin the cow Clara 10th, descended
from Clara 2d, by The Pacha, bred by Barclay. The
Claras are recognized in the North of Scotland as
one of the soundest of the old local sorts, and in
1876 Clara 28th of this line, sired by Gold Digger
(24044), was a prominent prize-winner. She pos-
sessed great scale and rare beauty of conformation.
Several specimens of this family have been imported
to the United States and Canada.
The Emmas. — This family came to Uppermill
about 1870 through the cow Emma 2d, by Golden
Eagle (26267). She carried six successive crosses
of bulls bred by Mr. Cruickshank, and one of her
heifers, bred by Mr. Marr, known as Emma 3d, was
imported into Illinois in 1876, where she became the
dam of the champion twin heifers Emma 4th and
5th, that acquired so much celebrity in the herd of
Messrs. Potts. Indeed, it may fairly be claimed that
the exhibition of these massive, heavy-fleshed cows
contributed largely toward building up the demand
for Scotch-bred Short-horns that set in throughout
the Western States about the time of their exhibi-
tion. Another noted animal of the Emma type was
the bull Earl of Mar (47815), imported into Canada
by Francis Green. He was a roan from Emma 2d,
the matron of the tribe at Uppermill.
The Goldies. — The original Goldie was bred by
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 617
Messrs. Smith & Co. of Inverness. She was a re-
markably fine specimen of the breed, having for sire
the Sitty ton-bred Goldsmith (14632). She came to
Uppermill about 1858, where she produced in 1865
the bull Gold Digger that was sold to the late Mr.
Duthie, father of the present William Duthie of
Collynie. He proved such a good sire that he was
bought back for Uppermill and rendered valuable
service. Goldie was fed for exhibition at the Smith-
field Show in London, where she was a prize-winner
after having produced four calves. She was re-
garded as one of the best Short-horn cows of her
time, and some of the best of all the Uppermill
Short-homs trace descent from her. A white bull
calf of this tribe, called The White Knight, has re-
cently been bought by Mr. Duthie for service at
Collynie at 140 guineas. He was sired by Wanderer
out of Goldie 35th.
Sittyton sorts. — In addition to his own families as
above enumerated Mr. Marr added to the herd at
Uppermill representatives of Mr. Cruickshank's
Butterfly and Duchess of Gloster tribes. In the hands
of Mr. Marr the Butterflys have been known as
Blythesomes. It will be remembered that this sort
was obtained by Mr. Cruick shank from Capt. Bar-
clay. The first of the family went to Uppermill in
1880. A Blythesome bull calf recently brought 220
guineas from P. L. Mills of Euddington Hall. The
Duchesses of Gloster at Uppermill are derived from
Duchess of Gloster 35th, bred at Sittyton in 1885.
618 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOEX CATTLE
Early Sires at Uppermill. — One of the first bulls
bought by Mr. Marr was Clarendon (14280), a red,
obtained in 1856 from the old herd at Shethin. He
was always thought an extra good bull and a rare
stock-getter. He belonged to the Princess Eoyai
family. Another valuable bull obtained from Shet-
hin and placed in service in 1859 was the beautiful
roan Lord of Lome (18258), sired by the famous
Cheriy Duke 2d (14265), and tracing on the dam's
side through the Lovely line afterward so famous
at Sittyton. Lord of Lome was one of the most
potent influences in the development of the original
herd. Uppermill early gave its adherence to Sitty-
ton, the first of the Cruickshank bulls to go there
being Lord Surrey (20230) and Lord Lyons
(22173). The former was bought in 1861 and the
latter in 1864. They were both reds and both proved
satisfactory sires. Eesort was next had to Kinellar.
Young Pacha (20457) and Prince Louis (27158),
both red, were obtained from Mr. Campbell. The
former left some good cows and heifers and Prince
Louis proved a tower of strength. He was a bull of
great substance, very thick in his flesh and stood
near to the ground. Li the course of a recent letter
to the author the younger Mr. Marr says: "I be-
lieve the thickness of the Uppermill cattle is to this
day partly due to Prince Louis." It is interesting
in this connection to note that his dam, the Cruick-
shank-bred Nonpareil 24th, was a daughter of Lord
Sackville (13349), whose extraordinary value as a
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 619
sire was not sufficiently recognized at Sittyton.
Prince Louis was followed by the first home-bred
bull to be jDlaced in service, to-wit: Gold Digger
(24044). As already mentioned he was out of the
great cow Goldie and was used for a time by the late
Mr. Duthie. He is said to have been a very grand
red bull, possessing great width and depth. One
branch of the Missies traces through Missie 20th, by
Gold Digger. He was followed by the Highland
Society's prize bull Macduff (26773), a roan, bred
by Mr. Bruce of Broadland. A large family of Mis-
sies descend through Missie 30th by this bull.
Heir of Englishman (24122). — This great show-
yard champion was bought for Uppermill in 1869 at
four years of age. He was bred by G. R. Barclay of
Keavil, Perthshire, who was also the breeder of the
famous Baron Booth of Lancaster 7535, so cele-
brated in America. The Heir was got by English-
man (19701) out of the handsome cow Seraphina
13th, belonging to Lord Sudeley's renowned family
of that name. He was a roan, showing pronounced
Short-horn character, great substance, length, qual-
ity and style, and was a leading prize-winner at all
the National shows of his day, including both the
Royal and the Highland. Amos Cruickshank is said
to have been one of his greatest admirers, and re-
marked to Mr. Marr that the bull's head and eye
alone were worth the price paid for him. Mr. Marr
was offered double the sum given for the bull by the
Sittyton management. Heir of Englishman gave
620 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
the Uppermill herd its first great popularity. His
progeny were eagerly sought by foreign buyers and
were easily recognized on account of their singular
uniformity. It is doubtful if any bull ever used in
Aberdeenshire left a greater impress upon North
Country Short-horn breeding. He was used at Up-
permill for seven years.
Young Englishman (31113), a red, sired by the
Heir out of Missie 19th, developed into a bull of
great thickness and succeeded his sire in service. He
proved a good getter as well as a fine show bull, and
Mr. Marr had the courage to refuse an offer of £300
for him, which was in those days a fabulous price for
a Scotch-bred Short-horn. About this same time
several other home-bred bulls were tested, among
others Midshipman (29372), that was used for a year
and then sold for export to Australia at a long price.
He was a bull of remarkable thickness, and several
of his daughters were brought to the United States
and Canada.
Cherub 4th (83359).— The Seraphina blood as evi-
denced in the two bulls just mentioned gave such
eminent satisfaction at Uppermill that Mr. Marr
next purchased the roan Cherub 4th, bred by Lord
Sudeley and sired by Mandarin (29269) out of
Booth's Seraphina by Baron Booth (21212), the sire
of Mr. Pickrell's Baron Booth of Lancaster. Man-
darin was a white bull with roan ears, got by the
Bates-bred 2d Duke of Wetherby (21618) out of
Seraphina 15th; so that Cherub 4th was an inbred
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 621
Seraphina carrying a Bates as well as a Booth cross.
He was a dark roan of pronounced substance and
quality and cost 200 guineas at twelve months old.
He was a capital stock-getter and his bulls made the
highest prices obtained by Mr. Marr in the old days.
Athabasca (47359). — In the selection and use of
this valuable Cruickshank bull we have an admira-
ble illustration of the advantage possessed by Old
Country breeders in the matter of disregarding color
in bulls chosen for stock purposes. Athabasca was
a white, bred at Sittyton from the prize bull Pride
of the Isles (35072) out of Azalea (dam of the most
celebrated of all latter-day Cruickshank bulls, Field
Marshal), by Caesar Augustus (25704). He was
bought in 1881 and used at Uppermill for seven
years with complete success. His young bulls were
in keen demand and his heifers, as a rule, were of a
refined and excellent breeding type.
Since Athabasca's time none but Cruickshank
bulls have been used at Uppermill. He was suc-
ceeded by Lord Lavender (54616), by Cumberland
out of Lavender 15th.
William of Orange (50694). — This great Cruick-
shank bull was bought at Sittyton as a calf in 1883.
He was a red, sired by Roan Gauntlet out of Orange
Blossom 21st by Caesar Augustus, and was retained
in ser\dce at Uppermill until twelve years old. His
record as a sire is a source of pride to all who are
interested in the fortunes of the Aberdeenshire cat-
tle. He was a red, possessing strong individuality,
622 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN" CATTLE
wonderful constitution, a grandly-spread and admir-
ably-covered back, and extraordinary quality. As
seen at Uppermill by the writer in 1892 he im-
pressed us as the best aged bull of the breed we had
the privilege of examining in all Britain, and his
progeny were almost without exception well above
the average in merit. Among the best of his get
may be mentioned Gay Monarch and Master of the
Mint (both brought to America), Mountaineer and
the dam of Marengo. His daughters have proved
mines of wealth to the proprietors of Uppermill.
Later Sittyton sires at Uppermill. — After William
of Orange came Sea King (61769), a good dark roan
of the Spicy family, sired by Gondomar (55821) out
of Sea Foam by Gondolier (52956), tracing to Sil-
very by Champion of England. Then came Daunt-
less (54155), Captain of the Guard (58956) and
Wanderer (60138), the latter sire of the 330-guinea
bull Scottish Champion, sold to Mr. Duthie. Wan-
derer is still in service (1899) at eleven years of age.
The Uppermill young bulls have been sold at public
auction annually since 1856. Showing has been dis-
continued since about 1875.
Mr. Marr Sr. departed this life a few years since
after a long and useful career, having contributed
largely to the upbuilding of the reputation which
the Aberdeenshire Short-horns have attained on
both sides the Atlantic. His son William S. suc-
ceeded to the ownership and management of the
herd.
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 623
Lethenty. — Mr. Anthony Cruicksliank had two
sons, John W. and Edward, both of whom always
manifested a deep interest in Short-horns. Upon
the death of their father they inherited his interests
in the Sittyton herd, which they retained nntil its
final dispersion. In addition to holding this interest
in the parent herd the brothers undertook at Leth-
enty, near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, the establish-
ment of a partnership herd. The foundation of the
herd was laid in the early "seventies" and Booth
blood was made the standard. The herd attained
considerable proportions and was bred with a good
degree of success for some years, being finally dis-
persed at auction.
After the sale of the Booth cattle Mr. Edward
Cruickshank founded at Lethenty a second herd,
drawing part of his material from Sittyton and part
from Longmore of Eettie. As has already been
stated the Longmore Short-horns ranked among the
best ever produced in Scotland, the herd dating from
about 1838, and at the time Edward Cruickshank
purchased females of that breeding the Eettie stock
carried a good percentage of Sittyton blood. Ed-
ward had an idea that these large-framed, good-
milking cows would "nick" well with Sittyton sires,
and, as the question of fresh blood for the parent
herd was often considered by Mr. Amos Cruick-
shank, it was agreed between Edward and his uncle
that the proposition of the former to select good
Longmore cows for mating with Sittyton bulls was
624 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
likely to result in success and perhaps prove the
means of providing a desirable outcross for the new
strongly-inbred Cruickshank stock. Five of these
Longmore cows were bought at the Rettie dispersion
of 1881, consisting of three daughters and two
granddaughters of Lord Forth (26649), a red bull
bred at Sittyton from Forth (17866) out of Autumn
Rose by Lord Raglan. The richly-fleshed, low-
standing roan bull Perfection (37185), sired by
Bridesman (30586) out of Russian Violet by Scot-
land's Pride, was secured from Sittyton and placed
in service. This bull was distinguished for his qual-
ity and even distribution of thick flesh, and crossed
with Longmore cows proved a distinct success. He
was followed in service by one of his sons, Prince
Rufus (51926), descended on his dam's side from
the Rettie stock. He was a capital individual, being
shown with success as a calf, yearling and two-year-
old. About 1887 Edward Cruickshank resolved to
give up farming and take up his residence in Eng-
land, closing out practically the entire herd at pri-
vate sale to the Hon. John Dryden of Canada.
Collynie. — The herd of Mr. William Duthie, upon
whose shoulders the mantle of the late Amos
Cruickshank seems to have fallen, occupies such a
commanding position in the Scotch Short-horn trade
at the present time that it must form the subject of
further reference in a subsequent chapter. As its
foundations, however, date back to about the year
1856 it must be included in this connection among
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS 625
the Aberdeenshire stocks contemporaneous in date
with the herd at Sittyton.
Mr. Duthie's father was a near neighbor of Mr.
Cruickshank and kept a few Short-horns on the farm
of Collynie — one of the Earl of Aberdeen's many
estates in that vicinity — some fifty years since. At
the dispersion sale of the good herd of Mr. Jonathan
"Whitehead of Little Methlick, in 1856, he purchased
the foundation dams of three tribes that are still to
be found in the herd; one of which has the same
origin as the Roan or Red Lady tribe at Uppermill
already mentioned. In common with other Aber-
deenshire breeders Mr. Duthie Sr. sought at all
times cattle of the useful, practical sort, and long
before the Sittyton dispersion the herd had acquired
pronounced merit and a high local reputation. It
was not, however, until the present proprietor, Mr.
Wm. Duthie, made his memorable purchase of Sit-
tyton cattle after Mr. Amos Cruickshank gave up
breeding, that the Collynie Short-horn became an
important factor on both sides the water. As Ameri-
can breeders are interested more particularly in the
later history of the herd comment as to its character
is reserved until the subject may be reached in its
proper order.
CHAPTER XXI
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA
The first importations of Scotch-bred Short-horns
to America were made in 1854 and 1856 by the Shak-
ers of Union Village, Warren Co., 0., and R. G. Cor-
wine of Lebanon, 0., and consisted of some thirty
head, most of which were bred by Douglas of Athel-
staneford. The first of the North-of-Scotland blood
was brought by the Illinois Importing Co., in 1857,
from the herd of Messrs. Cruickshank at Sittyton;
and the excellence of the two animals representing
that blood in this first Western importation is amply
attested by the fact that at the company's sale at
Springfield the pair — consisting of the bull Defend-
er (12687), by Matadore (11800), and the roan Non-
pareil heifer Lady Harriet — brought $3,800 at auc-
tion. Notwithstanding this early introduction of
Scotch cattle, the descendants of the New York,
Ohio and Kentucky importations from England, as
we have already shown, so dominated the trade in
the United States that little attention was paid for
many years to the operations of the Scotch breeders.
Early importations into Ontario. — Although Can-
ada was linked with the mother-land by many ties
of blood and interest and numbered in her rural pop-
ulation many farmers of Scottish birth, the Domin-
KISE OF SCOTCH POWER IX AMERICA 627
ion's interest in the Xortli-Country cattle did not
manifest itself in any appreciable degree until after
the great revival of breeding in North America that
set in after the close of the Civil War in the States.
During the period extending from 1854 to 1861
Geo. and Wm. Miller and Simon Beattie made sev-
eral importations from the herd of Eobert Syme of
Eed Kirk, Dumfrieshire. This was a sound old
stock of good local repute in the south of Scotland,
and some of the most useful of the Canadian families
of Short-horns trace their descent from these pur-
chases. A very noted bull of Geo. Miller's importa-
tion was Prince of Wales 50100, a showy roan that
was exhibited extensively in Canada and the State
of New York without meeting defeat. Mr. William
Miller of Pickering, Ontario, imported cattle of
Syme's breeding about the same dates; some of the
original selections being made by his son, Mr. Wm.
Miller (later of Lakeside Fann, Iowa), then a young
man making his first tour of the old-country herds
and flocks. In the William Miller lot was the bull
Eed Kirk (15138), a fine roan of medium size that
was sold for service in the State of New York. Mr.
Miller describes the Eed Kirk heifers of that day as
among the best to be found in all Britain. In 1857
Messrs. Armstrong of Markham brought out the
light-roan bull Fawkes (14539), of Eed Kirk breed-
ing, a remarkably thick-fleshed, substantial bull that
proved a grand getter. In 1856 Mr. Geo. Eoddick of
Coburg imported from the herd of Mark Stewart,
628 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Southwick, near Dumfries, the heifer Nonpareil 6th
in calf to Lord Raglan (13244) and the young bulls
Brilliant by Baron of Ravensworth (7811) and
Prince Charlie by Lord Raglan. In 1861 Simon
Beattie imported three heifers and two bulls of the
Red Kirk blood, and in 1869 Wm. Miller of Picker-
ing brought out the grand roan show heifer Ruberta
— bred by Messrs. Game of Broadmoor, Gloucester-
shire, England — that had a successful career at the
leading Western fairs of the early "seventies."*
*Some facts concerning earlier importations into Canada from Eng-
land may here be of interest:
One of the first importations into the Dominion was that of Mr.
Rowland Wingfleld, who brought out in 1833 and in 1838 six cows and
heifers and the white bull Young Farmer 6 2d. Three of the females,
Lilly, by Warden 1563; Dairymaid, by Warwick (2815) ; Pedigree, by
Mynheer (2345), and Cowslip, by Warwick (2815), were purchased
by Kentucky breeders and taken to that State.
About this same date Mr. Adam Fergusson imported the cows Beau-
ty, by Snowball (2647), and Cherry, by a son of St. Albans (2584),
together with the bull Agricola (1614). The latter was sold to go to
New York. Beauty and Cherry were both roans from the herd of
James Chrisp of Northumberland, and the former gave rise to a fam-
ily that afterward became very popular at Bow Park and elsewhere.
In 1837 Thomas Mairs imported the roan bull Holderness and the cow
Strawberry. Antedating all of these was an importation of four bulls
said to have been made by the New Brunswick Agricultural Society,
three of which were from the herd of Mr. Wetherell.
In 1845 Ralph Wade Sr. of Port Hope, Ont., imported the roan
cows Adeline, Clarentine, Fisher Roan and Snowdrop, and the bull
American Belted "\A'ill (12394), mainly of Raine's breeding. Some
years later Mr. Wade also imported a white cow, Newham Lily, bred
by Mason Hopper from Belleville (6778), and the roan bull Sir Charles
Napier (13712), of same breeding.
From 1854 to 1856 F. W. Stone of Moreton Lodge, Guelph, Ont..
made six importations, aggi-egating about thirty-four head. Air. Stone's
purchases were made from some of the most noted herds of the time
in England, including those of Jonas Webb, J. S. Tanqueray, E. Bowly,
Col. Kingscote, H. Ambler, etc. Included in these shipments were the
bulls John o' Gaunt 2d (13089), Friar John (12905) and the 11th and
13th Dukes of Oxford, the latter sired by the Bates bull 6th Duke of
Oxford (12765), but not tracing to that tribe on dam's side. Among
the cows was the roan Margaret, by Snowball 8602, of Bowly 's breed-
ing, that gave rise to a numerous family bearing her name ; also a pair
of Sanspareil heifers, Isabella (Booth), from Bolden's, and the roan
Eugenie, from Ambler's, sired by imp. Grand Turk (12969). Tliese
selections proved very valuable to the cattle interests of Canada, and
Mr. Stone made further large importations from England from 1870 to
1878.
In 1860 Dr. G. H. Phillips of Prescott imported five heifers and two
bulls from Ireland, one of the latter being Master McHale 5943, all of
Booth blood. In 1868 the Quebec Agricultural Society brought out the
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA 629
Along with Ruberta came the heifer Gola and bull
Fawsley Chief 10051, both of Torr's breeding.
Notwithstanding these investments in Scotch
stock the English type of Short-horns continued to
have the call in Canada, as well as on this side of the
border, for many years following the Syme importa-
tions mentioned. Direct importations from England
two heifers Statesman's Daughter 2d and Princess, bred by J. Har-
ward of Winterfold, and the bull Oxford Gwynne 12551, bred by Chas.
Howard of Biddenham.
In 1871 John Snell & Sons of Edmonton imported the roan bull
British Baron 13557, bred by Col. Townelev, and in 1874 the Booth-
bred Knight of the Rose 23646. In August, 1871, R. J. Stanton of
Thornhill imported five heifers from the herd of Mr. Fawkes of Farne-
ley Hall, and the bull Baron Mild-Eyes from the herd of Col. Gunter.
A second shipment was made by Mr. Stanton in 1874 of three heif-
ers from the Scotch herds of Messrs. J. Whyte, J. Gordon and R.
Binnie.
Jno. R. Craig of Edmonton imported in 1874 the red heifer Euphe-
mia and heifer calf, bred by R. Stratton ; the cow Lady LeMoor, bred
by T. Maynard, and the roan heifer Waterloo J., bred by Sir AV. C.
Trevelyan of Northumberland. In 1881 Mr. Craig received from the
famous herd of Lord Polworth of Mertoun House, St. Boswell's, eleven
heifers and seven bulls, all Booth-topped.
Between 1874 and 1877 Mr. Jno. Hope imported for account of Hon.
Geo. Brown of Bow Park a large number of English-bred cattle, main-
ly of Bates blood, although his first shipment, made in 1874, contained
several Booths from the herd of Raymond Bruere. In 187 6 the Can-
ada West Farm Stock Association, reference to which is made on page
482, made heavy importations, chiefly of Bates blood, from leading
English herds.
Between 1875 and 1880 Prof. G. Lawson imported some twenty-five
head, representing a wide range of English blood, for the Central Board
of Agi'iculture of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In 1876 Thomas Boak of Milton imported the roan cow Farewell
and her bull calf from the herd of Robt. Thompson of Inglewood, whose
subsequent successes in the English show-yard with the great MoUie
Millicent and other noted prize winners gave his stock gi-eat celebritv.
Along with this Thompson cow came the roan bull Duke of Cumber-
land (58590).
In 1879 Wm. Linton of Aurora, received from the Linton herd at
Sheriff Hutton, Yorkshire, England, the cow Rachel, heifer calf Sheriff
Hutton Rose and the young bull British Hero (39 506) ; both of the
latter sired by the famous Sir Arthur Ingram (32490). In 1883 he
received from the same source the cows Snowdrop and Fame 2d.
Between 1870 and 1881 Messrs. J. & R. Hunter of Alma, made sev-
eral importations of Booth-bred cattle from the herds of Hugh Ayl-
mer and T. E. Pawlett. We believe they also imported one Cruick-
shank heifer in the early "seventies," and they also had from J.
Whyte of Aberdeenshire, the Booth bull Knight of Warlaby 20163.
In 1881 the Government of St. John's, New Brunswick] imported a
half-dozen heifers from the herds of Hugh Avlmer of Norfolk and T
Marshall of Annan, Scotland, together with the bulls Bellman (44406)
and Musketeer, bred by the Messrs. Mitchell of Alloa, Scotland
From 1879 to 1883 W. Murray of Chesterfield, made several ship-
630 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
to Ontario were supplemented by purchases of stock
of English descent made in the States.
The landing of Baron Booth of Lancaster and
Rosedale on Canadian soil by Mr. Cochrane in 1867,
followed by their sale and triumphant career in the
show-yards of the West, forecasted trade possibili-
ties which the Dominion breeders were quick to
grasp. The commanding position assumed at once
by Hillhurst has already been indicated, and while
Mr. Cochrane was operating in the deep waters of
the Bates and Booth speculation certain of his con-
temporaries in the province of Ontario were quietly
sowing the seed which was in time to work a revolu-
tion in the Short-horn standards of two continents.
First Sittyton cattle in Canada. — The earliest im-
portation into Canada from Sittyton of which we
find record was a small shipment made in 1859 or
1860 by Mr. Neil McGillivray of Williamstown, con-
sisting of the red cow Honesty, by Procurator
(10657) out of Fidelity by Prince Edward Fairfax;
her red bull calf Baronet, sired by The Baron
(13833); the roan cow Model, by Matadore (11800)
out of Brunette by Prince Edward Fairfax ; and the
ments from England, including- Grand Duchess of Oxford G9th and 5th
Duke of Holker (44687) from the herd of the Duke of Devonshire. Mr.
Murray's importations represented the best Bates tribes.
Mr. H. T. Attrill, a capitalist with large business interests in the
United States and Canada, and the owner of a farm at Goderich. On-
tario, imported in 1881 Grand Duchesses 28th and 35th, bred by R. E.
Oliver of Sholebroke Lodge, and the roan Bates Duchess bull 5th Duke
of Tregunter (33743). In 1883 he imported two Grand Duchesses of
Oxford, one Baroness Oxford, one Winsome Wild Eyes and a Barring-
ton from the herd of the Duke of Devonshire.
Richard Gibson made extensive importations of Bates cattle from
1881 to 1883, most of which were sold at good prices to breeders in
the States.
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN^ AMERICA 631
roan bull Royal George (16866), by Master Butterfly
2d (14918) out of Princess Mary by The Baron.
These were accompanied by the roan heifer Nina, of
Mark Stewart's breeding, and a roan heifer called
Souvenir, bred by J. Grundy of The Dales, near
Manchester, England.
In the year 1867 Geo. Isaac, a Scotchman who had
settled in Canada in 1842, began importing stock
from the herd of his brother-in-law, Mr. Campbell
of Kinellar. Mr. Isaac's original importation con-
sisted of the two red yearling heifers Isabella and
Margaret 3d, both sired by Diphthong 3d (21547),
and the bull calf Prince Charlie (27123). This ship-
ment was followed three years later by a larger one
from the same source, which was destined to have a
marked influence upon the American trade. It con-
sisted of seven heifers and the two yearling bulls
Statesman 15539, a red-roan of the Nonpareil sort,
and Wellington 15692. Among the heifers were
Golden Drop 2d (carrying Golden Drop 3d by Sir
Christopher), Miss Eamsden 3d (carrying Miss
Ramsden 4th), and Bloom 3d, in calf to Sir Christo-
pher (22895). This was the first of the celebrated
Golden Drop family brought to America, and the
subsequent career of that excellent Kinellar tribe in
the West contributed largely to building the Scotch
Short-horn fame on this side the Atlantic. In 1872
Mr. Isaac supplemented his previous importations
from Kinellar by the purchase of a half-dozen fe-
males of Mr. Campbell's breeding, together with the
632 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
roan bull Inkermann 26863. In 1874 George Isaac's
son John, of Bowmanton, commenced liis long series
of importations of Kinellar-bred cattle.
In 1870 Mr. John S. Armstrong of Guelph began
with cattle drawn from the herd of the late Mr. Marr
of Uppermill. The initial importation consisted of
four red two-year-old heifers, one of which, Missie
23d, belonged to a tribe now holding high rank on
both sides the Atlantic. In 1871 Mr. Armstrong im-
ported a red yearling heifer of Mr. Cruickshank's
breeding — Lady Florence, tracing to Picotee — and a
red yearling heifer, Golden Bracelet, from Mr.
Duthie's, a granddaughter of Velvet by Champion of
England. In 1873 Mr. Armstrong made a large ship-
ment, mainly from Uppermill, a number of which
were sired by Heir of Englishman (24122). These
cattle met with a favorable reception at the hands of
the Ontario farmers, and in 1876 Mr. Armstrong
made a further importation from the herd of Mr.
Marr.
The Athelstane blood. — One of the most valuable
importations that ever crossed the Atlantic was that
made by Hon. David Christie of Paris, Ontario, in
August, 1864, from the far-famed herd of Douglas of
Athelstaneford. It included the great four-year-old
cow Queen of Athelstane, got by Sir James the Eose
(15290) out of the Bates-bred piayful by 4th Duke of
York (10167) ; her yearling heifer Princess of Athel-
stane, by Watchman (17216); the roan heifer calf
Crown Princess of Athelstane, by Next of Kin
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN" AMERICA 633
(20405) ; the red three-year-old heifer Pride of Ath-
elstane, by Sir James the Eose out of Lady of Athel-
stane by the prize bull Hymen (13058) ; the red six-
year-old Placida, by Master of Athelstane (14933),
and her bull calf by Knight of Athelstane (20075),
and Queen of Athelstane 's roan bull calf. Crown
Prince of Athelstane (21512). As stated on page
606, these cattle represented some of the leading
show-yard celebrities of their time in Great Britain.
In 1868 Mr. Christie brought out from England
the red-and-white Booth bull Knight of St. George
8472, bred by Mr. Carr of Yorkshire and sired by
Prince of the Realm (22627) out of Windsor's Queen
by Windsor (14013). Bred to Crown Princess of
Athelstane, Knight of St. George sired Crown Prince
of Athelstane 2d 16585, calved in 1872, that was sold
to John Miller and James I. Davidson. The latter
bred him to some of his best Cruickshank cows, the
cross proving one of the greatest "hits" known in
the American Short-horn trade. The Scotch cattle
bearing this cross, in the hands of Messrs. Kissinger,
Wilhoit, Potts and others in the Western States,
were distinguished for their constitution, thrift and
feeding quality, contributing some of the most suc-
cessful cattle ever produced on this side the Atlantic.
Cruickshank cattle at the shows. — Mr. Joseph S.
Thompson of Mayfield, Whitby, Ontario, made an
importation by the ship European in August, 1870,
that fairly entitled him to the credit of having first
brought the Sittyton cattle into that prominence
634 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
which they have ever since held in this country. It
was this memorable shipment that brought to our
shores the red Champion of England heifers Sylvia
(running through Lord Sackville to the Secret foun-
dation) and Christabel, tracing to the Kilmeny base.
These two grand specimens of Amos Cruickshank's
breeding were shown as yearlings at the Provincial
fair held in Toronto the year of their importation,
coming against John M. Bell's famous roan heifer
Empress, tracing to the old Red Kirk stock. Three
better yearlings have probably never been seen in
one American show-yard, and when the entries from
Sittyton were placed first and second respectively
the Cruickshank cattle at once acquired favorable
repute. They were the first specimens of that breed-
ing exhibited in Canada, and from that time forward
a large contingent of Dominion breeders never wav-
ered in their allegiance to the Sittyton stock. The
heifers above mentioned were bought in the fall of
1870 by the late Simon Beattie for Col. Wm. S. King
of Minneapolis, Minn., and in the Western States
they made many fast friends for the Aberdeenshire
blood. Sylvia developed into an 2,800-lb. cow of
magnificent substance and flesh, inheriting much of
the extraordinary thickness and quality of her sire,
and at the great Jacobs sale at West Liberty, la., in
1875 was conceded to be the best animal offered,
commanding the long price of $2,500. This, there-
fore, was the real beginning of a widespread appre-
ciation of the Sittyton cattle in America, although
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IX AMERICA 635
it was many years before their undoubted merit for
practical purposes was fully recognized.
Along with Sylvia and Christabel came the Sitty-
ton heifer Butterfly's Kose, the good roan heifer
Minnie's Annandale (bred by Currie of Halkerston,
near Edinburgh), the Kinellar-bred heifers Clemen-
tina 1st and 2d, and the roan Cruickshank Orange
Blossom bull Grand Duke of Orange (28762), sired
by Scotland's Pride out of Orange Blossom 4th by
Champion of England.
Violet's Forth. — The enthusiasm with which the
Cruickshank importation above mentioned was re-
ceived in Canada and the West induced Mr. Thomp-
son to make a larger importation from Scotland the
following year. From Sittyton he obtained one of
the best cows ever sired by the grand show bull
Forth, the roan Violet's Forth, then in her sixth
year, safe in calf to Caesar Augustus. Mr. Cruick-
shank parted with this cow reluctantly, but her sub-
sequent exhibition at the shows of the Central West,
following, as it did, the appearance of Sylvia and
Christabel, enhanced materially American apprecia-
tion of his efforts. Violet's Forth was sold to Wil-
liam Stewart of Franklin Grove, 111., and produced
the bull Champion of the West 13632, afterward sold
for $1,000. Stewart sold the cow to John Haley
Spears of Menard Co., 111., one of the great showmen
of his time, who exhibited her with success at the
leading Western fairs, selling her at auction at nine
years old to Mrs. Kimberley of Iowa at $1,000.
636 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
The Golden Drops. — Another grand Scotcli cow
brought out by Mr. Thompson was Golden Drop 1st,
a red-roan of same age as Violet's Forth, bred by Mr.
Campbell of Kinellar, and sired by Prince of Worces-
ter (20597) out of Golden Drop by Scarlet Velvet.
Violet's Forth had decidedly the stronger back and
loin, but in other respects Golden Drop 1st was her
equal. She passed into possession of Messrs. John
Snell & Sons, Edmonton, Ont., but like Sylvia and
Violet's Forth she was sought by the enterprising
breeders of the West. At Snell 's sale of 1874 she
was bought by Messrs. A. H. & I. B. Day of Utica,
la., owners of one of the most noted show herds of
the early "seventies," at $1,125, and in their hands
added fresh luster to the Aberdeenshire fame in the
New World. Her red-roan heifer of 1871, Golden
Drop 4th by Sir Christopher (22895), also imported
by Mr. Thompson, possessed much of her mother's
merit. She was sold to Mr. George F. Wastell of
Port Huron, Mich. Mr. Thompson also imported the
roan Golden Drop 6th, sired by Sir Christopher out
of Bloom 4th by Prince of Worcester.
Thompson's other importations. — In addition to
the valuable cattle above mentioned, Mr. Thomp-
son's importations from 1870 to 1874 included the
Cruickshank-bred cow Village Bud, a roan by Scot-
land's Pride, and her daughter Village Blossom, by
Ben Wyvis (30528). Village Blossom passed into
the possession of the Messrs. Watt of Salem, in
whose hands she produced the most celebrated show
EISE OF SCOTCH POWEK INT AMERICA 637
bull of recent years in Xortli America — Young Ab-
bottsburn 110679. Another cow of the Thompson
importations that left a valuable progeny was the
red-and-white Raspberry, bred by C. Bruce of Hunt-
ley, Scotland, got by the noted Kinellar sire Prince
of Worcester (20597). John Collard of Iowa paid
$1,015 for her in Canada in 1874. There was also
obtained at Sittyton Katharine by Allan, and Fi-
nesse, daughter of Finella by Champion of England ;
from James Currie came Cowslip, Minnie Halkerston
and a pair of Crimson Flowers, along with several
good bulls from the herds of Campbell, Marr and the
Duke of Buccleuch.
In 1871 Mr. H. Thompson imported the roan heifer
Lady Cecil from the herd of the Duke of Buccleuch,
the roan heifer Stamford 8th from Uppermill, and
the red yearling Butterfly bull Breadalbane (28073),
sired by Champion of England, from Sittyton. In
1872 W. Thompson of Markham imported from the
Cruickshank herd the red heifer Michigan Casket,
by Senator (27441) out of Cactus by Champion of
England.
John Miller's first shipment. — In August, 1870,
Mr. John Miller of Brougham, son of William Miller
Sr. of Markham above mentioned, made his first im-
portation; bringing out the roan Eose of Strathal-
lan — a cow of great scale and substance that had
been a prize-winner in Scotland — bred by Lord
Strathallan of Perth, and sired by Mr. Cruickshank 's
Allan (21172). She was in calf at the time to the
638 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Booth bull Prowler (22662), and dropped to that
service the red Lord Strathallan 17591, that devel-
oped into a handsome show bull, sold to Mr. S. F.
Lockridge of Greencastle, Ind., at $2,500 and winner
of a large number of prizes and challenge cups both
in Canada and the States.* In this same importa-
tion were a number of English-bred heifers, includ-
ing the Booth-bred Gaiety and Madame Booth, both
from Killerby and got by Brigade Major (21312).
In July, 1871, John Miller brought out nine heif-
ers, including Missie 32d, from Uppermill, Oxford
Lady from Col. Towneley's, and several from the
herd of T. Marshall of Annan, Scotland. In 1872
Mr. Miller imported the Booth-bred General Prim
(31234), of Hugh Aylmer's breeding.
Jajnes I. Davidson. — One of the earliest and most
consistent sujoporters of Sittyton in Canada was Mr.
*Mr. Lockridge says of this bull : "Lord Strathallan was a nearly-
solid red, not a dark red, but what might be called a golden red, of
great scale, weighing in fair show condition 2,400 lbs., and could easily
have been made to weigh 2,500 lbs. He was a bull of great length,
and, while not remarkably short in the leg, was deep of body and wide
from end to end, witli oblique shoulders, well filled behind them, well-
sprung ribs, wide in the chest, with the most remarkable development
of brisket I ever saw in a bull. He was good in twist and thigh, a
little light in flank, and not so long of hip as the rules of proportion
require, perhaps, but compensated for that defect by extra width at
that point. He had a beautiful head, set on a neck clean and small at
the throat-latch, swelling in symmetrical lines into the great chest.
His horn was short and flat, thick at the base and on a level with the
top of the head. The carriage of the bull was superb. I do not think
I ever saw anything quite equal to it. So good a judge as Davy
Grant once said of him on the sliow ground that if he possessed the in-
struments and skill of the sculptor he couldn't carve a more perfect
front. He impressed his qualities upon his heifer calves in a much
larger degree than upon his bull calves. All his heifers were very
like him, but his bull progeny were more prone to follow the charac-
teristics of their dams.
"Lord Strathallan was what might be called a miscellaneously-bred
bull, but from the best sources. The blood of nearly all of the great
English breeders was in his lineage. Mason, Towneley, Douglas,
Knightley, Booth and Cruickshank all contributed in more or less de-
gree to the constitution of his blood lines."
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN^ AMERICA 639
James I. Davidson of Balsam, Ontario. A native of
Aberdeen, who emigrated to Canada in 1842, he en-
joyed the personal friendship and confidence of Mr.
Amos Cmickshank, and after it appeared that the
Sittyton sort w^ere winning their way in America he
became for some years the leading importer and dis-
tributor of cattle of that type on this side of the
Atlantic.
Mr. Davidson began breeding Short-horns about
1860 with a heifer by Fa wkes (14539), running on
the dam's side to imp. Esterville. She proved a good
investment. In 1862 he purchased from George Mil-
ler of Markham the good cow Cherry, by Prince of
Wales (18630), that also did well. It was not until
1871 that Mr. Davidson commenced importing direct
from Sittyton.* In June of that year Mr. Jamieson,
an Aberdonian relative — who was in the employ of
Mr. Grant Duff for more than twenty years — se-
lected and shipped five heifers, including Oak
Wreath, a red by Allan (21172); Rose Blossom, a
red by Senator (27441); Matchless 15th, a red by
*Just before the dispersion sale of the famous herd of Grant Duff
of Eden •vsas announced in 1853, Mr. Davidson wrote to his friend and
relative Mr. .Tamieson, Mr. Duff's overseer, for a price on a good year-
ling heifer. He was advised that the price would be 40 guineas. In-
stead of sending the money direct, Mr. Davidson forwarded a draft
to a near relative, with instructions to procure and ship the heifer.
The recipient of the money, however, took it upon himself to decide
that the price was too high and determined to wait and execute the
order at the sale. In order that Mr. Davidson's agent might not make
any mistake and bid on the wrong animal, Jamieson agreed to enter
the ring during the sale and adjust the halter on the heifer chosen.
The plan worked all right until the bidding began, but as the heifer
was started at 50 guineas and in a few minutes was going at 100
guineas, the order was never fdled. This proved a costly interference
with Mr. Davidson's plans, as a granddaughter of the heifer in ques-
tion (Venus, by Grand Duke Vol. XI, E. H. B. ) during the "boom"
days of the seventies commanded the great price of $2,300 at a sale
made by Edward lies at Springfield, 111.
640 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Champion of England; Matchless 16th, a roan by
Senator, and Water Witch, a red by Scotland's
Pride. Two of these, Eose Blossom and Matchless
15th, were among the best Cruickshank heifers ever
brought to this country and were sold to the Messrs.
Moffatt. The other three were retained for a time,
but after a few years Oak Wreath was sold to Mr.
Ludlow of Monroe, Wis., for $800 along with her
fifteen months ' calf at $600. Water Witch also came
to the States at $700, and a fifteen months' calf from
Matchless 16th was sold to C. Jordan of Iowa at
$500.
In August, 1873, Mr. Davidson imported Mysie
37th and a pair of Orange Blossoms and in 1874
received the first large shipment ever forwarded
from Sittyton, consisting of twenty head. This
transferred to America some of the most valuable
blood of the Cruickshank herd, and from it have de-
scended a large number of the best Cruickshank cat-
tle contained in the breeding herds of Canada and
the Western States. It included such animals as the
Butterflys 36th, 43d and 44th, Acorn 2d, Red Lady,
Mysies 35th and 36th, Autumn Lady, Coral, Village
Girl, Rosemary, Flora 6th, Golden Galaxy, Evening
Star, etc., besides the bull Framework (33964). Soon
after this importation was landed Dr. Noel of Nash-
ville, Tcnn., visited Mr. Davidson and purchased
two of the Sittyton heifers for $1,800, one of which
gave rise to the family since known as the Tennessee
Orange Blossoms. It was about this time that Mr.
EISE OF SCOTCH POWER INT AMERICA 641
J. H. Kissinger was at the zenith of his career in the
American show-yard, and in 1875 he was allowed to
select some of the "plums" of this importation for
the purpose of strengthening his show herd and the
Cruickshank cause in the States; taking out to the
West a car-load lot of Sittyton-bred cattle that in
after years proved a mine of wealth to the breeders,
feeders and farmers of the corn belt. It was at this
period that Mr. Davidson made his fortunate use of
Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d 16585 upon Cruick-
shank cows and heifers. In 1876 Daniel Cookson of
Iowa paid $2,500 for five calves sired by this bull.
Another, the heifer Eose of Sharon from imp. Eose-
mary, was bought by Mr. Palmer of Missouri at one
of Kissinger's sales at $600, and won championship
honors at St. Louis, not meeting defeat at any point
on the Western circuit. Crown Prince of Athelstane
2d was a prize-winner himself, never having been
defeated in the show-ring. Mr. Davidson always
refused to price him and retained him in service
until his death, which occurred at seven years of
age. The extraordinary success of this Athelstane
cross in the States is referred to elsewhere.
From 1881 to 1887 Mr. Davidson had practically a
monopoly of the handling of such stock as Mr.
Cruickshank could spare for the American trade. It
would require more space than we have here at our
command to enumerate even the best of the many
massive, thick-fleshed, wide-bodied, short-legged
specimens of the Aberdeenshire type transferred to
642 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
the New World by Mr. Davidson during the period
last named. Suffice it to say that the leaders of the
movement in behalf of Scotch Short-horns in the
States, such as Messrs. Kissinger, Potts, Harris,
Cookson, Moffatt and their contemporaries profited
largely by the admirable opportunity presented by
Mr. Davidson's extensive operations in Sittyton
Short-horns.
Hon. John Dryden. — It was in July, 1871, that
Hon. John Dryden of Maple Shade Farm, Brooklin,
Ontario, one of the most intelligent of all those who
have given their adherence to Short-horns in the
Dominion, began breeding and importing cattle of
the Cruickshank blood. In that year he was so for-
tunate as to secure at 120 guineas from Sittyton the
now famous Mimulus, by Champion of England, then
in her three-year-old form. As has already been
shown, this red cow, as the dam of Mr. Cruick-
shank 's Royal Duke of Gloster, contributed to the
Sittyton herd one of its controlling forces. In this
same importation was the red heifer Mysie 34th, by
C^sar Augustus; the roan three-year-old 12th
Duchess of Gloster, by Champion of England; the
red cow Butterfly 15th, by Prince Imperial; the roan
three-year-old Queen of Beauty, by Senator, and the
red bull Stanley (32594), by Caesar Augustus out of
Sweet Violet by Lord Stanley. Queen of Beauty
cost at Sittyton 110 guineas. She became the gran-
dam of the show heifer Beauty's Pride, sold by Mr.
Dryden as a calf to Mr. Kissinger and afterward
EISE OF SCOTCH POWER I>r AMERICA 643
owned by L. Palmer, at whose sale in Chicago she
brought in connection with her bull calf $1,875.
Mimulus produced one heifer, that was sold to
Messrs. Potts. We are without information, how-
ever, as to her career. The imported cow produced
several bulls, however, all of which were exception-
ally good, the best of them being the roan Barmpton
Hero (324 C. H. B.), by imp. Koyal Baiinpton
(45503), sold as a calf to Messrs. Watt of Canada
and used in their herd until thirteen years old. He
was shown for many years, gaining more than thirty
prizes, and was never beaten but once, and then by
a bull that he had always defeated on every other
occasion. Barmpton Hero, it is claimed, has been
the progenitor of more prize stock in Canada in re-
cent years than any other bull of his time. His blood
could be traced for several generations among the
prize-winners at Toronto and other leading Domin-
ion shows and is to this day a frequent subject of
comment in Canada. He inherited the robust con-
stitution of his Sittyton ancestors, and one who ex-
amined him at twelve years of age saj's : "I saw him
shortly before he went to the butcher, and he was
still as spiy and active as a kitten."
Unfortunately the other sons of Mimulus did not
have an equal opportunity for distinguishing them-
selves; as they did not go into herds where they
could make an effective impression. Viewed in the
light of the accomplishments of Eoyal Duke of Glos-
ter at Sittyton and of Barmpton Hero in Canada, it
644 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
will always be a source of regret that the Mimulus
blood was not appreciated more thoroughly at the
time it was available. Speaking upon this point Mr.
Dry den says: "None of us knew the exact value of
these animals and of others which have passed
through our hands until it was too late."
In 1873 Mr. Dryden imported from Sittyton the
roan heifer Columbia, by Lord Lancaster (26666),
and the great roan bull Royal Barmpton (45503), by
Lord Landsdowne (29128) out of Butterfly's Delight
by Allan. Royal Barmpton was undoubtedly the
best bull Mr. Dryden ever owned or used. He was
considered so valuable as a sire that it was deemed
injudicious to put him in high condition for the
shows. He was nevertheless successfully exhibited
upon several occasions. He was seen at one of the
Provincial shows in even thinner condition than
usual, and it was scarcely thought possible that he
could head his class, but he was always remarkably
smooth and grew on one the more he was examined.
In spite of his lack of condition he gained first hon-
ors in this instance, receiving under the rule of the
society at that time three times the amount of the
prize money on account of his being imported.
Royal Barmpton was finally sold to Mr. Jordan of
Iowa. In 1880 Mr. Dryden bought from Mr. Cruick-
shank the four heifers Sunbeam, Violet Bud, Orange
Blossom 30th and Barmpton Violet, together with
the bulls Baron Surmise (45933) and Lancaster
Royal. Baron Surmise afterward became the prop-
RISE OF SCOTCH POWEE IX AMERICA 645
erty of Col. C. A. DeGraff of Minnesota. Violet Bud
was sold to Mr. Kissinger, from whom she was pur-
chased by Col. W. A. Harris. In May, 1881, Mr.
Dryden brought out from Sittyton the heifers Vic-
toria 69th (sold to Kissinger and by him to Col.
Harris), Corn Flower, Sultana and Flora 17th. In
1882 he imported Lavender 30th, Victoria 72d, Lav-
ender Pride and the bulls Lord Glamis (48192) and
Aberdeen Champion (47313). In 1883 the roan heif-
ers Arbutus and Lovely 37th were imported.
Mr. Dryden is known throughout Canada as one
of the best farmers in the Dominion, and has been
called into public life as Minister of Agriculture for
the Province of Ontario. He has always maintained
the position that Short-horns should be bred for
practical and useful purposes, regardless of the
whims and fancies of fashion. Believing, with oth-
ers, that it was inexpedient to endeavor to sustain
the Cruickshank tribes in their purity for an indefi-
nite period, Mr. Dryden was deeply interested in
Mr. Edward Cruickshank 's experiment at Lethenty
in seeking a fresh cross for the Sittyton stock
through the medium of the Longmore cows, refer-
ence to which is made on page 624. Wlien, there-
fore, Edward Cruickshank decided to give up breed-
ing on his own account in 1887 Mr. Drv^len pur-
chased his herd and imported it into Canada. We
quote his own statement as to this herd as follows:
It included forty animals — thirty females and ten bulls.
Among the bulls were two which were afterward somewhat used
646 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOEX CATTLE
in my herd — Sussex, bred at Sittyton, and Patriot, bred at Leth-
enty. Of the females twenty-four were descendants from pur-
chases at Sittyton and the remaining six were descendants of
the five superior cows bought at the dispersion sale of Mr. Long-
more at Rettie, all of them being sired by Sittyton bulls and
some having more than one cross. The theory Mr. Ed. Cruick-
shank had was that from among these cows he would be able
with a cross of Sittyton blood to secure a bull or bulls which
would nick well with the Cruickshank cattle. This was at a
time when Amos Cruickshank himself felt that in-and-in breed-
ing had been continued as far as was prudent, and he also was
looking for outside material of this kind. These Longmore cows
I saw in Edward Cruickshank's herd some years before and they
were splendid animals of great scale and good milking qualities,
but with scarcely the early maturing qualities which were found
in the Sittyton cattle.
Of the bulls obtained from Mr. Cruickshank three are worthy
of special mention. The most attractive was Red Emperor
71419, by Perfection out of the old Sittyton cow Harmony by
Pride of the Isles. Harmony belonged to the Goldie family of
Mr. Marr's herd. Red Emperor was sold to L. Miller of Mary-
ville. Mo., and won many prizes in the West. The next was
Sussex, belonging to the Secret family, and a very thick and
massive animal. Another bull which has done good service was
Pioneer, sold to Mr. W. C. Edwards. He was out of one of the
Rettie cows with two or three crosses of Sittyton blood on the
top. He was successfully used by Mr. Edwards and was the sire
of several prize-winning animals. In conversation with Mr. Ed-
wards a few days ago he stated that this was the most success-
ful bull he had had up to the present.
Of the Sittyton females at Lethenty two families are worthy
of special mention, namely, the Brawith Buds headed by the
Sittyton cow Grizelda, by Royal Violet. This cow I had seen in
the herd some years before and she was perhaps the choice ani-
mal at that time. She was an exceedingly steady and good
breeder. Two of the best that I imported of that family were
Winterberry, sired by Cawdor, used at Sittyton, and Orange
Flower, sired by Perfection out of Winterberry. Orange Flower
is still one of the herd at Maple Shade. Both these cows were
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER I>T AMERICA 647
exceptionally low to the ground and of great breadth and splen-
did heart room. They always deceived every one who undertook
to guess their weight. Some of the other animals of the herd
which looked very much larger could not bring down the scales
near to either of them. Of the Jessie family, represented by the
cow Roseberry, bred at Sittyton, the two best cows were Bram-
bleberry and Rowanberry, the first by Perfection and the second
by Prince Rufus, bred at Lethenty and sired by Perfection.
Brambleberry was a splendid cow of considerable scale and low to
the ground. Rowanberry was of greater scale and greater length.
Of the Rettie lot secured I have always had a leaning for
the progeny of the cow Northern Belle.
Arthur Johnston. — The importation in 1874 of a
pair of Scotch heifers in connection with Mr. Bir-
rell constituted the first investment made by Arthur
Johnston of Greenwood in imported Short-horns. In
1881 he brought out from Kent, England, the red
bull Lewis Arundel 46433, bred by Messrs. Leney
& Son. In 1883 he imported the English-bred Sta-
tira Duchess 2d and the Scotch-bred bulls Capt.
Errant and Bold Buccleuch. In August, 1884, he
brought out from Mr. Duthie's the roan bull Eclipse
by Earl of March (33807), and in October of the
same year he landed a large and excellent importa-
tion which included the white Sittyton heifer All-
spice, an own sister to the celebrated Field Marshal ;
four Lancaster heifers bred by Nathaniel Eeid of
Aberdeenshire; two Clarets, a ISTonpareil and two
Eosebuds from Kinellar, and eight young bulls,
seven of which were of S. Campbell 's breeding.
Mr. Johnston made several subsequent importa-
tions and was the owner of the noted roan Cruick-
shank Victoria bull Indian Chief 98651, the sire of
648 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HOElSr CATTLE
some successful show stock, including tlie fine roan
bull Nonpareil Chief 113034 (a Kinellar Nonpareil),
sold to Col. T. S. Moberley of Kentucky, and exhib-
ited in the States.
Miscellaneous Canadian importations. — In 1871
W. B. Telfer of Fergus imported the heifers Duch-
ess of Kent and Eoyal Alice from the herd of W.
Chalmers of Old What, Aberdeenshire, and the bull
His Eoyal Highness (28860) from same herd. In
1874 W. Major of Whitedale imported five heifers
and two bulls from the herd of James Currie, Hal-
kerston, near Edinburgh, followed in 1875 by a ship-
ment of three heifers from .the herd of J. W. Phil-
lips, Staffordshire, England, and one from the
Berkeley Castle herd of Lord Fitzhardinge.
In 1874 Messrs. Birrell & Johnston of Greenwood
brought out from Upperaiill the dark-roan yearling
heifer Alexandrina 6th, and from the herd of James
Bruce of Burnside the red yearling Priscilla 7th, by
Lord St. Leonards, a half-sister to imp. Duke of
Eichmond (21525). In 1875 William Collum of
Haysville imported Aggie Buckingham and Airy
Buckingham, of Amos Cruickshank 's breeding; the
heifers Dorothy and Viscountess 2d, bred by John
Law of Aberdeenshire, and the bull Liberator, bred
by Eobert Bruce.
In 1883 Thomas Eussell of Exeter brought out the
heifers Border Charai and Border Pride, of Wil-
liam Duthie's breeding, along with two other heif-
ers from the herds of A. Davidson and John John-
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN" AMERICA 649
son, and the red bull Lord Ythan, bred by Mr. Dutliie
from the Cruickshank bull Shapinshay out of Lovely
25th. In May, 1883, Francis Green of Innerkip
made an important importation, including Mysie
34th, bred by A. Scott of Towie Barclay; Jewel 8th,
Countess 5th and Eliza 9th, from Mr. Duthie's; Cle-
matic, from Sittyton; Princess Eoyal 23d, in calf to
Athabasca, Patchiulo, Clara 40th, and the bull Earl
of Mar (47815), of the Emma tribe, from Mr. Marr's.
In 1884 Green Bros, of Innerkip imported four
heifers from the North of Scotland and the bulls
Enterprise and Earl of Roseberry from the herds of
Messrs. Duthie and Marr respectively. Beginning
with 1878 and continuing until 1882, Mr. George
Whitfield shipped out to his farm at Rougemont,
Quebec, some fifty head of Short-horns from various
Scotch, English and Irish herds. But while these
represented some of the best British blood, they
scarcely received that attention at Rougemont neces-
sary to render them of special value to American
herds. They were finally scattered without having
left much impress on the trade.
The lies importation into Illinois. — The first direct
importation of Aberdeenshire cattle into the West-
ern States, with the exception of the pair included
in the Illinois Importing Co.'s shipment of 1857, was
selected by one of America's most famous herds-
men, David Grant, for Mr. Edward lies of Spring-
field, 111., in August, 1874. Rarely has it ever fallen
to the lot of one man to buy two such celebrities in
650 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
embryo as were developed from this small purchase
of six head. There was but one bull in the lot, but
he proved a maker of history. This was Duke of
Eichmond 21525, of Bruce 's breeding. There was
but one Cruickshank heifer in the lot — Orange Blos-
som 18th, by Viceroy (32764) out of Orange Blossom
14th by Knight of the Whistle (26558) ; second dam
Orange Blossom 12tli by Prince Imperial (22595).
Both of these animals were yearlings at the time of
their importation. Both were sold to J. H. Kissin-
ger ; the Duke at the American record price of $4,500
for a Scotch bull and the heifer at $2,500. The latter
was bought later on by Mrs. Kimberly of Iowa at
the record price for a Scotch female of $3,500. It
thus appears that these two yearlings reached a
combined value of $8,000.
Concerning Orange Blossom 18th Mr. Kissinger
says: "She was a great heifer, a splendid specimen
of her noble race ; a very short-legged, thick, heavy-
fleshed animal, such as it was my delight to handle.
I considered her one of the best heifers that ever
crossed the waters or was ever bred by that grand
old man — Amos Cruickshank."*
* Orange Blossom 18 th undoubtedly owed her extraordinary merit
very largely to her sire, Viceroy, that was got by Champion of England
out of the great show cow Violet's Forth. The bull Knight of the
Whistle that sired her dam was a roan, bred by IMr. Foljambe of Os-
berton Hall, and got by the Booth bull Knight of the Garter (22062).
It will be noted that the second dam was sired by the Bootli bull Prince
Imperial (22595). Notwithstanding this fact, Mr. Cruickshank always
claimed that his herd never received the benefit he had anticipated
fiom the Booth blood. His experience with Bates blood, as it came
in tlirough cows purchased for tlie herd, did not induce him to place
a very high estimate upon that for his purposes. As we must accept
liis judg-ment upon both of these points — so far as it applies to his own
work — arrived at after cai-eful trial, it seems clear that Orange Blos-
som 18th derived her excellence from her sire's side of the house.
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN^ AMERICA 651
In the herd of J. H. Potts & Son the Duke of Rich-
mond scored such a success both as a sire and show
bull that he is generally credited with having con-
tributed as much toward making the reputation of
Scotch sires in America as any other one animal
ever imported.
In addition to the celebrated animals named Mr.
lies imported Missie 40tli from Uppennill and the
heifers Flora 3d, Flora 7th and Flora Belle, bred by
J. Gordon, Cluny Castle, Aberdeenshire.
Robert Milne of Kelvin Grove. — Following the
lies importation there came the same year from
Sittyton a carefully-chosen and exceedingly valuable
lot, consisting of seven females and one bull, select-
ed just at the right time to secure the richest of the
Cruickshank blood. The great Aberdeenshire herd
was then nearing its period of highest excellence.
Mr. Milne was a native Aberdonian who enjoyed the
friendship and respect of Mr. Cruickshank, and
there can be no doubt that he secured in this im-
portation some of the very best cattle ever sent to
American shores. He had been breeding Short-
horns at his Kelvin Grove Farm, near Lockport, EL,
for many years; in fact, he was one of the pioneer
breeders of the State of his adoption. Like Amos
Cruickshank, he held that the Short-horn's chief
mission was to convert the ordinary foodstuffs of
the farm into prime beef at a profit to his owner.
Substance, constitution and thrift were with him car-
dinal points, and in this admirable selection from
652 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Sittyton those characteristics found full exemplifi-
cation. We believe that the animals were picked by
Mr. Cruickshank himself with a view toward fur-
nishing Mr. Milne with a foundation stock that
should represent the best Sittyton type.
The bull selected was the red Viscount 18507,
calved in 1872, and sired by Lord Landsdowne
(29128) out of the good cow Red Violet by Allan
(21272) ; second dam the famous Violet by Lord
Bathurst (13173). Lord Landsdowne was by Caesar
Augustus, descending on the dam's side through
the Lovelys. Viscount's development exceeded Mr.
Milne's most sanguine expectations. He matured
into a bull of extraordinary breadth of body and
depth of flesh. Indeed it is doubtful if a better sire
has been known in Western Short-hom herds; his
get inheriting his substance and capacity for laying
on flesh even to the second and third generations;
his daughters and granddaughters in the herds of
Messrs. Milne, Aldrich of Tiskilwa, and Cummings
of Buda possessing great scale and thickness and
were frequently heavy milkers.
The females of this importation were as follows:
The roan Butterfly 34th; the red Butterfly 37th, by
Champion of England; the roan Corianda, out of the
great Carmine Rose by Champion of England; the
red Secrecy, by the greatest son of Champion of
England— Grant Duke of Gloster (26288); the red
Bridal Flower, by Scotland's Pride out of Bride
Elect by Lord Raglan ; the red Glitter, out of a Bra-
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN^ AMERICA 653
with Bud COW by Champion of England, and the
roan Autumn Flower, out of Autumn Leaf by Cham-
pion of England. Mr. Cruickshank must have part-
ed with this richly-bred consignment with extreme
reluctance, but he never did a better stroke of
business, so far as building up American trade
was concerned, than when he forwarded these
to Illinois. Many of the best show and breeding
cattle of the past twenty years in this country
have carried the blood of this Robert Milne impor-
tation.
Lowman and Smiths' importations. — Eanking
well up with the Robert Milne purchases, and ex-
ceeding the Kelvin Grove lot in numbers, the ship-
ments of Sittyton and Uppermill stock made by
Mr. Davis Lowman and Messrs. Smith of Toulon,
111., in 1875 and 1876 hold a place in Western Short-
horn history second to few other importations of the
century. The first lot, brought out in June, 1875,
included the roan Lovely 18th, the red Butterflys
45th and 46th from Mr. Cruickshank 's, and Missie
35th, Goldy 18th and Red Lady 3d from Mr. Marr's,
besides Geraldine 7th, bred by J. Cochrane of Little
Haddo. Mr. A. J. Dunlap of Galesburg, III, bought
Lovely 18th at $1,010 and Butterfly 46th at $850.
For Red Lady 3d Messrs. Pickrell gave $1,200, and
for Missie 35th Edward lies paid $635. Butterfly
45th and Goldie 18th were sold to John Bond, Abing-
don, ni. The shipment of 1876 included Orange
Blossom 25th from Sittyton, that was sold to L.
654 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Hanna of Waveland, Ind., for $705, and afterward
became the property of Aaron Plumley of West
Liberty, la. There also came out on the same ship,
as the individual property of Mr. Lowman, a roan
heifer known as Victoria 51st, bred at Sittyton and
sired by Eoyal Duke of Gloster (29684) out of a
daughter of Victoria 39th by Champion of England.
This heifer was sold soon after importation to Mr.
Verry Aldrich of Tiskilwa, 111., for $600, and be-
came the ancestress of one of the best families of
Cruickshank cattle of which there is record in this
country. Her daughters and granddaughters were
grand, big, massive cows, with wonderful backs,
great depth, remarkable wealth of flesh, and were
frequently fine milkers. One branch of this family
passed into the possession of Messrs. Cummings,
Buda, 111., and later acquired great reputation in the
herds of Messrs. Sanger of Waukesha, Wis., Col. W.
A. Harris of Linwood and C. B. Dustin of Summer
Hill, 111. The champion show cow Victoria of Hick-
ory Park, of this line, was one of the finest types of
finish, flesh and substance ever seen in Western
shows. She died a few years since, the property of
Messrs. Dustin. This shipment was also remarkable
as including the good breeding cow Emma 3d, of
Uppermill breeding, that was bought by Messrs.
Potts for $700. In their possession she lived to an
advanced age, giving birth to many high-class ani-
mals, among others the celebrated twin show heifers
Emma 4th and Emma 5th. Missie 39th, of Mr.
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA 655
Marr's breeding, and Sybil 13tli, from Sittyton, were
also of this lot.
Scotch success at the showg. — Col. William S.
King had given the Western States an inkling as to
the superior flesh and substance of the Scotch type
of cattle, and J. H. Kissinger of Missouri, Messrs.
Day of Iowa, and some of their contemporaries had
carried the demonstration of their feeding quality to
a convincing conclusion. About 1877 the Herefords
were pressing hard for recognition at the great Na-
tional shows, and those who bore the brunt of the
assault in behalf of the Short-horns found in the
North Country tribes a class of cattle that had the
constitution to withstand heavy feeding, and that
possessed the requisite capacity for taking on flesh
at an early age.
Potts and the Duke of Richmond. — Foremost
among those who contested every inch of the Here-
ford advance of that period stood John H. Potts &
Son of Oakland Farm, Jacksonville, 111. Mr. Potts
had made a modest beginning in 1868 by the pur-
chase of the cow Belle Moreland, tracing on the
dam's side to imp. Amelia by Plato. She carried
a cross of the blood of the Sanders importation of
1817, and, although a cow^ of great individual merit,
was purchased at the low price of $95. Within six
years $1,800 worth of her descendants had been sold.
Mr. Potts had the good fortune early in his career
to secure the valuable show and breeding bull Mas-
ter Geneva 20368, bred in Kentucky and sired by
656 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEX CATTLE
Prince Geneva, of Ben Bedford's Desdemona blood,
out of the White Eose cow Fannie 2d by Stonewall
Jackson 12988. An illustration of this bull appears
in Vol. XIV of the American Herd Book. He was
a red weighing in show condition 2,500 lbs., and it
was with a herd headed by him that Messrs. Potts
first engaged in the show business; their initial
appearance being at the Illinois State Fair at Peoria
in 1874. Master Geneva was a capital stock-getter,
and Mr. A. J. Dunlap once offered $2,500 for him.
In May, 1876, Messrs. Potts bought the famous
imported Scotch-bred bull Duke of Kichmond 21525
from J. H. Kissinger. He was a red, calved in 1873,
bred by James Bruce of Bumside, Fochabers, Scot-
land, sired by Lord St. Leonards (29202) out of
Fannie by Eoyal Errant (22780). His sire, Lord St.
Leonards, was a roan, bred by Fawkes of Fameley
Hall. Royal Errant was of the Duke of Buccleuch's
breeding, and was the sire of many celebrated show
cattle, among others the bull Scotsman (27435), a
winner at the English Royal, imported by Mr. Coch-
rane and famous in the celebrated Lyndale show
herd of Col. William S. King. The Duke of Rich-
mond had been imported by Mr. lies of Springfield
in 1874 as a yearling, and was shown for him by
J. H. Pickrell at the fall fairs of that year. He was
a youngster of such unusual promise that Messrs.
Kissinger and Spears both wanted him for their
show herds. He had cost Mr. lies $800, but the com-
petition for his possession in the fall of 1875 was so
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER INT AMERICA 657
keen that Mr. Kissinger was compelled to pay $4,500
for him, in addition to giving six services valued at
$50 each. In the spring of 1876 Mr. Ivissinger de-
cided to disperse his show stock, and it was then
that Messrs. Potts acquired the bull at $2,250, be-
sides the show cow Mattie Eichardson and other
noted animals. Duke of Eichmond was of medium
size, but carried a rare wealth of thick flesh in com-
pact form. He had breadth and depth without su-
perfluous height, and during the campaigns of 1876
and 1877 proved fairly invincible. Mr. Potts had
purchased in 1875 the imported Scotch-bred heifer
Priscilla 7th, also bred by Bruce of Burnside and
got by Lord St. Leonards, the sire of Duke of Eich-
mond, and had also acquired the imported Cruick-
shank cow Eed Lady.
At the Illinois State Fair of 1877 Mr. C. M. Cul-
bertson exhibited the strongest herd of Herefords
yet seen in the United States, with the famous bull
Anxiety at its head. Grave fears were entertained
in the Short-horn camp that the "white-faces'"'
might bear away the herd championship, and had it
not been for the stock of Messrs. Potts they would
undoubtedly have accomplished that trick. The herd
which thus successfully defended the honor of the
breed at a crucial period in its history consisted of
imp. Duke of Eichmond, his half-sister imp. Pris-
cilla 7th ; two daughters of Master Geneva, Josie 2d
(a Pomona) and Geneva's Pride (tracing to imp.
Julia by Young Grant) ; Mattie Eichardson, an Ame-
658 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE
lia of Kissinger's breeding, and Cassa 20tli, a Rosa-
bella, sired by Leonard's Monarch. It is difficult
for breeders of the present day to realize the tension
that existed in these first great show-yard battles
with the Herefords in the West. The '* white-faces"
were then a comparative novelty on this side of the
water and some were predicting that they would
soon supplant the Short-horns entirely. It was felt
that a serious situation confronted the Short-horn
breeding fraternity, and on this account it is difficult
to overestimate the value of the service rendered at
that time by the Messrs. Potts.
The Fanny Airdrie "nick." — Fortunately the
Duke of Richmond proved a most impressive sire.
Mated with American-bred cows possessing scale
and finish, he gave Western show-yards and breed-
ing herds a class of stock of such undoubted merit
for the feed-lot and the block that for many years
his descendants in the hands of Messrs. Potts and
their contemporaries figured conspicuously in the
prize lists of all the leading State fairs and fat-stock
shows. While the Duke of Richmond was backed
up in the herd by the Marr-bred Emmas, the Sans-
pareils, and later by capital Cruickshank cows and
bulls, the creation of the Fannie Airdries by the
''nick" of Richmond blood upon a Young Mary cow
bred at James N. Brown's Sons' Grove Park Farm,
supplied sweeping proof of the value of the "beefy"
Scotch-bred bull as a cross upon the native tribes.
These Fannies were thick-meated, wide-backed, fine-
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IX AMERICA 659
boned, low-legged Short-horns, quite the eciual of
the best Scotch sorts as individuals, and possessed
the faculty of breeding on satisfactorily from one
generation to another. The red bull Proud Duke
36660, got by the imported bull out of old Fannie
Airdrie, the matron of the family, not only won
many first and championship prizes but was success-
fully crossed upon the Sittyton Lavenders at Oak-
land, one branch of which has proved such a valuable
sort in the Hill Farm herd of Messrs. Dustin.
Frederick William and **the twins." — Another
famous son of the Duke of Kichmond was the mass-
ive red Frederick William 23195, out of Sanspareil
25th. He was the sire of the far-famed twin show
cows Emma 4th and Emma 5th, bred by Messrs.
Potts from Emma 3d, imported from Uppermill.
The twins were red cows of great scale and sub-
stance and wonderful flesh-carriers. For several
seasons they were the best Short-horn cows on the
show circuit. Frederick AVilliam was also exhibited
with success by Messrs. Potts as well as by the late
Eobert Miller of West Liberty, la.
A line of Cruickshank sires. — These bulls were
followed in service by the imported Cruickshank
sires Antiquaiy 49774, a large, deep-bodied red,
sired by Pride of the Isles out pf Azalea, the dam
of Field Marshal; Von Tromp 54160, a massive,
broad-ribbed Victoria by Barmpton, that won many
first and championship prizes, and King of Aber-
deen 75747, a thick-fleshed, short-legged red of the
660 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Violet tribe sired by Dunblane 65995. King of Aber-
deen was one of the last of the good bulls of Amos
Cruickshank's own breeding used in the West. All
these were supplied by Jas. I. Davidson of Canada.
Twenty years in the show-yard. — For a period of
twenty years the Potts herd was seen almost con-
tinuously in the show-yard; meeting during that
time all of the great contemporary Short-horn herds
besides the Hereford and Aberdeen-Angus host, and
it is speaking within bounds to say that during these
two decades the Oakland herd probably won more
prizes than any other cattle-breeding establishment
in North America. It is but justice to add that in
the triumphal tours of the "seventies" a consider-
able share of the credit for success was due to the
skill of Mr. Harry Loveland as a feeder. Loveland
was one of the recognized experts of his time in
the United States in this line of work, and had
come to Oakland from the herd of Rigdon Huston
& Sons, Blandinsville, 111. He subsequently entered
the employ of the Hereford exhibitors and repeated
with Beau Eeal and other "white-faces" his suc-
cesses with Short-horns. For the major portion of
the time, however, that the Jacksonville herd was in
the thick of the fight it was under the immediate
personal supervision of Mr. William T. Potts (the
son), under whose alert direction the Oakland Short-
horns rounded out a record at American fairs and
fat-stock shows that has not been surpassed in the
annals of American cattle-breeding.
RISE OF SCOTCH POWEE IX AMERICA 661
The Wilhoit herd. — In a previous chapter we have
referred to Mr. Thomas AVilhoit, one of the pioneer
breeders of the State of Indiana. A cross of the
Scotch blood upon his herd in the later years of his
breeding produced such extraordinary results that
the circumstance must be here recognized as another
one of the various causes leading up to the popular-
ity of the Xorth Country Short-horns in the West.
One of James I. Davidson's lucky "hits" in cross-
ing the Douglas upon the Cruickshank blood was in
the case of imp. Red Lady, by Scotland's Pride.
Bred to Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d 16585, she
produced Lady Athelstane, that became the prop-
erty of the Messrs. Potts. She, in turn, was bred to
imp. Duke of Richmond, the progeny in 1880 being
the bull Knight of Athelstane 2d 39545, that was
sold to Mr. AVilhoit. Representing, as he did, one of
the richest combinations of prize-winning blood con-
ceivable at that time, it seemed almost inevitable
that this bull should prove a getter of the kind of
stock Mr. Wilhoit had always endeavored to pro-
duce; and his use upon the Wilhoit cows marks one
of the brightest chapters in American Short-horn
histoiy. He seemed to fairly transmit the combined
merit of his illustrious progenitors, and his imme-
diate descendants were for many years the pride of
the entire Short-horn cattle-breeding fraternity. As
in the case of his sire, the Duke of Richmond, Knight
of Athelstane 2d seemed to ' ' nick ' ' particularly well
with Young Mary cows, the Athelstane bulls repre-
662 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
senting that cross, shown in the "eighties" by Mr.
Wilhoit, being marvels of substance and flesh.
Thomas Wilhoit must be regarded as one of the
great breeders of his time. A practical man and of
few words, he had a profound grasp of the principles
underlying the production of good cattle. More-
over, he had the courage of his convictions. While
the storm of speculation was at its height he stead-
fastly stood by the herd which he had created by
the application of sound principles of breeding. The
substance of his creed, as condensed by himself in a
brief statement made in response to inquiries at an
Indianapolis convention of cattle-breeders, was con-
tained in the following words: "Thick-fleshed cat-
tle will produce thick-fleshed cattle. ' ' This was his
way of stating the maxim that "like begets like."
He did not expect to produce profitable cattle with
richly-furnished carcasses from animals of a deli-
cate, light-fleshed type, and had laid the foundation
for a class of stock possessing great constitution and
thrift prior to his carefully-considered selection of
the great Bruce-and-Douglas-crossed Cruickshank
bull that set the final seal of an extraordinary suc-
cess upon his long and useful career as a breeder of
Short-horn cattle.
CHAPTER XXII
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY
The salient feature of the trade on both sides of
the Atlantic during the closing years of the nine-
teenth century has been a gradual liquidation of
what might be termed speculative holdings and a
widespread resort to the use of bulls of the Cruick-
shank and kindred blood. Some of the more notable
events occurring during this transition period will
now be recorded.
Sale of the Hillhurst Duchesses. — In the spring of
1882 Hon. M. H. Cochrane of Hillhurst decided upon
a dispersion sale of his Duchesses and other Bates-
bred stock. The event occurred at Chicago April.
18th of that year. The cattle were offered in the
pink of condition and were of most attractive char-
acter. The Duchess consignment consisted of the
famous Woodburn-bred 10th Duchess of Airdrie and
some of her descendants. A cow of good individual
merit herself, the 10th Duchess proved a prolific
breeder, transmitting much of her own excellence,
as well as a good measure of her fecundity, to her
progeny. Those who were interested in the main-
taining of values for cattle of this breeding were
forced to get behind this offering, and the result
was the great average of $2,081.25 upon twenty-
three head. The old 10th Duchess, in calf, but
663
664 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
known to be a hazardous risk, fell into tlie posses-
sion of Maj. S. E. Ward of Westport, Mo., at $1,350.
The Canada West Farm Stock Association was the
heaviest buyer, taking the 9th Duchess of Hillhurst
at $8,500, the 10th at $7,100, the 11th at $4,700, and
Airdrie Duchess at $7,100. The 8th Duke of Hill-
hurst sold at $3,025, and became the property of Col.
C. A. DeGraff, Janesville, Minn. Messrs. Palmer &
Bowman, proprietors of an extensive herd at Salt-
ville, Va., purchased Kirklevington Marchioness 2d
at $3,525.
Richard Gibson's sale of 1882. — A number of im-
ported Bates-bred cattle were sold at auction by
Richard Gibson at Chicago April 21, 1882, at good
prices. The pure Bates heifer Duchess Wild Eyes
was bought by Bigstaff, Bascom & Berry of Ken-
.tucky at $4,000. Mr. Bigstaff paid $3,200 for Eow-
fant Kirklevington 5th. B. C. Rumsey purchased
Lady York and Thorndale Bates 6th at $1,050 and
S. White, Windsor, Out., Kirklevington Duchess
27th at $1,575. For Wild Eyes Winsome 4th H. F.
Brown gave $1,850. Hon. Emory Cobb took the bull
Oxford Duke (45297) at $2,000. There was included
in this offering a consignment the property of Mr.
John T. Gibson and the average on forty-nine head
offered was $602.45. This sale was of special inter-
est as reflecting the intention of the Kentucky breed-
ers to put the market for the so-called pure Bates
cattle well above the ruling prices for those carry-
ing outcrosses.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 665
Woodbura sale of 1882.— In the spring of 1882
Mr. A. J. Alexander, in connection with Mr. Leslie
Combs of Woodford Co., Ky., imported about twenty-
head of Bates-bred cows and heifers and two bulls,
selected from noted English herds by Mr. Combs.
A majority of the females were of the old Red Eose
tribe, descended from the Eenick Roses of Sharon
that had been exported to England some years pre-
vious. These were bought mainly from the herd of
Mr, George Fox of Elmhurst Hall. In addition to
these were representatives of the Heydon Eose and
Thorndale Eose branches of the same tribe, bought
from Lord Braybrooke. The cattle were offered at
auction at Woodburn June 24, 1882, along with a
lot of Mr. Alexander's own breeding; the ninety-two
head bringing an average of $455.10. Mr. Abram
Eenick, who was then nearing the end of his career
as a breeder, was present and made a determined
effort to buy the big, fine, imported roan Thorndale
Eose 8th for the purpose of breeding a bull from her
for use upon his Eose of Sharon herd. He made a
plucky fight, carrying the bidding up to $5,600, but
at that point relinquished her to a representative
of Mr. Alexander, the latter having resented the
right to bid upon the partnership lots. Failing in
his purpose at this time, Mr. Eenick afterward
bought and used a bull, 4th Duke of Eoses 86034,
produced by this cow at AYoodburn to a service by
2d Duke of Whittleberry 62574, a Duchess bull tliat
had been imported from the herd of E. Loder, Mr.
666 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Alexander also bought at this sale 30th Grand Duke,
a calf from Thorndale Rose 8th, at $2,025, besides
Thorndale Rose 16th and Heydon Rose 7th at
$4,000 and $1,800 respectively. At this same sale
S. C. Duncan of Missouri gave $1,100 for 30th Duke
of Airdrie; Mr. T. W. Harvey of Chicago buying
the 33d Duke of Airdrie, a capital red two-year-old,
at $2,650, and Mr. N. P. Clarke the 34th Duke at
$2,700. For imp. Viscount Oxford 5th (45744)
Messrs. Palmer & Bowman of Virginia gave $1,025.*
The Huston-Gibson sale. — In April, 1883, Messrs.
Rigdon Huston & Son of Blandinsville, 111., who
had bought the entire Bates-bred herd of Col. Le
G. B. Cannon of Vermont, held a sale at Chicago in
connection with Mr. 'Richard Gibson at which some
high prices were made. The 1st Duchess of Hill-
dale and 2d Kirklevington Duchess of Hilldale were
sold to Strawther Givens of Abingdon, 111., at $6,000
and $1,900 respectively. The roan heifer Lally Bar-
rington 6th was taken by Mr. A. J. Alexander of
Woodburn at $3,000. N. P. Clarke, St. Cloud, Minn.,
bought Wild Duchess of Geneva 3d at $2,100. Wil-
*At a sale held at Winchester the following week VanMeter &
Hamilton sold sixty-nine head of Short-horns at an average of $395.35.
including the Rose of Sharon females Poppy 17th, Poppy's Duchess of
Sycamore and 13th Rose of Svcamore, the first going to Palmer &
Bowman at $2,025 and the second and third to T. J. McGowan of
Mount Sterling at $1,275 and $1,200 respectively. The day following
this sale the Messrs. Hamilton sold at Mount Sterling forty-flve head
at an average of $368, Williams & Hamilton taking Loo Belle Geneva
3d at $1,675, Kirklevington Oneida at $1,525 and 2d Lady Kirkleving-
ton B. at $1,100. The day following this offering T. Corwin Ander-
son sold forty-four head at an average of $419.65, receiving from Wil-
liams & Hamilton $1,525 for Kii-klevington Marchioness and $1,050 for
Peach Blosson 12th. H. M. Vaile of Missouri gave $1,150 for Kirklev-
ington Duchess 23d and C. C. Chiles, also of Missouri, took Peach
Blossom 11th at $1,250.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTUKY 667
liam Murray of Canada paid $1,650 for Wild Eyes
Lassie 3d. The Messrs. Winslow of Kankakee, 111.,
gave $1,750 for Grand Duchess of Waterloo. B. C.
Rumsey, Buffalo, N. Y., took Lady Turncroft Wild
Eyes 3d and Lady York and Oxford Bates at $1,500
and $1,200 respectively. Mr. T. W. Harvey of Chi-
cago, who had established a herd at Turlington,
Neb., with 33d Duke of Airdrie at the head, bought
Marchioness of Turncroft and Wild Eyes Winsome
3d at $1,200 and $1,050 respectively. Hon. Emory
Cobb of Kankakee, 111., took Grand Duchess of
Waterloo 2d and Lady York and Underley Bates at
$975 and $800 respectively. George Allen, Allerton,
111., paid $3,500 for 1st Duke of Hilldale 43429. Gib-
son 's offering consisted mainly of imported stock.
Palmer's sale of Scotch cattle. — On April 19, 1883,
there occurred an unfortunate clash between the
Bow Park management representing Bates cattle on
one hand and the late Launcelot Palmer of Missouri,
who had been a buyer and exhibitor of the Aber-
deenshire sorts. The feeling at this time between
the rival types was running high, and as neither
party to this conflict of sale dates would give way,
the occurrence furnished a test as to the prevailing
temper of Northern breeders in reference to the
Bates and Scotch cattle. The Bow Park sale was
held at Glen Flora Farm, a short distance north of
Chicago, and the Palmer sale at Dexter Park, Chi-
cago L^nion Stock Yards. The most active breeders
of the period favored the Palmer sale with their
668 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
company, forcing the three-year-old heifer Mysie
43d, of James I. Davidson's breeding — sired by
Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d 16585 out of imp.
Mysie 36th of Mr. Cruickshank's breeding — up to
$1,950, at which figure she was bid off by Col. Har-
ris for account of Chas. A. DeGraff of Lake Elysian
Farm, Janesville, Minn. DeGraff had for several
years been a patron of the Bates herds, but in the
fall of 1882 had bought from the Hon. John Dryden
the imported Scotch bull Baron Surmise. He also
took the imported Cruickshank cow Artless out of
this sale at $1,025. Mr. Robert Miller purchased
Evening Star 2d, another specimen of the Crown
Prince of Athelstane 2d cross upon a Cruickshank
cow, at $1,000. Mr. T. W. Harvey, who had also
been considered as partial to the Bates blood, ap-
peared here as a bidder upon the best Scotch cattle,
buying among others the Brawith Bud cow Golden
Gem at $910. Col. W. A. Harris purchased imp.
Barmpton Violet at $780; Mr. H. F. Brown took the
red heifer Lady May at $750; J. H. Kissinger bought
Nonpareil 40th at $930, and Hon. Pliny Nichols, of
West Liberty, la., became the owner of the two-year-
old bull Earl of Aberdeen 45992 at $1,000. The twen-
ty-five head of Scotch breeding sold at this sale
averaged about $625.
While the Palmer cattle were selling quickly at
high prices to a large and enthusiastic crowd at
Dexter Park, the Bow Park sale was in progress at
Glen Flora before a small company. Some appre-
CLOSIXG EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 669
ciative buyers were present, nevertheless, Mr. A. J.
Alexander purchasing the red-roan Oxford heifer
Grand Duchess of Oxford 52d at $2,050, and Straw-
ther Givens of Illinois Kirklevington Duchess 25th
at $1,400. A majority of the cattle, however, sold
below $500, the thirty-six head making an average
of $325.55.
Kentucky Importing- Company of 1883. — In the
spring of 1883 Messrs. B. F. Van Meter and Leslie
Combs, representing the Kentucky Importing Co.,
selected and brought out from England an importa-
tion of thirty-four head of cows and heifers and two
bulls, a large majority of which were purchased in
Scotland from the herds of Messrs. Cruick shank,
Duthie and the Duke of Richmond. Those were the
only Short-horns of the Aberdeenshire tribes ever
imported direct from Scotland into Kentucky. A
half-dozen head of Bates females were also included
in the importation, the entire lot being sold at auc-
tion at Lexington May 9 at an average of $402.50.
The Bates heifer Lady Wild Eyes 7th topped the
sale at $1,000, going at that figure to Woodburn.
The Scotch offerings ranged up to $700, paid for the
yearling bull Favorite 56041 from Collynie. This
bull and a number of the Scotch heifers were bought
by Messrs. Danforth and Veech of Louisville, who
bred them for a short time and then disposed of most
of them to Messrs. Cummings of Illinois and other
Northern breeders.
Sale of Pickrell, Thomas & Smith.— Mr. J. H.
670 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Pickrell had meantime formed a partnership with
Messrs. Thomas & Smith of Kentucky and the firm
occupied a prominent position in the trade in the
early ''eighties." The herd was particularly strong
in the Beck Taylor branch of the Young Mary tribe,
which supplied many prize-winners. It was also
rich in Roses of Sharon. At a sale made in June,
1883, at Harristown, 111., the firm sold seventy-two
head at an average of $419.79. Messrs. Hawkins
& McDaniel of Miami, Mo., gave $1,100 for the
two-year-old bull Sharon Geneva and T. W. Harvey
paid $1,000 for Red Rose of Glenwood. It was at
this sale that Messrs. C C. Blish & Son, Kewanee,
111., purchased the red bull calf Dick Taylor of Glen-
wood at $300. He matured into a good show bull
and sire, being successfully exhibited at the head of
the Blish herds at leading "Western fairs for several
years and also siring many good cattle in their Lee
Side Herd. This Harristown sale was notable for
the steadiness of the values maintained. A large
proportion of the otferings made from $400 to $600
each and the high average merit of the stock was the
theme of universal comment.
Kentucky summer sales of 1883. — The breeders of
the blue-grass country remained loyal to the Bates
blood to the last. They were never able to entirely
forget the service rendered by imp. Duke of Airdrie
(12730), and even at this period when Northern
breeders were showing a marked preference for the
Scotch type the Kentuckians sustained their inter-
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 671
est in the historic Kirklevington families. They
were not only the most liberal bidders on all Bates
cattle offered for sale in the Northern States during
the "eighties" but stood together at home whenever
representatives of their favorite blood were offered
at auction.
In July, 1883, Mr. J. V. Grigsby sold a family of
pure Bates-Craggs breeding, a sort originated by
the Messrs. Bell, tenants of Mr. Bates, for one of
which, 12th Duchess of Crethmere, the Messrs. Ham-
ilton of Mount Sterling gave $1,350. For 1st Duch-
ess of Qrethmere Mr. T. Corwin Anderson of Side
View Farm gave $1,000, and for 10th Duchess of
Springwood Hon. A. M. Bowman of Virginia gave
a like amount. A number of others were taken by
Southern breeders at figures but slightly below those
mentioned, the sixteen females averaging $855.93.
At a sale made about the same date by Messrs. Estill
& Hamilton the Rose of Sharon heifer Sharon Rose
2d Geneva fetched $1,000 from James C. Hamilton
of Flat Creek.
During this same season an important sale was
made from the herd of Abram Renick. The cattle
represented exclusively his celebrated Rose of
Sharon sort, and were taken mainly by Kentucky
breeders, the seventy head bringing an average of
$369.64. The top price was $1,050 for Poppy 21st.
Sale of the Holf ord Duchesses. — In the summer of
1883 Mr. T. Holford of Castle Hill, Eng., sold thirty-
eight head of Bates-bred Short-horns at an average
672 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
of $1,000; Lord Fitzhardinge paying $4,500 for the
3d Duke of Leicester and $5,750 for 3d Duchess of
Leicester. Earl Bective bought Duchess of Leices-
ter at $7,525, and Airdrie Duchess 7th, of American
origin, at $2,500. Mr. B. C. Rumsey of Buffalo, N.
Y., purchased the 6th Duchess of Leicester for
$1,775.
Speaking of Duchesses we may note at this point
that during this same year the 8th Duke of Tre-
gunter that had been exported to Australia was sold
at auction in that country at a reported price of
$20,000!
The Hamiltons. — Probably the largest handlers of
pure-bred Short-horns of their time in the State of
Kentucky were the Messrs. Hamilton, extensive
owners of lands in Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri,
the home farm being at Flat Creek, Bath Co., Ky.,
not far from Mount Sterling. Upon this farm re-
sided the brothers, George and James C. Hamilton,
the latter being regarded as a breeder of unusual
skill. Short-horns had been introduced upon Flat
Creek Farm at an early date, and when the herd
first came prominently before the public it was
chiefly noted for its Marys and Josephines.
The foundation dam of the most noted Hamilton
family, the Flat Creek Marys, was the roan Belle,
bred by William Buckner of Bourbon Co., Ky., and
bought of him in the spring of 1861 by J. C. and G.
Hamilton, According to the herd book record (Vol.
XX, p. 15482) she proved remarkably prolific, most
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 673
of her heifers being sired by the Rose of Sharon bull
Bell Sharon 9507 by imp. Duke of Airdrie. In nu-
merous eases Bell Sharon was bred back to his own
daughters. Other bulls used in founding the family
were Earl of Barrington 23017 and Duke of Noxubee
9920.* Messrs. Hamilton were advocates of the prin-
ciple of inbreeding from the beginning, and double
crosses of these bulls appear frequently in the pedi-
grees of many animals of their production. It was
calculated in the spring of 1884 by the Messrs. Ham-
ilton that sales of this Mary cow's descendants had
at that time aggregated in value upward of $100,000!
On the decline in values of Bates tribes Messrs.
Hamilton became buyers of Duchesses, Kirkleving-
tons, Barringtons, Renick Roses of Sharon, etc.,
breeding largely from Duchess and Barrington bulls,
included among the number being imp. Grand Duke
of Geneva 23344 and 20th Duke of Airdrie 13872.
The late Mr. A. L. Hamilton, son of George Hamil-
ton and son-in-law of B. F. Van Meter, was the lead-
ing spirit in the extensive operations of the Messrs.
Hamilton at the time they were so prominently be-
fore the public some fifteen years ago. He had a
brother, W. W., who also handled the Flat Creek
tribes, and a member of a collateral branch of the
Hamilton family, Col. A. "\Y. Hamilton, also dealt
*Duke of Noxubee appears to have been bred by Mr. Simeon Orr of
^Mississippi. He was descended from the Bates-bred cow Imp. Darling-
ton 6th by 4th Duke of Oxford. A foot-note in a catalogue issued by
Messrs. Sudduth & Redmon of Clark Co., Ky., many years ago, con-
tained the rather remarkable statement that this bull was "a remark-
able breeder, getting fine calves since he was eighteen years old." This
astonishing statement, however, lacks confirmation.
674 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
largely in Bates-bred cattle in partnership with the
late Gren. John S. Williams under the firm name of
Williams & Hamilton, Longwood Farm, Mount
Sterling. Largely through the skill and judgment
of Mr. James C. Hamilton — whose patriarchal ap-
pearance and kindly ways earned for him in his
later years the universally applied title of "Uncle
Jimmy" — the home herd at Flat Creek attained a
degree of individual merit that gave it great promi-
nence among the leading collections of the breed,
and it received an extended patronage from the
North and West.
Mr. A. L. Hamilton, who had established himself
on a farm near Lexington, to which he gave the
name of Kirklevington — as expressing his adher-
ence to Bates blood — held an auction sale June 11
and 12, 1884, which attracted one of the largest
crowds ever seen at an event of that character in
the West. The proprietor was in very feeble health
at the time, and this was made the occasion of the dis-
persion of a large proportion of his Short-horn hold-
ings. The sale continued for two days under the
management of the well-known auctioneers. Cols. J.
W. Judy and L. P. Muir.* An extraordinary aver-
*Col. Muir was one of the best-known live-stock auctioneers of his
day in the United States. A resident of Kentucky, he shared with the
Short-horn breeders of the blue-grass country their profound appre-
ciation for the Bates blood, and made himself a leading authority on
all matters connected with the tribal histories of Short-horns of Kirk-
levington derivation. For many years he conducted important auction
sales throughout the Western States, and on the occasion of the pur-
chase of the American Short-horn Herd Book by the Breeders' Asso-
ciation from Lewis F. Allen was made editor of the pedigree register
in Chicago. Being succeeded in that position by Mr. J. H. Pickrell,
Col. Muir removed to Independence, Mo., conducting numerous auction
sales and retaining his interest in Short-horn breeding until his death,
which occurred several year.s since at that place.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 675
age was made. The roan Airdrie Duchess 2d was
bid off for Mr. Hamilton's brother at $4,225. Mr.
Logan 0. Swope of Independence, Mo., took the roan
heifer 2d Duchess of Flat Creek at $7,000, 4th Duch-
ess of Flat Creek at $5,075, Barrington Lally 2d at
$2,025, 4th Duchess of Kent at $4,700 and Loo Belle
Kent at $1,675. Mr. H. F. Brown of Minneapolis
paid $3,550 for the red two-year-old bull Duke of
Flat Creek, $1,775 for Wild Eyes Duchess 7th and
$1,600 for Wild Eyes Duchess 9th. C. M. Gifford
& Sons of Milford, Kan., bid off the Flat Creek Mary
cow. Young Mary Duchess 2d, at $2,275, and the
yearling bull Lord Barrington 2d at $1,675. The
Van Meter Mary cow, Geneva Mary 2d, was knocked
down to John Duncan, Louisville, at $2,000. Mr. G.
L. Chrisman of Independence, Mo., was an active
competitor, securing the yearling 4th Duke of Kent
at $1,500, the red cow Barrington Mary 2d and a
Barrington Lally heifer calf at $1,000 each. Wild
Eyes Duchesses 5th and 10th were knocked off to
A. C. Briant, Belton, Mo., at $2,000 and $1,730 re-
spectively. For Wild Eyes Duchess 4th Corwin
Anderson paid $1,050. For Mary Barrington, of the
Van Meter Mary sort, J. H. Bacon, Weaver, la., gave
$1,000. The average on the 109 head sold was
$832.30.
On the day following this memorable sale Messrs.
Williams & Hamilton sold fifty-two head at Lexing-
ton for an average of $396.35, the highest prices
being $1,100, paid by T. Corwin Anderson for Kirk-
676 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
levington Marchioness, and $1,060, paid by H. C. G.
Bals of Indianapolis for 3d Lady Kirklevington B.
On Oct. 24 and 25, 1884, ninety-seven head of
cattle were sold at auction on the home farm at Flat
Creek to close the estate of Mr. J. C. Hamilton, who
had died a short time previous. The extraordinary
average of $840.57 was made, although such a result
would not have been attained but for the fact that
various members of the family were permitted to
bid. It was here that Messrs. Palmer & Bowman
of Virginia bought the red bull 2d Duke of Kent
51119 at $6,100 and the red-roan Airdrie Duchess
10th at $G,200, taking also 8th Duchess of Kent at
$4,050 and 10th Duchess of Kent at $1,600. Messrs.
Williams & Hamilton bought Barrington Duchess
2d and 3d Duchess of Kent at $5,000 each. Tliey
also bought Barrington Lally 5th at $3,500, Barring-
ton Lally 6th at $3,000, and 3d Duke of Kent at
$2,600. Geo. Hamilton bid off 7th Duchess of Kent
at $3,500. A. L. Hamilton took 5th Duchess of Kent
at $2,250, and Col. J. W. Judy got Young Mary
Duchess at $1,225. Berry & Bigstaff of Mount Ster-
ling paid $1,230 for Barrington Duke 37622.
Col. W. A. Harris of Linwood. — The real leader
of the Scotch forces in the United States during
the "eighties" was Col. W. A. Harris of Linwood,
Leavenworth Co., Kan. Few men possessing like
strength of character have ever given their personal
attention to the breeding of Short-horns in the
United States. Of Virginia parentage, he removed
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTUKY 677
to the state of Kansas soon after the close of the
Civil War. He first followed his profession — that of
a civil engineer — in the employ of the Kansas Pa-
cific Railway Co., assisting in the location of that
branch of the Union Pacific from Kansas City to
Denver. He had an inherited love for country life
and pastoral pursuits, and while surveying on the
north bank of the Kansas Kiver some twenty-seven
miles west of Kansas City, his attention was at-
tracted by a beautiful body of "second bottom" and
upland, the location of which was carefully noted at
the time. He subsequently acquired the title to this
property, and after residing some time in Lawrence
— where he had charge of the sale of the Kansas Pa-
cific Eailway lands and the closing out of the Dela-
ware Indian Reservation — he built a residence upon
the farm afterward so celebrated in the Western
Short-horn trade under the name of Linwood, and
for some years gave practically his entire time to the
establishment of a herd which in its prime was prob-
ably the equal of any that has ever existed in North
America.
At the time Col. Harris made his first investments
in Short-horns his personal relations with the Ken-
tuckians were of the friendliest, and he was made
a director in their American Short-horn Record As-
sociation. He realized that in the "Western country
Short-horns, to give satisfaction to the hard-work-
ing farmers of that region, must possess sound con-
stitutions and satisfactory feeding capacity. The
678 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
leading Kentucky breeder of the period, wliile hold-
ing Col. Harris in the highest regard, did not relish
his outspoken criticism of many of their herds, many
of which he considered too fine and delicate for prac-
tical Western feed-lot purposes. He had no patience
with those who gave their adherence to mere pedi-
gree, and proceeded to lay the foundations of his own
herd with supreme disregard of all things except
genuine merit in the individual animal. For some
years he made occasional purchases of breeding ani-
mals in the blue-grass country, but he faulted most
of the Southern herds of that date as wanting in
substance and flesh. Now and then he found a heifer
that suited him fairly well, and in such cases was
always willing to pay a liberal price. Early in his
career as a breeder he had secured the excellent red
bull Golden Drop of Hillhurst 39120, bred by Col.
W. E. Simmes of Bourbon Co., Ky., by whom he was
sold to J. C. Stone Jr. of Leavenworth, Kan. This
bull had two Bates crosses (4tli Duke of Hillhurst
21509 and 7th Earl of Oxford 9985) on top of the
Scotch-bred Wastell's Golden Drop 4th by Sir
Christopher (22895). He possessed the finish, style
and character common to the Bates tribes, together
with more than the usual amount of flesh shown by
the latter-day representatives of that blood, and
proved a useful sire. When it became necessary to
secure a successor to him a careful but unsuccessful
search was made for a bull in the State of Kentucky.
This was in the early spring of 1882. On May 3 of
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTUKY 679
that year Mr. J. H. Kissinger of Missouri made a
public sale at which he offered several head of
Cruickshank cattle that he had purchased a short
time before in Canada. Favorably jDredisposed to-
ward the Scotch blood, as a result of his use of the
Golden Drop bull above mentioned, and firm in the
belief that Short-horn breeders generally must pay
more attention to form and feeding quality if they
were to hold their own throughout the West, Col.
Harris attended this sale. These imjDorted cattle
were the best specimens of Cruickshank breeding he
had ever seen, and much impressed by their sturdy
character he bought the yearling Victoria bull imp.
Baron Victor (45944) at $1,100; the big, broad-
backed roan imp. Victoria 63d at $530; the smaller
but thick-fleshed imp. Violet Bud at $450, and the
compactly-fashioned red-roan imp. Victoria 69th at
$390.* Baron Victor was a blocky, broad-ribbed,
short-legged, mellow, thick-fleshed red, strong in
head and horn, but standing very near to the ground.
He was sired by Barmpton (37763) out of the fine
cow Victoria 58th by Pride of the Isles; second dam
Victoria 43d by Champion of England.
Success of Baron Victor. — Victoria 69th of this
purchase did not turn out a good investment, but
Victoria 63d 's first calf — a grand roan heifer by
Baron Victor, dropped Nov. 1, 1882 — developed into
*At this same sale Messrs. J. H. Potts & Son purchased the im-
ported Sittyton Secret cow Sempstress at $585 and Gloxinia at $420.
For imp. Acorn 2d the late Launcelot Palmer paid $505 and for
Beauty's Pride and Carrie $400 each,
680 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
a yearling with an astonishing wealth of substance,
flesh and hair. No such calf had ever before been
seen upon the farm, and much as he disliked to part
with her Col. Harris decided to consign her to the
Interstate Breeders' sale held at Kansas City in the
fall of 1884, where she proved the sensation of the
day and commanded the top price of $1,005, being
purchased by the late Samuel Steinmetz of Missouri.
Breeders from many different States gathered
around this burly-bodied, short-legged Scotch heifer
and large numbers of them for the first time here
realized that an element of undoubted value had now
been introduced into the Western trade. Linwood
Victoria's irresistible demonstration of the feeding
quality of the Cruickshank sort was backed up at
this same sale by the young bull The Baronet 58250
— got by Baron Victor out of a Flat Creek Mary
dam — a calf of rare thickness and finish, finding
quick sale at $500 to F. C. Harris, son-in-law of
Launcelot Palmer, Sturgeon, Mo. The Baronet de-
veloped into one of the best show bulls of his day in
the Western States, winning prizes at the head of
the herd of Newton Winn.
The first crop of calves from Baron Victor satis-
fied Col. Harris that he was on the right track, and
he took immediate steps to increase his stock of
breeding females of Scotch extraction. He pur-
chased from James I. Davidson imp. Sorrel, by Roan
Gauntlet; imp. Marsh Violet, by Pride of the Isles;
imp. Barmpton Violet, by Royal Violet; imp. Lav-
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 681
ender 32d, by Roan Gauntlet; imp. Gladiolus, by
Pride of the Isles; the massive light roan imp. Gold-
en Thistle, by Roan Gauntlet; imp. Lavenders 33d,
34th, 36th; imp. Sapphire, and from Mr. William
Warfield of Kentucky the good heifer Primrose,*
derived from imp. Portulacca. In the meantime the
Baron Victor bulls from these and the American-
bred cows in the herd became the admiration of the
entire American Short-horn cattle-breeding frater-
nity. Almost without exception they developed
into richly-fleshed, short-legged, low-flanked, easy-
keeping bulls that served to convince a large ma-
jority of the breeders of the Missouri Valley States
that the Linwood plan of breeding was correct.
They were in demand at from $300 to $600, not only
throughout the West but as far East as Ohio, for
the purpose of heading good herds.
In connection with Baron Victor there was used
at Linwood, among other well-bred Cruick shank
sires, the red Barbarossa 68197, bought from Mr.
Davidson, sired by Cumberland out of Bannpton
Spray by Caesar Augustus. He was sold to Mr.
Charles E. Leonard of Missouri and used extensively
in the old-established herd at Ravenswood. Another
bull that achieved reputation both as a stock-getter
and prize-winner was imp. Double Gloster (49383),
a red, sired by Barmpton out of 24tli Duchess of
♦This Warfield heifer bred to Baron Victor produced the handsome
mellow-handling red prize bull Dr. Primrose of the Williams & House-
holder show herd. Another Linwood-bred show-yard favorite in that
same collection was the Baron Victor heifer Baroness.
682 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Gloster by Lord of the Isles. Double Gloster was
sold to William P. Higinbotliam, whose Blue Valley
Herd at Manhattan, Kan., was for several years one
of the best-known collections of the breed west of
the Missouri Eiver. Meantime Col. Harris became
the heaviest buyer of imported Cruickshank heifers
in the States, securing the pick of all of James I.
Davidson's extensive importations of that period
from Sittyton. He obtained from this source and
transferred to the "sunny slopes of Linwood" such
females as Lady of the Meadow, by Chancellor;
Barmpton Crocus, by same sire; Lavender 38th, by
Dunblane; the 26th, 27th and 28th Duchesses of
Gloster, sired by Perfection, Chancellor and Cum-
berland respectively; Lovely 41st and Wood Violet,
by Cumberland; Victoria 76th, by Viking; Stephan-
otis, a grand roan, by Dunblane; Vera and Lady of
Shalott, both by same bull; March Violet, by Chan-
cellor, and others. He also bought from Messrs.
Potts Lady Athelstane of Oakland, by Duke of Bich-
mond out of imp. Red Lady, and from Cummings
of Buda, 111., a Sittyton Victoria of the Lowman &
Smith sort.
The Linwood Golden Drops. — Possibly his most
fortunate selection, however, in the way of breeding
females was the grand roan Norton's Golden Drop,
bred by C. W. Norton of Iowa in 1880 from the
Bates bull imp. Underley Wild Eyes 31312 out of
imp. Golden Drop 4th, imported from the Kinellar
herd by J. S. Thompson, and also known as Wastell's
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 683
Golden Drop 4tli. ( See records Vols. XII and XX A.
S.-H. B.) Norton had procured the imported cow
from Mr. McCune of Solon, la. This Bates-crossed
Scotch Golden Drop was strong-backed, heavy-
quartered and deep-bodied, with a feminine head
and neck and good dairy qualities. Bred to the
impressive Baron Victor she gave Col. Harris the
best females he ever produced, notwithstanding his
repeated "topping" of the Cruickshank importa-
tions of the ' ' eighties. ' ' Indeed, the Linwood Golden
Drops, with their beautiful finish, their wealth of
flesh, substance and character constituted, in the
opinion of some of our best judges, the most superb
family of Short-horn cattle of their time in the
United States.
Baron Lavender 2d. — Probably the best Cruick-
shank cow ever owned at Linwood was imp. Laven-
der 36th. She was, indeed, a noble specimen of Mr.
Ciniickshank's best type, possessing grand scale, as-
tonishing breadth, depth and thickness of rich flesh.
Unfortunately this royal specimen of her race had
such an irrepressible tendency to take on flesh that
she became barren in her very prime and was finally
sent to the butcher. In the autumn of 1885 this
wonderful cow had dropped to a service by Baron
Victor the handsome red-roan bull calf Baron Lav-
ender 2d 72610. He was a youngster of extraordi-
nary promise from the start, but the loss of his dam
not then being anticipated he was sold at a good
price to head a local herd. When it was discovered.
68-1: A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
that liis mother would no longer breed Col. Harris
bought back Baron Lavender 2d, and it is speaking
within bounds to state that this bull was by odds the
greatest of all the many capital bulls bred at Lin-
wood. A widespread, massive, low-legged, richly-
furnished animal of strong character. Baron Laven-
der 2d was probably the peer of any bull of the breed
yet produced on this side the Atlantic. It has al-
ways been a matter for sincere regret that his period
of service in the herd at Linwood was so short.
Another valuable Lavender bull by Baron Victor
was the golden-skinned Baron Lavender 3d 78854,
out of imp. Lavender 38th. He w^as a thick-set, mel-
low bull of beautiful quality, sold to William P.
Higinbotham, and by him to S. F. Lockridge of
Indiana.
Imp. Craven Knight. — Considerable difficulty had
been met with in finding a bull to breed upon Baron
Victor's heifers. In addition to Barbarossa and
Double Gloster, Col. Harris imported two young
bulls of Mr. Cruickshank's own selection, one of
which. Master of the Bolls 99643, got some good
stock, but neither of them seemed just what was
wanted, and they were given a short trial and sold.
Subsequently he bought probably the handsomest
Cruickshank bull ever seen in the Western States,
imp. Craven Knight 96923, imported for Luther
Adams, Storm Lake, la., and sired by Cumberland
out of Golden Autumn by Barmpton.* Craven
*Williain ISIiller, who imported Craven KniRht, says : "Among the
best of the Sittyton cows at the time of my last visit were Victoria
CLOPTXG EVENTS OF THE CEXTURY 685
Kniglit was a sliort-legged, evenly-built red of rare
symmetry and finish, having a good head, a first-
class middle-piece and remarkable hind quarters. It
"vvas believed at Linwood when Craven Knight was
obtained (along with another selection of imported
Sittyton heifers of Luther Adams' importation) that
a worthy successor to Baron Victor had been found.
His first calves, however, did not begin to develop
quite early enough to satisfy the exacting require-
ments of the proprietor, and before the bull's value
was realized he was sold to the Kansas Agricultural
College at Manhattan, only to be rescued and re-
stored at the head of the herd several years later,
after repeated efforts and the expenditure of large
sums of money in endeavoring to find satisfactory
stock bulls. The ultimate verdict was that had
Craven Knight received full opportunity he would
possibly have equaled the record of Baron Victor as
a sire.
A search for sires. — Another imported bull tested
at Linwood was the red Thistletop 83876, imported
in 1885 by Mr. Davidson. He left some good stock,
among others the bulls El Sabio 103105, used some
before being sold, and Thistlewood 95417, from imp.
58th and Golden Autumn. As I saw them tied in a double stall to-
gether they were cows of a good deal the same character, rather small,
but character and quality all over (red). The 58th was dam of two
I brought out, as well as of Baron A'ictor, to-wit. : Arthur Johnston's
Indian Chief, so noted as a getter, and Victoria 80th that I kept for
myself, but did no good. The other was dam of Craven Knight that
was my choice of the Sittyton bull calves of that year, and I would
not have got him out had Cruickshank not promised Harris two bulls
and two heifers which he could only send out by me, and I told him
I would not bring them unless he gave me first choice of his bull
calves."
686 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Victoria 63d — the last sire used in the herd of J. H.
Potts & Son. A trial was also made of imp. Royal
Pirate 100640, imported direct from Sittyton and
sired by Gondolier 98287 out of Victoria 77th by
Dunblane. This was a bull of great scale, with a
remarkable back, but scarcely as compactly fash-
ioned as the best of the Scotch type.
Several other home-bred bulls were tested. One
of these, Lord Mayor 112727, was a good red, sired
by Baron Lavender 2d out of imp. Lady of the
Meadow, one of the best breeding matrons of the
herd. It was from Lord Mayor and old Norton's
Golden Drop that the red Golden Lord 119422, chief
stock sire in service at the dispersion of the herd,
was produced. Galahad 103259, a short-legged, well-
fleshed red — one of the few animals sired by imp.
Master of the Rolls 99463 — out of Galanthus, daugh-
ter of imp. Gladiolus, was also largely used toward
the last. He had been sold when young to Messrs.
Hawk of Beattie, Kan., but developed such typical
Scotch thrift and thickness that he was bought back
for stock purposes. He was a medium-sized bull of
much quality, and proved a useful sire. We should
also mention the roan Lord Athol 122011 — by Gold-
en Knight out of the Potts-bred Jjady Athelstane of
Linwood by imp. Knight Templar 66658 — that got
from Princess Alice a high-priced bull presently to
be mentioned.
It is doubtful if the history of Short-horn breed-
ing: in the United States affords a more striking
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 687
illustration of enteiprise in endeavoring to secure
stock bulls of the highest possible merit than is fur-
nished by the record of Linwood Farm. In addition
to the various bulls already named, many of which
were bought at strong prices, the champion show
bull imp. Cupbearer 91223 was leased from Luther
Adams and tried, but with disappointing results.
From Milton E. Jones, Williamsville, 111., the mel-
low-skinned, short-legged red Spartan Hero 77932
was hired and used with a fair degree of success.
This bull was of Sittyton breeding, imported by Mr.
Davidson and sold to Messrs. Cookson of Iowa. He
was sired by Barmpton out of the Secret cow Sou-
venir by Koyal Duke of Gloster.
Col. Harris was convinced toward the close of his
breeding operations that the Sittyton cattle stood in
need of fresh blood. In 1892 he made a tour of Eng-
land and Scotland, visiting the Royal show at War-
wick and spending some time with Messrs. Duthie,
Cruickshank and Marr in Aberdeenshire. He found
that his judgment in this regard did not differ from
that of the best-informed authorities in Great Brit-
ain, but at the same time he saw nothing upon that
trip which seemed to him likely to cross with the
Linwood cows and heifers with better prospects of
success than a sort already within the limits of the
Linwood pastures at home. He therefore deter-
mined to test bulls bred from the Linwood Golden
Drops, selecting for that purpose the roan Golden
Pirate 103411, the red-roan Golden Knight 108086,
688 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
and the red Golden Lord 119422. Some fresh blood
was also obtained through another channel — the fine
Collynie cow now to be mentioned.
Princess Alice. — In the purchase of this superb
daughter of Field Marshal the proprietor of Lin-
wood gave further evidence of his good judgment
and great enterprise. Princess Alice was beyond
question one of the greatest cows produced by the
Short-horn breed during the closing years of the
century, adding to Field Marshal's European fame
by producing at Linwood some of the best stock
bulls used in the United States in the recent past.
Selected and imported by William Miller for Luther
Adams, and a champion female at Western State
fairs in her yearling form, she was bought by John
Hope of Bow Park at the Lakeside dispersion of
Chicago in 1889. Col. Harris purchased her shortly
afterward, and for a number of years she was one of
the chief ornaments of the herd that grazed the luxu-
riant pastures of Linwood.
Bred to Craven Knight she produced in 1891 the
roan Young Marshal 110705. As a yearling he was
broad, low and thick, and was sold to L. W. Brown
& Son, Sangamon Co., 111., who fitted him for the
World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893,
winning first prize in the class for two-year-old bulls
over thirteen competitors. He subsequently passed
into the possession of Mr. Aaron Barber, Avon, N.
Y., in whose hands he sired some of the best show
cattle seen on the American circuit during the past
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY - 689
ten years, besides winning prizes himself at the head
of the Avon herd. While he grew somewhat uneven
in his flesh on account of his early forcing for the
Columbian, he was a bull of strong character and
outstanding substance. In January, 1892, Alice gave
birth to the roan calf Prince Eoyal 113305, by Cra-
ven Knight, a bull of fine promise that was sold for
service in the herd of Thomas H. Mastin of Kansas
City. To a service by imp. Spartan Hero the Prin-
cess i^roduced in December, 1892, the roan Royal
Hero 113611, that grew into a massive, mellow-
fleshed bull that had the distinguished honor of win-
ning, as recently as 1899, for Messrs. Miller of Indi-
ana the championship of America at the Illinois
State Fair in his seven-year-old form; and at the
same show one of his daughters, the beautiful roan
Sallie Girl,* was cham^jion female; the double win-
ning constituting an achievement unique in the an-
nals of the Western show-yard. In 1893 Princess
Alice produced Eoyal Knight 117203, red with white
marks — sired by the Golden Drop bull Golden
Knight 108086 — that was good enough to be used
for a time at Linwood.
Alice had bred two fine heifers to services by
Craven Knight before she settled down to the bull
trade; one known as Alice Maude, that was bought
from Luther Adams for export to Mexico, and the
other the rich-fleshed, sappy Fairy Queen, calved at
* Sallie Girl was descended on the dam's side through such noted
bulls as Dick Taylor 5508, Loudon Duke 3097 and imp. Duke of Air-
drie, from imp. Gem by Broker.
690 . A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Linwood in 1890, and shown successfully by Col.
Harris. These were both paragons of Short-horn
excellence, but the one went abroad and the other
failed to breed. The old cow was finally sold at a
good price to Col. T. S. Moberley of Kentucky, along
with a heifer calf (Alice of Forest Grove) by Gala-
had at foot. She was at the time in calf to the young
Linwood-bred Lord Athol 122011, and with this
service resumed bull breeding, giving her Kentucky
buyer the red Alice's Prince 122593. At the Mo-
berley dispersion the cow and bull calf were pur-
chased by E. B. Mitchel & Son, Danvers, 111., who
sold Alice's Prince to Messrs. Wallace of Missouri,
from whom he has recently been bought by Mr.
Aaron Barber at a reported price of $2,000. The
Galahad heifer went to Texas. The old Princess
finished her extraordinary career of usefulness by
giving the Messrs. Mitchell, in 1897, the white bull
Prince Armour 127794, by Baron Cruickshank 3d
117968, that has maintained the credit of his family
during the past two seasons by repeated winnings on
the Western circuit. The virtual loss of the three
heifers mentioned was little short of a calamity to
the breed.
Linwood 's salutary influence. — No man ever un-
dertook the promotion of Short-horn interests more
earnestly or unselfishly than Col. Harris. A man of
strong convictions, sincere, honest, aggressive and
convincing in advocacy of what he believed to be
right, his influence as a breeder and as a director of
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 691
the Herd-Book Association upon the course of Short-
horn breeding in America during the period follow-
ing the speculative "boom" of the "seventies" was
perhaps greater than that of any other one man
identified with the trade from 1882 to 1895, and was
ever on the side of reason and sound practice. It
was generally conceded that Linwood at its best
was the outstanding herd of the United States, and
foreign visitors questioned if it had a superior in
Great Britain, It was for a time the Mecca toward
which Western breeders directed their steps in quest
of stock sires. While the surplus was usually dis-
posed of at good prices at private treaty, the herd
was maintained for the most part during a period
when values of pedigreed cattle were at a compara-
tively low ebb. Nevertheless several successful pub-
lic sales were made at Chicago, Kansas City and
Manhattan, Kan.
Affairs agricultural, however, were drifting from
bad to worse. After the financial panic of 1893, dis-
couraged by the profound and widespread depres-
sion, and now confronted by many difficulties in his
efforts at sustaining the merit of the herd at its
foiTner level, the proprietor at length listened to the
call of the people of his adopted State and consented
to serve them, first in the House of Representatives
and later in the Senate of the United States. Under
these circumstances the dispersion of the herd was
inevitable, the event occurring May 6, 1896, at the
home farm. While it called out one of the largest
692 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORX CATTLE
and most representative gatherings of breeders ever
seen upon a similar occasion in the Western States,
times were then at their very worst, and it was im-
possible that anything like high prices should be
realized. The stock had not been kept in strong con-
dition during the few seasons immediately preceding
the sale, and had not received the proprietor's close
personal attention. Many of the "plums" of the
herd had been sold privately. Everything upon the
farm, except a few old cows, was catalogued, and the
entire lot of both sexes and all ages, passed through
the ring, without special preparation, at a general
average of $205 for the sixty-three head.
J. J. Hill of North Oaks. — In the summer of 1882
Mr. J. J. Hill of St. Paul, Minn., the railway king
of the Northwest, began importing both Scotch and
Bates-bred Short-horns from Great Britain. He
also made large importations of Aberdeen-Angus
cattle from Scotland. Both herds were maintained
upon the sandy soil of the farm at North Oaks, near
St. Paul, a body of land not specially adapted for
agricultural purposes. The imported cattle were
selected mainly by Mr. Robert Bruce.
The first shipment of Short-horns included the
massive, prize-winning roan bull Gambetta (49618),
bred by Mr. Garhetty, Fochabers, Scotland, tracing
on the dam's side to Fanny, by Garioch Lad. With
Gambetta came the fine roan cow Eose of Dalkeith
(of the Duke of Buccleuch's breeding), carrying the
blood of Eoval Errant and Sir James the Rose.
CLOSING e\t:nts of the cextuby 693
There was also the Clipper cow Cinderella 2d. In
Ma}^, 1883, the Bates-bred roan bull Berkeley Duke
of Oxford 2d 54790, bred by Lord Fitzhardinge and
sired by the celebrated Duke of Connaught, was im-
ported along with three Bates-bred heifers. Later
in the year additional shii3ments of Scotch and
mixed-bred cattle of much individual merit were
made, embracing such good cows as Belle of Albion,
Golden Lace, Golden Mint, Fannie B. 30th, Jennie
Lind 12th, Venus 2d and Sweet Pea. In June, 1884,
Mr. Hill received from England a lot of Bates-bred
cattle, including Grand Duchesses 43d and 47th,
Duchess of Wappenham, Duchess of Oxford 2d,
Grand Duchess of Barringtonia 5th, Conishead Wild
Eyes 2d, Wild Lady 2d, Lady York and Thorndale
Bates 8th, and, from Lord Lovat of Scotland, Young
Julia 3d.
In the spring of 1885 Mr. Bruce bought on order
some forty yearling bulls, mainlj^ in the North of
Scotland, that were shipped out to North Oaks. He
also secured for Mr. Hill the Highland Society's
first-prize roan bull Goldfinder (47967), bred from
the famous show stock of Mr. Handley of Westmore-
land, and sired by the celebrated English bull Sir
Arthur Ingram (32490), a roan bred by Linton of
Sheriff Hutton. Goldfinder was bought from Jas.
Bruce of Burnside. During this season Mr. John
Hope, who was buying cattle in England for Bow
Park, selected for North Oaks ten head of Duch-
esses, Oxfords and other Bates-bred sorts, among
694 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
these being Duchess 125th from Allsopp's, Duchess
of Leicester from Holf ord 's and Duchess of Rowf ant
from Sir Curtis Lampson's.
In 1886 Mr. Hill imported the bull Duke of Surrey
92018— of A. H. Lloyd's breeding, sired by 27th Duke
of Airdrie out of Grand Duchess 48th — four three-
year-old cows and one heifer calf. He also pur-
chased about this same time two Grand Duchess
cows at a sale held in Chicago by Mr. H. Y. Attrill,
and as this imported bull was of that tribe the herd
now possessed a considerable collection of the Bates-
bred Duchesses. The females sent out with the
Duke of Surrey were a grand lot, including the
Highland Society's first-prize two-year-old heifer
Chief Lustre 2d, the three-year-old Bonny Gypsy
bred by Mr. Duthie, Charm from Hugh Aylmer's
and Severn Daisy — an English winner with heifer
calf at foot by Piers Gaveston (50159).
On May 9, 1888, at a public sale at North Oaks,
thirty-seven head sold for an average of $360.50.
William Steele, a lumberman of Ionia, Mich., bought
Grand Duchess of North Oaks 2d at $1,550, imp. Ox-
ford 29th at $1,000 and imp. Duke of North Oaks 2d
at $750. B. C. Rumsey of Buffalo took imp. Duchess,
of Eowfant at $1,900.* H. C. G. Bals of Indianapolis
bought North Oaks Lady of Oxford 2d at $1,550.
Col. William S. King got North Oaks Countess of
Oxford— a white yearling— at $1,000. A number of
*Mr. Rumsey had sold twenty-three head of Short-horns at Chi-
cago on tlie previous week at an average of $34S, Mr. WiUiam Steele
paying $1,100 for Cambridge Rose 22d and $1,080 for Cambridge Rose
?5th.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 695
Scotch-bred females were offered, but sold at a much
lower range of values.
Mr. Hill did not long maintain the herd, but the
blood of his best cattle proved of much value to
Western breeders. He steadfastly declined to com-
pete at the fairs with breeding stock, but for several
seasons was an active competitor with both Short-
horns and Angus at the Chicago Fat-Stock Show.
Probably his best Short-horn steer was the roan Brit-
isher, that was a prize-winner at the show of 1889.
John T. Gibson had charge of the herds until April
1, 1891, when William Miller assumed the manage-
ment. The latter remained at the helm for one year.
Twelve months later, in April, 1893, he purchased
the entire North Oaks Herds of Short-horns and
Aberdeen-Angus — about one hundred head of each.
About one-half of each herd was shipped to Chicago
and sold at auction at the panic prices then prevail-
ing. The remainder were taken to Lakeside Farm,
Storm Lake, la., where Mr. Sherley, the proprietor,
took an interest in them. The Short-horns were at
length dispersed at auction at Lakeside in 1895.
Hope's shov7 herds of 1887 and 1889.— In the fall
of 1887, Mr. John Hope, manager for the Messrs.
Nelson at Bow Park, appeared in the West with one
of the most remarkable show herds seen since the
days of Col. King of Lyndale. The lot was headed
by the very good show bull Baron Warlaby, but was
chiefly remarkable for its imported females, includ-
ing Lady Isabel, Havering Nonpareil 2d and Duchess
696 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
of Lincoln, selected in England for the express pur-
pose of "starring" the American show circuit.
Baron Warlaby was bred by Mr. Groff of Ontario,
and was got by the Booth-bred Knight of Warlaby
out of a cow tracing to imp. Beauty by Snowball.
Lady Isabel and Havering Nonpareil 2d were both
shown in the cow class at the great Western fairs
of 1887, creating a profound sensation. Both were
roans of magnificent scale, direct from the hands of
expert English "fitters."
Lady Isabel, called by Hope "the grandest cow
seen since Lady Fragrant," was bred by John Outh-
waite, of Bainesse, Yorkshire, and was sired by the
white bull Crown Prince (38061) — a brother of the
Rev. B. B. Kinnard's renowned English show cow
Queen Mary — out of Lady Conyers by the Eoyal
prize bull Lord Godolphin (36065). Notwithstand-
ing the fact that she had produced two heifers and
one bull, she was shown in reasonable bloom at the
enormous weight of 2,100 lbs., carried upon short,
neat bone. Havering Nonpareil 2d, although not
laid out on so grand a scale as the massive Lady
Isabel, was a beautiful type, presenting a rare com-
bination of flesh and finish, entering the ring at a
weight of near 2,000 lbs. She had been a winner
at the English Royal, and on account of her beauti-
ful quality divided the admiration of American
breeders with Lady Isabel.* She was bred by D.
*At the Iowa State Fair of 1887, at Des Moines, Wm. Stocking of
Illinois, the awarding judge, set the Nonpareil over Lady Isabel. This
was a remarkable Short-horn show, Mr. Luther Adams' Scotch-bred
imp. Miss Ramsden 9 th being placed after the two Bow Park cows.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 697
Mcintosh of Havering Park, Essex, England, from
Baron Gwynne 2d 84510, running through the
famous Telemachus blood to the Sittyton Nonpareil
base; being a lineal descendant of Nonpareil 19th,
by Matadore. Duchess of Lincoln, the third mem-
ber of Hope's peerless triumvirate, was an extraor-
dinary Bates-topped two-year-old, bred by J. J.
Sharp of Broughton, Kettering, England. She was
a strikingly-handsome, broad-ribbed, finely-condi-
tioned roan, of commanding show-yard appearance,
and repeated in America her earlier victories on the
other side of the water.
Hope's last appearance in the show-ring in the
States was in the fall of 1889. He had purchased
imp. Cupbearer that spring at the Adams sale at
Chicago, and to avoid a troublesome quarantine had
placed him in the capable hands of Mr. William H.
Gibson, manager for B. C. Eumsey at Niagara Stock
Farm, Buffalo, N. Y. It must be said to Gibson's
credit that the bull was brought out that fall in rare
bloom. When he appeared at the head of the Bow
Park Herd at the Detroit Exposition, September,
1889, he was fit to stand for the credit of the breed
in any company. He was shown at a v\^eight of
2,500 lbs., and barring a little tendency to "roll"
at the shoulder was as smooth as a yearling. Rich-
ard Gibson was the judge upon this occasion, and
while sending Cupbearer to head the aged bull class,
when it came to the championship he passed him in
favor of Bow Park's yearling Baron Waterloo, got
698 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
by Baron Warlaby 78878 out of Wave Surge by 57th
Duke of Oxford, tracing through Mr. Torr's " W's."
Aylesby and its Short-horn tribes never failed to
arouse the enthusiasm of Richard, and as Baron
Waterloo was really a well-ripened, good-fleshed
bull there was some basis for defense of his unex-
pected decision placing the yearling over the table-
backed Scot. Hope won in the cow class with Hav-
ering Nonpareil 2d, although Mr. Abram Renick, the
younger — who had succeeded to his great-uncle's
Rose of Sharon herd — had a good second in Rose-
bud 35th. Bow Park scored also in two-year-old
heifers with Isabella 3d, a handsome daughter of
imp. Lady Isabel, sired by Ingram's Chief 41833. In
fact Hope made a clean sweep by drawing the blue
in both the yearling and heifer-calf classes, gaining
both championships and both of the herd prizes.*
*The affairs of the Canada West Farm Stock Association were
closed at auction at Brantford Jan. 15, 1885, the title to both the farm
and herd passing to Messrs. Thomas Nelson & Sons of Liverpool. The
real estate was bought in at $71,000, the 115 head of Short-horns at
$95,000, and the other farm effects at $14,680. Mr. John Clay, Jr., the
present head of the American stock-yards commission Arm of Clay,
Robinson & Co., had meantime been placed in charge as financial rep-
resentative of the Messrs. Nelson, Mr. Hope continuing to act as herd
manager, serving in that capacity until the final disposition of the farm
by the Nelsons Jan. 1, 1894, soon after which event Mr. Hope died. The
latter had for a long series of years been one of the most conspicuous
figures in the American live-stock trade, often acting as judge, not only
of cattle but draft and coach horses and other varieties of farm ani-
mals. Fitting tribute has been paid to his memory by Mr. Clay, whose
literary skill has so often been employed in matters touching the af-
fairs of those whose lives are spent among herds and flocks. We quote
the following written by Mr. Clay for the Live-Stock Report:
"Probably no single man ever had such a varied knowledge of the
breeders of fine stock in Europe and America as "genial John." We
might except the late Simon Beattie, a sort of companion-in-arms, who
had gone through many a purchasing, selling and sliowing campaign
with the above. With those two gentlemen Richard Gibson was often
associated, and when the trio met there was an accumulation of ex-
perience in breeding and feeding all classes of stock — of the folk lore,
we might call it — of the bovine world of anecdote, by sea and shore,
never equaled. Two have gone from us, while the third remains to
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 699
Luther Adams' importations. — In the autumn of
1886 Mr. Luther Adams of Boston, Mass., who owned
a large farm at Storm Lake, la., commissioned Mr.
William Miller to proceed to Scotland and select for
his account a shipment of the best young cattle
obtainable. Miller was admirably qualified for the
work. As we have already seen, he belonged to a
family that had been identified from an early period
with the importing and breeding trade of Canada.
wield a powerful influence in agricultural matters throughout the States
and Canada.
"John Hope was born over fifty years ago near the Cockermouth,
Cumberland. His birthplace was near to an old church with a won-
derful belfrv, and when far away from there he heard the chime of
bells floating across the Valley of the Grand River, near Brantford,
Ont., it always reminded him of the old days spent in his native par-
ish. From Cumberland he went to Canada, spent some time in Mis-
souri, a year or two at Waukegan, 111., and then he settled down in
Ontario, where the latter part of his life was spent, first as a farmer
and importer of fine stock, and latterly as assistant manager and
manager of Bow Park. During the last two months he had purchased
this estate, but whether the actual details had been carried through or
not we are unable to say.
"It was August, 187 6, in the Valley of the Severn, under the
shadow of the Cotswold Hills, that the writer first met Hope. From
that day a chain of unbroken friendship that had to stand the strain
of many a gale remained unbroken. In 1877 or 1878 Hope went to
Bow Park as manager of tlie herd, then one of the largest and most
valuable in the world, and in 1879 I joined him at that place. Bow
Park was not a financial success. It was started when the Short-
horn business was on the wane. Here it was, however, that John
Hope became a great force in trans-Atlantic agrirultuie. Many an
object lesson he gave on the farm amid tlie stately oaks that surmount
the homestead at Bow Park. There he was at his best. The fever of
strong prejudices was laid away, and before you was the animal. Ah !
how he loved to look at them. When the show cows were let out from
their shady boxes at sundown to graze in the cool night air then came
Hope's enjoyment. As the artist loves his picture, tlie liuntsman his
hound, the mother her child, so the idol of our friend was the Short-
horn cow. For years it was the Alpha and Omega of his existence.
Latterly, when a happy marriage came across his path, and a beautiful
family to cluster round him, tlie old love was dimmed a little, but
the virgin fires still blazed, and no later than the great show of cattle
at the World's Fair Hope was there as intensely interested as ever.
In the show-yard he had phenomenal success. Will the present race
of American cattlemen ever forget Duke of Clarence 4th, Clarence
Kirklevington, and the herd of cows and heifers which a few years
ago swept like a cyclone through the show-yards of the States and
Canada? As an exhibitoi- Hope was a strong partisan, and in the
peculiar politics of an American show-ring' he was an adept. Long
years of experience and close observation had made him so. and he
•otXy fought his opponents with their own weapons. As a judge he
700 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
As a young man lie had bought cattle and sheep in
G-reat Britain; and his long and intimate connection
with the live-stock interests of North America had
given him an experience, a seasoned judgment and
an acquaintance on both sides the water not ex-
celled by any other individual of his time., A
shrewd, keen-witted, "all-around" judge, "Willie"
Miller ranks as one of the makers of American
Short-horn history.
The shipment of 1886. — Canadian quarantine re-
strictions had rendered impossible the further for-
warding of the Sittyton surplus to Mr. Davidson, so
that it came to pass that Mr. Cruickshank's final
American outlet was through the medium of Mr.
Adams. Arriving in Aberdeenshire Mr. Miller re-
paired at once to Sittyton. Mr. Cruickshank was
well sold out of bulls at the time, having but one
was strictly impartial, and as an all-round man was, so far as my ob-
servation goes, wthout an equal. In the show-yard arena during the
last twenty years I have watched many an exhibitor and judge. Year.5
ago I saw an Elliot of Hindhope, a Booth of Warlaby, a Drewry of
Holker take their parts in the play. In latter years all of us have
seen a Tait of Windsor, Gibson of Canada, Billy Leavitt in the Chi-
cago Stock-Yards, and a host of others, all men of quick perception ;
but when it came down to close judgm-ent, whether it was a hound, a.
horse, or a Hereford, I think John Hope would have got the laurel
wreath, for with him it was intuition. He was quick, keen, decisive,
almost too rapid for the general public, but he was always there or
thereabouts when the best animal had to be picked from the bunch.
"In personal appearance Hope was broad and burly, a grand speci-
men of the English yeoman. Apart from his general contour his promi-
nent feature was the eye. He was the possessor of a pair of great
luminous blue eyes, that imparted to his appearance a singularly soft
and winning expression. When a child entered the room it invariably
went straight up to him, and through those eyes beamed forth all
that was tender and true in his nature. Simple himself as a child,
generous to a fault, strong in his friendships, with the heart of a lion,
yet the mildness and gentleness of a lamb, he leaves behind a record
for probity as a heritage to all who knew him. Let us inscribe this
sentiment to his memory : That the leading feature of his life was
sympatliy ; or, to go deeper still, shall we call it love — love of man-
kind and the dumb creation, tliat flower which has bloomed perennially
ever since the day Adam and Eve left the gates of Paradise."
CLOSING EVEXTS OF THE CEXTUEY 701
for sale that was deemed worthy of imiDortation.
This, the red calf Hai-vester, by Baron Violet, was
bought along with the choice heifers. Simplicity,
Gwendoline, Athene, Golden Feather, Sorrel, Golden
Crest and Violet Mist. The chief stock bull at Sitty-
ton at this time Avas Cumberland, concerning which
bull Mr. Miller says : ' ' Cumberland was then in his
jDrime, a massive roan, Avith great quality and thick-
ness of flesh, very strong back and loin, good strong-
head and long quarters, but did not carry himself
with as much style as one would like. The more you
looked at him the more you thought of him, but
when one saw his mother, Custard, a grand roan, it
was not hard to divine Avhere he got his breed-
ing qualities. Cumberland's son. Feudal Chief,
(51251), out of a Lavender dam, Avas then being-
used freely in the herd. Mr. Cruickshank seemed
to place much confidence in him, but Mr. Miller was
not altogether pleased Avith the bull. He adds:
''Commodore (5-1118), a grand roan by Baron Violet
(17144) out of Custard, the dam of Cumberland, Avas
the best bull I saAv at Sittyton. He Avas not so mas-
sive as Cumberland, but finer. I tried CA'ery Avay I
could to buy him for Mr. Adams, but Mr. Cruick-
shank Avould not price him." The herds at Collynie
and Uppermill Avere visited, and as young stock by
Field Marshal and William of Orange Avere at that
time being offered, some adA'antageous purchases
were made from Messrs. Duthie and Marr. From
the former he got the Field Marshal heifers Viola
702 A HISTOKY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
5tli, Fragrance, Lady Dorothy 2d and Bashful 2d,*
besides the young bull Lord Lancaster by same sire.
Cupbearer bought. — The yearling bull Cupbearer
(52692) had just been sold by Mr. Duthie to an On-
tario breeder and sent to Liverpool for shipment, but
on account of the Canadian quarantine proclamation
he had to be returned to Collynie, whereupon Mr.
Miller secured him for Mr. Adams. He had been
shown during the summer of 1886 as a yearling, win-
ning first prize in a good class of two-year-olds at
the Royal Northern and had the reserve number next
to Field Marshal. He was a roan sired by Rob Roy
(45484) out of the prize cow Countess 4th, descend-
ing from Mr. Cruickshank's Fragrance by Matadore,
and became the champion show bull of America.
From Mr. Marr was obtained Missie 99th, Sweet
Brier 7th, Flora 89th and a young bull by William
of Orange. A promising bull calf, Prince Charlie,
bred by P. R. Smith of Aberdeenshire, and one or
two others from local breeders came with the first
importation.
West Liberty saJe. — Mr. Adams had meantime
been a buyer of American-bred stock of standard
Bates and other established varieties, and a selection
of these along with the major portion of the impor-
tation above mentioned was offered at public sale
at West Liberty, la., May 12, 1887. The catalogue
*Bashful 2d — of the Miss Ramsden tribe — was what American
breeders term a genuine "double-decker" — a beefy, broad-backed cow
with a large, shapely udder. She was a heavy milker and was one of
the cows chosen in 1893 to represent the breed in the Columbian Dairy
Test.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 703
contained the two Bates-bred heifers Lady Barring-
ton Bates and Lady Winsome Wild Eyes 2d, from
one of Howard Gibson's importations, and as the
rivalry between the Bates and Scotch factions was
running high at this time much speculation was in-
dulged in as to relative prices likely to prevail.
Practically all the leading breeders of the West
were present, and as the cattle were brought for-
ward in good form, notwithstanding their recent At-
lantic voyage, some excellent prices were realized.
Evidently a majority of those present were attract-
ed by the Aberdeenshire lots, and as a result of a
sharp contest between the late Robert Miller and C.
W. Norton of Durant, la., the Sittyton Secret heifer
Simplicity was taken by the latter at $1,200. Mr.
Norton also took out the highest-priced bull of the
day, imp. Prince Charlie, at $1,000. Lady Barring-
ton Bates brought $1,060 and the imported Scotch
heifers sold at an average around $500. Eobt. Miller
secured some of the best of these, among otters the
roan Violet Mist, afterward the property of C. B.
Dustin, that grew into a genuine ^ ' double-decker ' ' —
a good breeder, a heavy flesh-carrier when not in
milk and possessing marked dairy quality. It was
at this sale that C. S. Barclay of West Liberty se-
lected Ham^ester at $500. The forty-two head offered
made an average of $328.35.*
,oot*^^- ,-^*"®'' ^"^^ ^"<^ exhibited for Mr. Adams at the fall fairs of
1887 a herd headed by Strathearn 77994, a compactlv-built thiclv-
fleshed red, bred by John Miller & Son, Brougham, Ont., descending-
from imp. Rose of Strathallan, that was probably the most valuable
breeding cow John Miller ever owned. She lived to be nineteen years
704 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
The memorable purchase of 1887. — In the fall of
1887 Mr. Miller again visited Scotland, purchasing
no less than thirty-one head of heifers and thirty-
nine young bulls, all from the herds of Cruickshank,
Duthie, Marr and Campbell — the largest importation
ever made direct from Aberdeenshire to the United
States. The value of this lot of cattle to American
herds can scarcely yet be fairly estimated. Among
the females were the grand roan Brawith Bud cow
Germanica from Sittyton, the thick heifers Proud
Belle, Charity 3d and the great roan Princess Alice
from Collynie; while among the bulls, then all un-
known to fame, were Craven Knight, Gay Monarch,
Indian Chief, Freemason, Pro Consul, Mephisto-
pheles and Master of the Mint. A selection from
this lot was offered at auction at Dexter Park, Chi-
ef age, and this reference to Strathearn reminds us that no less than
eleven direct descendants of the famous old cow won at different times
championship prizes in Canada and the United States. Mr. John Mil-
ler bought Rose of Strathallan iust after she had gained the gold
medal at the Highland Show of 1870 in her flve-year-old form. She
carried at the time the famous bull Lord Strathallan, already men-
tioned. The West as well as the Dominion is indebted to John Mil-
ler for many good cattle and the author has pleasure in here record-
ing a passing recognition of the value of his services as a breeder and
importer. He is still living at the ripe old age of eighty-three years
and figures as one of the strongest and sturdiest characters ever
identified with our live-stock interests. Like most of tlie Canadian
breeders who have succeeded so well with Short-horns Mr. Miller is a
Scot. The herd at Brougham is one of the oldest in the Dominion.
Among the earliest sires used were Oxford Mazurka from Woodburn,
Canadian Prince, of Campbell origin, and Fawsley Chief, a Torr-Booth.
For many years past none but Scotch bulls have been used, included
among them being the famous Vice Consul (brought to the States by
Messrs. Sanger), Sittyton Stamp, etc. Mr. Miller's sons are widely
and favorably known and Robert has made many trips across the At-
lantic, buying cattle and sheep for show and breeding purposes. In-
deed, few, if any, families have a longer or more honorable identifica-
tion with American stock-breeding interests than the Millers.
Imp. Cupbearer was shown in this Lakeside herd of 1887 as a
two-year-old, and while mucli admired had not assumed the phenome-
nal show-yard form which he afterward attained. The cow of this
show herd was Miss Ramsden 9th, an 1,865-lb. red, with a remarka-
ble heart-girth, and the two-year-old heifer was her own sister. Miss
Ramsden 10th.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 705
cago, May 16, 1888. AVliile appreciation of Scotcli
blood for crossing purposes on American-bred cows
was now general thronghont the entire country,
prices for all classes of cattle were still upon a very
moderate basis. Hence high values were not to be
thought of. It was here that J. G. Eobbins & Sons,
Horace, Ind., made the "hit" of their career as
breeders by selecting the roan Marr-bred calf Gay
Monarch, by William of Orange out of Alexandria
17th by Athabasca at $375. Messrs. Cookson got Pro
Consul at $630. Francis Davis of Minnesota bought
Freemason at $300. Arthur Johnston secured
Indian Chief at $350, and J. F. Prather of Village
Park, Williamsville, 111., took out Mephistopheles
at $300; the twenty-five bulls averaging $308. It
must be borne in mind that these calves had been
weaned at a comparatively early age in Scotland,
shipped 4,000 miles and offered before opportunity
had been had for putting them in condition. Had
they been fed for six months or a year they would
doubtless have averaged double the money. Mr.
Miller insisted at the time that the youngsters
would grow out in a way that would fairly astonish
buyers, and his words upon this point indeed proved
prophetic. The highest-priced heifer sold at this
sale was imp. Lady of the Meadow, taken by T. W.
Harvey at $575.
Lakeside's show herd of 1888.— At the shows of
1888 Lakeside came forward in force. Cupbearer
was now a three-year-old and had improved wonder-
706 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
fully with twelve months' feeding. He was never a
typical Scotch bull, lacking the essential element of
early maturity, but as a three-year-old he displayed
that marvelous back, loin and hip-covering for which
he was afterward so famous. Still he wanted tilling
at the flanks. A smoother bull probably never stood
in the American show-ring. It w^as a strong class
at the Iowa State Fair that year, including N. P.
Clarke's big red, Canadian-bred Oscar, Barr's imp.
Scotland's Hero and the Duthie-bred Crown Prince,
also shown by Mr. Clarke. First prize here fell to
Oscar, but at the Illinois show Cupbearer went to
the front, winning over Varner's Frederick William
4th, Wilhoit's Athelstane 3d and other good ones.
Along with Cupbearer there came from Storm Lake
this season the great cows Germanica and Miss
Ramsden 9th. Mr. Clarke was showing the beauti-
ful Kinellar-bred Goldie cow Gypsy Maid,* and
when to such as these we add Wilhoit's Young
Necklace fair-goers of that period will have called
to their minds visions of Short-horn beauty such as
are rarely equaled. Lakeside was ''loaded" this
same year in the two-year-old heifers with Mr.
Duthie 's Proud Belle, of a wonderfully wide-ribbed,
fleshy type. The peerless Princess Alice was the
*Mr. Clark's Gypsy Maid was one of the finest specimens of the
breed of her time in the United States. She possessed something of
the same quality and character as Princess Alice, and like that cow-
left a valuable progeny. She was a roan, bred by Campbell of Kinel-
!ar, from the Sittvton-bred Vermont 78225 — running through Harmony
by Pride of the Isles to Mr. Marr's Goldie tribe — and was imported in
September, 1885, by John Isaac of Canada. She combined rare thick-
ness with admirable finish, and was a milker as well as a flesh-car-
rier. She was often shown with success, and was the champion fe-
male of the breed at the Iowa State Fair of 1889.
CLOSING EVEXTS OF THE CEN^TURY 70?
yearling and she displayed such extraordinary
quality that she was made female champion at sev-
eral of the leading fairs of the Western circuit. It
was a great herd and when it gained the champion-
ship over all beef breeds at ''The American Eoyal"
— the Illinois State Fair at Olney — it was indeed a
proud day for "Willie" Miller and the Scots.
Third and last lot. — In January, 1889, the third
and last of the Luther Adams lots came over. It
consisted of twelve young bulls and eighteen heifers,
all from Sittyton, the get of Gondolier, Feudal Chief,
Standard Bearer, Cumberland and Commodore.
Soon after these had been put through quarantine
Mr. Adams decided upon a dispersion sale of the
entire Lakeside stock, including the bulls of the last
importation and the show herd of 1888. Even the
best cattle were not commanding long prices in
those days. Breeders found it necessary to econ-
omize in every possible way, and Mr. Adams felt
that the situation was such that it was impossible
to continue importations from Scotland with any
prospect of reselling at a profit. He accordingly
disposed of his farm to Mr. T. H. Sherley of Louis-
ville, Ky., and catalogued sixty-six head of Short-
horns to be sold at Dexter Park, Chicago, April 25,
1889. Few better lots ever went under the auc-
tioneer's hammer in the Western States, and if by
some witcheiy this herd could be restored to life and
put on the market in these prosperous closing days
of the nineteenth century quite another story could
708 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOEX CATTLE
be told as the result. The beautiful Princess Alice
fell to the bidding of John Hope of Bow Park at
$710. John was never accused of being partial to
Scotch-bred cattle, but such as Princess Alice ap-
pealed to his skilled judgment with irresistible
force. Mr. Dustin got Victoria 79th, Proud Belle
and Germanica 2d at $425, $420 and $325 respec-
tively. Hugh Draper, AVashington, la., got the rich-
fleshed roan Fatima at $400. Messrs. Potts secured
Germanica at $395. Miss Ramsden lOtli went to L.
H. Conn of St. Louis at $325. Princess Alice's sappy-
heifer Alice Maude was secured by the autlior of
this volume on a bid of $300 for export to Mexico.
J. R. Jones & Son, Williamsville, 111., bought Blythe-
some Bride at $230. The show bull Strathearn went
to Geo. Harding & Son, Waukesha, Wis., at $700.
Cupbearer was bought by John Hope at $650. C. C.
Platter, Red Oak, la., got imp. Bandmaster, after-
ward noted as a sire in the herd of H. D. Parsons,
at $630. The entire sixty-six head offered brought
an average of $289.69.
The heifers in the importation of 1889 were sold
along with Lakeside Farm to Mr. Sherley, who sub-
sequently disposed of most of them at private treaty
to Col. W. A. Harris and the late John McHugh of
Cresco, la. The lot sold included sixteen yearling
heifers of Cruickshank, Duthie and Marr breeding,
one-half of which went to Tiinwood along with the
bull Craven Knight.
The Short-horn herd bred at Lakeside from the
CLOSIXG EVENTS OF THE CENTUKY 709
North Oaks and Luther Adams purchases was closed
out at auction on June 12, 1895, at an average of
$204 for the forty-six head offered. The stock bull
Knight of the Thistle 108656, by Craven Knight,-
tracing to imp. Eose of Strathallan, was bought by
Mr. H. C. Stuart of Saltville, Va., at $650. Col. T.
S. Moberley gave $500 for the roan Cupbearer cow
Gwendoline 2d, and for her daughter Gwendoline
3d Maj. J. T. Cowan, Cowan's Mill, Va., paid a like
sum. In addition to Knight of the Thistle Mr. Miller
had used German Laird 98182, by Stratheam 77994
out of the Pure Gold or Brawith Bud cow imp.
Germanica.*
Gwendoline 2d was a prime favorite with Mr.
Miller. She was a regular breeder, a heavy milker,
with a wide, strong back and beautiful character.
He often compared her with the celebrated English
champion show cow the great Mollie Millicent.f
Last successful Duchess sale. — Allusion has here-
tofore been made to the fact that Messrs. Rigdon
Huston & Son of Blandinsville, 111., purchased the
*It was from this herd that Mr. Abram Renick, the younger, bought
the bulls Wallace 117654, by German Laird out of the "Wild Eyes cow-
North Cakes Duchess of Worcester 2d, and Royal Scot 117217, by
Knight of the Thistle out of Gwendoline 2d, for the purpose of in-
troducing some fresh blood into the Rose of Shai-on herd left him as
a legacy on the death of his great-uncle, Abram Renick, In 1884.
tLakeside Farm was bought from Mr. Shirley by Mr. Miller in 1898
and upon that valuable Iowa property the veteran breeder and im-
porter is spending his declining years, feeding operations engaging
most of his attention. His occasional contributions to the Breeder's
Gasette have reflected not only his fine vein of humor but literary
abihty of the highest order. That gifted American author, Donald G.
Mitchell ("Ik Marvel") in forwarding a communication of his own,
prepared especially for one of the Christmas issues of the Gazette, re-
ferred to an article of Mi'. Miller's in a prior issue with this comment :
"When you can secure such matter as Mr. Miller's article of last
year from within the ranks of your own constituency I do not see why
you need call professional literary men to your aid."
710 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
entire Bates-bred herd of Col. Le G. B. Cannon of
Vermont and added it to their Hilldale stock in
1881 at a cost of $50,000 for thirty-two head. The
Cannon herd contained several representatives of
the Airdrie Duchess tribe, obtained from Hillhurst,
and as the Messrs. Huston were among the most
practical of our AVestern breeders they were success-
ful in producing from this purchase a good number
of first-class animals. They had in sei*vice for a time
the 22d Duke of Airdrie 16695 and subsequently
bought from Bow Park for $5,000 a good rich-roan
son of 4th Duke of Clarence, known as 2d Duke
of Brant 55479, a bull of admirable quality and
character.
After the death of Kigdon Huston the herd was
closed out at auction at Dexter Park, Chicago, Nov.
21 and 22, 1888, under the management of the son,
Mr. Theodore Huston.* There were twelve head of
Dukes and Duchesses in the sale, all descended from
the celebrated 10th Duchess of Airdrie, and like the
Hillhurst lot sold at same place, as noted on page
663, they were, as a rule, of superior individual
merit and brought good prices. It was claimed at
the time that this was the best collection of Duch-
*Rig'don Huston was one of the pioneer breeders of the West and
was a man of the highest character, universally esteemed. He had
from early days been an owner of pure-bred Short-horns, chosen pri-
marily for their individual merit, and he was to the last a consistent
advocate of quality in tlie animal as a consideration paramount. His
son Theodore was of a speculative turn of mind and did not engage
as a partner in breedinR with his fatlier until tlie purcliase of the
Cannon herd was consummated. In 1893 Tlieodore Hu.ston, who was
in very ill healtli, was appointed United States Consul at El Paso, Tex.,
but even the mild climate of that region did not save laim from an
early death.
CLOSIXG EVENTS OF THE CEXTURY 711
esses ill existence on either side of tiie water — a
fact wliicli was largely due to the undoubted skill
of the Messrs. Huston. The "plum" of the females
was the two-year-old heifer 8th Duchess of Hilldale,
that brought the long price of $6,600 from William
Steele of Ionia, Mich. The same buyer took the
stock bull 2d Duke of Brant at $3,000. Mr. AVilliam
Wright of Detroit, Mich., bought the five-year-old
roan 4th Duchess of Hilldale at $2,600. John Hope
bid off the roan yearling 12th Duchess of Hilldale
at $3,000. H. C. G. Bals of Indianapolis took the red
heifer calf 1-lth Duchess of Hilldale at $2,250. For
the red-and-white six-year-old cow 3d Duchess of
Hilldale Messrs. Flynn & Elbert, Des Moines, la.,
paid $2,050. W. H. Carlyle, Plymouth, 0., secured
the four-year-old 6th Duchess of Hilldale at $1,950.
B. C. Eumsey of Buffalo took the red-roan yearling
11th Duchess of Hilldale at $1,800. T. C. Ander-
son, Side View, Ky., got the matron of the tribe, the
ten-year-old 7th Duchess of Hillhurst, at $1,700. W.
'W. Benton, Mendon, 111., bought the roan heifer calf
loth Duchess of Hilldale at $1,550. John Hope took
the red bull calf 16th Duke of Hilldale at $1,650. G.
H. Barnett of Pennsylvania bought the roan bull
calf 13th Duke of Hilldale at $900. The nine
females averaged $2,611; three bulls averaged
$1,850; the twelve head bringing $29,050— an aver-
age of $2,420.85. Seven head of Barringtons, sold
upon this same occasion, averaged $360; six Kirk-
levingtons averaged $352.50; the seventy-nine ani-
712 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
mals catalogued bringing $43,320 — an average of
$548.35.
The old 7tli Duchess of Hillhurst subsequently
reverted to Mr. Theodore Huston and was sold
along with her heifer 15th Duchess of Hilldale at
an auction sale held at Abingdon, 111., May 13, 1891,
in connection with a lot of cattle belonging to Mr.
Strawther Givens of that place, both of the Duch-
esses going to George Allen, Allerton, 111., at $1,000
for the old cow and $1,500 for the heifer. The 10th
Duchess of Airdrie ranks next in Duchess history to
Duchess 66th, ancestress of the New York Mills lot.
The great Woodburn matron that passed from Mr.
Alexander's hands to George Murray of Eacine, and
from him to Hon. M. H. Cochrane, left a family of
descendants that sold in the aggregate at public and
private sale for a total of about $300,000. The old
cow died at an advanced age in 1884, the property
of Maj. S. E. Ward, Westport, Mo.
Sale of the Sittyton herd.— In May, 1889, the
Short-horn breeding world was startled by the re-
port that the entire Sitt^^ton herd, consisting at that
date of 154 head, had been sold at private treaty to
James Nelson & Sons of Liverpool, Eng., for expor-
tation to the Argentine Republic, South America.
Those who had enjoyed intimate relations with Mr.
Cruickshank were aware that the old gentleman had
long contemplated retiring from the profession in
which he had gained world-wide fame. Indeed, a
proposition had been under consideration in America
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTUEY 713
looking toward the formation of a syndicate for the
purchase and importation to this country of the
entire herd. These negotiations, however, were not
carried to a successful issue, and when the an-
nouncement was made that the stock was to be
shipped to Buenos Ayres expressions of keen regret
were heard throughout all Britain and North
America. It is an old saying that "it is an ill wind
that blows nobody good." To the failure of the
great international banking house of Baring Bros.,
which occurred in England soon after Messrs. Nel-
son had accomplished the purchase of the stock,
Short-horn breeders of Britain, Canada and the
States are indebted for the retention in the mother-
land of the bulk of the Sittyton cattle. Grave finan-
cial complications in the Argentine rendered it in-
expedient to carry out the original project of ship-
ping the entire herd to the Southern Eepublic.
Mr. Robert Bruce, then of Darlington and now an
oflficial of the Royal Irish Agricultural Society — one
of the best-informed men of his time in all Britain
and a popular judge at leading shows — had repre-
sented the Messrs. Nelson in this important trans-
action and decided, in view of the failure of the
original plan for exportation, that the herd had best
be held at the home farm pending some satisfactory
disposition of the stock. This arrangement was car-
ried into effect and the cattle were kept at Sittyton
until May, 1890. Mr. Bruce has given us an inter-
esting account of the extreme reluctance with which
714 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE X CATTLE
Mr. Cruicksliank finally parted with liis pets. We
quote:
Can anyone realize what the selling of his entire herd of
Short-horns would mean to such a man; a herd which had been
the work of a lifetime to build up? While the transaction was
being carried through I felt sincere sympathy for him, as I
could see how the thought of parting with his cattle affected
his strong mind. The resolution to sell was arrived at owing
to his failing health and the fact that the lease of his farm had
expired; and when the proposition of a private purchase of the
entire lot was made he liked the idea, seeing it would save him
all the worry and trouble attending a public sale. In a letter to
me, dated May 5, 1889, he wrote: "In reply to your letter re-
garding the Short-horn cattle, my lease of the farm expires next
year. I am in my eighty-second year and from a serious illness
which I had last year I am not now able to give the cattle that
attention which I had used to do and which is essentially neces-
sary to continue. This is the cause of their being offered for
sale."
William Duthie of Collynie was so fortunate as to
secure a majority of the most useful cows — some
thirty-five head in number. Mr. J. Deane Willis of
Bapton Manor, Codford, Wiltshire, Eng., bought all
of the yearling heifers excepting those of the Violet
tribe, which, consisting of but five females, was pur-
chased, along with Grapevine's bull calf Glengarry
and five other females, by Mr. C. W. Tindall for Mr.
Sutton Nelthorpe of Scawby Brigg, Lincolnshire,
Eng. Mr. J. Wilson of Pirriesmill, Huntley, bought
the cow Cordenella and her bull calf Sovereign, by
Gondomar, that became a well-known sire.
The stock bulls in the herd at the time of its
purchase were the following: Cumberland (46144),
Gondolier (52956), Commodore (54118), Gondomar
CLOSIXG EVEXTS OF THE CEXTFRY 715
and Collingwood. Cumberland was old and very
much worn. The flesh had slipped from his chine
and shoulders, and as it was evident that little if
any further service could be had from him he was
sent to the butcher. Gondolier was a red by Cum-
berland out of Gilliver by Roan Gauntlet, with good
ribs and a strong back, but lame at the time of his
purchase in both shoulders. He was sold to go into
Durham, Eng. Unfortunately for the breed the
last great Sittyton bull. Commodore, and his good
stable companion Gondomar were shipped to South
America. Mr. Bruce tells us that Mr. Cruickshank
called Commodore "the best animal that ever left
Sittyton." He was sired by Baron Violet (47444)
out of Custard by Royal Duke of Gloster; second
dam Princess Royal by Champion of England.* Mr.
Bruce says that viewed from the side Commodore
was simply perfect — very level and deep. Seen
from behind, however, he thought him a bit narrow.
His "roasts" were wide on top, but his ribs did not
present as perfect an arch as one would like. Com-
modore w^as lost at sea. Gondomar, a red of good
*Before taking leave of this line of breeding we may add the follow-
inj: description of this epoch-making sire, furnished the author by :\Ir.
John W. Cruickshank : "Champion of England was a beautiful calf,
his hair actually waved in the wind, and until his death in 18 7 no
other sire was so fully trusted : his large, deep body was carried on
short legs ; his quarters, though not long, were broad and deep ; his
frame carried an unusually thick covering of natural flesh, and so full
was he behind the shoulders that the meat actually projected beyond
the shoulder blades. No bull ever had such an influence in the herd :
his calves could easily be picked out and the use of his sons, grand-
sons and great-grandsons impressed the Sittyton herd generally with
liis character. Himself descended on both sides from tribes of good
milking qualities his daughters were useful dairy cattle as well as
heavy-fleshed Short-horns. His death was the result of calculus, and
when killed his organs were as sound and healthy as possible."
716 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOKN CATTLE
style and character, by Feudal Chief (51251) out
of Godiva by Cumberland; second dam Gilliver by
Roan Gauntlet, was extra good and should have
been retained in Scotland. Collingwood was a bull
of nice quality, but somewhat lacking in width.
The Cruickshank cows at CoUynie. — Mr. Duthie
originally bought the eighteen old cows that the
Nelsons deemed too aged for export under agree-
ment to remove them from Sittyton on the 1st of
June, 1889, and allow their calves to suck them,
these calves to be the property of Messrs. Nelson,
delivered in the following October. Calves born
after the 1st of June from these old cows to be the
property of Mr. Duthie. Following is the full list
of cows finally obtained from Sittyton for Collynie:
Of the Venus tribe, Juliet, by Barmpton Prince,
Gazelle, by Eoan Gauntlet (both reds), and the roan
Gipseywort, by Roan Gauntlet. Of the Secret tribe,
the white Sobriety and the roan Sunflower, both by
Roan Gauntlet; the red Spirea and the roan Sar-
casm, both by Cumberland, and the red Siren, by
Commodore. Of the Pure Gold or Brawith Bud
tribe, the roan heifer Gardenia, by Cumberland. Of
the Victoria tribe, the roan Victoria 57th, by Barmp-
ton Prince, and the red Victoria 58th (dam of imp.
Baron Victor) , by Pride of the Isles. Of the Duchess
of Gloster family, the roan 21st of that name, by
Barmpton Prince; the roan 24th Duchess, by Lord
of the Isles, and the red 30th Duchess, by Chancellor.
Of the Crocus sort^ the roan Costume, by Bridesman,
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 717
the red Calypso, by Gondolier, and the roan Can-
zonet, by Standard Bearer. Of the Clipper sort, so
famous as bull-breeders at Sittyton, the red Crocus,
by Pride of the Isles, the white Chrysanthemum, by
Crusader, the red Coraline, by Cumberland, and the
red Cluster Eose, by Gondolier. Of the Lavender
family, the red Lavender 15th, a sixteen-year-old
cow by Lord Warden, the roan Lavender 16th, by
Lord Lansdowne, fifteen years old, the roan Lav-
ender 45th, by Baron Violet, the roan 46th, by Dun-
blane, the roan 48th, by Cumberland, and the red
Lavender 50th, by Baron Violet. Of the Spieey sort,
the roan Seaweed, by Perfection, the roan Sil-
verlocks, by Eoan Gauntlet, and the roan Sea Foam,
by Gondolier. Of the Lovely family, the fourteen-
year-old red Lovely 20th, by Lord Lancaster, and the
ten-year-old roan Lovely 35th, by Eoan Gauntlet.
In addition to these he took the red fourteen-year-
old Abarilla, by Barmpton Prince, and the ten-year-
old red Veronica, by Pride of the Isles.
Field Marshal and Mario. — In acquiring the
"cream" of the breeding matrons of the Cruick-
shank herd, William Duthie virtually succeeded to
the throne which had been abdicated by the sage of
Sittyton. A near neighbor and good friend of the
grand old man, Mr. Duthie had already had in ser-
vice the famous roan Field Marshal (47870), by
Eoan Gauntlet out of Azalea by Caesar Augustus.
This was a great bull in every sense of the term so
far as conformation was concerned, but scarcely per-
718 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HGElsr CATTLE
feet in his handling qnalities. He was a massive
2,500-lb. bull with a good head, wonderful back, ribs,
loins and quarters, but rather bare below; and he
and his stock lacked a little of that soft, mellow
covering of flesh so highly prized by so many judges.
In Mr. Duthie's hands he sired some of the most
celebrated show and breeding stock ever sent out
from the North of Scotland. One of his sons, the
famous Mario (51713), was the greatest show bull
of his day in Britain. In the herd of Mr. A. M.
Gordon of Newton, Mario carried the championship
prizes at both the Eoyal and Highland shows of
1888, and at the time of his death in 1889, in the
hands of Mr. C. W. Brierley, he was on a triumphal
tour of the English circuit. Mario inherited Field
Marshal's substance and flesh, but like his sire was
somewhat wanting in the element of quantity.*
Field Marshal was let for a period of three years to
William Tait, manager for the Queen of England
at Her Majesty's Shaw farm at Windsor; a stroke
of policy on Mr. Duthie's part which proved fruitful
*Robert Bruce says : "Mario was a large bull. Many English
judges did not have a very high opinion of him, and there is no doubt
that there was some truth in what they said, viz. : 'He was like a fat
steer.' I went to buy him as a tliree-year-old having him in price, and
was a.sked by jSIr. Gordon to put the question of purchase aside and
tell him if I considered the bull good enough to win in England. If I
thought so he would much like to show him. I said I considered him
good enough, and chalked out a course of shows he should be entered
for. He made his first appearance at Peterboro, where he was passed
over without a prize, but he was so different from the others that
general attention was called to the awards. After Peterboro he won
straight through for two years and did much to attract attention in
England to Scotch Shoi't-horns.
"Mario, New Year's Gift, Challenge Cup, INIajor and Count Laven-
der stood out so clearly as winners that in spite of the fact that at
almost all the principal English sliows they were judged by breeders
wlio had little liking for Sittyton blood they could not be set aside."
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 719
of results to the Scotch Short-horn interest in Eng-
land. The mere fact that Koyalty had taken up
with an Aberdeenshire-bred sire of itself paved the
way for the breaking down of that general preju-
dice which had up to this time existed in England
against the North country type. Shortly after the
return of Field Marshal to Collynie, in the fall of
1889, the great bull accidentally slipped and injured
himself in such manner as destroyed his further
usefulness.
Scottish Archer and Count Lavender. — It was in
the spring of 1890 that Deane Willis made his mem-
orable j)urchase of thirty-three yearling Sittyton-
bred heifers and the two bulls Scottish Archer
(59893) and Captain of the Guard. This removed
to the South of England a good percentage of the
Cruickshank females and Bapton Manor and Colly-
nie became the headquarters for the Sittyton sorts.
Mr. Willis worked in conjunction with Mr. Duthie
in the matter of sires, and both have met with much
success in supplying show-yard winners and breed-
ing animals for leading British and American herds.
Scottish Archer was a roan by Cumberland out of
the Secret cow Surname by Pride of the Isles, and
ultimately became the property of Mr. Duthie, prov-
ing, as shown by the late Collynie sales, the most
popular of all the latter-day Scottish sires.
A bull that did the Willis herd excellent sendee
and extended still further the fame of the Scotch
type in British show-yards was the roan Count Lav-
720 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ender (60545). Soon after Mr. Willis acquired the
Sittyton heifers the question of a suitable bull for
them came up, and the matter was discussed with
Mr. Cruickshank himself. In reference to this Mr.
Robert Bruce says: "Of course he knew well the
Lavender blood and also that of the sire Norseman
(56233). Together we went carefully into the pedi-
gree of the grandsire, Earl of March (33807),* and
I was rather surprised to find that Mr. Cruickshank
could remember the bull and speak of his many
strong points as well as a slight dip in the middle of
his back. After considering the subject in his usual
careful way he said: 'Mr. Willis may use Count
Lavender on my heifers with every confidence. ' The
result at Bapton has most completely borne out the
old man's opinion." As seen by the writer at the
Warwick Royal of 1892, Count Lavender was a bull
of superior finish and quality, evenly covered with
mellow flesh and standing near to the ground. Wo
thought he lacked somewhat, however, in real sub-
stance. Another good bull used in the Willis herd
was Roan Robin (57992), obtained from Mr. Duthie
in exchange, we believe, for Scottish Archer. He
was sired by Cumberland out of Glowworm by Roan
Gauntlet.
Mr. Willis has enjoyed an extensive patronage,
and a yearling bull of his breeding, Bapton Em-
peror, bought after winning at the Royal by Mr.
*Earl of March was a roan, bred by Bruce of Burnside, from Fred-
erick F'itz Windsor (31196) out of Fanny (the dam of Potts' imp. Duke
of Richmond) by Royal Errant.
RESIDENCE UF J. L'EANE WILLIS OF BAl^TON MANOR.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 721
MaiT, was recently resold for export to South Amer-
ica for £800.
Argentine and the shambles. — The project of ship-
ping to South America was not entirely abandoned.
In addition to the stock bulls Commodore and Gon-
domar there were sent out to Argentine in the early
autumn of 1889 the following cows: Juniper, Gil-
liver (dam of Gondolier and Master of the Realm),
Golden Autumn (dam of Craven Knight), Glow-
worm Godiva (dam of Gondomar), Genista, Golden
Pippin, Godetia, Grapevine, Gladys, Victorias 74th,
77th and 78th, Candytuft, Corncockle, Cardamine,
Crowfoot, Coltsfoot, Ceres, Christobel, Cynthia,
Christmas Carol, Cordelia, Canterbury Bell, Orange
Blossom 30th, Barmpton Lily, Lady of the Forest
and Nonpareil 20th. This included quite a group
of Brawith Buds and Clippers.
The following were sent to the butcher : Gaj^ow-
er, Sunflower, Catherine, Cyclamen, Constance, the
famous Custard, then in her fourteenth year; Capsi-
cum, Cloud "Wreath, Cinnamon, Lavenders 37th and
49th and Sea Pink.
Summary of Sittyton sales. — During a period of
thirty-five years, extending from 1842 to 1876, in-
clusive, there were sold for breeding purposes from
Sittyton 1,030 bulls at an average of £36 12s. 9d. and
321 cows and heifers at an average of £32 14s. 9d. —
a total of 1,351 animals for £48,247, an average of
£35 14s. From 1877 to 1889 practically the entire
surplus of young bulls was sold to the United States
722 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
and Canada after the wants of a few regular cus-
tomers had been supplied. The surplus heifers were
mostly exported during these same seasons. A close
estimate of total sales made from the herd for breed-
ing purposes for the forty-seven years ended in 1889
includes 1,912 animals for which there was received
something over £68,000.*
Moberley and Young Abbottsbum. — In Septem-
ber, 1890, Col. Thomas S. Moberley of Forest Grove
Farm, Richmond, Ky., began a series of show-yard
campaigns, made memorable by the exhibition of
the massive Cruickshank bull Young Abbottsburn
110679. Col. Moberley had for some years been
prominent as a breeder and fitter of Bates and
Bates-crossed stock, and this great coup of 1890 came
as a complete surprise to the Short-horn breeding
interests of the States. Imp. Cupbearer, at that
time owned by Williams & Householder, Columbus,
*The author had the pleasure of visiting Amos Cruickshank at his
home at Sittyton in June, 1892, in company with Mr. Duthie and Col.
W. A. Harris. Although then an octogenarian Mr. Cruickshank's mind
was still unclouded and he readily answered all questions put to him
concerning his life work. He was often asked not only directly but
in a roundabout wav which of his families he looked upon with most
favor, but no one could ever get him to make any definite statement
on the subject. He pointed out that many of them were, through the
sires he had largely used, closely allied, and one could gather from
his talk that In his selection of stock bulls he was influenced much by
the qualifications of the dam and grandams. his judgment of their
merits being based upon a high standard of excellence in the matters
of constitution, quality, milk and fle.sh. He was using at the time the
herd was sold two bulls of the Clipper and two of the Pure Gold fami-
lies, while he had retained for service a yearling bull of the Premium
or Crocus sort. His death occurred at Sittyton May, 1895.
Mr. Bruce relates the following incident which occurred during the
closing years of the old man's life, illustrating the esteem in which
he was held in the highest circles : . , , . ^ ,
"On one of the davs of the Highland Show at Aberdeen in July,
189 4, a homely little ceremonv took place which excited more than or-
dinary interest. From the Royal box in the grand stand his Royal
Highness the Duke of York, President of the Society for the year,
was witnessing the parade of the live stock. Some one mentioned to
his Roval Highness that not far away on the stand a seat was oecu-
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 728
Kan., was the reigning king of Western show-yards.
Moberley determined that if there was a bull in
North America capable of coping with Cupbearer
he would find him and place him at the head of his
Forest Grove show stock. Like all others who at
that period sought show bulls of the heaviest cali-
ber, he found himself compelled to turn to the Aber-
deenshire type. Visiting Canada he found the object
of his quest — a five-year-old roan, bred and owned
by Messrs. Watt.
We have already related that in 1874 the late
Joseph Thomson of Whitby, Ontario, imported the
roan Cruickshank heifer Village Bud, by Scotland's
Pride. She was the best female in the Thomson
sale and Avas bought by Messrs. Watt of Salem, On-
tario, for $925. She was in calf at the time to the
roan bull Ben Wyvis (30528), bred at Sittyton from
Caesar Augustus and Butterfly's Joy of the Towne-
pied by that prince of cattle-breeders, Amos Cruickshank, Sittyton.
At once his Royal Highness desired that Mr. Cruickshank be sum-
moned to the Tloyal box. The octogenarian farmer and breeder, pre-
senting a characteristic figure with his quiet attire, long white locks,
and strong modest fact, obeyed the Royal command, and was received
most cordially by his Royal Highness. This incident, simple and in-
teresting in itself, gave unbounded pleasure to the crowd of onlookers,
who applauded warmly as the venerable breeder was seen to make his
way back from the presence of Royalty. It was a singularly happy
occurrence that meeting of the youthful Prince and the patriarchal
farmer — one of many similarily happy incidents which illumine and
distinguish the movements of the Royal family, demonstrating their
ever anxous desire to recognize and duly honor noble achievements
in whatever walk of life it may be observed.
"Amos Cruickshank was then in his eighty-sixth year. Although
bowed down with the weight of years, he was not vmnaturally anxious
again to witness the Highland Show — anxious in particular that he
might see the Royal Duke who had honored Scotch agriculturists by
becoming the President of their National Agricultural Society and ar-
ranging to visit its show in the Granite City. Happily Mr. Cruick-
shank's desire was fulfilled, and by the incident just mentioned an
honor was added which he had not dreamt of, but which deeply
gratified him. Talking over the honor done him, he said to me : 'I
feel gratified, deeply gratified, but had I known what was before me
I could never have left Sittyton.' "
724 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ley line. The resulting calf was the dark-roan heifer
Village Blossom, that grew into an exceptionally
thick, short-legged, heavy cow that won first prizes
in her class at the leading Canadian shows, besides
being a member of a herd that won first place wher-
ever exhibited. This prize cow was bred to Ab-
bottsburn 106090, a roan, imported in 1883 by James
I. Davidson, sired by Roan Gauntlet out of Ama-
ranth by Barmpton. To this service Village Blos-
som produced March 2, 1885, the roan bull calf
Young Abbottsburn, which at seven months old was
sold to Mr. Alex. Norrie of Paisley, Ontario,* in
whose possession he remained for four years. He
was shown locally as a yearling and two-year-old;
but during all the years that the bull was in Norrie 's
possession the Messrs. Watt had not seen him, al-
though some extraordinary statements as to his
character reached their ear. At Norrie 's sale in
1889 Mr. Watt bought him back, "because," liesays,
"on seeing Young Abbottsburn I had to admit that
the half had not been told concerning him." He
resembled his sire, Abbottsburn, in a general way,
but was heavier. Mr. Watt states that as a calf
Young Abbottsburn was not very well cared for.
He had run with his mother all through the summer
month, and up to the time he was sold had received
no grain and was not regarded as an extraordinary
calf. Norrie bought him at $200, and to him credit
*Mr. Norrie is at present herd manager for Messrs. Dustin, Sum-
mer Hill, 111., and .^elected for them in Scotland in 1898 the prize bull
Merry Hampton, possessing something of the same thickness and feed-
ing quality of the grand old bull which he developed in Canada.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 725
must be given for developing probably the greatest
carcass ever seen in the show-yards of North Amer-
ica. He was used as a stock bull by Mr. Norrie, and
served other cows in the neighborhood, siring some
useful cattle, which, as a rule, bred better than them-
selves. At the time the bull was bought back from
Mr. Norrie he weighed nearly 2,600 lbs. He had
been kept in a box-stall with free access to a yard
of moderate size where he could take exercise at
will; the door of his box being seldom closed in
summer or winter. His principal feed had been
roots and hay w^ith the addition of a little grain, but
he was a remarkably easy feeder and a perfect pic-
ture of contentment always.
Moberley was a shrewd enough judge of good
Short-horns to realize that he had discovered in this
bull a most extraordinary animal, and closed a trade
for his transfer to the States. It was at the Detroit
Exposition, held the first week in September, 1890,
that Young Abbottsburn made his debut on this
side of the line. He did not arrive in time to com-
pete in the bull class,* but Colonel Moberley was
allowed to place him at the head of his cattle in the
♦Messrs. Sanger of Wisconsin were first in aged bulls at this Ex-
position with Prince Victoria of Hickory Park 94481, a thick-fleshed
bull of great substance, siied by Earl of Richmond out of Victoria
55th by Royal Duke of Pleasant Ridge 36889 ; thus blending the
blood of imp. Duke of Richmond with that of the Milne and Lowman
& Smith Victorias already mentioned as being among the best Scotch
cattle ever seen in America. The Sanger bull sired among other good
things H. F. Brown's champion show bull Victor of Browndale 117621,
out of the grand heifer Victoria of Glenwood 8th, which in the hands
of Messrs. Sanger and Brown was for several seasons the "crack"
female of the breed in the West. She was a wonderfully thick, neat,
low-legged red, familiarly known as "the white-legged heifer," in allu-
sion to her color markings.
726 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
herd competition. Notwithstanding the novelty of
a "braw" Scotch rent-payer leading the high-bred
daughters of noble Dukes, there was no escape from
the decision which sent first prize to the Forest
Grove lot as thus lined up. At this show Moberley
was either unable or unwilling to give out informa-
tion as to the bull's name or breeding, claiming to
have left the pedigree at home. He was thereupon
dubbed by the ring-side talent "the great un-
known, ' ' which sobriquet clung to him long after liis
identity was revealed. The news of his appearance
and of his overpowering flesh and substance trav-
eled far and fast. Cupbearer at the Ohio State Fair
was renewing his triumphs of previous years, and
before the first meeting of the two North Country
champions occurred at the Illinois State Fair at
Peoria interest in the impending duel became in-
tense. Probably no event in American show-yard
history aroused more intense excitement than at-
tended this memorable meeting.* The following re-
*The judges upon this occasion were Messrs. Thomas Clark,
Beecher, 111., one of America's best breeders and most successful ex-
hibitors of Herefords ; and Robert B. Ogilvle, late of Madison, Wis.
Mr. Ogilvie, while devoted to mercantile pursuits, has been a life-long
admirer of the improved breeds of live-stock, and for a quarter of a
century has enjoyed the acquaintance of practically all of the lead-
ing breeders and exhibitors of the United States and Canada. He
acquired international reputation as a breeder of Clydesdales at Blair-
gowrie Farm ; his exhibits of draft horses of that type, with the fa-
mous McQueen at the head, constituting one of the chief attractions
of the Cyldesdale shows of their time. Fond of a good Short-horn, a
recognized judge of sheep and a close student of everything pertain-
ing to stock-breeding interests, Mr. Ogilvie possessed a wide and
varied range of information bearing upon all the leading types of do-
mestic animals.
Cupbearer in his old age became the property of Milton E. Jones
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 727
view of this rencontre from notes made by the author
at tlie time was published in the Breeder's Gazette
for Oct. 8, 1890:
"I have read so much about Cupbearer in The Gazette for
the past two or three years, and was so interested in your ac-
count of Col. Moberley's new bull, that I thought I would come
to Peoria and see the fun." Such was the explanation of their
unaccustomed presence at an Illinois State Fair made to the
writer by something less than a thousand cattle-growers from
different States who have not been in the habit of attending the
big shows. The leading professional breeders were there as a
matter of course. Indeed everybody and his neighbor seemed
to be present when the ring for aged bulls was called, and those
who could not arrive in time telegraphed freely their regrets.
The excitement was at fever heat. It was indeed to be a "bat-
tle royal," and it can be truthfully asserted that the enthusiasm
engendered by this meeting of the two greatest show bulls of
recent years in the West has kindled an interest in the breed-
ing and exhibition of good Short-horns, and spurred the flagging
energies of prominent showmen in a manner unknown since the
days of Col. King's triumphal tour, which culminated so many
years ago under that famous canvas at St. Louis.
Cupbearer — son of the great Rob Roy, sire of the rising Eng-
lish champion Challenge Cup, and victor in half a hundred fields
— was first in position. "He can't be beaten" was the emphatic
pronouncement as the superbly-poised and admirably-finished
form of Mr. Householder's famous bull was fairly settled to re-
ceive the shock of show-yard assault; and while the crowd
feasted their eyes upon his noble outline Messrs. Henn and Wil-
hoit entered the lists with Phenomenon and Goldstick — both reds,
both wearers of championship honors, both in good form, but
both unequal to the task of closing with such "sluggers" as con-
several years since. It cannot be said that he ever had a thorough
test as a breeding bull, as he was passed around from one herd to
another and kept in show condition for so many years that he never
had full opportunity of demonstrating what he miglit be worth for
stock purposes. In the hands of William Miller at Storm Lake, he
got one of the best Scotch cows ever owned in the West — the beautiful
roan Gwendoline 2d, sold to Col. Moberley and afterward bought by
Messrs. Mitchel.
728 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
fronted them upon this occasion. "One story's good till another's
told." One favorite receives our plaudits till another comes upon
the scene. Cupbearer's triumph was complete till Young Ab-
bottsburn was drawn into the yard. From the moment the
mighty roan entered the ring the champion of 1888 and 1889 was
on the defensive. The hero of Detroit, Columbus and Indianapo-
lis, with his world of flesh and substance, seemed to fill the en-
tire arena. By comparison Phenomenon (heavy as he is)
seemed to shrink into a pigmy; Goldstick's "bit fault" (stand-
ing a trifle away from the ground) grew into something which
it is not, and Cupbearer himself began to lose perceptibly in
breadth of beam. An attack is apt to be more confldently un-
dertaken than a defense. Moberley had given instructions to
his herdsmen to await the entrance of the king and challenge
him on whatever ground he might select, and the nearer this
spot was reached the more apparent became the fact that a new
idol was about to be set up. True the showy Duthie bull had
defenders to the last, but when the crown was finally sent to
his thicker, meatier adversary, the triumph of Amos Cruick-
shank's real old work-a-day type was quite complete. One by-
stander gave exaggerated expression to a feeling that possessed
a majority of the breeders present by saying: "Cupbearer is the
dude. Young Abbottsburn the solid farmer" — one way of saying
that the latter is of a more eminently useful feeder's type. Cup-
bearer has been an almost certain winner by reason of his
matchless smoothness, marvelously-spread loin, level quarters,
refined conformation and gay carriage. Young Abbottsburn
crushes all before him by an incomparable wealth of flesh, in
addition to which his head is more truly masculine, his crops
are better covered and his lower lines are fuller than those of
his chief antagonist. He is a 2,800-lb. bull, standing (at the
brisket) but fourteen inches from the ground, with a rich roan
coat and a good mellow hide, full of that golden coloring matter
that indicates the easy keeper and great "doer." He is low,
wide, compact and smoothly laden with flesh of good quality
from horns to hocks. He has a good, broad head and horns of
the right sort, a mild, placid eye, and one of those quiet, even
temperaments that tell of a disposition favorable to the putting
\)n of meat. There is some little show of unevenness over the
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 729
blades, but not so much of a roll as Cupbearer sports. He does
not finish out behind the hooks quite so perfectly as the other,
but is yet a grand-quartered bull and thicker in his rounds.
"The king is dead; long live the king."
Young Abbottsburn cost in Canada $425! What-
ever of lingering doubt in relation to the feeding
and flesh-carrj'ing capacity of the Cruickshank cat-
tle may have existed prior to this date was dispelled
once for all by the exhibition of this wonderful bull
at the American shows from 1890 to 1893. From the
day of his first appearance at Detroit until crowned
with the championship of the World's Columbian
Exposition there were none to challenge. his com-
plete supremacy. Open to criticism, perhaps, upon
the score of some lack of character, Young Abbotts-
burn was such a feed-lot model that he fairly carried
the corn-belt by storm. He was universally recog-
nized by practical men as the sort of a beast that
would convert grain and grass into prime heavy
beef on short notice. Notwithstanding the efforts
of his owner and his new trainer (Mr. Forbes), he
did not stop putting on pounds avoirdupois until
his log-like carcass pulled down the scales at over
2,800 lbs. Such weight without height has probably
never been seen in any other animal of any breed on
this continent. It was scarcely to be expected that
such a ponderous, short-legged show bull would
prove particularly active or useful as a stock-getter,
and unfortunately his legacy to the breed, aside
from his show-yard triumphs, was not large.
Mary Abbottsburn 7th. — Basking in the sunshine
730 A. HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
of the popularity of Young Abbottsburn, Col. Mober-
ley's views of breeding rapidly expanded. He no
longer subscribed to the doctrine that all excellence
within the breed was necessarily circumscribed by
the comparatively narrow circle that had Kirklev-
ington for its center. In response to a query pro-
pounded just after his purchase of the great Scotch
bull as to what he proposed to do with a beast ot
that breeding, he replied: "Use him a little and
show him 'right smart.' " He did more than this.
He u^ed him "right smart" besides crushing all
competition at the shows. The percentage of cows
got in calf was, however, not large, so that the bull's
progeny at Forest Grove were not so numerous as
Col. Moberley would have wished. Had the bull
never sired anything else, however, than Mary Ab-
bottsburn 7tli his fame would have been secure for
all time. We have already noted the great success
attending the use of Scotch bulls upon cows of the
Young Mary tribe in the hands of Messrs. Potts,
Wilhoit and Harris; a success which was repeated
by many of their contemporaries. It remained for
Col. Moberley and Young Abbottsburn, however, to
cap the climax, so far as this particular cross is con-
cerned, by giving to the breed the champion show
cow just mentioned. Her dam was the red Forest
Belle 6th, bred by Col. Moberley from the Eenick
Eose of Sharon bull Minnie's Duke of Sycamore
57120 out of Sparsewood Mary 3d, bred by Tracy
Bros., Winchester, Ky., from Cambridge Rose Duke
s^ ^-~ '-_
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 731
2d 22295 (also of Mr. Eenick's favorite tribe) and
sired by the 4th Duke of Geneva. She fed kindly
from the start, and, as a buxom heifer of rare prom-
ise, was bought by Aaron Barber, York State's en-
thusiastic admirer of good Short-horns, at the round
price, for those times, of $1,000 — after winning the
yearling heifer championship over all breeds at the
Illinois State Fair of 1894. She matured into one
of the noblest cows of any breed known to the Amer-
ican cattle trade. She had a back like a billiard
table and her wide, deep ribs and long, level quar-
ters were wrapped in a wealth of flesh that con-
stantly recalled the carcass of her illustrious sire.
From 1894 to 1898, inclusive, Mary Abbottsburn 7th,
in the hands of Mr. Barber, was the unrivaled queen
of American Short-horn cows.*
Col. Moberley fortified his show herd further by
purchasing from Arthur Johnston of Canada the
roan Nonpareil Chief 113034, sired by imp. Indian
Chief out of the Kinellar-bred imp. Nonpareil 36th.
Not so massive as Young Abbottsburn he was yet
a bull of strong parts, well covered with flesh of
fine quality and possessing good Short-horn char-
acter. At the Columbian Exposition Col. Moberley
had the honor of winning first and third in the
greatest ring of aged bulls ever seen in America
*A colored lithograph of Mary Abbottsburn 7th's head and neck
from a painting by Hills was the leading pictorial feature of the
Christmas number of the Breeder's Gazette for 1899. "Queen Mary,"
as she was often called, became during that year the property of
Mr. W. A. Boland of New Tork city, proprietor of a stock farm at
Grass Lake, Mich.
732 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
with Young Abbottsburn and Nonpareil Chief re-
spectively.
Forest Grove sale. — During the summer of 1895
Col. Moberley was accidentally drowned in the surf
at Virginia Beach on the Atlantic coast, an occur-
rence which brought sorrow to the entire Short-horn
breeding fraternity and took from the ranks, while
still in his prime, one of the most enthusiastic
friends of the breed. He had only finished collect-
ing by purchase a valuable group of Scotch-bred
cows and heifers, including Princess Alice, Gwendo-
line 2d, 7tli Linwood Golden Drop, imp. Daisy of
North Oaks, Orange Blossom 31st and imp. Victoria
79th, and was preparing to engage extensively in
intermingling the best Bates and Cruickshank blood.
Mary Abbottsburn 7th furnished the inspiration,
and while Col. Moberley did not live to carry out his
work he set an example of broad-minded apprecia-
tion of merit wherever found that should not be
without its lesson. His herd was sold at executor's
sale at Richmond in October, 1895, while the coun-
try was still prostrated from the unparalleled finan-
cial panic of 1893; hence the prices paid, as has been
the case in so many similar instances, were by no
means commensurate with the value of the cattle.
The highest figure was $500, given by T. R. Westrope
& Son, of Harlan, la., for a Young Abbottsburn bull
called The Corker. The old hero himself, nine years
old and with little prospect of further usefulness,
was bought by Messrs. Wallace of Bunceton, Mo.,
CLOSIXG EVENTS OF THE CEXTURY 733
at $475. The handsome Linwood Golden Drop 7th
went to AVestropes at $355. Cui^bearer's daughter
Gwendoline 2d, one of the best Scotch cows of that
time in America, topped the females at $-100, at
which price she went to Messrs. Mitchel, Danvers,
111., who also took the aging Princess Alice at $300.
The old Field Marshal cow's roan heifer Alice of
Forest Grove, sired at Linwood by Galahad, was
allowed to go to Texas at $220. Sixty-nine head
sold for the shocking average of but $131.60, a fact
which furnished ample proof of the wretched state
of the Short-horn trade at that time; reflecting the
widespread commercial and industrial depression.
It is needless to say that those who had the courage
to buy profited largely by their investments at this
sale. There is a moral to be drawn from this and
similar events recorded in this volume. It is this:
Cattle-breeding, like all other avocations, has its
ups and downs, its bright periods of prosperity and
its dark days of adversity; but those who are so
situated that they can take advantage of nominal
prices whenever they prevail never fail to reap a
rich reward, and usually within a very short space
of time.
Woodbum dispersion. — In 1891 Mr. A. J. Alexan-
der, who had succeeded to the ownership and man-
agement of his brother's magnificent estate at
AYoodburn, deemed it advisable to conclude the
Short-horn breeding operations that had been for
some forty years carried on upon the farm with
734 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
such signal advantage to American cattle-breeding
interests. The Woodburn management had been
giving rather more attention to horse-breeding than
to Short-horns for some time preceding the closing-
out sale, and the persistent pursuit of a policy of
line breeding within the Bates tribe had not resulted
in improving the individual quality of the cattle.
The faithful and efficient herdsman, Mr. Richardson,
nevertheless succeeded in producing some beautiful
specimens of the breed. Perhaps the best of all the
later home-bred Duchess bulls placed in service was
the 26th Duke of Airdrie 34973, a roan of good sub-
stance and fine character. During the years imme-
diately preceding the dispersion sale there had been
used the imported bulls 2d Duke of Whittlebury
62574 and Oxford Duke of Calthwaite 3d (56261),
the latter a roan of good flesh and substance that
left some excellent stock. There had also been used
the red-roan 51st Duke of Oxford 38531, a son of the
famous Bow Park bull 4th Duke of Clarence. In
common with all other admirers of the Bates tribec-
of that time in the West the Woodburn management
had a very high appreciation of the 4th Duke of
Clarence blood and a second cross of it was intro-
duced into the herd through the medium of Oxford
Grand Duke 2d 88329, sired by imp. 2d Duke of
Whittlebury out of the fine 4th Duke cow Grand
Duchess of Oxford 52d.
The dispersion occurred at Dexter Park, Chicago
Union Stock Yards, June 11, 1891 ; twenty-six head
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 735
of Airdrie Dukes and Duchesses selling for $10,920
— an average of $420 each. The cattle were widely
scattered, the leading buyers of Duchesses being
Messrs. Brown and Smith of Sangamon Co^, 111. The
top price was $820, paid by D. A. Curtis, Addison,
Mich., for 50th Duke of Airdrie. The highest price
for a Duchess female was $780, given by Messrs. L.
W. Brown & Son. Five Oxfords sold for an average
of $356. The stock bull Oxford Grand Duke 2d was
bought by Coles «S: Hatch, Spring Grove, 111., at $500.
Imp. Oxford Duke of Calthwaite 3d went to Elbert
& Fall, Albia, la., at $450. Thirteen head of Thorn-
dale Eoses, descended from the importation of 1882,
sold for an average of $193. Nine Wild Eyes went
for an average of $162.20. Eighteen Barringtons
were closed out at an average of $141.65. The entire
lot, consisting of seventy-one head, fetched $18,220
— a general average of $256.
Columbian Exposition awards. — The exhibit of
Short-horns at the Chicago World 's Fair of 1893 was
beyond question the best and largest of which there
is any record in the history of the American show-
yard. The trying task of awarding prizes was as-
signed to Hon. J. H. Pickrell, H. C. Duncan and John
T. Gibson, and in view of the permanent interest
that must attach to this record-breaking competition
the prize list is herewith appended :
Aged bulls— First to Col. T. S. Moberley's Young Abbotts-
burn 110679; second to J. G. Robbins & Sons' Gay Monarch
92411; third to Col. T. S. Moberley's Nonpareil Chief 113034;
fourth to H. F. Brown's Earl Fame 8th 107695; fifth to J. H.
736 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Potts & Son's Thistlewood 95417; sixth to H. F. Brown's Golden
Rule 98268.*
Two-year-old bulls — First to L. W. Brown & Sons' Young
Marshal 110705; second to J. H. Potts & Son's Chancellor 106791;
third to W. C. Edwards' imp. Knight of St. John; fourth to H.
F. Brown's Imperial Prince 108359; fifth to B. O. Cowan's Lord
Waterloo 112746; sixth to W. G. Sanders' Elgin Chief.
Yearling Bulls — First to J. & W. Russell's white Lord Stan-
ley; second to H. F. Brown's Fifer 111994; third and fourth to
Messrs. Nicholson's Valasco 21st and Norseman; fifth to J. H.
Potts & Son's Lavender King 4th; sixth to Green Bros.' Royal
Consul 2d.
Bull calves — First to H. F. Brown's Victor of Browndale
117621; second to W. B. Cockburn's Indian Warrior; third to B.
O. Cowan's Plato; fourth to L. W. Brown & Son's Golddust; fifth
to H. F. Brown's Lord Wild Eyes; sixth to Messrs. Russell's
Prince of Kinellar.
Aged cows — First to J. G. Robbins & Sons' Gay Mary; second
to H. F. Brown's Elvira of Browndale 3d; third to H. F. Brown's
Victoria of Glenwood 8th; fourth to Col. T. S. Moberley's For-
est Belle 15th; fifth to Potts & Son's Emma 11th; sixth to 0. W.
Fisher's Lovely Pride.
Two-year-old heifers — First to Col. T. S. Moberley's Gem of
Hickory Park 3d; second to Messrs. Russell's Centennial Isabella
25th; third to J. H. Potts & Son's Surprise of Oakland 3d; fourth
to J. G. Robbins & Sons' Nora Davis; fifth to H. F. Brown's Red
Empress; sixth to H. F. Brown's Oxford Duchess of Brown-
dale 2d.
Yearling heifers — First to B. 0. Cowan's Dora 6th; second to
H. F. Brown's Spicey of Browndale 2d; third to J. H. Potts &
Son's Surprise of Oakland 4th; fourth to T. W. Hunt's Beautiful
♦Golden Rule was a red of superb handling quality, bred by the
late Robert Miller of West Liberty, la., from imp. Goldstick 86748 and
Golden Feather. He was dropped the property of C. B. Dustin, Summer
Hill, 111., and after doing service in the Dustin herd for several sea-
sons was sold to Mr. H. F. Brown of Browndale Farm, Minneapolis,
Minn., whose show herds under the capable training of Robert Ewart
for many years constituted a leading feature of the Short-horn exhibits
on the Western circuit. Few herds have a longer list of first and
championship prizes to their credit than Browndale, and as appears
fiom this list of Columbian awards, Mr. Brown received some of the
highest honors at the greatest Short-horn show this country has
ever seen.
V' Z
d
go
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 737
Belle; fifth to Messrs. Nicholson's 21st Maid of Sylvan; sixth to
B. O. Cowan's Phyllisia 25th.
Heifer calves — First to Messrs. Russell's Centennial Isabella
30th; second to W. C. Edwards' Lady Fame; third to J. G. Rob-
bins & Sons' Nancy Hanks; fourth to H. F. Brown's Rosemary
of Browndale; fifth to J. D. Varner's Claribelle; sixth to Messrs.
Russell's Ruby Princess.
Championships — Bull of any age, Moberley's Young Abbotts-
burn. Cow of any age, Bobbins' Gay Mary.
Herd — First to H. F. Brown; second to T. S. Moberley; third
to Bobbins & Sons; fourth to Potts & Son; fifth to T. S. Mober-
ley; sixth to H. F. Brown.
Young herds — First to Messrs. Russell; second to E. 0. Cow-
an; third to H. F. Brown; fourth to Potts & Son; fifth to Messrs.
Nicholson; sixth to Moberley.
Four animals, either sex, under four years old, the get of one
sire — First to Messrs. Russell on progeny of Cruickshank bull
Stanley; second to Potts & Son on progeny of imp. King of Aber-
deen; third to Col. T. S. Moberley on heifers sired by the Bates-
bred Thorndale Rose Duke 95425; fourth to Messrs. Robbins on
get of Gay Monarch; fifth to Messrs. Nicholson on get of Nonpa-
reil Chief; sixth to Green Bros, on get of Royal Briton.
Two animals, either sex, the produce of one cow — First to H.
F. Brown's Elviras of Browndale 3d and 4th; second to Messrs.
Potts' Surprises of Oakland 3d and 4th; third to Messrs. Russell's
Prince Royal and cow Queen Mary; fourth to Messrs. Robbins'
Nora Davis and Nancy Hanks; fifth to T. W. Hunt's Beautiful
Belle and Silver Flower; sixth to T. S. Moberley on progeny of
Forest Belle 6th.
A series of championship competitions, open to all beef
breeds, was arranged by the management, and in this the repu-
tation of the Short-horn was well sustained against all comers.
Prizes were awarded by a committee consisting of J. G. Imboden,
Decatur, 111., William Stocking, Rochelle, 111., and J. C. Snell of
Canada. In the herd competition Messrs. J. G. Robbins & Sons
carried first prize with the Marr-bred Alexandria bull Gay Mon-
arch, the cow Gay Mary, two-year-old Nora Davis, the yearling
heifer Lady Verbena and heifer calf Nancy Hanks. The second
and third prizes in this competition were won by Herefords, and
738 A HISTORY OF SHORT -HORN CATTLE
the fourth and fifth by Short-horns owned respectively by Messrs.
Moberley and Brown. The young herd prize was also won by
Short-horns, consisting of the Canadian lot shown by Messrs.
Russell, headed by the white yearling Lord Stanley. Col. Mober-
ley's Young Abbottsburn was adjudged best aged bull of any
breed on exposition, with Mr. Clough's Hereford Ancient Briton
second and Robbins' Gay Monarch* third. Russell's yearling Lord
Stanley carried the yearling bull championship, and in bull
calves Mr. Cockburn, also of Canada, won with Indian Warrior,
sired by Arthur Johnston's imp. Sittyton Victoria bull Indian
Chief. The heifer calf champion was won by Mr. Russell of
Canada, with Centennial Isabella 30th.
The $1,000 special championship prize for best ten head of
cattle of any breed bred by the exhibitor was awarded to Mr. H.
F. Brown by a committee consisting of Wallace Estill, Richard
Gibson and H. H. Clough. J. H. Potts & Son received second in
this competition, Mr. Van Natta third with Herefords and Messrs.
Moberley and Robbins fourth and fifth with Short-horns.
Recent importations. — The close of the century-
finds the Scotch blood the prevailing fashionable
element on both sides of the water. Sires of North-
country breeding are in service in most of the lead-
ing collections of the breed in the United States and
Canada. English sentiment is still somewhat di-
vided upon the subject of the Scotch cross, but
under the leadership of Messrs. Deane Willis — whose
winnings at the great English shows of recent years
with stock of Aberdeenshire descent have attracted
universal attention — and P. L. Mills the North-
*Gav Monarch was a roan, sired by William of Oiange out of an
Athabasca dam, and was for several seasons one of the star attrac-
tions of the Short-horn exhibit at M^estern shows. He not only car-
ried many first and championship prizes, but in the Robbins herd
sired show cattle of outstanding merit. He was a smooth, deep-fleshed
bull, possessing more character than Young Abbottsburn, and must
be ranked with the Duke of Richmond and Baron Victor as one of
the most valuable breeding animals of the Scotch type ever used in
the West. He died the property of Messrs. Robbins in 1899.
llA.MlluN SiluW liLLI. .Si. VALENTINE 121014— BRED BY GU.Mtl)
MOUSE & SON, OF CANADA. SHOWN BY J. G. ROBBINS &
SONS, HORACE, IND., AND BY GEO. E. WARD,
HAWARDEN, lA.
l.MP. BARON CRUlCKhHANK lU62y7— BRED Bi WM. DU'iHIE, COL-
I.YNIE, AND IMPORTED BY C. B. DUSTIN & SON,
STTVIMER TIILL. ILK
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 739
country blood has now strong footing south of the
River Tweed.
For several years after the conclusion of Mr.
Luther Adams' importing operations trade condi-
tions in America were such as did not afford much
encouragement for the purchase of Short-horns in
Great Britain for shipment to America, but the re-
newed interest manifested in cattle breeding during
the past few years has led to a revival of importa-
tions. Without undertaking to supply details as to
these contemporary business transactions, attention
may be called to the importation in 1891, personally
selected in Scotland by Mr. C, B. Dustin for account
of himself and Mr. J. F. Prather. This importation
was chiefly notable as including the splendid sire
Baron Cruickshank 106297, bred by Mr. Dutliie from
Collingwood 106881, and the Mysie cow Maria 10th,
by Field Marshal. This bull was used jointly for a
time by Messrs. Dustin and Prather, but latterly was
the sole property of the proprietor of Hill Farm.
He was a richly-fleshed, robust roan, and left much
good stock. Mr. Prather 's imp. Duke of Hamilton
2d 107363, of this same importation and also of Mr.
Duthie's breeding, a mellow-handling red, also left
a valuable progeny at Village Park. Mr. Dustin has
recently added to the wealth of Western Short-horn
herds by the purchase and importation of the capital
young bull Merry Hampton 132572, a winner as a
yearling at the Highland show of 1898, and bred at
Collynie from the Missie cow Madamoiselle 6th by
740 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
Field Marshal. This bull was landed in Illinois at
a cost of $2,000.
One of the most valuable of recent importations
was that personally selected in Great Britain by Mr.
I. M. Forbes, Henry, 111., in the summer of 1898. It
included about a dozen females from the herds of
Messrs. Duthie, Marr and their contemporaries, rej)-
resenting the Missie, Princess Royal and other
standard Aberdeenshire tribes. Along with this
importation came the bulls Star of the North 132076
and Fairhaven 131977. The former, of the Sittyton
Clipper family, was bought from the herd of Her
Majesty the Queen of England. Fairhaven was sold
at the Forbes sale of Oct. 11, 1899, to Benjamin
Whitsitt, Pre-Emption, 111., for $1,000.*
Importations from Scotland have also been made
*At this same sale Mr. J. F. Prather, Williamsville, 111., took the
handsome home-bred cow Golden Venus at $850 and the imp. heifer
Rosemary 201st at $825. John M. Blotz. Dodgeville, Wis., bought
imp. Gwendoline at $801. The thirty-nine females offered averaged
$295.50, the general average on fifty head being $298. This sale was
held to close a partnership that had existed for some time between
Messrs. I. M. and Caleb Forbes under the name of Forbes Bros., the
dissolution being rendered necessary by the death of Mr. Caleb Forbes.
The partnership herd had been successfully maintained at a high
standard of individual excellence. The stock bull Baron Gloster
101657, that was in service for a number of years, was one of the
thickest-fleshed Cruickshank bulls of his time in the United States,
an animal of compact conformation, rare quality and a most impres-
sive sire of short-legged, easy-keeping stock. Mr. I. M. Forbes, who
had at all times been the moving spirit in the management, continued
Short-horn breeding with a capital selection of Scotch and Scotcli-
topped cows and heifers, including a majority of those comprising the
importation of 1898 ; Star of the North being the chief stock bull in
service.
Benjamin Whitsitt's father was one of the Pioneer Short-horn
breeders of Western Illinois, and the son has been at all times an effi-
cient and persistent advocate of the use of pure-bred bulls for tlie
production of high-class steers. He feeds largely for the Chicago mar-
ket, has had in service in his pure-bred herd a succession of good
Scotch sires, and is recognized as one of tlie most successful stock-
men of his district.
A FAMiiCS CliOUP IMPORTED BY W. D. FLATT, HAMILTON, OXT.
Empress 12th, Royal Firstprize.
Cicely, a Champion in England Lady Waterloo B. 2d, Royal
and America. Secondprize.
Lord Banff, Purchased by G. E.
Ward, Hawarden, la., for $5,100. Ascot Mayflower, Royal Fifthprize.
OLD LANCASTER — IMPORTED BY W. D. FLATT TO BECOME ONE
OF CANADA'S MOST NOTED SIRES.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 741
in recent years by Messrs. Miller, Cargill, Flatt* and
others of Canada, and by Messrs. Gerlaugli, Hard-
ing, Hanna, Wood, Bobbins and other prominent
present-day breeders of the States. Prices are ris-
ing again at home and abroad. Five thousand dol-
lars has been refused for the Highland Society's
prize bull of 1899, Cornerstone, and even this figure
seems likely to be exceeded in the near future.
One of the notable show-yard triumphs of recent
years was the exhibition by Messrs, Robbins of the
Canadian-bred bull St. Valentine 121014, descending
from the imported Booth-topped cow Verbena, bred
by John Outhwaite. He was the champion bull of
the West in 1897 and was sold along with some valu-
able females to George E. Ward, Hawarden, la. In
1898 St. Valentine was champion at the Illinois
State Fair and headed Mr. Ward's first-prize herd
at same show, which included Monarch's Lady, by
Gay Monarch, and St. Valentine's daughters Selma
and Lady Valentine. f
*At an auction held by Mr. W. D. Flatt at Hamilton, Ont., Dec.
20, 1899, at which Col. Fred M. Woods of Lincoln, Neb., presided as
auctioneer, about forty head of imported Scotch-bred heifers and young
bulls were sold for an average of $477.30, the top price being $900,
paid by P. S. Lewis & Son, Point Pleasant, W. Va., for the roan bull
calf Sir Wilfred Laurier, by the Royal champion Marengo.
tAt the Trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha same year, Mr. H
F. Brown defeated St. Valentine — after a contest developing some
bitterness — with the Canadian-bred Nominee 131262, a roan lacking
the wealth of flesh shown by St. Valentine, but big, level and presented
in fine bloom. In 1899 the Short-horn herd prize at the Illinois State
Fair was won by Mr. T. J. Wornall, Mosby, Mo., with Viscount of
Anoka 125081, bred by Messrs. Harding of Waukesha, Wis. ; among
the females shewn being Sultana (by Gay Monarch) and Lady Valen-
tine, seen in Mr. ^Vard's herd of 1898. Two thick-fleshed, sappy heifer
calves by St. Valentine were successfully shown by Messrs. Robbins
at the fall fairs of 1899. one of which, Ruberta, a Sittyton Duchess Of
Gloster, was champion calf of the circuit
742 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
Herd-book consolidation. — One of the most im-
portant events of the period under review was the
purchase in the autumn of 1882 by the American
Short-horn Breeders' Association of the herd book,
which had up to that date been issued as a private
enterprise by Lewis F. Allen, Buifalo, N. Y. The
price paid was $25,000. More or less confusion
in reference to American records had arisen from
the fact that a i3edigree register, known as the
American Short-horn Kecord, had been established
and published for some years in Kentucky, and that
a similar book, known as the Ohio Short-horn Rec-
ord, was being issued by the breeders of the Buckeye
State. Both of these registers were the manifesta-
tion of disapproval of the manner in which Mr.
Allen was conducting the herd book which he had
established in 1846. The purchase and consolidation
of these various records by the National Breeders'
Association was the hajjpy solution of a situation
that was becoming fairly intolerable, and since 1883
but one book has been in existence. Hon. J. H. Pick-
rell was one of the prime movers in this project, and
the first volume (XXIV) issued by the National
Association appeared under the auspices of the fol-
lowing board of officers: President, J. H. Pickrell;
Vice-President, B. F. Vanmeter; Treasurer, T. W.
Harvey; Secretary, L. P. Muir; Directors, C. C.
Nourse of Iowa, S. F. Lockridge of Indiana, C. A.
DeGraff of Minnesota, W. A. Harris of Kansas, A.
M. Bowman of Virginia, Emory Cobb of Illinois, C.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY 743
E. Leonard of Missouri, L. B. Wing of Ohio, and
John Hope of Canada.
The office was first established in the city of Chi-
cago, but was subsequently removed to Springfield.
111., where it remained until after the construction
of the Pedigree Record Building by the Union Stock
Yard Company of Chicago, when it was brought
back to the Western metropolis. After Mr. Pickrell
gave up cattle breeding he was chosen Secretary
and Editor of the Herd Book to succeed Col. Muir,
retaining the office until his death, which occurred
in 1901. Mr. John W. Groves is the present incum-
bent.*
* Canadian breeders organized the Dominion Short-horn Breeders'
Association some years ago, and under the Presidency of the Hon. John
Dryden began in 18S6 the publication of the Dominion Herd Boolv, of
which Mr. Henry Wade of Toronto is still Secretary and editor.
In Great Britain the National pedigree register for the breed is still
published under the original name, "Coates' Herd Book," although it
has for some years been owned and issued by the Short-horn Society
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with offices at 12
Hanover Square, London,
CHAPTER XXIII
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED
Since the days when the Renicks drove their first
well-bred bullocks from the Ohio Valley over the
mountains to the seaboard markets the Short-horn
has been a familiar figure in the pastures, feed-lots,
dairies and stock-yards of the United States. When
the mighty agricultural empire of the Upper Mis-
sissippi Valley came under the sway of the early
settlers the Short-horn was called to fill a place that
he seems destined to occupy for generations yet to
come. Throughout this broad realm of blue grass
and Indian corn the roan badge of Short-horn birth
has ever been a passport into the favor of thoughtful
farmers. In the development of the great ranges
of the farther "West the Short-horn bull was a pio-
neer in that wonderful improvement that has at last
driven the Texas Long-horn from the plains and
mountains. On Australian "stations" and on the
estancias of Argentine the Short-horn bull has led
the line of progress toward greater weights and
neater carcasses. Others have since appeared upon
the scene to share with him the honor of the con-
quest over the "scrub" creation, as revealed by ex-
isting conditions in the West, but the credit for tho
744
WILD Q[JEE.\ 2D— WINNER OF FIRST MILKING PRIZE LONDON
DAIRY SHOW. ISOS.
WHISKERS— CHAMPION AMERICAN FAT STOCK SHOW. 1894.
A DUAL-PUKPOSE BKEED 743
long years of sapping and mining that made present
successes possible must be laid at the feet of the
Short-horn bull. Indeed, the story of the world-wide
wanderings of this bovine Ulysses supplies the
theme for an agricultural Odyssey.
Universal adaptability. — The lapse of years only
serves to strengthen the position of the Short-horn.
A century of close contact with the most exacting
requirements of the farm and feed-lot has only deep-
ened the hold of the "red, white and roans" upon
the affections of the agricultural world. The source
of this perennial popularity must be apparent even
to the most casual observer. The strength of the
Short-horn lies in its unrivaled range of adaptabil-
ity; in the facility with which it responds to the
varied demands of those who pursue a system of
diversified farming — the rearing of live stock as an
essential feature in a well-ordered scheme of mixed
husbandry. The Short-horn is distinctively and
emphatically a dual-purpose breed. The bull calves
can be turned into market-topping steers, and under
proper management the heifers develop marked
value for the dairy. The pure-bred Short-horn bull
as a first cross upon common or native cows — espe-
cially if they be wanting in size — is a certain source
of immediate improvement; imparting scale, shape-
liness and quality to his progeny. The Short-horn
grade heifer is the foundation upon which bulls of
other improved breeds have builded some of their
^lost signal successes. In a lean or "store" condi-
746 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE "
tion the Short-liorn is still attractive by reason of
his level lines and general symmetry.
Feed-lot favorites. — Cattle-feeding as a leading
industry in connection with American farming had
its origin in Short-horn blood one hundred years
ago in the valley of the south branch of the Potomac
River in Virginia. Crossing the Blue Ridge it be-
came a source of wealth to the Ohio Valley States,
and the grazing and feeding of Short-horn steers
has followed as a matter of course the establishment
of pure-bred herds throughout the newer West. In
the foregoing pages we have endeavored to afford
a general view of the character and breeding of the
pedigreed stock from whence farmers of the corn-
belt and contiguous territory have drawn their sup-
plies of Short-horn blood; but space will not admit
of extending our inquiry to the gates of the myriad
farms upon which this blood has been utilized as
a machine for the profitable conversion of grain and
grass into beef and milk.
While the leading breeders were engaged in ex-
hibiting, importing and selling high-class registered
cattle, as detailed in preceding chapters, shifting
their allegiance from time to time from one strain
of blood to another, the farmers of Great Britain,
Canada and the States were all the while taking
the surplus bulls and grading up the common cattle
of their respective countries. They found that each
crop of calves from a good bull was worth enough
more than a crop from a "scrub" or a grade sire
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 7-1:7
to more than pay the difference in the first cost of
the bull. Feeders stood ready- to take the steers as
fast as they approached maturity, and such farmers
as had the foresight to use the pure-bred bulls soon
obtained a reputation for the quality of their cattle
that insured them a handsome premium for their
surplus stock. In this way the producers and con-
sumers of beef profited enormously by the enter-
prise of those who spent their money so lavishly in
the importation, breeding and exhibition of choice
specimens of the breed, as noted in preceding pages.
"Prime Scots." — Perhaps the most notable illus-
tration of the value of the blood for practical feed-
ing purposes developed by the history of the breed
in Britain is afforded by the evolution of the so-
called "prime Scots" of the English market. This
particular brand of high-priced steer represents the
commingling of the blood of the Short-horn with
that of the black polled races of Scotland. The
North-of-Scotland farmers were free buyers of
Short-horn bulls from such herds as those of Ury,
Eden, Shethin and Sittyton. Indeed, the surprising
statement is made that not less than 1,000 bulls of
their own breeding were sold by the Messrs. Cruick-
shank during a period of forty-seven years for cross-
ing purposes! This necessarily wrought a wonder-
ful improvement in the character of the farm cattle
of Aberdeenshire and adjacent counties, and Robert
Bruce has favored us with the following interesting
statement as to how the cattle-growers of those dis-
748 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEX CATTLE
triets proceeded with the work of producing the
"prime Scots":
Before the Short-horns found their way to the Northern
counties of Scotland the cattle there were nearly all black, a large
proportion of them being polled. Between 1830 and 1840 Short-
horns began to be freely used by the ordinary farmers with the
result that there was improvement in the size over the native
stock. Along with increased size the cross-bred animals had the
valuable quality of maturing early in comparison with others.
The results of using a Short-horn bull with the native cows were
so satisfactory that for a considerable time this system of cross-
ing was considered the only safe and proper one. I can remember
well the effects of this belief all over the North of Scotland where
the farmers had gone on using Short-horn bulls on three, four,
and five generations of cows, grades from the original native
polled cows, till the large proportion of the stock in farmers'
hands were fairly passable Short-horns. At the time I refer to,
from 1850 to 1860, I do not believe you could have found two
Aberdeen-Angus bulls serving in herds other than those that
were pure-bred, and so few pure-bred herds were there that it
became impossible for the ordinary farmers to get polled heif-
ers to follow out what they called the right system of crossing.
I may whisper in your "lug" that it was about this time that
the Aberdeen-Angus cattle improved so much, and there can be
no doubt that many a dash of Short-horn blood was introduced
with much advantage to the black-skins. This, however, is away
from the point. The great scarcity of Aberdeen-Angus heifers
drove the farmers to use the Aberdeen-Angus bulls on their cross-
bred Short-horn grade cows. I can distinctly remember the sub-
ject of the doings of a farmer, an owner of a herd of high-grade
(Shorthorn) cows, being discussed widely with much headshak-
ing seeing he had ventured to use a polled bull in his herd. His
experiment was carefully watched and before five years there
was a demand for Aberdeen-Angus bulls for use in farmers'
herds of cross-bred, in fact, Short-horn grade cows.
For the past thirty years the following may be said to be the
common practice in the North of Scotland. As I have said th'^
cows in the hands of farmers were more or less Shorthorns.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 749
These were put to the Aberdeen-Angus bulls and the heifers kept
as cows practically first crosses. These and their daughters
were again put to Aberdeen-Angus bulls, when Short-horn bulls
were again brought in for several generations, and so on alter-
nating between Short-horns and Aberdeen-Angus sires (always
pure-bred herd-book animals), the farmers possessing herds of
cows the direct female descendants of cows owned by their
grandfathers.
I do not know as I need say anything more on this subject.
The blend of the two breeds is a mixture which produces a class
of cattle having no equal as a rent-paying stock in this country;
and speaking from my own observation I believe it matters little
hov,- the mixture is concocted so long as it is Short-horn and
Aberdeen-Angus, the judgment of the breeder being brought into
play in determining the amount of either of tlie two factors. It
must, however, be borne in mind that even this valuable mixture
could not produce the Prime Scots which the London West End
butchers sell at such high prices and which the "upper ten" are
pleased to pay for if the North Country -farmers ever allowed
their young stock to lose their calf flesh. To produce the high-
selling article an ox ought to be fit to kill any time during his
life, and the question of the proper age for slaughter entirely de-
pends upon markets and such like circumstances. Many people
unacquainted with the Northern cattle say the first cross is the
only right one, but you may go from farm to farm in the North
of Scotland where, as I have said, nothing but cross-bred cows
have been bred in the family for generations and yet the farm-
ers pride themselves on their herds of cows — cows that produce
steers to top the London market.
Crosses of liglit-colored Sliort-liorns and the
shaggy bhick Galloways have long been popular
feeding steers in Britain, producing a "blue-gray"
beast that feeds out into a thick-cutting carcass of
richly-marbled beef. Needless to add the "prime
Scots" sell at fancy prices at Smithfield and other
leading English markets, and are frequent winner."
at the British National fat-cattle shows.
750 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Smithfield Club. — England is epicurean in rela-
tion to its meats. John Bull lives much in the open
air. He is in vigorous physical health. His diges-
tion is not impaired. He is the world's best cus-
tomer for rich, well-ripened cuts of beef. He not
only originated all of the improved breeds of beef
cattle, but more than a century ago provided for
a public test as to the relative merits of the rival
types.
The Smithfield Club of London was instituted
as "The Smithfield Cattle and Sheep Society," Dec.
17, 1798, and held its first exhibition at Smithfield
the following year. The title "Smithfield Club"
was permanently adopted in 1802. The club started
with 113 members, and at the initial show the sum
of £52 10s. was offered in prizes. In 1898 the mem-
bership had increased to 1,120 with prizes amount-
ing to £4,965 lis. Classes are now made for Short-
horns, Herefords, Aberdeen-Angus, Galloways, De-
vons, Sussex, Eed Polls, Welsh, Highlanders, cross-
breds and small cattle not otherwise eligible. After
the first few shows the exhibition was discontinued
for a period of twenty years, extending from 1809
to 1829. The official record of awards for the sixty-
seven years, beginning with the show of 1830, re-
veals the fact that thirty-five championships have
been won by pure-bred Short-horn steers, and that
seven other champions were crosses of Short-horn
blood with other breeds. Since 1845 medals have
been given for the best fat cow or heifer in the show,
and during the fifty-two years, ended in 1897, no
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED
751
less than thirty-four of these championships were
won by pure-bred Short-horns.* Two other female
championshiiDs have been awarded to animals carry-
ing a Short-horn cross. From this it appears that
the breed has easily held its own against the com-
bined opposition of all rival sorts.
American Fat-Stock Show. — As already men-
tioned the establishment of the American Fat-Stock
Show under the auspices of the Illinois State Board
of Agriculture, Chicago, in the autumn of 1878,
marked an epoch in the history of the breed in the
United States. It substituted for the often mislead-
ing tests of the auction ring a public competition
based solely on demonstrated merit for feeding pur-
poses, in which considerations of pedigree, pride of
*At the Smithfield Club show of December, 1876, the first prize of
£20 and a silver medal to the breeder in a class of nine entries for
best fat cow four years old or over, was awarded to the Renick-bred
exp. Duchess 10th (known in England as Red Rose of Rannoch) , a "red-
and-white" by Joe Johnson (31440) out of Duchess 4th by Airdrie
(30365). She was exhibited upon that occasion by the Earl of Dun-
more at a live weight of l.?98 lbs., defeating the Towneley-bred Baron
Oxford's Duchess. So far as we have record this is the only case of
an American-bred Short-horn being exhibited at that show. The late
Abram Renick naturally prized this Smithfleld medal highly, and by
the courtesy of Mr. Abram Renick the younger we are permitted to
present a reproduction of it herewith.
752 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HOKN CATTLE
birth and ancestry were absolutely eliminated. It
established a test, the results of which were worked
out by the cold logic of the scales and the judgment
of butchers and feeders. It forced the breeders of
Short-horns to seek a class of cattle that could suc-
cessfully contend with such highly specialized beef
types as the Herefords, Aberdeen- Angus and Gallo-
ways; and the manner in which the great dual-pur-
pose breed responded to the call thus made upon it
affords striking demonstration of the inherent capa-
bilities of the race. In these days of "baby beef" it
is interesting to note the ages and weights of the
steers with which prizes were won at the initial
shows.
John D. Gillett of Elkhart, 111., who had gained
international fame as the father of the trade in ex-
port bullocks to Great Britain,* was from the begin-
ning an enthusiastic supporter of the show, winning
the first championship in 1878 with the Short-horn
*John Dean Gillett (descended from a French Huguenot family
which emigrated to this country In 1631 and settled at Lebanon, Conn.)
was born April 28, 1819, at Fair Haven, Conn. He attended the Lan-
castrean School in New Haven, and at the f.ge of 17 he went by sea
to Georgia to visit an uncle and acted for two years as a clerk in his
uncle's store. In 1838 he returned to Connecticut, where for three
months he attended Pearl's Academy. In the autumn of 1838 he left
his native State, and in forty-two days made the trip from New Ha-
ven to Illinois, going down the Ohio River from Pittsburg to Cairo,
thence up the Mississippi to St. Louis, and then by stage to Springfield,
111. A walk of twenty miles brought him to Bald Knob, where his
uncle lived. Next morning he went to work for the latter at $8 a
month; two years after (1840) he had saved up enough money to en-
ter, at $1.25 an acre, forty acres of rich prairie land near what is
now Cornland, Logan Co., 111. He began farming for himself in that
year. He bought all the land he could possibly acquire with his sav-
ings and cultivated every acre of it. Corn being worth only six to
.lOnX D. GILLETT. ELKHART. ILL.-FATHER OF THE AMERICAN-
EXPORT BULLOCK TRADE.
A DUAL-PUEPOSE BREED 753
steer John Sherman, about three years and seven
months old, weighing 2,195 lbs. Van Meter and
Hamiltons of Kentucky exhibited bullocks mainly
of the Young Mary family, weighing from 2,000 to
2,440 lbs. each. These cattle were three and four
years old. At the show of 1879 the championship
fell to the Kentucky-bred roan three-year-old steer
Nichols, shown by J. H. Graves at a weight of 2,060
lbs. He represented mainly the Duke of Airdrie and
Eenick blood, and was a grand specimen of the best
type of prime beeves in demand at that period.
Even at this early day a call was made for the aboli-
tion of the class for four-year-olds. After the hold-
ing of the second show it was pointed out that the
championships had both been won by three-year-
eight cents per bushel would not pay, but corn fed to cattle and
hogs would. He soon formed the purpose of breeding a line of
graded stock for the Eastern trade which would excel anything in the
market. He bought the best bulls and cows of his neiglibors, and about
1850 bought from Judge Skinner of Mount Pulaski a "Durham" bull
which had been brought from Kentucky. This bull was a blue-roan of
the Patton stock. He raised the first thirteen roan calves from him
and fed them to maturity — the first cattle of his own breeding and
raising he ever marketed — and sold them to James Jones of Oliio,
who drove them East, probably to Buffalo, N. Y., as that was the
big cattle market at that time. Mr. Gillett always bought his bulls
from outside sources. WTienever he saw a Short-horn cow or bull
that would come up to his idea as to what a beef animal should be
he bought it. He was in his prime as a cattle-breeder and shipper
from about 1871, when he first began to ship cattle to England until
1888, when he died. His herd was constantly increasing, and while
unregistered was practically pure bred. He owned at his death about
19,000 acres of land, about 1,000 head of cows of his own raising and
breeding and their increase for two years, making a herd of nearly
3,000 head. A striking portrait of Mr. Gillett may be seen in terra-
cotta relief work at the entrance to the Bank Building at the Chicago
Union Stock-Yards — a deserved tribute • to his prominence in the
Western cattle trade.
754 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
olds. Besides this Mr. Gillett had undertaken to
carry over the champion of the first show in the
hope of winning again at the second, but he came
back so rough and tallowy that he failed to receive
even second prize. Notwithstanding this fact Nich-
ols was returned to the show of 1880* and again
received championship honors, tipping the scales at
the great weight of 2,465 lbs. Mr. Gillett was again
prominent as an exhibitor, but as he brought his
cattle direct from the pastures without special han-
dling or fitting in the modern sense of the term, his
steers were faulted as lacking in show-yard finish.
Mr. John B. Sherman of the Chicago Union Stock-
Yards for many reasons made a practice of buying
and maintaining in a show barn at the yards fine
specimens of the best show steers from year to year,
and at the exhibition of 1880 he presented at the
Fat-Stock Show the monster Short-horn Nels Morris
at an official weight of 3,125 lbs., which is, we be-
lieve, the record for weight at these shows. For
some years a class for heaviest fat steers was main-
tained, but as it only served to bring out an aggre-
gation of unprofitable mountains of tallow it was
properly abandoned. Messrs. Dodge of Ohio had a
pair of pure-bred tw^in four-year-old Short-horn
steers at the show of 1882, Aveighing together 5,250
•Nichols was shown at the exhibition of 1879 as a pure-bred Short-
horn, but his exhibitor acting- upon information alleged to have been
subsequently furnished, presented him at the show of 1880 as a grade.
The steer's age was also called in question and a heated controversy
was waged in reference to liim during the exhibition of 1880. There
was no question as to his outstanding superiority or as to his being
to all intents and purposes a purely-bred Short-horn.
A DUAL-PUKPOSE BEEED 755
lbs. The four-year-old class was dropped after the
show of 1880.
Mr. Gillett gained the championship in 1881 with
his celebrated red bullock McMullen at a weight of
2,095 lbs., after a hotly contested fight with Miller's
grade Hereford Conqueror. Morrow & Muir of Ken-
tucky exhibited a good load of Short-horns at this
show, and entries were also made by J. H. Potts &
Son and the Bow Park management, the latter ex-
hibiting the champion cow. Lady Aberdeen 3d.
McMullen came back to the show of 1882, having
made a gain for the year of 470 lbs., and repeated
his championship winning of the previous year at
a weight of 2,565 lbs. He was a good type of the
old-fashioned sort, possessing a table back and enor-
mous size, but standing rather high from the ground.
The Messrs. Groff of Canada supplied a great 2,400-
Ib. steer at this show called Canadian Champion,
that had a more even distribution of thick flesh than
McMullen, and John Hope appeared from Bow Park
with his famous Bates-bred white bullock, Clarence
Kirklevington, as a yearling, weighing 1,620 lbs.
Messrs. Potts had a remarkable steer in this show
also, known as Eed Major, a well-ripened bullock
weighing 1,600 lbs. at 715 days old. The late Hon.
D. M. Moninger, of Galvin, la., one of the most noted
of the Trans-Mississippi feeders of his day, and a
disciple of John D. Gillett, exhibited in 1882 his
famous "Crimson Herd," including the good, thick-
fleshed, short-legged 1,945-lb. steer Tom Brown.
756 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
In 1883 Mr. C. M. Culbertson, Newman, 111., won
the championship with a roan white-faced steer.
Koan Boy, sired by a Hereford bull out of a Short-
horn cow, both factions claiming a full share of
the honor of the award. This was a memorable
show, the grade class being perhaps the largest ever
seen at this exhibition, and remarkable for the large
number of Herefords shown by Messrs. Earl &
Stuart, Fowler & Van Natta, Culbertson, Seabury &
Sample and Thomas Clark. An interesting feature
of this show was the exhibition by Geary Bros, of
Canada of the imported Aberdeen-Angus three-year-
old bullock Black Prince. Another noted animal
was Fowler & Van Natta 's Benton's Champion,,
sired by a Hereford bull out of a grade Short-horn
dam.* Clarence Kirklevington was also forward as
a two-year-old, winning first in his class. Other not-
able entries were Imboden's Short-horn Scratch,
Tom Clark's Hereford Tuck, and Adams Earl's
Hereford Wabash.
Eighteen hundred and eighty-four was Clarence
Kirklevington 's year. The lordly snow-white bul-
lock came forward that season at a weight of 2,400
lbs., and with his beautiful head, superb finish, great
scale and commanding show-yard presence was not
to be denied championship honors. After beating
down all opposition on foot he finished his trium-
*A fat-stock show was held this year at Kansas City, at which
the championship was gained by J. H. Potts & Son's Short-horn grade
Starlight, weighing 2,170 lbs. That show was continued for several
years, but was finally abandoned on account of depression in the
Western cattle trade.
A DUAL-PUKPOSE BKEED 757
phant career by gaining the championship in the
dressed carcass contest, although this latter award
did not escape severe criticism. Another grand
Short-horn steer at this same show was Morrow &
Eenick's Kentucky-bred roan, Schooler, one of the
handsomest bullocks ever seen at a fat-stock show in
this country. The richly-fleshed grade Short-horn
Charley Ross, shown by Messrs. Ross of Ohio, de-
feated at this show a large and excellent ring of
three-year-olds representing the different breeds. In
1885 and again in 1886 the Herefords bore away the
chief honors with the grade Regulus and the pure-
bred Rudolph Jr., the former shown by Fowler &
Van Natta and the latter by George Morgan. A re-
markably handsome yearling pure-bred Short-horn
known as Cleveland was shown by Messrs. Elbert &
Fall of Albia, la., at the show of 1885, winning the
yearling championship.* Rudolph Jr., the Here-
ford, was the first young steer of the "pony" type
to win a championship at these shows, and it was
noticeable that the two-year-olds of all breeds were
beginning to come forward much stronger relatively
than the older cattle. The show was beginning to
bear fruit. The idea that cattle could be profitably
fed until four years old was being rapidly ex-
ploded.! So practical and successful a man as John
♦Messrs. Elbert & Fall were for many years prominent breeders of
pure-bred Short-horns, handling many excellent cattle and making a
number of verv successful public sales. They became the owners of
the Bates-bred stock of Colonel H. M. Vaile of Independence, Mo., fa-
mous for the merit of the Waterloos.
7 We believe that Messrs. James N. Brown's Sons of Sangamon
County were the first to advocate classes for calves and yearlings at
758 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
D. Gillett stated publicly that he had abandoned his
former methods and was now aiming to market cat-
tle at about thirty months old.
At the show of 1887 Short-horns resumed their
winning; the championship being carried by D.
M. Moninger's Doctor Glick — an 1,885-lb. two-year-
old grade. The champion of the class for pure-bred
Short-horns was J. J. Hill's three-year-old Prentice,
representing a cross of his Oxford bull upon one of
his mixed-bred cows. Moffat Bros., Paw Paw, 111.,
had a wonderfully thick two-year-old in this show — •
Cruickshank 2d, sired by imp. Amherst and weigh-
ing 1,705 lbs. In 1888 the Aberdeen-Angus Dot,
bred by Wallace Estill and shown by Mr. Imboden,
received chief honors of the show; his closest com-
petitor at the finish being the two-year-old Short-
horn Brant Chief from Bow Park. The Angus
weighed 1,515 lbs. at 863 days, an average gain per
day of 1.75. The Short-horn weighed 1,890 lbs. at
1,022 days, an average gain per day of 1.85. One of
the strongest steers of this show was Potts' Rich-
mond, and another capital entry was Blisli & Son's
yearling Mark, sired by Dick Taylor of Glenwood.
The champion of the show of 1889 was Elbert &
Fall's grade two-year-old Short-horn Eigdon, a son
of the Duchess bull 2d Duke of Brant, shown in
the fat-stock show. Mr. William Brown of that flrm, whose genial
personality and high intelligence have endeared him to a wide cn-cle
of friends and acquaintances, usually represented the flrm upon such
occasions, and it must be recorded that Grove Parlv m the early days
of the fat-stock show lived up to the best traditions of its earlier years
when it was the primary source of Short-horn power in the State of
Illinois.
A DUAL-PUEPOSE BREED 759
beautiful bloom at a weight of 1,950 lbs. The cham-
pion of the Short-horn class at this show was J. J.
Hill's Britisher, a sappy, thick-fleshed roan, got by
a bull that was sired by imp. Gambetta out of a
Cruickshank Brawith Bud cow sired by a Bates
Oxford bull. Mr. W. H. Eenick, who had been a
persistent and successful exhibitor, showing cattle
full of the Eose of Sharon blood, was also well rep-
resented in this exhibition by the handsome two-
year-old bullocks Nonesuch and Twilight, that di-
vided the ballots of Messrs. Moberley and Gosling
in their class. At the show of 1890 Nonesuch came
back and carried off the championship in his three-
year-old form at a weight of 2,090 lbs.
In 1891 the three-year-old class was dropped, so
general had become the conviction that the three-
year-olds should no longer be encouraged. The abo-
lition of this class, together with the depressing in-
fluence of a dragging market throughout the entire
country for pure-bred cattle, materially decreased
the size of the show. The exhibition, while it had
been immensely popular with all close students of
the problems of profitable meat production, had
never been a financial success. It had now entered
upon a serious decline, and, as the large Exposition
Building upon the Chicago Lake Front, in which
the shows had been held from the beginning, was
about to be torn down the management abandoned
the exhibition after the show of 1891, at \vhich the
championship was won by Mr. Van Natta's two-
760 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKX CATTLE
year-old Hereford Hickory Nut. The champion of
the Short-horn class at this final show was Potts'
Captain. The yearling championship of the hall
was won by John Gosling's Bob Cass, a three-quar-
ter-bred Short-horn; the calf championship falling
to Milton E. Jones' Tallmadge, sired by Spartan
Hero.* In the fall of 1892, through the efforts of
private individuals, a so-called "emergency" show
was held at the stock-yards, at which the champion
prize was awarded Potts & Son's King. In 1893 at
the Columbian Show the championship fell to Milton
E. Jones of Williamsville, 111., on the two-year-old
Short-horn Banner Bearer. In 1894 the Illinois
State Board made one final effort, holding an ex-
* During the palmy days of the American fat-stock show, when the
rivalry of the breeds was at its height, the annual meetings of the
various National associations of bieeders were characterized by an
enthusiasm which has had no parallel in the history of the American
live-stock trade. The old Grand Pacific Hotel in Chicago, under the
management of the late John B. Drake and Samuel Parker, was the
favorite rendezvous for a coterie of choice spirits whose lives were
devoted to the cattle trade ; and many an interesting "session" has
been held beneath the roof of that famous old-time hostelry. It was
the one occasion of tlie entire year when the wealthy fanciers, sub-
stantial breeders, the "field marshals" of the feeding fraternity, and
in fact all who were interested in the fortunes of any of the leading
breeds came together for an interchange of ideas and for the indulg-
ence of that spirit of camaraderie that has ever characterized those
who devote themselves heart and soul to the breeding and fitting of
the improved types of domestic animals. During the day all hands
would devote themselves to the excitements of the show in progress
in the old Exposition Building on the Lake Front, or to the auction
sales in progress at Dexter Park. At night around the banquet board,
or under the mellowing influences of good company and an occasional
bottle there would be a "feast of reason and a flow of soul" that
lingered long in the memories of those who were privileged to enter
tlie charmed circle. Those golden days are gone, perhaps never to
return. Many of the leading spirits have passed away, but those who
survive will never cease to rejoice tliat they were permitted to
participate in the scenes which will always cluster around their recol-
lections of the Grand Paciflc.
A DUAL-PUEPOSE BREED 761
iiibitioii at Tattersall's in Chicago, the Short-horns
leaving oft', as they had begun in 1878, by capturing
the championship, the award going to J. H. Potts &
Son's Whiskers of Milton E. Jones' breeding. Since
that date America has unfortunately been without
a fat-stock show. It appears from the above record
that the Short-horns won eleven out of the sixteen
championships awarded, besides contributing to the
blood of two of the grade Hereford champions.
On the range. — As already stated it was the blood
of Short-horn bulls that laid the foundation for the
present improved class of cattle coming from the
Western ranges. Large numbers of them had been
used throughout the Western country before the
Herefords were bred in the Western States, so that
when the "white-faced" bulls began going upon the
ranges the cow herds were in many instances well
graded up with Short-horn blood. The Southwest
has been the great breeding ground of the new West
and few men are better qualified to speak of the
manner in which the great herds of the Texas Pan-
handle have been brought to their present level than
Mr. Charles Goodnight. In a recent letter to the
author Mr. Goodnight, who is recognized as one of
the leaders in the improvement of Southwestern
herds, says:
When I came into the Panhandle of Texas it was an unsettled
wild, being some 250 miles to the nearest settlement toward the
East and Southeast. Having no communication with the settled
portion of the State for a number of years I cannot advise you as
to the date v/hen they commenced to breed Short-horns in these
762 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
districts. I came to the Panhandle in 1876 from Colorado, bring-
ing with me, among other cattle, about 130 high-grade and some
pure-bred Short-horns, or "Durhams," as we were accustomed to
call them. I had bought in Kentucky in 1869 114 head of pedi-
greed Short-horn bulls as calves, and used them to great advan-
tage. Some years later I bought about 300 high-grade and pedi-
greed Short-horns in Kansas and Missouri, and from this "plant"
the Panhandle of Texas was largely "blooded."
At a later date these cattle and their descendants were
crossed by Herefords, from which cross sprung some of the most
noted of existing Panhandle herds. In this altitude and cli-
mate the greatest success is attained by this cross, and we will
continue to so breed cattle in this part of the country.
Mr. Miirdo Mackenzie, manager for the Matador
Land and Cattle Co., one of the largest "outfits" in
the Panhandle country, confirms Mr. Goodnight 's
testimony as to the partiality of Southwestern
ranchmen for a dip of Short-horn blood. While
other breeds have staunch friends and will undoubt-
edly continue to be largely used in the Western
trade, Mr. Mackenzie, in common with most other
unprejudiced men, claims that the blood of the
Short-horn will ever remain a prime factor in main-
taining the size of the Southwestern stock. He
states that on the occasion of a recent visit to the
great X I T range, the largest in the world, the
property of the Capitol Syndicate, he called the at-
tention of the manager to the fact that the Short-
horn steers would average seventy-five pounds heav-
ier than those in which other bloods predominated,
which fact was promptly admitted. No man in the
American cattle trade stands higher than Murdo
Mackenzie. A large buyer and user of Herefords
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 763
himself, his statements herewith quoted, made in
the course of a recent interview with the author,
reflect not the partisanship of a Short-horn breeder,
but the deliberate judgment of one of the best in-
formed and most intelligent of the present genera-
tion of brainy cattlemen operating on the Western
range.
Similar testimony comes from every nook and cor-
ner of the great grazing grounds of the Western
plains and mountain valleys as well as from the
Pacific Slope.* In the Northwest Short-horn blood
has been in demand ever since neat cattle superseded
the buffalo. Conrad Kohrs,t Pierre Wibaux and
their contemporaries have spread the Short-horn
colors everywhere throughout the Northern range.
In the course of a recent letter to the author Mr.
Wibaux says:
I will simply say this, that the Short-horn is the only bull to
use in a free-grazing country. I bought my first one in Kentucky
in 1883 and have been using them ever since. Whenever I have
branched out with other breeds I have been sorry for it, as the
increase would then be reduced in size or of bad color. Our old-
est herds in Montana, and the best we ever had, were bred from
the Short-horn.
*Pure-brecl Short-horns were introduced into California a great
many years ago and the blood has been freely used upon the immense
ranches of that State. One of the most notable shipments ever sent
to the Coast was a purchase made by John D. Carr from Col. William
S. King of Lyndale, which included among other celebrities the great
imported Cruickshank cow Christabel, by Champion of England.
tConrad Kohrs made his first large investment in Northwestern
cattle in 1866, when he bought from "Johnnie" Grant a large herd
containing many well-bred Short-horns. In 1871 he began buying
Short-horn bulls on an extensive scale throughout the corn-belt. His
annual shipments of beef cattle to Eastern markets have averaged
about 3,000 head, and these, on account of their good breeding, have
uniformly commanded a high price.
764 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEiSr CATTLE
Mr. Wibaux ranks as one of the "cattle kings"
of the West and while his testimony may sound
rather radical it serves to demonstrate that notwith-
standing the admitted value and popularity of other
breeds in connection with Western ranching the
Short-horn has a permanent hold in that trade as
well as among the farmers, feeders and dairymen of
the older States.
Dairy capacity. — From the earliest periods the
breed has produced cows of splendid capacity at the
pail. One of the first of the English breeders to pay
special attention to the dairy quality of his herd
was Jonas Whitaker, whose cows were celebrated
throughout all England for their splendid udders
and heavy flow of milk. Bates was always proud of
his butter records. Indeed, in the early days there
was scarcely a herd of note that did not possess cows
of exceptional capacity in this direction. Even at
Killerby and Warlaby, where beef was the prime
consideration, deep-milking cows were frequently
developed. Sir Charles Knightley with his Fawsley
Fillpails carried the reputation of the Short-horn
as a milking stock throughout the entire cattle-
breeding world.
The early importations into New England and the
East were specially distinguished in this regard ; the
descendants of such imported cows as Pansy, Ara-
bella, Agatha, Belina, the Princesses and many oth-
ers furnishing bountiful supplies of dairy products.
Cows descending from the earlier Ohio and Ken-
DOWAGER SD— FIKST-PUIZE DAIRY COW AT THE KUYAL ENGLISH
SHOWS OF 1S92 AND 1893. PRODUCED 561 LBS.
OF BUTTER IN 12 MONTHS.
MOLLY MILLICENT— THE CELEBRATED ENGLISH SHOW COW.
BRED AND EXHIBITED BY ROBT. THOMPSON, INGLEWOOD.
PENRITH. — (Reproduced fiom drawing In ••London Lire
Stock Journal."!
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 765
tucky importations, although not handled to such
an extent as were those of the East, with a view
toward dairy work, often gave much more milk than
their lusty calves could possibly take care of. The
earlier volumes of the American He»'d Book contain
many references to remarkable milk and butter rec-
ords, and coming down to recent times we have the
official Columbian test, the records of various State
fairs and agricultural colleges, as well as private
dairies, to prove that this valuable trait still exists
whenever and wherever the necessary pains are
taken to cultivate it. This is as true to-day in the
old country as it is in the United States, as is shown
by the official records of the London Dairy Show and
by the books of the great English dairy supply com-
panies and of the herds making a specialty of the
milking strains.
It is a well-known fact that the milking habit
is one which may lie dormant if neglected and which
is yet susceptible of cultivation to a remarkable de-
gree. At present a large proportion of Short-horn
breeders devote their attention rather to the devel-
opment of the feeding and fleshing qualities of their
stock at the expense of the milk-making proclivities.
This is a point which needs attention. It is a well-
known fact that the best milkers, as a rule, prove
the best mothers, rear the best calves and thus be-
come the most reliable sources of profit in the herd.
A typical Short-horn cow should require no '' wet-
nurse" for her progeny, and by a judicious system
766 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
of selection and management any good breeding
herd may become noted for its milk as well as for
its beef. In this fact lies the chief glory of the
Short-horn.*
State fair tests. — We can conceive of no place
more thoroughly unsuited for the proper testing of
dairy cows than our American State fairs. Few
animals can be expected to do themselves justice
immediately after a railway journey, set down in the
midst of new and unfavorable surroundings under
the uncertain influences of a change of feed and
water. Nevertheless, various State boards of agri-
culture have offered prizes for short tests officially
conducted upon these occasions, and in proof of
what Short-horns can do even under these condi-
tions the following figures are submitted:
New York State Fair in 1889, Fillpail 3d (Vol. XXXI V, page
933) in twenty-four hours gave ZOV^ lbs. of milk, from which IV2
lbs. of butter were made. At same fair Betsy 7th (Vol. XXXV)
in twenty-four hours gave 19% lbs. of milk, from which 3 lbs. and
I/O oz. of butter was made. Fillpail 3d had produced her calf
ninety-seven days before and Betsy 7th 176 days before.
Indiana State Fair 1889, Wild Duchess of Oxford (Vol. XXXll,
page 467), test from Sept. 9 to Sept. 16, inclusive, 7 lbs. 12 oz. of
butter were made, weighed after the second working and free
*Space will not admit of our endeavoring to collect and set fortli
the remarkable milk and butter records made by Short-horn cows in
England. We are indebted to Prof. W. J. Kennedy of the Illinois
Agricultural Experiment Station for the portrait of the English-bred
cow Dowager 3d, which is reproduced in this volume. This cow was
bred and owned by Mr. C. A. Pratt, Rushford, Evesham, Eng., and
was first-prize winner at the Royal shows of 1892 and 1893, besides
proving the best dairy cow by actual test. Her milk record was 68
lbs. in one day, from which 2 lbs. 10 oz. of butter were made. She
was a magnificent type of the dual-purpose sort and had a butter
record of 561 lbs. in one year.
CO ""
o
K
2?
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 767
from buttermilk. The test on the fair grounds was twenty-four
hours, in which time she gave 32 lbs. 7i/4 oz. of milk.
Missouri State Fair, same year, Red Rosa (Vol. XXVIII, page
1007) in twenty-four hours gave 3 gals. 3 qts. of milk and 8 oz.
of butter. She took the second prize in sweepstakes, being
beaten by a Jersey giving 2 gals. 1 qt. of milk, yielding 8 oz. of
butter.
Illinois State Fair in 1890, Cora B. (Vol. XXV, page 650),
twenty-four hours test gave 24 1/. lbs. milk; total solids, 3.017.
Beatitude gave 21.50 lbs. of milk; total solids, 2.716.
Michigan State Fair 1890, Moss Rose 4th (Vol. XXXV, page
579), one day's test, butter 2 lbs. in grand sweepstakes, there be-
ing eight entries.
. Iowa State Fair 1890, Cora B. (Vol. XXV, page 650), twelve
hours' test, 25.75 lbs. milk; butter-fat, 1.05; cream gauge, 11.50
per cent. Valentine Gwynne (Vol. XXXVI) gave 21V4 lbs. of
milk, butter-fat, 87; cream gauge, 10 per cent.
Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical Association in 1890,
Carnation 43d (Vol. XXVI, page 1239) two-day test milking, one
held the week before the fair and the other on the fair grounds.
First test was 52 lbs. and on the fair grounds 12 qts. Zendavista
(Vol. XXVI, page 1239), first test 48 lbs., on the fair grounds 12
qts. Heifers under three years old, Lakewood Lady (Vol.
XXXVI) first test 9 lbs., on the fair ground 3% qts. Chautauqua
Belle, first test 11 lbs. and on the fair ground 5 qts.
New York State Fair in 1890, Kitty Clay 2d (Vol. XXI, page
553) gave 42 lbs. 13 oz. milk from which 1 lb. 11 oz. of butter was
made, unsalted. Constance of Brookdale 28th (Vol. XXXIII,
page 596) gave 42 lbs. 3 oz. of milk and 1 lb. 8 oz. of butter was
made. Chautauqua Belle 36th gave 23 lbs. 10 oz. of milk from
which 12 oz. of butter was made. Lakewood Lady (Vol. XXXVI)
gave 11 lbs. 8 oz., from which 8 oz. of butter was made, the two
latter being in the younger class.
Western Pennsylvania Agricultural Association in 1890, Dolly
2d (Vol. XXXIV, page 618), 52 lbs, 15 oz. of milk, lactometer
test 110 per cent above State standard. The actual worth of
milk at $1.50 per hundred, 79 per cent. Actual worth of milk
$1.16, cost of feed, twenty-six days' test, 40 cents. Net gain in
two days' test, 56 cents. Bracelet 11th (XXVII, page 585),
768 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOKX CATTLE
weight of milk, 71 lbs. 13 oz. ; lactometer test 109 per cent above
State standard. Current worth of milk at $1.50 per hundred was
$1.07. Actual worth of milk at $1.50 per hundred, $1.29; cost
of feed two-day test, 74 cents. Net gain, 55 cents.
Nebraska State Board of Agriculture in 1890, 5th Mistletoe
of the Grove (Vol. XIX, page 14718), two days test; first day,
milk, 327-16 lbs.; butter, 1.46 lbs.; second day, milk, 28 9-16 lbs.;
butter, 27 lbs.; total milk for two days, 61 lbs.; total amount of
butter in two days, 2.73. Cora B. (Vol. XXV, page 650), first
day, milk, 33 lbs. 1 oz.; butter, 1.17 lbs.; second day, milk, 26
7-16 lbs.; butter, 99 lbs.; total milk for two days, 59^^ lbs.; total
butter, 2.16.
California State Fair in 1891, Cherry Leaf (Vol. XXVII, page
363), in the two-day test, gave 2.114 lbs. Mountain Maid (Vol.
XXX, page 801) in same test gave 1.13 lbs. butter.
Indiana State Fair in 1891, Addie (Vol. XXXVI, page 839),
in the two-day test, gave 1.375 lbs. butter.
Kansas State Fair in 1891, Genevieve (Vol. XXXVI, page 860),
in the two-day test, made 2.838 lbs. butter. Betsy 4th (Vol. XXX,
page 501), same test, made 2.822 lbs.
Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical Association in 1891,
Bridesmaid (Vol. XXV, page 1293), in the two-day test, 2,656
lbs. of butter were made. Carnation 43d (Vol. XXXVI, page
1239), in the two-day test, 2.343 lbs.
Michigan State Fair in 1891, Moss Rose 4th (Vol. XXXV, page
579), in the two-day test, made 3.25 lbs.
Missouri State Fair in 1891, Ada of Idlewild (Vol. XXXIV,
page 615), in the two-day test, made 1.74 lbs.
New York State Fair in 1891, Fillpail 3d (Vol. XXXIV, page
923), in the two-day test, made 3.29 lbs. Isa (Vol. XXXIV, page
780), in the two-day test, gave 3.05 lbs.
Nebraska State Fair in 1891, Lady Jane Constance (Vol.
XXXI, page 747), in the two-day test, made 2.06 lbs. Maggie
Gunter (Vol. XXXII, page 508), made 2.04 lbs.
Ohio State Fair in 1891, Bracelet 11th (Vol. XXVII, page
585), in two days gave 3.21 lbs. butter.
Western Pennsylvania Agricultural Association in 1891, Ver-
vain (Vol. XXXIV, page 825), in the two-day test, made 4.2 lbs.
GLEXDALE DUKE — A TWO-YEAR-OLD SON OF CYRUS CLAY AND
GRANDSON OF DORIS CLAY IN THE HERD OF R. G. WOOD,
CONSHOHOCKEN, PA.
KELMSCOTT ACROBAT 4TH — AN ESTEEMED TYPE OP ENGLISH
MILKING SHORTHORN SIRE.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 769
Dolly 2d (Vol. XXXIV, page 618), in the two-day test, gave
3.857 lbs.
At the Western Fair at Ontario in 1891, Matilda H. (Vol.
XXXVII), in the two-day test, made 2.131 lbs.
Wisconsin State Fair in 1891, Lady Campbell (Vol. XXV,
page 841), in the two-day test, gave 2.4.
The Columbian records. — In connection witli the
live-stock exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposi-
tion in Chicago in 1893 the most elaborate official
test of the relative capacities of dairy cows of which
there is record was held. It goes without saying
that show-yard surroundings are not conducive to
the best results in performances of this kind. The
most that can be said for such contests is that they
are as fair for one breed as another. The Colum-
bian test covered milk and butter production as well
as cheese-making, and extended over the period
from May 11 to Oct. 4, the cows being subject to
close confinement in temporary accommodations and
endured the mid-summer heat. The American Jer-
sey Cattle Club appropriated the sum of $40,000 for
the purpose of making the strongest possible presen-
tation of the claims of that famous Channel Island
butter breed. Hundreds of carefully conducted tests
of cows of that type had been previously reported,
so that it was comparatively easy to select cows of
known capacity to represent that popular breed
upon this occasion. The American Guernsey Cattle
Club also made provision for a choice collection of
tested cows. The Holstein-Friesian breeders ex-
pressed dissatisfaction with some of the provisions
under which the tests were to be conducted and de-
770 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
clined to enter. The American Short-horn Breed-
ers' Association, with commendable enterprise, re-
solved to take advantage of the occasion to prove
that the ''red, white and roans" would milk as well
as make beef, and the task of locating and collect-
ing cows for that purpose was entrusted to Hon. H.
H. Hinds of Stanton, Mich. In spite of the fact that
insufficient data was at hand for the prompt prose-
cution of the work, Mr. Hinds succeeded in obtain-
ing the requisite twenty-five head, and it was largely
due to his efficient and unremitting efforts that such
a satisfactory showing was made for the Short-horns
in the face of the strongest opposition from the spe-
cial dairy breeds mentioned. Bearing in mind the
fact that the Short-horns have been bred for beef
to a far greater extent than in the direction of dairy
performance, the comparisons shown by the sub-
joined summary furnish conclusive demonstration of
the fact that the breed possesses latent capabilities
as dairy stock, requiring only proper attention to
render it an important factor in the calculations of
general farmers and dairymen :
In test number one, for cheese-making, extending from May
11 to May 25, the Jersey herd stood first, the Gurnseys second and
the Short-horns third; the award being based on net cost of
production. Nevertheless, the Short-horns yielded 12,186.9 lbs. of
milk, from which was made 1,077.6 lbs. cheese. The best indi-
vidual record made by any cow in this test was 70.92 lbs. of
cheese by the Jersey cow Ida Marigold, produced at a net profit
of $6.97. The Short-horn cow Nora made during the same period
60.56 lbs. at a net profit of $6.27. The best Guernsey made 50.05
at a net profit of $5.27.
KITTY (LAY 4TH— PRODUCED 1,592.8 LBS. MILK. FROM WHICH
WAS MADE 62.24 LBS. BUTTER. AND GAINED 28 LBS. IN
WEIGHT DURING COLUMBIAN THIRTY-DAY
BUTTER TEST.
YOUNG MARY STEER SCHOOLER— FIRST-PRIZE THREE-YEAR-OLD
AT AMERICAN FAT STOCK SHOW. 1885.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 771
Test number two, extending ninety days, from May 1 to Aug.
28, was for butter-making, loss or gain of weight and cost of
maintenance to be considered. It was not to be expected that
the Short-horn herd would be able to surpass the performance of
the highly-specialized butter breeds in such a contest, but the
result demonstrated for all time the dual-purpose character of
Short-horn cattle. The Jersey herd of twenty-five cows produced
73,478.8 lbs. of milk; the Short-horn herd, weakened by the loss
of two cows, produced 66,263.2 lbs. of milk, and the twenty-five
Guernseys yielded 61,781.7 lbs. of milk. The Jerseys were cred-
ited with 4,573.95 lbs. of butter, the Guernseys with 3,360.43 and
the twenty-three Short-horns with 2,890.86 lbs. of butter. Dur-
ing this same period the Short-horn cows put on 2,826 lbs. of
flesh, the Jerseys 776 lbs. and the Guernseys 466 lbs. The total
value of product produced was computed to be for the Jerseys
$1,876.67, for the Guernseys $1,465.46, and for the Short-horns
$1,286.78; the net profit credited to the Jerseys being $1,323.81,
to the Guernseys $997.63 and to the Short-horns $911.13.
In this test the Short-horn cow Nora produced 3,679.8 lbs. of
milk, from which was made 160.57 lbs. butter, and while doing
this she gained 115 lbs. in weight. The best individual Jersey
performance was by Brown Bessie, that produced 3,634 lbs. of
milk, from which was made 216.66 lbs. butter and recording a
gain in live weight of eighty-one pounds. The best Guernsey,
Materna, produced 3,511.8 lbs. of milk, from which was made
185.16 lbs. butter, the cow losing thirteen pounds live weight.
Test number three was for butter production only and ex-
tended thirty days, from Aug. 29 to Sept. 27. In this contest
the Jersey herd was credited with 837.21 lbs. butter from 13,921.9
lbs. milk, at a net profit of $274.34. The Guernseys produced
724.17 lbs. butter from 13,518.4 lbs. milk at a net profit of $237,
and the Shorthorns produced 662.66 lbs. butter from 15,618.3
lbs. milk, at a net profit of $119.13. In this test the best Jersey
cow, Brown Bessie, produced 1,134.6 lbs. milk from which was
made 72.32 lbs. butter, and gained seven pounds live weight,
showing a net profit of $24.69. The best Guernsey cow. Purity,
produced 1,012.2 lbs. milk from which was made 54.8 lbs. but-
ter, and gained fourteen pounds live weight, showing a net profit
of $19.37. The best Short-horn cow, Kittle Clay 4th, produced
772
A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
1,592.8 lbs. milk, from which was made 62.24 lbs. butter, and
gained twenty-eight pounds in weight, showing a net profit of
$19.57.*
Test number four was for heifers under three years old for
butter making, loss and gain of weight and cost of maintenance
considered, extending from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4. In this the Guern-
seys did not compete. The seven Jersey heifers gave 3,356.6
lbs. milk, producing 194.22 lbs. butter at a net profit of $56.27,
gaining 150 lbs. live weight. The six Short-horn heifers gave
2,581 lbs. milk; producing 122.36 lbs. butter, at a net profit of
$47.42; gaining 384 lbs. live weight. In this test the best Jer-
sey heifer made 37.48 lbs. butter and gained 19 lbs. in weight,
showing a net profit of $11.22. The Short-horn heifer. Miss
Renick 24th, produced 26.85 lbs. butter, gained in live weight 78
lbs. (nearly 4 lbs. per day) at a net profit of $10.97.
In tests where gain in live weight was credited the price
♦One of the cows died early in the test, so that but twenty -four
head were really available. The list (arranged in tlie order in which
they ranked at the conclusion of the ninety-day butter test) was as
follows :
Nora (Vol. 39), bred by D. Sheehan & Sons, Iowa.
Genevieve (Vol. 3 6, p. 860), bred by W. W. Waltmire, Kansas.
Waterloo Daisy (Dominion Herd Book), bred by D. Reed, Ontario.
Betsy 7th (Vol. 35, p. 925), bred by S. Spencer & Son, New York.
Bashful 2d (Vol. 35, p. 380), bred by William Duthie, Scotland.
Plumwood Bell 2d (Vol. 32. p. 641), bred by C. Hintz, Ohio.
Fair Maid of HuUett 2d (Vol. 39), bred by William Grainger, On-
tario.
Emma Abbott 3d (Vol. 39), bred by I. U. Wetmore. Illinois.
Belle Prince 2d (Vol. 30. p. 492), bred by C. M. Clark, Wisconsin.
Rosa (Vol. 36, p. 714), bred by J. W. Stewart, Pennsylvania.
Azalia (Vol. 37, p. 741), bred by A. Morse, New York.
Lady Bright (Dominion Herd Book), bred by J. G. Wright, Ontario.
Kitty Clay 7th (Vol. 38, p. 671). bred by Joseph Garfield. New York.
Marchioness 6th (Dominion Herd Book), bred by Ballantine & Son,
Ontario.
Lucy Ann (Vol. 35. p. 925), bred by H. H. Jones, New York.
Maude's Antartic (Vol. 30, p. 793), bred by W. W. Brim, Ohio.
Maid of Oxford 3d (Vol. 32, p. 790), bred by A. Morse.
Iza (Vol. 34, p. 780), bred by A. Morse.
Fancy 11th (Vol. 39), bred by J. C. Thornton & Son, Pennsylvania.
Royal Duchess (Dominion Herd Book), bred by D. Marlatt, Ontario.
Orange Girl (Vol. 37, p. 713), bred by E. B. Merriweather & Son,
Illinois.
Butterfly 3d, (Vol. 30, p. 497), bred by Hon. Emory Cobb. Illinois.
Maid of Oxford 2d (Vol. 31, p. 812), bred by A. Morse.
Fillpail 9th (Vol. 37, p. 872), bred by S. Spencer & Son.
In the thirtv-day butter test the privilege of bringing in other cows
was granted, and Kitty Clays 3d and 4th, from the herd of Mr. K.
Innes, Granville Center, Pa., materially strengthened the Sliort-horn
forces. From the Spencer herd came Kitty Clay 5th, so that this
family had more representatives in the test than any other.
WATERLOO CLAY — GRAND CHAMPION AT EASTERN STATES EX-
POSITION FOR FLINTSTONE FARM, DALTON, MASS.
iwm^
iMW i:t;iu.\ -oWMi;!) i;v
W. AUTHUR SIMI'.SUX AND \V.
OF VERMONT.
.S. I'iiATT
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 773
per pound was made uniform in each case, although it need
scarcely be pointed out that the Short-horn beef represented by
this gain would have commanded more per pound in the market
than that of their competitors. It is of interest to note that in
tests numbers two, three and four the three best Short-horn
cows, Nora, Kittie Clay 4th and Miss Renick 24th, produced 5,861
lbs. of milk, against 5,330 lbs. of milk from the best three Jer-
seys in same tests.
The Wisconsin experiment. — The Wisconsin Agri-
cultural Experiment Station has undertaken a study
of the relative capacity of cows representing the
special dairy type and those of the dual-purpose
character. The Hon. W. D. Hoard, H. C. Taylor and
C. P. Goodrich, than whom there are probably no
better judges of special dairy stock, each selected
a grade Jersey for this test. Six grade Short-horns,
a like number of grade Guernseys and three more
grade Jerseys were bought by Prof. "\V. L. Carlyle,
whose object in making the test is set forth in the
following language:
It has been generally admitted by those with experience on
the subject that under present conditions it will never be profit-
able for the farmers of Wisconsin to engage to any great extent
in rearing a class of "beefing" cattle, the cows of which give only
sufficient milk to rear their young. The great cattle ranges of
the West are too near, and the competition too unequal to per-
mit of our farmers embarking in exclusive beef raising to any
great extent. On the other hand, the majority of our farmers
are apparently not desirous of keeping the so-called special-pur-
pose dairy cattle. They would like to keep a class of cattle, if
such could be obtained, that would give a suQiciently large quan-
tity of milk and butter-fat to return a fair profit on the feed and
care given them, and at the same time produce steers that would
feed well for beef.
The first year's work with this set of cows closed
774 A HISTOKY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
witli the grade Short-horn Eose established as the
greatest producer in the herd; returning the greatest
profit over cost of feed, although milked only 326
days out of the 365. During that time she produced
10,163 lbs. of milk, containing 433.82 lbs. of butter-
fat, the equivalent of 506.12 lbs. of butter. The
and skim-milk produced was $114.92, leaving a profit
4.2 per cent. The total feed consumed during the
entire year cost $35.06. The total value of the butter
and skim-milk produced was $114.92, leaving a profit
over cost of feed of $79.86. Her butter, produced at
a cost of 6.9 cents, was made more economically
than that from any special-purpose cow in the herd.
The second best result was obtained from one of the
Guernsey grades, showing a profit of $68.04, but the
third best record in the herd was made by the grade
Short-horn cow Duchess, that produced 439.83 1])S. of
butter at a net profit of $67.07. Speaking of this
first year's experiment Prof. Carlyle says:
It must be admitted that the results of this year's work were
a great surprise, for while it was thought that the large and
strong Short-horn grades representing the dual-purpose type,
would return a fair proiit on the feed consumed, it was not even
surmised that they would equal their much more finely organ-
ized and smaller sisters— the Jersey and Guernsey grades— in
cheapness of butter production. This yearly record is given as
a preliminary work, and is not to be considered as at all con-
clusive and yet when five such Short-horn grade cows as are here
reported can be picked up in a single day, as was the case with
these, it would seem as if that class of cows must have a great
deal of dairy value.
This Wisconsin test, which is developing many
surprises for those who have so strenuously denied
COLLEGE MOORE— PRODUCED 409 LBS. OF BUI li... 1 :s l- .iwNTHS.
COLLEGE BELLE 2D— PRODUCED 355.1 LBS. BUTTER IN 12
MONTHS'.
DUAL-PURPOSE COWS AT IOWA AGRICULTURAL. COLLEGE.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 775
the existence of a profitable dual-purpose cow is still
iu progress, and we have it on the best authority
that the data which will be forthcoming in the re-
port of the second year's experiment will be even
more interesting to the breeders of Short-horns than
that from which we have quoted above.
Official records in Iowa. — The proofs being sup-
plied at the Wisconsin Station are well supplement-
ed by late figures from the Iowa Agricultural Ex-
periment Station at Ames, where special attention is
also being given to the subject of the dairy capacity
of Short-horn cows. Director C. F. Curtiss has fur-
nished us vdth photographs of the two cow3 College
Moore and College Belle 2d (illustrated in this vol-
ume), both descending in the maternal line from
imp. Young Mary. College Belle 2d has produced
7,554 lbs. of milk in ten months, with an average of
4,3 per cent fat, from which was produced 355.1 lbs.
butter; the net profit (not including her calf) being
$41.42. The roan College Moore has produced 8,734.5
lbs. milk in twelve months, showing an average test
of 4.02 per cent fat, with a butter production of 409
lbs., yielding a net profit, not including calf, of
$37.57. These and other of the Iowa College cows
are producing and rearing some very fine calves
sired by the Scotch bull Courtier 125603, bred by C.
C. Xorton, Corning, la., and sired by Prince Bishop
67273 out of a Sweet Charity 4th by imp. Salamis
110075. Prof. Curtiss of this station, who ranks as
one of the best all-around judges of live stock in the
776 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
West at tlie present time, personally selected in
Scotland during the summer of 1899, at Mr. Du-
thie's, the valuable young bull Scotland's Crown,
recently added to the college herd. He states that
some of the younger cows in the herd bid fair to
excel the performances of the two above mentioned.
rig"ures from New York. — The thirteenth annual
report of the New York Agricultural Experiment
Station for the year 1894 contains an interesting ac-
count of similar experiments at Geneva. Seven dif-
ferent breeds were represented, and although there
was but one Short-horn cow in the herd (Spencer's
Betsy 10th), yet when pitted against special dairy
breeds she gave a good account of herself, as appears
from the subjoined summary:
The Short-horn stood at the head of the list in the matter of
relative cost of milk solids obtained, and stood second in the
computation showing relative actual profit from milk. She was
third in relative amount of milk produced.
In butter production the Short-horn ranked third with a total
of 305.1 lbs.; the highest yield being 325.6 from the Guernseys.*
The Short-horn cow was fourth in rank in the matter of the
amount of butter obtained from each 100 lbs. of milk; the figure
in her case standing at 5.04 as against 6.4 from the Jerseys.
FroD. the Short-horn's milk an average of 1 lb. of butter
was mai'o from each 19.84 lbs., as against 24.7 required in the
case of the Ayrshires and 26.6 lbs. in the case of the Holstein-
Friesians.
The Short-horn was third in the matter of the average cost
*In his valuable work, "American Dairying," published by the
Sanders Publisliing Company, Mr. H. B. Gurler, DeKalb, 111., gives the
average annual butter production of the 16,. "300, 000 cows in the United
.States at 130 lbs. Dairy cows to show profit must produce upward
of 200 lbs. butter per year. Upon this basis it will be observed that
this New York, as well as other official tests, prove the Short-horn's
right to be classed among those that can be profitably handled for
d?Liry purposes.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 777
of milk fat per pound produced; this expense being in the case
of the Jerseys 16.12 cents, Guernseys 16.14 cents, Short-horn 16.18
cents; the other breeds ranging from 19.06 to 20.47 cents.
The average cost per pound of the Short-horn butter was 15.15
as against 14.11 for the Jerseys and 14.15 for the Guernseys; the
Short-horn ranking third.
In the matter of the average profit derived per cow from sell-
ing butter the Short-horn was again third, with a credit of $30.06
for one period of lactation; figures for other breeds ranging from
$14.58 to $35.25.
In the amount of cream produced the Short-horn was third,
with 1,345 lbs. from one period of lactation; the range of all the
breeds being from 916.5 for the lowest to 1,427.5 for the highest.
In the item of average cost of cream per quart the Short-horn
stood next to the Jerseys and Guernseys; also ranking third in
the average money value of cream produced.
In cheese production the Short-horn ranked first in the item of
profit, showing the lowest relative cost of production per pound.
It was claimed tliat the Sliort-liorn was producing
a calf each year worth $5 more than that from any
other cow in the test.
The milking Short-horn is in evidence in nearly
every Northern State. Hundreds of private tests
might be presented in substantiation of that state-
ment: but the following will serve as fair illustra-
tions of the results being obtained by practical farm-
ers and dairymen:
Mrs. Flora V. Spencer, formerly of New York but now of Pennsyl-
vania, whose herd supplied more cows for the Columbian dairy test
than came from any other one source, furnishes the following record
of Short-horn cows which she has owned :
Kittie Clyde (Vol. 13), 13200 lbs. milk in eight months; 650 lbs.
of milk in ten days, from which was made 33 lbs. of butter. Her
dam, Fillpail, gave 60 lbs. of milk per day. Kittie Clay 2d produced
69 lbs. of milk in one day. Cherry 11th produced 61 lbs. of milk per
day.
Lucy Ann (Vol. 35) gave 8,948% lbs. of milk in forty-seven
weeks, from which was made 425.14 lbs. butter. In seven days she
778 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOE X CATTLE
gave 280 lbs. 8 oz. of milk, which produced 13,32 lbs. butter. Betsey
8th (Vol. 37) made 14.72 lbs. butter in seven days.
Fillpail 16th, with her first calf, gave in a year 6,056 lbs. 8 oz. of
milk, from which was made 305.07 lbs. of butter. Mrs. Spencer states
that for seven years she has not had a matured cow with a smaller
record than 39 ij lbs. milk per day, and the herd for three years av-
eraged 4 per cent butter-fat by the Babcock test. The cow Betsey of
this herd made a pound of cheese in the Columbia dairy test cheaper
than any other cow of any breed.
Mr. J. K. Innes, the enterprising proprietor of Glenside Farm,
Granville Center, Pa., owner of the famous Columbian test cow
Kitty Clay 4th, supplies the following :
Luvia Clay, a daughter of Kittie Clay 3d, gave from May 19, 1895,
to April 6, 1896, 7,278.8 lbs. milk, which made 337 lbs. butter. This
was with her first calf. The next season she gave in seven days 30.8
lbs. of milk, which made 13.85 lbs. butter.
Mamie Clay, daughter of Kittie Clay 4th, gave from June 1 to
June 30, 1898, 1,175 lbs. milk, that carried an average of 3.9 per cent
butter-fat, after having been in milk something over four months.
Nancy Lee gave during the month of June, 1898, 1,230 lbs. milk that
tested an average of 4 per cent butter-fat, having been in milk since
Feb. 27, 1898.
Kittie Clover, a daughter of Kittie Clay 4tli, gave during seven
days in 1897, 266.7 lbs. milk, carrying an average of 4.1 per cent
better-fat. This was in her three-year-old form.
Margaretta Clay, granddaughter of Kittie Clay 3d, gave in thirty
days 746 lbs. milk that tested an average of 4.2 per cent. This was
with her first calf, and she had been in milk more than ten months,
calving about eight weeks after the test was made.
Betsy 8th gave during the month of June, 1899, 1,429 lbs. milk,
with an average test of 3.7 per cent, having been in milk since
March 20. Mayflower, a daughter of Roan Clay 4th, has given this
year in fourteen days 610.3 lbs. milk, with an average of 4 per cent
butter-fat. Kittie Sweet produced in fourteen days 420.8 lbs. milk,
testing 3.9 per cent butter-fat. This in her two-year-old form with
first calf.
Superintendent May of Glenside says : "These tests were made
without any special preparation, the cows receiving the usual care
and feed given the entire herd. We are now weighing the product
and testing every cow in the herd for an entire year, so that we shall
soon have some twelve months' records to present."
John Armstrong of Kingsbury Co., S. D., reports that in 1898 his
sixteen grade Short-horn cows averaged 6,000 lbs. of milk, from which
was made an average of 301 lbs. 5 oz. of butter. Counting stock sold
and pork produced on skim-milk the net income per cow was $62.50.
For 1899 the same number of cows produced 101,477 lbs. milk, which
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED 779
yielded 5,077 lbs. of butter, an average of 6,342 lbs. of milk and 317
lbs. 5 oz. of butter per cow. He figures that these cows made him
during the twelve months $76.47 net.
C. M. Clark of Walworth Co., Wis., reports that during the montli
of December, 1898, his thirteen Short-horn cows and eight two and
three-year-old heifers produced 14,218 lbs. of milk ; making an aver-
age of SoVa lbs. butter per head for the month, which, for a winter
production, indicates profitable dairy capacity. The best of the bull
calves raised by such cows are sold at good prices for breeding pur-
poses. The poorer ones are steered, and Mr. Clark reports that his
last lot of bullocks averaged 1,200 lbs. at about twenty-four months
old, and are worth six cents per pound. Mr. Clark's cattle descend
mainly from the Bates tribes, although he has recently been using a
Scotch-topped Rose of Sharon bull.
Polled Durhams. — The recent establisliment in
the West of the type of cattle known as "Polled
Durhams" is a matter of interest to all breeders of
Short-horns. There are two varieties of Polled Dur-
hams — one of pure Short-horn descent and the other
tracing to the native "mulej^" cows of the country
crossed originally with registered Short-horn bulls.
The pure-bred Short-horns that have had the polled
characteristic sufficiently established to admit them
to the Polled Durham Herd Book are classed as
''double-standard" cattle, being eligible to both the
Short-horn and Polled Durham registries. A large
proportion of these descend from the Gwynne cow
Oakwood Gwynne 4th, the Young Phyllis cow Mary
Louden and the White Rose bull Young Hamilton
114169. Oakwood Gwynne 4th had loose horns or
"scurs," and when bred to the 7th Duke of Hillhurst
34221 dropped a pair of hornless roan heifer calves,
known as Nellie Gwynne and Mollie Gwynne. (See
Vol. XXXin, page 728.) Bred to Bright Eyes Duke
780 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLK
8th 31894 she dropped the hornless red bull King of
Kine 87412. The twin heifers were bred by C. McC.
Reeve and the hornless bull by W. W. McNair, both
of Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. W. S. Miller of Ohio, who
had been endeavoring to develop a type of polled
cattle showing Short-horn characteristics, bought
these Gwynnes and made use of them in his breed-
ing operations. The bull Young Hamilton above
mentioned, that won the championship over all bulls
competing in the "general-purpose" class at the Co-
lumbian Exposition, possessed great scale and his
blood has been freely used.
Some of the leading Polled Durham breeders are
now crossing their cows with well-bred Scotch
Short-horn bulls. As a rule stock of this type pos-
sesses good size, and the cows are often heavy milk-
ers. They represent the dual-purpose idea, and the
absence of horns is counted a distinct advantage.
That the breed owes its merit wholly to the Short-
horn is freely admitted, and its success simply con-
stitutes another tribute to the efficacy of that blood.
The Polled Durham breeders have maintained a Na-
tional organization since 1889. Under the presi-
dency of Dr. William W. Crane, Tippecanoe City, 0.,
this has developed into an influential association.
Its Secretary, Mr. J. H. Miller, Peru, Ind., is one of
the most enthusiastic supporters of Polled Durham
claims, and has made sales for export to South
America,
CHAPTER XXIV
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE
We have now traced the growth of the breed from
an humble beginning in ancient Northumbria to a
place of imperial power in the cattle trade of the
civilized world. For nearly a century it has existed
as an improved and well-established type. During
that time it has felt the impress of men of undoubted
genius and intellectual force. It has also endured
the blundering of those who had ability only as de-
stroyers of what others had created. Two oppo sing-
forces are constantly at work. The one constructive,
the other subversive of all progress; the one ani-
mated by a lofty ambition to accomplish something
for the uplifting of the breed, the other moved only
by sordid consideration of present profit.
At the outset every man who enters the fraternity
that boasts so many illustrious names should ponder
well the real meaning of the word breeder and en-
deavor to equip himself thoroughly for the intelli-
gent manipulation of the plastic material with which
he proposes to work. Is he to make an honest effort
to emulate the example of the master builders of
the breed, or is he to drift aimlessly upon the tide
of some passing fashion, content to be a mere ped-
dler of pedigrees? Is Short-horn breeding a busi-
ness worthy of the best efforts of intelligent men, or
781
782 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
is it simply a traffic in herd-book certificates? Is
there inspiration and a love for original creative
work to be found in the great achievements of the
past, or are there only chains and shackles for those
who engage in the trade in this day and generation?
The closing century is not without its lessons bear-
ing upon these and kindred considerations, and a
few plainly stated deductions from the experiences
of those who have gone before may be found iielpful
in examining the duties, responsibilities and privi-
leges of those who have the future of the Short-hom
in their keeping.
What constitutes success? — It might appear at
first blush that the auction block is the one crucial
test of success, but this is true only when averages
for a long series of years are considered. The oper-
ations of powerful vested financial interests occa-
sionally rule the market without special reference
to intrinsic values. Again many a splendid animal,
many a grand herd has failed to meet Avith adequate
appreciation because of lack of enterprise on the
part of the owner, or through the machinations of
those little souls who are either jealous of a con-
temporary's success, or interested from selfish mo-
tives in decrying the blood which his neighbor has
used. The Short-hom trade has suffered incal-
culable damage from individuals whose devotion to
purely commercial considerations was greater than
their love for good Short-horns. Frequently they
knew little and cared less about the individual merit
CYRUS CLAY— IN ACTIVE SERVICE AT 13 YEARS IN L. D. MAY'S
HERD — SEVERAL TIMES A STATE FAIR CHAMPION.
Jx.N> iSV.-^i.Ki GIFT— SOLD AT $4,500 l.\ F. S. PEER'S AUCTION TO
FLINTSTONE FARM, DALTON, MASS.
THE LAMP OF EXPEEIENCE 783
of the breed. A man possesses certain blood which
he insists is "bluer" than that flowing in the veins
of other Short-horns, and even while loudest in his
claims of superiority it often happens that the un-
fortunate animals in such mercenary hands are de-
scending to the lowest levels of mediocrity from
sheer neglect of the first principles of good breeding
and management. Some years ago a few misguided
individuals undertook to "run a corner" on such
representatives as were then in existence of certain
so-called "pure" tribes. They made a pretense of
insisting that these few" animals were the real "salt"
of the Short-horn earth, and, as such, valuable be-
yond compare. It mattered not that the originator
of those very families had himself inbred his stock
to the limit of safety before he died, and that he
would doubtless have been the first to protest against
the absurdity of the present jDrocedure. Neverthe-
less, people interested themselves in the project as a
speculation. One Western operator collected all of
these "absolutelys" he could secure; the result of
the venture being that within two years he was
forced to destroy the calves as fast as the wretched
degenerates came into the world, and the sires and
dams, vvdth constitutions ruined beyond repair, soon
followed their progeny to the shambles. It is
scarcely necessary to say that such an undertaking
considered as a proposition in scientific breeding
was fore-doomed to failure, and yet in the face of
this and other examples of the impossibility of main-
784 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HORN CATTLE
taining inbred strains indefinitely, without admix-
ture of other blood, men are still found willing for
the sake of possible financial profit to repeat, in this
respect, the follies of the past. There are cases on
record where pedigree speculators, who have closed
out their interests in time, have gained some finan-
cial advantage, but such men were not breeders
within the real meaning of the term.
He only has made a genuine success of Short-horn
breeding who maintains or improves upon the char-
acter of the animals received from other hands.
In-breeding. — This is a two-edged sword. In the
hands of men who were adepts in its application it
brought about some of the greatest successes known
in Short-horn history. By concentration of the
blood of favorite animals the distinctive types that
have so largely dominated the trade have been cre-
ated. On the other hand, over-indulgence in the
practice has proved the destruction of more than
one family of great original merit. Dealing with
raw materials, as it were, the pioneer breeders were
able to reap the highest possible measure of benefit
from an appeal to the Bakewell practice, but a cen-
tury of breeding within herd-book lines has brought
the Short-horns of the present in such close relation-
ships that what was wise procedure in the early days
would now be the height of folly. What was once
heterogeneous in its composition has by the opera-
tion of the pedigree registry system been rendered
homogeneous.
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 785
The fact that close breeding proved effective many
years ago in the hands of a few men of rare capacity
affords no justification whatever for continued in-
and-in breeding by their successors. Efforts have
been made to enforce, as a test of loyalty to some of
these great breeders of other days, opposition to the
idea of resorting in any shape, fonn or manner to
fresh blood for the rejuvenation of cattle so descend-
ed. It must be apparent to even the dullest compre-
hension that this proposition is not only illogical
on its face, but is really the most effective of all
methods of destroying the good work done by those
who bequeathed stock that had already been sub-
jected to the severe test of long-continued blood con-
centration. The Bates cattle in particular suffered
extensively from the operations of those who resist-
ed the idea of fresh crosses. Messrs. Warfield,
Eenick, Alexander, the Bedfords and others obtained
results outside of the "straight" Bates line that sur-
passed the accomplishments of such of their con-
temporaries as adhered strictly to the "line." An
unwillingness to infuse other blood into the old Kil-
lerby and Warlaby strains did not contribute to the
physical welfare of the cattle of Booth descent, and
at the Torr dispersion the outcrossed strains were
gladly bought at high prices to revive the glories
of the earlier davs.*
*Tn this connection it may be said that the major part of the
Booth herd was sold at auction a few years since by Mr. William
Booth, executor of the estate of his brother, the late T. C. Booth.
The herd is again being- revived by Mr. Richard Booth, son of T. C,
and Short-horns may still be seen in the fine old pastures at Warlaby.
786 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Examining the record down to the present day we
find a tendency to repeat the errors of former years
in the case of the families created by Amos Cruick-
shank. In view of the fact that this careful breeder
freely conceded the desirability of an outcross on his
cattle prior to the sale of his herd, the contention of
those who are now insisting upon maintaining the
'* purity" of the Sittyton families finds no adequate
basis in reason or experience. James I. Davidson,
who was for a number of years Mr. Cruickshank's
representative in America, demonstrated what could
be done by the right kind of an outcross when he
introduced the blood of Crown Prince of Atlielstane
2d. Messrs. Potts added to the vitality, as shown by
increased fertility, of one branch of the Sittyton
Lavenders, by the use of a bull blending the blood of
imp. Duke of Eichmond with a Young Mary founda-
tion. At Linwood Col. Harris was making substan-
tial progress at the time he gave up breeding by the
use of the Golden Drop and Princess Alice blood.
Evidence is to be had from the operations of Mr.
James J. Hill, the late Col. T. S. Moberley and otliers,
going to show that a judicious intermingling of the
blood of other good Short-horns with that of the
Scotch-bred stock will prove in the future fruitful of
better results than are promised by a too rigid adher-
ence to the prevailing fashionable line.
Touching this point the Hon. John Dryden, one of
the earliest and best friends of the Sittyton cattle in
America, says:
THE LAMP OF EXPEEIENCE 787
For those who are interested in Cruickshank cattle to go on
blindly following pedigree as the most prominent thing in con-
nection with the breeding of these cattle means, in my judgment,
certain ruin. We have seen this tried in several breeds of cattle
and horses before, and I know how much evil it has worked.
Whatever others may say, I know definitely that Mr. Cruick-
shank's own ideas were entirely contrary to that view. It would
have been of great advantage to those of us following in his foot-
steps to have had the crosses made by himself; they would then
have been accepted without question as the result of sound judg-
ment.
My opinion is that Mr. Cruickshank was right when he de-
cided that violent crosses on his cattle should be avoided. What
I mean by that is to take an exactly opposite type or style of
pedigree, the result of which is not ordinarily uniform mixing.
Mr. Cruickshank's theory was that to keep up the robustness of
his cattle and to give them additional strength of character an
occasional cow of somewhat different breeding should be used
upon which to cross one of his own bulls with the view of secur-
ing a bull of somewhat different blood. If such outcross is to
be resorted to it should not be one of mere pedigree, but the
animal chosen should be sound and of robust constitution and
having similar characteristics to the Cruickshank cattle as de-
veloped by their former proprietor. Further, it should be borne
in mind that Mr. Cruickshank's idea was not to produce fine-
looking animals when they were matured at from four to six
years of age, but to produce such animals as would mature if
necessary of from one to two and a half years. I notice that a
good many show animals which are talked about a great deal
belong to the former class, and while they are fine animals when
at their maturity, they do not at all possess the characteristics
that Mr. Cruickshank sought in his herd.
We have at the present day altogether too many imitators
among breeders of cattle. It seems to be the proper thing to pur-
sue the principle that is followed in a millinery shop, and every-
body tries to follow in the same line. They do not all succeed,
but because this color or that or this form or the other is fash-
ionable nothing else will do on any account. Now it is a very
easy thing to follow fashion in pedigree, but a confessedly diffi-
788 A. HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
cult thing to do what all the great cattle-breeders of the past
have done, and produce not merely a pedigree but animals hav-
ing special characteristics and the power to give these to their
descendants.
Mr. Cruickshank never followed fashion either in pedigree or
upon any other point, but had his own sound common sense to
guide him. He knew what he wanted and he knew it when he
saw it, the result being that when he found among his own calves
the bull Champion of England he said to himself, without con-
sulting anyone else, "That is what I am seeking for, and I shall
at once be bold enough to use him." "We all know the result.
If his brother, who was always inclined to follow fashion, had
been consulted Champion of England would never have been used,
and Mr. E. Cruickshank has often told me that if Amos had fol-
lowed his own judgment on previous occasions he would have
used one or two bulls at an earlier date which would likely have
accomplished equally good results. The same thing may be said
of Bates and Booth. They followed their own judgment until we
find that all the world decided subsequently that their judgment
was right and they became leaders of fashion.
Those who notice the cattle sales of Great Britain will have
observed that most breeders there have judgments of their own.
I have often referred to this point in this country before and
have suggested that it would be a great blessing for our country
generally if our breeders had more definite convictions of their
own, with definite ideas of what they wanted to accomplish, and
worked along that line.
My opinion therefore is that if our Cruickshank breeders un-
dertake to follow pedigree merely and stick to the color craze of
red, the cattle are doomed; it is only a matter of time, and I con-
gratulate you upon the stand you have taken in this matter.
These little points as to the shape of the horn and the exact color
of the skin are really of no consequence when it comes to the
useful qualities of the animal. We all like to see these things and
they give added value to an animal, but a good animal should not
be thrown away simply because one horn turns a little too much
back, or otherwise.
As to the present situation in England in refer-
ence to the Scotch cross, the following letter to the
BNf'.'s. ■ ■■'Iwil'
BAPTON PEARL— BRED BY J. DEANE WILLIS.
.V .^i
II - 1 \ 'nii; ijiKKN.
I'JUZE-WINNING HEIFERS AT THE ENGLISH ROYAL. OF
1899.
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 789
author from one of Britain's oldest and most conser-
vative students of Sliort-liorn breeding, Mr. William
Housman of Prospect House, Distington, Cumber-
land, sounds a note that is worth heeding :
Our breeders, as you must have observed, are very much at
variance in opinion upon the Scotch cross question. I think my-
self the term "Cruickshank blood," as commonly used, is too nar-
row and two shallow, neither stretching far enough to comprise
the useful Scotch strains from outside Sittyton sources nor going
deep enough to include old Scotch blood derived from herds long
extinct, yet still in various measures influential. Yet Cruick-
shank is justly regarded as a great name in Short-horn history.
For all that I do not care for the heavings of the crowd to and
fro. "Booms," you in America call the din raised one day about
this blood, another day about that. There is a bad want of
sobriety and stability of judgment in it all, to my poor way of
thinking. Looking at the matter in that aspect I have not a
strong desire to go much or often into the question of the merits
of this or the other cross the fashion of the day. However good
Booth, Bates, Cruickshank or any other "blood" may be, there
are plenty of persons out of breath in their haste to make a mess
of their breeding through the indiscriminate use of it, and so to
discredit what one might fairly say in its favor.
A little steadiness is the best I have at the moment to suggest
as to the course for the future; but it must be coupled with recog-
nition of merit, which I believe to be plentiful, outside the cover
of the very biggest names.
You will see that at our shows the Scotch and Scotch-cross
Short-horns are well to the front. This is a hard fact to an-
swer. Still it affords no good reason for crossing everything with
Scotch bulls, flooding the herds with that which may be eminent-
ly suitable in one case and as thoroughly unsuitable in another.
William Duthie of Collynie clearly recognizes the
desirability of finding a suitable outcross for the Sit-
tyton tribes, and has recently purchased in England
several very grand cows of mixed breeding, which he
790 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
proposes to mate with Cruickshank-bred sires with a
view toward introducing in a diluted form a dash
of fresh blood in the hope that something may be
gained in the way of size and style. Among these
cows we may mention Cowslip 26th, bred by Lord
Brougham and Vaux, a magnificent cow of wonder-
ful scale, symmetry and finish, winner of many
prizes in England; Primrose 4th, bred by Mr. Scott
of Softlaw, Kelso, winner of first prize at Edinburgh,
and of same breeding as the great show cow Softlaw
Rose; and Lady Meredith, carrying the blood of the
great bull Eosario on top of a daughter of the
world's highest-priced bull, Duke of Connaught.
The latter has the character and "grand air" of the
Duchesses, accompanied by ample scale and flesh.
These cows are large and stylish with good heads,
necks and backs. Moreover they are heavy milkers,
and as they have been mated with such bulls as
Scottish Archer and Lord of Fame the result of the
cross is awaited with much interest.*
*Mr. Duthie was led to undertake this experiment largely by the
appearance of the beautiful roan heifer Sea Gem (bred by Mr. bun-
combe), champion female of the Royal of 1897 at Manchester; that
was sired by Liberator (64260) (bred at CoUynie and sold m dam to
Mr. Willis) out of Sea Pearl, tracing- in the maternal line to Fenella
bv Mr. Bates' 3d Duke of Northumberland (3647). Sea (3em was
sold at auction at above 400 guineas. Further evidence of the intent
of Mr. Cruickshank's broad-minded successor to leave nothing undone
looking toward the perpetuation of the merit of the Sittyton tribes
is to be found in the fact that he has also tried recently the hand-
some voung bull Captain Inglewood, a son of the Sittyton-bred Cap-
tain of the Guard, out of one of the famous Inglewood cows bi-ed by
the late Robert Thompson of Penrith, whose successes at the English
Royal a number of years ago were among the greatest triumphs or
the latter-day history of the breed in Britain. ^ ^ „ . . , ,,..
Among the stock bulls used in recent years at Collynie, in addition
to those already mentioned, have been the following: Pride of Morn-
ing (64546), a champion show bull, got by Star of Morning ( 581 89),
belonging to the Sittyton Clipper tribe; Count Arthur (70194), a
white bull, bred by Deane WiUis from Count Lavendei (60545) out
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 791
It is a peculiar fact that while inbreeding brought
several of the greatest herds in Short-horn history
to their greatest perfection it proved difficult to hold
them at the level attained by the first appeal to that
magic influence. Fortunately for the breed the loss
of merit in such cases has not been rapid. In the
hands of skillful men the inbred tribes continued to
produce animals of extraordinary value at frequent
intervals. It is true, nevertheless, that the zenith
of Bates, Booth, Eenick and Cruickshank success
was attained in each case before the men who created
the types bearing those names laid down their work.
Their followers to this day are simply struggling
with the problem of how to sustain or restore an in-
bred type after it has once been in full flower. All
experience indicates- that this is a most perplexing
problem. Happily, however, the great groups of
families named remained an honor to their creators
for so many years that they contributed largely to
the general welfare. Strongh'-bred sires are usually
impressive ; but when they impress inferiority rather
than actual merit, their prepotency becomes the
strongest of all arguments against their continued
use.
Incestuous breeding should never be attempted by
a novice, and any concentration of blood is of doubt-
of Victoria 55tli by Gondolier: Nonpareil Victor (71071). also bred by
5Ir. "Willis, sired by the champion bull Count Victor (66877) — that was
sold to South America at 500 guineas — out of Nonpareil Bloom by
Commodore (54118), and Spicy Monarch, bred at Uppermill from Spicy
Robin (69638), out of Alexandrina 20th (own sister to Messrs. Rob-
bins' Gay Monarch) by William of Orange.
792 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOEN CATTLE
ful efficacy unless pronounced vigor and constitution
are possessed by the animal to be subjected to it.
As commonly understood by cattle-breeders, in-
and-in breeding is the term applied to the mating of
sires of certain tribes with females of the same
tribes. The use of a continued succession of sires of
one tribe, or group of kindred tribes, upon females
of other maternal origin is usually described as ' ' line
breeding." This latter method of procedure gives
rise to stock characterized as Bates-topped, Booth-
topped, Cruickshank-topped, etc. Only such cattle
as descend in the maternal line from cows bred at
Kirklevington, Killerby, Warlaby or Sittyton are re-
ferred to as belonging respectively to the Bates,
Booth or Cruickshank tribes. Cattle that trace to
such cows through sires carrying no admixture of
blood from other herds are described as "pure"
Bates, "pure" Booth or "pure" Cruickshank, as the
case may be, but few to which such appellation cor-
rectly applies are now living.
Herd-book registration. — In America registration
is limited to animals descended all around from stock
already of record. This renders it impossible to
originate new families on this side of the Atlantic
no matter how long the use of registered sires may
be pursued. In Great Britain the editing committee
of Coates' Herd Book has authority to admit ani-
mals having in the case of bulls five crosses of regis-
tered sires, and in the case of cows four crosses of
same. Care is of course taken before admitting stock
KEI^MSCOTT VISCUUXT 23D — SULD AT AUCTION BY F. S. PEER
FOR $3,750 TO WM. LUPPERT, WILLIAMSPORT, PA.
LUBEC MENDELSOHN — A $1,imiii JJI'LI, 1\ I s PEER'S AUCTION,
GOING TO W. C. DAVIES, CHESTER, lA.
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 793
under this latter rule to see that the foundation cows
were of good general Short-horn type. On account
of the existence of this English rule the American
association requires that English-bred cattle to
be eligible for registry must trace in all their
crosses to animals recorded, or eligible to record,
in the first twenty volumes of Coates' Herd Book.
The twentieth volume of that record was issued in
1873.
While it is the w^ell-settled policy of the American
management to oppose any relaxation of the herd-
book rules, the fact remains that some of the most
valuable Short-horns of the day in Great Britain are
to be found among those that have been bred into
Coates' Herd Book since 1873 under the four and
five-cross rule. This is particularly true of that
large and valuable contingent in the English herds
possessing rare merit for dairy purposes. It is con-
ceded that there are grave objections to opening the
door in America to the creation of new families, and
yet it is possible that the time will come when long-
continued confinement within the limits of stock de-
scended from ancestors already of record in the
American Herd Book, and in the first twenty vol-
umes of the English may render it increasingly
difficult to carry on the w^ork of improving the
breed; especially when choice of sires is still further
narrowed by the dictates of fashion in blood lines
and color. The elder Booth always maintained that
three or four crosses of the Killerby bulls on top of
794 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
good market cows of the Teeswater type gave him
animals which were, to all intents and purposes,
purely-bred Short-horns, that could be relied upon
to reproduce their own excellencies. The breed has
certainly held its own in its native land with re-
markable success and persistency under a plan which
admits of the gradual infusion of the blood of new
families. It would seem, therefore, that the system
under which Coates' Herd Book is conducted has
been proved a success on the other side of the water.
The time may not yet be ripe for the introduction of
a similar method of registration in this country, but
food for reflection is certainly found in the fact that
a large percentage of our best cattle are seen among
the comparatively short-pedigreed tribes, and con-
versely there is oftentimes a noticeable absence of
merit in animals representing families boasting an
unbroken line of herd book descent extending back
of the year 1800. All must admit the desirability of
a uniform standard on both sides the Atlantic, and
it is to be hoped that some way of bringing the
American and English rules to a common basis may
be found in the near future.
Color. — Dame Fashion has much to answer for in
connection with Short-horn breeding in America.
Not only has the fickle jade demanded the degrada-
tion of whole families of good, well-bred cattle on
insufficient charges affecting their pedigrees, but in
the Western States went so far as to dictate that red
bulls only should be used as sires. This latter prop-
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 795
osition really had its origin on the Western range.
Solid-colored bulls were preferred by the ranchmen,
and those who were breeding for that trade naturally
catered to the wants of their customers. This, in
turn, affected the choice of sires in herds that sup-
plied stock bulls to those who had a general farm
and range clientage. In vain did leading breeders
point out that this was a grave mistake, narrowing
still further a field of selection which had already
been curtailed by the operation of fashion's laws in
the matter of pedigree. In vain was it pointed out
that in Great Britain, the home of the breed, the
roan was the prevailing popular color and that even
white bulls were occasionally used in the most
famous herds. The buyers of bulls for steer-getting
purposes were inexorable. A solid red, and worst of
all (in many cases) very dark red bulls, of the most
ordinary character, were freely bought in preference
to thicker, better, mellower roans, yellow-reds or
reds with white markings. So general was this de-
mand at one time that it seemed fairly suicidal for
the owners of pedigreed herds to use any other than
red bulls. The pursuit of this policy led to the sacri-
fice of many useful cattle. There were not enough
good reds of the fashionable tribes to go around, so
that the inevitable result was the use of many an
indifferent sire for no better reason than the posses-
sion of a coat of hair and a pedigree certificate that
tickled the popular fancy — the prime essentials of
constitution and thrift often being ignored in the
796 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
mad race to obey the behests of the fashion of the
hour.
The more substantial element, however, opposed
unceasingly this debasement of the breed and stood
out manfully for more rational methods, and in the
course of time the red color craze began to abate.
Good roans can again be disposed of at satisfactory
prices. The general preference is still for red bulls,
but sensible men do not carry their opposition to the
lighter colors to the extreme noted some years ago.
Indeed, both in the matter of color and fashionable
breeding there is a marked change in the direction
of reason and common sense to be noted at this time ;
and in this fact there is hope for the future.
Handling quality. — It is generally conceded that
feeding capacitj^ is to a considerable extent indicated
by the hide and hair. A soft silky coat, assuming in
winter a thick, furry character, is always to be pre-
ferred to hair that is thin, coarse, wiry or harsh.
The skin should be of good thickness, not thin or
"papery," as that indicates delicacy of constitution.
It should be pliable to the touch, covering a mellow
cushion of evenly-distributed flesh. Hard-handling
cattle of inferior fleshing capacity are found more
frequently among the dark-red Short-horns than
among those of other colors. The roans and such
reds as have yellow skins are usually animals of
better quality.
Constitution, character and conformation. — Vigor
must ever be a paramount consideration. Without
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 797
sound constitution there is no hope of thrift or fer-
tility. A predisposition to disease is a fault fatal to
all success or profit. Excessive inbreeding and
"pampering" for show are among the prime causes
of physical deterioration; leading to impaired vital-
ity and fatty degeneration.
The bull should be of positive masculine type, with
a strong head and horn. At maturity he should be
possessed of what is commonly called "character";
a term which may be briefly defined as meaning "in-
dividuality. ' ' Weak heads and countenances, of the
negative sort usually seen in steers, do not indicate
in the bull prepotency or the power to impress his
own likeness with uniformity upon his progeny. The
neck should be thick and not too long. The shoul-
ders may be wide and well developed, but should not
be too upright; neither should they be too open at
the "crops" — the junction of the blades at the top.
The "chine" — which includes the "crops" and the
joining of the fore-ribs — should be broad, round and
full. The back and loin should be wide and well-
furnished with flesh. The ribs ought to be round
and deep. A contracted heart-girth is decidedly
objectionable. The hips of the bull ought not to be
so conspicuous as in the cow. As strong shoulder
development is to be expected in the male, so in the
female the hips ("hooks") will naturally find
greater prominence in order to provide the pelvic
capacity required by the demands of the functions
of maternity. The quarters should be long and level;
798 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
the "twist" — space between the thighs — well filled,
and the flanks and thighs carried low.*
The Short-horns of the olden time were dis-
tinguished for their "table" backs and great scale,
but were often rather high from the ground. The
market demand for "baby beef" has induced latter-
day breeders to seek a shorter-legged, more com-
pactly fashioned, blockier type, such as feed to
heavy weights at an early age ; but it is to be hoped
that in pursuing this subject scale will not be unduly
neglected.
The cow should be as distinctly feminine about
the head and neck as the bull is the reverse. She
should have what is often called a "breedy" look,
as distinguished from a "steery" countenance. Re-
finement rather than coarseness almost invariably
characterizes the head of a successful breeding cow.
This is what the Scotch herdsmen have in mind when
they speak of "a lady coo." Width between the
eyes is indicative of good feeding quality in both
sexes. Long, narrow heads are objectionable. The
incurving or dished face may be permissible in the
female, but it is never suggestive of virility, and is
not to be sought in the bull. Roman noses are sel-
dom seen and are not in favor, although they are
almost invariably accompanied by unusual vigor of
constitution. The bull's face should be of good
♦This description of course applies rather to the beef form than
to the dairy type. Where deep-milking capacity is desired the full
"twist" and flanks will scarcely be present. The space which in the
beef cow is here occupied by flesh will in that case be required for
udder development.
HEIFER CALF SHOT\"X BY ■«'. T. MILLER & SONS, OF INDIANA.
■■^£jMiy'-
HEIFER BRED BY X. P. CLARKE AT MEADOW LAWX.
BREED TYPES AS SHOWN BY PHOTOGRAPHY.
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 799
width from the eyes to the nostrils. A fine muzzle
is a sign of delicacy. Short-horn noses are usually
light and clear in color, although occasionally black
or clouded. The latter, although not evidence of im-
pure breeding, are avoided as much as possible by
careful breeders. Such a minor point, however, as a
clouded nose will not deter a man of good judgment
from using an animal that is exceptionally desirable
in vital particulars.
A generous middle signifies a good "doer." Ex-
cessive paunchiness is a fault to be avoided, but the
highest results, either in the feed-lot or in the dairy,
are only possible where ample digestive power is in
evidence.
Primary points in management. — The nearer
Short-horns can be maintained under natural con-
ditions the better. Plenty of good grass for the
working members of the herd and an abundant sup-
ply of milk for the calves are prime requisites. Pas-
tures should never be "overworked" or grazed too
closely in midsummer. No one should undertake to
keep more cattle than can be carried with justice
to the available pasture lands. The blue grass,
which is the mainstay of the cattle business in the
United States, makes little if any growth through
the hot summer months. It will often be found wise
practice to provide a supply of succulent food for
the herd during this period. Fodder corn sown for
this purpose will l^e found a profitable crop.
During the winter reasonable shelter should
800 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
always be provided. Cattle can stand a low degree
of temperature when the weather is clear and bright;
but cold, wet storms subject their constitutions to a
test which careful breeders will endeavor to avoid.
Throughout the Western States it is common prac-
tice to stable the herds at night during the coldest
weather, but it is almost unanimously agreed that
"housing" during the day is positively injurious,
except in the case of young calves or animals very
thin in flesh. Exercise and fresh air are absolutely
necessary for the health of breeding stock. Close
confinement in poorly-ventilated stables is even
worse than exposure to the elements. Some breeders
permit their stock bulls to run with the herd, but this
is not the usual practice. The better plan is to pro-
vide a good box for the bull, opening into as large a
paddock as can be spared for this purpose. A grassy
lot, several acres in size, with shade and water
trough, ought to be arranged for the bull's comfort
in connection with his stall.
Over considerable areas in the Central West cattle
can find the bulk of their feed in blue-grass pastures
up to Jan. 1, but the young stock will require more
or less grain in order to insure their proper develop-
ment. Short-horn heifers that have been carried to
inaturity upon a judicious ration will not require
much grain to maintain their condition as cows, ex-
cept perhaps in the case of those milking heavily.
The young bulls after weaning must be kept by
themselves and receive special care. It is more
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 801
difficult to condition a young bull than a heifer, and
a liberal ration of grain is required for the first
twelve months after he has been deprived of his
mother's milk. In the conditioning of thin cows and
young stock too much corn should not be used.
Ground oats, bran, a little oil-cake, roots, shredded
fodder, good grass, hay, or even clean, bright straw
may all be resorted to with profit, and a mixture of
these feeds is always preferable to an exclusive use
of any of them. Feeding, however, is an art that
cannot be taught from books. A ration that will suit
one case will fail in another. Not only the kinds but
the amounts to be given can only be satisfactorily
determined by a careful study of the individual
peculiarities of different animals.
To succeed in Short-horn breeding it is important
that one have a genuine love for the work. Both the
owner and the herdsman should find a keen delight in
the company of their cattle, and if on terms of inti-
macy with favorite animals so much the better.
Kind treatment should at all times be enforced.
Young bulls are frequently rendered vicious by inju-
dicious punishment. All bulls over twelve months
old should have rings inserted in their noses, so that
they may be managed with safety. An unruly bull
should never be used or tolerated unless of such out-
standing excellence that his services seem fairly in-
dispensable, and if proved positively dangerous
should go to the shambles at any cost. Human life is
more sacred than the welfare of anv herd.
802 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Well-trained, reliable herdsmen are almost beyond
price when the owner cannot give the cattle his own
personal attention, and even in that case the ser-
vices of a competent helper will be required. Expe-
rienced herdsmen are perhaps more numerous in
Great Britain than in the United States, and many
of Scotch and English birth have been prominently
identified with the business in America. Unfortu-
nately Culshaws and Cuddys are rare even in the old
country. Men who consecrate their lives to a mas-
tery of the thousand details of successful cattle man-
agement, men who anticipate every want of the
animals in their care, men who know that unremit-
ting attention means "good luck," and neglect
brings the reverse, are entitled to the highest con-
sideration and encouragement of all who have the
interests of live-stock improvement at heart. Short-
horn history abounds in instances of rare devotion,
singleness of purpose and conscientious discharge of
duty on the part of those who have been responsible
for the welfare of different herds. On the other
hand, there is a considerable element in the frater-
nity of herdsmen that does not seem to realize the
dignity of this form of service. It is not only an
honorable but a useful profession, in which fidelity
and skill will usually bring their own reward.
Does showing pay? — There is a wide difference of
opinion among cattle-breeders on this question, but
it resolves itself finally into the simple proposition
of advertising. The light that is hid under the half-
THE LAIMP OF EXPERIENCE 803
bushel is never seen from a distance. One is never
certain that his efforts at producing good cattle will
be appreciated in his own immediate neighborhood.
A market for surplus stock is a necessity, and those
who would seek the best class of trade must reach
out for it. It will certainly not come to them un-
solicited. Judicious advertising lies at the very
foundation of all business success, and he who
ignores this fact will have no one to blame but him-
self if he fails to find a satisfactory market for his
wares. No amount of advertising will bring success
unless there is merit in what is offered for sale.
Given, therefore, a herd of cattle of really desirable
character and quality, some form of advertising
must be resorted to if the owner proposes to do
justice to his own investment.
The show-yard and the public press are the two
main mediums of communication with the public.
Some have accomplished their object by the use of
one of tiiese methods and some by the other. Public
attention may be acquired more promptly by an
appeal to both, and this is the plan pursued by the
more enterprising element. There is no denying the
fact that many a grand Short-horn has been ruined
for breeding jxirposes by long-continued training for
show. Under the system of judging that has been
prevalent on both sides of the water for half a cen-
tury it has been idle to exhibit cattle that were not
heavily fed. Cattle of delicate constitution quickly
succumb to this pressure, and even tlie most rugged
804 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
types gradually give way under it. Injury from ex-
cessive feeding is greatest in the case of matured ani-
mals, and on this account the managers of our mod-
ern shows have modified their requirements in the
case of herds in such a way as to render it unneces-
sary to fit so many aged cows as were formerly neces-
sary. What is known as the graded or "step-lad-
der" herd simply calls for a bull two years old or
over, one two-year-old heifer, one yearling heifer and
one heifer calf. This is a change of distinct advan-
tage to the breeder.
So long as there are honors and fame to be gained
by these public contests there will be found men to
fit and show their stock. Men will ' ' seek the bubble
reputation even at the cannon's mouth." Cattle-
breeders will not be deterred from engaging in the
great show-yard battles by the mere possibility of
injury or loss to a certain proportion of the animals
fitted. As a general proposition feeding for show is
not only an expensive undertaking so far as the im-
mediate outlay is concerned, but is clearly detri-
mental to the best interests of the animals pressed
into such sei^dce. At the same time it seems essen-
tial, as a broad proposition, that advantage be taken
of the shows to demonstrate continuously the feed-
ing capabilities of the breed; but this should ordi-
narily be left to those who have the means, and
facilities for carrying on the work fairly regardless
of immediate profit. We can only say in a general
way to " those who contemplate showing that we
as
0.7
a >
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 805
advise the feeding and exhibition of young animals
of one's own breeding. It takes considerable cap-
ital to engage successfully in the general herd com-
petitions, but any good breeder may find it to his
advantage to exhibit from time to time calves or
yearlings illustrating his own work. Young animals
thus fitted are not necessarily injured for the future.
Young bulls have to be well "done" in any event
until they approach maturity, and as for the heifers,
if they are settled to a service at from twenty to
twenty-four months of age and returned to pasture
after being shown, there is no reason why they
should fail to become thereafter regular breeders in
the herd. Until show-yard judges are content with
less fat it is certainly the part of wisdom for the
average breeder to limit his showing to young cattle.
This latter practice we believe to be a very effective
means of bringing one 's stock before the attention of
buyers.
Selling the surplus. — The matter of disposing of
surplus stock, touched upon in the preceding para-
graphs, is one of vital interest. The manner of pro-
cedure will vary according to the character of dif-
ferent herds. Those who have purchased high-
priced foundation stock, representing the most fash-
ionable bloods and show-yard strains, will naturally
make a bid for the business of the leading pro-
fessional breeders. Those who contemplate l)reed-
ing from what are called ''top" cattle will find the
show-yard, the live-stock press and the art pictorial
806 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
all necessary factors in snccess. In other words,
those who expect to supply high-class bulls to head
the best contemporary herds must do whatever is
necessary to demonstrate their right to such desir-
able patronage. On the other hand, those who es-
tablish themselves with a view toward supplying
young bulls to farmers and ranchmen — who, as a
rule, cannot be expected to pay large prices — will
not need to incur so much expense in the matter of
advertising. In considering the question of the class
of trade to be cultivated, breeders should not over-
look the fact that it costs but little more to grow a
Short-horn worth from $300 to $500 than it does to
mature one worth $100. We are speaking, of course,
of the mere expense of feeding and handling. As a
general proposition, therefore, quality rather than
quantity should be the aim.
The public sale system as a means of disposing of
surplus stock has been popular among stock-breed-
ers from the earliest periods. Indeed, it has many
advantages both for the buyer and seller. It enables
a breeder in one day to make a complete clearance
of his surplus for the entire year, relieving him of
the burden of much correspondence necessarily en-
tailed by a system of private sales. It is an advan-
tage to the buyer because he is given the choice of
a large number of animals of different ages and
sexes at a price representing the judgment of his
fellow breeders present. A fairly-conducted auction
is on this latter account a safe place for a new bQ-
IMl'. ];iiSK\V>Mil, v,,TH IX HER loTH YEAJ; I X l' H K H K i ; 1 > i>F CAl;-
PENTER t ROSS, MAXSP'IELD, O. — THE DAM OF 13 CALVES. 10
OF WHICH SOLD FOR $10,SS0.
MERRY HAMPTON AT 9 TEARS— NOTED SIRE IX HERD OF C. B.
DUSTIX, SUMMERHILL, ILL.
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 807
giniier to make investments. He has the satisfaction
of knowing that he is making his purchases at prices
which are virtually fixed by the breeders in attend-
ance. As a rule these auction sales of Short-horns
are conducted in absolute good faith. By-bidding,
the protection of the price of animals through ma-
nipulation by the seller, has been effectually dis-
countenanced by the adoption of a high standard of
business morality and principle in connection with
the management of most of these sales. Anything
savoring of fraud in any shape, form or manner* re-
ceives such speedy condemnation that there is no en-
couragement for dishonesty.
About aJiimal portraiture. — The illustrations in
this volume will afford a fair idea of the progress
that has been made in this line since the days of
''The White Heifer That Traveled." The repro-
ductions used in this work are mainly from drawings
made by various artists of reputation on both sides
the Atlantic. Near the end may be seen some of the
latest work of the camera. It will be observed that
in the old-style pictures there is marked exaggera-
tion in the matter of over-refinement of the extremi-
ties, at the same time the pictures give, in a general
way, a correct idea as to the main points of differ-
ence in the make-up of animals representing the
leading breed types. Animal photography as applied
specially to the beef breeds of cattle may be said to
be still in its infancy, but substantial progress in
that art is being made. From this fact we are led
808 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORX CATTLE
to indulge the hope that we may hand down to fu-
ture generations likenesses of present-day cattle
which shall be more lifelike than our delineation
of the old-time celebrities.
Tribal designation. — This is a problem that puz-
zles many new beginners in Short-horn breeding.
All who engage in the business are anxious to ac-
quire as quickly as possible a knowledge which will
enable them to determine the line of descent repre-
sented by any given pedigree without having to
undertake an extended herd-book examination. In
regard to this we can only say there is no "short
cut" to this form of knowledge. The ability to
"read" at a glance any given pedigree only comes
as a result of years of herd-book research.
The division of Short-horns into families or tribes
is purely arbitrary, and while the existing system
of tribal nomenclature is perhaps as convenient as
any that could be devised, yet, as has been pointed
out on page 99 of this volume, it is entirely mis-
leading so far as conveying any adequate idea of the
real blood elements is concerned. The family names
are all derived from some one or more of the ances-
tresses in the direct maternal line. Aside from cattle
belonging to the Bates, Booth or Cruickshank tribes,
our American families of Short-horns usually bear
the name of the imported cow to which they trace
on the side of the dam. Those who study the history
of Killerby, Warlaby, Kirklevington and Sittyton
will soon be able to recognize pedigrees running di-
THE LAMP OF EXPEKIENCE 809
rect to those celebrated herds. There are some cat-
tle in the American Herd Book, descended from cows
recorded by Mr. Allen in the early days, that do not
trace in the maternal line to any known imported
cow. Notwithstanding the fact that these animals
now present pedigrees showing a succession of regis-
tered sires entitling them to rank as well-bred Short-
horns, the partisans of the more fashionable sorts
speak of them as tracing to the "American woods."
There is only one way of ascertaining definitely
the blood actually present in any given pedigree and
that is by a complete tabulation of it. Too much at-
tention is paid by breeders generally to those tribal
distinctions. The blood of the original animals that
gave their names to these various families was long
ago buried deep under subsequent crosses, and while
it is of course well to have a pedigree soundly an-
chored at the base the "top" breeding is of vastly
greater relative importance.
Dignity of the breeder's calling. — The sculptor
lures from the solid marble images of grace, beauty
or strength that provoke the plaudits of the world.
His contact with his work is direct. In calling from
stone the creatures of his own conception the figures
may be shaped at will. A Phidias or a Canova lifts
the veil from his superb handiwork and gains a place
in the galler^^ of immortals. Compared with him
who has the power to conceive an ideal animal form
and call it into life through a profound knowledge
of Nature's intricate and hidden laws, the greatest
810 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
sculptor is a mere mechanic. There is no higher
form of art than that which deals with the intelli-
gent manipulation of animal life; the modeling of
living, breathing creatures in accordance with the
will and purpose of a guiding mind. It rises in its
boundless possibilities to heights that are fairly God-
like. It sounds the depths of the profoundest mys-
teries of physical existence, verging on the borders
of the Infinite itself. The world of human endeavor
presents no nobler field of action, no realm of
thought demanding a higher order of ability. And
yet how many of those who assume the responsibility
of marring or making these wondrous creations of
flesh and blood approach the work with any ade-
quate preparation or appreciation of the real breadth
and depth of the propositions with which they will
have to deal? It is not a task to be lightly under-
taken, if one means to deal fairly by the helpless
forms confided to his care. If we could but impress
this thought indelibly upon the minds of those wlio
engage in this most fascinating pursuit there would
be more noble creations and fewer wrecks along the
paths of the stock breeding of the future than in the
past. Failure to grasp the fundamental idea that
the breeder's calling entails duties and responsibili-
ties which no man can conscientiously ignore lies at
the bottom of failures innumerable.
The future. — The dawn of the new century pre-
sents a most attractive field for those who undertake
to conscientiously promote the best interests of the
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE 811
Sliort-liorii breed. We have seen that at regular
intervals men possessing original creative power
have made a world-wide name and fame for them-
selves in this line of work; but with all due respect
to what these great minds have accomplished, it is
folly to say that all knowledge and skill in connec-
tion with Short-horn breeding perished with them.
What has been done in the past can be repeated in
the future, but the triumphs of the twentieth cen-
tury await not those who are servdle imitators, but
the worthy ones who have the necessary courage to
undertake the development along independent lines
of the tribes of Short-horns which shall engage the
attention of the historians of the days to come.
APPENDIX
"THE STUDY OF SHORT-HORN HISTORY "
AN ADDRESS BY ALVIN H. SANDERS BEFORE THE CENTRAL SHORT-HORN
breeders' ASSOCIATION, AT KANSAS CITY, JAN. 30, 1901.
It is always interesting to trace the beginnings of any great
power. They are digging to-day in the ruins of the Roman
Forum for relics that may throw additional light upon the origin
of the ancient city "that from her throne of beauty ruled the
world." Some months ago I spent a day watching these work-
men at their toil. I saw a broken piece of marble loosened by a
pick — a mere fragment of no value in itself, but which I ob-
served was carved upon one side with all the accuracy and
delicacy for which the stone-cutters and sculptors of 2,000 years
ago were famous. My guide obtained this for me and I have it
in my rooms to-day, a souvenir with which I would not willingly
part. I often take it up and study it. Why? There are thou-
sands of fragments of greater size and of more practical value
to be had about any quarry in the land. Why. then, does so
much interest attach to that particular piece of stone? Simply
because the level from which it was exhumed renders It certain
that it once formed a part of a capital or cornice that orna-
mented some arch or temple that had looked down upon the
pomp and pageantry of the Pagan Emperors. It had gone down
centuries later in the sacking and burning of Rome by Northern
barbarians. History, in short, had set its seal upon that bit of
marble, giving it, to me at least, a value and an interest all its
own. So much for the effect that associations have in this
world in fixing our ideas of values.
We all prize family heirlooms handed down from generations
that have gone before. An old clock, or chest; a piece of plate,
a picture that speaks to us of other days, we will not exchange,
813
814 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
if we are wise, for any new design a tradesman might submit.
You may call this sentiment if you like, but it exists neverthe-
less to a greater or less degree in every human breast, and to
my mind adds an element of pleasure to this work-a-day world
that we ought never to ignore.
An article with a history is a source of unfailing pleasure
and interest provided you know the history. The Short-horn
breed of cattle is such a product. Round about its record there
is entwined a story which, once known, throws an indefinable
charm about each and every herd; a story which, beginning sev-
eral centuries ago in the little valley of the rives Tees, ends only
in your own pastures, by your own fireside; a story bristling
with great personal triumphs; replete with stirring scenes;
abounding in benefits conferred upon the farming world; a story
of great deeds performed in the arts of peace; a story which in-
vests the breeding of Short-horn cattle with a dignity that gives
your profession rank with the most honorable pursuits of man.
To me this story has ever possessed a peculiar fascination. It
seems indeed to me the one romance of live-stock history; the
humble beginning; the long years of incubation and patient ex-
perimentation; the dawn of popularity; the great victories; the
occupation of two continents; the dazzling values of the seven-
ties; the rivalries of great breeders and exhibitors; the era of
unparalleled speculation; the plunge into the depths of depres-
sion; the purification wrought by the fires of adversity; the
struggle with contending breeds, and last but not least the sun-
shine of present day prosperity. There are pictures to be seen
in this panorama that ought to have a place in the mind of every
man who breeds or feeds a Short-horn. There are inspirations
to be gathered from a study of the past that will prove the pre-
lude to present and future success.
I do not see how any man can become an owner of Short-
horn cattle without wishing to familiarize himself with the his-
tory of the breed. I do not see how any man can undertake
the breeding of Short-horns without informing himself thorough-
ly as to the ancestry of the cattle with which he proposes to
work. I do not believe any man ever acquired genuine enthu-
siasm in this field until he had first mastered the main facts re-
lating to the careers of the great breeders and herdsmen of the
APPENDIX 815
past. I do not believe that the average breeder begins to ap-
preciate how much it would add to his pleasure and profit to be
able to trace step by step the progress of the Short-horn in Great
Britain and America in order that he might define clearly the
true relations of his own cattle to the breed at large.
* * *
For upwards of twenty years I have been searching the high-
ways and by-ways of this most extraordinary history with an
ever-increasing interest and with a steadily widening apprecia-
tion of the fact that there is good to be found upon every page
of the English and American herd books. I defy any fair-minded
man to follow faithfully the record of the breed for the past cen-
tury and at the end pronounce himself a partisan of any one
tribe, any one group of tribes or of any one section. I contend
that the conscientious study of Short-horn history will do this
for any honest owner of cattle of this breed — it will make a
Short-horn man in the highest and best sense of the word even
of those who have become enslaved by fads and fashions. It will
lift him out of the narrow slough of this, that, or the other whim
into which he may have fallen, into the bright sunlight of rea-
son and common sense. There is nothing like scaling a height
if we would make a rational study of the plain below. There is
nothing like knowledge to dispel the clouds of ignorance. There
is nothing like strolling beyond the narrow confines of our own
little horizon to discover what lies in the great world beyond. In
the language of Scotland's bard, "It wad frae mony a blunder
free us, and foolish notion." This, then, is the message I would
bring to you here to-day — the broadening, steadying influence
that flows from familiarity with the actual accomplishments of
the past. That is the one great point, as I take it, to be gained
from a study of Short-horn history. This same idea has recently
been well expressed by Mr. Richard Gibson in the following
language :
"No one can really expect to derive all the pleasure and sat-
isfaction that is to be found in breeding Shorthorns unless con-
versant with the history of each family of his herd and the
breeders thereof. Once becoming interested he will read of other
families and other breeders, thus enlarging his ideas and broad-
ening his view so that he may be led out of a narrow groove and
816 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
say 'not Bates nor Booth, nor Cruickshank nor Knightley make
Short-horns, but a happy combination of the lot.' "
The study of Short-horn history enables the breeder to
interpret intelligently the pedigrees of his cattle. If he really
wants to know what blood is actually in his herd he will have
the breeding tabulated. This will spread before his eye a record
of the ancestry which will mean much or little to him just in
proportion to his knowledge of the history of the breed. Are
there animals of note or breeders of distinction revealed by that
tabulation? To what tribe or group of tribes do the various
animals belong? Through whose hands have they come? Where
does the line of descent pass from Britain to America? What
was the character of the cattle contributing the predominating
blood? These and a hundred other queries must arise in the
mind of every intelligent and enterprising man. A knowledge
of the history of the breed is therefore of practical every-day
service in estimating relative values of pedigrees. This alone
should stimulate every buyer and seller to acquire all the infor-
mation possible from the past records of the breed. There is
another incentive to those who seek pleasure as well as profit
in Short-horn breeding — the acquiring of a bond of fellowship
or communion with the great characters developed by the trade.
You should be proud to be affiliated with such a fraternity and
glory in its achievements. Speaking for myself I count it one of
the great privileges of my life to have enjoyed during the past
twenty years the acquaintance and friendship of most of those
who have been active in this line of work. Soon after that
memorable day at New York Mills when England and America
joined in working out a tribute to the Short-horn breed such as
has never been paid to any other variety of improved domestic
animals since the world began, I took up a quest for knowledge
as to the great breeders and herdsmen, and of the great individual
animals of the breed, that is still being pursued with no abate-
ment of interest; a quest which has led me upon many an ex-
tended pilgrimage throughout that vast agricultural empire com-
prised within the corn-and-blue-grass-growing regions of the
T^nited States; a quest which has drawn me across the seas to
the ancestral home of the breed in York and Durham; that has
APPENDIX 817
taken me to the tomb of Thos. Bates; through the fair and fertile
fields of Warlaby; to the vine-clad walls of Sittyton, and to the
gates of two Royal English Shows; a quest that has sustained
me through weary days of note-book work at Short-horn compe-
titions, and which, best of all, has afforded many golden hours of
delightful converse about the firesides of men who have been
an honor to the profession on both sides of the Atlantic; and the
more I learn of the story the more inspiring it becomes. Once in
touch with the real spirit of the theme there is simply no re-
sisting its subtle charm.
* * *
One day in the month of June some years ago one of Eng-
land's foremost cattle judges and one of America's most gifted
followers of the fortunes of the "red, white and roan" were my
companions on a little journey to the birthplace of the breed. I re-
member that we tarried awhile at a quiet wayside inn at the lit-
tle hamlet of Kirklevington, musing upon the scenes recalled
by the historic spots that we had visited. In fancy we restored
to the market places of Yarm and Darlington that sturdy com-
pany of earnest men that made the grand old breed. There were
two brothers, Charles and Robert, who had brought in from
the pastures of Ketton and Barmpton specimens of the newly im-
proved Teeswater type. A great throng of landlords and tenant
farmers from far and near gathered about a monstrous Colling
bullock called The Durham Ox. In the press we recognize an
honest Yorkshire squire who is addressed as Booth of Killerby.
Yonder is a certain Christopher Mason of Chilton and one Mayn-
ard of Eryholme. We notice too a young man with a keen eye
listening to the talk of his elders and studying closely the cattle
to be seen in the village street. It is "Tommy" Bates, then of
Northumberland. The day is spent in buying and selling, in
comparing notes as to how the new breed is coming on, and all
at last adjourn to the tap room of the Black Bull inn to pledge a
health in foaming mugs of brown October ale to the success of
the new-born breed. Such is the opening chapter of modern
Short-horn history.
The scene changes. A patient plodding figure mounted on
an old white nag rides the winding roadways of Yorkshire. Now
and then he stops at farm houses along his route. Day after
818
A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORX CATTLE
day he may be seen. Night after night he writes and writes and
wrestles with notes and data bearing upon the genealogy of the
herds that are contributing to the formation of the now well-
recognized and rapidly-increasing breed known as the "Improved
Short-horn." He is helped by some; hindered by others. It is
Geo. Coates of Great Smeaton, father of Short-horn pedigree reg-
istration. Discouraged at first he at last enlists the sympathies
of Jonas Whitaker of Otley and the English Short-horn Herd
Book is set upon its feet.
Time passes. Killerby and Kirklevington are the Short-horn
capitals. The genius of two of the greatest cattle breeders the
world has ever known has worked wonders since that October
day in 1810 when under the lime trees at Ketton, Colling's Comet
was sold amidst a scene of wild enthusiasm for 1,000 guineas.
The Yorkshire and Royal shows are organized. Bracelet, Necklace,
Duchess 34th, the Oxford Premium Cow and the Duke of North-
umberland come forward as a revelation. The friendly contests
of John Booth and Mr. Bates at these early shows stir agricul-
tural England to its very depths. Such cattle had never before
been shown to the public. Possibly they have never since been
surpassed.
From Killerby we follow Richard Booth to Studley and War-
laby and try to conjure up the massive figures of Isabella and of
Anna, or dream of those paragons of bovine beauty, the Magnifi-
cent Blossoms, Brides and Queens. Old "Cuddy" and Crown
Prince and Lady Fragrant are but a memory, and yet how their
names still shine on high in the Short-horn firmament! How the
blood bred on at Torr's and at Lady Pigot's, with Barnes of
Westland, with Raymond Bruere, John Outhwaite and Hugh
Aylmer of West Dereham Abbey! How its vivifying influence
was felt in the Grand Duchesses, the Duchesses of Airdrie and the
Sittyton tribes! How it electrified America in the forms of
Rosedale and Baron Booth of Lancaster! Substance, flesh, beef!
A broad stream flows out from the rolling pastures of Kirk-
levington — Tortworth, Thorndale, Holker Hall, Geneva, and New
York Mills! Woodburn, Hillhurst, Dunmore, Towneley, Bow
Park, Underley, Audley End, and Berkeley Castle; percolating
through the entire breed, impressing the seal of refinement and
elegance upon all it touches! Quality, level lines, milk, and
heads and faces that fairly defy the powers of art!
APPENDIX 819
The North of Scotland awakens. Robertson and Rennie, Bar-
clay, Hay, Grant Duff, Gen. Simson, Hutcheson, Sir William Stir-
ling Maxwell, Amos and Anthony Cruickshank carry the gospel
of a new agriculture beyond the River Tweed. Campbell, Marr,
Douglas, the Bruces, Syme, Mitchell, Longmore, Lovat, Buccleuch,
Polwarth, Duthie and the rest make Scotch Short-horns renowned
throughout the cattle-breeding world. Sittyton acquires a fame
second only to that of Warlaby and Kirklevington; the credit of
establishing a rent-paying, quick-feeding type that fairly saved
a breed suffering from all the evils of over-indulgence in favorite
bloods.
I stood one day at the spot where the luxuriant Kentucky
blue-grass runs riot about the grave of Abram Renick, and here
again a past that was brimming with brilliant pictures was re-
called — the story of the Short-horn in the Ohio Valley States.
First we see the beautiful woodland pastures of Southern
Central Ohio and Central Kentucky filled with great wide-backed
bullocks, red, red-and-white, white, and roan, converting corn and
grass into prime beef for seaboard markets. They are driven by
hundreds on foot through the winding defiles of the Alleghanies
to Baltimore, Philadelphia or New York, and well filled wallets
are brought back to found the fortunes of leading Ohio Valley
families. The big, thrifty, profitable cattle were the Pattons and
the "Seventeens" — the descendants of which for half a century
held their own against the more fashionably-bred herd-book stock
produced by the later importations. They were in all human
probability as grand specimens of the breed as this country has
ever known.
Next we note the monumental missionary work of Walter
Dun, Col. Powel, the Ohio and Kentucky Importing Companies
and of that greatest of all patrons of American agriculture, Rob-
ert Aitcheson Alexander. Red Rose, Caroline and Daisy; Rose
of Sharon, Young Mary, Young Phyllis; Josephine, Illustrious,
Harriet, Gem, Lady Elizabeth, Goodness, Mazurka and Constance;
the Louans, the Loudon Duchesses, the Brides and the Dukes and
Duchesses of Airdrie! Britain has a great galaxy of names upon
the Short-horn registry of fame, but America points with pride
to the fact that the Duns, the Renicks, the Warfields, the Bed-
fords, the Vanmeters, the Duncans, the Alexanders and their
820 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
contemporaries, East and West, have had few superiors on the
other side of the Atlantic as actual producers of high-class cat-
tle. And how lavishly the Ohio Valley States dealt out their
treasures to the newer "West! With Sweepstakes and Minister
and General Grant, Pickrell, Duncan and Spears fairly set the
Western prairies on fire for Short-horns. Capt. James N. Brown,
the elder Leonard, Gen. Meredith, Thos. Wilhoit, Timothy Day,
John G. Cowan, Col, AVilliam S. King, John Wentworth, John D.
Gillett and a host of other able and enterprising men brought
the Short-horn home at last to the hearts of the Western people.
* * *
When Rip Van Winkle wandered back to his native haunts on
the Hudson after his fabled sleep of twenty years on the moun-
tain not a single soul in the peaceful village of Falling Water
gave him greeting. "Did you never hear of Rip Van Winkle?"
the poor old vagrant asks in vain. None had any recollection of
such an individual. Philosophizing then upon the fleeting charac-
ter of mundane reputation he sounds the very depths of human
pathos — "Are we indeed so soon forgotten when we're gone? If
my tog Schneider vas here, vhy he would know me." But "Schnei-
der" too is no longer even a memory in the streets.
My friends, how easy it is to forget, even in the practical
business of breeding Short-horn cattle! How little we know and
how little most of us care about the men who carried forward
to sale-ring and show-yard triumphs the colors of the "Red,
White and Roan" even so recently as twenty years ago! What
little regard we seem to have for the memories of those who be-
queathed to the present generation of men the breed of which
we are all so proud, and with what supreme indifference many
of us ignore their wisest teachings! We live in a busy age. We
are so absorbed in working out the problems of to-day that we
have little thought for the yesterdays. We seem to believe that
no one else ever had just such questions to solve as those by
which we ourselves are confronted, and that it is therefore idle
to appeal to the past for direction in the present. But it is not
so. A great Virginian once said upon a memorable occasion:
"There is but one light by which my feet are guided and that is
by the lamp of experience." The men who have made the Short-
horn what it is — the most widely disseminated breed of improved
APPENDIX 821
cattle the world has ever seen — have left behind them messages
that cannot be too often repeated. Their voices call to you,
men of the present day, warning against pitfalls that beset your
path. The lights of a century of experience hang all about you
if you only have eyes to see.
* * *
There are several very striking lessons brought home to
every student of Short-horn records. One of the most impor-
tant is that in-and-in or line-breeding has its limitations beyond
which the greatest masters of the art have failed of farther suc-
cess. Another lesson is that the right use of the principle of
blood concentration is the greatest single power the breeder can
employ and that judiciously applied it has yielded the great
successes of Short-horn history. Is this most potential factor
being properly and profitably used at the present time? To this
query I feel inclined to return a most emphatic negative. You
have marked down and put upon the bargain counter most of
the elements to which the principle of in-breeding might now
be satisfactorily applied. You are working generally with in-
struments that have already been steeled to such a fine edge in
the furnace of close-breeding that they are in many cases be-
coming frail and peculiarly liable to mishaps. There are val-
uable ores lying all around you waiting for the touch of the
refining flame that may call them into popularity. You talk
much of Booth, of Bates, of Cruickshank and the elder Renick
and at the same time make little effort to follow their practices.
They set to work to build their fame by the use of the best
material afforded by the entire breed, throwing in the cement
of in-breeding after they had attained a certain point. Their
work was original and creative. They were constructors, build-
ers — not servile imitators. Why do you limit your efforts so
largely to experiments upon the refractory elements of the in-
bred strains of other days?
The late Mr. Amos Cruickshank assured me personally in
1892 that his herd had been in want of re-invigoration for some
years prior to its sale to the Messrs. Nelson in 1889, and yet
there are men here in the West in this year of our Lord 1901
boasting of their "pure Cruickshanks," as if some element of
special superiority attached to that which may be in reality a
822 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
downright objection. New beginners who have yet to learn the
abc's of Short-horn history go to buy a bull and insist upon
having none but a "straight" this or a "straight" that when bet-
ter cattle of equally good or even better breeding might be had
for less money. If there are any such here I hope they will
tell this audience why it is that they commit this crime against
the memories and the teachings of the very men in whose foot-
steps they seem to think they are following by the adoption of
this course. The makers of Short-horn history did not do busi-
ness in this way.
* * *
What we need above everything else just now is some Moses
to lead the Short-horn hosts out of the bondage of fads and
fashions. Some day, somewhere, some time, a man will again
engage in this pursuit who will have the necessary courage to
show the way; and I predict here and now that his triumph
will be as complete as that of the Booths or Bates or of Cruick-
shank. He will be a real, not an imaginary follower of their
methods. He may use much, little, or none of the prevailing
popular bloods. He will go up and down the Short-horn world
selecting here and selecting there that which seems likely to
contribute towards the accomplishment of his settled purpose.
He will then probably fuse the mass by blood concentration and
his name will be given to a type that will become the new idol
of the Short-horn cattle breeding fraternity. History repeats
itself. What has been done can be done again. I glory in the
grit of the man here in this State to-day who is pushing "Casey's
mixture." He stands for a principle which if steadily and in-
telligently pursued will bring new laurels to the temple of Short-
horn fame.
During the past few years you have enlarged your vision in
respect to the prevailing fashionable blood. You have now
thrown the doors wide open to all Scotland. Time was when
you thought that your sires should run direct to Sittyton, or if
not there then to Kinellar or Uppermill, and a little later you
were glad to have them trace to Collynie. Now anything that
looks like doing you good — and some things that do not look
so promising — coming from any farm that lies between Berwick
Bridge and Inverness goes unquestioned to the head of your
herds even at four figures, no matter what its breeding. While
APPENDIX 823
I claim some share in the credit of building the fame of the
Scotch Short-horn in the Central "West, I also appeal to you as
men of sense and judgment to be sane and reasonable. I appeal
to you to extend that same catholic spirit which you are now
showing to Scotland, to the herds of England, and above all to
the herds of your own country. When this is done, and not
until then, you will begin to enter in my judgment upon another
great chapter in Short-horn history.
Another lesson drawn from Short-horn records is that a ma-
jority of all the greatest show and breeding cattle — account be-
ing taken of the breed on both sides the water — have been roans.
I do not believe it possible to sustain the true Short-horn thrift
and character for many generations without resort to the roan
cattle. Moreover a majority of the most impressive sires and
show bulls known to the American trade have either been im-
ported or immediately derived from old country herds — in which
roan is the predominant color. Hence I am inclined to question
the wisdom of restrictive fees upon importations.
William Torr of Aylesby, who has to his credit the greatest
sale of cattle of one man's breeding ever made, to-wit: eighty-
five head for $243,145, an average of $2,860, always took the
position that it required not less than thirty years of persistent
work to bring a herd up to one's ideas as to what a Short-horn
ought to be. It is one of the misfortunes of the trade in the
States that there are not more men who are closely wedded to
the production of high class Short-horns regardless of the ups
and downs of the business. Of the buying and selling of cattle
as mere merchandise there is no end, but those who have left
permanent impress upon the character of the breed were ani-
mated by something more than the purely commercial spirit.
Men who are in the business to-day and out of it to-morrow;
men who do not maintain close contact with and who have no
real affection for their cattle; men who are patrons of the breed
only so long as the pathway is strewn with flowers, are not the
men who have been breed-makers, breed-builders and breed-
savers.
The members of this association should feel that they hold
in trust for the farmers and ranchmen of our country a legacy
that is beyond all price; an inheritance the integrity of which
they have no right to jeopardize through the application of
824 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
practices not sanctioned by those who created it. Are you acting
well your part? That is a question for each and every one to
ask himself at this time. Read the whole story; recall the
wonders wrought in flesh and blood by others in your calling;
study your own herd and ask yourself: Am I a worthy member
of this fraternity or not? Am I doing honestly all I can to help
preserve and strengthen the cattle in my keeping?
It is indeed well to know all we can of Short-horn history.
It is better still to contribute something useful to it.
"WHAT'S IN A NAMEI"
ADDRESS BY ALVIN H. SANDERS AT THE CENTRAL SHORT-HORN BREEDERS'
CONVENTION AT ST. JOSEPH, MO., JAN., 1904.
The query put to me by your Secretary is one that has caused
dissensions among men from time immemorial. It was centuries
ago, according to the master poet, that the fair hapless Juliet
answered the question in words that have been repeated by suc-
cessive generations — "that which we call a rose, by any other
name would smell as sweet." The feud in old "Verona that for-
bade the union of the two fond lovers, because forsooth one's
name was Montague and the other Capulet, has many parallels
in human song and story. Romeo was neither the first nor the
last man to discover that a mere name may prove an insurmount-
able obstacle; and what has proved so true in human affairs
has not been without influence upon the destinies of other of
God's creatures. Those who have in their keeping the character
and reputation of one of the most useful of all known breeds of
domestic animals — the type of cattle represented in the herds of
the members of this association — have attached at all times
much significance to names; justly so in many instances but to
their own grievous injury in others. The question, therefore,
of the extent to which you, as Short-horn breeders, shall lay
stress upon more names as contrasted with more substantial
attributes is one of more importance than would at first appear.
Entering within the walls of the Short-horn world, we are
struck at once by a multiplicity of names. We are told that
APPENDIX 825
within the memory of those still living there was civil war
among factions ostensibly claiming allegiance to the same flag.
That those warring clans taking each the name of some great
leader sought by every known means to grasp supreme power
and hold their brothers in subjection. It was in many cases
a war of extermination. Whole families once recognized as the
very flower of the race are gone from the roster rolls forever —
victims of the feuds of long ago. The stranger within the gates
hears the names of Bates, of the Booths, of Knightly, of "Alloy,"
of Towneley, of Cruickshank, of Renick, of Dukes and Duchesses,
of Ohio and Kentucky Roses of Sharon, of Princesses, Josephines,
Marys, Phyllises, "Seventeens," "Cox importations," Red Roses
by Ernesty, "Woods" and hundreds more. He hears of strange
combinations of these and other names, such as Bell-Bates,
Torr-Booth, "pure" this and "straight" that; he hears of a half
dozen different varieties of Young Marys, Leslie, Red Rose,
Flat Creek, Xalapa, etc., etc. He hears that Duke of Airdrie
(12730) was all right but that Duke of Airdrie 2743 was all
wrong. He, therefore, imagines that he is in a labyrinth from
which only a learned antiquarian can extricate him. Happily
these names for the most part relate to issues and matters long
since relegated to the limbo of things which were but are not.
The barriers that once reared their bulk at almost every turn
are falling before the light of reason and common sense. There
was a time when there was much — altogether too much — in all
these names; but a new day is dawning. The banners of in-
dividual families and leaders are being lowered and furled, and
knives are being returned to their sheaths, in the presence of
the broad tri-color of the breed itself that now floats trium-
phant over all. The hour is almost here when it will be enough
to know that an animal is simply a Short-horn, and mere tribal
or family derivations will no longer usurp the place of honest
worth.
One great step towards a complete restoration of the reign
of reason in Short-horn circles must be to forget many of the
names under which the old factional fights were waged. There
are thousands of cattle that served in the ranks during the
old wars under such names as Marys, Phyllises, Louans, Des-
demonas, Mrs. Motts. etc., that are to this day told by some
826 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
to stand in the presence of their alleged superiors, on the assump-
tion that they are still of what was once frowned upon as
plebeian blood. These should have their commercial disabilities
removed. The war is over. A general amnesty is in order. Let
me explain.
Turning to the Short-horn Herd Book at random I find the
following entry:
"Gem of Oakland 4th; red, calved March, 1884, bred by J. H.
Potts & Son, got by imp. Von Tromp 54160 out of Gem of Oak-
land 3d (vol. 25, p. 1130) by Prince of Athelstane 40370— trac-
ing to imp. Desdemona by Frederick (1060)."
We have been taught to rate this cow as belonging to the
Desdemona family, and yet it would take several yards of
paper to tabulate the full pedigree to the point where imp.
Desdemona would finally appear. She would then be found
at the bottom of the last right-hand column buried so deeply
under other bloods that all the microscopes in Christendom
could scarcely find a drop of Desdemona left. Still the cow
is bought and sold under herd book approval as "just a plain
Desdemona — one of the old-fashioned sort," notwithstanding the
fact that she is to all intents and purposes of the best Aberdeen-
shire blood! In plain terms if Desdemona is reached in the
fourteenth remove she will simply be one among 16,384 other
recorded animals appearing in this cow's pedigree, any one of
which has just as good a right to give its name to Gem of Oak-
land 4th! She is no more a descendant of Desdemona than of
thousands of other cows. Now for the important fact; the
Desdemonas were not in the Short-horn "smart set" in the old
days of speculation in pedigree. Under the present system they
must, nevertheless, continue to bear that name and be rated
accordingly, despite the fact that there is none of the blood
of poor old Desdemona left. The time has come when this
absurd "tracing" reference as printed in the herd book should
cease. Even if it had some real significance in the old days it
has absolutely none at the present time. This of course opens
up a discussion of the whole scheme of family nomenclature in
Short-horn cattle. From the earliest periods breeders of Short-
horns have classified their cattle into families by reference to
the maternal side of the tree only. I can see why in the record-
APPENDIX o2 /
ing of the earliest foundation stock this might have had some
justification in the judgment of the fathers of the breed. When
all was chaos as regards pedigree, such men as Colling, Bates
and the elder Booth were in the habit of buying select cows
wherever they could find them. Colling ran across Lady May-
nard at Eryholme. Bates hit upon the Duchess heifer at
Darlington market and Thos. Booth Sr. found the first Halnaby
at the same local fair. Each thought that he had a prize and
Bates openly boasted after he had acquired his original Duchess
that from her he would produce Short-horns such as the world
had never seen before. And he came near "making good,"
although as shown on page 99 of "Short-horn Cattle," the
greatest of the so-called Duchess bulls, the Duke of Northumber-
land, carried far more of Stephenson's Princess blood than of
the Duchess. The claim being set up that such cows as Lady
Maynard and the original Duchess were much better than any
other cows in the district in which the improving of the Tees-
water cattle was in progress, it naturally followed that those
who had immediate descendants of those few outstanding cows
should use the name of the female for which such superlative
merit was claimed in designating the progeny even unto the
second and third generations, regardless of what part the bulls
used might have had in the production of the younger cattle.
It gave money value to the grandsons and granddaughters, the
great-grandsons and great-granddaughters to say that they were
descended direct from such and such a famous cow. Hence
the printing of the pedigrees in such way as to bring out that
fact to the virtual exclusion of all others. This system once
adopted has been continued by Short-horn breeders to the
present day.
Historians tell us that in the lowest unorganized forms of
society, when savagery and barbarism held sway, it was the
universal rule that hereditary rights and property descended
through the mother. The reason for this is apparent. There
was no such thing as fixed habitations or family relations. There
might be doubt as to the paternity of a child born under such
a system, but there could be none as to the maternal side of the
case. Names and titles passed, therefore, from mother to off-
spring instead of from the father, as in civilized society. It
828 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
thus appears that in tracing descent through the dam and in
naming families from a foundation dam, Short-horn breeders
have simply perpetuated a relic of barbarism which long since
should have given way to a more rational system. There is no
question as to the paternity of Short-horn calves. Under our
system of breeding and registration the sire is absolutely known.
Why then must we revert to the methods of the aborigines
of the wilderness in undertaking to show the derivation of
the progeny?
My proposition is that the Short-horn association should drop
the words "tracing to" imp. so and so in recording cattle, and
that breeders should cease using the words Mary, Phyllis,
Josephine, etc., in their advertisements, because they mean noth-
ing and set up false standards of comparison. Moreover, they
should also adopt as rapidly as public sentiment will warrant,
the tabulated form of printing their pedigrees for public dis-
tribution. Let us stop this childish listing of Desdemonas, etc.,
and speak of cattle as Scotch-topped American, Scotch-crossed
English, Bates-topped Scotch, or in such other manner as shall
convey some tangible idea of the blood elements actually present.
I suggest a resolution requesting the Board of Directors of the
Short-horn association to cease making these misleading and
worse-than-worthless family references in the herd book. This
is the first step towards the complete elevation of breed above
faction.
More care should be exercised in the naming of calves being
put on record. In the case of the individual animal there is
something in a name. True no high-sounding title will add
an inch to the spring of rib or reduce in the least the length
of leg; at the same time it is wrong to burden a good beast
with a name that is positively inappropriate or flippant. One
common mistake is constructing a name that is altogether too
long. This evil finally reached such proportions that the Board
of Directors of the association had to pass a rule limiting the
number of words that can be used in naming Short-horns to
four. Ordinarily two words are sufficient; and one is better still.
For my part I do not approve of using either the name of the
farm or the name of the owner in christening Short-horn babies.
This is at best a cheap form of advertising and such names
APPENDIX
829
are not liked by those who buy the cattle. In the naming of
bulls we find in the books innumerable instances where the
owners have, unwittingly perhaps, discredited their own work
by employing a word or words little short of insulting to any
self-respecting, well-bred animal.
Such names as Bob, Bud, Kid, Mike, Dad, Eli, etc., are all
well enough around the barn, but they do not lend dignity to
a pedigree; nevertheless there are hundreds of pure-bred bulls
registered under such names. Running hurriedly through a
few volumes of the herd book I find a lot of bulls have gone
on record under such names as Blockhead 189243, Whiskers
141068, Ground Hog 142116, Rocky Bill 198097, Cross Eyed Buck
142424, Weary Willie 194224, Beefsteak 184963, Goo Goo Eyes
187886, But Cut 143983, Ring Tail 169891, Fishback 148235,
Dinkey 146549, Quick Relief 193785, One-Eyed Riley 141000,
Young Saloon 110719, Podunk 125527. Apple 138778, Toad 141007,
Buster 142718, Cantaloupe 96573, Grasshopper 98359 and Hat Box
141342. Now this sort of thing may contribute to the hilarity
of the trade, but is it fair by the bulls? Heifers do not seem
to have been made the butt of jokes to such an extent as their
brothers. One tendency has been to load them down with names
longer than the moral law, as for example: Peri Duchess of
Paddie's Run 2d, Duchess of Clarence of Cottage Home 3d, Miss
Bates 2d of Mount Pleasant Township, 11th Kirklevington
Duchess of French Creek, Maud Muller 4th of Native Grove
Farm, Kirklevington Duchess of Libertyrille 3d and Airdrie
Lizzie of Mush Run. I find a cow called Eagle and another
registered Klondike. Then there is Pleasant Home Spot and
Mother's Baby. Bulls also catch some long appellations, such
as The Man from Glengarry, Dugan Duke of Cedardale 146914,
Red Coat of Silver Creek Valley and B. & R. & I. Grand Duke
of Wild Eyes 195175. Then there are queer combinations, such
as Sir Lulu 145771, Lord Major Miller 140318, and the Duke of
4th of July 141138. As a newspaper man I was impressed by the
name of Sample Copy 110091 and Gazette 148822.
It is manifestly impossible to lay down any specific rules upon
the subject of naming cattle. All we can do is to make general ■
suggestions. First, don't use long names; second, don't employ
"slangy" or trashy names; third, don't use the name of your
830 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
farm; fourth, don't tack on your own name; fifth, don't per-
petuate ancient and misleading family names, for this is pure
and simple "tommy rot"; sixth, don't give masculine names to
females and vice versa; seventh, don't use hackneyed, worn-out,
commonplace names; eighth, don't use Duke and Duchess, Lord
and Lady, Baron and Countess and other titles of aristocracy;
these have been worked to a "frazzle." Try and choose names
that sound well, look well in type, and so far as possible give
some little clue to the immediate ancestry.
Probably none of the great herds in Short-horn history ever
carried so many euphonious and carefully chosen names as the
cattle of the Messrs. Booth. Rare judgment was used at Killerby,
Studley and Warlaby in this matter. Groups of closely related
animals were given names that had a corresponding relation.
When one chances upon the names for example of Campfollower,
Soldier's Bride, Vivandiere and Brigade Major one knows these
animals were near kin. Twin heifers were named Bracelet and
Necklace. If Isabella had a heifer calf by Buckingham it would
go on record very likely as Isabella Buckingham. Happy also
were many of the names employed at Sittyton — most of these
being assigned, I believe, by Anthony Cruickshank's accomplished
son John W. Alliteration came into play here with satisfactory
results. Secrets were given short names beginning with the
letter S and so on through the list. Col. Harris followed this
up at Linwood in certain cases.
The names of flowers have been used among heifers with
happy effect in some noted herds. Bulls should have names
reflecting if possible vigor and power. Individuality should be
aimed at in all instances. Why list a cow as Fanny or Daisy
or Mary when the index to the herd book shows thousands have
already been recorded under those names? Think up something
original and apropos. Delve into mythology, history, poetry
and flction and you will find much material that will assist
you in getting out of the rut. This may take time and research,
but you will be more than repaid by the pleasure it will ultimately
afford you to know that your animals have been sent out to do
their work and have gone down into Short-horn history under
names that sound well, look well and indicate that you have
been giving attention and thought even to those minor details
APPENDIX 831
of your business. Inappropriate, outlandish or well-worn names
may convey to tlie outsider the impression that you are not
taking that interest in your herd that is necessary to success.
Little straws indicate the direction of the wind. The naming
of your cattle is not an unimportant matter. There is not
enough care taken in this regard and I urge you all to give
the matter more consideration.
And now as to the name of the breed itself. On my way to
the late convention at Portland, Ore., I fell in with a New
England farmer who told me that he owned about 75 head of
"Durhams." In the course of our conversation he asked me
if I thought the "Red Durhams" were really any better than the
"blue" ones. He spoke of the Red Durhams as if he thought
them a distinct type. By "blue" I at once assumed that he
meant the one distinctive color of the breed. In replying I
made use of the words "roan" and "Short-horn" and commented
upon "Durhams" as being a virtually obsolete word. He replied,
"Well, of course, we know what you mean when you say Short-
horn; but our farmers stick to the Durhams." Under that sign
the improved Teeswater breed made its early conquests on
those granite hills, and I imagine the old-fashioned type of big-
framed table-backed oxen will continue to win prizes at the
New England county fairs and continue to serve the good
farmers of that section in the yoke for many years to come.
Nevertheless, the name of the breed is Short-horn. Such is
the legend on both the English and American Herd Books, and
what indeed is in that name?
For answer roll back the curtain of a century past and call
into being the myriad herds that have' trod the pastures of two
hemispheres under that appellation I There they are in all their
beauty, clad in their coats of many colors, gracing the beauteous
landscapes of "merrie" England, grazing the green pastures of
sunny France, reveling in the blue-grass and the stalk-fields
of the United States, fattening among the straw-stacks and
turnip-fields of Aberdeenshire, filling the feed-lots of Canada,
ridding the Texans of their horns and putting meat and thrift
under their hides, roaming the ranges of Australia and the
Argentine; known, valued, appreciated wherever symmetry and
feeding quality are sought in the agricultural world! There is,
832 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
therefore, that in the Short-horn name that should bring the
glow of an honest pride into the heart of every man who owns
one. There is that in this name which should command you
to cast out sordid selfishness and stand up for the breed in its
entirety, resolved to do nothing by word or act which will in
any way imperil its future. There is that in the grand old name
of Short-horn which should inspire all who love the breed with
that same ambition which moved the Athenian youth of old to
exclaim: "The trophies of Miltiades will not let me sleep."
AN APPENDIX
In which the story of the Shorthorn in
America is brought down through the
opening years of the Twentieth Century;
prepared by Mr. B. 0. Gowan under the
direction of the author.
CHAPTER I
EENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE AND
EEVIVAL OF TRADE
The year 1900 marked a distinct advance in
Shorthorn interests, furnishing positive evidence
that the breed had emerged from the effects of the
blighting and nerve-racking depression that en-
gulfed all business during the closing decade of
the past century.
This era of improved conditions, with enhanced
prices and a stronger demand, really began dur-
ing the year 1900, but its beneficial effects were
more fully realized in 1901 and 1902. For ped-
igreed cattle of esteemed breeding and conforma-
tion which had been improved by several gen-
erations of painstaking breeders the prices of these
years were conservative and moderate, except in
a few cases where excitement rather than calm
judgment held sway; yet values were so much
better than during the preceding decade that
breeders were greatly encouraged and the Short-
horn industry advanced with commendable rapidity.
The improved demand and enhanced prices
really loft breeders only a moderate profit, yet
relatively sales seemed quite successful. When
contrasted with sales of the preceding decades,
834
EENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 835
some of which were below actual beef values, the
prices seemed good.
It was during the year 1901 that the writer
dispersed a herd which had existed for more than
thirty years in order to accept employment with
the American Shorthorn Breeders' Association as
Assistant Secretary. The enhanced values result-
ing from the increased demand of this period
gave new life to the industry and renewed ambition
to breeders, so that preparations for sales and shows
were pushed with greater zeal. A decided impetus
was given to this phase of the Shorthorn industry
by the action of the American Shorthorn Breeders'
Association in joining with the American Hereford
Cattle Breeders' Association in changing the name
and enlarging the scope of the National Hereford
ShoW; which had been held in Kansas City in Octo-
ber of the preceding year. This action was taken
early in 1900, and an organization was effected
which later became the American Royal Live Stock
Show. In October of that year a very success-
ful show was held under the management of the
two associations and the Kansas City Stock Yards
Company.
During 1900 several important and successful
sales were held; they strengthened the prevailing
spirit of optimism. One of these was made in
March by C. L. Gerlaugh at Osborn, 0., where
thirty-eight head, twenty-two of which were im-
ported, made an average of $544.45. Imp. Bessie
836 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
51st and imp. Clara 58tli, both bred by W. S.
Marr, were bought for $1,525 and $1,100 by Col.
G. M. Casey, Clinton, Mo.; Clara 58th became a
famous breeder in the Tebo Lawn herd. For
several years following 1898 C. L. Gerlaugh made
annual importations from Scotland. He brought
over many valuable Shorthorns, and his public
sales were an important feature of the trade.
On Aug. 7, 1900, at the stockyards in Chicago,
W. D. Flatt held the best sale that had been made
in many years, selling fifty-nine head, forty-four of
them imported, at an average of $793.40. Only one
sold below $300. In spite of intensely hot weather,
very trying to men and exhausting to cattle, an
immense crowd was present and the sale created
great enthusiasm. The top of the sale was $2,600,
paid by Col. Casey for the red two-year-old heifer
imp. Mayflower 5th, bred by Leopold de Rothchild,
Ascot, England. E. W. Bowen, Delphi, Ind., paid
$2,050 for the roan imp. Mayflower 4th, a prize-
winner at the English Royal and out of the gran-
dam of Mayflower 5th. Two young bulls of pro-
nounced merit were Orange Chief and Royal Ban-
ner, both roan, the former being taken by E. W.
Bowen at $1,510 and the latter by H. F. Brown
at $1,505.
Mr. Flatt 's herd bull Golden Fame 144750, a
Campbell-bred Goldendrop on the same founda-
tion as those in the herd of Col. W. A. Harris
except for the Bates cross, was sold to E. S.
WHITEHALL SULTAX — THE BREEDS MOST XOTED LATTER-DAY
SIRE— IMPORTED IX DAM BY E. S. KELLY. YELLOW SPRIXGS.
O.. AXD PURCHASED BY F. W. HARDIXG, WAUKESHA, WIS.,
TO HEAD THE AXOKA HERD.
aVOXDALE — WHITEHALL SULTAN'S MOST NOTED BREEDING SON
AXD LOXG PREMIER SIRE IN THE HERD OF CARPENTER &
ROSS, MANSFIELD, O.
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 837
Donahey, Newton, la., for $1,450. Most of the
cattle were from leading herds in Great Britain
and were of popular breeding. Yet some were of
mixed bloodlines, and the best ones of this class
brought high prices despite the predictions to the
contrary of some ardent ''pure Cruickshank" advo-
cates who were present. A notable example was
the beautiful red yearling Queen of the Louans,
which sold to E. S. Kelly at $1,800, a price
exceeded only by the cows, Mayflower 4th and
Maj^ower 5th. Queen of the Louans was of the
tribe which made the herd of Daniel McMillan,
Xenia, 0., so famous. She was bred by H. F.
Brown and had but one cross of Scotch blood, her
sire being Golden Victor 124164, a Cruickshank
Victoria by Golden Rule, a prizewinner at the
Columbian Exposition. In Mr. Kelly's herd Queen
of the Louans was bred to Whitehall Sultan and
produced "WTiitehall King. When twelve months
old AVliitehall King sold at $155, but under the
skillful management of F. W. Harding he became
a very successful show bull, winning the cham-
pionship in 1908 at both the American Eoyal
and the International; he was then sold for $3,500
to L. V. Harkness, Lexington, Ky. From this
sale Mr. Kelly also took imp. Dalmeny Nonpareil
5th, by Sittyon Seal 149570, at $750, and Mildred
6tli, bred in Ontario, at $1,325.
Whitehall Herd Established. — It seems appro-
priate here to note briefly the foundation laid in
838 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
1900 of a herd that had a far-reaching influence
on the Shorthorns of America. E. S. Kelly, a suc-
cessful business man of Springfield, 0., possessed
of energy, enthusiasm and large wealth, had an
ambition to own a superior herd of Shorthorns. On
a well-equipped farm of rich land at Yellow
Springs, in the fertile valley of the Miami River
and near the place of Daniel McMillan's triumph
with his Louans in the '60 's, Mr. Kelly established
a herd which existed only a few years, but which
in that brief time started forces that did much
to mold Shorthorn form and character not only for
that time but for future generations. The power
of this herd was both actual and potential, bestow-
ing much benefit and foreshadowing more.
In the foundation of the Whitehall herd Mr.
Kelly purchased liberally from leading American
herds, and he also gave to Robert Miller of Ontario
an order to buy without limit in price some of the
best Shorthorns that could be obtained in Great
Britain. In compliance with this order Mr. Miller
imported Brave Archer and twenty-five cows. The
cows included Bapton Pearl from Bapton Manor;
Maude 41st, Missie 158th and Missie 167th from
the herd of W. S. Marr; Dalmeny Missie 3d and
Dalmeny Missie 4th from Lord Roseberry's
herd; Fair Mora, by Star of Morning and bred
by A. M. Gordon, and others from the herds of
Thomas F. Jamieson, Robert Taylor, George L.
Shepherd, James Black and Andrew Duncan.
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 839
Brave Archer, a massive roan bred by William
Diitliie and got by Scottish Archer, was a prize-
winner of some note in the shows of Great Britain
and a sire of considerable merit, bnt in Mr. Kelly's
herd his record as a show bnll w^as disappointing
in the main, though at the Indiana State Fair of
1900 Brave Archer was placed above Viscount of
Anoka, a decision manifestly wrong and later
reversed at the American Eoyal, Viscount of
Anoka taking first prize and Brave Archer third.
As a sire he was a great disappointment at White-
hall; he became sterile not long after his importa-
tion. Several cows of this importation and of later
ones made by Mr. Kelly were valuable breeders, but
none became so famous as Bapton Pearl, mother
of Whitehall Sultan, and Avalanche 2d, dam of
Avondale, his best son. Bapton Pearl was a very
successful coAv at leading shows in Great Britain,
and at the state fair of 1900 at Springfield, 111.,
she took first just a few days before she gave
birth to the white calf which was named White-
hall Sultan — combining the name of Mr. Kelly's
country home with part of the name Bapton Sul-
tan 163570, his sire.
An interesting fact connected with the sale of
Bapton Pearl for exportation to the United States
was that her owner, J. Deane Willis, had bred her
to Bapton Sultan, afterward exported to Argentina,
and later, doubting the wisdom of that mating,
was the more easily persuaded to accept $5,000
840 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOP.N CATTLE
for her. A year before lier importation she gave
birth to Bapton Diamond, later imported by D.
E. Hanna, but after producing Whitehall Sultan
an accident ended her usefulness and she was
chloroformed at Whitehall.
The showyard record of the Whitehall herd was
rather limited, as it existed less than five years.
But if Mr. Kelly had done nothing more for
Shorthorns than to bring over that remarkable cow
Bapton Pearl, thus securing for American herds
her unborn son Whitehall Sultan, he conferred on
the breed a benefit for which both present and
future generations of Shorthorn breeders should
hold him in grateful remembrance.
The American Royal. — During 1900 strong herds
were on exhibition at state and national shows.
The American Royal, held in Kansas City in Octo-
ber, brought out the largest and best display of
Shorthorns seen since the Columbian Exposition
in 1893. The best herds of the East contended
with those of the West for supremacy. Viscount of
Anoka 125081, champion at most shows for two
years, won in class and was made grand cham-
pion, but under a different committee lost the
Armour trophy to Lavender Viscount 124755, a
two-year-old by Baron Lavender 3d, exhibited by
Charles E. Leonard & Son, Bunceton, Mo.
Among the younger bulls Nonpareil of Clover-
blossom, by that remarkable sire imp. Nonpareil
Victor 132573, was made junior champion. Here he
VISCOUNT OF ANOKA — GRAND CHAMPION AT AMERICAN ROYAI
IN 1900 FOR F. W. HARDING. WAUKESHA. WIS.
LAVENDER VISCOUNT — SWEEPSTAKES WINNER AT KANSAS CITY
IN 1900 AND GRAND CHAMPION AT AMERICAN ROYAL AND
INTERNATIONAL IN 1901 — BRED BY S. F LOCKRIDGE, GREEN-
CASTLE. IND., AND OWNED BY C. E. LEONARD & SON. BUNCE-
TON, MO.
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 841
began a showyarcl career that continued for two
years with but one defeat.
The grand championship of the cows and heifers
was won by T. J. Wornall on the massive Lady
Valentine, and the junior championship was
awarded to the beautiful roan Ruberta. Both of
these were bred by J. G. Bobbins & Sons and both
were by St. Valentine 121014, a Canadian-bred
bull that proved an excellent sire in the herds of
Bobbins & Sons and of George E. Ward, Hawarden,
la. In graded herds first was taken by T. J. Wor-
nall, second by E. B. Mitchell & Sons, third by
T. R. Westrope of Iowa and fourth by George
Harding & Son of Wisconsin. In young herds J.
G. Bobbins & Sons took first; C. C. Norton, Corn-
ing, la., second; George Bothwell, Nettleton, Mo.,
third, and T. K. Tomson & Sons, Dover, Kans.,
fourth.
The sale held in connection with the American
Boyal comprised a choice lot of Shorthorns which
had been carefully inspected by order of the asso-
ciation. This was the first sale ever held under
the management of the American Shorthorn
Breeders' Association and was the beginning of
sale inspection by a record association. The sale
comprised 144 head, and they averaged $314.50.
The top price for bulls was $1,000 and for cows
$950.
The International.— In the final show of the year,
held in Chicago in December, an array of Short-
842 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
horns assembled which did great credit to the breed.
Herds that had been campaigning in various sec-
tions of the United States assembled in the Inter-
national arena for the final adjudication. Among
several strong herds, that of J. G. Robbins & Sons
was specially prominent by furnishing the grand
champion bull The Lad for Me and the junior
champion heifer Ruberta, both sired by St. Val-
entine, as well as the first-prize young herd. The
Meadow Lawn herd of N. P. Clarke had the junior
champion bull Justice, a roan yearling of remark-
able merit, and was awarded first on graded herd,
E. B. Mitchell taking second and Greorge Harding
& Son third. The grand championship on cows
was awarded to W. A. Boland, Grass Lake, Mich.,
on the massive, smooth Lady Sharon 4th by Sharon
Marshal, a great sire in the herd of Aaron Bar-
bour. Among the junior yearling heifers was
Missie 165tli by Capt. Inglewood, a very smooth
roan of such marvelous form and pleasing char-
acter that she was easily first in her class, though
she could not wrest the junior championship from
Ruberta. She had been imported to America by
C. L. Gerlaugh and later sold to E. W. Bowen
for $2,200.
During the International a public sale of ninety-
six head made an average of $336. The cow
Beatrice, consigned by N. P. Clarke, sold for $905
to E. S. Donahey. The Scotch-Bates bull imp.
Oxford King 2d brought $1,000 and the Scotch bull
THE LAD FOR HE — GRAND CHAMPION AT 1900 INTERNATIONAL
FOR J. G. ROBBINS & SONS, HORACE, IND.
LADY SHARON 4TH — GRAND CHAMPION AT 1900 INTERNATIONAL
FOR W. A. BOLAND, GRASS LAKE, MICH.
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 843
imp. Star of the North sold to Dr. J. D. Cole, New-
burg, Tenn., for $1,840.
The sales of 1900, both public and private, fully
established the fact of a strong revival of inter-
est in Shorthorns and an encouraging enhance-
ment in their value, but the sales of the following
year made it more emphatic.
Westrope's Dispersion. — Ordinarily dispersions
are not the sales where best averages are made,
but the closing-out sale of T. E. Westrope, Harlan,
la., made in South Omaha on March 12 and 13,
1901, with an average of $454.85 on eighty-one
head, was considered the best that had been made
for many years, all things considered. The stead-
fast, reliable character of the owner, the reputa-
tion of his herd and liberal advertising drew a
large crowd to this sale. AATien Col. F. M. Woods
called for bids speculation ran high as to the
probable prices of the show herd, especially for the
cow Sweet Violet 2d.
The herd bull Young Abbotsburn 2d, by the
Columbian champion Young Abbotsburn, went to
T. J. Ryan & Son, IrAvin, la., at $1,100, and the
beautiful young cow Lavender Princess was taken
at $1,500 by George E. Ward, Hawarden, la.
Golden Abbotsburn, by Young Abbotsburn, a mas-
sive red cow of very attractive appearance, was
bought at $1,400 for Col. G. M. Casey. When
the noted prizewinner Sweet Violet 2d was led
into the ring there was an intensity of feeling
844 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
rarely witnessed in a sale. Several breeders pres-
ent would have taken her at $1,500 to $2,000, but
these limits were soon passed, and from $2,500 to
the final bid it was a contest between the reso-
lute young owner of the Hawarden herd and Mr.
Williams, representing Col. Casey. Williams was
entrenched behind the telegraphic instructions,
* ' buy the cow, ' ' and so could bid with complacency,
but with Mr. Ward it was a question of personal
responsibility and liability; yet with a nerve that
surprised even his most ardent admirers he con-
tinued in the duel until $3,700 was reached. At
$3,705 the cow became the property of Col. Casey,
and so a part of the wonderful collection of Short-
horns at Clinton, Mo., afterwards known as the
Tebo Lawn herd.
While Shorthorn breeders regretted the loss to
the business of such a veteran as T. R. Westrope,
the very successful sale with which he bade adieu
to the fraternity filled them with new faith and
hope, to be strengthened further by sales held
during the succeeding spring and summer.
In April N. A. Lind, Eolfe, la., sold fifty head
at an average of $544, six cows selling for more
than $1,000 each and one at $1,485. Two days
later C. C. Bigler & Sons, Hartwick, la., disposed
of fifty-one head at an average of $536.65, one cow
selling for $1,775.
Summer Hill Herd Sold.— Soon after the West-
rope sale, Bigler & Sons, at private treaty, pur-
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 845
chased the herd of C. B. Dustin, Summer Hill, 111.,
paying $30,000 for forty-two head, including the
herd bull Merry Hampton 132572. This bull was
bred by William Duthie, got by the Marr-bred
Prince Frolic out of Madamoiselle 6th by the
famous Field Marshal, and was imported in 1898
by C. B. Dustin & Son. He was a compact, smooth
roan of great scale and a pleasing, commanding
appearance. His record in the showring would
have been a good one, but on account of a bad
disposition, resulting largely from the harsh treat-
ment of a herdsman, he was not exhibited at the
fairs. As a breeder Merry Hampton's record is
not as brilliant as those of some other bulls of his
day, yet in the Dustin herd he had get of great
merit. His son Hampton's Best was a phenomenal
breeder in the herd of C. D. Bellows, Maryville, Mo.
May Sales. — At Des Moines, la., Martin Flynn
sold forty-eight head, some of Bates breeding, at
an average of $320. At Springfield, 111., M. E. Jones
& Co. on May 2 disposed of fifty-six head at an
average of $331.50; imp. Stella and imp. Sybella,
both by Star of Morning, sold at $2,200 and $1,025,
the former to E. W. Bowen and the latter to W. R.
Nelson, Kansas City, Mo. A few days later C. L.
Gerlaugh, Osborn, 0., sold thirty-five head at an
average of $463.30, imp. Mayflower 19th going to
George Harding & Son at $1,000 and imp. Missie
165th at $2,200 to W. D. Flatt, who later trans-
846 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORlSr CATTLE
ferred her to E. W. Bowen, in whose show herd she
was a suitable companion to imp. Stella, the two
being alike in color, quite similar in form and at
many shows standing second and third to the
champion Euberta.
Chicago Auctions. — On June 4 and 5 George E.
Ward, Ha warden, la., had a very successful sale
in Chicago, forty-four head making an average of
$725. Sweet Charity 5th by imp. Salamis 110075, r
show heifer from the herd of C. C. Norton, Corn-
ing, la., sold for $1,430, and Lavender Princess,
bought in the Westrope sale for $1,500, brought
$1,780, selling to C. C. Bigler & Sons. Duchess
of Gloster 34th sold to Brown & Randolph, Indian-
ola, la., at $2,500. Ten cows in the sale sold at
from $1,000 to $2,500. St. Valentine, Mr. Ward's
herd bull and sire of some of the sale cattle, had
died just before the auction. As most of the
cows were bred to him, his death had a stimulating
effect on prices; bidders knew that this was the
last opportunity to buy calves by this noted sire.
On the day following Ward's sale sixty head
were sold in the same arena. This offering was a
draft from the herds of W. D. Flatt, H. Cargill &
Son, M. H. Cochrane & Son and W. C. Edwards
& Co., all of Ontario. An average of $748 was
m.ade on the offering. Mr. Flatt 's fifteen head
averaged $1,073, imp. Daisy 3d by Sittyton Style
selling for $1,910 to James Watters and imp. Vic-
toria 67th to Martin Flynn at $1,500.
EENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 847
The Hardings' Chicago Sale. — During the sum-
mer of 1901 the whole Mississippi Valley experi-
enced the worst drouth in many years, but despite
this handicap Georg^e Harding & Son held a very
successful sale in the Dexter Park Sale Pavilion in
Chicago on Aug. 7. An average of $656.85 was
made on forty-three head. Several imported cows
were included, but the bulk of the sale cattle was
from the recently purchased herd of E. B. Mitchell
& Son, Danvers, 111. The show heifer My Hannah
Lady by Prince Armour, a son of imp. Princess
Alice, was sold at $1,060 to Col. G. M. Casey.
The Eose of Sharon heifer Julia Marshal by
Sharon Marshal 121136 brought $1,625, the bid of
T. J. Evan & Son, Irwin, la. After the sale the
herd bull Alice's Prince, another son of imp.
Princess Alice, was sold at private treaty for
$2,750 to Col. Casey. This sale . was decidedly
stimulating to the Shorthorn trade, coming as it
did in the midst of a protracted and depressing
drouth.
Some Important Shows. — The Iowa State Fair at
Des Moines brought together a characteristic dis-
play of Shorthorns, the classes of cows and heifers
being particularly good. The superior quality of
the exhibit cannot be better indicated than by
quoting the tribute of ''The Breeder's Gazette" in
reporting the show:
"If the Shorthorn fathers — those who assisted at
the birth of the breed a century ago and who laid
848 A HISTORY OF SHORT-IIOPtN CATTLE
the foundations of the modern cattle show in the
market places of Yarm and Darlington — could have
been Governor Packard's guests while these berib-
boned battalions of reds and whites and roans
marched and counter-marched before the admiring
throng, it would have been a glad day indeed for
the old York and Durham squires. Surely the
Shorthorn breed contains within itself the elements
of bovine immortality. It seems to have been
endowed by its far-sighted founders with grace and
wealth of flesh and milk in perpetuity. Its popu-
larity is perennial. Its destiny seems as fixed as
the Polar Star itself."
After a somewhat detailed description of the best
bulls of the show, the report contained the follow-
ing generous words : ' ' The tide of Shorthorn wealth
ran at full flood throughout the female classes."
The Lad for Me from the Robbins herd won first
in the class of aged bulls, but was beaten for cham-
pionship by Golden Victor, shown by Harding &
Son. In the female classes the greatest merit was
in two-year-olds and yearlings. The two-year-olds
were phenomenal, and at the head of this ring
were the three roans — Ruberta, from the Robbins
herd; imp. Missie 165th, exhibited by E. W. Bowen,
and Rose of Autumn, from the herd of Harding &
Son, though bred by E. B. Mitchell & Son and got
by the noted Baron Cruickshank 3d. Ruberta,
daughter of St. Valentine, would brook no defeat;
she was placed first and later was made grand
champion. Missie 165th had almost perfect form
and a grace of both movement and pose that was
RENEW^O. OF CONFIDENCE 849
quite bewitching. She was bred by W. S. Marr,
got by Capt. Inglewood 151190, imported by C. L.
Gerlaugh and purchased in May, 1901, by E. W.
Bowen for $2,200. On graded herds first went to
J. G. Eobbins & Sons, second to George Harding
& Son and third to E. W. Bowen. On young herds
T. J. Wornall had first, Eobbins & Sons second and
C. C. Norton third.
In the competition for get of sire, the most
important prize of the entire show, there w^ere nine
groups. George Bothwell, Nettleton, Mo., won first
on the get of Nonpareil Victor. Second was
awarded to T. J. Wornall, Liberty, Mo., on the get
of Viscount of Anoka. Third was won by Rob-
bins & Son on the get of The Lad for Me, and
fourth by T. K. Tomson & Sons, Dover, Kans., on
get of Gallant Knight.
At the Illinois State Fair, held at Springfield
the first week in October, the herds which had been
campaigning at our fairs met some strong compe-
tition in the herd of W. D. Flatt, Hamilton, Ont.,
which included the Canadian-bred Valiant, whose
sire Abbotsford was half-brother to Young Abbots-
bum, the flash two-year-old imp. Lord Banff, and
the prizewinning cows imp. Cicely, from the Queen's
herd, and the red imp. Empress 12th, of mixed
bloodlines, but a wonderfully good cow. Valiant
conquered Golden Victor and The Lad for Me and
gained the championship, while the chief honor
among the two-year-olds was awarded to Lord
850 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Banff, a roan son of the Campbell-bred Roan Bess,
a Scotch cow of the real dual-purpose type.
In a strong class of cows Mr. Flatt took first and
second prizes on Cicely and Empress 12th. The
contest for championship was a battle royal between
Cicely, a champion of the English Royal, and the
American-bred Ruberta, champion of many con-
tests and the most constant and consistent prize-
winner that had appeared in many years. As
Great Britain and the United States were repre-
sented in the breeding of the two cows, and as the
contest was international in ownership, the decision
of the judge, Thomas Clark, a veteran Hereford
breeder, was awaited with the most profound inter-
est by attending stockmen. The purple ribbon
was finally given to Ruberta, and she vindicated
the decision by maintaining it in many future con-
tests, in some of which Cicely participated. A
few weeks later Cicely became the property of
J. G. Robbins & Sons, and so an associate of
Ruberta. During the following year both of them
became the property of Col. G. M. Casey, Clin-
ton, Mo.
The Second American Royal. — The display of
Shorthorns at the second show in Kansas City,
held in October, gave advocates of the breed great
encouragement. The exhibit was larger in num-
bers and in most classes was better in quality than
the show of 1900. In the class of aged bulls
Leonard's Lavender Viscount, Ryan's Young Ab-
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 851
botsbiirn 2d, Tomson's Gallant Knight and Eob-
bins' The Lad for Me, three reds and a roan,
M'ere chosen for the first four prizes, but the
decision to place the big roan Young Abbotsbum 2d
next to Lavender Viscount, very smooth and com-
pact, and above G-allant Knight and The Lad for
Me, both of the compact type, occasioned consider-
able surprise.
George Bothwell's Nonpareil of Cloverblossom
won easily in class over Valley Count by Viscount
of Anoka, and "was later made junior champion. In
the class for senior calves Mr. Bothwell's Non-
pareil Hero, half-brother to Nonpareil of Clover-
blossom, was placed first. Lavender Viscount was
made grand champion, but being barred from
competition for the Armour trojDhy, that prize was
awarded to Harding & Son's Golden Victor, first-
prize two-year-old.
In the class of cows Rose Princess, exhibited
by Harding & Son, was given first, imp. Maj^ower
5th second, and Sweet Violet 2d third. The last
two were from the herd of Col. Casey and had been
bought at $2,600 and $3,705 at public sales. In
the two-year-old class Ruberta won easily and was
afterward made grand champion. In the distribu-
tion of herd prizes J. G. Bobbins & Sons were
awarded first on graded herd, first on calf herd
and second on young herd. In graded herds second
was awarded to Harding & Son and third to Col.
Casey. In young herds George Bothwell took sec-
852 A HISTORY OF SnORT-HORN CATTLE
end and Purdy Bros, third, while in calf herds
Bothwell was second and C. E. Leonard & Son
third. In get of sire The Lad for Me was first
and imp. Nonpareil Victor second. In the produce
of cow class Rose Princess and Rose of Autumn,
out of Rosebud, stood first.
At the public sale conducted by the American
Shorthorn Breeders' Association an average of $377
was made on fifty-two head. The roan two-year-old
Inglewood 151200, consigned by Hanna & Co.,
Howard, Kans., got by Capt. Inglewood out of imp.
Emma 33d, was sold for $1,840 to Forest Bros. &
Dunham, Miles, la.
During the exhibition of the aged bulls a gen-
uine bull-fight took place in the arena. On the
day preceding the exhibition of bulls an attendant
of the Tebo Lawn herd was somewhat careless in
handling bulls in the bam and allowed one to
make a rear attack on imp. Blythe Victor and put
him through a partition into the adjacent stall.
Blythe Victor deeply resented the insult; he bided
his time for revenge, which came in the showring
the next day. In the arrangement of the prizes
the judges ordered a change of position for the
bulls, and when the herdsman led Blythe Victor,
still angry over the indignity he had suffered,
behind Alice's Prince he promptly attacked him
with a mighty rush and the battle was on. Blythe
Victor had short, stout, wide horns, while Alice's
Prince had rather long, drooping horns that turned
EENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 853
in before his face. After the first onset the bulls
got their horns so interlocked that they could not
separate for other charges or flank movements, so
in their rage they pushed and snorted as one mon-
ster with two writhing bodies and one head. This
unexpected result of the battle enabled the herds-
men to regain possession of the lead straps attached
to the nose rings. By a lusty pulling of these and
a vigorous application of whips the bulls were
separated with no damage to them and no injury
to the spectators, though the excitement was intense
and the danger of a disastrous stampede was immi-
nent.
A Remarkable Sale. — At the Union Stock Yards
in Chicago, on Xov. 7, W, D. Flatt made a public
sale which set a new record for that time and
gave strong encouragement to Shorthorn breeders
everywhere. The offering included a number of
imported cattle of superior merit, and some of
these were fresh from the victory at the Illinois
State Fair of the preceding month. Valiant,
grand champion bull of that show, sold at $1,675
to Lowden, Baker & Baker, who also took imp.
Empress 12th at $2,010 and six other cows, the
eight head aggregating $9,155. Lord Banff was
bought at $5,000 by George E. Ward, and at the
same price J. G. Eobbins & Sons took the Royal
champion imp. Cicely. The five bulls of the sale
made an average of $1,684 and the forty cows of
$1,053. The forty-five head averaged $1,123, the
854 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
highest average in the United States since the
Cochrane sale of 1882.
The Court of Last Resort. — The good sales and
some brilliant shows of the year 1901 inspired
breeders with stronger faith in the breed and
renewed the determination to make its accom-
plishments greater, bnt it remained for the Inter-
national Live Stock Exposition, the final adjudi-
cation of the year, to increase their courage and
fire them with greater zeal. The bull classes con-
tained many of unusual merit and the exhibit
of cows and heifers was of such transcending excel-
lence as to call from James Peter, the foreign
judge from Berkley, England, and from W. S.
Marr, Ujoper Mill, Scotland, the opinion that they
had never seen a better display at any time in
any country.
At any International the final test of excellence
is of absorbing interest; the champions of various
state fairs are striving for supremacy. But a gen-
uine fascination was added to these contests by
the fact that several ciiampions of the Koyal and
other shows of Great Britain were pitted against
American-bred champions of our own shows.
The first of these contests was between Lavender
Viscount, grand champion at the American Royal,
a red of marvelous thickness and smoothness, and
the roan Choice Goods, winner of the pui*ple at
the English Eoyal and regarded as the best bull
imported in many years. Lavender Viscount won
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 855
and was later made grand cliampion, a correct
decision at the time, but one which Choice Goods'
later development would never have justified.
A similar contest was between Nonpareil of
Cloverblossom, o^\Tied by George Both well, and
Forbes & Son's Cock Robin, a consistent winner at
British shows. The former won and later was
made junior chamiDion. This show marks the
prominent appearance of the winning junior calf
Ceremonious Archer, a furry, sappy youngster by
imp. Best of Archers and out of imp. Lady in
Waiting, that two years later was made grand
champion and then sold at $5,000 to Col. Frank
0. Lowden for his Sinnissippi herd.
Since the Illinois State Fair in October, where
Cicely and Euberta had their first trial of merit.
Cicely had been transferred to the Eobbins herd.
She was first of the cows and Euberta of the two-
year-olds, and so the exciting contest for supremacy
begun at Springfield was transferred to Chicago.
The two-year-old won again and became gi'and
chamjDion. Thus this marvelous daughter of St.
Valentine became queen of the show arena, and
neither Cicely nor any ambitious contestant could
successfully dispute her right to reign.
For the graded herd j^rize the Eobbins entry,
Choice Goods, Cicely, Euberta, Clarissa and Lad's
Goldie, proved invincible, as was the entry of
George Bothwell, all roans and all by imp. Non-
pareil Victor, in the young herd competition. The
856 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
Bothwell group also won first prize for get of sire,
the supreme test of all shows. In the contest for
produce of cow, first prize was awarded to Hard-
ing & Son on Rose Princess and Autumn Rose, out
of Rosebud, this being the twenty-third time they
had been awarded this prize.
The public sale held during the International
was the best ever made under the management of
the American Shorthorn Breeders' Association,
seventeen bulls selling at an average of $593.25,
fifty-two cows at $647.60, and the sixty-nine at
$634.20. Imp. Missie 153d, consigned by W. S.
Marr, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, sold for $6,000 to
W. C. Edwards & Co., Rockland, Ont., in whose
herd her brother. Marquis of Zenda, was chief
stock bull. Missie 172d, a beautiful roan by Spicy
Robin, consigned by George Harding & Son, sold
for $1,900 to E. W. Bowen. Cherry Volumina 2d
by imp. Spartan Hero brought $1,375, and three
bulls sold at $1,200, $1,150 and $1,075 respectively,
the last being imp. Blackwatch, half-brother to
Choice Goods.
In 1901, 4,045 Shorthorns were sold at auction
for $1,136,291, an average of $280.90, which was
$95 above the average of two years previously.
Sales of 1902.— While the sales of 1901 indicate
that the tide of improvement which began two
years before had reached its flood, the sales of
1902 were both numerous and encouraging in
results. On March 6 and 7 Messrs. Dustin, Forbes,
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 857
Pratlier, Norton and Wornall joined in a combi-
nation sale. Eighty-nine head, including thirty-
five imported animals, made an average of $4:99.80.
Spicy Clara, first-prize yearling at the International
of 1901, was bought at $1,500 by George Harding
& Son.
On April 5 in the same arena forty-six head from
the herds of C. B. Dustin, I. M. Forbes & Son, C.
C. Norton, J. F. Prather and S. E. Prather were
sold at an average of $719. The red cow Victoria
of Hill Farm 6th and heifer calf sold for $2,100
to Frank Bellows, Maryville, Mo. Secret of Hill
Farm 4th by Merry Hampton sold for $1,315 to
F. P. McAdoo, Indianola, la., and Sweet Charity
5th by imp. Salamis went to George E. Ward,
Hawarden, la., at $1,300. From J. F. Prather 's
consignment F. W. Ayers, Athens, 111., bought
Golden Venus for $1,300 and imp. Eosemary 201st
at $1,000.
The month of March was fruitful of good sales,
only part of which are reported here. On the
twelfth C. S. Barclay, West Liberty, la., sold fifty-
six head at an average of $321.40. Later in the
month E. R. Stangland sold forty-one that aver-
aged $485, and Hector Cowan, Paullina, la., sold
forty-nine at $512. On March 25 occuiTed the
annual sale of H. F. Brown, Minneapolis, Minn.;
it was encouraging in its prices and veiy impor-
tant because of its influence on the Shorthorn
industry of the Northwest. Thirty-five head made
858 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
an average of $750. From this consignment W. H.
Dunwoody of Minneapolis made purchases for
the foundation of the Woodhill herd, which he
established at Long Lake, Minn. He bought six
cows at an average price of $975, including imp.
Juno by Star of Morning and imp. May Blossom
4th by Archer, two cows which proved remarkable
breeders in the Woodhill herd. The herd bull imp.
Royal Banner sold to W. 0. Carpenter, Pukwana,
S. D., for $1,505, the exact price which he brought
in the Chicago sale of W. D. Flatt on Aug. 7, 1900.
One of the important spring sales of this year
was that of George Bothwell, Nettleton, Mo., held
in the Dexter Park sale pavilion in Chicago, April
14. Forty-four head, mainly of Bothwell 's own
breeding, made an average of $497.50. Nonpareil
Hero and Nonpareil of Cloverblossom, both noted
prizewinners and both by imp. Nonpareil Victor,
sold at $1,610 and $1,710, the former to H. Hagen-
fieldt, StoiTH Lake, la., and the latter to George
Harding & Son, who later resold him at $2,400 to
D. R. Hanna. Messrs. Harding also took the cow
imp. Collynie Wimple at $1,105. Queen of Beauty,
the winning senior heifer calf at the International
of 1901, was purchased by E. W. Bowen at $1,000.
''The Breeder's Gazette" of April 23 has the fol-
lowing deserved encomium:
''Few men of Mr. Bothwell 's age have risen as
rapidly in the business of breeding and exhibiting
Shorthorn cattle. He has demonstrated anew the
RENEWAL OF CONFIDElSrCE 859
value of Scotch crossing on standard American
families. Most of liis show cattle have been pro-
duced by blending Aberdeenshire blood with that
of sound Ohio and Kentucky strains."
Those who are familiar with Mr. Bothwell's bril-
liant record in the showring with cattle of his own
breeding, and particularly those who know the
discouragements which he faced when he began
breeding Shorthorns, will readily admit that the
words of praise were richly deserved. During three
or four years following 1900 no exhibitor captured
more prizes with cattle of his own breeding. To
give the secret of his success is to repeat again
the story of good sires. He was fortunate in fol-
lowing the good herd bull Grand Victor 115752
with the phenomenal breeder Nonpareil Victor
132573, bred by J. Deane Willis and imported by
Mr. Bothwell. This bull was sired by Count Victor
and he by Count Lavender, the sire of imp. Bapton
Pearl, dam of Whitehall Sultan. Without question
Nonpareil Victor was one of the great sires of his
time and his death after but a few years of service
was a distinct loss to the breed. His death was
caused by pneumonia, induced by standing in a
draft when he was too warm.
Ohio Sales. — During the month of May, 1902,
three important sales were held in Ohio. At Yel-
low Springs E. S. Kelly made his first public sale,
disposing of thirty-six head at an average of $590.
Imp. Missie 158th by Scottish Archer went to
860 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
W. I. Wood at $1,625 and imp. Dalmeny Nonpareil
to W. D. Flatt at $1,300.
At Osborn C. L. Gerlaugh sold thirty-three head
at an average of $610, the bull Master of the Ring
by imp. First in the Ring going for $1,750 to T. J.
Ryan & Son, Irwin, la., and the imported cows
Alexandrina 29th and Missie 162d to E. S. Kelly
at $1,025 and $1,525. On the following day W. I.
Wood at Williamsport sold forty-four head at an
average of $359, the bull Choice of the Ring bring-
ing $1,550 and the cow imp. Proud Fancy by Pride
of Morning going at $2,050 to W. T. Miller & Son,
Winchester, Ind.
June Sales. — The sales held during the month of
June, 1902, were fully as successful and equally as
encouraging as the previous ones. Early in the
month N. A. Lind, Rolfe, la., sold fifty-three head
for an average of $766.30, and two days later C. C.
Bigler & Sons disposed of 115 head for an average
of $823.60, the highest since the Hamilton sale of
1884, save only the W. D. Flatt sale of Nov. 7,
1901, where an average of $1,123 was made. The
recent purchase by Bigler & Sons of the herd of
C. B. Dustin, including Merry Hampton, contrib-
uted materially to the success of this sale.
On June 13 and 14 a combination sale was held
at the stock yards in Chicago, including consign-
ments from the herds of Hon. H. M. Cochrane &
Son, Hon. John Dryden & Son, W. C. Edwards &
Co. and George Harding & Son. The high char-
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 861
acter of the herds represented and the known
merit of the cattle consigned drew a large crowd
of breeders, both from Ontario and the states.
Bidding was spirited for the better lots, and
an average of $536.40 was made on ninety-eight
head. The herd bull Good Morning 182755 by
Joy of Morning, consigned by Dryden & Son, sold
for $1,800 to Lowden, Baker & Baker for the Sinnis-
sippi herd. Only two cows reached the $1,000
mark, but very few sold below $250.
Shows of 1902.— During the autumn of 1902
Shorthorns were represented on the fair circuits by
some very strong herds. At the Iowa State Fair
the exhibit was excellent in quality and com-
prised nine herds. Choice Goods maintained his
championship over bulls, and Ceremonious Archer,
first-prize junior calf at the International of 1901,
was made junior champion. Euberta vindicated
her title to the queenship of the show, though the
beautiful, exquisitely modeled imp. Missie 165th
lead a revolt to dethrone her and would have
been successful but for lack of scale. Imp. Cicely,
Ruberta's most formidable rival in 1901, was no
longer a dangerous competitor and had to be sat-
isfied with sixth place in class. First in a class
of eighteen yearlings and junior championship was
won by E. W. Bowen on Queen of Beauty, bred
by George Bothwell and sired by Nonpareil Victor.
In the get-of-sire competition first was awarded
to T. J. Wornall on get of Viscount of Anoka, the
862 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
bull which led the winning herd in the shows of
1899 and 1900, and second was given to T. K. Tom-
son & Sons on get of Gallant Knight. For produce
of cow first prize was awarded to George Hard-
ing & Son on that of imp. Lady in Waiting, dam
of ten herd bulls that sold for an aggregate of
$17,500, and second to Col. G. M. Casey on produce
of Rosedale Violet 9th.
The American Royal in Kansas City brought
together for the October test the best herds of
both the eastern and w^estern circuits. Choice
Goods easily held his commanding position among
the bulls and Ruberta regained the premier place
among cows; it had been wrested from her at the
Illinois and Kentucky State Fairs by Village Rose, .
owned by D. R, Hanna. In close contests where
the merit of the animals is nearly equal there is
always room for a difference of opinion, and in
consequence decisions at one show may be changed
at the next; but the action of the judges at the
American Royal in dropping to sixth place the
yearling heifer Queen of Beauty which had been
junior champion at most of the large fairs of the
year was clearly wrong. At the International she
was again first in her class and junior champion.
The first prize for get of sire w^as awarded to
the get of The Lad for Me, owned by J. G. Rob-
bins & Sons, and second to get of Best of Archers,
owned by George Harding & Son. A notable
feature of this exhibit was a remarkable quartet
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 863
of roan cows, consisting of Ruberta, Village Rose,
imp. Missie 165tli and 55tli Ducliess of Gloster.
The International of 1902. — AVlien the Interna-
tional opened its gates for the exhibition of 1902
the cream of the show cattle of the year was drawn
to Chicago. There may be experiences where antici-
pation is more satisfactory than realization, but it
certainl}^ was not true of this exhibition of Short-
horns. The fondest expectations of the advocates
of the breed were fulfilled in the large display of
prizewinners superbly fashioned, exquisitely fitted
and artistically groomed. In reading about the bull
championships of this period there is an element of
sameness in the record, as no bull was able success-
fully to dispute Choice Goods ' title to that supreme
honor. In this show the two-year-old Nonpareil of
Cloverblossom, a persistent winner since calfhood
and the holder of many junior championships, met
his first defeat and took second to Royal Avalanche,
bred by S. F. Lockridge, got by his noted sire Baron
Lavender 3d and exhibited by W. F. Christian &
Son, Indianapolis, Ind. The Pacific Coast contrib-
uted a prizewinner — the first-prize senior yearling
Rolando, from the herd of W. 0. Minor, Heppner,
Ore. In junior yearlings Ceremonious Archer con-
tinued his victorious career and in senior calves
D. R. Hanna's King Edward took second to H. D.
Parson's Nonpareil King by Both well's imp. Non-
pareil Victor, the sire of three of the prizewinners
in this class.
864 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Ruberta won in class, beating the remarkable
trio Missie 165tli, Stella and 55tli Duchess of Glos-
ter, but she in turn was defeated for grand cham-
pionship by the first-prize two-year-old Village
Belle 2d by Silver Plate, exhibited by D. R. Hanna.
Queen of Beauty won first in class and was later
made junior champion, so the objection that she
was ''old fashioned," which caused her to be
ignored by the judges at the American Royal, did
not appeal to the judges at the International. In
the class of senior heifer calves first prize was
awarded to E. W. Bowen on the Canadian-bred
Fair Queen, which here began a prizewinning
record that almost equaled that of Ruberta.
On graded herds first was awarded to Col. Casey,
second to E. W. Bowen and third to Harding & Son,
while J. Gr. Robbins & Sons took first on both
young and calf herds, Harding & Son and T. J.
Woniall taking second and third on young herds
and Bothwell and Harding second and third on
calf herds.
For get of sire first prize was given to D. R.
Hanna on get of Silver Plate, second to T. J.
Womall on get of Viscount of Anoka and third
to J. Or. Robbins & Sons on get of The Lad for Me.
Imp. Lady in Waiting, owned by Harding & Son,
was the dam of the first-prize produce of cow
and Rosedale Violet 9th, owned by Col. Casey, of
the second-prize produce.
At the public sale conducted by the association
RUBERTA— GRAXD CHAMPION AT INTERNATIONAL OF 1901 FOR
J. G. ROBBINS & SOX. HORACE, IND.
VILLAGE BELLE 2D — GRAND CHAMPION AT 1902 INTERNATIONAL
FOR D. R. HANNA, RAVENNA, O.
KENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 865
fourteen bulls brought an average of $422 and fifty-
five cows of $382, the sixty-nine head making
$390.20. Princess of Pitlivie 2d, consigned by N.
P. Clarke, sold for $1,000 to W. D. Flatt.
At public sales of 1902 6,152 head sold for
$1,602,023, an average of $260.40.
The Harding Dispersion. — Quite early in 1903
there was held in the Dexter Park pavilion a sale
which was of much more than ordinary moment
to Shorthorn breeders; it was not only a vei^
successful vendue and therefore greatly encour-
aging, but it marked the dissolution of a firm
that had exercised a notable influence in the
upbuilding of Shorthorn interests in America. On
Jan. 6 and 7 George Harding & Son held a dis-
persion sale which recorded the retirement of the
senior member of the firm and the readjustment
of the Anoka herd under the ownership of the
junior member, Frank W. Harding. The event
brought together a large crowd of Shorthorn
breeders, and the sale was considered a success,
though some of the cattle sold below their real
values. Eleven bulls made an average of $489.65
and seventy-seven cows and heifers an average of
$367.75, the eighty-eight head realizing $387.15. The
thirty-two imported cattle averaged $517.30. The
herd bull Best of Archers 141832, bred by William
Duthie and sired by Scottish Archer, was sold to C.
Journell & Son, Urbana, 0., for $1,605. Imp.
Missie 163d by Spicy Robin was taken at $1,150
866 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
by Robert Miller, Stouffville, Ont.,, and imp.
Spicy Clara was sold for $610 to D. R. Hanna,
in whose herd she became very successful in the
showring.
Greatly appreciated by all who were privileged to
attend was the banquet given by Messrs. Harding
in rooms now occupied by the Saddle and Sirloin
Club. The occasion was one of a renewal of good-
fellowship among Shorthorn breeders, and those
present used the opportunity for expressing sin-
cere appreciation of the work of George Harding
in the thirty years during which he had bred
Shorthorns. One hundred and seventy-five guests
enjoyed the Hardings' hospitality, and at the con-
clusion of the banquet hearty expressions of appre-
ciation were voiced by S. F. Lockridge, president
of the American Shorthorn Breeders* Association,
and by Alvin H. Sanders, editor of ''The Breeder's
Gazette."
Whitehall's Second Sale.— On May 19, 1903, E.
S. Kelly made his second annual sale at Yellow
Springs, 0. The fame of the Whitehall herd and
liberal advertising assembled an immense crowd,
and Mr. Kelly fed 1,600 people before opening the
sale. There was great enthusiasm. The thirty-four
cattle, including fourteen imported ones, made an
average of $409, considered fairly good at that
time. The top of the sale was imp. Fair Morn by
Star of Morning which sold for $855 to J. A.
Gerlaugh, Harshman, 0. Whitehall Missie at $480
1^
^^^^^^^^Ih^^ K»^ 'Vti K '-^'I^^B
^^^H^W^ f 1 ^^H
FAIU QUEEN, CHAMI'inN FEMALE AT THE AMERICAN SHOWS
OF 1904.
RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE 867
and Grolden Marengo at $335 were taken by Reid
Carpenter, Mansfield, 0., while Thomas Johnson,
Columbus, 0., bought the imported cows Flower
Girl, Nettie 5th and Eosemary 201st, paying $2,045
for the three.
The International of 1903. — The International of
that year assembled a strong exhibit of Shorthorns.
At this show Whitehall Sultan, then two years old,
made his initial bow, but drew third prize, first
being awarded to Harding's Ceremonious Archer
and second to Burnbrae Chief, owned by E. W.
Bowen. Two roans and a white made up this trio,
but in the yearling classes the reds had an inning,
as D. R. Hanna's King Edward was first of the
seniors and F. AY. Harding's Eoyal "Wonder first
of the juniors. In the classes for senior and junior
calves the first prizes were won by the roans. My
Choice, owned by Abram Eenick, and Hampton's
Model, exhibited by C. D. Bellows. In the final
test for the supreme honor of the show Ceremonious
Archer drew the purple ribbon, while among the
cows a new djTiasty was inaugurated and a new
queen proclaimed, E. W. Bowen 's many times
junior champion Fair Queen being made grand
champion over D. E. Hanna's Village Belle 2d,
the senior champion. The challenge cup offered
by the American Shorthorn Breeders' Association
for four animals of either sex, all under twelve
months and bred by exhibitor, was awarded to
C. D. Bellows, Maryville, Mo.
868 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
At the public sales of 1903 4,474 head brought
$779,358, an average of $174.15.
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition. — Soon after
the advent of the twentieth century preparations
began for celebrating in an elaborate and compre-
hensive international exposition the 100th anni-
versary of the purchase from France of the Louis-
iana territory in 1803. After plans had fully
matured, a postponement of one year was neces-
sary in order that buildings might be completed
and made ready for the exhibits, so the exposi-
tion was not held until 1904. Liberal prizes were
offered by the exposition management and by the
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association to
encourage the exhibition of Shorthorns, and in
addition, some of the states made liberal appro-
priations to encourage the exhibition of all classes
of live stock. In some states this supplemental
appropriation was for added money to the exposi-
tion prizelist and in others it was a pro rata to
the expense of shipments. The wise and liberal
inducements offered brought out an exhibit of
Shorthorns which was surprising in its magnitude
and quite satisfying in its excellence. Shorthorn
breeders rallied loyally to the support of the breed
and welcomed the opportunity to show farmers of
the world the merits of Shorthorns. In reporting
this exhibit "The Breeder's Gazette" spoke of it
as follows :
"Comprehensive in its scope, commanding the
CEREMONIOUS ARCHER — GRAND CHAMPION AT lauo INTERNA-
TIONAL, FOR F. "W. HARDING, WAUKESHA, WIS.
IMP. CHOICE GOODS— .\.i:_ A< .<HOW BULL AND SIRE — GRAND
CHAMPION AT THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION FOR
J. G. ROBBINS & SONS, HORACE, IND.
RENEWAL. OF CONFIDENCE 869
cream of the herds from Ohio to the Pacific North-
west, it was a wholly satisfactory fruition of years
of preparation for this event. Surely Shorthorn
breeders have met the occasion in full sympathy
with the spirit that prompts them to rise to all
emergencies, and have given fresh pledge of the
magnitude, the permanency of their operations, and
of the ability of their herds to supply in superb
form animals of the type demanded by meat-
makers of the present day."
To say that there were thirty-four exhibitors
from ten states gives an idea of the extent of the
display.
After a retirement from the show arena of almost
two years, Choice Goods reappeared at this exposi-
tion in such excellent form and with so much of
his former bloom that he won in class and was
made grand champion. Among the two-year-olds
King Edward, a massive, stylish red, exhibited by
D. E. Hanna, was an easy winner. Of the senior
yearlings Whitehall Marshal from the Anoka herd
of F. W. Harding was placed over My Choice,
owned by Abram Renick. Among the junior year-
lings the white Missie Diamond, exhibited by D. E.
Hanna, was placed above Hampton's Model, a
superb roan from the herd of C. D. Bellows, a deci-
sion which called forth more dissent than any of
the show. In the senior calf class first prize went
to D. E. Hanna on Bapton King by Bapton Dia-
mond, and first among the juniors was won by
Bapton Victor by Bapton Ensign, shown by N. P.
870 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Clarke. The sires of these two calves were both
bred by J. Deane Willis, Bapton Diamond having
two crosses and Bapton Ensign one of Count Lav-
ender 132575, sire of imp. Bapton Pearl, dam of
Whitehall Sultan.
Euberta calved during the exposition and for
that reason was not shown. The first prize for
cows was awarded Charles E. Ladd, Portland, Ore.,
on Orange Blossom of Fairview, bred by Purdy
Bros., Harris, Mo. The classes of heifers were
exceptionally strong. Fair Queen won among two-
year-olds, Lad's Emma among the senior yearlings
and Hanna's Diamond Rose among the junior,
yearlings. First prize for senior calf was given to
Pauline of Fairview, owned by Purdy Bros., and
first for junior calf to Elderlawn Victoria, exhibited
by T. K. Tomson & Sons.
King Edward was reserve champion to Choice
Goods and Missie's Diamond was junior champion.
Fair Queen was grand champion female and Lad's
Emma junior champion.
In the graded herd show first was given to Charles
E. Ladd, second to Tebo Land & Cattle Company,
third to J. G. Bobbins & Sons, fourth to E. W.
Bowen and fifth to F. W. Harding. The young
herds went first and third to C. D. Bellows, second
to Purdy Bros., fourth to T. K. Tomson & Sons and
fifth to F. W. Harding. For get of sire first was
awarded to J. G. Bobbins & Sons on get of The
Lad for Me, second to C. D. Bello^vs on get of
MASTER OF THE GROVE — GRAND CHAMi'ION AT 1904 INTERNA-
TIONAL FOR BELLOWS BROS., MARYVILLE, MO.
KINO EDWARD— GRAND CHAMPION AT LEWIS AND CLARK EXPO-
SITION FOR J. H. GLIDE, SACRAMENTO, CAL.
RENEWAL OF COXFIDEXCE 871
Hampton's Best, third to D. R. Hanna on Bap-
ton Diamond's get and fonrth to Tebo Land &
Cattle Company on Choice Goods'.
The International of 1904.^The closing show of
1904 was the International. The exhibit of Short-
horns was large and exceptionally good, the classes
being replete with entries of nniform excellence.
It was a titting close to a season of great exhibi-
tions. A new candidate for the royal pnrple entered
the arena at this show and added new interest to
the contest. At the American Royal of the pre-
ceding October J. TV. Baker, Strong, Kans., had
consigned to the public sale the roan three-year-old
bull Master of the Grove 161374, by Victor Water-
loo, he by the Scotch bull Victorious, and out of
a Scotch-Bates cow by imp. Salamis, of C. C. Nor-
ton's herd. The dam of Master of the Grove was
of the Orange Blossom family and was bred by
J. V. Grigsby. He won third in class with very
little fitting and in the public sale was bought by
Bellows Bros, for $1,075. After two months' care-
ful preparation he was entered at the International
and there was keen speculation as to his probable
place in the showring. After a sharp contest with
Whitehall Sultan he carried the class blue and later
was made grand champion. In the class for two-
year-old bulls, King Edward, winner of first at the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, took third to Mr.
Dunwoody's Lavender Clipper and to Invincible
Hampton, shown bv Adkins & Stevenson. In the
872 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
yearling class the decision was a reversal of the
rating at St. Louis, the senior yearling My Choice
here being placed above Whitehall Marshal, and
Hampton's Model, junior yearling, above Missie's
Diamond, that was junior champion at the exposi-
tion. The choice of the judges for junior cham-
pion of the show was the senior yearling My Choice,
whose sire, the Professor, was sold for export to
Argentina because his owner thought he sired too
many roan and w^hite calves. The grand cham-
pion cow was Fair Queen and the junior champion
Lad's Emma.
In the public sales of 1904 2,755 head brought
$278,924, an average of $101.24, the lowest for sev-
eral years.
CHAPTER II
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GROWTH
As a result of the improved commercial condi-
tions and the renewed and enlarged demand for
Shorthorns following the year 1900, several new
herds were established about this time and some
of these have had a potent and lasting influence
on the destinies of Shorthorns. In the preceding
chapter mention was made of the Whitehall herd
of E. S. Kelly. Another one which was almost
coincident with it in date of foundation was the
Burnbrae herd of E. W. Bo wen, Delphi, Ind.
At the Chicago sale of W. D. Flatt, Aug. 7,
1900, Mr. Bowen bought the roan bull imp. Orange
Chief 144650 at $1,510 and the cows imp. May-
flower 4th and imp. Meadow Beauty 6th at $2,050
and $975 respectively. The following year he
purchased the imported cows Goldie 48th, Straw-
berry 7th and Vain Beauty, and at the sale of
M. E. Jones secured imp. Stella for $2,200, the
same price which he gave for imp. Missie 165th at
a sale of C. L. Gerlaugh. Other choice cows, both
home-bred and imported, were added to the Burn-
brae herd. Those who are familiar with the show-
yard history of this period will remember that
873
874 A HISTOKY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
this herd was quite successful in winning prizes at
state and national shows. Two notable prizewin-
ners were Queen of Beauty by imp. Nonpareil
Victor and the Canadian-bred Fair Queen, the rival
of Euberta in the number of championships secured.
Two beautiful roan cows of this herd were imp.
Missie 165th and imp. Stella, and while they were
not able to win over such cows as Euberta and
Village Belle 2d, they were generally second and
third in contests at leading shows. Two noted
show bulls of this herd were Scotch Goods 259864
and Selection 306209, both roans. Scotch Goods
was by Choice Goods, and when but a few weeks
old was sold with his dam, imp. Cicely, at the
Tebo Lawn dispersion to M. E. Jones for $1,200.
One year later he was purchased by E. W. Bowen
for $2,520. In 1907 he was grand champion of
the International. Selection was bred by Carpenter
& Ross and got by Avondale out of Cherry Missie;
he was sold as a calf to the Burnbrae herd. When
a yearling he had made such wonderful develop-
ment that he was made junior champion at the
International of 1909 and was then sold for $3,000
to Thomas Johnson, Columbus, 0.
Following imp. Orange Chief as a herd bull was
his son Burnbrae Chief 191747 out of imp. May-
flower 4tli, and succeeding him came the Meadow
Lawn bull Everlasting 242727, by March Knight
out of imp. Dairsie Maid. The unusual name of
this bull arouses a natural curiosity to know what
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GEOWTn 875
suggested it, and it may be that it was the faith
of his breeder that the bull's inherited merit would
l3e reproduced permanently in his progeny. This
fanciful supposition cannot be authenticated, but
it is well known that Everlasting proved a good
breeder. One of his prizewinning calves was the
charming Countess Selma 2d, shown at the Inter-
national by Thomas Johnson in 1909, when he took
first, second and third on two-year-old heifers.
Woodhill Herd.— Early in 1902 the foundation
of what proved to be a very influential herd was
laid on a farm not far from beautiful Lake Minne-
tonka. This was the Woodhill herd of W. H.
Dunwoody, of the Washburn-Crosby Milling Co.,
Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. Dunwoody made his ini-
tial purchase of Shorthorns at a sale held by H. F.
Brown in Minneapolis on March 25. He purchased
six cows at an average of $975, four of them
imported. Imp. Juno by Star of Morning was a
red of very smooth, compact form and brought
$1,550. She proved an excellent breeder in the new
herd and her daughters, Juno of Woodhill and
Juno of Woodhill 3d, were noted winners. Another
cow of this purchase was imp. May Blossom 4th;
she too proved a breeder of great merit. Her calf
of 1904, Woodhill May Blossom 2nd, won first as a
junior yearling at the International of 1905 and
was the heaviest in a class of nineteen, vv^eighing
1,470 pounds at twenty-two months old. The 1906
calf of Woodhill May Blossom 4th was junior
876 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
champion of the 1907 International and at twenty-
one and one-half months weighed 1,480 pounds,
being 70 pounds heavier than any other heifer
in her class. At the International of 1905 the Dun-
woody herd won first prize on both graded and
young herds and second on produce of cow, and
in 1907 won third on graded herd, second on both
young and calf herds, second on produce of cow
and third on get of sire. The majority of these
prizes were on cattle of Mr. Dunwoody's own
breeding.
Among the herd bulls used at Woodhill was imp.
Golden Mist 182753, bred by William Duthie and
got by the "VVillis-bred Golden Sun out of Missie
136th by William of Orange. Golden Sun was by
Abbotsford 151706 and out of Golden Cloud by
Cumberland 50626, the grandam being Golden
Autumn, dam of imp. Craven Knight 96923.
Following Golden Mist the herd bull was Lav-
ender Clipper 203771 by Choice Goods, bought when
a calf with his dam imp. Lavender Princess.
Later herd bulls were Pitlivie Chief 192919,
imported by N. P. Clarke and got by imp. Bapton
Ensig-n out of Fairplay 4th, and Blythe Baron
291256, bred by David Birrell, Greenwood, Ont.,
and got by Royal Prince 136367, a Campbell-bred
Goldendrop, out of Blythesome Girl 3d.
Mr. Dunwoody had a keen regard for the better
forms of animal life and a genuine zeal for Short-
horns. Having large wealth he soon collected a
SUBSTANTLIL EVIDENCE OF GROWTH 877
strong herd at Woodhill Farm, which was well
equipped with convenient, costly buildings.
The jDartial enumeration of prizes taken by the
herd at the International is some indication of the
superiority of the cattle bred at Woodhill. While
the herd existed only a few years, it did much to
strengthen the Shorthorn cause in the Northwest.
Mr. Dunwoody was a man of quiet dignity and
much reserve force. These qualities were well
known to his intimate friends, and to others a
flood of light was turned on his character by the
disposition of his $7,000,000 estate, $5,000,000 of
which was by his will given to charity.
Cottage Hill Herd. — In the later development of
the Shorthorn industry and the uiDbuilding of its
herds, Ohio has kept pace with her excellent
record during the early periods of the breed's his-
tory. During the time covered by this brief his-
tory of more recent developments some new and
very potent herds were established in the state.
One of these was founded at Eavenna by D. E. Han-
na, who made liberal purchases from several leading
American herds, buying from George Harding &
Son, C. L. Gerlaugh, E. S. Kelly, and others,
besides making importations from Great Britain.
Mr. Hanna's first herd bull of special merit was
Bapton Diamond 187000, bought from W. S. Marr,
Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1902 at $5,000. This
bull was bred by J. Deane Willis and was sold
to Mr. Marr for 1,000 guineas, the highest price
878 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
paid for a calf at that time. He was sired by the
Augusta bull Augustin 156299 and his dam was
Bapton Pearl, afterward imported for E. S. Kelly,
in whose herd she bestowed on the breed the rich
heritage of Whitehall Sultan. Mr. Hanna im-
ported a few cows from the herd of J. Deane
Willis and some Silver Plate heifers from William
Duthie's and later bought Village Belle, which
had been imported from the Queen's herd by W.
R. Nelson of Kansas City. With Village Belle Mr.
Hanna purchased her red bull calf which he devel-
oped and recorded as King Edward 172814; at
two years of age he sold him to J. H. Glide, Sacra-
mento, Cal., in whose herd he became grand cham-
pion at the Lewis and Clark Exposition in 1905.
Two home-bred bulls added to the Cottage Hill herd
were bought from F. W. Harding — the Bothwell-
bred Nonpareil of Cloverblossom at $2,400 and
Anoka Sultan, bred by Mr. Harding, at $4,000.
Some of the noted show cows purchased by
Mr. Hanna were Village Eose, that defeated Ru-
berta at the Kentucky and Illinois State Fairs in
1903; Susan Cumberland, junior champion at the
International of 1908 and grand champion in 1910
with a different owner ; Flora 90th, grand champion
at several state fairs and at the International of
1908, and Village Belle 2d, senior champion at the
International of 1903 and champion at other shows.
The most prei)otent sire used at Cottage Hill was
imp. Villager 295884, a beautiful, massive roan bred
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GROWTH 879
by C. H. Jolliffe, got by the Duthie-bred Village
Bean and out of Rosy Cloud by Chorister, his
grandam Rosy Dawn being a half-sister to Rosy
Morn by Misty Morning, imported by E. S. Kelly
in 1900. Some of the best Shorthorns ever exhibited
by Mr. Hanna were by Villager, particularly Vil-
lage Denmark and his fascinating sisters that took
such high honors at the International and other
leading shows. The remarkable success of the get
of Villager created a strong demand for his calves,
many breeders being anxious to introduce his blood
into their herds. At the dispersion of the Cottage
Hill herd he became the property of Weaver &
Garden, and at the age of eleven years is still active
and doing excellent service in their herd at
Wapello, la.
Sinnissippi Herd. — At Oregon, 111., lies Sinnis-
sippi Farm, the summer home of Hon. Frank 0.
Lowden. It comprises 1,700 acres, located on the
wooded hills and valleys overlooking Rock River,
a section replete with stories of the days when the
country was the home of Indian tribes. During
the year 1900 the foundation was here laid for a
herd which soon filled a large place in the Short-
horn world. The beginnings of this herd were
made by W. J. and A. G. Baker, tenants of Col.
Lowden. Like most new herds, it was composed
of descendants of early importations, such as
Floras, Favorites, Rosemarys, Young Marys, AVild
Roses and Mrs. Mottes, and the sire used was a
880 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
Young Phyllis. For a time the herd was under
the firm name of Lowden, Baker & Baker, but soon
Col. Lowden became sole owner. At the sale of
W. D. Flatt in Chicago on Nov. 7, 1901, the new
firm bought the roan bull Valiant 171067 for $1,650,
the red cow imp. Empress 12th, bred at Calthwaite
and of good Bates blood, and six other cows, pay-
ing $9,155 for the eight head. Valiant was bred
in Ontario and his sire Abbotsford 126696 was half-
brother to the Columbian champion Young Abbots-
bum. Valiant and Empress 12th were from Mr,
Flatt 's show herd, which also included imp. Cicely,
and at the Illinois Fair of that year Valiant had
defeated The Lad for Me, the champion at most
fairs.
Another herd bull used at Sinnissippi was Good
Morning 182755, bred by Hon. M. H. Cochrane and
got by Joy of Morning out of imp. Vain Belle 2nd
by Scottish Archer. Good Morning w^as half-
brother to the twins. Morning Glory and Morning
Joy, bred at Hillhurst but sold to D. R. Hanna,
Morning Joy later being used in the herd of H. G.
McMillan, Rock Rapids, la. For five years follow-
ing 1901 Col. Lowden was a liberal buyer at
various public sales of good Shorthorns, and soon
accumulated a herd that was widely known, both
for its size and merit. In 1902 he bought five cows
just imported by I. M. Forbes. From W. D. Flatt
he secured Roan Lady, from Bellows Bros. Victoria
Hampton at $1,000, from H. F. Brown the imported
Al 1;i:RL,AND'S last — junior champion at 1905 INTERNA-
TIONAL FOR C. A. SAUNDERS, MANILLA, lA., AND SOLD TO
P. O. LOWDEN, OREGON, ILL., FOR $5,000.
i"\ii; _\'i;i:s ^-|■|,'|■\^■ \''ri:i' iii:i;i> r.ii.i. i'<ii; .1. a. kilgour,
.STKiiUlXG, 11. 1.., A.MJ l.-VrKIt I'Olt 11. C. H »(J KAB.\ UGH, WA-
TONGA, OKLA.
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GEOWTH 881
COWS Winsome Maid and Bellechin Charming Maid
at $1,745 for the pair. From W. I. "Wood he bought
Proud Fancy by Pride of Morning after a sharp
contest with Thomas Johnson, the final bid being
$1,000. At the International of 1903 Col. Lowden
paid F. W. Harding $5,000 for the grand champion
Ceremonious Archer 171479, by imp. Best of
Archers and out of imp. Lady in Waiting, mother
of several valuable herd bulls. A later herd bull
was Pride of the Dales, by Avondale and out of
imp. Rosewood 86th, a cow that proved a very
valuable breeder in the herd of Carpenter & Ross.
While both Pride of the Dales and Ceremonious
Archer had distinguished sires, it would be hard to
find two bulls whose dams were more noted as
producers of valuable Shorthorns.
Cumberland's Last. — Another impressive sire
used in Col. Lowden 's herd was the white Cum-
berland's Last 229822, bred by C. A. Saunders,
Manilla, la. As his name implies, he was the last
calf got by Cumberland 118578. He was out of
imp. Lady Douglas, bred by James Durno, breeder
of Choice Goods. Cumberland was a very pre-
potent sire and laid the foundation for the remark-
able herd of Shorthorns bred by C. A. Saunders.
He was bred by R. J. Johnston, Humboldt, la.,
and got by King James 103902, a son of imp. Spar-
tan Hero, out of the Cruickshank imp. Clover
Flower by Strongbow, a half-brother to imp. Scot-
tish Lord; the second dam was Cardamine by
882 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
Cumberland 50626, hence the name. Cumberland's
Last won the junior champion prize at the Inter-
national of 1905 and was then sold for $5,000 to
Col. Lowden.
Few public sales were made from the Sinnissippi
herd, but on June 14, 1906, one was held which
set a new record of averages for that year and in
point of attendance fixed a record for all time, in
all probability. Such a crowd had never been seen
at a public sale since the time ''when the memory
of man runneth not to the contrary." The fame
of the herd and the expensive equipment of Sinnis-
sippi Farm, the very liberal advertising and a
perfect June day all united to draw a crowd much
larger than the most enthusiastic had anticipated.
Breeders in large numbers from many states and
from Canada were present, while farmers from sur-
rounding counties came in droves in autos, in
buggies and on horseback. When the sale was
called the large tent was completely filled and the
adjacent yards were so crowded with people as to
impede the movement of cattle to the sale ring.
Some intending bidders could not get into the sale
tent. Yet despite all handicaps, the sale was re-
markably successful, making an average of $427
on forty-one head, but five selling below $250,
No very high prices were realized, $1,050 being the
top and paid by C. A. Saunders for Pinegrove
Mildred by Marquis of Zenda. Mr. Saunders also
took three other cows at $775, $490 and $450. Imp.
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GROWTH 883
Violet at $825, imp. Bride's Maid at $750 and
Sinnissippi Rose at $560 were taken by H. F.
Brown and 28th Linwood Victoria was secured by
Bellows Bros, at $775.
Althongli this sale was a great success and was
stimulating to Shorthorn breeders, the one held
in Chicago on June 11, 1907, brought much
better prices, though the crowd in attendance was
much smaller. Three bulls averaged $1,312, tifty-
eight cows and heifers $598.30, and sixty-one head
$633.35. It was at this sale that Earles & Stanton,
Oakwood, Wis., made liberal purchases for their
new herd. They took Cumberland's Last at $3,000,
Lavina 2d at $2,000 and three other cows at $1,850.
Thomas Johnson bought Lake Park Augusta by
Count Amaranth at $1,405 and Sinnissippi Lady 2d
by Ceremonious Archer at $935. Bellows Bros,
purchased the show heifer Clara Belle by Choice
Goods for $1,505, Village Sultana for $1,000 and
Hampton's Lovely for $780. At $1,100 F. W. Hard-
ing took Anoka Broadhooks and at $925 Pleasant
Hill Duchess by imp. Red Knight.
Tebo Lawn.— The herd of Col. G. M. Casey, Clin-
ton, Mo., was so enlarged and its character so
completely changed after 1900 that it practically
became a new herd. It had existed for twenty-
five years, but was little known. Col. Casey's
liberal purchases of high-class Shorthorns from
1900 to 1902 brought him prominently before the
public and gave his herd at Tebo Lawn a com-
884 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOEN CATTLE
manding place among the strong ones of the United
States.
At the Chicago sale of W. D. Flatt, Aug. 7, 1900,
Col. Casey purchased imp. Mayflower 5th at $2,600.
At the Westrope dispersion at South Omaha on
March 13 and 14, 1901, he bought for $1,400 Golden
Abbotsburn by Young Abbotsburn and for $3,705
the show cow Sweet Violet 2d, this being the top
price for a cow for many years. In the 1902 sale
of C. C. Bigler & Sons he bought the Dustin-bred
Victoria of Hill Farm by Baron Cruickshank for
$2,500 and at C. L. Gerlaugh's got the bull Blythe
Victor and the imported cows Bessie 55th, Clara
58tli and Marengo's Lavender Countess. Other
purchases were made, but the most notable one, the
one that made the greatest improvement in the
Tebo Lawn herd and the greatest impression on
the Shorthorn industry, was from the herd of J. G.
Bobbins & Sons in 1902. This purchase was at
private treaty and included imp. Choice Goods,
imp. Cicely, Ruberta, Clarissa, Oneida and Lad's
Goldie, the price for the six being $25,000. These
were all prizewinners and the showyard records of
Choice Goods, imp. Cicely and Ruberta were par-
ticularly brilliant. This addition to the Tebo Lawn
herd gave it a power in the showring for two or
three years that was well-nigh invincible. Choice
Goods w^as beaten but few times in three years, and
from calf hood to a mature cow Ruberta 's record
was a succession of victories.
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GROWTH 885
Choice Goods. — Imp. Choice Goods was bred by
Jas. Durno. He was got by Remus 151790 out of
Geraldine 5tli by First Choice 107872. At two
years old, after winning a championship at the
Royal, he was imported by W. D. Flatt, who sold
him to J. G. Robbins & Sons for $5,000. Choice
Goods proved a remarkably good sire as well as a
great prizewinner. His record soon created a
strong demand for his sons for use as herd bulls.
Among his sons so used were The Choice of All,
Choice Goods Model, Good Choice, Choice Knight,
Rosedale's Choice and The Conqueror. The first
ten Choice Goods calves dropped at Tebo Lawn
were sold for $8,800 and his get in the dispersion
sale in 1906 brought $32,000. In 1902 Col. Casey
incorporated the herd under the title of ''Tebo
Land and Cattle Co." While the corporation
owned 5,000 acres of land near Clinton, in two
tracts of 2,500 acres each, the Shorthorns were kept
on the farm known as Tebo Lawn, a large part of
which was in grass. One section of this farm, com-
prising 640 acres, of bluegrass and some timber,
was enclosed by a woven-wire fence 8 feet high, and
in addition to Shorthorns contained 300 deer, the
produce of two pair which had been enclosed there
many years earlier. At its maximum strength the
Tebo Lawn herd contained 250 Shorthorns and its
aggregate sales from 1902 to the beginning of 1906
totalled $100,000.
Following the death of Col. Casey in 1905 the
886 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
herd was dispersed. The sale was held on June
20 to 22, 1906, in the stockyards sale pavilion in
Kansas City, Mo., and resulted in $63,419 for 177
lots, an average of $358.30. Eleven bulls made an
average of $1,101.35 and 166 cows and heifers of
$308.60. Choice Goods sold to Howell Rees, Pilger,
Neb., for $5,500 and two of his sons brought $1,500
each — Golden Goods, out of Golden Abbotsburn,
going to H. C. Duncan and The Conqueror to T. J.
Wornall. Imp. Village Belle by Pride of Morning
sold to M. E. Jones for $2,000 and for $1,200 he
took imp. Cicely and her bull calf Scotch Goods.
One year later he sold the calf for $2,520 to E. W.
Bowen. N. H. Gentry bought imp. Clara 58th for
$1,300. C. E. Leonard «fc Son took Rosedale's
Choice, a calf out of the noted Rosedale Violet 9th,
and the cow imp. Marengo's Lavender Countess,
paying $810 for the bull calf and $2,150 for the
cow.
With this sale the career of the Tebo Lawn herd
closed and its cattle found new homes in ten dif-
ferent states. The showyard record of the herd
was phenomenal. While it cannot be enumerated
here in detail, it may not be out of place to state
that at the Minnesota State Fair of 1904 firsts on
all three herds were awarded to Col. Casey, and
at the Missouri State Fair of 1905 the same clean
sweep was made in herd prizes and in addition the
get of Choice Goods took first and second and both
first and second prizes were taken by the produce
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GEOWTH 887
of Rosedale Violet 9tli. The tribute from ''The
Breeder's Gazette" will serve as a fitting close
to the brief history of the founder of the Tebo
Lawn herd: ''Mr. Casey's success in building up
a herd of Shorthorns of superior merit and the
enthusiasm with which he prosecuted his breeding
operations constitute one of the most noteworthy
chapters in the history of pedigreed cattle."
Hallwood Herd. — Coincident with the improve-
ment and enlargement of the Tebo Lawn herd was
the building of another one in southwestern Mis-
souri. Ed. and Tom Hall, known as Hall Bros.,
Carthage, Mo., decided to rebuild a herd of Short-
horns on the homestead where their father had
dispersed one some years before. Their first herd
bull of recognized merit was Admiral 172806, bred
by George Bothwell. He was by imp. Nonpareil
Victor and out of a Grand Victor dam with three
other crosses of Cruickshank bulls. . The statement
that Admiral was a remarkable breeder can be
readily accepted, m spite of the fact that in the
maternal line he did not trace to an imported cow,
though the blood of the five Scotch bulls was built
on a foundation of ten recorded sires.
Hall Bros, strengthened their collection by drafts
trom other herds, and in 1905 they bought the
entire herd of James Luke, Carthage, Mo., com-
prising fifty head. After this addition a new herd
ball was sought and from the Tebo Lawn herd
Choice Goods Model was selected. He was a senior
A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
calf at the time, undefeated in class that year and
at the Lewis & Clark Exposition was made junior
champion and received the same honor at the
American Royal of that year. He was by Choice
Goods and out of Rosedale Violet 9th, dam of ten
calves, five of which sold for $5,510. Under the
improving, refining influence of Choice Goods Model
the Hallwood Shorthorns made commendable im-
provement and sent into the fair circuits herds that
received their share of the prizes. With the retire-
ment of Thomas Hall, E. M. Hall became sole owner
of the herd. In 1913 he was elected secretary of
the Central Shorthorn Breeders' Association and
was largely instrumental in enlarging its member-
ship and in inaugurating the public sales held in
connection with its annual meetings in Kansas City.
In the sale of April 4 and 5, 1916, he sold a year-
ling Lavender heifer to H. C. Lookabaugh for
$1,000. This sale was less than a month before
Mr. Hall's tragic death, which occurred at his home
on April 29.
The death of E. M. Hall was the result of a fire
wihch destroyed the residence at Hallwood on the
night of April 28, 1916. The fire is supposed to
have started from the electric lighting system in-
stalled on the farm, but no positive information
could be ascertained. Mr. Hall was awakened by
hearing the screams of his mother and in a per-
sistent but vain effort to find her in the flame-swept
building he received bums that caused his death
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF GROWTH 889
twelve hours later. Both his mother and her maid
perished in the building.
Two months after Mr. Hall's death his Short-
horns were sold at auction by order of his admin-
istrator. The sale was held at Hallwood, near
Carthage, on June 29, and an average of $675 was
made on sixty head, eleven selling above $1,000.
The herd bull Village Flash 387926, by Villager
and out of Grassland Violet 3d by the Choice
Goods bull The Conqueror 215051, was sold to
Evans Bros., Maryville, Mo., for $2,000. Hallwood
Lovely by Choice Goods Model sold at $1,760 to
S. C. Boggess, Carthage, Mo. 0. G. Lee, Kansas
City, Mo., took Hallwood Emma 3d and Hallwood
Lavender at $1,525 and $1,535. Bellows Bros, took
Hallwood Violet at $1,030, and Hallwood Violet 6th
was sold at $1,260 to E. Ogden & Son, Maryville,
Mo.
CHAPTER III
MORE HERDS ESTABLISHED— AND SOME
IMPORTATIONS
During the decade following tlie year 1900 the
herds of Ohio played an important part in Short-
horn development, maintaining the early record
made by stockmen of the Buckeye state for loyalty
to this breed of cattle. Two new herds have already
been mentioned and if the number that will be
included in this history may seem out of propor-
tion to those of other states, it is from no desire
to shoAv favoritism but solely because of the large
iiifluence these herds have had on Shorthorn devel-
opment in our country.
Maxwalton. — In 1902 Reid Carpenter, Mansfield,
0., laid the foundation for a herd that two years
later became known as the Maxwalton herd. For
a short time he was associated with a tenant of his
farm under the firm name of Carpenter & Williams.
The first record of this firm is in Volume 53 of the
herd book and the foundation consisted of the cows
Red Daisy 3d and Red Bird 3d and the bull Inwood
193594, all bred by T. M. Reynolds, Hartland, 0.,
and all descendants of imp. Scottish Bluebell, bred
by James Douglas of Scotland and imported in
1854 by R. G. Corwine, Lebanon, 0.
NEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 891
A second herd bull was Royal Canada 136788, and
two of his daughters bred by Carpenter & Williams
and calved in 1903 were Mina Princess 3d, out of
Mina Princess 2d by Sittyton Stamp 110269, and
Royal Louise, out of Louisa 15th by Royal Gloster
125816. At E. S. Kelly's sale of May 19, 1903,
Reid Carpenter made an important purchase of
Scotch cows in Golden Marengo by Marengo and
Whitehall Missie, paying $335 for the former and
$480 for the latter. But he made his most fortunate
selection in Mr. Kelly's Chicago sale in May, 1904,
buying the herd bull Whitehall Count 209775 for
$400 and the imported cows Avalanche 2d and
Rosewood 86th, the prices for them being $500 and
$350. Avalanche 2d was in calf to the service
of Whitehall Sultan and the following January
dropped Avondale, a bull which developed, into a
remarkable -prizewinner and a breeder of such out-
standing merit that he added great prestige to the
Mansfield herd and conferred a lasting benefit on
Shorthorns. Imp. Rosewood 86th also proved a
breeder of unusual excellence. She and her daugh-
ter Rosewood Pride, which sold with her in the
Chicago sale, proved a gold mine to their new
owners. From these two Rosew^oods produce were
sold for an aggregate of $14,535.
Soon after this a partnership was formed between
Reid Carpenter and Peter G. Ross, a competent
Scotchman who had been with the AVhitehall herd
of E. S. Kelly, and the name Maxwalton was
892 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
selected for the herd of the new firm. Mr, Ross was
a cattleman of practical experience, so the Max-
walton herd soon began to win prizes at the fairs
and to receive wide public notice. As the breeding
herd was further strengthened by purchase and as
the produce of Avondale increased and developed, a
record of sales and showyard victories was begun
which has seldom been equaled. And while a share
of the credit of this great success is due to the
choice cows in the herd, selected with discriminat-
ing judgment by the owners, the greater meed of
praise is due to Avondale for the excellence and
uniformity of his produce. It is no discredit to
the many sons of Whitehall Sultan to say that
Avondale stands at the head of the list. As a
prizewinner he was very successful and as a
breeder his record was phenomenal. The list of
prizes won by the Maxwalton herd was quite credit-
able in the early years of its existence, and in later
years became so extensive as to make its insertion
here entirely impracticable.
Carpenter & Ross' private and public sales have
been so numerous and so extensive that the aggre-
gate is very large. Maxwalton cattle have enriched
and strengthened many herds of America. In the
sale to F. A. Gillespie & Son of Maxwalton Com-
mander at $7,000 a new record for bulls of modern
times was set until the sale of Rosewood Reserve
by Bellows Bros, for $8,100 to Mrs. J. E. McCauley
of Montana.
NEW HEEDS AND IMPOKTATIONS 893
In addition to being very successful breeders and
exhibitors, Carpenter & Eoss have recently made
extensive importations. The importation made in
1916 was sold in Chicago on Nov. 1 for an average
of $908 on seventy-four head, the top price for bulls
being the $2,600 paid for Bapton Corporal by F. A.
Gillespie & Sons and the high price on cows $1,900
paid for Eosewood 90th by B. F. Hales, who also
bought Proud Carnation at $1,550. The importa-
tion made in 1917 was larger and more valuable
and was undertaken in the face of difficulty in
securing the cattle wanted and in danger of destruc-
tion by submarines. These cattle were sold in
Chicago on June 5 at an average of $1,370 on 107
head. That only five hours were required for the
sale indicates the strong demand. Two cows sold
at $3,000 each, one to Owen Kane and one to
Bellows Bros. Another went for $3,100 to T. T.
Miller, Los Angeles, Cal., who also bought the bull
Secret Stamp for $2,000. F. A. Gillespie & Sons
took the yearling bull Caledonia at $7,000, the top
of the sale. Advocate's Model at $3,100 and the cow
Lady Drayton Broadhooks at $2,025.
Thomas Johnson's Herd. — During the early part
of 1903 Thomas Johnson, Columbus, 0., began the
foundation of a herd which soon became recognized
as among the best in the country, having both
excellence of breeding and rare individual merit.
Mr. Johnson had become influential in the commer-
cial affairs of his state through ownership of coal
894 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
lands and the successful operation of large coal
mines, and by tlie use of an unquestioned personal
integrity. So he brought to the equipment of his
farm and the establishment of his herd abundant
means and an amteition to succeed which was the
result of years of successful business ventures. At
the sale of E. S. Kelly, Yellow Springs, 0., on May
19, 1903, he bought the imported cows Flower Girl,
Nettie 5th and Rosemary 102d, paying $2,045 for
the three. At a combination sale in Chicago he
bought imp. Rosemary 131st, Red Lady 4th and
Lady Sharon 5th, and at the sale of W. I. Wood
secured for $825 Bapton Countess by Bapton Arrow,
sire of Mr. Hanna's King Edward 172814. In the
choice of foundation stock Mr. Johnson availed
himself of the large experience and accurate judg-
ment of George Bruce, who w^as a pupil of William
Duthie and W. S. Marr. At the Chicago sale of
H. S. Bright, Versailles, Ky., Mr. Johnson was for-
tunate in securing for $2,025 the white two-year-old
bull Glenbrook Sultan, which proved such a pre-
potent sire that to him more than any other agency
belongs the credit of the success of the new herd.
Glenbrook Sultan w^as bred by E. S. Kelly; he
was sired by Whitehall Sultan out of Victoria of
Hill Farm 8th. His dam was by Lavender Lad
119937 and his grandam by Baron Cniickshank
3d, the two Cruickshank bulls- which were so
potent in the herd of C. B. Dustin, Summer Hill,
111. As a breeder Glenbrook Sultan took rank not
NEW HEEDS AND IMPOKTATIONS 895
lower than second of the sons of Whitehall Sultan,
and his calves were very successful as prizewinners.
The Johnson herd won a liberal share of prizes at
state and national exhibitions, but at those of 1909
and 1910 the acme of its success was reached. At
the International of 1909 representatives of the
herd won first on senior bull calf, third on cow,
first, second and third on two-year-old heifers, third
and tenth on senior heifer calves, first, third and
tenth on junior calves, second on graded herds and
first on calf herds. In 1910, at the Ohio State Fair,
Mr. Johnson took the grand championship on cows
and first on all three herds; he also had junior
champion bull and first and third prizes on produce
of cow. At the Indiana State Fair he had senior,
junior and grand champion bulls, senior and grand
champion cow, second-prize graded herd, first-prize
young herd, second-prize calf herd, first-prize get
of sire and second-prize produce of cow. At the
American Eoyal in Kansas City the herd won the
junior championship on bulls and first on both
graded and young herds. At the International of
1910 it took four first and two second prizes in the
twelve classes, the junior championships for both
bulls and heifers, on Roan Sultan and New Year's
Delight, first on produce of cow and second on get
of sire, first on graded herd, first on young herd
and second on calf herd.
The growth of Columbus and the encroachment
of the city on the farm of Mr. Johnson made the
896 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
land so valuable that lie finally accepted a tempting
offer and the Shorthorns were then sold at private
treaty to Thomas Stanton and were later dispersed
at auction in Chicago. With Mr. Johnson's fine
equipment, his zeal for Shorthorns and his large
wealth, his retirement was a real loss to the Short-
horn industry.
Some Importations. — While the importations of
Shorthorns in the decade following 1900 were some-
what smaller than at some earlier periods, due in
a measure no doubt to the $100 registration fee,
there was a number of breeders, both in the United
States and Canada, who were also importers. Of
these no one brought over more cattle or better
ones than did W. D. Flatt, Hamilton, Ont. In two
of his public sales, recorded in another chapter,
mention was made of some of these imported ani-
mals, but this history would be incomplete if it
failed to give proper credit to these important
importations. Included in them were many Short-
horns that have worked a great and permanent
benefit to the breed in America. From 1900 to 1904
Mr. Flatt imported 300 Shorthorns, the majority
of which were sold to breeders in the United States,
giving our herds the reviving, uplifting impetus of
flesh blood that in some instances came from the
best herds of England and Scotland through ani-
mals which had been prizewinners and champions
at the leading shows of that kingdom. A complete
list of these importations is impracticable here
NEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 897
because of limited space; only a part will be given.
Among the notable cows was Mayflower 4tli, a
champion at English shows that sold to E. W.
Bowen at $2,050. At $2,600 Col. G. M. Casey took
Mayflower 5th, considered the best cow in the sale
of Aug. 7, 1900. Empress 12th, a beautiful red cow
with rich Bates blood, sold to Lowden, Baker &
Baker with six other cows and the Canadian-bred
bull Valiant 171067 at $9,155 for the eight head.
Collynie Missie at $750 and Lavender Eose 2d at
$1,100 were taken by George E. Ward, who also
bought for $5,100 the roan bull Lord Banff, the
competing bidder being Lowden, Baker & Baker.
Two cows of W. S. Marr's breeding, Missie 164th
by Spicy Eobin and Clara 59th by Wanderer, were
bought by F, W. Ayres, the former at $1,025 and
the latter at $1,525. Fletcher G. Hines, Malott
Park, Ind., a breeder of Polled Durhams, bought
five cows for $6,250, two of them being Casey Vic-
toria at $1,600 and the Marr-bred Princess Eoyal
61th at $1,750. Fair Duchess by Watchfire went
to F. A. Edwards at $1,550 and the Eoyal Cham-
pion Cicely, bred by the Queen and clearly the
sensation of this sale, was bought for $5,000 by
J. G. Eobbins & Sons after a spirited and exciting
battle of bids with A. G. Leonard, Col. Casey,
George E. Ward and others. This price estab-
lished a record for Scotch cows in the United
States, as the $5,100 paid for Lord Banff also fixed
it for Scotch bulls at that time. Other bulls worthy
898 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
of special mention were Spicy Marquis 192914, bred
by W. S. Marr, and Old Lancaster 253007, bred by
Alexander Crombie, both of wliicli proved excellent
breeders in Canadian herds. But a list of Mr.
Flatt's imported bulls that did not include Choice
Goods, the best one of all, in fact the very Beau
Brummel of the bulls of his day, would be inex-
cusable omission. Choice Goods came over wearing
the wreath of a conqueror at British shows, and
while at the time of this sale he had not had an
opportunity to test his merit in America show-
yards, he had been brought to Chicago from his
Canadian home and was in the sale barn, though
not included in that sale.
Choice Goods Sold. — After the auction was con-
cluded a genuine sensation was created by the
report that Choice Goods had been sold at private
treaty for $5,000. And when it was known that
his purchaser was the firm of J. G. Bobbins & Sons
and that he and imp. Cicely would join Kuberta
and her associates in the show herd, the outlook
for future herd prizes was not very reassuring to
the showmen who w^ere present. While W. D. Flatt
was an extensive importer of Shorthorns, he was
also a breeder of large experience and pronounced
success, and from his Trout Creek herd were sent
out many cattle that enriched herds both in Canada
and the United States. The record of his private
sales is not available, but at his public sales from
Dec. 20, 1899, to Jan. 20, 1904, he sold 225 head for
NEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 899
$160,730, an average of $745. His herd was dis-
persed in 1905 and a contributing cause of his
retirement, if not the main reason therefor, was his
keen disappointment when the Dominion govern-
ment took control of all record associations.
Pine Grove Herd. — Another breeding establish-
ment in Ontario of great influence on Shorthorns,
both with its importations and home-bred cattle,
w^as that of "W. C. Edwards & Co., of Rockland.
From 1900 to 1903 this firm imported thirty-two
Shorthorns, two bulls and thirty cows, from the
best herds of Scotland. Importations were made
prior to that date, but this chapter will record only
the ones made since 1900. The two bulls imported
were the Duthie-bred Village Champion, by Scottish
Champion and out of Village Maid 17th by Master
of Ceremonies, sire of the noted imp. Lady in Wait-
ing, and Marquis of Zenda, which became the great
sire of the Pine Grove herd. Bred by W. S. Marr
and full-brother to imp. Missie 153d, Marquis of
Zenda was consig-ned by Mr. Marr to the Interna-
tional sale of 1901 and purchased by W. C. Edwards
& Co. Among the cows imported were Proud Sun-
shine, bred by William Duthie and got by Pride of
Morning, the Marr-bred Emma 37th by Count
Arthur, Alexandrina 28th by Wanderer, sire of
Marquis of Zenda, Sally 8th and Susan, both Secrets
and bred by Thomas F. Jamieson, and Saucebox, a
Spicy bred by J. Deane Willis and sired by Count
Lavender, the sire of imp. Bapton Pearl.
900 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
Maple Shade Herd. — In the development of a
breed of live stock the permanence of herds, where
son succeeds father in the ownership, is a fortunate
condition and a source of strength to the breed.
This gives a more carefully prepared and systematic
plan for animal improvement, affording opportunity
to study in detail the characteristics of several gen-
erations of cows and enabling the breeder to ascer-
tain from his father the peculiarities of earlier gen-
erations of the herd. A notable herd of this kind
was that of Hon. John Dryden & Son, Brooklin,
Ont. In the year 1900 W. A. Dryden took the active
management of the herd because of the important
and increasing public duties of his father, who was
secretary of agriculture of the Dominion. The
policy pursued in the Maple Shade herd was to
breed cows rather than buy them, though occasion-
ally purchases were made. For this reason the
herd was never large, though it was quite good and
produced many valuable Shorthorns.
Imp. Collynie Archer 149948 by Scottish Archer,
a Duthie-bred Missie, Avas an important herd bull
used at Maple Shade. His dam was Missie 135th
by William of Orange 95736. With distinguished
ancestors on both sides it was no surprise that he
proved an impressive sire. In a combination sale
held in Chicago, June 13 and 14, 1902, fourteen
heifers sired by him made an average of $625,
almost $100 above the average, though many of the
cattle were imported.
NEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 901
Dryden & Son rarely exhibited at shows in the
United States, but at the International of 1905 their
Bertie's Hero won first in the senior yearling class
and was a strong competitor for the junior cham-
pionship, though he lost that honor to Cumberland 's
Last shown by C. A. Saunders. Following imp.
Collynie Archer, Prince Gloster 152470 was put in
ser\dce. He was bred by S. C. James & Sons, New
Sharon, la. ; he was out of a Duchess of Gloster dam
and his sire was out of Victoria 87th by Craven
Knight 96923. Prince Gloster proved to be a very
prepotent sire, his get having deep, smooth bodies,
thick flesh and rugged constitutions. A notable
son of his was Prince Imperial 325711, a massive
roan, which when two years old was grand cham-
pion of the Toronto show in September, 1909. In
Januaiy, 1910, Prince Imperial was sold by W. A.
Dryden for $2,500 to Thomas Stanton who resold
him in a public sale on April 8 to George J. Sayer
at the reported price of $10,000. When we consider
the two sales of Prince Imperial Avithin three
months, one at the handsome price of $2,500 and
the other for the princely sum of $10,000, it is
hardly believable that at one time he was pur-
chased for $60; this was when he was rescued by
W. A. Dryden from neglect and the filth of an
unsanitary barn. But let this stoiy be given sub-
stantiallv as related bv Mr. Diwden.*
*In sending- the account. Mr. Dryden corrected the published
report that the bull was brtd by him and gave tlie following facts:
John McKenzie & Son brought imp. Helen 21st 75025 to Maple
902 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Under generous feed and more careful treatment,
the bull rapidly recovered from the effects of for-
mer neglect and made such a marvelous develop-
ment that a few months later the senior member of
the firm pronounced him the best young bull he had
ever seen, and at the Toronto show of that year
he was good enough to be grand champion.
After the death of Hon. John Diyden, in July,
1909, his son, W. A. Dryden, continued the Maple
Shade herd and later enlarged it. In June, 1910,
he bought tw^enty-six head from W. D. Flatt —
some Mr. Flatt had collected since the dispersion
of the Trout Creek herd. Among these were Rosa
Hope 16tli and her white son Archer's Hope 402425,
which are regarded as the most valuable pair ever
added to the Maple Shade herd. Archer's Hope
has proved an impressive and valuable sire. He
was bred by Peter White, Pembroke, Ont., was got
by the Bruce-bred Nonpareil Archer 236802, and
his dam was out of imp. Rosa Hoi)e 15th, bred by
Shade to be bred to imp. Scottisli Minstrel, a roan. As the cow
was very lig-ht roan, Mr. Dryden induced them to breed her to the
red Prince Gloster. The produce of this service was Prince Im-
perial, described as "the most perfect young'stcr I ever saw." For
a year or more the bull's testicles did not show, and for this reason,
mainly, he was poorly fed and badly cartd for until he was
sixteen months old. An offer of $55 from a butcher was rejected
by the owner, who then sold the young- bull to W. A. Dryden for
$60 and the service of three cows to his herd bull. Mr. Dryden's
own words will best describe the young bull's condition :
"He was brought from a back stall from which he had not
been taken for thrte months. His feet were long, he was tliin
and covered from end to end with dirt and manure. But after
all this maltreatment he retained a good head and horn, short
legs, straight lines and a splendid skin. I cleaned him of dirt and
lice and weighed him. In sixty days he gained 225 pounds and as
long as I owned him he was a most satisfactory improver."
NEW HEEDS AND IMPORTATIONS 903
the Duke of liiclimond and Gordon. One son of
Archer's Hope was Master Ruby, owned by Herr
Bros. & Reynolds, Lodi, Wis.; he was twice grand
champion at the Wisconsin State Fair. Another
son was Better Sort, sold in September, 1916, to
Owen Kane, Wisner, Neb., for $2,000.
Dryden & Son made some importations, but con-
fined their attention mainly to breeding. In 1904
an importation of six head was made. In 1910
W. A. Dryden imported five cows from the herd
of J. L. Reid, and in 1916 he brought over five bulls
and fifty cows and heifers, part of which w^ere sold
to breeders in the United States.
The firm of John Dryden & Son held a place of
great influence among Shorthorn breeders and the
energy and discriminating judgment of the present
owner of the herd give promise that it will continue
its commendable record to the third and fourth
generations.
The Allen Cattle Co. — For many years the
strength of the Shorthorn industry has centered in
the Mississippi Valley, though some herds existed
in all sections, the mountain and Pacific Coast states
having their quota. In 1903 a new herd was begun
where the Rocky Mountains lift their heads to the
clouds. The moving spirit and chief owner of
the company was Benjamin C. Allen of Colorado
Springs, lately a director in the American Shorthorn
Breeders' Association. Mr. Allen laid the founda-
tion of the herd by purchases from leading breeders
904 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. The first impor-
tant bull for the Divide Herd was Orange Sultan,
a grandson of Whitehall Sultan. Following him
came Eoyal Cumberland by Cumberland's Last, a
champion at the Western Live Stock Show at
Denver, where he was purchased from C. A. Saun-
ders, his breeder, for $3,000. This bull proved a
remarkably good sire and greatly improved the
herd. After Eoyal Cumberland came Second
Thought, by Double Dale and out of Little Lassie
by Choice Goods, and succeeding him was Scottish
King 454660, a grandson of King Cumberland that
was sold to Elmendorf Farm for $5,000.
The herd bulls combined the blood of the three
great sires Whitehall Sultan, Choice Goods and
Cumberland's Last, and that their get would be
superior Shorthorns w^as more than a reasonable
hope. At the annual exhibitions of the Western
Live Stock Show, the Allen Cattle Co. has taken
many prizes, and at the Panama-Pacific Exposition
the herd was very successful, winning ten firsts,
including the prize for best ten head bred by exhib-
itor. These prizes were won on the get of Eoyal
Cumberland. At the Chicago International of 1916,
five calves by Second Thought won six prizes,
including second on calf herd ; the bull calf Western
Star won in a class of forty-nine entries which was
pronounced the best ring of bull calves ever seen
in the United States. At the Denver show of
January, 1917, the Allen Cattle Co. was fully as
NEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 905
successful as at the Interaational. The heifer
Eoyal Rose was selected by the American Short-
horn Breeders' Association for export to Argentina.
On Historic Ground. — No portion of the Ameri-
can continent was more closely identified with the
early development of Shorthorns than central Ken-
tucky. One has only to enumerate some of the
noted prizewinners of those days to call forth the
galaxy of distinguished breeders who then molded
the form and gTiided the destiny of the breed.
"With the development of other commonwealths and
the introduction of new bloodlines into American
herds the center of influence of the breed was
changed; it moved westward with the star of
empire. During the first decade of the twentieth
century there was established in this famous blue-
grass region of Kentucky a herd of Shorthorns
which became very important because of the num-
ber and quality of its cattle and its influence on
surrounding herds. Its founder was James B.
Haggin, whose wealth included mines and vast
ranch and live stock interests.
On a 7,000-acre tract of fine limestone land which
he had acquired near the city of Lexington, Mr.
Haggin established Elmendorf Farm, most elabo-
rately and expensively equipped. Initial purchases
for Elmendorf were made from herds in Kentucky,
particularly that of William Warfield. The last
bull ever bred by the sage of Grasmere is recorded
as the property of Elmendorf Farm, under the
906 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
name of Warfield's Last, and liis dam, Lovely of
Grasmere, also included in the purchase, was in
Mr. Haggin's show herd. Extensive purchases for
the upbuilding of this collection began about 1906
and included drafts from the herds of F. W. Ayres,
H. F. Brown, F. W. Harding, Carpenter & Boss
and others. At the Sinnissippi sale in June, 1907,
seven head were bought for $3,650; some of these
were by the International champion. Ceremonious
Archer. One cow of this purchase was Mario's
Heiress 3d, with a calf by Lovat Champion, which
was recorded as Mario's Champion 278776 and
became a useful sire in the Elmendorf herd. An
early herd bull was Valley Champion 130485, bred
by J. G. Bobbins & Sons and got by St. Valentine,
sire of The Lad For Me and Buberta. Another
was Great Oak 253792, bred by S. F. Lockridge,
got by Prince of Perth and out of Golden Morning
by Baron Lavender 3d 78584, sire of Lavender Vis-
count 124755. The most notable purchase was
Whitehall Marshal, grand champion at the Inter-
national in 1905 and 1906 and at state fairs many
times; he was purchased from F. W. Harding at
private treaty, and while the price was not made
public it was generally believed to be $7,500. A
later herd bull was King Cumberland 288383, by
Cumberland's Last, purchased for $5,000 from
George H. White just after he had won the junior
championship at the International of 1908. At the
advanced age of ninety-two, James B. Haggin died
KEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 907
on Sept. 12, 1914. His herd was purchased by
Kingsley Macomlier, a son-in-law of L. V. Harkness
of Walnut Hall Farm fame, and taken to Paicines
Rancho in California. Elmendorf Farm bred many
excellent Shorthorns and furnished seed to
strengthen existing herds and to lay foundations
for new ones.
Lespedeza Farm. — A herd which felt the upbuild-
ing influence of Elmendorf was that established at
Hickoiy Valley, Tenn., by H. B. Duryea of Xew
York City. On a tract of 15,000 acres Mr. Duryea
in 1910 laid the foundations of his herd. The farm
was later called Lespedeza, the name being sug-
gested by a species of clover so abundant in the
south. Important purchases were made from the
sales at Elmendorf Farm, but the most important
addition was the entire herd of E. W. Bowen,
Delphi, Ind., which was purchased at private treaty.
This purchase included cows of choice breeding and
the herds bulls Selection, by Avondale, Scotch
Goods, by Choice Goods and out of imp. Cicely,
and Everlasting, by March Knight. Scotch Goods
was an impressive sire, but died soon after his
transfer to Lespedeza. Another herd bull was
Mystic Arcli 340226, bred by E. AV. Bowen and
combining through his sire the blood of imp. Bapton
Diamond Avitli that of Lord Banff, sire of his dam,
the grandam being the show cow imp. Missie 165th.
A sire of as much value to the Lespedeza herd
as any ever used was Imperial Gloster 340225,
908 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
bought with his dam, Lady Gloster 6th, with the
Burnbrae herd. He was sired by Everlasting
242727; his dam was by imp. Cock Robin 192127
and his grandam by Baron Gloster 101657, an
impressive sire in the herd of Forbes Bros. Impe-
rial Gloster sired Imperial Brace, undefeated as a
two-year-old at the fairs of 1916, and Imperial
Mistletoe, that seem destined to make a similar
record in 1917. Another prepotent sire' is the
present herd bull, Lespedeza Sultan 406929, bred at
Anoka Farms and rich in the blood of A^^itehall
Sultan, having also crosses of imp. Fancy's Pride
182614, Baron Rule 123625 and Craven Knight
96923, and coming from a line of Victoria cows that
descend through those bred by Col. W. A. Harris.
At the International of 1916 Lespedeza won first
on two-year-old cow and senior championship, and
second prize on graded herd. At the fairs of 1917
very few herds have been so successful. The Lespe-
deza bulls made a clean sweep at the Ohio, Indiana,
Kentucky and Tennessee State Fairs, except in
two classes. They won every championship, also
a gold medal given by the American Shorthorn
Breeders' Association for the best futurity bull
calf shown.
The Lespedeza herd made a successful sale in
1916 and one in 1917. Some 325 head are main-
tained. Mr. Duryea died suddenly in January,
1916, in the midst of plans for enlarging his Short-
horn activities. It was a source of much satisfaction
NEW HEEDS AXD IMPORTATIONS 909
to breeders everywhere when Mrs. Duryea an-
nounced that she would maintain the herd and
continue to develop it as her husband had planned.
An attractive private herd catalog gives the pedi-
grees both in the usual form and in tabulation.
This herd is a source of great strength to the
Shorthorn industry in central and southern states
and by the high-class cattle it is producing is a
source of encouragement to all breeders.
Craigielea Herd. — AYhile the central portion of
the United States was the theater of greatest
Shorthorn trade and development, there was a
strong demand from westei*n states, particularly
from the Pacific Coast. Eeference has already been
made in recording the results of the shows at the
Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expo-
sitions to the herd of Charles E. Ladd, located at
Oak Hill Farm, near Portland, Ore., which fur-
nished foundation stock for most of the strong
herds of the Pacific northwest. In 1908 Frank
Brown, who had been manager of the herd for ten
years and whose judgment and eSiciency had con-
tributed largely to its success, purchased at private
treaty twenty of Mr. Ladd's best cows and the herd
bull imp. Scottish Canadian 209402, and on land
near Carlton also bought from Mr. Ladd, he started
a new herd. The farm was meadowland and
wooded hills which his Scotch rearing caused him
to call Craigielea. The remainder of the Ladd
herd was sold at auction in 1908.
910 A HISTOEY 01' SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
The second bull used in the Craigielea herd was
Golden Goods, Jr. 374438, a son of the $3,500
Golden Goods shown so successfully by W. 0.
Minor. Succeeding him was Diamond Perfection
430550, bred by A. E. Stevenson, Port Huron, Mich.,
and a great-grandson of D. R. Hanna's imp. Bapton
Diamond. The dam of Diamond Perfection was
Lovely Tulip 5th 59595, bred by Mr. Stevenson, and
his grandam was Lovely Tulip 2d, bred by A.
Robertson and imported by W. D. Flatt.
The Craigielea herd under Mr. Brown's direction
developed an excellent class of Shorthorns and
through private and public sales furnished founda-
tion stock for many herds. Mr. Brown sold much
of his surplus stock through combination sales of
which he was manager. At ten sales made during
the last five years at the Portland stock yards 598
head averaged $251.35.
In late years Mr. Brown has represented the
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association and
through his agency many Shorthorns have been
brought to the Pacific Coast.
The Pleasant Valley Herd. — The development of
Oklahoma in agriculture and live stock after her
admission to the Union was rapid. Coincident with
this growth there came a strong demand for
Shorthorns to improve the native cattle of the
new commonwealth. A pioneer in this trade was
H. C. Lookabaugh of Watonga. While he is now
a loyal advocate of the breed, he confesses to having
XEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 911
held an early prejudice against Sliortliorns, first
because they have horns and second because they
are not of uniform color. His own account of how
this prejudice was changed to a genuine admiration
by a careful study of their beef and milk qualities
forms an interesting story.
Mr. Lookabaugh's first important purchase was
made in 1910 from the herd of J. G. Eobbins &
Sons and included the imported cows Amaranthist,
bred by Philo L. Mills, Carthage Countess by First
Choice 179847, Graceful Rose and Julia, a grand-
daughter of Star of Morning. On the same trip
purchases were made from the herd of Carpenter &
Ross, including daughters of Avondale out of cows
of the Clipper, Jealousy, Buttercup and Victoria
families. Mr. Lookabaugh also. secured an option
on Pride of Albion, then a calf, but since the noted
sire and prizewinner in the herd of Frank R.
Edwards, Tiffin, 0.; he surrendered his option be-
fore he realized what a splendid prize he had
drawn. While he may have regretted not retaining
this bull, he was very fortunate later in securing
for $2,500 from Bellows Bros, the white bull Fair
Acres Sultan, a son of Whitehall Sultan out of
Snowbird 11648, a prizewinner from the herd of
N. P. Clarke and a granddaughter of the noted
sire imp. Nonpareil Victor. Fair Acres Sultan
proved an exceptionally prepotent sire in the herd
of J. A. Kilgour, Sterling, 111., as could reasonably
be expected from such a combination of the blood
912 A HISTOKY OF SHOET-HOKN CATTLE
of prizewinning and great-producing ancestors as
he possessed.
The fame of this bull and success in the state
fair circuits brought the Pleasant Valley herd prom-
inently before Shorthorn breeders, particularly of
the southwest, and this made possible two very
successful sales in 1916. In March thirty-five head
were sold at an average of $533.40 and on Nov. 23
thirty-eight head brought $22,800, an average of
$600. Five cows sold at from $1,000 to $1,125,
four of them to residents of the state. It was an
encouraging incident of the sale that more than
two-thirds of the cattle were purchased by Okla-
homa bidders. The cow Isabella, grand champion
at the Nebraska State Fair in 1914, went to J. R.
Whistler at $1,000, along with three others at from
$525 to $790. Imp*. Jest was sold at $1,125 to J. W.
Wharton of Pond Creek and Mulberry Secret was
taken at $1,040 by A. B. Georgia of Eipley. In
1916 Mr. Lookabaugh imported nine Shorthorns,
eight cows and one bull, which were selected in
Great Britain by Leslie Smith, St. Cloud, Minn.
During the last two years no state has shown a
more insistent demand for Shorthorns than Okla-
homa, and it is undoubtedly true that the persistent,
faithful pioneer work of the owner of the Pleasant
Valley herd had much to do with creating this
demand. The growth of this demand has been an
encouraging feature of the Shorthorn industry, and
breeders of the entire country have abundant rea-
NEW HERDS AND IMPORTATIONS 913
son for rejoicing over the rapid development of the
herds of Oklahoma. In the newly established herd
of F. A. Gillespie & Sons, of Tulsa, the young state
has a herd of Shorthorns that in the number of
its high-class cow^s and superior herd bulls is sur-
passed by none in America, while from the stand-
point of breeding, individual merit and intelligent
management no herd holds greater possibilities for
good to the breed.
CHAPTER IV
FEOM THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSI-
TION TO THE PANAMA-PACIFIC
The great world's fairs of our country have all
been held in commemoration of some important
event in the history of our nation. The Lewis and
Clark Exposition was to commemorate that diffi-
cult and hazardous exploration from Missouri to
the Pacific northwest whicli revealed the value of
the vast newly acquired territory. This remarkable
exploration, authorized by act of Congress at the
request of President Jefferson, was made by Capt.
William Clark and Col. Meriwether Lewis. With
an expedition of twenty-eight men they left St.
Louis late in 1803, explored the Missouri River to
its source, crossed the continental divide and de-
scended the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean,
which they reached in November, 1805, having
spent two winters on their journey and braved
extermination by numerous powerful tribes of hos-
tile Indians. In accordance with a commendable
desire to recall to the minds of the American people
the priceless benefit to the development and prog-
ress of the nation conferred by that intrepid explo-
ration, enterprising citizens of the Pacific northwest
THE LEWIS AXD CLAEK EXPOSITION 915
decided to hold in Portland, Ore., in 1905, an
exposition wliich would commemorate this historic
event. They called it the Lewis and Clark Expo-
sition.
The exhibition of cattle at this exposition oc-
curred in September. It included a strong display
of Shorthorns. All the leading herds of the Pacific
Coast states were represented, with the addition of
a draft from the herds of J. G. Eobbins & Sons,
Horace, Ind., and the Tebo Land & Cattle Co.,
Clinton, Mo. If further proof were needed of the
leadership of Shorthorns among beef-producing
breeds, this display furnished ample evidence to
those who saw it. "The Breeder's Gazette" in
reporting the show said: "This breed has ever
been the pioneer in improvement. It has laid the
foundation in the countries of the world on which
other breeds have later worked."
King Edward, a massive, smooth son of Bapton
Arrow, of the J. Deahe Willis herd, developed in
the herd of D. R. Hanna, Ravenna, 0., and entered
in this show from the herd of J. H. Glide, Sacra-
mento, Cal., was easily first aged bull and
later the grand champion. In the two-year-old
class the white Bapton Broadhooks, from the Ladd
herd, won first over the red My Choice, which had
beaten him at the International in 1904. The win-
ners in both yearling and calf classes were from
the Tebo Land & Cattle Co. The calf Choice Goods
Model was made junior champion, winning over his
916 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
lialf-brotlfer The Conqueror, the first defeat which
this bull had met in his two years of showing.
The ring of cows had ten entries and they were
of unusual merit. The Charles E. Ladd herd fur-
nished both first and second prizewinners in Lady
Dorothea and Welcome of Meadow Lawn 8tli, both
bred by N. P. Clarke and got by imp. Red Knight
157136. Lad's Lady, of the Eobbins herd, winner
of first-prize at several eastern fairs, had to be
content with third place. In two-year-olds Lad's
Emma, from the same herd, won easily and was
ambitious to wear the purple of senior champion-
ship, but lost that honor to Lady Dorothea, later
made grand champion. In yearling heifers the
Tebo Land & Cattle Co. won first on Sweet Briar
Rose and in calves first on Clara Belle, a daughter
of imp. Clara 58th, and second on Fair Louisiana,
a daughter of Rub^rta. Tebo Lawn also won first
on young herd, first on calf herd, first on produce
of cow, and first and second on get of sire — all with
the get of Choice Goods. In graded herds first was
awarded to Charles E. Ladd, second to H. W. Peel,
third to J. G. Robbins & Son, and fourth to J. H.
Glide.
A Memorable Sale.— On June 20 to 22, 1906, in
the Kansas City stockyards sale pavilion occurred
an auction important in its aggregate and far-
reaching in its results. This was the dispersion of
a herd established in 1876 by George M. Casey, but
enlarged by him and greatly imjjroved from 1900
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION" 917
to 1902 and known from that time as the Tebo
Lawn herd. During the four years preceding its
dispersion no herd in America had exerted a greater
influence on Shorthorns and none had taken so
many prizes at state and national shows. An un-
fortunate investment in range cattle brought finan-
cial reverses which made it necessary to assign the
Tebo Lawn herd in order to meet obligations. The
sale was made by creditors a year after Col. Casey's
death, which was hastened by wony over business
reverses.
Liquidation sales to satisfy the claims of bankers
who are not identified with the live stock industry,
and where bidders are not influenced by a feeling
of breed loyalty or neighborly courtesy or obliga-
tion, are not the sales at which to expect high
averages. Then too, the Tebo Lawn herd contained
many cattle of promiscuous breeding, but of much
individual merit, called ''Casey's mixtures." Many
breeders predicted a moderate sale. But the repu-
tation of the herd for having high-class Shorthorns
and the splendid advertising which had been given
it by Choice Goods and his prizewinning get
brought together such a crowd of cattlemen as has
rarely been seen. The sale was successful beyond
the expectations of the most sanguine creditor.
In opening the sale Col. F. M. Woods paid a
well-merited tribute to Col. Casey's devotion to and
zeal for Shorthorns, and his call for bids soon
revealed the fact that the demand was large and
918 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
competition keen for the best cattle. The average
on 177 lots was $358.30, eleven bulls making an
average of $1,101.35 and 166 cows and heifers of
$308.60. Choice Goods sold to Howell Rees, Pilger,
Neb., for $5,500. The yearling Golden Goods, by
Choice Goods and out of Golden Abbotsburn, went
to H. C. Duncan at $1,500 and at the same price
T. J. Wornall & Son took The Conqueror, a noted
prizewinner, and for $1,000 bought imp. Mayflower
5th, for which Col. Casey paid $2,600 in 1900. M. E.
Jones, Williamsville, 111., took imp. Village Belle
by Pride of Morning at $2,000 and for $1,200 bought
imp. Cicely and her roan bull calf Scotch Goods,
which he sold one year later to E. W. Bowen,
Delphi, Ind., for $2,520. N. H. Gentry took imp.
Clara 58th at $1,300 and her daughters Clara Belle
and Claret were bought by F. W. Harding at $1,005
and $1,025, though Claret was later resold to F. J.
Scofield of Texas. The famous Ruberta was
bought for $1,325 by Howell Rees, in whose herd
she produced Ruberta 's Goods, a successful prize-
winner and an impressive sire. For $1,300 Owen
Kane, Wisner, Neb., bought The Runaway Girl and
her bull calf Best of Goods, which one year later
was sold to Bellows Bros, for $1,000 and in their
herd proved a great sire. Rosedale Violet 9tli at
sixteen years of age sold for $530 to the University
of Illinois. As a breeder she has a record equaled
by few cows, having produced 10 calves 6 of which
sold for $5,910, an average of $985.
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 919
With this sale the Tebo Lawn herd passed into
history and the excellent Shorthorns composing it
found new homes in herds widely distributed.
Interesting as the record of Shorthorn achieve-
ments might be, a detailed history of sales and
shows is impossible in this brief history, so for
succeeding years only a few of the important ones
can be recorded.
Popular demand for purebred cattle, as regis-
tered by public and private sales, .ebbs and flows,
not with the regularity of the tides of the sea,
but low prices succeed high every few years. From
1900 to 1902 there was an enhancement of values
that gave substantial encouragement, but 1903
marked a • decline that reached its low point in
1904. From the beginning of 1900 to the close of
1903 the general average of all public sales had
risen from $175 to $260, while in 1904 it dropped
to $101, a most discouraging decline. From 1904
an improvement began, prices gradually increasing
each year until in 1907 the enhancement was more
than sixty percent over the average of three years
before.
To many breeders this statement may be a sur-
prise, but in 1904 the average of 2,755 head sold was
$101.25, while that of 1907 was $160 on 3,608.
In 1908 there was a slight decline in prices, the
average being $146.50 on 2,689 head, but following
that year there was a gradual but slow appreciation
in values until the awakening of 1916.
920 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Browndale's Twenty-Ninth Sale. — In Minneapo-
lis, April 4, 1908, H. P. Brown held his twenty-ninth
consecutive annual sale, disposing of thirty-three
head at an average of $311.80. For $1,015 W. I.
Wood, Williamsport, 0., bought the roan heifer
Missie of Browndale 13th, but resold her to F. W.
Harding, in whose herd she became a successful
prizewinner. An interesting feature of this sale
was the statement of the auctioneer. Col. F. M.
Woods, that in the twenty-nine sales from the
Browndale herd, from 1880 to 1908 inclusive, 1,057
head had been sold for $258,820, an average of
$245.80. In but two of these sales was the average
below $100, those being the years 1894 and 1896,
when prices were very low on all farm products.
Cherry Grove Auction. — On June 3, 1908, at Wil-
liamsville. 111., M. E. Jones sold forty-four head at
an average of $307. Howell Eees & Son, Pilger,
Neb., bought Lady Violet 3d for $1,000 and Laven-
der Lady 3d for $700. Imp. Cherry Marengo was
sold to D. W. Helm of Illinois for $980.
The Des Moines Show.— The Iowa State Fair of
1908, held at Des Moines in September, marked the
entrance to the showring of the sensational junior
yearling King Cumberland 288383, which was
awarded the junior champion prize, Whitehall Mar-
shal being grand champion. D. R. Hanna won the
grand championship for cows on Flora 90th by Old
Lancaster 253007, a good sire in the herd of Geo.
Amos & Son of Ontario. In the get-of-sire exhibit
THE LEWIS AND CLAEK EXPOSITION 921
first prize was awarded to get of "Whitehall Sultan
and second to get of his son Whitehall Marshal,
shown by Elmendorf Farm. In produce of cow
both first and second prizes were won by F. W.
Harding.
The Fair at Hamline. — While the Minnesota State
Fair of 1908 had its customary abundance and
excellence of exhibits and a strong display of
Shorthorns, its attendance was not quite up to the
record-breaking crowd of the preceding year, when
its new and commodious exhibition pavilion was
dedicated in a masterful speech by James J. Hill,
President of the Great Northern Railway. This
1908 show of Shorthorns witnessed the dethrone-
ment of Whitehall Marshal, an accomplishment
which had been threatened for some weeks, and the
crowning of his half-brother Whitehall King as
grand champion. N. P. Clarke's Dorothea 2d was
grand champion cow, and for several years she con-
tinued to win so many grand championships that
her record was truly phenomenal.
The International. — For the final contest of the
year the Shorthorn clans marshalled their forces in
a display which marks an epoch in showyard his-
tory. In speaking of the Shorthorn exhibit at the
1908 International ''The Breeder's Gazette" said:
"In these magnificent arrays of superbly fitted
cattle every aspiration of the most devoted advo-
cate of the breed was met in full measure. In these
accurately fashioned, grandly fleshed and beauti-
922 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
fully finished Shorthorns, all tradition of the breed
found full fruition. The vision of the Shorthorn
glories of the 1908 International will not soon
fade."
The entries, including steers, totalled slightly
over 300. In the ring of aged bulls Whitehall King
maintained the premier place assigned him at Ham-
line, Glenbrook Sultan being second, Whitehall
Marshal third and Avondale fourth. All four were
sired by Whitehall Sultan and three of them were
bred by E. S. Kelly. Whitehall King was made
grand champion of the bulls, King Cumberland
junior champion. Flora 90th was grand champion
of the cows and the junior champion was Susan
Cumberland, a junior heifer calf by Cumberland's
Last shown by D. R. Hanna, owner of Flora 90th.
For get of sire first was awarded to Whitehall Sul-
tan's, second to Avondale 's, third to March
Knight's and fourth to Whitehall Marshal's.
At the conclusion of the judging F, W. Harding
sold the grand champion Whitehall King for $3,500
to L. V. Harkness, Lexington, Ky., and George H.
White sold the junior champion King Cumberland
for $5,000 to Elmendorf Farm, also of Lexington,'
Ky.
In connection with the show a public sale was
held under the management of the American Short-
horn Breeders' Association. It Avas remarkably
successful and gave great encouragement to breed-
ers. Forty-five head made an average of $403.20.
THE LEWIS AND CLAEK EXPOSITION 923
Values were fairly uniform, but no very high prices
were paid. The red heifer Rosette of Grassland,
bred by T. J. Wornall, sold at $1,025 to L. V.
Harkness, who was the largest buyer, his purchases
aggregating $6,385. The attractive young bull
Knight Templar by March Knight was sold for
$900 to F. W. Harding.
A Phenomenal Steer. — At this 1908 International
James Leask, Taunton, Ont., flashed on the public
the most remarkable Shorthorn steer that had been
seen since the days of Clarence Kirklevington. All
advocates of the breed had high hopes that he
would win the grand champion prize. He was half-
brother to Roan King, grand champion of 1907, and
was a much better steer. In fact, many competent
judges of other breeds pronounced him the best
steer they had ever seen. So when the International
judge of steers awarded the royal purple and Roan
Jim was only reserve grand champion, the Short-
horn contingent was greatly surprised and sorely
disappointed.
About King Cumberland. — The record of noted
animals, as well as distinguished men, awakens
more than ordinary interest; hence these facts
about the making of King Cumberland: He was
sired at Sinnissippi Farm by Cumberland's Last,
out of Miss Walpole, whose grandam, Bonnie Belle
2d was by imp. Craven Knight. Miss Walpole, in
calf to Cumberland 's Last, was sold by Col. Lowden
to Hector Cowan, Paullina, la., with a lot of cows
924 A HISTORY 01'' SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
at the bargain price of $130 per head. She was
resold for $225 to H. H. Powell, Linn Grove, la., in
whose herd King Cumberland was born. Mr.
Powell developed the promising youngster and
after winning junior championship at the Iowa
State Fair of 1908 sold him for $3,000 to George H.
White, who resold him to Elmendorf Farm for
$5,000 after the bull had been made junior cham-
pion at the International.
In 1909 some very successful sales were held,
but only two will be included in this record. On
Feb. 4 David Birrell, Arthur Johnston and Miller
Bros., all of Ontario, made consignments to a sale
that averaged $324. Thomas Johnson, Columbus,
0., bought four cows, one being Pleasant Valley
Jilt, bred by George Amos and got by Old Lan-
caster 253007, sire of the International grand cham-
pion Flora 90th, shown by D. R. Hanna. Pleasant
Valley Jilt was grand champion at the Toronto
Fair of 1908 and in this sale brought $2,500.
The Anoka Sale. — In April F. W. Harding, Wau-
kesha, Wis., made his usual spring sale from the
Anoka herd, forty-eight head making the satisfac-
tory average of $445. There was a large attend-
ance and great enthusiasm. J. H. Miller, Peru,
Ind., wdth a choice herd of Polled Durhams, took
the roan cow Pine Grove Mildred at $1,035 and paid
$2,500 for the white yearling bull Sultan of Anoka,
out of the famous imp. Lady in Waiting. This bull
proved a remarkable breeder in Mr. Miller's herd.
KING CUMBERLAND — JUNIOR CHAMPION AT 190S INTERNATIONAL,
FOR G. H. WHITE, EMERSON, lA., AND SOLD TO ELMENDORF
FARM, LEXINGTON, KY., AT $5,000.
FLORA 90TH— GRAND CHAMPION AT 1908 INTERNATIONAL FOR
D. R. HANNA, RAVENNA, O.
CHRISTMAS LASSIE — FIRST-PRIZE TWO-YEAR-i ir>D HEIFER AT
THE INTERNATIONAL OF 1909 FOR TIIOS. JOHNSON & SONS,
COLUMBUS, O.
LxiRdTHEA L'U— GRAND I'llAMPION AT KANSAS CITY AND CHI-
CAGO IN 1909 FOR N. 1'. CLARKE, ST. CLOUD, MINN.
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 925
The American Royal's Great Show. — Several very
successful exhibitions had been held in Kansas City,
but that of 1909 surpassed all former ones. For
Shorthorn breeders it was the culmination of fond
hopes, the acme of strenuous endeavors. The stock-
yards company had provided a new ampitheater
seating 7,000 people and having an exhibition arena
100 by 300 feet. The herds which had participated
in many arduous contests for arena supremacy were
here to give a new demonstration of merit. Side-
light, from the Anoka herd, gained the senior cham-
pionship for bulls, but was defeated for the grand
championship by Eingmaster, the ambitious year-
ling from the Meadow Lawn herd of N. P. Clarke,
whose herd also furnished the grand champion cow
in Dorothea 2d. The junior champion female was
Susan Cumberland, exhibited by D. R. Hanna. In
the awards for get of sire, March Knight's took
first, Glenbrook Sultan's second, Whitehall Sultan's
third and Cumberland's Last's fourth.
The 1909 International. — The International is
generally regarded as the climax of each year's
shows. Those who had seen other big shows of
the season and who knew the size and quality of
Shorthorn exhibits were prepared for a display that
could be described only by the use of superlatives,
but they were not expecting the record-breaking
exhibition called out by this International. Men
came to be pleased and stayed because they were
amazed. Expectation was distanced by realization.
926 A HISTOEY OF SHORT- HORN CATTLE
The magnitude and superb quality of the Shorthorn
show was fittingly and elegantly described by ' ' The
Breeder's Gazette," a competent and trustworthy
guide as to the merit of live stock shows. It said:
**Tlie age of seeming miracles is yet with us.
No one who has looked on the International show-
ring the past few years, whether seasoned veteran
or enthusiastic amateur, believed that succeeding
exhibitions would write more glorious records. Yet
they have. As often as the possibilities seem to
have been attained that often have they been sur-
passed. One may well marvel. Even we who
survey in memory the showyard history of the last
quarter of a century sometimes sigh for the good
old days, while veterans of campaigns yet more
remote are usually of the unalterable opinion that
present day degeneracy suffers sadly by contrast
with the pristine glories of the breed. Of such sad
vision none is more fantastic than that which con-
jures up hypothetical superiority of old-time cattle.
Of a verity there were animals that justly live in
history as among the great ones of earth, but no
age, no people, no clime ever assembled even ap-
proximately in one show as much of amazing
Shorthorn excellence as the International of 1909."
The first class of the show called forth twelve
bulls of rare merit. Shenstone Albino, imported by
Carpenter & Ross, was leader of the class and later
was made senior champion. Sidelight wns second
and Avondale third. The younger classes of bulls
were marvelous for excellence. King Cumberland
won first among two-year-olds, but was not a cham-
pion, not having attained to that excellence that
IMP. .SHKNSTiiXK AI^BlNu — .SKMoK CHAMPION AT 1909 INTERNA-
TIONAL FOR CARPENTER & ROSS, MANSFIELD, O.
SELECTION — JUNIOR AND GRAND CHAMPION AT 1909 INTERNA-
TIONAL FOR E. W. BOWEN, DELPHI, IND., AND SOLD TO THOS.
JOHNSON & SONS. COLUMBUS, O.
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 927
was foreshadowed by his magnificent form of the
preceding year..
The first-prize yearlings were Selection and Ring-
master and the first-prize calves Roan Snltan and
Fond Memory, all roans, from the herds of E. W.
Bo wen, N. P. Clarke, Thomas Johnson and F. W.
Harding, respectively. They constituted a quar-
tet of young bulls the equal of which had never
been in an American Shorthorn yard. Selection
proved the appropriateness of his name by taking
both the junior and grand champion prizes. He
was then sold for $3,000 to Thomas Johnson and
became stable companion of the doughty Roan Sul-
tan, winner of champion prizes at later shows.
In cows, Clarke's Dorothea 2d won over Hanna's
Flora 90th, grand champion of the previous Inter-
national, Johnson's Duchess of Lancaster 13th
taking third. In two-year-old heifers, Thomas
Johnson took first, second and third on Christmas
Lassie, Pleasant Valley Jilt and Countess Selma 2d.
In junior yearlings, D. R. Hanna's Susan Cumber-
land won first prize, but lost the junior champion-
ship to Dale's Gift, first-prize senior yearling,
owned by Carpenter and Ross. Dorothea 2d was
grand champion.
In herds, N. P. Clarke won first on graded herd
and first on young herd, Thomas Johnson second
on graded herd and first on calf herd, Cai*penter &
Ross third on both graded and young herds, F. W.
Harding second on young herd and third on calf
928 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
herd and E. W. Bowen fourth on both young herd
and calf herd. In get-of-sire awards there was a
shifting of positions assigned at other fairs, as
Avondale's get was placed over March Knight's
and Whitehall Sultan's was third, while the get of
his son Glenbrook Sultan took fourth.
Grand Champion Steers.— ^A decision in the carlot
exhibit which filled the Shorthorn contingent with
enthusiasm was the allotment of grand champion-
ship to the entry of Keays & Oglesby, grandsons
of John D. Gillett, whose steers were descendants
of the herd of Shorthorns that made the Gillett
entries so invincible in the days of the Fat Stock
Shows on the lake front in Chicago. This victory
was substantial ground for rejoicing, but when it
became known that Al. A. Neale, Montrose, Colo.,
had captured the grand champion prize for feeders
with a carload of calves, the happiness of Shorthorn
men was intensified. Many were ready to endorse
Lord Byron's sentiment, **Let joy be unconfined."
Mr. Neale repeated this feat in the Internationals
of 1910 and 1913.
Stanton's Great Sale. — In the spring of 1910
Thomas Stanton, formerly manager of the Sinnis-
sippi herd, closed a partnership with William
George by taking over a herd which the firm of
George & Stanton owned at Aurora, 111. On April
8 he made a sale which was veiy good. Fifty-six
head brought $35,952, an average of $642. It was
a choice lot of Shorthorns of good breeding, ele-
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 929
gantly fitted. One of the attractions of the offering
was the sensational roan bull Prince Imperial
325711, grand champion at Toronto in September,
1909, which was bought from W. A. Dryden,
Brooklin, Ont., in January, 1910, for $2,500. He
went through this sale at a reported price of $10,000
and became the property of George J. Sayer,
McHenry, 111., who also bought nine cows and
heifers. The dioice cow of the sale was the white
"Woodfield Lovely 2d 75029, which went to C. J.
McMaster, Altona, 111., for $3,030. Flower Girl 3d
by Glenbrook Sultan was bought for $1,000 by Sir
William Van Horn, East Selkirk, Man., and Cum-
berland's Lassie by Cumberland's Last went to
Thomas Johnson, Columbus, 0., at $975. The roan
two-year-old bull Masterpiece 314000, a sensational
calf of 1908, was sold for $1,000 to George Allen,
Lexington, Neb.
White & Smith. — During the yeai- 1910 an impor-
tant transfer was made of a herd Avhich has exerted
a very strong influence in the upbuilding of modern
Shorthorns. The Meadow Lawn herd of N. P.
Clarke, St. Cloud, Minn., had long been regarded
as such a power. The collection had existed for
more than twenty years prior to the period covered
by this brief histoiy, but it attained its greatest
merit and gave its greatest impetus to the breed's
improvement subsequent to the year 1900. Mr.
Clarke was an enthusiast for Shorthorns and at
Meadow Lawn Farm had an ample plant for their
930 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HORN CATTLE
propagation. In the selection of seed stock and
the development of the herd he was ably assisted by
his manager, Leslie Smith, a man of keen, accurate
judgment of animal form and breeding and of
expert knowledge in their proper development.
Both owner and manager had good judgment and
commendable enthusiasm, and this combination en-
abled the Meadow Lawn herd to accomplish great
results, both in its importations and in the develop-
ment of home-bred cattle.
Very few herds in the United States made more
or better importations during the decade follow-
ing 1900, and the writer keenly regrets that his
effort to obtain a list of these importations was
unsuccessful. With part of these importations he is
quite familiar, but this partial list will not be
•given. However, two herd bulls will be mentioned.
Imp. Bapton Ensign 172542 was bred by J. Deane
Willis, used for a season at Meadow Lawn and
then sold for $3,500 to C. E. Ladd, Portland, Ore.,
who exhibited him at the Louisiana Purchase Ex-
position as the head of the herd which took first
prize.
An imported bull of greater importance as a
breeder was Red Knight 157136, bred by D. C.
Morris and imported in July, 1900. He proved a
remarkably impressive sire, getting a uniform,
beefy, stylish class of cattle. Unfortunately, he
was sold from Meadow Lawn before his real value
as a sire was discovered, but he left there his best
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 931
son, March Knight 188105, out of imp. Queen Anne
by Tip Top 157150, and some heifers which created
a sensation wiien they appeared at the Interna-
tional. March Knight was considered superior to
his sire as a breeder and the success of his get as
prizewinners confirms the correctness of this
opinion.
Owing to advancing years and declining health,
Mr. Clark decided early in 1910 to sell the herd
and retire from active business. Mr. Alexander S.
White, a capitalist of Cincinnati and New York,
joined with Leslie Smith in its purchase, which
was effected at private treaty. Mr. White's inten-
tion was to move the herd to Ohio and locate it in
the rich valley of the Scioto River on a tract of
land owned by the Shakers, formerly breeders of
Shorthorns. After a thorough examination of the
property by Mr. Smith, the new firm decided not
to close its option, but arranged with Mr. Clarke
for the herd to remain at Meadow Lawn Farm,
and there it exists today. Its ownership changed,
but the herd was the same. The same brain and
careful management were there that had char-
acterized its former career. The herd continued
its remarkable course in the show arena and sale-
ring for a few years, when Mr. White retired
and Leslie Smith became sole OA^Tier, later asso-
ciating his sons with him in its ownership and
management.
Meadow Lawn has produced and sent out many
932 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE
illustrious prizewinners, and a story of arena
achievements could not omit its Dorotheas, Wel-
comes and Wimples, Two showyard celebrities of
this herd, both bred while Mr. Clarke was owner,
have records as prizewinners which have rarely, if
ever, been surpassed on this continent. They are
Dorothea 2d and Ringmaster, consistent and per-
sistent winners of champion and grand champion
prizes at state and national shows for several years.*
A part of the brilliant showyard record of this
herd was made while it was owned by Mr. Clarke,
but it has been continued by Mr. Smith. In 1916
Mr. Smith imported some Shorthorns and in 1917
landed an important shipment, containing cattle
for himself and other breeders.
The Eleventh International.— The 1910 Inter-
national Live Stock Exposition saw the two-year-
old Eingmaster, shown by White & Smith, grand
champion among the bulls. George J. Sayer's
Susan Cumberland, the roan two-year-old daughter
of Cumberland's Last, had the premier place among
the females. In the aged bull class F. W. Hard-
ing's White Star led, followed by King Cumberland
*There is a story connected with the calfhood of Ringmaster
which is worth recording'. When he was but a few weeks old
Mr. Smith decided the calf was a very promising- prospect for a
champion steer, and on leaving the farm for a trip he left instruc-
tions to have the youngster castrated. The herdsman would have
carried out instructions, but Frank Smith, then a mere boy, was
caring for the dam and had become very much attached to little
Ringmaster; so he demurred, and not having any great fear of
parental displeasure, he countermanded the order. Hingmaster
remained a bull and became the greatest prizewinner of his time.
What he would have done as a steer is of course problematical.
Possibly he might have been even more successful than the illus-
trious Roan Jim.
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 933
for Elmcndorf Farm, Avondale for Carpenter &
Boss, Abbotsburn for N. W. Wagner, and Prince
Imperial for George J. Sayer. Tbos. Jobnson was
second in the two-year-old class with Selection by
Avondale, and first in the junior yearling class
w^ith the junior champion Roan Sultan by Glen-
brook Sultan. Rosenberger & Edwards topped
the matrons' class with Princess Marshal. John-
son's entries headed the senior and junior year-
ling heifer classes, as well as that for senior heifer
calves; his junior yearling New Year's Delight was
junior champion female. C. A. Saunders secured
the coveted get-of-sire arid calf herd honors, while
all the other groups were led by the Johnson
entries.
In the steer competitions James Leask's Roan
James, a sensational roan yearling, was the cham-
pion Shorthorn, and a stout runner-up for the
grand championship of the show. H. M. Kirkham,
the foreign judge, from London, Eng., finally made
him reserve to the grade Angus Shamrock 2d.
The American Royal of 1911. — This show brought
out what was unquestionably the best display of
Shorthorns ever seen at Kansas City. Entries were
large and quality good. Twelve aged bulls were
led by a formidable quartette, Ringmaster, Sul-
tan Mine, Shenstone Albino and Selection, each
of which had been a champion at state or national
shows. Ringmaster demonstrated that he was
properly named and after defeating the yearling
934 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
Village Denmark, the junior champion from the
herd of D. R. Hanna, was made grand champion of
the show.
The massive, compact, red Princess Marshal by
Sharon Marshal, exhibited by Rosenberger &
Edwards, Tiffin, 0., was grand champion cow and
the junior champion was White & Smith's beauti-
ful Roan Queen by Gloster's Choice 284895, sire of
the wonderful roan steers shown by James Leask
at the Internationals of 1907, 1908 and 1910.
Then the International. — The International of
this year brought out an exhibit of Shorthorns that
was large and of uniform excellence in most of the
rings of breeding cattle. But to attempt a descrip-
tion of this exhibit without using the superb
report of *'Tlie Breeder's Gazette" would be like
seeing the Prince of Denmark portrayed by any-
one else than Edwin Booth or Rip Van Winkle
represented by any other than Joe Jefferson. "The
Gazette" spoke as follows:
"Opening impressively and moving with irresist-
ible swing toward a climax of group and cham-
pionship competitions wholly unprecedented, the
Shorthorn exhibit at the International of 1911 wove
into the fabric of the breed's history a brilliant
chapter. ' '
Among the bulls a new candidate for premier
honors appeared when the marvelous roan yearling
Gainford Marquis, a Canadian entry, was made
junior champion, but in the final adjudication by
the English judge the grand prize was awarded
i:.ir. GAixsFor;L> marquis— noted Canadian winner and jun-
ior CHAMPION AT 1911 INTERNATIOXAI^ FOR J. A. WATT,
SALEM, ONT.
PRINCESS MARSHAL— GRAND CHAMPION AT AMERICAN ROYAL
AND INTERNATIONAL OF 1911 FOR ROSENBERGER & ED-
AVARDS, TIFFIN, O.
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 935
to Eingmaster, tlins adding another rosette to his
gariand of grand championships. For chief honor
among the cows the contest was a repetition of
the battle at the American Eoyal, with White &
Smith's junior champion, Eoan Queen, again
attempting to dethrone the senior champion, Prin-
cess Marshal, exhibited by Eosenberger & Edwards.
The decision made at Kansas City was affirmed
at the International and Princess Marshal was
given the grand prize. In herd honors Car-
penter & Eoss won first on both graded and
calf herds, Thomas Johnson second on both graded
and young herds and thii^d on calf herd, D. E.
Hanna second on calf herd and third on young
herd, F. "W. Harding third on graded herd and
fourth on young herd, C. A. Saunders first on
young herd and fourth on calf herd and George
J. Sayer fourth on graded herd.
For get of sire there was a remarkably strong
exhibit and first prize was Avondale's, owned by
Carpenter & Eoss, on four cows and heifers of
such merit as to call from J. J. Cridlan, the for-
eign judge, this statement: "I have never seen
four animals so true to type and of such admirable
conformation, either in England or the Argentine. ' '
The second prize was awarded to Thomas John-
son on get of Glenbrook Sultan, third to Howell
Eees & Son on get of Euberta's Goods, a grand-
son of Clioice Goods, and fourth to C. A. Saunders
on get of Cumberland's Last.
936 A HISTOEY or SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
Milking Shorthorns. — The dual-pui-pose repre-
sentatives made the best exhibit at this Interna-
tional that the breed had ever brought out. In the
class for cows over three years there were thirteen
entries, and eight of these made an average of
slightly more than 45 pounds of milk per day during
the test. Jewel, winner of first prize, gave 5-i pounds.
This test was made a few days after a long ship-
ment in cold weather, hence is considered very
good. The cows were judged by Prof. C F. Cur-
tiss, and the standard of judgment was 50 percent
for milk production and 50 percent for beef form.
In form the cows were good, and when dry Avould
easily have fed up to 1,500 to 1,650 pounds. Most
of the entries were from the Glenside herd of May
& Otis.
Seven- Year Average. — During the seven years
from 1905 to 1911, inclusive, 21,584 Shorthorns sold
at public sales for an average of $155.62.
Sales in 1913. — For a few years preceding 1913
there had been a slight appreciation in the value
of purebred cattle, but not in proportion to the
marked advance in the price of meats at market
centers. However, the increased demand and
enhancement of values gave breeders encourage-
ment. But three sales of 1913 will be included
in this record. On April 2 F. W. Harding made
the usual annual offering from the Anoka herd,
selling in his pavilion at Waukesha, Wis., thirty-
seven head at an average of $564. The show bull
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 937
Gloster Mine was sold for $1,650 to E. A. Hess,
Council Bluffs, la. The bull Prince Lavender
brought $1,100 and the cow Sultan's Aconite 2d
$1,750; both were taken by Heart's Delight Farm,
Chazy, N. Y., owned by W. H. Miner, who bought
four other cows, paying $4,675 for the six. Eight
head consigned by Mr. Miner made an average of
$310.
On April 4 at the stockyards in Chicago D. R.
Hanna, Ravenna, 0., made a draft sale from his
Cottage Hill herd, thirty-five head making an
average of $426. It was a snappy sale of brisk
demand and quick bids, especially for the get of
the great Villager. Thirteen of his get brought
an average of $450. The white bull Royal Crest
sold for $575 to the Iowa State College, Ames, la.;
Village Chieftain went at $1,000 to H. G. McMil-
lan & Sons, Rock Rapids, la.; Village Primrose
was taken at $760, and the Farmer Farm, Farm-
ington, Minn., bought Miss Nonpareil and Village
Blythesome at $600 each.
June 3 at Wheaton, 111., an auction was held
which marked the retirement of George J. Sayer
as a breeder of Shorthorns. The cattle were sold
by Thomas Stanton, his former partner. Forty-six
head averaged $550. The bull Browndale by Avon-
dale and the prizewinning cows imp. Fair Start 2d
and Sittyton Lady 2d were purchased by James
Yule of Manitoba at $2,000, $1,675 and $1,760. C. J.
McMaster, Altona, III, took Autumn Rose at $1,400,
938 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
and 78tli Duchess of Gloster, junior champion at
the American Royal of 1912, went to F. W. Hard-
ing at $1,980.
The International of 1913. — This show was in
some respects a repetition of former ones, yet it
had its distinctive features. For a season Ring-
master had retired from the exhibition arena, but
he returned this year in fine form and with remark-
able bloom for a veteran of five years' campaign-
ing for showyard honors. His leadership of the
aged bulls was promptly challenged by Village Den-
mark, a champion of many arenas, and this royal
contest was the event of the Shorthorn show. The
doughty son of Villager was but three years old,
and as his remarkable form had the advantage of
youth many predicted that he would overthrow
the many-times champion. But the merit of Ring-
master was irresistible; when he was acclaimed
the victor the enthusiasm of the excited spectators
created a wdld and unprecedented scene. Leslie
Smith, his owner, was hoisted onto Ringmaster's
back and held there by admiring friends while the
bull was led from the arena amid great applause
from the amphitheater. The record of this bull is
truly remarkable ; in the shows of five years he
lost but two ribbons.
Cumberland's Type, exhibited by C. A. Saunders
& Son, was junior champion, but could not w^rest
the grand prize from Ringmaster. Carpenter &
Ross' Maxwalton Missie 2d was senior and grand
ii:.-.
•• , ,♦^•1,^
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•.M}-;ki;i.am ■ .- .vir: .11 xi^.i; .i-iA.Mrh'X .vv hm:; ixtkkxa-
TIOXAL FOR C. A. SAUNDERS >Si SOX. MAXILLA, lA.
PRIDE OF ALBION — GRAND iHAMI'HiX AT T'l:; AMKUIiAN ROYAL
FOR F. R. EDWARDS, TIFFIX, O.
RI Ni ;.M VSTIOR — THREI-: Tl M i:s \\ I X ri :i: \ AT!' >'. \ I , ';l:\\|i i'IIAM-
l'U)X FOR MEAKwW J. AWN FAl;.\i. ST. c Lol 1), AllXN.
iiHtfii^^^
MAXWALTON MISSIE 2D — GRAND CH:AMPI0N AT 1913 INTERNA-
TIONAL FOR CARPENTER & ROSS, MANSFIELD, O.
^ THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION 939
champion cow and Purely Bros. ' Monarch 's Victoria
was junior champion female.
The public sales of 1913 included 2,175 head
which averaged $220.35.
Enhancement of Values. — The public sales of
1915 gave evidence of a substantial increase in
the value of Shorthorns. At the March sale from
the Anoka herd forty-two head averaged $450, the
great prizewinner Lancaster Duchess 7th going to
The Farmer Farm for $1,075, and eight cows being
taken for the new herd of Walter J. Hill, North-
cote, Minn.
At the June sale of Weaver & Garden, Wapello,
la., forty-three head averaged $508. The repu-
tation of Villager, now in this herd, and the success
of his get in the showrings, increased the demand
at this sale. H. C. Lookabaugh, Watonga, Okla.,
took Uppermill Lord at $1,000 and Village Flower
2d at $1,500.
On June 17 Bellows Bros., Maryville, Mo., held
their annual sale and disposed of thirty-six head
at an average of $521. The red bull Superior
Goods was purchased for $1,500 by W. C. Children,
Council Bluffs, la., and Lady Missie 10th went to
Howell Eees & Son at $1,300. Lavender Sultana
2d was sold to S. A. Nelson & Sons for $1,000 and
at the same price Walter J. Hill took Queen of
Beauty 16th.
On the day preceding this sale Howell Rees &
Son, Pilger, Neb., and Owen Kane, Wisner, Neb.,
940 A HISTOKY or SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
sold fifty head at South Omaha, making an average
of $457. Cressie Belle 85315, a daughter of
Ruberta's Goods, was sold for $1,300 to Frank
Toyne & Son, Lanesboro, la., and Sultan's Jewel
85875 to Jackson & Thompson, Hurley, S. D., at
$1,125.
On July 7 at Mansfield, 0., Carpenter & Ross sold
seventy-five head at an average of $476, twelve
bulls averaging $642 and sixty-three cows $445.
Only five cows sold below $300. The bull Max-
walton Aviator was taken at $2,225 by A. D. Flin-
ton, Kansas City, Mo. Maxwalton Royal went to
P. S. Lewis & Son, Point Pleasant, W. Va., at
$990. The cows Maxwalton Jubilee and Lady
Avonda, both by Avondale, brought $1,500 and
$1,000, respectively, and the former was taken by
Howell Rees & Son and the latter by Bellows Bros.
The American Royal.— The sixteenth American
Royal Live Stock Show was held in the spacious
convention hall in Kansas City, as the stockyards
company could not longer furnish buildings, owing
to its increasing markets. It is sometimes difficult
to remember the glories of former shows so that
they may be accurately compared, but if ever a
better show of Shorthorns had been made at the
American Royal no one could say when. The
strong herds from various circuits concentrated at
Kansas City, comprising fourteen exhibitors and
constituting an exhibit of unusual excellence. The
massive, smooth and mellow Pride of Albion, shown
THE LEWIS AND CLAKK EXPOSITION 941
by F. R. Edwards, Tiffin, 0., won in the class of
aged bulls over Whitehall Rosedale of the Rees
herd and Sultan's Last, the Uppermill entry, and
after defeating the junior champion Maxwalton
Commander was made grand champion. In the
two-year-old class Maxwalton Revolution won first,
Gainford Marquis second and Village Crest third.
Caipenter & Ross won first on senior yearlings and
first on two-year-old heifers and had the junior
champion bull, senior and grand champion cow,
second on graded herd, first and second on get of
sire and first, second and third on produce of cow.
These produce-of-cow prizes constitute a record
for a matron that is truly remarkable. J. W. Mc-
Dermott won on junior yearling and senior bull
calves with Golden Count 2d and Village Marshal
and took first on calf herds. The Anoka herd took
first on junior bull calf, first on junior yearling
heifer, third, fifth and sixth on senior heifer calves
and had the junior champion heifer in Dorothy
Mine. Howell Rees & Son won second on aged
bull, second on two-year-old cow, first on senior
yearling heifer and first on graded herd. Upper-
mill took third on three-year-old and two-year-old
bulls, first and second on junior heifer calves,
second on young herd and second on calf herd.
Panama-Paoific Exposition. — For several years
prior to 1915 the people of the Pacific Coast, and
particularly those of California and the city of San
Francisco, had made strenuous efforts to provide
942 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
an exposition for commemorating the completion of
the Panama Canal which would include all indus-
tries and products and would be truly interna-
tional. Ample provision was made for a compre-
hensive exhibit of cattle by very liberal appropria-
tions for prizes by the exposition, by various states
and by the purebred record associations. The
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association appro-
priated $5,000 to encourage the exhibition of
Shorthorns. In consequence, extensive and careful
preparations for this great event were made by
breeders of the middle and western states. More
than twenty of them from states east of the Eocky
mountains had sent entries, and some shipments
were actually en route to San Francisco when the
eleventh-hour decision of the veterinarian of Cal-
ifornia, upheld by state authority, prohibited the
entrance into California of all cattle from east of
Colorado. This order made the cattle show local
rather than international, the Shorthorn entries
dropping from 286 to fifty and the other beef breeds
showing a greater decrease. The reason given for
the order of exclusion was the fear of foot-and-
mouth infection. While there had been rather
extensive and very disastrous outbreaks of this
disease in some sections of the Mississippi Valley,
the latter part of 1915 showed that federal and
state authorities had the disease under control.
The only states represented in the Shorthorn
show were Colorado, California and Oregon. The
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION i)43
exhibit was quite small in numbers, but very good
in quality. The exhibitors were The Allen Cattle
Co., Colorado Springs, Colo.; A. Chalmers, Forest
Grove, Ore., and the Hopland Stock Fann, Pacheco
Cattle Co., and Paicines Eanch Co., all of California.
The prizes were well divided, though Allen Cattle
Co., with eight firsts and the junior and grand
chamjDion cow Belle Cumberland, had the lion's
share. Chalmers was second on graded herd. Hop-
land Stock Farm was second on both young and
calf herds and had the senior champion cow and
the junior and grand champion bull in Bobbie
Bums.
National Western Stock Show. — With the devel-
opment of the live stock industry and the extension
of the use of purebreds, the necessity for a great
show at Denver was recognized. Soon after its
organization the breeders of registered stock rec-
ognized its importance and the breed associations
gave such generous support that the show developed
rapidly and became one of the leading exhibitions
of our country. For several years this show has
been strong in exhibits of Shorthorns, but at the
show of January, 1916, the breed made its best
display. From the east came the herds of Car-
penter & Ross of Ohio, Theodore Martin and C. A.
Saunders & Sons of Iowa and Howell Pees & Son
and Eapp Bros, of Nebraska. These joined issue
with the Allen Cattle Co. and other breeders of
Colorado. In the awards Pees & Son were very
944 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
fortunate, taking two firsts on bnlls, four firsts on
cows and heifers and both senior and junior
championships on Violet Goods and Cressie Belle
2d, the latter being made grand champion female.
Kees & Son also took first on both graded and
young herds and second on calf herd. Saunders
& Sons had the senior and grand champion bull in
Cumberland's Type and the junior champion in
Type's King, as well as second on graded herd,
second on young herd, first on calf herd, second on
get of sire and second on produce of cow. Car-
penter & Ross won two firsts in class and first on
both get of sire and produce of cow.
The public sale under the management of the
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association was
quite successful, forty-nine bulls averaging $264.
Dandy Pride by the champion Pride of Albion sold
for $1,100 to C. L. King & Sons, Coyote, Utah.
The demand for bulls was strong, and fully 500
head, purebred and grade, were sold at private
treaty during the show.
CHAPTER V
ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED
ADVANCE
Five or six years prior to 1916 official reports
fully established the belief of well-informed stock-
men that there was a considerable shortage of
cattle in the United States. The realization of this
condition soon exerted a stimulating effect on
our beef markets and this influence, aided by
rising prices of grain, caused meat animals to
advance in value from 50 to 100 percent. Pure-
bred beef cattle were slow to respond to the influ-
ence of this enhancement, but with the beginning
of 1916 the slow-moving increase of preceding
years received a tremendous impetus — an electric,
invigorating shock — and as the year moved on
prices advanced by leaps and bounds.
Predictions of this enhancement made six and
eight years before were more than realized. Advice
then given to stockmen to increase their herds and
so prepare for the harvest fell on deaf ears. But
in this the history of other similar experiences
was repeated. When an industry is at ebbtide
very few care to engage in it, but when it rises
to the floodtide of success there is a scramble
945
946 A HISTOEY OF SHOKT-HOEX CATTLE
for embarkation. In 1910 good registered cows
at $200 to $300 did not appeal to farmers, but
in 1916 they took tliem eagerly at $800 to $1,200.
Prudent, far-seeing breeders who in times of low
prices maintained the high standard of their herds
and perhaps increased their numbers reaped the
just reward of diligence and faithfulness. Latter-
day prices certainly give a good margin over the
cost of production, especially to breeders who laid
good foundations for herds some years ago. For
both them and breeders who have recently estab-
lished herds, present values and the strong prob-
ability that these will be maintained for some years
afford ample encouragement to breed Shorthorns
and to make them better as the years go by. A
history of the many excellent sales of this year is
impracticable, in fact impossible, in this brief rec-
ord; so only a brief summary will be attempted.
A series of March sales was opened auspiciously
by J. A. Kilgour, Sterling, 111., with an average
of $516 on thirty-six head. The reputation of the
impressive sire Fair Acres Sultan in this herd
had muck to do with the brisk demand. The
prizewinner Bonnie Belle 14th sold at $2,375 to
Frank Toyne, Lanesboro, la. The young bull Bes-
sie's Monarch, by the champion Fair Acres Grlos-
ter, was sold for $1,300 to L. F. Boyle, Hennepin,
111., and Fair Acres Diamond brought $1,000 for
export to Argentina.
The Uppermill herd of Weaver & Garden, Wap-
ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 947
pello, la., sold forty-two head for $32,060, an aver-
age of $763.33. Eight bulls, seven sons and one
grandson of Villager, averaged $1,350. Five cows
brought prices from $1,000 to $1,500. Village Dia-
mond sold for $1,800 to H. S. Chittenden, Burling-
ton, la., and Village Crest, a double son of Vil-
lager, was bought for Sefior Pereda of Argentina at
$3,325.
On March 28 J. W. McDermott, Kahoka, Mo., sold
thirty-eight head at an average of $630. Fair Gift,
with a calf by Gainford Marquis 2d, went for
$2,000 to Lespedeza Farm, Hickory Valley, Tenn.
Scottish King was taken at $1,500 by the Allen
Cattle Co. of Colorado and the bulls Golden Count
2d and Scottish Marshal were bought at $1,500
and $1,000 by W. A. Forsythe, Greenwood, Mo.,
for exportation to Argentina. During March, at
seven public sales 261 head made an average of
$609.
On April 5 and. 6 in Kansas City, Mo., the Central
Shorthorn Breeders' Association sold 123 head at
an average of $292. The yearling heifer Hallwood
Lavender was taken at $1,000 by H. C. Lookabaugh
and the bulls Villager's Champion, from the Kan-
sas Agricultural College, and Realm's Count, con-
signed by C. E. Leonard & Son, were taken at
$1,005 and $1,300 by W. A. Forsythe for export to
Argentina.
The June sales furnished still further evidence
of the rapidly increasing demand for Shorthorns
948 A HISTOEY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
and forced historians of sales to write some new
records. On the opening day of the month C. A.
Saunders & Sons, Manilla, la., sold forty-nine head
at the comforting average of $1,069.50, thirteen
bulls making $994 and thirty-six cows and heifers
$1,094. The remarkable success of this herd's prize-
winners for several years created an unusual
demand from home breeders, and this was sup-
ported and strengthened by the presence of three
buyers from Argentina, led by Senor Francisco
V. Maissa, who took the cows Gipsy Cumberland 3d
with heifer calf at $3,030, Orange Type 2d at $1,600
and three bulls at $2,050. Gipsy Countess and bull
calf, mother and brother of the famous Cumber-
land's Type, sold for $2,100 to Leslie Smith & Son,
St. Cloud, Minn. Lady Cumberland 2d was taken
at $1,575 by David Warnock of Colorado, while
G. W. Holcomb of Oklahoma took Eunice at $1,375.
The most extensive buyer was F. A. Gillespie, Tulsa,
Okla., who took the bull Type's Marquis at $1,200,
and the cows Bonnie Cumberland at $1,750, Lady
Marengo 8th at $1,650, the white Gipsy Type at
$1,150 and four others at prices running from
$750 to $1,100, the aggregate for eight head being
$7,700. The highest price of the sale for bulls was
$2,600, paid by Bellows Bros, for the beautiful
roan Type's Lord. Koyal Type 2d was taken at
$1,600 by E. A. Hess, Council Bluffs, la.
This remarkable sale, with its average of
$1,069.50, was the highest since the New York Mills
CL.M.BEliLAXD\S BKST A.S A CALF ANI> AT THE BEGINNING OF
HIS CAREER IN THE HERD OF C. A. SAUNDERS. MANILLA, lA.
GIPSY CUMBERLAND 3D AND HEIFER CALF — SOLD FOR $3,030 IN
C. A. SAUNDERS' 191.5 SALE TO SENOR F. V. MAISSA FOR EX-
PORT TO ARGENTINA.
ARBIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 949
sale of Sept. 10, 1873, excepting only the W. D.
Flatt sale of Nov. 7, 1901, which made $1,123.
The record of the Cumberland Shorthorns is an
interesting story, and the phenomenal success of
this herd should prove an inspiration to those who
are striving to accomplish great results with the
breed. Like many other great herds, this one had
a modest beginning; but it was a fortunate day for
Shorthorns and a lucky decision for C. A. Saunders
when at a country sale of low values the auctioneer.
Col. F. M. Woods, persuaded him to buy his first
purebred cow. A fortunate purchase was made
soon afterward of that remarkably prepotent bull
Cumberland 118578, got by King James 103902 out
of imp. Cornflower by Strongbow 100975, a half-
brother to the great sire imp. Scottish Lord. King
James was by imp. Spartan Hero 77932, bred by
Amos Cruickshank, and out of imp. Narcissus, also
bred at Sittyton. As imp. Cornflower was also
from that noted herd it was no accident that
Cumberland proved a great breeder. His merit and
prepotency formed the basis of C. A. Saunders'
success with Shorthorns. A wise concentration of
Cumberland blood has wrought marvelous results
in the herd.
Maxwalton's Sale.— On June 9 Carpenter & Eoss
held a very successful sale at their farm near
Mansfield, 0.; fifty-five head sold for $55,700, ten
bulls making an average of $1,370, four averaging
$2,256. The roan Lord Avondale sold for $5,000
950 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEISr CATTLE
to J. C. Andrew, West Point, Ind., after a spirited
battle of bids participated in by several breeders.
Maxwalton Manor, another roan, was taken at
$2,000 by 0. C. Lower, Atlanta, Ind; A. D. Flin-
ton, Zara, Kans., bought Maxwalton Minstrel for
$1,000, the cows Maxwalton Mina 6th at $2,000,
Maxwalton Mina 10th at $1,050, and four others
at prices ranging from $475 to $1,000, paying $7,200
for the seven head. Maxwalton Rosewood 3d was
bought by W. C. Rosenberger, Tiffin, 0., for $2,550.
James Brown, Dundee, 111., took Maxwalton Rose-
wood 4th at $1,225. Sehor Francis Maissa of
Argentina took one bull and three cows; F. A.
Gillespie bought Juliette and Maxwalton Lavender
at $1,350 each and four other cows at from $800
to $1,050, the six head costing $6,600, and at private
treaty he purchased Maxwalton Roan Lady at
$3,000 and Maxwalton Commander at $7,000, mak-
ing his aggregate purchases $16,600. The choice
cow of the sale was Headlight's Belle, got by
Headlight 340752 out of Village Belle 4th by Lord
Lasaile 208139. She caused sharp competition, but
was taken by W. S. Robbing, Horace, Ind., at $2,800,
the highest price paid for a cow at public sale since
the Westrope auction of 1901, when Sweet Violet
2d brought $3,705, save only imp. Cicely at $5,000
in Flatt's sale of Nov. 7, 1901.
Bellows Bros.' Auction. — The annual sales from
the Parkdale and Westlawn herds of Bellows
Bros., Maryville, Mo., are events of no little impor-
JESS C. ANDREW. WESTPOINT. IND., FOR $5,000 TO HEAD THE
PINES HERD.
VILLAGER — NOTED SIRE FOR D. R. HANNA, RAVENNA, O.,
AND WEAA'ER & GARDEN. WAPELLO. lA.
ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 951
tance to SliortlioiTi breeders. The sale of June 14,
1916, put a new high mark on their averages, forty
head bringing $44,430, an average of $1,110.75. The
cattle were of choice breeding and the offering was
the best ever made from these herds. The sharp-
est competition was for Queen of Beauty 27th by
Diamond Goods ; she was bought at $2,250 by Mac-
Millan & MacMillan, Lodi, Wis., who also took
Lavender Goods at $2,100 and Parkdale Clipper 2d
at $2,000. 0. G. Lee, Kansas City, Mo., took four
cows for $3,195, two of them being Choice Beauty
at $1,300 and Village Flower 4th at $730. Owen
Kane, Wisner, Neb., bought Victoria Clarinda, got
by Blackwatch, a half-brother to Choice Goods,
and Sittyton Mayflower 2d, paying $1,550 for the
former and $1,000 for the latter. Queen of Dia-
monds at $1,000 and Orange Miss 5th at $1,150
were taken by E. Ogden & Son, Maryville, Mo.
The roan bull Parkdale Radium was bought for
$1,330 by Thomas F. Stone, Weston, Mo. Cumber-
land Eex at $1,055 became the property of Charles
Ritchie, Gresham, Neb. While this was the best
sale ever made by Bellows Bros., they have a rec-
ord of fourteen public sales in which 687 head
brought an aggregate of $257,825, an average of
$375.30. During the same time their sales at
private treaty numbered 195 at an average of $300,
making a total of 882, which brought $316,325, an
average of $358, a record creditable to any herd.
In Bellows Bros.' herd the intensified Choice
952 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Goods blood, through two sons and two grand-
sons, was used on a good foundation strongly
impregnated with the blood of Hampton's Best
by imp. Merry Hampton. Their decision to super-
impose on this the blood of Whitehall Sultan,
Avondale and Villager is warranted by sound
judgment and the principles of correct breeding.
A few years ago a bull and two heifers were sold
from this herd for export to Argentine. These
were Hampton's Model 210474, which sold in
Buenos Aires for $7,000, Hampton's Pearl and
Hampton's Princess, the latter of which sold for
$8,000 in Argentine money.
The seven March sales, with the encouraging
average of $609 for 261 head, seem only moderate
when compared with ten June sales which made
an average of $764 on 434. This awakened and
increased demand for Shorthorns was not sec-
tional, but had developed rapidly in portions of
our country where Shorthorns were not strong.
In states of the cottonbelt, below the quarantine
line, there grew up a strong demand, and as
evidence of its healthful tone, one southern sale
will be mentioned.
Cobb & Derby held an auction at Montgomery,
Ala., where thirty head made an average of $358.25,
and it created a sensation among farmers who came
from tick-infested localities. Some of the cows
were bred for milk production; three were bought
by C. A. Otis, Willoughby, 0., at $700 each for
GOOD STAMl SdJ.Ij IX AN ANOKA FARAI lALl" ALCTluX FuH
$5,200 TO SNI-A-BAR RANCH. KANSAS CITY. MO.
N£
V ■• %
l^
ROSEWOOD RESERVE- Si H.n IX 1 ;i:i, I.' i\\ .- r.i;<is.' AUCTION TO
MRS. J. E. McC.Wl.EV. LEW ISTi )\V.N'. MiiXT.. FOR $S.100.
AEEIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 953
two and $805 for the third. Alabama buyers took
both bulls and cows at $200 to $500 each.
At Greenwood, Mo., ^Y. A. Forsythe & Son sold
fifty-one head at an average of $493. Tomson
Bros., Carbondale, Kans., sold forty-three calves
and yearlings at an average of $-±59 and Bellows
Bros., Maryville, Mo., made $603.25 on fifty-four
head, one heifer and two bulls, under fifteen months,
selling for $1,350, $1,500 and $1,510.
' The Calf Sale in America. — While all sections
reported successful and encouraging sales, it re-
mained for the states adjacent to Chicago to fur-
nish the climaxes of the year. All Shorthorn
breeders are familiar with the Duthie-Marr calf
sales by which those across-seas breeders dispose of
the surplus of their herds. In these auctions some
sensational prices have been jDaid, but American
breeders have been slow to adopt this type of sale.
The Bellows and Tomson sales were of this class,
but it was F. W. Harding, the first American
breeder to inaugurate such a sale, who gave indis-
putable evidence that it could be made eminently
successful. On Nov. 2 at Anoka Farms forty-three
calves, twenty-one of which were under twelve
months, averaged $1,016, nineteen bulls making
$1,265 and twenty-four heifers $820 — a new record
not only for Anoka herd, but for all breeders with
young cattle of their own production. The Sni-A-
Bar Ranch, Kansas City, Mo., took the white bull
Good Stamp at $5,200 and the roan Augusta Sul-
954 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
tan 2d at $2,050, both being by Sultan Stamp,
and the white bull Denmark Archer by the cham-
pion Village Denmark and the heifer Lovely Anoka
2d at $1,300 each. Another Sultan Stamp calf was
taken for $2,500 by C. W. Prichet, Steamboat
Springs, Colo. Bandmaster, Jr., by imp. Right Sort
was bought for $1,950 by A. J. Eyden, Abingdon,
111. The heifers Augusta Anoka 3d and Anoka
Clipper 4th were purchased by MacMillan & Mac-
Millan, Lodi, Wis., at $1,600 and $1,650 respectively.
Anoka Clipper 3d was sold for $1,850 to Carpenter
& Carpenter, Baraboo, Wis.; Anoka Broadhooks 3d
to Carpenter & Ross for $1,000 and Victoria Anoka
at the same price to Heart's Delight Farm, Chazy,
N. Y. Ten calves of this sale, four bulls and six
heifers, comprised the Anoka herd which won the
prize awarded at the American Royal of 1916 'for
best ten head bred by exhibitor, and their aggre-
gate price in this sale was $18,950. The compe-
tition of Argentine bidders was a stimulus to this
sale.
It may be of interest to state just here that the
Sni-A-Bar Farm was established near Kansas City
by Col. W. R. Nelson and was designed by him
to be a breeding establishment for producing high-
class steers for the market. His plan was to use
superior white bulls, in the main, on good red
cows. Plans for this establishment were not fully
carried out before Mr. Nelson's death, but provision
was made in his will for their completion. This
AERIVAL OF THE LOXG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 955
provision is being carried out by his daughter and
her husband, I. E. Kirkwood. The seven high-
class white bulls in service in the herd promise
great results in the fulfillment of Mr. Nelson's
scheme.
Two days before the Anoka sale, Weaver &
G-arden, Wapello, la., and J. W. McDermott,
Kahoka, Mo., sold forty-five head in Chicago for
$30,340, an average of $674.25. Weaver & Garden
sold Lady Craibstone 73344 and bull calf for $2,000
to J. A. Countryman & Son, Eochelle, 111., and
Sultan's Heiress for $1,325 to C. D. Smith, Memphis,
Tenn. J. W. McDermott sold the bull Cumberland
Marshal 2d for $1,825 to Dr. J. R. Eoby, Gatesville,
Tex., a;nd Chief Champion for $1,500 to E. A.
Tyler, Hickman, Ky.
Imported Cattle Sold. — On Nov. 1 a vendue was
held which had been widely discussed for many
weeks and on which great interest centered.
Seventy-four head from a large importation recently
made by Carpenter & Eoss were offered in the
Chicago stockyard sale pavilion. The crowd was
large and the enthusiasm great. A very success-
ful sale was made, the average being $908. Sixty-
two cows and heifers made $869.50 and twelve bulls
$1,107.10, Ten animals brought prices from $1,500
to $2,600 and twenty-five cows sold above the $1,000
figure. The high mark of the sale was paid by
Park E. Salter, Augusta, Kans., who took the roan
bull Bapton Corporal at $2,600. Cluny Eoyal Wind-
956 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
sor was sold for $1,625 to Dr. H. W. Emnie, Eldora,
la., and Hean Mariner for $1,500 to J. C. Lowe &
Son, Monon, Ind. B. F. Hales, Oak Park, 111.,
took the cows Proud Carnation and Rosewood
Goth at $1,550 and $1,900, and Rosewood 91st
sold for $1,550 to T. S. Tandy, Vevay, Ind.
The International Show and Sale. — As a result
of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the
summer of 1914 no International show was held
during the years 1914 and 1915, But at the Inter-
national of 1916 Shorthorn breeders made an
exhibit which in both size and superb merit made
compensation, in a measure at least, for the loss
of two shows. Competent judges of showyard
exhibits were unqualified in the opinion that it was
the best display of Shorthorns ever made on the
American continent, both in the volume of entries
and in the sustained merit of its classes. Never
has showyard history recorded an exhibit of Short-
horns so impressive in its bulk and so dazzling in
its sustained quality. The range of entries was
wider than usual and in addition to the Dominion
of Canada and the Mississippi Valley states, which
ordinarily support the International, there were
strong entries from Colorado, Oklahoma and Ten-
nessee, and the entries from these new states
received a large share of the prizes, capturing both
first and second on graded herds and second on
calf herd.
The awards in the breeding classes were made
ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 957
by Senor Pedro T. Pages, from Argentina, who
discharged that arduous task to the general satis-
faction of exhibitors. In a few large classes, where
competition was unusually keen and merit very
nearly equal he called in as consulting judge Senor
Carlos M. Duggan, the Argentine judge of the fat
steers.
In the class of aged bulls the massive Burnbrae
Sultan, from Guelph, Ont., weighing 2,800 pounds,
was placed above Frank R. Edwards' Pride of
Albion, grand champion at the American Royal
and several state fairs. Some little surprise among
ringside talent was occasioned when Maxwalton
Pride 2d was given first prize for two-year-olds
over Maxwalton Commander, bought by F. A. Gil-
lespie for $7,000. Among the senior yearlings.
Bellows Bros.' Village Supreme, a roan of mar-
velous form, was an easy winner and was later
made grand champion, Forbes & Son winning sec-
ond in this class on 0. K. In junior yearlings
Walter J. Hill won first on Type's Model, a true
son of the great sire Cumberland's Type, second
going to Rapp Bros, on Royal Pride and third to
J. A. Kilgour on Fair Acres Diamond.
In the preceding classes only first, second and
third prizewinners have been mentioned, but the
unprecedented rings of calves, w^ith forty-nine
seniors and fifty-one juniors confronting the judge,
demands more space, even in a limited record. In
senior bull calves the Allen Cattle Co. of Colorado
958 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
won first on Western Star, F. W. Harding second on
Good Stamp, the calf that sold for $5,200 at the
Anoka sale of Nov. 2; C. L. McClellan third on
Gainford Marshal, and Weaver & Garden fourth
and fifth on Villager's Diamond and Villager's Cor-
onet, the winners of first and third at the American
Royal. In junior calves Bellows Bros, won first on
King Baron, H. G. Bowers second and third on
Marquis Again and Village Valentine, Carpenter
& Ross fourth on Maxwalton Gladiator and Owen
Kane fifth on Wellington Dale.
On cows first was awarded to F. A. Gillespie's
$3,000 Maxwalton Eoan Lady and second and third
to Carpenter & Ross' Maxwalton Mina 8th and
Maxwalton Rosebud, all three bred by Carpenter &
Ross and all sired by Avondale. In two-year-old
heifers first was won by Lespedeza Farm on Fair
Gift, second by F. A. Gillespie on Countess 16th
and third by Toyne & Son on Bonnie Belle 14th,
a champion at state fairs. In senior yearlings first
went to Messrs. Auld of Ontario on Queen Eliz-
abeth, second to F. A. Gillespie on Lucile and third
to Carpenter & Carpenter on Collynie Best. In
junior yearlings first was won by Carpenter & Ross
on Lady Dorothy, second by W. C. Rosenberger on
Viola, grand champion at the American Royal,
and third to W. W. Washburn on Village Venus 2d.
The large array of superb heifer calves, fitted and
groomed to a queen's taste, presented to the judge
a task almost as difficult as the bulls. In seniors
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VILLAGE SUPREME — GRAND CHAMPION AT 1016 INTERNATIONAL
FOR BELLOWS BROS., MARYVILLE. MO.
IMP. LAUY UOKOTHY — GRAND CHAMPION A'l' INTERNATIONALS
OP 1916 AND IfllT FOR CARPENTER Sz ROSS. MANSFIELD, O.
ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 959
first was won by Auld on Britannia, second and
fourtli by Purdy Bros, on Lady Victoria and Miss
Lovely, third by the Allen Cattle Co. on Divide
Snsan and fifth by F. A. Gillespie on Anoka. Blos-
som 2d. In juniors first and third went to Bel-
lows Bros, on Parkdale Victoria and Clara 70th,
second to Weaver & Garden on Villager's Graceful
2d, fourth to F. W. Harding on Lovely Anoka 2d
and fifth to J. A. Kilgour on Dainty Duchess 3d.
On graded herds the awards were: 1, Gillespie;
2, Lespedeza; 3, Carpenter & Ross; 4, Walter J.
Hill; 5, J. F. Prather; 6, Rees & Son; 7, F. R.
Edwards; 8, W. C. Rosenberger. On young herds:
1, Rees & Son; 2, Auld; 3, Carpenter & Carpenter;
4, Rapp Bros,; 5, Lespedeza; 6, Carpenter & Ross;
7, J. F. Prather. On calf herds: 1, Bellows Bros.;
2, Allen Cattle Co.; 3, Owen Kane; 4, Cahill Bros.;
5, Rapp Bros.; 6, Anoka; 7, J. A. Kilgour; 8,
Auld. On get of sire: 1, Gillespie; 2, Anoka; 3,
Kane; 4, Weaver & Garden; 5, Bellows Bros.; 6,
Allen Cattle Co.; 7, Auld; 8, Rees & Son. The
senior champion bull was Burnbrae Sultan, owned
by Auld. The junior and grand champion was
Village Supreme, owned by Bellows Bros. The
senior champion cow was Fair Gift, owned by
Lespedeza Farm, and the junior and grand cham-
pion Lady Dorothy, owned by Carpenter & Ross.
Competitions which awakened as much interest
as any of the entire show were for the special,
known as the President's prize, given for the best
960 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
calf of the show, and for the trophy offered by
Dr. Caledonia Pereda of Argentine for the best
three bulls bred and owned by the exhibitor. Bel-
lows Bros, won both — the President's prize on the
junior calf King Baron, combining the Cumber-
land and Choice Goods blood of his sire Parkdale
Baron with that of his dam Juno of Woodhill 3d
by Blythe Baron; the Pereda trophy on Parkdale
Baron, Village Supreme, the grand champion, and
King Baron. The winning of these two prizes is a
record that any breeder should cherish with great
satisfaction.
In connection with the grand champion Village
Supreme 423865 there is a bit of interesting his-
tory not generally known. He was bred by Bel-
lows Bros., got by Sultan Supreme, a grandson of
Avondale, out of Village Clara 108337, bred by
D. R. Hanna and got by Villager out of imp.
Spicy Clara. Village Supreme was a promising
calf of true type and character, but before he was
developed enough to give promise of future dis-
tinction he was sold at five months of age by a
junior member of the firm for $500. He made a
marvelous development, and it was not long until
E. Ogden & Son realized that in this small $500
packet they had drawn a grand prize. Within
fifteen months of the date of purchase they sold
the bull back to Bellows Bros, for $5,000. Aside
from his potential value as a sire, his winning of
the International grand championshijD and helping
ARRIVAL OF THE LOXG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 961
to win the Pereda trophy fully justified his repur-
chase by Bellows Bros.
The Milking Shorthorns. — The display in this
class was not large, but quite good, and contained
cows of true dual-purpose type, excellent in milk
production and of a conformation which indicated
capacity for rapid fleshing when dry. The herds
represented in the show were those of C. A. Otis,
Willoughby, 0.; Finlay McMartin & Son, Clare-
mont, Minn., and E. W. Brockett, Atwater, 0. The
awards were made by Prof. H. Barton of Macdonald
College, Montreal, Que., and were on the basis of
50 percent for milk production and 50 percent
for beef form, the cows being entered in a two-
day test. For cows three years and over the Otis
herd won first, second and third prizes on Walby
Lady 2d, Jewel and Fillpail Baroness; fourth, fifth
and sixth went to McMartin & Son on Roan Maud,
Naomi 2d and Beatrice. Brockett took seventh,
eighth and ninth on Lady Eosemary 62d, Roanoke
Maid and Miss J. L. Beck. For cows under three
years first and third were won by Brockett on
Beatrice 2d and Betsy, while second went to Otis
on Lady of Glenside. For group of four cows first
went to Otis, second to McMartin, third to Brockett.
In the class for bulls under thirty months from
Record of Merit dams first and second were
awarded to Otis on British Prince and Knight's
Jeweler, third to McMartin on Star of North 2d,
and fourth to Brockett on Village Dairyman.
962 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE
The Show of Steers. — While no Shorthorn steer
was good enough to win the grand champion prize
at this show, a very creditable exhibit was made
in most classes. The marvelous calf California
Favorite, displaying his facial flag of peace, gave
unmistakable evidence of Hereford ancestry, but
Shorthorn breeders are justified in claiming a share
of the credit for his triumph, as his dam was a
registered Shorthorn cow by a son of Glenbrook
Sultan. In the contest for champions by ages.
Shorthorns were reserve in all three classes — twos,
yearlings and calves. For three steers, the get of
one sire, all breeds competing, the Shorthorns won
the first prize, as they did for a group of five
steers.
The International Sale. — Since the inauguration
of the International, the American Shorthorn
Breeders' Association has conducted sales at these
December shows. Some very successful ones have
gone into Shorthorn history, and on several occa-
sions throngs of enthusiastic advocates of the breed
have clearly demonstrated the inadequacy of the
space in the sale pavilion; it may be large enough
for ordinary sales, but is not sufficient for those of
the International. Such a sale never before had
been held in this building and such a crowd had
never before been in it and about it. ''Packed
like sardines" literally described the congestion.
The feeling of rejoicing over Shorthorn atfairs in
general and this International exhibit in particular
ARRIVAL OF THE LOKG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 963
was freely manifested, and entlmsiasm in this sale
was at floodtide, reacliing its climax amid whirl-
ing eddies of excitement when Maxwalton Pride 2d
was sold for $6,600 to the Maxwell & Miller Cattle
Co., Steamboat Springs, Colo. This bull had been
given first in class over his half-brother, Maxwal-
ton Commander, sold a short time before for $7,000
to F. A. Gillespie and supposed to be the winning
two-year-old of the entire show circuit. When the
bidding on him halted at $6,000 Senor Pages, the
Argentine judge wdio had just awarded the Short-
horn prizes, declared that in his country the bull
would bring $6,000 for each of his four legs.
The most persistent competing bidder for this bull
was L. F. Boyle, Hennepin, 111., who later decided
to take at $4,000 Royal Silver, a bull consigned by
Walter J. Hill. Royal Pride, a roan yearling bull
consigned by Rapp Bros., St. Edward, Neb., sold for
$1,900 to J. D. Flaherty, Genoa, Neb., and the roan
calf Village Valentine was taken at $1,600 by Herr
Bros. & Reynolds, Lodi, Wis. Sni-A-Bar Farm,
Grain Valley, Mo., took the cows Laura Dale and
Oakdale Lavender at $1,775 for the pair. Walter
J. Hill, Northcote, Minn., bought Sittyton Mary
Ann 3d at $1,250. Victoria Princess 8th was taken
at $1,235 by A. G. Farrow, Oakville, Ont. The most
extensive purchasers of cows were C. D. Smith,
Memphis, Tenn., who took nine head for an aggre-
gate of $6,780, and W. L. Smith, Utah, Ala., who
bought five head for $4,255. The fifty-six head
964 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
averaged $958.65, twenty-two bulls making $1,155.45
and thirty-four cows $831.30.
Public Sale Averages. — During 1916 6,115 Short-
horns were sold at auction for an average of $330.53.
This was slightly higher than that of any other
beef breed and included nearly twice as many cat-
tle as were. sold by any other. The highest price
received for a cow was $3,030 for Gipsy Cumberland
3d, sold by C. A. Saunders & Sons to Senor Maissa
of Argentina. The top price for bulls was for Max-
walton Pride 2d, sold for $6,600 by Carpenter &
Eoss in the sale at the International Live Stock
Exposition.
A Bright Future. — The Shorthorn trade during
1916 was certainly profitable and satisfying, but
that of 1917 was even better and gave promise of
greater achievements for Shorthorns. How long
present values will be maintained no one can fore-
tell, but there is abundant and substantial ground
for believing the prices will be good for many years.
The sales of 1917 have shown an increase in values
over those of last year. In eighteen prominent sales
802 Shorthorns sold for an aggregate of $702,204, an
average of $875. Four sales made averages of from
$1,000 to $1,370. Frank K. Edwards sold forty-five
head in Chicago for $45,050. L. D. May sold thirty-
nine Milking Shorthorns for $39,312. Bellows Bros,
sold fifty-one head for $57,850, an average of $1,133,
eight bulls making $1,678. The yearling bull Rose-
wood Reserve, by Fair Acres Sultan and out of
ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 965
Crestmead Eosewood by Scottish Goods, combining
the blood of the two great sires Whitehall Sultan
and Choice Goods, was the great magnet of the
Bellows auction. He was bought for $8,100 by Mrs.
J. E. McCauley, Lewistown, Mont., thus fixing a
new record for bulls, at least since the days of
Bates sales. The competing bidders on this bull
were P. H. Griffin of Montana and Thomas Andrews,
Cambridge, Neb.
Sale of Imported Cattle. — The best sale of 1917,
in fact, the highest one of modern days, was that
of Carpenter & Eoss at the Chicago stockyards on
June 7, when they disposed of the Shorthorns re-
cently imiDorted. One hundred and seven head
brought $146,575, an average of $1,370. The top price
of the bulls was $7,000, paid for the roan yearling
Eosewood bull Caledonia, by the Dutliie-bred Proud
Emblem. He was bought by F. A. Gillespie & Sons,
who also took the white bull imp. Advocate 's Model
at $3,100 and Lady Drayton Broadhooks at $2,025.
John Kramer, Tulsa, Okla., bought the white Proud
Baronet for $3,250, Albert Missie 5th for $1,850 and
Sanquhar Queenie Grace 2d for $1,525. The white
bull Monteith Silver Star was taken at $2,750 by
Howell Eees & Son of Nebraska and Owen Kane of
same state bought Edgcote "Winnie for $3,000. T.
T. Miller, Los Angeles, CaL, purchased the roan
bull Secret Stamp for $2,000 and the red cow
Brandsby Jinny 18th at $3,100. Brandsby Jinny
19th, a roan, was taken at $3,000 by Bellows Bros.
966 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Roan Gloster, a three-year-old cow, sold for $2,000
to C. J. McMaster, Altona, 111.
Oklahoma Auctions. — Two sales of this year held
in the vigorous young state of Oklahoma were
quite significant. They were not of especial note
because of the prices, as other sales had higher
averages, but they were of unusual importance and
afforded very great encouragement because they
were made in one of our newer states and by men
who have bred Shorthorns a very short time. On
May 15 at Watonga H. C. Lookabaugh sold thirty-
nine head at an average of $867. Pleasant Dale's
Choice at $2,300 was the high-priced bull and Max-
walton Aveme at $2,025 the top of cows. Both sold
to C. E. Strong, Clinton, Okla. A distinctly encour-
aging feature of this sale was that 83 percent of its
total was paid by Oklahoma buyers, indicating that
the breeders of that progressive new commonwealth
are loyal to Shorthorns and anxious to strengthen
their herds.
On the day following the Lookabaugh sale, one
was held at Tulsa in connection with the first
meeting of the Mid-Continent Live Stock Show.
Forty-five head were consigned from the herds of
F. A. Gillespie & Sons, C. E. Suppes & Son, J. E.
Crosbie, John T. Kramer and W. S. Fears, all of
Tulsa. An average of $530 was made, more than
half of the purchasers being from Oklahoma. The
growth of the demand for Shorthorns in this state
during recent years has been phenomenal and herds
LE.^PEDKZA SUJ^TAX — XUTKD WINNKH US 1917 SHOW CIRCUIT
FOR LESPEDEZA FARM, HICKORY A ALLEY, TENN.
ROYAL FOR WEAVER it GARE>EX, WAl'KLT-O, lA.
AKRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 967
have been established that give promise of great
service to the breed.
No record of purchases of Shorthorns by states
or localities has been attempted by the writer, but
it is a safe statement that none has bought more
proportionally than Oklahoma. A further state-
ment which will be readily admitted is that no
herd in any state has had such large accessions of
high-class and costly Shorthorns as that of F. A.
Gillespie & Sons; its foundation, equipment and
management all presage glorious achievements for
the breed.
The first show at Tulsa was a success, measured
by its effect on the farmers of Oklahoma in pro-
claiming the value of improved live stock. The
majority of prizes was taken by the herd of Gil-
lespie & Sons, in fact, thirty-five out of a total of
eighty-two prizes awarded, including all champion-
ships except the junior champion bull, which went
to Lespedeza Farm.
Autumn Importations and Sales. — On Sept. 24
there landed on American shores two Shorthorn
importations of much historical promise. Carpen-
ter & Eoss disembarked 115 head at Boston. The
importation selected by Leslie Smith went into
quarantine at Quebec.
Most of the Carpenter & Ross importation passed
through the salering in Chicago on Nov. 1. Eighty
head made an average of $1,185. The top price of
$3,250 was paid by Park Salter, Augusta, Kans.,
968 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
for British Emblem. W. C. Eosenberger, Tiffin, 0.,
bought the top female, the Willis-bred Bramble,
for $3,000.
On Nov. 2 Leslie Smith & Sons offered fifty-nine
head from their importation. The average price
was $1,090. The only bull offered, Lex of Cluny,
brought $2,000 from James Scott, Forest Eiver,
N. D. The top price of $2,200 was twice reached
by females, each with a bull calf at foot; Eureka
Clipper 2d went to C. J. McMaster, Altona, 111., and
Augusta 102d to William Herkelmann, Elwood, la.
The Smith sale ended a notable week of Short-
horn vendues. On Oct. 30 the veteran S. F. Lock-
ridge had dispersed his old-time herd at Green-
castle, Ind,, receiving an average of $330 on the
forty-four head. The following day, Oct. 31, Car-
penter & Carpenter, Baraboo, Wis., and J. W. Mc-
Dermott, Kahoka, Mo., joined forces for an auction
in Chicago in which sixty-two head averaged $714.
The distinguished show cow Maxwalton Queen, by
Avondale and with a bull calf at foot, sold to B. F.
Hales, Prairie View, 111., at the sensational price
of $4,200.
On Dec. 1, just when the stockmen from all over
the country were gathering in Chicago for the 1917
International, F. W. Harding startled the stock-
keeping world by making a new record in his
annual calf sale at Anoka Farms, Waukesha, Wis.
The forty-five calves made an average of $1,557.
The senior bull calf Anoka Champion, by Sultan
ARRIVAL OF THE LOXG-EXrECTED ADVANCE 969
Stamp by Whitehall Sultan, was clearly the pick
of the lot. After a strenuous bidding contest he
became the property of B. F. Hales at $17,000.
W. L. Smith, Eutaw, Ala., paid $5,000 for Royal
Stamp, and Masterpiece cost Carpenter & Carpenter
$4,000. Mr. Hales also took the highest-priced
female, Augusta Anoka 5th, at $2,600.
And Then the Greatest International. — Shorthorn
success was in the air when the steers were called
into the International amphitheatre in Chicago on
Monday morning, Dec. 3. It early became appar-
ent that there was more than an even chance of a
Shorthorn steer's capturing the grand champion-
ship of the show. Purdue University, Lafayette,
Ind., came forward with such a herd of Shorthorn
steers, both in fitting and form, as this greatest of
all stock shows had never seen before, and all sired
by the Indiana college bull Lavender Sultan, per-
sonally selected by Dean J. H. Skinner, Merry
Monarch topped the two-year-olds, Sultan Selim the
senior yearlings. Warden the junior yearlings, Good
Sort the senior calves and New Year's Sultan the
junior calves. All were from Purdue. W. A. Dry-
den, Brooklin, Ont., was the judge, and fancied
the exquisitely smooth Sultan Selim for the breed's
champion. In the championships-by-ages competi-
tion, which came under the judgment of Capt.
T. E. Robson, London, Ont., Merry Monarch had
the purple for the two-year-olds, but Sultan Selim
was humbled by an Aberdeen-Angus, also from
970 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Purdue. Finally Capt. Robson reached the climax
of the show, and after earnest deliberation he sent
the royal purple for grand championship to rest
on the broad, mellow back of the roan Merry
Monarch.
Tlie highest hopes of the Shorthorn fraternity
had been realized with a vengeance. The measure
of appreciation was evidenced when the grand
champion was offered at auction. At the record
price of $2.05 a pound he became the property of
the American Shorthorn Breeders' Association.
Secretary F. W. Harding at once announced that
the bullock would be immediately reoffered for
sale, the proceeds to go to the Red Cross. James
Brown promptly bid $2.10 per poimd for Armour
& Co., the hammer fell and the record price of
$3,381 for an International bullock, and a Short-
horn, was a matter of history. Merry Monarch
dressed 64.7 percent.
In the breeding classes there were 322 entries.
Maxwalton Commander won the aged bull class
for F. A. Gillespie & Sons, and went through to
the grand championship. In the senior bull calf
class Anoka Champion, which brought $17,000 in
F. W. Harding's salering on the preceding Satur-
day, was defeated in class by Sunrise, owned by
S. G. Eliason, Montevideo, Minn. The $4,200 Max-
walton Queen topped the matrons. In the two-
year-old female competition Carpenter & Ross' imp.
Lady Dorothy took the blue from W. C. Rosen-
MAXWALTOX COilMAXDER — GRAND CHAMPION AT 1917 INTERNA-
TIONAL FOR F. A. GILLESPIE & SONS, TULSA, OKLA.
N" - 'W^^W
r ^
"^^'l^^^^^^^^^^^^SBpWw^
A'lOLA— GRAND CHAMI'I.iX FE.MALK AT THE AMERICAN ROYAL
FOR W. C. ROSENBERGER. TIFFIN, O., IN 1916 AND 1917.
ARRIVAL OF THE LONG-EXPECTED ADVANCE 971
berger's American Royal cliampion Viola, and for
the second time claimed the crown for grand cham-
pion International female. The gronp prizes were
well distributed, the firsts falling to F. A. Gillespie
& Sons on graded herd, S. G. Eliason on young
herd, H. C. Lookabaugh on calf herd, Anoka Farms
on get of sire and Uppermill Farm on produce of
cow. Anoka won the Senor Celedonia Pereda
trophy for the best three bulls bred and owned by
exhibitor, while Uppermill captured the trophy
offered by Senor Pedro Pages for the best trio of
bulls by one sire on the get of Villager. The
Senor Carlos M. Duggan trophy for the best male
and female went to S. G. Eliason, on Sunrise and
Lady Clara 9th, both by Cornerstone.
The seventy-one Milking Shorthorns were judged
by Robert Miller, Stouffville, Ont. J. E. & C. B.
Wade, Orangeville, 0., had the grand champion
bull in Queenston Duke, and A. T. Cole, Wheaton,
111., show^ed the grand champion cow, Fenstanton
Lady Anna.
In the sale held under the auspices of the Ameri-
can Shorthorn Breeders' Association on Dec. 6,
an average of $1,090.80 w^as secured on fifty-three
head. Walter J. Hill of Minnesota paid the top
price of $9,000 for Mount Victoria Stamp consigned
by Robert Crain of Mar^dand. Pine Run Farm of
Pennsylvania paid $3,000 for Dale Villager. The
top price for a female was $4,800, which B. W.
Aylor, Grandin, N. D., bid for Verbena of Oakdale
972 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
and her heifer calf, consigned by E. E. Jones,
Rockland, Wis.
At the annual meeting of the American Short-
horn Breeders' Association John R. Tomson, Dover,
Kans., was elected to the presidency.
Thus at the very threshold of 1918 the history
of the incomparable red, white and roan was
marked by achievements thoroughly in keeping
with the stirring spirit of the world-war times,
America leading.
CHAPTER VI
DUAL-PURPOSE SHORTHORNS
The rose is usually considered the queen of the
floral kingdom. But in this rare product of the
mysterious forces of vegetation two qualities are
necessary to win the entire approbation of the
beholder, beauty and fragrance. The corolla, the
stamens and pistil may be perfect and the mar-
velous coloring may enchant the eye, but if the
flower lacks fragrance, it fails to give the satis-
faction that is anticipated by beholding its beauty.
No breed of cattle has ever been evolved which
has given perfect satisfaction to the diversified
agriculturists who inhabit the earth, but in the
two-fold capacity of beef and milk production
Shorthorns come nearer than any breed to meeting
this varied demand. ''The strength of the Short-
horn lies in its unrivaled range of adaptability; in
the facility with which it responds to the demands
of those who pursue a system of diversified farming
— the rearing of live stock as an essential feature in
a well-ordered scheme of mixed husbandry."
Beef production, the most important quality of
Shorthorns, has been briefly featured in the record
of sales and shows set forth in the previous chap-
973
974 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
ters, but the tale would be incomplete if it did not
include some note of the accomplishments in milk
production, the other essential to a well-balanced
and satisfactory breed of cattle.
Notwithstanding the testimony of countless
breeders and farmers for more than a century that
Shorthorns have been successful and satisfactory
dual-purpose cattle, in the face of a marvelous
record in show arenas and beef marts of the world,
in the face of numerous very creditable milk and
butter records and of many champion prizes
wrested from dairy breeds by Shorthorn cows, the
claim of this dual quality has been ridiculed and
publicly branded as an impossibility. It is not
reasonable to presume that any Shorthorn advocate
would allow his enthusiasm to carry him to the
belief or statement that the most perfect beef form
and the greatest milk production could exist in the
same animal, but it is a safe and reasonable belief
and one fully justified by the records of Shorthorn
history that these dual qualities can and do exist
in one breed to the extent that has been claimed —
that of beef form and quality unsurpassed by
and milk and butter production unequaled by any
beef breed. As some one has expressed it, ''The
dual-purpose idea is not that a cow should be fat
all the time and a great milker all the time also,
but that she should have the power to convert her
food into milk while she is milking and to make
it into flesh when she is dry."
IMP. WELCOME LASS — OWNED BY A. E. PALMER. GRAND FORKS,
N. D.
IMP. WHITE QUEEN— SOLD IN L. D. MAY'S AUCTION TO C. A. OTIS,
WILLOUGHBY, O., AT $3,000.
DUAL-PURPOSE SHORTHORNS 975
In the light of tlie indisputable records of facts
that have been given to prove the claims made by
Shorthorn advocates, the oft-repeated assertion of
single-jjurpose enthusiasts that a successful dual-
purpose breed is an impossibility, suggests a state-
ment of Josh Billings: "I do not object that some
folks know so much, but I do object that they know
so many things which are not true. ' '
During the breed's history numberless cows of
fine beef form and good milk production have
existed, but as the vast majority of breeders had
more concern about beef form they kept no record
of milk production and gave little attention to the
development of this quality of their cows. Yet so
many did breed for milk production and keep accu-
rate data of their herds that this chapter can give
space to only a part of the many excellent records
available. A recollection or a mere statement of
belief is not sufficient to substantiate a fact about
milk production among men accustomed to official
records, yet there are thousands of farm boys who
from the daily experience of milking their fathers'
Shorthorn cows could truthfully testify to the fact
that many of them are excellent milkers. My own
boyhood was fruitful of such experiences, and mem-
ory recalls many such cows. A particularly good
example I recall in Cora A and Cora B, twin heifers,
one red, the other roan, out of an imported cow
bred by James Currie of Scotland. As calves and
yearlings they were never beaten in beef rings,
976 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
taking first and second prizes at every show and
occasionally alternating in their positions, which
indicated that they were nearly equal in merit. At
two years of age they were put into the breeding
herd, as mature cows both were good breeders, and
one w^as also a most excellent milker, giving from
two to three gallons per day more than her calf
could take when it was six to eight weeks old.
All Shorthorn breeders know something of imp.
Bapton Pearl, dam of Whitehall Sultan, a cow good
enough to become champion at the English Royal
and to bring $5,000 when sold to E. S. Kelly for
export to the United States. While the claim may
be a surprise to many, she is entitled to be called
a dual-purpose cow; we have the testimony of the
present secretary of the American Shorthorn Breed-
ers' Association that she was a choice milker.
Another cow of much the same type but a little
less distinguished was Gipsy Maid, a noted prize-
winner in the herd of William Miller, Storm Lake,
la., former manager for Luther Adams in his
importations, and later owned by Prof. H. W. Mum-
ford of the University of Illinois. She was a
superbly formed cow, compact, massive, captivating,
and both a good breeder and a cow of such large
milk yield at to make her noted in the breed. She
was dam of Iowa Champion, which sold at $1,400 for
export to Argentina, and of the three cows Gipsy
Maids 2d, 3d and 4th, which brought $2,300, making
an average for the four head of $925.
DUAL-PURPOSE SHOETHOLXS 977
Oxford Maid, owned in Iowa, is of trne beef type
and weighs 1,850 pounds, but in thirty days she
gave 1,536 pounds of milk, 51.2 pounds per day,
and more than 5,000 pounds in four months. She
was a prizewinner at the New York and Vermont
State Fairs.
The testimony of Carpenter & Eoss is that Wed-
ding Gift 16th was a good milker, yet such an
excellent breeder that her daughters. Dale's Gift
and Dale's Gift 2d, were both winners and such
marvels of beef form that they were undefeated in
1911 as produce of cow.
Rowena 2d, a beautiful roan cow of choice form,
owned by H. J. Hughes, Trenton, Mo., was the
champion dual-purpose cow at the Louisiana Pur-
chase Exposition in 1904. In a test of 120 days
during very hot weather she made 210 pounds of
butter and gained 140 pounds in weight. When
her usefulness as a breeder was over she sold for
$105 for beef, the jorice being 7 cents and her weight
1,500 pounds.
Another example is the charming white Hamp-
ton's Queen of Beauty, by Hampton's Best 170818
and of Scotch blood in all crosses. When a year-
ling she was in C. D. Bellows ' first-prize young herd
at St. Louis in 1904, and in her class she won second
at most fairs that year. When she was two and
one-half years old she was sold at auction for $1,510
to C. F. Behlers of Nebraska and was giving more
milk than her calf a few weeks old could take.
978 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Official Tests. — But Sliortlioni breeders have also
ample official records and authentic tests to estab-
lish their claims of a dual-purpose breed.- At the
Michigan Agricultural College a Shorthorn cow
gave 10,058 pounds of milk in twelve months and
during this test gained 324 pounds in weight.
During a four-year test from 1903 to 1907, made
at the Nebraska Agricultural College, Florence Air-
drie 6th produced 35,575 pounds of milk and 1,763.7
pounds of butter, an average of 8,893.8 pounds of
milk and 440.9 pounds of butter per year.
At the Missouri Agricultural College, Lula pro-
duced 12,341 pounds of milk and 606 pounds of
butter in twelve months and the record of her half-
sister, Panama Lady, was 13,789 pounds of milk
and 572 pounds of butter. Both cows were of good
beef form and the weight of Lulu was 1,300 pounds.
In 1912 Euth 3d 20440, owned by Horace W.
Avery, Kings Ferry, N. Y., gave 15,599 pounds of
milk with an average butterfat test of 4.5 percent,
making 706.63 pounds of butterfat, tlie equivalent
of 831.33 pounds of butter. Maplelane Juliet, owned
by George C. Carey, St. Johnsburg, Vt., gave 10,395
pounds of milk at two years of age, 11,308 pounds
at three years and 12,911 pounds after her third
calf. As a two-year-old she won second at the New
York State Fair in the butter test, all dairy breeds
competing. At maturity she weighed 1,600 pounds
and was of good form. At the Brattleboro, Vt., fair
of 1910, Beauty 7th won first in the butterfat test
ATROSIA — OWNED BY C. A. OTIS, WILLOUGHBY, O.
DORIS CLAY — HCil^DHK uF THt; M1UK1.\(; SHORTHORN BUTTER-
FAT RECORD OF 653.35 POUNDS AND A STATE FAIR CHAM-
PION — OWNED BY L. D. MAY, GRANVILLE CENTER, PA.
MISS ANDO — OWNED BY W. B. AYKK. PORTLAND, ORK
JEWEL— NOTED RECORD-MAKER IN THE HERD OF C. A. OTIS,
WILLOUGHBY, O.
DLML-PUEPOSE SHORTHOKXS 979
and her total was the highest that had been made
in twelve years, and at the state fair of 1911 a
Sliorthorn won in the butter contest.
The Glenside Herd. — This collection has been dis-
tinguished for many years for careful and sys-
tematic development of the dual quality of its
cattle. In this herd, as in some others, milk produc-
tion has been fostered by careful selection of sires
and by the elimination of cows which do not prove
good producers. This herd was built up under the
ownership of Tunis & May, but after the retirement
of J. K. Innis, the senior member of the firm, C. A.
Otis, Cleveland, 0., became associated with L. D.
May. This was in 1909 and the firm of May & Otis
continued for several years and maintained an
excellent herd at Granville Center, Pa. The herd
is now owned solely by Mr. May and is being splen-
didly developed, but a share of the credit for its
past achievements is no doubt due to his former
associates in ownership. In this herd eighty-five
cows have milk records of more than 8,000 pounds,
thirty-two more than 10,000 pounds and five have
records averaging 15,157 pounds.
Kinsella 2d, with a milk record of 8,836 pounds,
had fourteen calves in fourteen years, and her
weight at maturity was 1,500 pounds. Jennie Lee,
weighing 1,600, has a record of 10,485 jiounds
of milk. Margaretta Clay had a twelve-month rec-
ord of 10,043 pounds and an eight-year average of
8,420 pounds. Mamie Clay 2d had a one-year record
980 A HISTORY or SHORT-HORN CATTLE
of 13,232 pounds and a five-year average of 10,640
pounds, which was begun before she was three
years old; her weight was 1,510 pounds. Rose of
Glenside in a test of one year produced 18,075
pounds of milk, a daily average of 49V2 pounds,
and 735 pounds of butter, and at the end of the
test weighed 1,450 pounds. She is the champion
milk cow of the breed. Belle Clare, her half-sister,
has a record of 15,215 pounds. Mamie's Minnie
produced 16,201 pounds of milk and 672 pounds of
butter and has a milk average of 15,160 pounds for
three years. Nine cows of the herd, all of good
form and size, have an average milk production of
13,579 pounds, with average weight of more than
1,500 pounds. Lady Fillpail has a one-year record
of 10,048 pounds and an average of 8,057 pounds
for eleven years ; when seventeen years old she was
sold for beef, bringing $103.20. Her daughter Doris
Clay, under supervision of the Pennsylvania State
College, produced in one year 17,241.5 pounds of
milk and 653.35 pounds of butterfat, the highest
butterfat record of the breed; she was ten years
old when this test was completed; she won the
championship for Milking Shorthorns at several
state fairs; in 1909 she was first in the Shorthorn
specials, where beef and milk each counted 50 per-
cent; in 1911 she was first in the butterfat test at
the Vermont State Fair, with Jerseys competing,
and in 1914 she was grand champion at both the
New York and Vermont State Fairs. Charlotte B.
DUAL-PURPOSE SHOETHOEXS 981
has an official record of 15,401 pounds of milk of
4.93 percent test, equivalent to 712.6 pounds of
butter. At tlie Chicago International during cold
weather, and after a long shipment, the May & Otis
cow Jewel gave in a two-day test 107 pounds of
milk testing 4 percent fat. She was thirteen years
old, weighed 1,550 pounds and was of compact
form. In the same test Walby Lady, weight 1,600
pounds, gave 94 pounds of 4.4 percent milk.
Two very prepotent sires in the Glenside herd
were General Clay, weighing 2,500 pounds, with
thirty daughters in the Record of Merit, and imp.
Duke Buttercup, weighing 2,450 joounds and sire of
eleven cows with records of more than 8,000 pounds,
six of them averaging 12,690 pounds. During the
last two years the Glenside herd has been strength-
ened by importations, the cows brought over being
of good beef form and of excellent dairy qualities.
The nine cows from this herd which were lined
up and photographed, showing the three breed
colors and having quite acceptable foims, with
weights from 1,450 to 1,600 pounds and an average
milk yield of 13,579 pounds, furnish a very con-
vincing argument that dual-purpose cattle are
possible.
Milking Shorthorns Abroad. — The Dominion
Shorthorn Breeders' Association, Toronto, gave
official records of eight cows which ranged from
17,723 to 10,340 pounds of milk and 636 to 370
pnmds of butter.
982 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
Wliile some American breeders liave intelligently
and systematically developed the milking propensi-
ties of their cows, there are more herds in England
of true dual-purpose cows, though none of these has
equaled the phenomenal records of Doris Clay and
Eose of Glenside. Mr. Adeane and Robert W.
Hobbs have produced many good cattle of this
class, but the most prominent herds were those of
Lord Rothschild and George Taylor. The Cranford
herd had many cow^s with records of from 800 to
1,035 gallons per year; at a draft sale in 1907
seventy-three head sold for $21,000, and at the dis-
persion of the herd in 1912, following the death of
Mr. Taylor, 187 head made an average of $414 and
were sold in seven hours. Darlington Cranford 49th
brought $1,575 and Waterloo Baroness $2,625.
At Tring Park Lord Rothschild keeps both Jer-
seys and Shorthorns, but has expressed preference
for the latter because the cows produce profitable
calves in addition to generous milk yields. One
of his cows, Darlington Cranford 5th, in nine years
produced ten calves (twins once) and gave
92,207 pounds of milk, an average of 10,245 pounds.
At his last sale cows of the Cranford blood averaged
$600 and a three-year-old. Duchess of Barrington,
giving 41 pounds per day, with calf at foot sold for
$4,850, setting a new record.
A good example of a profitable cow is Eagle-
thorpe Amy 5tli, owned by Samuel Sanday, which
has a record of 13,239 pounds of milk for one year,
MANZERGH STH — OWNED BY CHAS. CARROLL, OF CARROLLTON,
ELLICOTT CITY, MD
wmftm
M^^
JJIilGIIT KVKS
BY
:;:;ij — A .\i:\v YoitK state fair winner ovs^ned
CHAS. CARROLL OF CARROLLTON,
ELLICOTT CITY, MD.
DU-\L-PUKPOSE SHOETHORXS 983
86 pounds for one day and 568.5 pounds for one
week. During the year she produced a calf and for
forty-four days was dry. Another cow of genuine
dual-purpose character was Beatrice 22d. Her
record marks her as one of the great cows of the
breed. She is of Scotch breeding, a Butterfly by
Golden Mascot, he out of Goldie 37th by William of
Orange. Beatrice 22d was dam of Capt. Gordon's
Bandmaster, first-prize bull at the Eoyal, and of
the steer Golden Arrow, champion both at Birming-
ham and Smithfield; when she was nine years old
she and her calf two weeks old sold for $1,525,
at which time her milk yield was 57 pounds per day.
In the dairy test at the English Eoyal of 1915
Shorthorns gained a sweeping victory over all
breeds. Lord Luca's cow Charity 23d was first of
ninety-six cows competing, giving 68 pounds of
milk, 3.95 percent butterfat. His cow Primrose
Gift was second. Duchess of Cranford 3d, owned
by Capt. Willis, took third. All dairy breeds com-
peted in this test.
The Shorthorn cows in milk at the Norwich
Royal Show furnished another exhibition highly
creditable to the breed. Eobert Bruce, a veteran
breeder and a writer of authority, in speaking of
this show said: ''There were fifty-four entries in
these classes and I hold that from a practical point
of view they were the show of the breed ; 90 percent
of these cows were good enough to become mothers
of bulls fit to win in strong competition, yet among
984 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
them were cows witli records of 1,000 gallons of
milk per year."
An Important Importation. — In 1914 J, J. Hill,
the great railroad builder, but whom stockmen like
to remember as the founder of the North Oaks
breeding establishment, made an importation of
dual-purpose Shorthorns, consisting of fifteen cows,
fifty bulls and one steer out of a cow with a record
of 11,000 pounds of milk. One of the cows, Help-
meet 11th, won at the Royal in 1913 and also in
1914. These cows were all large milk producers
and out of cows which had been bred for milk pro-
duction, yet tliey were of such good beef form and
true Shorthorn character that they created a genu-
ine sensation. Following the natural bent of his
mind as an advertiser, Mr. Hill filled western rail-
way stations, hotels and banks with an excellent
picture of part of this importation and it proved
good advertising for Shorthorns.
Aids to Development. — The development of dual-
purpose Shorthorns has been mainly the result of
individual enterprise, yet this growth has been fos-
tered in many ways by association effort. At the
Vermont State Fair of 1910 the American Dairy
Shorthorn Association was organized, with L. D.
May as president and W. Arthur Simpson as secre-
tary. At the International of 1911 a reorganization
was effected under the name of American Milking
Shorthorn Club, with L. D. May as president and
Horace W. Avery as secretary. This club did much
ROSALINE 5TH— OWNED BY MACDONALD COLLEGE, QUEBEC,
CANADA.
IMP. NUGGET'S PRIDE STH— OWNED BY C. A. OTIS, WILLOUGHBY,
OHIO.
DUAL-PURPOSE SHORTHORNS 985
to stimulate the demand for this class of Short-
horns by urging on breeders the importance of
keeping milk and butter records and by making
public information about Shorthorns calculated to
awaken an interest among farmers.
Then, too, the American Shorthorn Breeders'
Association, through its board of directors, took
action at various times designed to aid breeders of
dual-purpose Shorthorns. The first action toward
this end was the appropriation of $10,000 to the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904, an expendi-
ture quite disproportionate to the results of the
demonstration. In addition liberal prizes were pro-
vided at the International, the American Royal and
some state fairs. These prizes were specials for
cows in milk, milk production and beef form each
counting 50 percent in making the awards. Ex-
cepting at the International, these prizes did not
call forth exhibits that justified their continuance.
As a further means of stimulating zeal in the
development of milk production and in keeping rec-
ords, the board of directors of the American Short-
horn Breeders' Association provided for an appen-
dix to the herd books in which would be published
the records of all cows producing more than 8,000
pounds of milk in one year, this record to be known
as the ''Star List" and each cowl's name to be
marked with a star. In Volume 73 the Glenside
herd entered forty-five cows in this list, but suc^
ceeding volumes have recorded very few from any
986 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
herd. Thus through lack of response from breeders
this effort of tlie association failed to accomplish
its purpose. During a series of years liberal appro-
priations were made for prizes at various fairs and
in 1915 $2,465 were offered for dual-purpose Short-
horns — $1,000 at the Panama-Pacific Exposition and
$1,465 at four other big fairs.
Another effort to encourage breeders of this class
of cattle was the addition of Rule 11 to the rules
of entry of pedigrees, which provides for refunding
the $100 registration fee for all imported cows that
have certain milk records — 4,000 pounds for cows
beginning a record before they are thirty months
of age, 6,000 pounds for those which finish records
before they are five years of age, and 8,000 pounds
for those over five years. The intent of this pro-
posed refund of registration fees is to encourage the
importation of more of the real double-deckers for
which some of the herds of England are noted.
Dual-Purpose Sales. — A very successful sale was
held in Painesville, 0., March 2, 1916, under the
management of the American Milking Shorthorn
Club. Fifty-four head averaged $562.75 and the
demand was so strong that the sale occupied only
three hours. Willowdale Eobin, owned b}^ "VV. A.
Simpson, Lyndonville, Vt., sold for $1,325 to
Flintstone Farms, Dalton, Mass. Bellevue Queen
sold to C. A. Otis, AVilloughby, 0., for $1,100 and
Alexander & Kellogg, Suisun, Cal., took the three
cows Bessie Rose, Bellevue Daisy and Rose Fair-
CHARITY 23U — FIRST IX THE MILKING TRIALS AT THE ENGLISH
ROYAL IN 1915.
LAUY BUWXESS — A NOTED MILKING SHORTHORN MATRON IN
ENGLAND.
DUAL-PUEPOSE SHOKTHORNS 987
field 2d at an aggregate of $4,485. On Aug. 25, at
Greenfield, Mass., the New England Shorthorn
Breeders' Association sold thirty-two head, half of
them being young heifers, at an average of $343.75.
Peer's Remarkable Sale.— On Nov. 28, 1916, at
Cranford, N. J., Frank S. Peer made a sale that set
a new record for dual-purpose Shorthorns, seventy-
two head making an average of $751. The offering-
was composed of an importation made by him and
the cattle had just been released from quarantine.
Heartease, bred by Lord Rothschild, was sold for
$1,325 to Sentinel Pine Farm, Shorham, Vt. May-
flower 10th went to C. A. Otis, Willoughby, 0., for
$1,500. Bedminster Farm, Far Hills, N. J., took
three head for a total of $3,550. Alexander & Kel-
logg, Suisun, Cal., bought fifteen head, seven of
which cost $8,800, an average of $1,255.55. Included
was the yearling bull Klemscott Viscount 19th, bred
by Robert W. Hobbs; the price for him was $1,700.
Glenside's New Record. — The demand for Milk-
ing Shorthorns, which was at ebb tide ten years ago,
had gradually risen, and gave such evidence of its
strength at the November sale of Frank S. Peer
as to become a veritable flood, overflowing all boun-
daries and SAveeping away all former records at the
May sale of the Glenside herd. During recent years
this herd under the ownership of May & Otis, and
more recently of L. D. May alone, made such re-
markable records and gave such evidence of im-
provement that it invited and really deserved the
988 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
loyal support of all breeders of dual-purpose Short-
horns. In addition to this record the importations
made during the last two years by Mr. May had
strengthened the herd and increased its drawing
power. So when the owner of Glenside invited his
fellow-breeders to the vendue of May 29, they came
in great numbers. Everything was auspicious for
a great sale. And it came! The large crowd of
bidders, their spontaneous enthusiasm and the fair
values they placed on the Glenside cattle came as
a strong endorsement of L. D. May and a deserved
vindication for his thirty years' faithful, patient
service for Shorthorns. Whatever the future may
develop in the expansion of the breed, this sale will
go down in Shorthorn history as eminently success-
ful, made possible because of the inherent merit of
the cattle and because of faith in the constructive
ability and integrity of their oAvner. The sale was
an impressive exhibition of real dual-purpose Short-
horns and furnished a complete and crushing an-
swer to carping critics of the breed.
Thirty-nine head sold for $39,312, an average of
$1,008. Ten cows made an average of $1,372.50.
C. A. Otis, owner of the Willoughby, 0., herd, was
an extensive buyer, taking eight head at $13,100, an
average of $1,637.50. Among his purchases were
imp. White Queen at $3,000, the record price for a
Milking Shorthorn cow in this country, the im-
ported cows Bright Lily and Christmas Rose at
$2,000 each, the heifer Glenside Lass at $1,950. He
PRIMROSE GIFT — THRICE A CHAMFKiX AT THE EXCLISH ROYAL.
DOLPHINLEE TELLURIA — A HIGHLY ACCETTABLE TYPE TO THE
BRITISH EYE.
DUAL-PURPOSE SHORTHORNS 989
also paid $1,000 each for three yearling daughters
of Cyrus Clay, whose dam, Margaret I a Clay, was
grandam of Eose of Glenside, champion milk cow
of the breed. E. A. Palmer, Grand Forks, N. D.,
and Geo. Palmer, Mankato, Minn., jointly purchased
imp. Welcome Lass, with a record of 13,560 pounds
of milk and 657 pounds of butter, for $1,950, and
for $2,550 took the heifer Glenside Minnie May,
whose dam has a record of 15,160.8 pounds of milk
for three consecutive years. J. E. Lee, Detroit,
Mich., bought four heifers and at $1,000 took the
bull Glenside Bellboy, a son of the champion butter
cow Doris Clay. The Bellvue Farm bought for
$1,500 the cow Glenside Maplelane by General Clay,
sire of twenty-eight cows in the Eecord of Merit.
Glenside Lady Belle at $750 and Glenside Eoan
Fern at $1,025 were taken by Flintstone Fanns,
Dalton, Mass.
CHAPTER VII
EXPORTATIONS TO ARGENTINA
Few exportations of Sliortliorns have been made
from tlie United States during the period of this
history. Most of these shipments were made by
individuals, and while in some cases large prices
were received, the expenses were so large and the
risk so great that exporters did not continue long
in the business. Prior to 1916 no associated effort
was made to foster this trade, despite the fact that
sensational prices have been paid in Argentina for
the best Shorthorns. In 1901 a small exportation
was made, the cattle being bought from herds in
the United States and Canada; included was the
bull Iowa Champion, out of Gipsy Maid, a noted
prizewinner and an excellent breeder.
A few years later J. H. Miller, Peru, Ind., made
two exportations. These included some choice
Shorthorns from leading herds in several central
states — from N. H. Gentry the cow Moss Rose 7th,
from Bellows Bros, the champion yearling bull
Hampton's Model 210474 and the heifers Hamp-
ton's Pearl and Hampton's Princess, all by
Hampton's Best 170818. In Buenos Aires Hamp-
ton's Model brought $7,000 and Hampton's Princess
990
EXPORTATIOXS TO ARGENTINA 991
$8,000, Argentine money. From the herd of Cliarles
E. Leonard & Son eleven cows were taken, seven
of them by Lavender Viscount 124755. Mary
Ravens wood 3d was sold in Argentina to Seiior
Leonardo Pereyra and from the service of the
Scotch Centennial Victor she produced Americus,
the champion bull at the National Show at Palermo
in 1913. Americus was then sold at auction for
80,000 pesos, equivalent to $38,983 in gold, the
record price in any country for a Shorthorn bull.
In connection with the fact that the United States
produced the dam of the highest-priced bull of the
breed ever sold, it is also interesting to remember
that the Dominion of Canada furnished the sire of
the highest-priced bull in Great Britain. In 1875
Lord Dunmore sold Duke of Connaught at auction
for 4,500 guineas, equal to $26,901 in American
gold at that time. His sire was Duke of Hillhurst
9862, bred by Hon. M. A. Cochrane, Compton, Que-
bec, and exported to England in April, 1871.
In 1912 Anoka Farms made an exportation, which
included the bull Hampton King 316734, bred by
George H. "White, Emerson, la., out of Anoka Fluff
by Whitehall King, the International champion in
1908. Hampton King proved an excellent breeder
in Argentina, and his son, Hampton King 14th,
was champion at the exposition held at Posario
in 1915.
A Hazardous Shipment. — In September, 1914, an
exportation of ten bulls was made on order of
992 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
T. H. Floley & Son, Buenos Aires, formerly of
Hutchinson, Kans. These bulls were shipped from
New York, and because of attacks by German raid-
ers the vessel made most of the voyage within
the three-mile limit along the coasts, thereby so
lengthening the distance that it required six weeks
to reach Buenos Aires. The bulls were sold at
private treaty and gave good satisfaction. In May,
1916, a second shipment was made to the same
parties. This exportation was also made from New
York and comprised twenty choice bulls bought by
W. A. Forsythe & Son, Greenwood, Mo., at public
sales in Missouri and Iowa. Among the herds
represented were those of N. H. Gentry, F. W.
Harding, C. E. Leonard & Son, J. W. McDermott,
Ogden & Son, Purdy Bros, and Tomson Bros. Tliis
select lot of bulls arrived in good condition and
was sold at auction.
Association Exportations. — In 1916 four ship-
ments were made under management of the Ameri-
can Shorthorn Breeders' Association. The first
comprised three bulls and four heifers. The three
bulls were purchased here for $2,325 by Dr.
Celedonia Pareda. The heifers were for M. A.
Martinez de Hoz of Buenos Aires at a delivered
price of $1,000 each.
The second shipment was made April 28. It com-
prised nine bulls and six heifers on consignment,
and one bull on order at a delivered price of $3,500.
The consig-nment was sold in Buenos Aires at from
EXPORTATIONS TO ARGENTINA 993
1,700 to 6,500 pesos for the bulls and 2,400 to 4,200
for the cows, making an average approximately of
$1,200 in gold for the bulls and $1,400 for the cows.
The third shipment was made to Francisco V.
Maissa, Buenos Aires. It comprised twenty-six
head, including Gipsy Maid, bought from C. A.
Saunders & Sons for $3,030. The fourth shipment
comprised four heifers to Juan Carlos Vidislla,
Montevideo, Uruguay, and one bull and one heifer
to the President of Guatemala. The shipments
were all made from New York.
There is good reason to believe that these expor-
tations w^ll aid in opening up a larger trade with
South American countries. To future historians it
will no doubt seem an anomaly that North and
South America were so long in understanding each
other and in establishing reciprocal trade relations.
As a result of recent intelligent official effort and
of the titanic struggle which has involved so many
nations it is quite reasonable to believe that a
better understanding and closer commercial rela-
tions will be established between the peoples of
North and South America.
For many years the demand for Shorthorns in
Argentina has been great, and for the best animals
sensational prices have been paid in some instances.
With the estancios of that republic the breeders
of Great Britain have had their most profitable
trade. So great has the draft been that thoughtful
British breeders are now concerned for the future
994 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
of the breed. A prominent authority has said : "It
is a matter of history that for years Argentina has
been sapping Great Britain of her best Shorthorn
blood. Can the British herds stand the strain
on their resources? Undoubtedly many of our best
bulls of recent years have left the country."
From financial considerations such a trade is
most desirable and should be encouraged. But if
it should go to the point of depleting herds of their
best bulls, thus endangering the future excellence
and supremacy of the breed, the cry of warning-
would be justified.
CHAPTER VIII
EXPANSION AT HEADQUARTERS
The development of Sliortliorn interests in the
United States has been materially advanced by the
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association. The
association has guided the course of Shorthorn
trade during periods both of inspiring prosperity
and of nerve-racking depressions. The directors,
elected to manage the affairs of the association,
have been truly loyal to the breed, and under their
administration wonderful development has been
made. During the period of depression, when the
office was moved from one city to another for eco-
nomic reasons, the directors were criticized for lack
of business management ; later, when a reserve had
been accumulated, dissent was voiced at hoarding
the funds; further criticism was heard when the
$100 registration fee for imported cattle was
adopted. As a means of raising additional revenue,
which was not needed, the $100 fee could not be
defended, nor for the purpose of restricting trade.
But to improve Shorthorns by discouraging the
importation of inferior animals, which was the
object sought, this fee is defensible. There is a
difference of opinion as to the effect of this new
995
996 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE
rule, but tlie majority of breeders now believe
that the character of importations has been im-
proved and that fewer indifferent animals have
been brought over since the $100 fee was adopted.
If this oT)inion is correct, the action has been
justified.
About 1900, the policy of increasing the associa-
tion's reserve fund was discontinued and more
liberal appropriations were made for Shorthorn
prizes at fairs. These prizes were largely increased
with the development of the state fairs and the
organization of the International and American
Royal. Appropriations made by the American
Shorthorn Breeders' Association for prizes at vari-
ous shows have been from $oO,000 to $50,000 annu-
ally, thus affording strong encouragement to the
exhibitors.
At a time when Shorthorn breeders seemed to
have neglected the preparation and exhibition of
steers at the International the directors sought to
revive an interest in this element .of former strength
of the breed, but their test failed of any good
results because of bad management. Shorthorn
breeders may have neglected the fitting and exhi-
bition of steers, yet the breed has won a fair
share of prizes in the fat class. Grand champion-
ships were won by Shorthorn steers at Ft. Worth,
the American Eoyal, Denver, Portland, South St.
Paul, Oklahoma City and several state fairs.
Shipments to Mexico. — In an effort to develop a
EXPANSION AT HEADQUARTEES 997
new demand and extend trade in Shorthorns the
association sent two shipments, four carloads, into
Mexico. Three carloads were sent in the fall of
1907 and one the foUoTving spring. These were
choice cattle, having been carefully selected, but
owing to a lack of appreciation of improved stock
in Mexico the shipment failed to create the demand
expected.
The Secretaryship. — In February, 1901, the six-
teen years of faithful service of J. H. Pickrell as
secretary of the association were terminated by his
sudden death. His successor, John W. Groves,
demonstrated his executive ability by bringing the
office force to a greater mark of efficiency. In
April, 1912, he too was stricken by the silent reaper.
It was during his administration, in May, 1903,
that the offices of the association were moved from
Springfield, 111., to the Purebred Live Stock Record
Building, erected in Chicago by the Union Stock
Yard & Transit Company.
With the election of Frank W. Harding as sec-
retaiy in December, 191-4, the board of directors
inaugurated a regime of greater efficiency in keep-
ing ^vith an era of expansion of trade. In further-
ance of the enlarged plan the association sent
Secretary Harding to Argentina in June, 1914.
The result was an acquaintance with South Ameri-
can stockmen which had already brought an in-
creased demand for our Shorthorns and gives
promise of greater trade. Another result of that
998 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE
visit was a request from the management of
Argentina's national exposition at Palermo for
North American judges.
Exchange of Judges. — In compliance with this
request Prof. C. F. Curtiss, dean of the Iowa
State College at Ames, was induced to make the
long journey and award the prizes on Shorthorns.
A report made by him on his return is replete with
optimism. In part he said:
''South of the equator, even before you get out
of the tropics, you find the dominant influence of
Shorthorn blood transforming the zebu and the old
Spanish cattle stock into a more modern and profit-
able beef-producing type, and as you pass south-
ward into the interior of the pampas of Argentina
you find the Shorthorn supreme in the heart of the
richest cattle-producing region on the western con-
tinent. Go on over the seas into South Africa,
Australia and New Zealand, and again you find the
Shorthorn closely coupled with the advancement of
better farming and better civilization. This expan-
sion speaks significantly for a breed that has stood
the test of so many years under so many different
climates and conditions, and that invariably con-
tributes to the welfare and happiness of mankind
in eveiy land. One who has not seen a Paleraio
show cannot have any adequate conception of the
magnitude and strength of the Shorthorn bull
classes from the Argentine estancios. They are
without parallel or approach in all the live stock
exhibitions of the world. This year there were 800
Shorthorn bulls shown."
In appreciation of the complimentary action of
EXPANSION AT HEADQUARTERS 999
the Argentine stockmen and to cultivate still further
an international courtesy so pleasantly begun, the
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association and the
International Live Stock Exposition sent requests
to Argentina for the appointment of judges to
serve at the International. In response, Pedro T.
Pages and Carlos M. Duggan attended the great
Chicago show in 1916. Senor Pages awarded the
prizes on Shorthorns and Seiior Duggan judged
the grade and crossbred bullocks and assigned the
championships.
Futurities. — During the year 1914 the association
made provision for futurity classes for calves, two
for seniors and two for juniors. Prize money was
appropriated by futurity purses at the American
Eoyal, the International and the Iowa and Ohio
State Fairs. This additional inducement has
greatly stimulated interest in the calves exhibited,
both bulls and heifers. There were two classes of
forty-nine and fifty-one each at the International
of 1916.
Extension Work. — Another action of the associa-
tion in the development of Shorthorn interests and
the extension of home trade, which deserves the
appreciation of all breeders, was the appointment
of fieldmen for various sections of the country.
Six men give their entire time to this work and
others do occasional service. The services of these
fieldmen have materially increased the demand.
They have aided many farmers in securing founda-
1000 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE
tions for new herds, especially in southern states.
This growing demand from the cottonbelt was
fostered by public sales made under the auspices of
the association in some southern states and by a
campaign at fairs in Alabama and Georgia. Four
prominent herds were sent south from the American
Eoyal in 1915.
Coincident with the large increase in the number
of Shorthorns and the enlarged demand for them,
there has been a corresponding increase of work
in the office of the secretary. New departments
have been added and the work has so multiplied
that the office force has increased from twenty to
seventy-eight in five years.
"The Shorthorn in America." — An important aid
to extending the influence and widening the sphere
of Shorthorn activity was given when the associa-
tion established "The Shorthorn in America,"
which made its bow on April 1, 1916. The publica-
tion is issued quarterly, with Frank D. Tomson as
editor. It is the especial exponent of the breed.
And Finally. — The record of Shorthorns so accu-
rately and graphically set forth by Mr. Sanders
has been a source of pleasure to vast nmnbers of
breeders and has inspired many of them to better
accomplishments for the breed. That this brief
supplemental history may add something to this
pleasure is the hope of its author.
At the beginning of this period breeders had just
emerged from the era when the true development
EXPANSION AT HEADQUARTEES 1001
of the breed had been seriously hampered by the
blind and unreasoning acceptance of the dictum
of a few leaders and the mandates of Dame Fashion
concerning both pedigree and color. No one will
ever be wise enough accurately to estimate the dam-
age done the breed by these twin errors. One was
put to route by a thoughtful Scot at Sittyton, who
came to the rescue of Shorthorns when they sorely
needed a champion and a leader, the other was
finally dissipated by the good sense of the breeders
themselves.
It is not my purpose to discuss the origin and
causes of the prejudice against light colors, but to
students of Shorthorn history it will continue to
be an anomaly. That the tabooed roans and whites
should so quickly regain a commanding place in
the breed's development shows their wonderful
quality and clearly demonstrates the folly of a
prejudice that for more than a score of years
denied Shorthorns their uplifting influence. In
1900 the number of roans exhibited was small, but
fifteen years later roans and whites were taking
three-fourths of the prizes and at some fairs a
goodly share of the remaining fourth. During
recent years nearly all grand champions have been
of light color, and at the Iowa State Fair of 1917
every animal in the three first-prize herds was roan.
These facts are not cited to advise the use of roan
or white bulls to the exclusion of good reds, but to
show the heavy loss in proper development sus-
1002 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE
tained by Shorthorns during that period when
breeders had lost their heads.
Amos Cruickshank rescued breeders from the
suffocating nightmare of "Bates and only Bates,"
and when the blighting influence of the color craze
had passed Shorthorns entered a new and more
rapid era of development. How can this be
advanced? Are there any obstacles in the path-
way? These are questions to be considered by
breeders of Shorthorns.
The writer has never been a pessimist in any-
thing and he firmly believes that Shorthorns are
better now than, at any time previously, yet as a
historian of this brief period he sees some questions
worthy of serious consideration. We rightly believe
that during a certain period Shorthorn development
was retarded by false ideas of breeding, and we
rejoice that the breed was rescued from that thral-
dom, yet many of us now refuse breeders the
latitude in choice of bloodlines that was exercised
by the breeder who effected that rescue. Shorthorn
breeders are under lasting obligations to Amos
Cruickshank for the breed's improvement, but they
would do well carefully to study the methods by
which he accomplished his wonderful work. Scotch
blood has wrought marvels in the development of
the Shorthorn form, yet it is not the only means
by which that merit can be developed. These sug-
gestions have been called forth by the fact that I
have during recent years answered hundreds of
EXPANSION AT HEADQUARTERS 1003
inquiries about pedigrees. Nearly all of them ask,
''Is it straight Scotch?" There is no question con-
cerning the merit of the ancestors.
The term Scotch Shorthorns, as generally under-
stood, refers to those bred in well-established herds
in Scotland or that have been produced in the
United States from imported Scotch ancestry with-
out the introduction of other blood. Bloodlines are
essential, but merit of form and ability to repro-
duce are equally important. Since all Scotch herds
were built on an English foundation, and because
of the fact that some of the most potent bulls, home-
bred and imported, have an infusion of Bates blood,
it might be well to give less emphasis to ''straight"
or "pure" Scotch and more to reproductive ability.
Few will dissent from the statement that ^\Tiite-
hall Sultan was the greatest Shorthorn sire of
modern days and that Choice Goods ranked near
him. Yet both had Bates blood near the top of
their pedigrees, and if they had been bred in
America they would be called "Scotch- topped,"
according to our plan of naming bloodlines. So
great were Whitehall Sultan and Choice Goods,
both as prizewinners and producers, that their sons
and grandsons were eagerly sought as herd bulls
in all sections. So rapid was the spread of this
blood, and so insistent the demand for it, that at
present few herds are without it. Through this
channel a small percentage of Bates blood has been
introduced into many herds whose owners would
1004 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-HOEN CATTLE
have refused it througli sucli bulls of outstanding
excellence as Viscount of Anoka, Sharon Marshal
or Hampton's Model. Mazurka, by the Booth bull
Harbinger (10297), was imported into Kentucky
in 1853, was sold to E. A. Alexander for $3,050
and proved an excellent breeder at Woodburn
Farm. Present-day breeders would hesitate to use
a descendant of imp. Mazurka as a herd bull for
Scotch cattle, yet her half-brother Matadore (11800)
was a herd bull used by Amos Cruickshank, and
no one thinks to question the breeding of Mata-
dore 's numerous descendants in our herds today.
The sage of Sittyton blended the best blood of
English Shorthorns, and after years of intelligent,
patient experimentation he evolved the modern beef
type. And he had his reward. William Duthie
and J. Deane Willis, one Scotch and the other
English, but both pupils of Cruickshank, did not
hesitate to introduce Bates blood into Scotch cattle,
if they thought improvement could be made. This
will explain the Bates blood in some excellent bulls
that have been imported from Scotland. Why then
should we condemn in our own breeders methods
which we endorse when practiced by those of Great
Britain 1 We are hardly consistent. The super-
fluous emphasis which we have laid on certain re-
quirements of bloodlines and the value which we
attach to tribal or family names might well have
been expended on teaching the value of great sires.
Some breeders fully appreciate this and have pro-
EXPANSION AT HEADQUAKTERS 1005
claimed it from their liousetops, but with many it
needs emphasizing.
My conchiding message is : Make the herd bulls
better, and still better. In spite of what I have
said in the preceding pages in conmiendation of
present-day Shorthorns, some may regard my con-
cluding words as superfluous and pessimistic, but
I think that my former service for Shorthorns will
absolve me from the charge of disloyalty to the
breed, and now in my retirement I feel that I am
no slacker.
INDEX
Activities in Middle West, 415
Activity in America, 227
Adah, 304
Adams importation, 685
Adams importations, 699
Adams, Luther, 684, 689, 707, 709
Admali, 559
Aii'drie, 286
Airdrie Duchess, 664
Alrdrie Duchesses, 253, 454
Airdrie Duke, 294
Aislabies, 24
Aldborough, 146
Aldrich, Verry, 654
Aldsboro, 146
Alexander, A. J., 361, 454, 665, 669
Alexander, R. A., 251
Alexander impoi'tation, 255
Alexandrinas, the, 614
Alice's Prince, 847
Allen, Benj. C, 1000
Allen Cattle Company, 903
Allen, George, 712
Allen, Lewis F., 159, 442
Allen, Samuel, importation, 216
Alice Maude, 689
"Allov" blood, 45
Alma, 569
Althorpe, Lord, 80, 141
Amelia, 55 5
American activity, 227
American Dairy Shorthorn Asso-
ciation, 98 4
American Fat-Stock Show, 751
American Milking Shorthorn Club,
984
American Royal 1909, 925
American Royal org-anization, 835
American Royal sale, 841
American Royal, the, 840
Andrew, J. C, 724
Anderson, Ralph, 405
Anderson, T. Corwin, 671, 711
Anemone, 569
Angelina, 471
Anoka Champion, 970
Anoka Farms, 9 71
Anoka sale, 939
Antiquary, 659
Appleby. Thomas, 34
Argentine and the shambles, 721
Argentine judges, 957
Armstrong, John S., 632
Aroma, 559
Ashburner, Robert, 477
Athabasca, 621
Athelstane blood, the, 632
Atrosia, 978
Attrill, H. Y., 630, 694
Augustus, 613
Avalanche, 568
Avondale, 836, 926, 935
Avery & Murphy sale, 452, 509
Ayer, B. W., 976
Ayler, B. W., 1003
Aylesby, 470
Aylesby Flowers, 472
Azalea, 569
Bacon, J. H., 675
Balco, 322
Bals, H. C. G., 676, 694, 711
Banner Bearer, 760
Bapton Diamond, 877
Bapton ]Manor, 720
Bapton Pearl, 789, 838, 870, 976
Barbarossa, 681
Barber, Aaron, 688, 842
Barclay, C. S., 702, 703
Barclay of Ury, 525, 545
Barclay sale, 857
Barmpton, 33, 554, 600
Barmpton Hero, 55 4
Barmpton Prince, 573
Barmpton Roses, 570
Barmpton sales, 51
Barmpton Violet, 644
Barnett, G. H., 711
Baron Booth, 630
Baron Booth of Lancaster, 349
Baron Cruickshank, 739
Baron Cruickshank 3d., 848
Baron Lavender 2d., 683
Baron Lavender 3d., 863
Baron Lewis, 355
Baron Surmise. 644
Baron Victor, 572, 679, 681
Baron Warlaby, 695
Baronet, 557
Barren, Finley, 995
Barringtons, 673
Bates' bull first in Kentucky, 214
Bates cattle at Royal shows, 358
Bates-Craggs, 671
Bates dispersion, 10 5
Bates, Thomas, 57, 69
Bates, Thomas, Memorial, 113
Bates tvpe and method, 312
Beatrice, 842
Beattie, Simon, 314, 386, 410, 627
1008
INDEX
Beattle's sale, 435
Becar and Morris, 228
Becar, N. J., 108
Beck Taylor, 670
Bective, Earl, 422, 672
Bedford, George M., 274, 279
Bedford heifer, 309
Bedford's Loudon Duchesses, 310
Beeswing, 553, 609
Bell-Bates tribes, 10 3
Bell Duke of Airdrie, 281
Belle Moreland, 655
Bellows Bros. sale. 939, 950
Bellows, C. D., 708, 867
Bellows, Frank, 708
Bellows sale, 953
Belvedere, 84
Benton, W. W.. 711
Berkeley Duke of Oxford, 693
Berry & Bigstaff, 676
Berwick, Mr., 422
Bessie, 572
Bessies, the, 615
Betts, E. L., 364
Bianca, 62
Bicknell, B. W.. 335
"Big" Geneva, 299
Bigler sale, 844
Bigstaff, J. M., 664
Birrell & Johnston. 648
Birthday, 117, 122
Black Bull Inn, 15, 71
Blakewell, Robert, 31 ^ -.no
Blanch or Roan Duchess sort. 10 S
Blish & Son. 670. 758
Bloom 3d.. 631
Blossoms. 126
Blue Grass Capital. 300
Blue Grass sales. 455
Blythe Victor, 852
Boland. W. A., 731. 842
Bolden. S. E.. 362
Bolingbroke. 40
Bonny Gypsy. 694
"Boom." birth of a. 3o7 .
"Boom" west of Mississippi. 4b.i
Booth-Bates controversy. 408
Booth cross disappointing, biu
Booth. John. 67. 136. 534
Booth. J. B.. 408
Booth. Richard. 64, 132, 136
Booth's Lancaster, 386
Booth's method of breeding. Hi
Booth's sale, John. 118
Booth, Thomas, 57
Booth. T. C. 469
Bothwell. George. 708
Bothwell sale, 858
Bounty. 557
Bowen. E. W., 724
Bowman. Hon. A. M.. 671
Bow Park. 481
Bow Park sale. 51^^^^
Boyle. L. F., 963. 992
Bracelet. 62. 116
Bracelets, the, 63
Brant Chief. 758
Brave Archer. 838
Brawith Bud. 534
Braybrooke. Lord. 665
Breadalbane, 557
Breeders in Illinois, 319
Briant. A. C 675
Bride. 128
Bride Elect, 17. 62, 128
Bride of the Vale, 375
Bridesmaid, 128
Bright Eyes 22d., 982
Brights, 472
Brilliant. 628
Britisher. 759
British Flag. 401
Broadhooks, the, 555
Brockway, E. P.. 401
Broken-horn. 48
Brooks, A. S., 324
Broughtons, 114
Browndale sale, 920
Brown, Frank, 862, 909
Brown. George, 481
Brown, George, death of, 507
Brown, H. F., 510, 664, 668. 675,
725. 736. 738.
Brown. James. 970. 995
Brown. James N.. 264. Sis
Brown. L. W.. 688
Brown sale. 8-57
Brown's Sons. James N.. 487. bt>S
Brown. William. 318, 758
Bruce of Inverquhomery. obi
Bruce. James. 531. 6-56
Bruce. Robert, 692, 713. 718
Bruere. R. S., 372
Buchan Hero. 5.i5
Buckingham. 116, 533
Buckner, William. 67 2
Burley Mills. 152
Burnbrae Sultan. 957
Burnside, 313
Buttercup. 557
Butterfly 1st.. 557
Butterflys. 556
Butterflv's Dehght, 573
Butterfly's Joy, 571
Butterfly's Pride, 570
Caesar Augustus, 559, 598
Cairnbrogie, 561
California Favorite, 9bZ
Cambridge, 93 „
Cambridge (Red) Roses 102
Cambridge Roses, 82, 110
Campbell of Kinellar, 606
Campbell. S.. 607
CampfoUower, 130
Canada West Association 482
Canada West Farm Stock Asso-
ciation, 664
Canadian breeders sa'e- «" „
Canadian impoi'tations 477. b-S
Cannon. Col. LeG. B.. b66, /lO
Carcase. Mr. Wiley s. 91
INDEX
1009
Cargill, H.. 648
Carlyle, W. H., 711
Carmine, 560
Carmine Rose, 552
Carpenter, George, 862
Carpenter, Reid, 846, 890
Carpenter, W. G., Sjs
Carpenter & Carpenter, 969
Carpenter & Ross, 891, 935
Carpenter & Ross importation.
965, 967
Carpenter & Ross sale, 9 40, 949.
955
Carpenter & Ross sale 1917, 965
Carr, J. D., 413
Carr, William, 31
Cartwrigrht, Mr., 608
Casey, G. M., 708
Casey, G. M., 883
Casev dispersion, 916
Cassa 20th., 658
Castle "U'arwick, 18
Cayhurst, 560
Central Western Shorthorns, 357
Ceremonious Archer, 855, 868
Chambers, G. M., 318
Champion, 56 8
Champion carload 1909, 928
Champion of England, 18, 589, 595
Chapman, William S., 413
Character, 796
Charge, John, 53
Charitv, 115
Charitv 23d., 986
Charm, 694
Chenev, E. H., 455
Cherry, 33
Cherry Blossom. 126
Cherrv Grove auction, 920
Cherub. 413
Cherub 4th.. 620
Chief Lustre 2d.. 694
Child, H. W., 1004
Chiles. C. C, 666
Chilton. 138
China Rose. 552
Choice Goods, 804, 855, 868, 870.
885, 898
Chrisman. G. L... 675
Chrisp. Thomas. 612
Christian, Sr., W. F., 724
Christie. Hon. David. 606
Christmas Lassie. 925
Chrvsanthemum. 561
Chrystal. A.. 846
Cicelv. 568, 789, 850, 874
Cinderella 2d., 693
Circassia, 568
Clancarty Lord, 557
Clara, 556
Clara 28th., 616
Claras, the, 615
Claret. 561
Clark County Sale. 249
Clark County Kentucky Company,
397
Clark County Ohio Company, 248
Clark, C. W.. 976
Clarke herd sold. 931
Clarke, N. P., 445, 666. 702, 706,
929
Clay's importations, 206
Clear-the-Way, 561
Clegg. J. E., 874
Clegg, J. M., 87 4
Cleveland Lad, 89
Clinton County (O. ) Association,
247
Clipper tribe, 559
Clipper, 560
Closing events 1875, 479
Clyne. 549
Cobb, G. A., 980
Cobb. H. L., 980
Cobb, Hon. Emery, 664, 667
Cochrane at Windermere, 497
Cochrane-Beattie-Hope sale. 488
Cochrane, Beattie and Horc, '"7
Cochrane, Hon. M. H., 338, 386,
642, 712
Cochrane, M. H., sales, 455
Cochrane, Mr., 630
Cochran importations, 371
Cochrane's sale, 497
Cockrill, M. S., 455
Cock Robin, 855
Cold Cream, 151
Cole, A. T., 980
Collard, John, 462
College Belle 2d., 775
College Moore. 775
Colling, Charles, 15, 56
Colling, Charles and Robert, 29
Colling, Robert. 15
Collynie, 624, 701
Color. 794
Col. Towneley, 571
Columbian Exposition awards, 735
Columbian records, the, 769
Combs, Leslie, 665, 669
Comet, 16, 51, 147
Commander-in-Chief, 132
Commodore, 561
Conformation. 796
Constance, 391
Constellation, 52
Constitution. 796
Convention. First National, 405
Cornell, Ezra. 3 61
Corning. Erastus, 218
Cornucopia. 568
Corolla. 568
Cottage Hill herd. 877
Count Lavender, 719
Countryman, J. A., 702
Count Victor, 563
Courtesy, 568
Cowan dispersion. 835
Cowan, Hector, 874
Cowan. J. F., 311
Cowan. John G.. 404
Cowan, Maj. J. T., 709, 724.
1010
INDEX
Cowan sale, 857
Cox importation, 163
Craigieiea herd, 909
Craig, John R., 629
Crain, Robt., 992
Crane, Albert, 447, 477, 488
Crane, F. G., 100 4
Craven Knight, 684
Cressida, 560
Crippen, J. B., 327
Crocus, 568
Crocus, 561
Crosbie. J. E., 998
Crossing the border, 520
Crouse, John, 184
Crown Prince, 17, 123, 532
Crown Prince of Athelstane, 60 6
Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d.,
fi fi 1 fi fi s
Cruickshank, Amos, 528, 538, 541,
722
Cruickshank, Anthony, 544, 623
Cruickshank cattle at the shows,
633
Cruickshank cows at CoUynie, 716
Cruickshank, Edward, 623
Culbertson, C. M., 657
Cumberland, 561, 600, 701
Cumberland's Best, 9 48
Cumberland's Last, 881
Cumberland's Type, 938
Cummings, Messrs., 654
Cummings, Wm., 682
Cunningham, Isaac, 186
Cunningham, W. H., 186
Cupbearer, 687, 704, 706, 726
Cupbearer bought, 702
Cupid, 46
Curtis, N. M., 455
Curtiss, C. F., 702
Custard, 554, 561
Cyrus Clay, 783
Dairy capacity, 764
Dairymaid, 553
Dairy Maids, 115
Daisy, 35
Daisy Bull, 53
Dalton, Duke, 35
Daniels, Richard, 405
Dar:v days of 1879, 504
Darlington, 15, 71
Davidson, James I., 435, 638, 642,
661, 680, 682
Davis, Francis, 70. j
Davis, W. C, 980
Day, John, 43
Dav, Timothy, 331
DeGraff. Col. C. A., 337, 412, 508,
645, 664, 668
Delight, 558
Devonshire, Duke of, 2
Dexter Park sale, 401, 451
Dick Tavlor, 293, 670
Diphthong, 558, 609
Dr. Buckingham, 558, 581
Doctor Click, 758
Dr. Martin's importation, 207
Dodge, W. B., sale, 487
Does showing pay?, 80 2
Dolphinlee Telluria, 988
Dominion Shorthorn Breeders' As-
sociation, 743
Doris Clav, 978
Dorothea 2d., 921, 925, 927
Double Gloster, 682
Douglas of Athelslaneford, 604
Douglas, Robert, 553
Dowager 3d., 764
Drake, John B., 760
Drewry, Geo., 92
Dryden & Son, 900
Dryden, Hon. John, 642, 668
Dryden, W. A., 648, 901, 969
Dual-purpose breed, 744
Dual-purpose sales, 986
Dual-purpose Shorthorns, 973
Ducie, Earl, 108
Ducie sale, 230
Duchess, 34
Duchess blood, 74
Duchess bv Daisy Bull, 74
Duchess 34th., 95
Duchess 43d., 106, 358
Duchess 125th., 694
Duchesses, 108
Duchesses at Woodburn, 25.^?
Duchesses of Gloster, 566, 617
Ducliesses to England, 358
Duchess of Airdrie, 663
Duchess of Gloster 34th., 846
Duchess of Hillhurst, 712
Duchess of Hillhurst 9th., 664
Duchess of Kent, 67 6
Duchess of Leicester, 69 4
Duchess of Lincoln, 695
Duchess of Rowfant, 694
Duchess outcrosses, 417
Duchess sales, 378
"Duke" bulls in demand. 378
Duke or Airdrie, 277, 670
Duke of Airdrie, imp., 287
Duke of Athol, 567
Duke of Clarence, 710
Duke of Connaught, 465
Duke of Gloster, 278
Duke of Hilldale 1st., 667
Duke of Northumberland, 87, 96,
99 473
Duke of Noxubee, 673
Duke of Richmond, 486, 533, 655,
661
Duke of Roses 4th, 665
Duke of Surrey, 694
Duke of Underley, 430
Duke of Whittleberry 2d., 665
Duncan, H. C, 735
Duncan, James S., 283
Duncan, Jere, 282
Duncan, John, 675
Duncan, S. C, 390, 666
Duncan's Duke of Airdrie, 310
INDEX
1011
Duncan, William R., 336. 392
Dunlap, Stephen, 318
Dunmcre, Lord, 400, 408
Uunmore sale, records broken, 465
Dunmore's big deal, 413
Dun's importations, 178
Dunwoodv herd, 875
Dunwoody, Wm. H., 702, 858
Durham, 22
Durham Cow, 168
Durham Ox., 42, 72
Durham Park Kansas herd, 462
Durvea, H. B., 907, 1000
Dusiin, C. B., 654. 703, 718. 739
Dustin, Forbes and others sale,
857
Dustin sale, 845
Duthie, William. 607, 625, 714
Earl Ducie sale, 230
Earles & Stanton, 883
Earl of Barrington, 673
Earl of Dublin, 150
Earl of March, 720
Early Illinois fairs, 354
Early importations into Ontario.
626
Early sires of Uppermill, 618
Eastern importations, 215
Edith Fairfax, 531, 558
Edwards, F. A., 702
Edwards, F. R., 846
Edwards, W. C, 646
Edwards, W. C. & Co., 899
Eighth Duke of Geneva, 403
Eighth Duchess of Geneva, 424
Eighth Duchess of Oneida, 433
Elbert & Fall, 757. 758
Elbert, Ben F., 730
Eleventh Duke of Airdrie, 355
Eliason, S. G., 971
Eliza, 536, 559
Elliott & Kent, 446
Elmendorf Farm, 905
Elvira of Browndale 3d., 736
Emma 3d., 616. 654
Emma 4th., 654
Emma 5th., 654
Emmas, the, 616
Empress 12th., 849
English National Show, 92
English sales 1873, 433
Estill & Hamilton. 671
Estill, Wallace, 758
Everlasting, 874
Expansion at headquarters, 995
ExDortations to Argentina. 990
Exportations to England, 396
Exposition Building, Chicago, 759
Extension work, 999
Fair Acres Sultan, 881
Fairfax Royal, 576
Fairholme, "dO
Fair Queen. 867, 870
Fairy Queen. 689
Faith, 115
Faith, Hope and Charity. 122
Falling markets, 501
Fall sales 1876, 490
Fall, Wiley S., 730
Fancy, 558
Fannie Airdrie, 659
Fannie Airdries, 658
Fanny Airdrie "nick," the, 658
Farewells, 114
"Fashions," opposition to, 407
Fat Stock Show at Chicago, 1878,
514
Favorite, 40
Favorite Cow, 44
Fawkes of Farnley Hall, 151
Fawsley Park, 149
Fawsley sale, 151
Fayette County Importing Co., 208
Feeding for seaboai'd markets, 182
Feedlot considerations, 520
Feedlot favorites, 746
Feudal Chief, 701
Field Marshal. 569, 717
Field Marshal and Mario. 717
First Duchess of Oneida. 421
First Sittyton cattle in Canada.
630
Fitzhardinge, Lord. 672
Fitz Leonard, 532
Flatt sale, 836
Flatt's remarkable sale, 853
Flatt. W. D., 648, 741
Flora. 553
Flora 90th., 920, 922, 924
Flower tribe, 471
Flvnn and Elbert, 711
Flvnn, D. M., 461
Flvnn, Martin, 730
Flynn sale, 845
Foggathrope, 102
Foggathorpes, 110
Foljambe, 39
Forbes, I. M., 718, 740
Forest Grove sale, 732
Forsythe sale, 953
Forsvthe, W. A., 859
Forth, 591
Fourteenth Duke of Thorndale,
434, 489
Fourth Duchess of Oneida, 424
Fourth Duke of Clarence. 484
Fourth Duke of Geneva, 432, 434
Fourth Duke of Thorndale, 360
Fourth Duke of York. 538
Fox, George, 453, 454, 665
Fretlerick. 570
Frederick AVilliam, 659
Frederick -"William and the
"twins," 659
Frederick William 4th., 706
Future, the, 810
Futurities, 998
1012
INDEX
Gaines, G. W., 413
Gainford Hall, 802
Gainford Marquis, 934
Galahad, 686
Gambetta, 692
Garden, John, 859
Gardhouse, J. M., 648
Garnish, 565
Gay Monarch, 614, 622, 705, 738
General Grant, 346
Geneva, 655
Geneva, "Little and Big," 299
Gentle Annie, 295
Gentle Kitty, 53
George & Stanton sale, 928
Gerlaugh, C. L., 846
Gerlaugh sale, 835, 845, 860
Gibson, John, 386
Gibson, John T., 664, 695, 735
Gibson, Richard, 369, 374, 410, 418,
630, 666
Gibson's sale of 1882, 664
Gifford, C. M., 675
Gillespie & Sons, 913, 971
Gillett. John D., 752
Gilliver, 565
Gipsy Cumberland 3d., 948
Gipsy Maid, 706, 976
Givens, Strawther, 666, 712
Glendale Duke, 7 68
Glen Flora, 282
Glen Flora sales, 411
Glen Flora dispersion, 445
Glenside Herd, 979
Glenside importations, 981
Glenside's new record, 987
Glide, J. H., 915
Glowworm, 565
Godiva, 565
Gold Digger, 617
Golden age, 434
Golden Abbotsburn, 843
Golden Days, 565
Golden Drop 1st., 435
Golden Drop 2d., 631
Golden Drop 4th., 682
Golden Drop family, 631
Golden Drops, 608, 611
Golden Drops, the, 636
Golden Fame, 836
Golden Goods, Jr., 910
Golden Knight, 687
Golden Lord, 686, 688
Golden Year, 565
Goldfinder, 693
Goldie, 617
Goldies, the, 616
Good Stamp, 953
Gough and Miller cattle, 158
Grand champion steers, 928
Grand Duchesses, 362
Grand Duke, 538
Grand Duke of Gloster, 567
Grand Lady, 555
Grand Monarque, 552
Grand Pacific Hotel, 760
Grand Vizier, 554
Grant, David, 352
Grant Duff of Eden, 532
Gravesend, 562
Graves, J. H., 753
Gray, James, 160
Greatest International, 969
Great trade of '72, 399
Grigsby, J. V., 671
Grisv/old, A. W., 457, 459
Groom, B. B., 455
Groom importation, 462
Groves, John W., 743
Grove Park, 758
Gwynnes, 459
Hagerty, G. J., 345, 413
Haggin, James B., 905
Hales, B. F., 969, 995
Hale's sale, 359
Hall, E. M., 888
Hallowell, William, 394
Hallwood herd, 887
Halnaby tribe, 62
Halton Castle Farm, 73
Hamilton, A. L., 673
Hamilton, Col. A. W., 673
Hamilton, George, 672, 676
Hamilton, James C. 671, 672, 676
Hamilton sale, 509
Hamiltons, the, 67 2
Hampton's Best, 8 45
Hampton's Model, 867, 869
Hanna, D. R., 840
Hanna importations, 878
Handling quality, 796
Harding & Son, George, 708
Hai'ding banquet, 866
Harding calf sale, 953
Harding dispersion, 865
Harding, F. W., 99 5
Harding, George & Son, 842
Harding sale, 924
Hardings' Chicago sale, 847
Harding sensational calf sale, 968
Harewood, Lord, 60
Harkness, L. V., 837, 907
Harness, E. J., 195
Harriet, imp., 280
Harris, B. F., 318
Harris, Col. W. A., 611, 645, 668.
676, 708, 722, 767
Harris, F. C, 680
Harrison, Daniel, 160
Harvester, 701
Harvey, T. W., 666, 667, 668, 670.
705
Havering Park sale, 365
Hawkins & McDaniel, 670
Havden Rose, 665
Hay of Shetin, 536
Hays' dispei'sion, 539
Heaton, Mr., 162
Hebes, the, 574
Hecatomb, 91 ♦
Heir of Englishman, 619
INDEX
1013
Hellidon sale, 467
Herd Book, American, 269
Herd -book Consolidation, 7 42
Herd-book registration, 792
Herr, C. M., 862
Highflyer, 148
High prices in Illinois, 398
Higinbotham, Wm. P.. 682
Hillhurst Duchesses, 663
Hillhiust importations, 371
Hillhurst operations, 395
Hill, James J., 692, 758, 921
Hill, J. M., 337
Hill, Walter J., 939
His Highness, 148
Histoi-ic Kentucky stock, 274
Hitt, E. B., 318
Holderness breed, 23
Holford Duchesses, 671
Holkar, 533
Holland, E. C, 976
Hollingsworth, Samuel, 331
Holloway, Robert. 446, 453, 486,
487
Hope, 115
Hope, John, 412, 485. 642, 693, 699,
708
Hope's show herds of 1887 and
1889, 695
Hopkins, Samuel M., 165
Houston, 184
Houston, Rigdon & Sons, 660
Hubback (319), 27
Hubback, 36
Hudson, 552, 577
Hughes, H. J., 977
Hunter, J. and R., 629
Hu 'orth, 15
Hustler, 48
Huston, John, 319
Huston & Son, Rigdon, 709
Huston-Gibson sale, the, 666
Huston, Rigdon, 454, 710
Huston. Theodore, 712
Hutchcraft's importation, 20 8
Hutcheson of Monyruy, 530, 558
Hymen, 60 6
lies, Edward, 398, 649
lies importation, the, 649
Illinois buvers, 399
Illinois herds, 319
Illinois Importing Company, 264
Illinois State Fair at Olney, 707
Important importation 1914, 984
Important shows, 847
Importations 1900-1904, 896
Importations by Pickrell and Kis-
singer, 476
Importations, miscellaneous, 225
Importations to America, 157
Importations to Virginia, 157
In-breeding, 784
Indiana breeders, 320, 324
Indiana impoi'tations, 262
Injudicious breeding, 511
Ink Horn, 552
Innis, J. K., 979
"Inskip's Bull," 161
International 1902, 863
Iowa Champion. 9 76
Iowa foundation stock, 330
Iowa herd book, 330
Isaac, George, 631
Isaac's importation, 631
Isabella, 608
Isabella Buckingham, 124
Isabellas, the, 64
Jackson importation, 215
Jackson, F. E.. 100 3
Jacobs, S. W., 412
Jacob's AVest Liberty sale. 4^0
James Brown's Red Bull, 26, 45
Jenkins' sale, 465
Jessie Hopewell, oi'3
Jewel, 979
Jewel 2d., 767
Joe Johnson. 287
John Bull, 584
John Sherman, 753
Johnson, Thomas, 867, 893, 935.
992
Johnston, Arthur, 647. 705
Johnston, R. J., 881
Jones & Son, J. R., 708
Jones, Milton E., 687, 718
Jones, M. E., sale. 8 15
Jones, T. C, 407, 442
Joseph Culshaw, 570
Josephine. 303
Judges, exchange of.' 998
Judy, James W., 348. 442
Julius Caesar, 67
June sales 1902. 860
Justice, 842
Kello, Mr., 425
Kelly, E. S., 692, 837
Kellv's second sale, 866
Kelmscott Acrobat 4th, 768
Kelmscott Viscount 23d., 793
Kelvin Grove, 6 51
Kentucky breeders, 242, 400, 664
Kentucky importations, 274
Kentucky Importing Company, 227
Kentuckv Importing Company of
1883. 669
Kentucky sales, 455
Kentucky Shorthorns, 276
Kentucky stock, 159
Kentucky summer sales, 440
Kentucky summer sales of 1883,
670
Ketton Dispersion, 50
Ketton 1st.. 74
Ketton Hall, 33
Kilgour, J. A., 718, 911
Kilgour sale, 9 46
Killerby. 114
Kilmenv 3d., 559
Kimberly, Mrs. A. E,, 462
1014
INDEX
Kinellar Shorthorns, 611
Kinellar sires, 609
King, Col. Wm. S., 316, 352. 383,
655, 656. 694
King- Cumberland, 920, 922, 923.
924
King Edward, 867, 869, 870. 871.
915
King George III, 33
King, Wm. S., 316
King, W. S., 352
King, Wm. S., 656
King's Head, 71
King's prize herd, 386
King's Victory at St. Louis, 390
King, William S., 383
Kirkham foreign judge, 933
Kirklevington, 16. 83
Kirklevington Duchess 27th., 664
Kirklevington Duchess of Hill-
dale 2d., 666
Kirklevington Marchioness 2d.,
Kitty Clay 4th., 771
Kissinger, J. H., 316, 641. 650, 668,
679
Kissinger's sale, 446
Knight of Athelstane, 661
Knightley "Fillpails". 149
Know.=ley Gift. 783
Kramer, John. 998
Ladd, Chas. E., 870
Ladd, Charles, 909
Lad for Me, 842, 848
Lady Alice, 168
Lady Athelstane, 682
Lady Bowness, 986
Lady Bride, 355
Lady Dorothea, 916
Ladv Dorothv, 959
Lady Elizabeth, 209. 447
Lady Fragrant, 136
Lady Isabel, 695
Lady McAllister, 317
Lady Maynard, 35
Ladv Munday, 168
Lady of Athelstane, 606
Lady Sale 2d.. 457
Lady Sarah, 608
Lady Sharon 4th.. 842
Lady tribe, 555
Lady Valentine, 841
Lady Wild Eyes 7th., 669
Ladv York, 664
Lakeside Farm, 695, 709
Lakeside's show herd of 1888, 705
Lame Bull, 45, 61
Lamp of experience, 781
Lancaster Comet, 586
Lancaster 16th, 563
Landon. F. C, 100 4
Last successful Duchess sale, 709
Later Sittvton sires at Upper-
mill, 622
Laura, 46
Lavender 16th., 575
Lavender 17th., 575
Lavender Princess, 843
Lavender Sultan, 969
Lavenders, the, 574
Lavender Viscount, 840 •
Leask, James, 923
Leonard & Son, 8 40
Leonard, Charles E., 404, 510, 681
Leonard, N., 328
LeRoy importation, 217
Lespedeza Farm, 907
Lespedeza Sultan. 967
Lethenty, 623
Lewis and Clark Exposition. 914
Lexington Fair, 1834, 275
Lily, 52
Lind sale, 844
Linwood Golden Drops, 682, 687
Linwood's salutary influence, 6 90
"Little" Geneva, 299
Little, H. H.. 980
Liverpool Royal 1841, 9 1
Livingston County (N. Y.) Asso-
ciation, 260
Lizzie Higgins, 304
Lockridge, S. F., 415, 440. 510.
638. 684, 742, 863
Longmore, 624
Long, Mrs. Jesse, 465
Lookabaugh, H. C, 910, 971, 998
Lookabaugh importations, 912
Loraine, Sir C, 54
Lord Athol, 686, 690
Lord Avondale, 950
Lord Banff, 741, 849
Lord Bathurst, 583
Lord Bvron, 557
Lord Forth, 624
Lord Highland, 342
Lord Lancaster, 538
Lord Lansdowne, 538, 570, 652
Lord of the Isles, 682
Lord of the Lake, 462
Lord of Lome, 613
Lord Mayor, 686
Lord Privy Seal, 593
Lord Raglan, 585
Lord Sackville. 557
Lord Strathallan, 638
Louans, the, 177
Loudon Duchess, 308
Loudon Duchess 2d., 306
Loudon Duchess 4th.. 306
Loudon Duchess 8th., 311
Loudon Duchess 6th., 311
Loudon Duchesses, 306
Loudon Duke, 307
Loudon Duke 6th, 310, 404
Louisiana Purchase E-xpositionj
868
Loveland, Harry, 660
Lovelv 8th., 540
Lovelv 9th.. 570
Lowden, Baker & Baker, 853
Lowden, Frank O., 692
INDEX
1015
Lowman & Smith importation, 478
Lowman and Smith's importation,
653
Lubec Mendelsohn, 793
Lucas, E. W., 330
Lyall, James, 380
Lyndale, 386, 395
Lyndale sale, 437
Macduff, 613
MacMillan, J. R., 862
Madison County Company, 239
Magdalene, 52
Maid of Athelstane, 606
Maid of Honor, 480
Maid of Promise, 609
Maid of Promise 6th., 609
Mains of Pitfour, 536
Major, 53
Manzergh 8th., 982
Maple Shade herd, 900
Marion, 331
Mark, 758
Marquis, 165
Marquis of Zenda, 899
Marr-bred Emmas, 658
Marr, W. S., 607, 612
Marske, 48. 80
Mary Abbotsburn 7th., 729
Mary Hampton, 845
Massachusetts importations, 172
Mason and Bracken Association,
259
Mason, Christopher, 57
Mason of Chilton, 138
Master Butterfly, 145, 572
Master Butterfly 2d., 546, 583
Master of the Gi'ove, 871
Master of the Mint, 622
Master of the Rolls, 686
Masterpiece, 969
Mastin. Thomas H., 689
Matadore, 558. 579
Matchem Cow, 89
Matchless family, 554
Matson importation, 259
Matthews, A. S., 407
Matthews, Claude, 406
Mattie Richardson, 657
Maudes, the 612
Max Walton, 890
Maxwalton Commander, 963, 970
Maxwalton Missie 2d., 939
Maxwalton Pride 2d.. 963
Maxwalton Queen, 970
Maxwalton Roan Lady, 958
Maxwalton sale, 949
May. L. D., 979. 980
Maynard, Anthony, 108
Mazurka. 30 5
McCauley. Mrs. J. E., 1003
McClellan, C. L.. 859
McCombie of Tillyfour, 530
McCune. Mr.. 683
McDermott, J. W., 859, 941
McDermott sale, 947
McHugh, John, 708
McKean, H. P., 992
McMartin, Finlay, 976
McMaster, C. J., 862
McMillan, D., 339
McMillan sale. 379
McMuUen, 755
Meadow Lawn herd, 929
Medora. 152
Meredith, General, 321
Meredith. Mrs. V. C, 1004
Meredith sale, 48 S
Meredith's sale, 453
Meredith, Solomon, 26 4
Megibben-Bedford suit. 501
Meg-ibben, T. J.. 424
Mephistopheles, 705
Merry Hampton, 739, 806
Merry Monarcli, 969
Michigan bleeders, 324
Mid-Continent Live Stock Show,
966
Milking Shorthorns, 936, 961
Milking Shorthorns abroad, 981
Miller ;fc Son, John, 708
Miller, J. H., 990
Miller. Robert, 648, 659, 668,-703.
736
Miller's first shipment, 63 7
IMiller's memorable purchase, 70 4
Miller, T. J., 1000
Miller, T. T., 1000
Miller, William, 351, 627, 676. 695
Mills, Philo L., 738
Milne, Robert, 477, 651
Mimulus, 553, 643
Minister, 336
INIinnesota Shorthorns, 383
Minor, W. O., 863
Miscellaneous Canadian impor-
tations, 648
Miscellaneous importations, 225
Miss Ando, 979
Miss Belladrum 6th., 780
Missie 153d., 856
ISIissies, the., 613
Missouri breeders, 329
Miss Ramsdens, 608
IMiss Ramsden 3d., 631
Mistletoe, 553
Mitchell, E. B., 690
]\Iitchell & Son, 841
Mix, James, 45 4
Murray, George, 3«!0
Moberlev. Col. T. S.. 676, 690, 709,
722, 731. 735
Moffatt Bros., 758
Molly Millicent, 764
Moninger, D. M., 405, 755
Morning Star. 553
Morris and Becar, 228
Morris, Col. L. G., 108, 401
Morris, Nels, 754
Moscow, 165
Moss Rose, 552
Moss Roses, 115
1016
INDEX
Mosstrooper, 609
Motte, Mrs., 168
Mountaineer, 622
Mr. Lakeland's Bull, 26
Mr. Sutton-Nelthorpe, 561
Muir, L. P., 674. 742
Murray, George, 712
Murray, W., 629
Muscatoon, 30 4
Muscatoon heifers, 309
My Choice, 867
.Myers, John G., 334
Mysie, 539
Mysie 26th., 540
Mysie 43d., 668
Mysies, the, 537
National Western Stock Show, 943
Necklace, 94, 116
Nectarine Blossom, 17, 127
Neff's iinportation, 212
Nellie Blys, 3 48
Nelson & Sons, 698
Nelson & Sons, James, 712
Nel.son, William, and Thomas, 482
Nelson, W. R., 845, 954
Newbold importation, 217
New Melleray Abbey herd, 333
>jewton, Thomas, 53
New Year's Gift, 536, 70 5
New- York breeders, 457
New York figures, 776
New York importation, 162
New York importations, 174, 215
New York Mills, 37 4
New York Mills dispersion, 416
New York Mills sale, 427
New York sales, 459
Nicholas, 62
Nichols, 753
Nichols, Hon. Pliny. 668
Nichols, R. F., 262
Nonpareil of Cloverblossom, 840
Nonpareil 2d., 695
Nonpareil 3d., 556
Nonpareil 6th., 628
Nonpareil 16th., 556
Nonpareils, the, 555, 608
Nonpareil Victor. 849, 858
Norfolk, 88
Norrie, Alex., 724
North Country herds, 603
North Elkhorn Kentucky impor-
tation, 478
Northern Kentucky Association,
242
North Star, 53
Norton, C. C, 730, 841
Norton, C. W., 682, 703
Nugget's Pride 8th., 984
Oakleaf, 559
Oak Hill Farm, 909
Oakland Favorite, 40 4
O'Callaghan. Col., 45
Official records in Iowa, 775
Official tests, 978
Ogden & Son, 960
Ogilvie, Robert B., 510. 726
Ohio sales 1902, 859
Ohio Company, 179
Ohio Company's sale, 197, 201
Ohio Importing Company, 88, 185,
227
Ohio Valley herds, 181
Oklahoma auctions, 966
Old Johanna, 45
Old Sam, 388
Old Lancaster, 741
Old Lancaster, 920
Old Shorthorn Country (Map), 14
On the Range, 761
Orange Blossom 18th., 462
Orange Blossoms, 558
Orange Blossom 18th., 558, 650
Orange Blossom 21st., 621
Orange Blossom 30th., 644
Orange Sultan, 90 4
Otis. Chas. A.. 979, 995
Otley, 152
Otley, George, 446
Oxford Duke, 664
Oxford King 2d.. 842
Oxford Maid, 977
"Oxford Premium Cow," 92, 219
Oxford Royal, 91
Oxfords, 89, 109
Pacha, the, 607
Page, John R., 410
Palmer & Bowman, 664, 666, 676
Palmer, L., 643
Palmer, Launcelot, 680
Palmer, Mr., 641
Palmer's sale of Scotch cattle, 667
Panama-Pacific Exposition, 941
Parker, Samuel, 760
Parks, C. C. & R. H., 411
Parsons, H. D., 708. 730
Patricia, 376
Patton stock. 159
Peach Blossom, 135
Pedigreed bulls first, 164
Pedigree Record Building, 743
"Peeples' Bull," 161
Peer's remarkable sale, 987
Perfection, 624
Phenomenal steer, 923
Phillips, Dr. G. H., 628
Phillips, Geo. W., 327
Philo L. Mills, 561
Phoenix, 40
Phoenix tribe, 55
Pickrell & Kissinger. 491
Pickrell, J. H.. 316. 339. 353, 656.
735
Pickrell's great sale, 448
Pickrell, Thomas & Smith sale,
669 .
Pico tee and her progeny, 554
Pilot, 67
Pine Grove herd, 899
INDEX
1017
Plum Blossom, 126
Plantagenet, 580
Platter. C. C, 708
Playful, 606
Pleasant Valley herd, 910
Polled Durhams, 779
Pomp, 563
Popularity unprecedented, 410
Portraiture, 80 7
Potts, J. H.. 676
Potts, J. H., & Son, 486, 679. 686
Potts & Son's champion show
herd, 626
Potts' herd 660
Potts, "Wilhoit and Harris, 730
Potts, Wm. T., 660
Powel, 222
Powell, Col., 176
Prather, J. F., 705, 718, 739, 740
Prentice herd, 221
Prescott, Jr., G. A., 992
Prewitt, John W., 295
Pride of Albion, 938
Pride of Athelstane, 606
Pride of the Isles, 18. 565, 597
Pride of Morning, 562
Primary points in management,
799
Primrose Gift, 988
Prince Alfred, 593
Prince Armour, 690
Prince Charlie, 628
Prince Imperial, 901
Prince of TA^ales, 627
Prince Royal, 689
Prime Scots, 7 47
Princess Alice, 688
Princess blood, 224
Princesses, 456
Princess Marshal, 934
Princess Royal 5th., 540
Princess Royal 6th., 540
Princess Royals, the, 614
Priscilla 7th., imp., 657
Privy Seal, 554
Pro Bono Publico, 557
Proud Duke, 659
Proud Belle, 706
Public sales, 806
Purdy Bros.. 870
Public sales 1903, 868
Public sales 1904. 872
Purdy, G. W.. 708
Pure Gold, 564
Queen Mab, 130
Queen of Athelstane, 606
Queen of the Louans, 837
Queen of Scotland, 558
Queen of the May, 17, 129
Queen of the South, 558
Queen of the Vale, 129
"Queens", the, 128
Rachel 3d., 317
Rally o£ 1880, the, 506
Record. American Shorthorn, 406
Red Rose, 280
Red Rose 1st., 82
Red Rose 2d., 457
Red Rose 8th., 299
Red Rose 11th., 299
Red Rose 13th., 91
Red Kirk, 627
Red Lady, 657
Red Ladys, 614
Red Roses, 403
Red Rose tribe, 55
Red Violet, 552
Renick, 302
Renick. Abram, 274, 284, 671, 698
Renick exportation, 478
Renick, Felix, 188, 264
Renick, Georg-e, 203
Renick, George and Felix, 183
Renick Rose of Sharons, 403
Renick Roses, 673
Renicks. 184
Renick, W. H.. 759
Rennie. Mr.. 553
Rennie of Phantassie, 523
Report, 577
Revival of interest in the West,
236
Reynolds, John P., 393
Rhodes, W. M., 1003
Riby families, 470
Richard Barker's Bull, 40
Richards, Richard, 335
Richardson, Thomas. 261
Richardson, W. H.. 311
Richmond, 650, 758
Ridley Hall, 81
Ringmaster, 932, 933, 939
Roan Gauntlet, 18, 554, 599
Roan Golden Pirate, 687
Roan James, 933
Roan Jim. 923
Roan Lady, 615
Roan or Red Ladvs. 615
Robbins & Sons. 705, 841
Robbins, J. E., 724
Robbins, "^V. S., 724
Robert Napier. 373
Robertson of Ladvkirk. 521
Robin, 773
Robin G'Dav, 534
Robson, T. E.. 969
Roddick, George, 627
Roll of honor, 154
Roman 9th., 563
Rosaline 5th., 984
Rosanne, 91
Roseate, 552
Rosedale, 390. 680
Rosedales, 435
Rose Blossom, 127
Rosenberger, W. C, 846
Rose cf Athelstane, 606
Rose of Dalkeith, 692
Rose O'Grady, 742
Rose of Sharons, 82
1018
INDEX
Rose of Summer, 606
Roses of Sharon, 670
Roses of Sharon, inbreeding, liSS
Rose Princess, 851
Rosewood 86th., 806
Rosewood Reserve, 953
Ross, P. G., 846
Rothrock, F. M., 1003
Royal Avalanche, 863
Royal Barmpton, 643
Royal Cumberland, 90 4
Royal Duke of Gloster, 554, 567,
599
Royal Forth, 557
Royal Hero, 689, 690
Royal Knight, 689
Royal Northern, 18
Royal Northern show, 545
Royal Oak, 559
Royal Pirate, 686
Royal Stamp, 969
Royal Wonder, 867
Royal Victor, 562
Rowena 2d., 777
Rowfant Kirklevington 5th., 664
Ruberta, 629, 742, 841, 842, 864,
870
Rumsey, B. C, 664, 667, 694, 711
Rust, George W., 393, 406
Rust, George W., assaulted, 441,
442
Ryburn, J. B., 336
Ryden, A. J., 718
Sale of the Sittyton herd, 712
Sales by Ayres, Sudduth and
Sales in 1874 and 1875, 443
Sales in 187B, Iowa, Illinois, Ken-
tucky, 450
Sales in 1879, 504
Sales in 1880, 506
Sales in 1909, 924
Sales in 1916, 964
Sales in Kentucky, 455
Sales in spring of 1874, 435
Sales of 1876, 485
Sales of 1881, 508
Sales summary 1877, 499
Sallie Girl, 689
Salter, P. E., 998
Sanborn, J. P., 452
Prewitt, 464
Sanders, J. H., 392
Sanders, Col. Lewis, 165, 302
Sanger, ]\Iessrs., 654
Sanspareils, 658
Saunders, C. A., 730, 881
Saunders & Sons' sale, 948
Sayer, George J., 932
Scarborough, 10 4
Scarlet Velvet, 609
Scioto Valley Company, 237
Scioto Valley sale, 238
Scofleld, Frank, 874
Scotch cattle to the fore, 515
Scotch Goods, 874
Scotch success at the shows, 655
Scotland's Pride, 538, 570, 597
Scotland's Queen, 538
Scotland's searching test, 517
Scotsman, 388
Scott County Kentucky Company,
246
Scottish Archer, 719
Seaboard markets, 182
Second Duke of Athol, 417
Second Thought, 904
Second Cleveland Lad, 533
Second Duke of Hillhurst, 438
Second Duke of Oneida, 420
Second Duke of Oxford, 104
Secretaryship, the, 997
Secrets, the, 103
Seeley, John H., 1003
Selection, 874, 927
Selling tlie surplus, 805
Sempstress, 679
Sensation of 1873, 410
Seraphina, 621
"Seventeens," the, 165
7th Duchess of Gloster, 566
Seventh Duchess of Oneida, 422
Severn Daisy, 694
Seymour, 184
Shaker, 161
Shakers, 184
Shakers' importation, 258
Shareholders Ohio Company, 186
Sharon Marshall, 842
Sheldon herd sales, 376
Sheldon, J. O., 262
Sheldon of Geneva, 366
Shenstone Albino, 926
Shenstone Albino, 927
Sherley, T. H., 707
Sherman, John B., 754
Sherwood, J. M., 224
Shipments to Mexico, 996
"Shorthorn History," Sanders, 813
"Shorthorns in America," 1000
Shorthorns in Missouri, Kansas
and Nebraska, 404
Shorthorns in the South, 1000
Shorthorn trade. Civil War period,
Sidelight, 926
Sign of Riches, 615
Silver Plate, 86''=
Simmes, Colonel, 452
Simmes, W. E., 678
Simpson and Buchan Hero, 536
Simpson, Ferguson, 536
Sinnifisippi herd, 879
Sinnissippi sale, 882
Sir Henry, 61
Sir James the Rose, 606
Sir Thomas Fairfax, 531
Sittyton, 541
Sittvton bulls, 575
Sittyton House, 602
Sittvton sales, summary, 721
Sittyton sorts, 617
INDEX
1019
Smith, C. D., 963. 1000
Smithfleld Club. 750. 751
Sniithfleld market prices, 107
Smith. J. D., 318
Smith, LesUe. 862. 930
Smith. Leslie, impoi'tation. 967
Smith. Leslie, sale. 969
Smith. Samuel, 179
Smith. William, 161
Smith, W. L.. 963. 969, 1000
Snell, John. & Sons. 629
Snell's Sons sale. 488
Snowdon's Bull, 38
Soldier's Bride, 130
Sodowsky. Harvey, 354
Spartan Hero, 687
Spartan, 760
Spears, J. H., 316, 347
Spears sale, 439
Spears' Nellie Blys. 447
Speculation evils of, 513
Spencer. Earl, 57, 141
Spencer, Lorillard, importation,
228
Spicy Robin, 574
Spicys, the. 574
Splend'd. 567
Splendor. 567
Spring sales 1873, 411
Spring sales 1877, 494
Spur of opposition, 514
St. Louis show, 388
St. Valentine, 739, 846
Stallings, C. T., 1004
Stangland sale, 857
Stanton's great sale, 928
Stanton, Thomas, 874
Starlight, 756
Star of the North, 843
State fair tests, 766
Steele, William, 694, 710
Steinmetz, Samuel, 680
Stevens, Ambrose, 224
Stewart. William. 414
Stocking, William, 737
Stone, F. W., 628
Stone, J. C, Jr., 678
Strawberry tribe, 62
Streator. S. R., 477
Stuart, H. C, 692. 709
Stuart, H. G., 332
Studley Bull (626), 25
Success, what constitutes, 782
Sullivant, 184
Sultan Stamp, 969
Sunbeam, 644
Sunrise, 567, 970
Susan Cumberland, 932
Susannah. 608
Sweepstakes, 287, 341
Sweet Violet. 552
Sweet Violet 2d.. 843
Swope, Logan O., 675
Sylvia, 168
Sympathy, 567
Tallmadge, 760
Tankerville, Earl of, 473
Taylor, B. Z. & P. M., 440
Taylor, John B., 458
Tebo Lawn, 844. 883
Tebo Lawn dispersion, 916
Teeswater Cow. 168
Teeswater stock. 30
Tener, H. E.. 976
Tennessee importations, 210
Tenth Duchess of Airdrie, 480
Tenth Duchess of Geneva, 422
Tenth Duchess of Oneida, 426
Thalia, 608
"The American Cow", 48
The Baron, 567, 581
The Brawith Buds, 564
The Cicely sort, 568
The Corker, 732
The Czar, 586
The Earl, 82
The Lancasters, 563
The Lovelvs, 569
The Peer, 533
The Secrets, 567
The Victorias, 562. 563
The Warfields, 300
Thirteenth Duchess of Thorndale,
423
Thomas & Smith, 670
Thomas Bates to Felix Renick, 204
Thomas Fairfax. 558
Thompson, John, 26
Thompson, J. S., 682
Thompson, Mr., 72
Thompson's other importations,
636
Thomson, Joseph, 723
Tliomson's Kentucky sale, 46C
Thornburg, Milton, 323
Thorndale, 232
Thorndale Rose, 665
Thorndale Roses, 360
Thorndale Bates 6th., 664
Thome, Samuel, 233, 359
Thornton, Gabriel, 35
Thornton, John, 288, 410, 466
Tomson, John R.. 998
Tomson, T. K., 998
Tomson sale, 953
Top prices in England, 502
Torr, 473
Torr, William, 153, 469
Trade revival 1900, 834
Trans-Mississippi trade, 461
Trehonnias M. de, 606
Tripes, 28
Trimble, Allen, 184
Tuberose 2d., 457
Twelfth Duke of Airdrie, 453
Tycoon, 389
Tyneside shows, 78
Underlev Bates. 667
Underley Wild Eyes, 682
United States cattle show, 322
1020
INDEX
Universal adaptability, 745
Uppermlll, 612, 701
Uppermill Farm, 971
Vail, George, 219
Vaile and Rumsey importations,
507
Vaile, Col. H. M.. 666, 757
Valiant, 849
Vanmeter & Hamilton, 666
Vanmeter, B. F., 27-1, 669
Van Meter, John I., 184
Vanmeters, the, 290
Vanmeter's Young Marys, 298
Vanse, James, 184
Vellum, 569
Velvet Jacket, 577
Verbena, 152
Verdant, 560
Ventriloquist, 562
Venus tribe, 552
Vermont, 562
Vesta, 537
Victoria 19th., 562
Victoria 41st., 562
Victoria 57th., 562
Victoria 48th.. 562
Village Belle 2d., 864, 867
Village Denmark, 938
Village Rose, 552
Villager. 950
Villager's Coronet, 967
Village Supreme, 959. 960
Viola, 970
Violante, 569
Violet Bud, 644
Violette, 569
Violets, 552
Violet's Fourth, 635
Virginia importations, 157
Viscount, 477
Victoria 69th., 679
Viscount of Anoka, 839, 840
V'scount Oxford 5th., 666
Vivandiere, 122, 130
Von Tromp, 659
Wade, C. B., 1004
Wade, Henry, 743
Wait and other importations, 212
Walcott & Campbell, 369, 377
Walnut Hall Farm, 907
Waid Chicago sale, 846
Ward, George E.. 741
Ward, Major S. E., 664, 712
Ward, R. R., 992
Warfleld's Last, 906
Warfield's Loudon Duchesses, 310
Warflelds, the, 300
Warfield, William, 194, 274, 681,
905
Warlaby, 17, 119
Warlaby House, 114
Warnock sale, 4 65
Washburn, W. W.. 859
Washington, 46, 61
Wastell's Golden Drop, 678
Waterloo Clay, 773
Waterloos, 110, 473
Waterloos, the, 100
Watts, Dr., 237
Watt, J. A., 648
Watts, R. E., 874
Weaver & Garden sale, 939, 946,
955
Weaver, H. O., 859
"Webb, Jonas, 360
Weddle importation, 215
Welcome Lass, 974
Welcome of Meadow Lawn 8th.,
916
Wendell, Dr. H., 261
Wentworth, John, 319, 338, 439
M'estern events, 439
Western interests, 236
AVestern Lady, 317
West Liberty sale, 702
Westrope's dispersion, 843
Westrope, T. R., 732
Wetherell. 144
"What's in a Name," Sanders, 824
Wliiskers, 744
White & Smith, 929
"VVhite Fairfax, 531
Whitehall herd established, 837
\ATiitehall King, 922
Whitehall Marshal, 869
Whitehall's second sale, 866
Whitehall Sultan, 836
Whitehead, Jonathan, 625
White Heifer That Tiavcled, 44
White Knight, the, 617
AVhite Rose, 30 4
White, S.. 66 4
AVhite Strawbei-rv, 62
AVhite Queen. 974
AVhittaker, Jonas, 57, 143
AVhittaker's Norfolk, 87, 89, 152
Whittaker's selections, 192
Whittaker's shipments to Amer-
ica, 221
Whitsitt, Benjamin, 740
AVildairs, 55
AVild Eves, 109
Wild Eves tribe, 101
Wild Eves Winsome 4th., 664
AVild Queen 2d., 74 4
Wilev of Brandsby, 148
"U^ilev, Samuel, 148
Wilhoit herd, the, 661
AVilhoit's Athelstane 3d.. 706
Wilhoit, Thomas, 264, 323, 662
AVilkinson of Lenton, 563
Willard, Chas. P., 39 4
"Wm. Barker's Bull, 26
William of Orange, 558, 621
AVilliams & Hamilton, 666, 675
Williams. Gen. John S.. 67 4
Willis, J. Deane, 607, 714, 839
Wilson & Seawright importation,
259
Wilson, T. S., 330
INDEX
1021
"Wilson, Thomas. 995
Windsor, 126
W'indsor Augustus, 591
Wing-, L. B., 743
Winslow Bros., 457. 487, 667
Wisconsin experiment, the. 773
Wisconsin herds, 334
"Wisconsin importation. 263
Wood. Amos F.. 328
^Voodhurn. 227
■\Voodburn dispersion, 733
Woodburn Farm. 251, 313
Woodburn Farm shipments. 256
Woodburn sale of 1882. 665
Woodhill herd, 875
Wood, R. G., 97 6
Wornall, T. J., 708, 741
Wright, William, 711
Tarm, 15
Yorkshire Show, 90
Yorkshire Society, 104
Young Abbotsburn, 662, 722
Young Abbotsburn 2d., 843
Young Albion, 61
Young Broadhooks, 536
Young Englishman. 620
Young Mary, 295
Young Mary steer. 299
Y'oung Mary steer Schooler. 771
Young ^Marv tribe, 670
Young Pacha. 613
Young Phvllis, 152, 292
Young Marshall, 688
Young Strawberry, 40
Young "Wliittington, 317
1
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