Seales CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu3 1924031496841 He th. i ie Fl A Hist 5 Sa BIE FIRST IN WAR, FIRST IN PEACE AND FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF OUR COUNTRYMEN. A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Including hitherto unpublished data concerning the origin and development of the modern type of heavy draft, drawn from authentic documents, records and manuscripts in the national archives of the French Government, together with a detailed account of the introduction and dissemination of the breed throughout the United States, to which is appended a symposium reflecting the views of leading contemporary importers and breeders touching the selection, feeding and general management of stallions, brood mares and foals. Compiled under the personal direction of ALVIN HOWARD SANDERS, D. AGR., LL.D. Editor ‘‘The Breeder’s Gazette,” author of ‘‘Shorthorn Cattle,” “At the Sign of the Stock Yard Inn” and “The Story of the Herefords.” In collaboration with WAYNE DINSMORE, M. 8. A. Secretary of the Percheron Society of America. CHICAGO BREEDER’S GAZETTE PRINT 1917 COPYRIGHT, 1917. SANDERS PUBLISHING CO. All rights reserved. AVG5 5 32 PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNGEMENT. This volume has been compiled in response to a wide- spread demand for information touching the origin, evolution, development and distribution of the modern heavy draft type of Percheron horses. It was under- taken originally by Mr. Sanders as individual research work along lines similar to his well-known histories of the Shorthorn and Hereford breeds of cattle, but press of work incidental to the conduct of ‘‘The Breeder’s Gazette’? made it necessary that assistance be secured in tracing the long story beginning with the early days in the Perche, and ending with the Chicago International Live Stock Exposition of 1916. A determined effort has been made to throw new light upon the foundation history of the type in the Perche itself. Mr. John Ashton, Continental European corres- pondent of ‘‘The Breeder’s Gazette,’’ was commis- sioned by Mr. Sanders to search French agricultural literature from the earliest periods for references to the Percheron horse, and if possible secure permission from the French authorities to examine all books, records and documents contained in the Government archives at Paris, including the official entries detailing the registra- tion and inspection of stallions bought for the Govern- ment stud at le Pin, together with lists of stallions offici- ally approved and subsidized by the Government prior to the Stud Book period for service in the region in which the modern Percheron was evolved. Fortunately this extensive and painstaking inquiry met 3 4 PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENT with the hearty cooperation of French librarians and the Ministry of Agriculture, every facility being extended, even to the point of permission to photograph original entries of great historical importance. The condensed results of months of patient investigation along this line are presented in this volume; and it is confidently be- lieved that this portion of the work constitutes one of the most valuable contributions made in many years to the history of any of the existing improved breeds of live stock. It is demonstrated that the Percheron horse has existed as a distinct type from very ancient times, and that much that has been accepted—on insufficient evi- dence—in the past relating to the development of the breed since the beginning of the nineteenth century must now be discarded as mere tradition. The facts, brought to light here for the first time, seem to contradict flatly the part so long alleged to have been played by Arabian blood in the production of the latter- day Percheron; and while this diligent study of old records—apparently never heretofore examined by those assuming to write early Percheron history—may be re- garded as destructive to that extent in its operation, the student will not fail to note that in place of what now goes by the board as unsubstantiated there is supplied a complete, constructive, tangible, authentic official set of facts that place underneath the foundations of the Perche- ron Stud Book of France the solid rock of verified Gov- ernment records, indisputable and convincing. If any doubt has heretofore existed as to when, where and by whom the increase in weight of the Percheron horse was undertaken, such questions need no longer be raised. This portion of the story should be of absorbing interest to all students of the development of Percheron types, and represents a sincere and exhaustive effort to get at the PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENT 5 truth regardless of what the facts might show. Breeders and owners of Percheron horses not only in America, but in France as well, will no doubt welcome the results of this study. Mr. Sanders’ own personal recollections of the Ameri- can Percheron trade go back to his boyhood days on an Iowa farm, his father, the late James H. Sanders, having been one of the earliest introducers of the blood in the trans-Mississippi country, and subsequently compiling the initial volumes of the Percheron Stud Book of America. In the work of gathering material for the early American period the aid of the late James H. 8. Johnstone, author of ‘‘The Horse Book’’, was asked and obtained, many interesting facts relating to the pioneer breeders, importers and equine celebrities of the old days being developed as a result of extended traveling in various parts of the United States. As the present day was approached the services of Mr. Wayne Dinsmore, Secretary of the Percheron Society of America, were invoked, and with the permission of the directors of that organization he utilized the records and the facilities of his office to collect, analyze and arrange a great mass of important and interesting data detailing the wide expansion of Percheron breeding in America during the past forty years. It will of course be understood that this work is com- piled primarily for the benefit of American readers. Con- sequently the details of French production since the establishment of the Percheron Stud Book of France in 1883 have not been extensively discussed. The authors are aware that their work is by no means perfect. Errors of omission and commission are bound to creep into any volume of this sort, involving as it does explorations in new fields, and the handling of an almost 6 PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENT bewildering array of names and figures. It has been the intent and purpose throughout, however, to present the facts exactly as found; and if the work shall be regarded as adding somewhat to the general store of knowledge concerning the most popular draft horse type in North America, the compilers and publishers will be pleased and gratified. FOUR CYCLES OF PERCHERON HISTORY. The following pen picture covering four distinct periods in the evolution of the breed of which we write, present- ing first the famous French “chargers” of the middle ages, their successors on the heavy coaches of the ante-rail- way days, the demands of the plow for a weightier type as the arts of peace advanccd, and now the “ton horse” of modern commerce is taken from the sketch of the late Mark W. Dunham, written by Mr. Sanders and pub- lished last year in his book “At the Sign of the Stock Yard Inn.” It is republished here by request. “Under a gray old castle’s frowning walls a drawbridge falls across the moat. The trumpets sound. A glittering cavalcade emerges. Pennons gay and guidons flutter in the breeze. Steel and silver—corselet, hilt and morion— glisten in the morning sun, and noble chargers, mostly white and gray, prance proudly, bearing out into the medieval world brave belted knights and their retainers faring forth to meet what ere betides. “Generations pass: in the far distance the rhyth- mic beating of heavy hurrying hoofs! It is a highway builded by the kings of France. To the sound of the horn and the sharp note of the lash, the great diligence pearing the royal mails and laden deep with passengers and their gear comes into view. A rush, a roar of wheels and the great freighted coach is gone. “Agriculture calls: down the long furrows see the shining plowshares deeply driven. The mellow earth awakens, and lo, the stored up riches of a fertile field await the seed. Long is the journey and repeated oft. From ‘early morn to dewy eve’ the living shuttles travel, back and forth; but weight that wearies not is har- nessed. “And yet again, last scene of all: a busy modern city street. Huge vans and trucks are rumbling ever on the granite blocks. Big grays and blacks march proudly to the music of a nation’s commerce. Power, patience, dignity personified. Glory be to men who can produce such prodigies!” TABLE OF GONTENTS. Courses—Climatic Conditions—Ancient History—Rotrou and the Counts of The Perche—Modern Records Begin— Live Stock Husbandry Important—Under the “Grand Monarque’—The Eighteenth Century—Long Famous for Its Horses—A People Devoted to Their Own—The Perche of Today.............0005 Aentcccenoantaen's Tiere Paasle stanley Sea CHAPTER II—PERCHERON PROTOTYPES. Some of the Fairy Tales—The Saracenic Rout—Mounts of the Crusaders—War Horses of the Middle Ages—The Probable Foundation—Normandy Invades The Perche— Whence the Percheron?—The Arabian Tradition—An Historic Discussion—"The Legendary Kadischi’—Mod- ern Arab Crossing Not Mentioned—Is the Percheron a PriMitives Ty peta concas eC es ee ee OEE ERX Cee eo a CHAPTER I—THE ANCIENT PROVINCE OF THE PERCHE. Topography of the District—Geological Formation—Water 17-33 34-54 CHAPTER III—THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION, Delestang and His History—Lamagdelaine’s Prizes—A Draft Type at Montdoubleau—Unverified Tradition Ex- ploded€—Godolphin an English Saddler—Gallipoly a Small Turkish Saddle Horse—Error Easily Perpetuated —Jean-le-Blanc—The Evidence Summarized—The Breed “Modifies Itself"—M,. Fardouet Was Right—The Gov- ernment Stud—First Draft Stallions at the Haras du Pin—Official Notes—Directors and Inspectors Disagree CHAPTER IV—EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN. Prizes Stimulate Effort—The National Archives in Evi- dence—First Approved Stallions Near Nosgent—Grand Pierre, Bijou and Le Coq—Liberally Patronized—Big Horses in Service—Le Coq Goes to Belgium—More Big Gray Horses—Uthers in Nogent District—In the De- partment of Orne—Service for 12 Frances—aAt Mort- agne in the Early ‘30's—In La Sarthe—Loir-et-Cher— A Broad Constructive Policy Continued—Outcrossing Exaggerated—aAs to Color—Passing of the Diligence Type—Some Conclusions.............-- CVSi exes Otters N CHAPTER V—FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA. Authentic Records Begin—Alexander's Norman—First Im- portation to the States—Ohio Importations of 1851— Normandy, or Pleasant Valley Bill—A Great Career— The Holman Horse—Louis Napoleon—Taken to Illinois —aAcquired by the Dillons—Maryland Importation of 1853—Rollin Imported in 1856—Darby Plains Importa- tion of 1857—Kentucky Importation of 1859—Massachu- setts Importation of 1864—Gray Duke—Eastern Imports of 1866—First Direct Importation into Illinois—Ohio Ac- tive in 1ISS7T......... ackierievote ce mcene AGAMA OES LEE HSS ERESEEE ba-s1 2-106 T-137 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER VI—THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870. A Profitable Business—Activity in Ohio—The Walters Percherons—Old Success Imported—M. W. Dunham En- ters the Business—Napoleon Bonaparte—A Lull in 1869 —Across the Continent—Good Buying for Illinois—Duke de Chartres Brings $4,000—First of the Blood in Wis- consin—Dillons’ Big St. Laurent—Recapitulation...... 138-158 CHAPTER VII—MID-WEST PIONEERS. Leaders of the Period—Oaklawn in Front—Home Breeding Emphasized— Some Celebrities Described — Drawing from the Fountain Head—The Dillons—Ohio Breeders of the ’70’s—The East and the Far West—On the Pacific Coast—Dr. W. H. Winter—Daniel Dunham—Eli Hodg- son—Stubblefield Importations—Percheron Breeding in Other States—James H. Sanders—A Campaign of Edu- cation—Foundation of the Stud Book—The Peoria Con- Vention, Of 1878 wiomescuy sss seein eeeesee Des does eas OIH1L8T CHAPTER VIII—THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED. Practical Promotive Work—More Pre-Stud Book Records— M. Cheradame—Toulouse, “The Magnificent’’—Chocolat —The Ducoeurjolys—Pelletier—Moisand—Jouset and Mitau—Old Records Brought to Light—Fardouet and Caget—Michel Fardouet—Celestian Caget—The Chou- anards and La Touche—The Perriots—The Tacheaus— Charles Paul Aveline—Credit Due These Pioneers— Founding of the Stud Book—Meager Data at First Available—The Case of Jean-le-Blanc...............45 188-232 CHAPTER IX—THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’S. Distribution by States—Oaklawn Breeding Operations—The Brilliant Blood—The Story of Old Brilliant—Brilliant 1271—Prepotency of Brilliant Blood—Developments at Oaklawn—Results Despite Difficulties—Great Mares of Oaklawn Stud—Oaklawn Influence—Oaklawn Sales of 780’s—Mr. Dunham’s Influence—Ellwood Green—Sires Used by Mr. Ellwood—Cheri and Seducteur—Mares in Stud—Influence on Other Studs—Noted Sires Sold— Summary of Ellwood Operations—Daniel Dunham's Work—tThe Dillons—Sires Used—Dillons in the Show- ring—Mark W. Coad....... Whshisedb ane teer Os ll Grane Sceneaace Or 233-270 CHAPTER X—OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD. Log Cabin Farm—Edgewood Farm—John W. Akin—Minne- sota Breeders—Leonard Johnson—Founding Maple Point Stud—Leading Sires Used—The Johnson Mares— Showyard Record—Minnesota Percheron Horse Company —George E. Case—Wisconsin’s Leaders—Wauwatosa Farm—Kellogg Stock Farm—The Kellogg Stallions— Noted Mares—Influences on Other Studs—Reserve Forces in Illinois—Stetson & Sons—Mares Owned and Colts Raised—The Stetson Sires—Valuable Brood Mares —Degen Bros.—George S. Hanna—E. Hodgson & Son— Ohio Breeders—Jones Bros.—Samuel Kendeigh—M. V. Bates—E. J. Condit—Iowa’s Percheron Breeders—Iowa Breeders of the ’80’s—Maplehurst Stock Farm—J. H. TABLE OF CONTENTS ll Barnett—Other Breeders—Further Consideration of Illinois—Pre-eminence of McLean Co., Ill—In Taze- well—In LaSalle—Other Minnesota Breeders—Other Breeders in Wisconsin—Other Michigan Breeders— Other Breeders in New York—Percheron Breeding in Pennsylvania—Progress in Indiana—In the Sunflower State—In Missouri—Other States......... sii de Vaan 44 CHAPTER XI—AN ERA OF PROFOUND DEPRESSION. What the Figures Show—Oaklawn Farm—Brilliant—Other Oaklawn Sires—Oaklawn Mares and Colts—Oaklawn Sales and Leases—The Great Leader—Other Illinois Breeders—New Blood—Progress in Iowa—Lakewood Farm—Developments in Ohio—Pleasant Valley Farm— Other Ohio Breeders—In Minnesota—Belleview Farm— Willard & Fuller—In Wisconsin—In Kansas.......... 338-384 CHAPTER NII—THE NEW CENTURY DAWNS AUSPICIOUSLY. The Actual Increase—Pedigree Publication Suspended—New Association Formed—Old Records Acquired—Influence of Dealers and Importers—The Development by States —In Illinois—Important Illinois Dispersions—New Studs Founded in Illinois—Progress in Iowa—Ohio's Contributions—Progress in Kansas—Progress in Minne- sota—The Hoosier Horsemen—Wisconsin’s Workers— Work in Nebraska—North Dakota’s Great Range Project—Progress in South Dakota—In Other States —Michigan—Missouri—Pennsylvania—Virginia—O. E. Jordan—Selma Farm—California—Colorado—Montana— Washington—New York—Growth of the Percheron So- ciety of America—A Canadian Association—Percheron Breeding in Camada......ccccsseeseeesnsenee Sanaeeceveseiens 385-475 CHAPTER XIII—DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. Percherons in the South—Horse Stock of the United States —Percherons the Leading Draft Type—War Exports— French Embargo on Exports—American Breeding Stimulated—Commercial Market for Draft Horses— Geldings at the Show. ... ccc eee e ee eee cee eee cece eee nes 476-508 CHAPTER XIV—SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT. Edmond Perriot—James M. Fletcher—W. E. Prichard—E. B. White—J. LL. DeLancey—J. O. Singmaster—W. S. Dun- ham—J. B. McLaughlin—W,. 8S. Corsa—aA. L. Robison & Son—Lee Brothers—Dan 2 £5) 2 Va ron vl on v 1h g LE Se ERC ROSA é 7 Loh Pine| gop, roe Ly Age 7p IT tre ey Oe HL gC) 4 Se SEL CNT | Go g (Cie hoa ED APE PAIL z zs co negra pie GEE: egg) a a) ee 4 | 4°| 19% Pegs Cc wry 1 bg 7 7; why yp ord ee ono ah Ce LG pe LAG / g . g A a> 7 ~4-f og | WAL GLA Dw Ge eee el fis spray yc TTT LET 62 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE undertaking to reduce to specific terms a proposition of such interest to students of Percheron history, we have had the government archives at Paris searched in quest of details as to this supposedly epoch- making event. The results of this research are amazingly at variance with the above statements. Permission was kindly given by the authorities not only to examine all the records, but to make photographs of the original entries in substantiation of the facts now to be set forth. And lest any ques- tion of mistaken identity be raised, let us say at the outset that the two stallions bearing these names, concerning which we shall now give full particulars, are the only horses possessing those names men- tioned in the list of stallions at Le Pin in all its his- tory. Godolphin an English Saddler—We first meet Godolphin at the stallion inspection of 1810. The record may be thus translated: “No. 20, Godolphin; born 1802; height 1 meter, 54 em. (about 15.1 hands); from the stable of Count de Maulke, Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Observations: good horse, but marked at the croup M.; inferior to the preceding horse in the list (also a Mecklenburg- Strelitz horse). Sire: Mock Doctor, English blood horse; Dam: Unknown English mare. When entered: 12 July, 1807. Description: Saddle horse.’’ It appears that he was secured for the stud by M. D’Avangour, who also brought in several other Mecklenburg horses in the same year, 1807. All these were classed as ‘‘saddle horses.’? At the inspection of 1812 we find the following observations relating THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 63 to Godolphin: ‘‘Figure commune; jarrets droits et mauvais; vaillaine croup; il trot mal. (Conformation ordinary; hocks bad and straight; ugly croup; he trots badly.) The inspection of 1813 revealed that he was ‘‘common horse and without quality.’’ Inspection of 1815 was followed by this report: ‘Godolphin, Mecklenburg saddle horse; nothing dis- tinguished about him; low croup; strong limbs; action passable.’’ At the inspection of 1819 we find this of Godol- phin: ‘‘This horse has ceased to serve at the Haras du Pin; his croup is common; middlepiece well-made; head good; action altogether bad. To be deplaced. I propose to send him to Abbéville.’’ This horse does not appear again in the inspections of succeed- ing years. His color is given as ‘‘alezan doré’’ (golden chestnut)! It appears, therefore, that it was not until after 1818 that Godolphin ceased to serve at Le Pin. He was then sixteen years old, and was about to be ‘‘deplaced’’ as no longer suitable, and it was proposed that he be sent to Abbéville in the department of La Somme.* *Lest a query be raised in this connection as to possible con- fusion with the celebrated stallion Godolphin Arabian, of English fame, the following particulars are submitted. Attention is called to the dates. These, of course, show that the Godolphin Arabian died long years before the Godolphin of our story came upon the scene. Godolphin Arabian, like the Byerly Turk and the Darley Arabian, was one of the main sources of improvement which led to the establishment of the Thoroughbred as a breed. His earlier career is shrouded in more or less mystery, but it is fairly well established that he was a Barb of rather common origin and appearance, and not a true Arabian. Though there is no authentic account of his foaling, he is supposed to have seen the light in Barbary in 1724, his age having been clearly stated as seven in 1731. It is not known who originally took him from his native 64 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Gallipoly a Small Turkish Saddle Horse.—This stallion first comes to light in government records at the inspection of 1813. We quote, and again give a photographic reproduction, from the original docu- ments: ‘‘Gallipoly, Turk; light speckled gray; height, 1 meter, 50 cm: classification, saddle horse: sire, a Turk; dam, a Turk; born 1803; entered haras Nov. 23, 1812. By whom bought: sent by the Minister. Observations: good blood horse.’’ ; Here we have a speckled-gray saddle stallion bare- ly 15 hands high, and ten years old at date of entry! He was not an Arab and scarcely a type, one would say, to build up the Percherons ‘‘around 1820,”’ among which, as we shall shortly show from these same authenticated records, there were many big approved gray stallions in actual service and found- ing the modern draft type from within the limits of the native breed itself. To resume Gallipoly’s record: At the inspection of 1815 he is referred to in complimentary terms as’ an ‘‘excellent stallion, well conserved; produces well, good action.’’? It must be remembered that these inspectors had ever in mind the requirements of the country, but it is said that a Mr. Coke, an Englishman, being in Paris, was attracted by the appearance of the stallion in the street and bought him despite the fact that the menial labor of hauling a cart was then being exacted of him. At first he was not much thought of in England, where Mr. Coke gave him to a Mr. Williams, who in turn presented him to the Earl of Godolphin. Godolphin Arabian was a brown-bay in color, of about 15 hands, with an unusual development of crest and some white on his off hind heel. He seems to have had but the three owners in Eng- land, passing each time as a gift. From the Earl Godolphin he took his erroneous title, and in his possession he died at Gog- magog in Cambridgeshire in 1753, being then, as gauged by his seven-year-old mouth in 1731, in his 29th year. THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 65 army and not of the farm. After four years more. of service we find him still at Le Pin under the in-- spection in 1819. Of the little old horse it. was then said: ‘‘Well bred and plenty of blood, very pretty, head, short coupling; the buttocks are short, and the tail not well attached; he trots lightly and with. vigor; he is too small and unsuitable for le Pin. To be deplaced. I propose to send him to Brittany.”’ The game old saddler is still there, however, the: following year, but is going to be sent away, and that is the last we hear of him. Too small to get cavalry remounts, and yet regenerator and proto- type of the modern Percheron! Is it possible? Is. it probable? And yet how could Du Hays make a mistake in a matter to which he attaches so much importance? Did he or any of his successors take the trouble, as we have, to delve among those old dusty documents? Perhaps not. There were many other Mecklenburg-Strelitz sad- dle horses and horses of English breeding, as well as Normandy saddle horses, at Le Pin at this time.’ What was their mission? Undoubtedly to serve the Normandy and demi-sang mares in the Merlerault country, which was full of light mares at that time producing cavalry colts. Error Easily Perpetuated.—It is not so remarkable that we find so many articles and treatises on the Percheron breed wherein the Arabian blood is cred- ited with having wrought important changes as late as 1820, by writers who apparently either from lack of time or means or other reasons have not under- 66 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON, HORSE taken to verify the statement, since we find in the preface of the first volume of the Percheron Stud Book of France the following reference. It will be observed, however, that the Percheron society was by no means in accord with Charles Du Hays on other vital particulars. We quote from the stud book: ‘‘Tt is known that the finest specimens of the Per- cheron breed existing today can be directly attrib- uted to the regenerating influences of the Arab, the primitive horse, the first origin of the Percheron breed. The authorized historian and the faithful friend of the Percheron breed, Charles Du Hays, supported, many years ago, this doctrine. This author has shown his great knowledge of horse- breeding in establishing that Jean-le-Blanc, the horse which excited so much his admiration, was a direct descendant of the Arabian stallion Gallipoly, which was owned by the Haras du Pin. This horse has been the most powerful element in perfecting the Percheron breed since this epoch. Nearly all the most highly estimated stallions may be considered as the direct descendants of this horse. ‘‘The Perche owes much to M. Du Hays for his precious teachings, and we feel that we cannot do better for our own cause and at the same time render the latter merited homage than to cite, in this first volume of the stud book, his ideas on the Percheron breed and its development. ‘‘However, we would like to state that Charles Du Hays has committed a grave error in one of the passages of his book, page 45, in saying that the Perche threw its barriers wide open to all the big mares that came along in order to make the breed more weighty. On page 47, he also states that Brit- NOGENT-LE-ROTROU—RUE DE LA CHARRONNERIE. NOGENT-LE-ROTROU—RUE SAINT HILAIRE. THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 67 tany draft, Picardy, Cauchois and Boulonnais stocks have been employed. We regret that we are obliged to refute these involuntary errors on the part of the honorable writer, who has been deceived by false in- dications. The Percheron breed has not been en- larged in size except by its own blood, just as we shall be able to prove by a notice on the Percheron breed which we shall publish later.’’ We shall shortly provide the proof that it is not necessary to look to either Godolphin or Gallipoly, nor indeed to any other out-crossing, to account for the pre-stud-book Percheron and his color. He was big and he was gray at the very time these saddle horses were in service. In the meantime it need only be said that those who incorporated this ‘‘tra- dition’’ into the initial volume of the stud book are not to be faulted for so doing. The story was given currency by a writer who knew and loved the Per- cheron, and who would not knowingly mislead any- body in respect to their derivation. There was none to deny or disprove it. Du Hajs was unquestionably sincere in his belief in the tales someone had told him as to these horses. The Société Hippique Per- cheronne had no special reason for doubting the truth of the statements made. At the time of the publication of the first stud book, its sponsors were simply seeking to place on record the names of latter- day breeding horses. They very naturally did not undertake any detailed investigations touching a matter so remote and of purely academic interest. In other words, they were not writing history; they were making it. 68 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Jean-le-Blanc.—In the first volume of the French Stud Book is the following entry: ‘‘ Jean-le-Blanc, white, No. 739; born in Orne about 1823 or 1824; owned by M. Miard, Sr., Villiers-en Ouche (Orne). It is to this remarkable stallion, more than any other, that we owe a great improve- ment of the breed. He was recognized as a true Percheron, and, nevertheless, was a descendant of the famous Arab stallion Gallipoly, of the Haras du Pin, that stood at the chateau of Coésme, near Belléme. (For further information on this remark- able horse see the book, ‘Cheval Percheron,’ Charles Du Hays.) ‘‘Jean-le-Blane died at the advanced age of 32 years, exempt from all blemish. In going through this book one will find a great number of horses raised in The Perche during the last 50 years that had Jean-le-Blane as ancestor. This fact demon- strates that the superiority to which the Percheron breed has attained, surpassing all other draft breeds in excellence, is due in a great part to the regenerat- ing influence of the Arab, fortified by consanguineous and judicious mating.’’ At the very time this entry was being made there were data lying buried under piles of other matter at the Ministry of Commerce—the central Bureau of the Haras was formerly under the administration of that ministry previous to admitting the Minister of Agriculture to cabinet rank—that would have overturned these unsubstantiated but accepted pre- sumptions. At least, there seems no other construc- tion to be placed upon the facts we have adduced. Let us recapitulate: The Evidence Summarized.—We have shown by TEE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION co an examination of the original documents of the in- spections of the Haras du Pin, and by photographing them, that neither Gallipoly nor Godolphin was an Arab, Gallipoly being a small Turkish saddle horse, and Godolphin a Mecklenburg-Strelitz saddle horse of English breeding. Further, that far from Godol- phin being a ‘‘gray,’’ he was a ‘‘golden chestnut.’’ We are told that these two horses went to Coésme, near Belléme, in 1818 and following years. Neither documents nor deductions are attested in proof. The facts are, that in 1818 both of these stallions were still in service at the haras. Godolphin was then 16 years old and Gallipoly was 15 years old. In 1819 at the annual inspection we read that Godolphin ‘“‘has ceased to serve at Le Pin,’’ and that he is going to be ‘‘deplaced’’ as no longer suitable, it being proposed to send him to Abbéville (Depart- ment of La Somme). In the same year, 1819, Gallipoly is going to be ‘‘deplaced’’ as no longer suitable. It is proposed to send him to Brittany. But in the following year we find the name of Gallipoly still on the list of stallions doing service at Le Pin, although the name of Godolphin is absent. After 1820 we never hear of Gallipoly again; he is then 17 years old, and has probably been sent to Brittany. So far as the statement that these two stallions were the means of giving the gray color to the Per- cheron breed is concerned, all one has to do to demon- strate such a fallacy is to read the accounts of the approved heavy draft stallions serving simultan- 70 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE eously all over The Perche, beginning about the year 1820, full particulars as to which will presently be given. Practically all these stallions were dapple- gray in color, and they are all classed as ‘‘Perche- ron.’’ If either of the two stallions mentioned had been used on Percheron mares the colts would cer- tainly have been smaller in size than their dams, whereas the general tendency at this epoch all over The Perche, following the general prosperity and busy times after the Revolution, was to improve the weight and stature of draft horses to meet the great demand for heavy horses for agricultural and indus- trial and commercial purposes. Then, again, if Gallipoly was sent away as being ‘‘too small’’ as a saddle stallion, is it possible that such a horse would be found large enough and strong enough at 17 years old to sire heavy draft colts? If we could find any evidence that would assist us in deducing that either of these two stallions was used to ameliorate the Percheron breed, or even used on real Percheron mares at all, we should be glad to support such a hypothesis, especially when we consider the fact that such statements have been accepted and given official countenance for so long a period. As it is, we can only say that if these two horses had not been given prominence by Du Hays as ‘‘Arabs’’—to follow up the latter’s accept- ance of the Abbé Fret’s traditions respecting the Arabian stallions of the Crusades—they would prob- ably never have been mentioned in connection with the Percheron breed. THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION val The Breed ‘‘Modifies Itself.’’—In a memoir writ- ten in 1883, M. Michel Fardouet, one of the dis- tinguished breeders of his time, and the first President of the Percheron Society of France, pre- sented an absolutely correct statement concerning the development of the heavy-weight Percheron of modern days. Although without facts, names and particulars to sustain his assertions, and admittedly resting some of them upon remarks he had heard his father make many years previously, M. Fardouet could not have done better had he possessed— though apparently he did not—a copy of the old government records which we are now to reproduce. This is what he said: ‘‘T have heard my father, who was a breeder, say that the haras deteriorated the Percheron breed with its demi-sang stallions, instead of improving as it pretended to do. The breeders have renounced the colts said to be improved, to raise only colts the product of big horses, well proportioned and of pure origin. “Tt may be boldly said that if the heart of The Perche—that is to say the environs of Nogent-le- Rotrou within a radius of 18 to 20 miles—has con- served the purest type of its race of heavy Percheron, it is thanks to the breeders and stallioners of the region, such as Messrs. Perriot, father and grand- father, Ducoeurjoly, Sr., the Vineaults, ete., ete. [Of course M. Fardouet was too modest to mention his own name, but really he would come very near the head of the list—Ed.] “Tt was about 1820 to 1840 that the Percheron breed, the breed of horses that trotted quickly, com- menced to modify itself. It has definitely refused to Te A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE cross with the demi-sang, believing it to be harmful; it has also, despite the assertions of Charles Du Hays, equally rejected the Brittany draft, Picardy, Cauchois and Boulonnais horses which have too often and fraudulently been introduced into The Perche, but which have never been invited to enter.’’ M. Fardouet Was Right.—The reference to the at- titude of the government in connection with the conduct of the Haras du Pin is easily interpreted. That establishment was being maintained mainly with a view towards encouraging the production of horses suited to the requirements of the military service. The stud is situated near the boundary line between the old provinces of Normandy and The Perehe. As will be shown further on, the stallions first bought by the government for this purpose were mainly of various demi-sang (half-blood) English types usually carrying infusions of the Thorough- bred blood, and classified as saddle or coach stal- lions. These were liberally patronized by the Nor- mandy farmers and by some of the mare owners of The Perche, with the effect stated by M. Fardouet. Later on, as we. shall show, the government, apparently yielding to pressure from The Perche for weightier horses for agricultural purposes, added a few draft stallions; but had the farmers of that dis- trict been dependent entirely upon the Haras du Pin for sires of horses big enough to meet their needs, this story probably would never have been written. However, while this statement holds good as to the types of stallions bought and kept in service by the | Alphonse Fardouet THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 73 government, it must be said to the everlasting credit of the authorities at Paris, that while they were pri- marily and properly looking first after the interests of the army at Le Pin, they at the same time actively and efficiently promoted in a practical way, as we shall presently prove, the aspirations of the people of The Perche in their ambitions to increase the size of the Percheron horse. The credit for this work of converting the old-time trotting Percheron into a heavy horse is due, as M. Fardouet truly says, to the breeders of the district themselves. Not only is that statement correct, but the date at which this important work was inaug- urated is also given in accordance with the actual fact. And most important of all, M. Fardouet sound- ed the entire depth and breadth of the whole propo- sition touching the composition of the modern Per- cheron when he said that ‘‘about 1820 to 1840’’ the breed ‘‘commenced to modify itself.’’ These asser- tions, unsupported as they were at the time by the presentation of facts and figures, and unverified even in the initial volume of the Percheron Stud Book of France, are now to be rested upon the rock of the archives of the French government. We shall first take up the record at the Haras du Pin, and then present the long roll of honor of gov- ernment-approved and subsidized Percheron stal- lions, through the services of which the breed so effectually modified itself during the eventful years referred to in M. Fardouet’s singularly accurate narration. 74 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE The Government Stud.—It was not until the nine- teenth century was well on its course that the French government stud known as the Haras du Pin began to interest itself in draft stallions. An examination of the documents shows that in the purchases made for the national haras from 1765 to 1789 Norman and English blood greatly predominated. There were many Poitevins, a few Vimeux and Limousins, some Spanish, and but one or two Arabian stallions bought during this period. In fact, the documents of the Haras du Pin show that very few stallions of the Arabian breed have ever been kept there. At one time there was a fair number of Barbs,* but one rarely finds the word ‘‘Arab.’’ The breed of every stallion used is given, almost without exception. Be- fore the dates mentioned, Danish, Cotentin and Italian stallions had been greatly in vogue. All these were used almost exclusively on the mares in the Merlerault district adjacent to Normandy. The government was chiefly concerned in encouraging the production of cavalry horses. First Draft Stallions at the Haras du Pin.—We shall now give the record of the breed at the Haras du Pin from the time the first draft stallions were introduced. *The type of horse known as the Barb derives its name from the ancient Barbary states of North Africa adjacent to the Mediterranean coast, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, etc. While the type has undergone more or less change, quite a number of the French colonial cavalry troops engaged in the great European war are mounted on horses of Barb type. As breeding horses the stallions are reputed to sire larger colts when crossed with other breeds than when mated with mares of their own blood. THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 15 In the list of stallions kept by the French govern- ment at this establishment one may search in vain for draft stallions during the eighteenth century. It was not until about 1808, according to the haras documents, that the authorities commenced to pur- chase heavy draft stallions, and then only on a very restricted scale. For instance, we find in the list for 1809 mention made of Le Pierrot, standing about 15.3 hands, ‘‘dapple-gray’’ (gris pommelé), and classed simply as a ‘‘draft stallion.’’ It seems to have been general during the initial years of the introduction of draft stallions at this stud to class these horses merely as ‘‘draft’’ (de trait), without mentioning the breed. There can be little doubt, however, that these early dapple-gray horses were Percherons. Sit- uated in the borders of the Percheron country, it is but reasonable to take this view, and this deduction is corroborated by the fact that on the rare occasions on which a Cauchois or Boulonnais stallion was em- ployed he was invariably designated as such in the records. From 1809 up to the year in which we find the word ‘‘Percheron’’ mentioned for the first time in the list, those designated simply as ‘‘draft stal- lions’’ appear with increasing frequency, and nearly all of them are described as ‘‘grays.’’ Curiously enough, the first instance found where a Percheron stallion is specifically classed as such is in the ‘‘Contréle des étalons du Pin,’’ sent by the director, the Count de Maillé, to the director-general of the haras at Paris, under date of Aug. 17, 1822. The entry is that of Desarmé 538: ‘‘Percheron draft, 76 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE born in 1815; color: bay with long tail; sire and dam: unknown Percherons; height: 15.2 hands.’’ He entered April 5, 1821. The director’s observation referring to this horse is ‘‘bon cheval de trait.’’ In the report from which the preceding detail is extract- ed practically all the stallions are described as saddle and coach horses—of Anglais and Normandy breed- ing. As a matter of fact, the haras management had very little use for a draft stallion at that time. In 1823 there were several in the list, however, as well as mares and fillies of the draft type, but the word ‘‘Percheron’’ is not used—merely ‘‘de trait.’’ How- ever, in the following year, 1824, we find a second mention as follows: ‘‘Timbalier, Percheron draft; dapple-gray; short tail; 16 hands; sire and dam un- known; born 1818.’? Also: ‘‘Polisson, Percheron — draft; dark dapple-gray; slightly over 15 hands; sire and dam unknown; born 1818.’’ There is a note opposite this horse’s name: ‘‘To be sent to Auxerre.’’ He was perhaps too small. There is also reference | in that year to Geant, an ‘‘enormous Boulonnais,”’ and some Cauchois draft stallions are mentioned. — At the 1826 inspection we hear of Desarmé again, as follows: ‘‘Desarmé covered 45 mares last year at Chanday; 32 of these were fecundated, resulting in the birth of 13 colts and 13 fillies, all alive. The progeny-of Desarmé are reputed to resemble very much their sire; they are all good. Desarmé has served this year 43 mares at Chanday. I wish to keep Desarmé.”’ INSIDE THE COURTYARD AT LE PIN. THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 77 This note was written by the director of the stud. However, the inspector gave very little encourage- ment to draft horses at that time, for we find in different handwriting: ‘‘Ce cheval est trop commun pour Le Pin. (This horse is too common for Le Pin.)’’ A big horse called Jocko is mentioned in 1826— a dapple-gray, standing about 16.2. He entered March 19, 1826. We here find also the first men- tion of Herbager, a famous stallion. There was a certain laxity in classifying; perhaps it was thought superfluous. It is fair to presume that the dapple- gray Le Pierrot, in the list of stallions at the stud in 1809, was a Percheron, although simply described at that time as ‘‘de trait’’ (draft). Herbager, for instance, in 1826 was classed as ‘‘de trait,’’ no men- tion being made of breed, but later we find him classed as a ‘‘Percheron,’’ as also was Jocko. Her- bager was about 15.2, dapple-gray, with a long tail and dark mane. He was born in 1822 and entered Oct. 11, 1825. He served 35 mares at Belléme dur- ing his first year. Official Notes.—In 1827 we find this director’s note concerning Desarmé: ‘‘He has covered 43 mares at Chanday; 8 colts and 17 fillies resulted. Desarmé’s colts are strongly built, and may be employed in farm work. I still ask that I may keep Desarmé.”’ Nevertheless, the inspector recommended Desarmé’s removal. In this year we hear also of Remorquer, undoubtedly one of the finest of the early Percheron stallions used at the Pin, as will be seen from the 78 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE records. His color is given as ‘‘white-gray’’ with a long tail. He stood 16.2 hands, full. His sire and dam were unknown Percherons. We read in the director’s handwriting: ‘‘Remorquer made his first season (1826) at La Ferté Bernard, where he served 42 mares. I wish to keep Remorquer, who sires strong colts.’? The inspector’s notes are: ‘‘Fine draft horse; good worker; to be conserved.’’ This horse was worked in the shafts after the breeding season was over. Joly is another ‘‘heavy draft’’ horse we hear of in this same year. He was slightly under 16 hands. At the inspection of 1829 we find the following note of the director respecting the Percheron Jocko: ‘*In 1828 Jocko served 24 mares; 8 colts and 15 fillies resulted. Jocko is a good draft stallion; his colts are good. Jocko has served this year 39 mares at Beaumont.’’ Another entry on same page: ‘‘Jocko is useful for doing the farm work at the haras. I ask that he may be kept.’’ Inspector’s note: ‘‘Use- ful for doing the work on the estate.’’ Director’s notes on Herbager made in 1828: ‘‘Herbager served 32 mares at Nogent and Belléme in 1827; 23 were fecundated, resulting in 8 colts and 10 fillies. Her- bager is a good breeder; that is the reason he is in such great demand by the farmers. He has served 54 mares this year at Belléme.’’ Another note in different handwriting states: ‘‘Herbager is in great demand around Belléme, because he is such a sure breeder. This draft stallion does useful work.’’ (He VISCOUNT DE TONNAC VILLENEUVE—DIRECTOR OF THE HARAS DU PIN SINCE 1911—PRIOR TO THAT SUBDIRECTOR AND RIDING MASTER FOR A PERIOD OF FIFTEEN YEARS—AN EXPERT JUDGE AND FERVENT ADMIRER OF THE PERCHERON HORSE. THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 19 worked on the estate as a draft horse.) Inspector’s note: ‘‘Useful for farm work.’’ Remorquer ‘‘covered 44 mares at the haras in 1827; of these 23 were fecundated; 8 colts and 11 fillies resulted. Remorquer gets good colts; he has served 41 mares this year at the haras. This draft stallion is a good worker in the shafts; very useful for work on the estate.’’ Mention is made this year of Inconstant, a draft stallion slightly under 15.2, born in 1823; he was light gray, shghtly dappled. He served at Courtalain and Brabadanger in 1827. Of him it was said: ‘‘This stallion is well liked around Chanday. The farmers are pleased with the foals he gets. This year he has served 46 mares at La Ferté Bernard. He is useful for work on the estate; I wish to keep him.’’ Inconstant served 41 mares at Chanday in 1828. In 1827 Joly got 18 foals out of 25 mares at La Ferté Bernard. He was well liked. In 1828 the same horse served 42 mares at Chanday, and in 1829 he had 50 mares at La Ferté Bernard. The inspector’s note on Remorquer, 1829: ‘‘A draft horse of great power.’’ From the inspection of 1830 we take the following: “In 1828 Jocko covered 22 mares; 6 colts and 2 fillies resulted. Jocko does not get many foals. However he works very hard as a draft horse (on the estate) ; his colts are good ones. This year Jocko has served 39 mares. Besides doing the season at the stud, he is employed at all kinds of work on the estate. I wish to keep Jocko.’’ In 1828 Herbager served 54 mares at Belléme, and in 1829 55 mares at the same 80 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE place, getting 18 colts and 17 fillies. Note: “This stallion is very sure; his products are good and as a draft horse he fulfills every condition as a sire that gets colts which sell well; for this reason it is greatly regretted at Belléme because he was not sent there in 1830. He has served at the haras this year, having covered 37 mares, besides working as a draft horse on the estate. To be conserved.’’ Herbager was a great horse. A further note on Remorquer: ‘‘He works. very hard and does the season at the stud besides. Farmers say that he gets good colts. In 1829 he had 45 mares at the haras.’’ Joly served 28. mares in 1828, and in 1829 he had 50 mares at Chanday. Note: ‘‘The colts got by Joly are well- formed.’’ In 1830 Joly had 45 mares at La Ferté Bernard. Superior entered the haras in February, 1828. He was a little lower than 16 hands. He did the season at Nogent, getting 13 colts and 10 fillies out of 35 mares. His record reads: ‘‘His colts are good, but as he has sired some sorrels and a certain shade of gray which does not please the farmers, he is not in so great demand as his merits warrant.’’ In 1829 he served 39 mares at Nogent, and in 1830 besides being employed as a work horse he served 39 mares at Chandayon. Directors and Inspectors Disagree—As showing the prejudice which the government inspectors sent from Paris had against these early draft stallions, it appears that in almost every case at the annual inspection, where draft animals were concerned, the A MARKET DAY AT NOGENT-LE-ROTROU. LRQ>_ }—-—~~- =< TONGNGNGSS, exezexerese 9 ENTRANCE TO THE HARAS DU PIN. THE RENAISSANCE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION 81 inspector’s note recommends that these draft stal- lions be kept only as work horses and should not be allowed to serve—this in spite of the high recom- mendation of certain horses by the director of Le Pin, who was best able to judge their merits. The truth is, that the government inspectors discounte- nanced the use of draft horses. They wanted all the mares in the country to be served by blood horses. They were always obsessed by the necessity of finding cavalry remounts. However, we find that the director continued to use these Percheron stallions for breeding purposes just the same, despite the inspector’s recommendations. It is amusing to observe the director’s note, year after year: ‘‘I wish to keep this horse,’’? and then the inspector’s note under it: ‘‘To be used as a work horse only; should not serve mares.’’ Then the next year we read that the stallion had served mares and done work on the estate besides. And so it continues year after year. The obvious fact is that the farmers were pleased with the colts they were getting from this draft blood. They were increasing the size of their horses, which were doing good service in the fields and probably bringing better prices at this period than army horses. GHAPTER IV. EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN. We have seen that about 1809 the government began adding draft stallions to the coach and saddle types maintained in the Haras du Pin, and that these did considerable service as well as the heavy hauling about the establishment. Work was apparently about all that the army officers thought they were fit for, and from their standpoint the inspectors were doubt- less right enough. The farmers of The Perche, how- ever, were not to be turned from their now clearly apparent determination to produce a bigger horse. Normandy might breed all the army remounts she liked. The Perche had other plans, seeing which the departmental and central government authorities set forces in motion that soon brought important results. This aid took the form of government inspection and approval of certified stallions and a bonus to the owner. We find the first reference to this epoch- marking step in 1818. Prizes Stimulate Effort.—The ‘‘ Annuaire Statis- tique et Administratif du Dept. d’Eure et Loir pour 1819,”’ after reciting the fact that ‘‘formerly, from the province of ancient Perche, horses suitable for the dragoons and hussars were obtained, and also excellent cobs for the stage-coach service,’’ refers to 82 EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 83 the desire of the authorities and intelligent breeders to ‘‘improve the species of horses natural to the country, suitable for withstanding prolonged fatigue, and on that account very much in demand.’’ We quote: “The Count of Breteuil has taken effective meas- ures to improve the horses in The Perche, and, in- cidentally, to better the breeding establishments. His decree of the 27th of August, 1818, approved the 16th of September following by His Excellency the Minister of the Interior, empowers an inspector to visit all the stallions destined for service and to in- dicate those having the necessary qualities rendering them fit for the purpose, and also to see that only those mares suitable for coupling with such stallions are allowed to be covered. Hach stallion owner will receive a booklet containing the names of his horses. The list of entires appropriate for public stud work will be published and exposed at the prefect’s office.”’ In the same publication for 1820 we find the fol- lowing: ‘‘The excellent breed of Percheron horses belong- ing to the Department is appreciably improved since a selection of the stallions has been practised and prizes awarded to the finest brood mares. Owners of approved stallions receive from the government, for each year the horses are kept at stud, 100 to 300 Sane as a pension, according to the quality of the stallion. ‘‘At the Courtalain fair, held on the 25th of No- vember, and at the Nogent market on the Saturday preceding St. Andrew’s Day, prizes are awarded to the farmers possessing the best brood mares that have been served by the stallions approved by the government, or by stallions owned privately, pro- 84 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE vided they have been declared suitable for public service. M. Barré, farmer at Maintenon, has just re- ceived a medal from the government in recognition of his great care given to his horses. ‘‘Nogent-le-Rotrou has four fairs, which attract great gatherings. Many horses are sold there.’’ Notice should be taken of the fact that in these original inspections not only had the stallions to be certified before being permitted to serve, but the mares offered for service had also to be approved. This brings us to the presentation of the incon- trovertible proof of the correctness of M. Fardouet’s statements already quoted. The National Archives in Evidence.—Clearly the original manuscripts in the National Archives at Paris are not to be disputed, and they reveal a story of splendid service rendered to The Perche by the government of France in the days when the horse- loving people of that province were seeking to lay the foundations of an industry that was destined to add millions to the wealth of French and Amer- ican farmers. In these archives the detailed story of the creation of the Percheron horse of heavy draft, so long untold is revealed, and we need not say that it gives us much pleasure thus to be able to clear away misconceptions heretofore handed down, substituting fact for fiction, and authentic records for mere traditions; thus placing underneath the records of the Percheron societies of France and the United States the data that anchors their founda- tions in the bed-rock of an official registration dat- ing back now nearly one hundred years. EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 85 It will be shown in the following pages that the splendid work of the French government in giving bonuses or prizes to approved stallions of the Per- cheron breed dates simultaneously from about 1820 in the Departments of Eure-et-Loir (Arrondissement of Nogent), Orne (Arrondissement of Mortagne), and Loir-et-Cher (Arrondissement of Vendédme)—the very cradle of the Percheron breed. Later, the De- partment of La Sarthe entered upon the same good work. We have already shown that the beginning of Percheron breeding at the Royal Haras du Pin com- menced about the same time. We quote now exclu- sively from the original documents (manuscripts) in the National Archives at Paris, covering the for- mative period of the modern Percheron. First Approved Stallions Near Nogent.—The first three approved stallions in the Nogent district were Superb, Le Curieux, and Le Percheron. Superb be- longed to M. Debray, Margon, just outside of No- gent. He was a dapple-gray, and was approved on the 14th of August, 1820. His bonus was fixed at 300 francs a year, and he was considered the best stallion at that time. In 1822 he served 42 mares, from which 29 foals were born. In 1823 he had 58 mares. Five of the mares were described as ‘‘Per- cheron-Norman,”’ the others were ‘‘Percherons.’’ Le Curieux was owned by M. Chevet, Coudray. He obtained first prize as an approved stallion in 1821. He was four years old, and is described as a ***Percheron suitable for draft purposes,’’ dapple- gray, with a light-colored head; he was got by a 86 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE horse called Bonhomme, ‘‘out of a mare of M. Cochin.’’ These particulars, besides others, are given on the certificate issued to the owner. In height this horse was about 16.1 hands. Le Curieux was again approved in 1822 and in that year had 60 mares. In 1823 he served 110 mares, 23 of which belonged to one owner, a M. Leméme. Five Picardy mares were served by Le Curieux in 1823; there were also several Normans, but about five-sixths were Percherons. In 1824 he served 47 mares:in the com- munes of Bazoches-Gouez, Chapelle-Royal, Charbon- iéres, St. Bomert, Souance, Bethonvilliers, Vich- éres, Coudray, Etilleux and St. Lubin, all in Eure- et-Loir. In addition he served 74 mares in the De- partment of Orne (communes of Masle and Ceton) in the same year. From the 47 mares served in Eure- et-Loir, 31 foals were born; 19 of these were gray in color. In 1825 Le Curieux served 101 mares in all; 34 were in Eure-et-Loir, and of these 13 were gray, 7 black, 6 red-roan, 2 brown, 4 bay and 2 chest- nut. In 1825 Aubert, belonging to Cottereau of Coudray, not far from Nogent, served 90 mares, 25 of which were gray, 8 black, and 19 bay. This stallion ob- tained an approved bonus of 240 frances. Le Percheron was approved on Aug. 14, 1820. He is described as a seven-year-old bay, of the Per- cheron breed. He belonged to M. Guillemain Conie, and served only two years. He received an annual bonus of 100 franes. In 1821 he served 47 mares. Grand Pierre, Bijou and Le Coqg.—We next come “INAWNYTAOD HONTUT GHL JO NOISSINATA AG AWOIOA SIL WOA ATIVIONAST GGHAVUDOLOHA— 11st NI GeIvod ‘NOUMHOUTI AVUO-GWIddva V ‘OLA a0 TvAOUddIV FO SGLVOMILado ) TVIOILEO CHL 0 | NOLLONCOUd IT WINISIVA = % a ie : ‘ : . pats 7 peers ef icp Gg) Us) seh promt r o rare Tad, ea apse meen & A pe eo ata me ie Nae Gi AS dot iS < 3 LA IPIA22I are >| suv — ed “ Hominy supp dopey didtos afoydura ana , Janus JPAIYI wpe} TAA | ADOYSD 9472 PW | ‘ j | ve vegny) *p luatassipuoste | sup aoadsa ID. R IUPINO Up Vaf]77 tarp ! Ty " / - JST OTs \ "6 ee WW op ni es >| ng \ nm ee YTS UULSINTTY ay : “Ar r yee | SANOUddIY SNOTYLA a “ 7 Pen —— i} A\ODFLOd EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 87 to Grand Pierre, owned by Dieu, of Coudray. This horse was born in 1818 and was a dapple-gray. He served 60 mares in 1824, among them one belonging to M. Ducoeurjoly, a probable ancestor of Ducoeur- joly, one of the first members of the French Per- cheron Society. The mare was a gray and she bore a filly foal, also gray. Grand Pierre got 37 foals from the 60 services. In 1825 he had 61 mares and in 1826 he served 64. We next find Bijou, owned “by M. Vasconcelles, Houssaye (commune of An- verre). In 1824 he had 54 mares, and the result was 36 foals. Then comes Le Coq, a great stallion be- longing to Benoit, Illiers. In 1824 he served 101 mares and 70 foals resulted. In 1825 and 1826 he served 75 mares each year. This stallion was dap- ple-gray, and stood a little over 16 hands. Bijou was also dapple-gray, but only 15.1144 hands high, though he is described in the certificate as ‘‘Per- cheron, heavy draft.’’ He was evidently in great de- mand, in the years 1825, ’26, and ’27 serving 116, 124, and 135 mares. Liberally Patronized.—In 1827 we find that a letter was sent from the Minister of the Interior (Bureau des Haras) to the Prefect of Eure-et-Loir ordering 1,070 franes to be paid to the following stallioners: Benoit (2 stallions), 400 francs; 240 franes to Cot- tereau, of Coudray; 100 franes to Dieu, Coudray; 180 franes to Monnier Vasconcelles, Anverre; and 180 francs to Maréchal (sometimes written Marchal), St. Germain-le-Gaillard. Aubert, one of the horses already mentioned, was 88 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE a strawberry-roan born in 1820 and standing slightly over 15.3 hands. He served 90 mares in 1825 and 91 in 1826. He belonged to Cottereau. In 1827 he had 77 mares. Lecoeur belonged to Benoit. He was a light-gray, about 15.3 hands high, and was born in 1819. In 1825 he had 65 mares and 115 in 1826, There were many blacks and grays among the mares served by this horse in 1826. Maréchal owned a horse called Le Percheron (not the one previously mentioned). He stood about 16.2 hands high, a dap- ple-gray. In 1825 he had 108 mares, among them being 8 belonging to one Labiche. In 1826 he served 117 mares and in 1827 he had 88. According to the ‘Minister of the Interior’s letter, dated 18th of June, 1828, we find that Cottereau’s stallion Aubert was not allowed to serve mares after that date. In 1827 he had-88 mares. Mention is made of an approved stallion, Le Braillard, which served 73 mares in 1826. Maréchal’s Pierrot, a dark dapple-gray born in 1822, ‘was approved the 25th of November, 1826. Pierrot got 82 living foals in his first season out of 113 mares. _ Big Horses in Service.—That the big stallions were popular in those days is instanced by the list of mares served by the ‘‘heavy draft’’ stallion Le Grand, that stood 17 hands high and was dapple-gray in color. He was owned by Toutay, of Coutretédt, and served in the Nogent district. In 1826 he had 112 mares, and in 1827 he served 91. In the list of mares served by the approved stallions about this period we find that the dapple-grays are becoming more numerous and bays occur less frequently. In 1829 le Grand had TRITON, TYPE OF PERCHERON STALLION USED AT THE GOVERNMENT STUD. PERCHERON STALLIONS AT LE HARAS DU PIN. EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 89 60 mares, and in 1830 he had: 63, 16 of which were dapple-gray and 9 of other shades of gray. There were also 9 blacks among the number. Toutay had another’ stallion, approved the 18th of November, 1828, called Charles, dapple-gray, and described as ‘heavy draft.’’ He stood 16 hands high. Beausang (Madame Toutay) and 1’Eveille, (serving in the Chateaudun district) are two other stallions men- tioned at this time. Beausang stood 15.3 hands high, and was dapple-gray. L’Eveille was also dapple- gray, measured a little over 16 hands, and was born in 1823. He served 109 mares in 1828. In 1830 he had 78 mares, ‘‘gris pommelc’’—dapple-gray— greatly predominating among these colors. He was authorized, but not approved at this time. In 1831 he had 85 mares. We next hear of Cottereau’s 16-hand white-gray stallion Franconni. He had 82 mares in 1829 and 101 mares in 1830. Bijou, already mentioned, served 120 mares in 1829 and a still larger number in 1830. We note also that Le Cadet, born in 1824, dapple-gray, 16 hands high, served 117 mares in 1829 and 136 in 1830. Margot, a dark gray of about 15.3 hands, belonging to M. Facheux in the Chateaudun district, served 53 mares in 1828, 54 in 1829, and 64 in 1830. Benoit had a stallion at this time, Le Robuste, a 16.2-hand dapple-gray born in 1823 that served 107 mares in 1829 and 111 in 1830. Le Coq Goes to Belgium.—In 1829 the fine stallion Le Coq was purchased by the director of the St. Paul Riding Academy, Brussels. This is the horse that 90 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE was owned by Benoit. According to a letter found among the documents relating to the approved stal- lions, 2,540 francs was offered for Le Coq at the fair of St. André before he was approved. The letter is written by the Prefect of Eure-et-Loir to the Min- ister of the Interior. In 1828 Le Coq served 154 mares and in 1829 had 116 mares. Bijou had 130 mares in 1828. Cottereau’s stallion, Braillard, served 64 mares in 1828 and the same number in 1829. At the end of the 1829 season this stallion broke his thigh while serving a mare, as attested by affidavit made out at Coudray on the 7th of October, 1829. Le Grand had 81 mares in 1828, 60 in 1829, 72 in 1830, and 52 in 1831. The owner of Le Grand (Toutay) had also another approved stallion at this time, called Le Veau Rayé. He had 60 mares in 1828, 61 in 1829, and 55 in 1830. This stallion, born in 1824, was dark gray and 16 hands high. In 1831 the owners of the approved stallions in Eure-et-Loir were Benoit, Madame Toutay (Beau- mont), Guillaumin, Gaubert, Cottereau, Toutay, and Maréchal. Toutay and Maréchal had each three stallions. Benoit had two stallions; one, Le Cadet, served 120 mares in 1831 and 145 in 1832, while the other, Le Pommelé, born in 1827, and standing 16.1 hands full, had 95 mares in 1831 and 108 in 1832. More Big Gray Horses.—Maréchal’s Le Bijou (an- other Bijou, probably a son of the first), born in 1826, had 112 mares in 1831 and 61 in 1832, The same owner’s Le Pierro, a dapple-gray of 16 hands, born in 1826, had 106 mares in 1832. Maréchal’s EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 91 third approved stallion was Le Courtois, dapple- gray, born in 1828. He served 68 mares in 1832. There is also a stallion mentioned at this time, Le Devé, 16 hands in height and a dark dapple-gray, born in 1828, that served 61 mares in 1832. Gaubert’s stallion, Largneux, served in the Chartres district. He was dapple-gray, 15.2 hands high, and had 57 mares in 1831, 50 in 1832, 53 in 1833, and 51 in 1834. Guillaumin had also a stallion named Le Coq (not the Benoit stallion) that served at this time. He had 101 mares in 1831 and 111 in 1832. Toutay’s Le Grand, the 17-hand stallion previously mentioned, that served near Nogent had 59 mares in 1832; he was then ten years old and Ducoeurjoly had a gray mare served by him in that year. Toutay’s Le Charon, a 16-hand dapple-gray born in 1828, had 63 mares in 1832. The same owner had another stallion, Dorchéne, which died from colic. This fact is attest- ed by the mayor of the commune. One of the wit- nesses was a M. Chouanard (8th of June, 1832), a probable ancestor of the well known Chouanard family of breeders near Nogent. Dorchéne served 60 mares before he died in 1832. Franconni had:64 mares in 1831, the same number in 1832, and 55 in 1833. Others in Nogent District—In 1835 the amount of bonuses given to approved stallion owners in Eure- et-Loir was 1,580 francs, as follows: 400 francs to Toutay (2 stallions), 340 to Benoit (3 stallions), 200 to Guillaumin, 150 each to Maréchal and Dieu, 120 each to Cottereau and Gaubert, and 100 francs to 92 A IISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE David, making a total of 10 stallions, the majority of them in the Nogent district. Toutay’s stallions this year were Le Grand and Le Percheron. In 1833 Le Grand had 72 mares, and in 1834 he served 60 mares. Benoit’s Le Pommelé served 109 mares in 1833, and 111 mares in 1834. The same owner’s Le Coquet had 82 mares in 1834, while his third stallion, Le Cadet, had 107 mares in 1833 and 68 mares in 1834. Guillau- min’s Le Coco received a prize of 200 frances and was probably a very fine stallion. In 1832 he had 90 mares, in 1833 he had 91 mares, and in 1834 63. Largneux served 53 mares in 1833 and 51 in 1834. Dieu’s Le Poulet had 53 mares in 1833 and 56 in 1834. We should have mentioned also Le Bijou, belonging to a M. Thion, that had 60 mares in 1833. Cottereau’s Franconni, now described as ‘‘white’’ in color, had 50 mares in 1834. David’s stallion (name not given) served 82 mares in 1834, and from his services in 1833 we are told by the records that he got 49 living foals. In the Department of Orne.—F rom the documents relating to the Department of Orne the splendid work of these early approved stallions runs coneur- rently with those in Eure-et-Loir. We first hear of a dapple-gray stallion belonging to M. Launay, Mau- vaisiniére, near Mortagne. This horse got 23 foals from the 1824 season. Louis Pelletier, tenant farmer at Corbon, had a stallion, Le Bijou, that made the 1825 season, serving 38 mares. Just as in the case of Eure-et-Loir the full list of mares is given together with date of service, height of mare, color, age, the H. PELLETIER OF LA BERNUCHE, ORNE. EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 93 name of owner, etc., certified correct and stamped with all the seals of the mayors in the several com- munes in which the mares were served. All the mares, with hardly an exception, are de- scribed as ‘‘Percherons.’’ The first list will give a correct idea of the colors prevailing at that period. Among the mares served by Pelletier’s horse in 1825 there were 13 grays, 9 bays, 1 brown-bay, 4 blacks, and 3 chestnuts. The mares were not so high as those in the Nogent district; hardly any were over 15.2 hands. Some mares were served in Eure-et-Loir by Launay’s horse, and he also served mares in La Sarthe. Launay’s old stallion book is found among the records; it is bound in sheepskin, with a raw-hide lace attached to close it. On every page appears the stamp of the mayor of the different communes. That is why we can state that his horse served a few mares out of his own department, as we find the mayor’s stamp of Buissaye (3 mares) and Reveillon (1 mare), both places in Eure-et-Loir. It seems that Launay’s horse began serving in 1822, but the list is lacking. We find, however, a statement that he got 26 living foals out of 31 mares. It should have been men- tioned that the first full list of Launay’s mares was in 1823—91 mares—but the observations made re- specting the colors apply to 1825. It is a very simple matter to find the colors of any given year, however, if greater detail is deemed necessary. In 1823 all the mares are described as Percherons except 9 Brittany mares, and one Normandy mare. We find the name of Aveline for the first time in 94 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 1823 at Mont Gaudray. He had a brown-bay mare served by Launay’s horse. Service for 12 Francs.—In Launay’s notebook for 1822 we read the following interesting detail: ‘‘ Mares to be served three times, after which payment of 12 franes for the service shall be made, and 1 frane, 50 centimes for the groom.’’ Several of the farmers had two or three mares served. Some of these men are described as land-owners, while others are tenant farmers. Launay’s horse received a bonus of 200 francs a year, as shown by a letter from the director- general of the haras at Paris to the Prefect of Orne transmitting money to be handed over to Launay. Pelletier’s horse got 33 foals from the 1825. season, and 32 from the 1826 season. This horse was a dap- ple-gray, standing 17 hands high, and his prize money was 150 frances a year. M. Lefort had a dapple-gray, described as ‘‘ Percheron, heavy draft,’’ born in 1821. In 1826 he served 26 mares, and in 1827 he had 32 mares. He stood 16 hands high. At Mortagne in the Early ’30’s.—In 1830 there were three approved stallions in the Arrondissement of Mortagne. Two belonged to Pelletier, and the other to Jacques Geru. Geru’s horse, Hercule, was a dapple-gray, 16-hand, heavy draft, born in 1825. He served 52 mares in 1830, and 58 in 1831. Pelletier’s stallion, Le Bijou, born 1825, was dapple-gray; he served 35 mares in 1830, and the same number in 1831. Most of the mares were under 15.2 hands at this time in that part of The Perche. They are, EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 95 however, all described on the stallion sheets as ‘‘ Per- cherons.’’ In 1833 the approved-stallion owners in Orne were Pelletier (2 stallions), Dutheil of Eperraix, Herrissay and Guerrée. CGuerrée’s horse was about 15.3 hands high and dapple-gray in color. Dutheil’s horse was described as ‘heavy draft,’’ standing 16 hands high, a gray—slightly dappled. In 1834 he served 51 mares, and in 1835 he had 35 mares. There is also another stallion mentioned, Bijou, which served 30 mares in 1834, and 38 mares in 1835. He was 17 hands high, was born 1829, and was dapple-gray in color. Herrissay’s stallion, born 1830, a 16-hand dap- ple-gray, served 34 mares in 1834 and 32 mares in 1835. He had another horse, described as ‘‘white’’ in color, which served 35 mares in 1834 and 32 in 1835. The owners of approved stallions in Orne in 1834 and ’35 were Leconte, of Veuville (2 stallions, 350 franes); Pelletier, Corbon (2 stallions, 400 francs) ; Herrissay, St. Germain de Martigny (200 frances); Guerrée, Fremongéne (100 frances). Herrissay’s Bijou served 53 mares in 1835, and 60 mares in 1836. Bijou (Guerrée’s) served 60 mares each year in 1835 and 7386, while L’Ami (Pelletier’s) had 32 mares in cach of those years. The mares served by Herrissay’s horse measured from 15 to 16 hands. Already there seems to be an improvement in the size. Leconte’s Cuirassier was not a Percheron. He is described as a heavy coach horse, dark chestnut in color and served in the coach-horse district—around Argentan, that part of Orne lying in Normandy. He served 56. 96 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE mares in 1836. The other Leconte horse was a sad- dler, and served only 19 mares in 1836. All of these stallions had to serve a minimum of 30 mares in order to obtain the bonus. In La Sarthe.—We first find record of La Sarthe’s “guring among the departments having approved stallions in 1832. M. Cousin, commune of Peray, had . dapple-gray stallion, born 1827, slightly under 16 hands, which served 40 mares in 1832, 43 mares in 1833, and 42 in 1834. We find the names of Aveline and Hamelin among the owners of mares served by this horse. Another approved stallion was M. Pierre Abot’s horse Mouton, ‘‘dapple-gray, heavy draft,’’ born 1828, 16 hands high. He had 57 mares in 1833, but in the following year was not allowed to serve. Loir-et-Cher.—In the department of Loir-et-Cher, in that part of the department lying in The Perche (Arrondissement of Vendéme) very intensive breed- ing of Percherons took place, beginning about the same date as in the other departments, and we find, just as in the case of the stallions in the other dis- tricts mentioned, that those in Loir-et-Cher were practically all grays of different shades. The first approved stallion we find record of in this district belonged to a M. Ferrand. He was a silver-gray, of 15.2 hands, and was described as heavy draft. In 1827 he served 103 mares. Then we find a record of Coco, a slate-colored gray with four white feet, belonging to M. Richandeau, St. Gourgon. He stood about 16 hands. In 1830 there were two’ approved stallions. One of these was Coco, and Top—Chas, Avelipe, Louis Aveline and M. E. Jones in Chas. Aveline’s pastures. Middie—Paul Chouanard looking at cattle at M. Tacheau’s. Bottom—Same individuals as seen in top picture—SCENES IN THE PERCHE. EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 97 45 foals were born as the result of his first season. Ferrand’s horse served 94 mares in 1830, and 106 in 1831. In 1831 more bonuses were given for ap- proved stallions. T. Tardiveau’s Moulinet, a dapple- gray of 16 hands, born in 1823, served 140 mares in 1831. Another dapple-gray belonging to Tardiveau is reported to have served 181 mares in 1831. There was another stallion belonging to a M. Crignon, Me- rainville. In 1832 we find a growing interest in Percheron breeding in this section. Ferrand had three horses, and Richandeau, Tardiveau and Crignon one each. Crignon’s horse served 32 mares in 1832. Moulinet had 151 mares in 1832. Ferrand’s horse served 86 mares in 1832. Another of his horses (name not given), born 1823, a heavy draft of 16 hands, gray, served 102 mares in 1831 and 94 in 1832. His third stallion was also 16 hands high, white in color. He served 98 mares in 1832. Tardiveau’s horse served 108 mares in 1832. A stallion belonging to Tardi- veau, authorized but not approved, 17 hands high, gray, served 85 mares in 1831 and 84 in 1832. In 1833 there were about seven or eight approved stallions, and 1,150 francs was distributed in bonuses. Ferrand had three horses, and T. Tardiveau, Richan- deau, Crignon and P. Tardiveau one each. All these stallions were either white, dapple-gray or silver- gray with white manes and tails; all were ‘‘Per- cherons.’’ Gray greatly predominated everywhere in this country among the mares served, according to the lists; and the stallions are remarkable, not only 98 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE for the number of mares served, but also for their fecundity, as evidenced by the attested lists of liv- ing foals from the seasons’ services. In 1834. Fer- rand had three approved stallions, which served 101, 105 and 103 mares. The other stallioners were T. Tardiveau, P. Tardiveau, Contangeau, Chevet (Mont- doubleau), and Thereau. None of these stallions served fewer than 80 mares, while some of them had considerably more than a hundred. This part of The Perche has always been noted as a mare country, although buyers—Americans, at least—do not visit the centers like Montdoubleau, Savigny-sur-Bray and Droué as frequently as for- merly. Nevertheless, a great many colts from that region get into the hands of the stallioners around Nogent and are ultimately sold for export to America. A Broad Constructive Policy Continued.—It might be interesting, although somewhat wearisome, to undertake to extend this sort of data further, but we have already brought it down through the formative | period named so accurately by M. Fardouet. More- over, this carries the French side of the narrative well down towards the beginnings of the export trade with the United States, and we must now be turning our attention to our own side the Atlantic. Suffice it to say, therefore, that this same system of bonuses and inspection was continued in The Perche, and with happy results. Speaking of the policy pursued during the years succeeding those so fully covered by the foregoing EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 99 notes, the Abbé Fret, from whom we have so fre- quently quoted, says: ‘Since 1836 the desire to ameliorate agriculture in The Perche has made great strides among the farm- ers. A noble emulation has been set by creating ‘prizes of encouragement,’ an agricultural committee having been established at Nogent, which unites annually under the presidency of the Count de Bussy. This committee has already justified the hopes of its founders and is spreading its influence over the re- gion. A depot of stallions has been established at Nogent, at the barracks of St. Denis, by the Haras du Pin, which has greatly improved the horses of the Percheron breed. They have distributed prizes at Nogent to the owners of the finest brood mares.’’ A few more records and we shall conclude this discussion. In the ‘‘Bulletin de la Société Royale de Mans’’ is an interesting account of an agricultural show held at Mamers in 1838. Prizes were given for the best draft mare having foaled during the year, age 4 to 9 years; also for the best colt, two to three years, and the best filly, same age. All were to be of the Percheron breed. Agricultural shows at which Percheron horses were exhibited also took place at Saint Calais, Beaumont-le-Comte, Saint Pater, La Ferté Bernard and Marolle-les-Braults. At a show held at La Ferté Bernard on the 19th of September, 1841, a M. Torsay won the first prize on a light flea-bitten gray mare, about 16.2 hands high and eight years old. Second prize went to M. Vin- cent on a steel gray, five years old, of about the same height. A black mare, six years old, measuring about 16.1, received honorable mention. It will be 100 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE seen from this that there were big drafty mares in The Perche even in those days. M. Richard won the first prize on fillies with a brown bay of about 15.2 hands, and second prize went to M. Prudhomme on a filly of similar color, about the same height. In stallions first prize went to M. Pennetier, and second to M. Fleurida. These stallions had no com- petition, as evidenced by the following: ‘‘ Although these stallions had no competitors, the judges nevertheless thought they ought to be awarded prizes as presenting in the highest degree the qualities which constitute a stallion suitable for the production of draft colts, and it is probably owing to the superiority of these two individuals that one must attribute the absence of competitors.’’ At the show in the same town in 1842 M. Pennetier again won first prize in stallions with a horse of 16.3 hands, dapple-gray, six years old. In the fol- lowing year M. Tacheau, probably the grandfather of the present noted stallioner and breeder, won first prize in fillies. Outcrossing Exaggerated—Had the Pere then, during this evolution, received no crosses from ghar breeds? Very likely experiments were tried, but it is entirely clear that misguided alliances with extraneous blood were never permitted specially to influence the race in its entirety. The specific and inherent qualities of the type were always conserved intact. Unsatisfactory colts, the product of oceca- sional infusions of blood from other breeds, were promptly set aside as work horses and not al- lowed to reproduce their kind. No men are more LA GEROMERIE, FARM OF E. RICHARD. EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 101 tenacious than those of The Perche. None knows better than the Percheron farmer himself which type of horse suits his needs best. The possible influence of an introduction of a few Picardy mares near Montdoubleau about the begin- ning of the 19th century has been grossly exagger- ated. We have had an examination made of the original sheets containing full descriptions of the native mares served in The Perche by the approved Percheron stallions from the time these approved stallions first began their work, and only in a few instances do we find the name ‘‘Picardy,’’ as applied to the ‘‘provenance’’ of the mares, mentioned. This blood was quickly eliminated, as is shown by ref- erence to later documents. But long before the or- ganization of the stud book the purity of the breed was almost guaranteed by the fact that only the most typical sires were allowed to serve mares. Each de- partment had very stringent rules to assure the purity of the breed. No stallion could serve mares without official permission first having been obtained. As to Color—With respect to the black color which became popular some years ago much has been said by way of insinuating that this came from an outside source. There have always been plenty of black mares in The Perche. Precise information touching this is to be found in the government serv- ice sheets. Every stallion sheet that we have had examined, beginning about 1820, alludes to black mares of the ‘‘Percheron’”’ breed. The breeders of The Perche, like other men, cater to their customers, 102 \. HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE and they were easily able to produce blacks in con- siderable numbers from within the breed itself by natural selection. When the special demand for blacks abated, stal- lions of that color were discarded and the farmers began to put their mares again to grays. Similarly, if a craze for bays had sprung up years ago, it would have been possible to produce bay colts all over The Perche. The first Percheron specifically mentioned in the records of the government stud, as has already been set forth, was of that color. The gray color, . however, has always been common to the Percheron, and it was through the influence of the approved stal- lions which we have listed that this color became predominant. The stallions used in The Perche, almost without exception, during the early formative period were grays, and of these nearly all were dap- ple-gray (‘‘gris pommelé’’). That was the period when the popularity of the Percheron as a stage-coach or diligence horse had reached its zenith. Three important turnpike roads from Paris to the coast passed through The Perche, and as the railroads had not yet come traveling was by diligence. Some of these coaches also carried the mails, and good time had to be made regularly. The lighter Percheron of those days was considered ideal for this work, and the gray color pleased the pro- prietors because the teams could be seen more dis- tinctly at night. The introduction of railroads caused the Percheron later to be drafted into omnibus work, principally at Paris, where thousands of these dap- TWO-YEAR-OLDS AT PASTURE ON THE FARM OF JOSEPH AVELINE,. EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 103 ple-gray horses in matched couples and threes were until very recent years a familiar sight. Passing of the Diligence Type——But even before the railways came, under the influence of the service of the large approved stallions we have mentioned the breed was becoming more drafty, a fact which called forth some protest, as is evidenced by a report made at a meeting of the Agricultural Society of Mans, on Feb. 5, 1845, from which we quote: ‘*Tt is an incontestable fact that the stallion shows of this department (Sarthe) have produced satis- factory results. But, really, what do we want today? Light, vigorous draft horses for our artillery, mail coaches and diligences, the number of which has been doubled since twenty years ago. We need horses capable of doing about 7 to 10 miles an hour, at least, in harness. Shall we obtain these results with heavy horses, only suitable for heavy draft work and large exploitations?’’ The Beauce was asking for larger horses to do the plowing and to prepare the land for the wheat crop. This region is contiguous to The Perche, and is called the ‘‘granary of France.’’ The growing population of Paris, which has always taken most of the Beauce wheat, compelled more modern methods of culture on the part of the grain-growing farmers of that fer- tile region. Oxen were gradually being discarded and heavy horses were being used in greater numbers throughout all France. The call upon The Perche for material of this sort was not only persistent but it came from many different districts. Some Conclusions—The more profoundly one 104 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE studies The Perche and its history, the more firmly one is persuaded: first, that the Percheron horse is a product of this ancient province and indigenous to the basin of the Seine, and second, that he has been developed and has acquired his most distinguishing characteristics through judicious breeding within the territorial limitations of The Perche itself. Centu- ries of evolution in a small country where the soil, the climate, the forage, and the very air itself con- duced in the highest degree to the production of good horses have accomplished the result so admired today. Modifications of type have taken place in the past, and no doubt will appear in the future. All draft breeds have undergone mutations to meet the chang- ing exigencies of the times. During the Dark Ages the native horse of The Perche was in demand as a war horse. Later we know that in the 17th century depredating bands frequently entered The Perche, primarily for the purpose of appropriating the fine horses known to be there. Although we have no historical facts to prove that Rotrou ITI sallied forth from Nogent with his numerous retinue of knights and vassals, all mounted on the light type old-time Percherons, when he went to fight the infidels in the Holy Land in 1095, history does not tell us, on the contrary, that other than native horses were em- ployed in this expedition, or in the second Crusade, or in the campaign against the Saracens in Spain. To all of these martial exploits many of the seigneurs of The Perche contributed their quota. TYPICAI, LANDSCAPE IN THE PERCHE—LA RONCE, CHATEAU OF EDMOND PERRIOT IN DISTANCE EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN 105 Through many generations during various periods of the Percheron’s history.the same old families have been engaged in producing colts in this won- derful nursery of good horses. The names of.some of those who have contributed largely to the making of Percheron progress will be mentioned in a subse- quent chapter. The specially rapid maturing quali- ties of the Percheron, and the extraordinary plas- ticity of the breed have served these persistent breed- ers admirably in their eminently successful effort to produce larger horses. All this has been brought about under the stimulating influence of foreign gold by a rigorous selection of the breeding materials, rational working of the brood mares, and liberal feeding of the young stock with suitable grain and forage. This, then, is a fair account of the original evolu- tion of the modern type in France, so far as can be ascertained by an exhaustive examination of all available records pertaining to it. The famous stal- lions appearing in the first volume of the Percheron Stud Book of France were undoubtedly the direct descendants of the government-approved stallions listed in the foregoing pages. It will be observed that the long record so carefully examined at the expense of much time and labor yields the name of but one stallion in service during this period described as a ‘‘Boulonnais,’’ and he was not owned by a Percheron farmer but belonged to the govern- ment. The Perche was increasing the weight of its own horses by free recourse to the services of the 106 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE larger stallions and mares selected and mated with this particular object in view, under official inspec- tions. The stallions named in this chapter, and they alone, are the true historic forbears of the heavy draft Percherons of the years that followed their use, “AHLUVS-ANSAISGM AI avaN ‘QTIVA 'W do Wav GHAPTER V. FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA. Somewhere on the shaggy shores of the mighty seaward outlet of the Great Lakes, quite probably at Quebec, the first horses brought from the old to the new France were debarked. Doubtless within the ecrypted chests of the churches and monasteries of Canada records of horses imported in the seven- teenth and eighteenth centuries lie buried deep in the dust of time, but in none of the public documents of the Dominion, church or state, is there mention of such shipments. Louis XIV sent some mares and a few stallions from the Royal stables in 1665, 1667 1670, but they were not of a sort well suited to the purposes of agriculture. Other stallions besides the few donated by the king must have been imported by the colonists themselves and these in all probabil- ity were of a sturdier, more useful type. After the cession to Britain in 1760 the insular types assumed the ascendancy, save in the old French settlements. The primeval forests of the Lower St. Lawrence were first seen by Jacques Cartier, the French ex- plorer, in the year 1535, but it was not until 1609 that Champlain began building upon the now historic rock of Quebec. This event marked the beginnings of Canadian agriculture, and to this day the horses 107 108 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE of the province of Quebec, in the hands of the de- scendants of the first ‘‘habitants,’’ reveal in their activity and endurance, if not in size, something of the character of the sturdy, fast- traveling, long- distance trotters for which France had been famous for generations. More than a century ago the native horses of eastern Canada offered in their conforma- tion indisputable proof of a Gallic origin, but so altered to meet the exigencies of a new country as to be entitled to recognition as a distinct type. Authentic Records Begin.—The first stallions im- ported into North America from. France of which there is record in all probability did not come from The Perche. The so-called ‘‘McNitt Horse,’’ brought into Canada in 1816, was a dapple-gray standing from 15.2 to 15.3 hands high. At the time he was imported the French government, as we have already shown, was just beginning at the Haras du Pin to give a more or less grudging support to the idea of developing heavy drafters in The Perche. While the breeding and origin of the MeNitt Horse, or European, as he was sometimes called, cannot now be fixed, it is clear that he was of a. type then in favor in France. He weighed around 1,200 pounds and was a trotter of renown. Moreover, he proved a successful and prolific sire. His sons were, as arule, so superior to the native stock of the time that many of them were kept entire and used in the stud. At a rather advanced age he was brought into Washington County, New York. Both he and several of his sons were popular in the Empire State EDWARD HARRIS OF NEW JERSEY—PIONEER IMPORTER OF PERCHERONS. FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 109 and New England, but whatever mark they may have left upon the horses of that portion of the United States was later effaced by the stronger blood of imp. Messenger, a Thoroughbred and also a gray, whose stock even to the second and third generations proved popular in the east. Alexander’s Norman.—One son of the MeNitt Horse gained a measure of renown in this country. This was the gray Morse Horse, sire of Alexander’s Norman, a noted stallion taken from New York state to Robert A. Alexander’s famous Woodburn Farm in Kentucky some time during the ’50’s of the last century to sire work horses. This he did with suc- cess, and incidentally he founded a small and com- paratively unimportant family of trotters. The name of this horse would indicate that the French type probably had been preserved in his case. Diligent search of old newspaper files and such public documents as are available reveals no proof of further importations from France for a long series of years. There is a tradition that at some time between 1820 and 1831 gray French horses were imported into Maryland, but if so all traces of them, their owners, and their history have van- ished. First Importation to the States.—In 1831 Edward Harris, a resident of Moorestown, N. J., was travel- ing for pleasure in northern France and became so impressed with the excellence of the hardy horses that hauled the heavy diligences in which he tra- versed the country that he determined to ship a few 110 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE specimens to the United States. It was not, how- ever, until 1839 that he succeeded in putting this determination into effect, and then bad luck pur- sued his venture; only one of the first four head shipped reached America. alive, and this sole sur- vivor was a mare. Nothing daunted, Mr. Harris immediately took ship again for France, and re- turned this time with two stallions, one named Dili- gence, and two mares, one of which died shortly after landing. This importation, it would appear, had only a passing influence on the native stock of New Jersey. One of the stallions went blind during his first year in this country and was permanently retired from service. One of the mares named Dap- ple proved a non-breeder, while the other, Joan, a gray, produced a gray colt, a chestnut filly, and a bay colt at successive foalings, all being got by the gray Diligence. Joan’s next and last foal, born in 1856, was a bay by Harmer’s Norman, a stallion said to have been imported and not hitherto located, but which will be definitely referred to later on. Diligence was a compactly built horse standing about 15 hands high, and according to his owner he begot about 400 foals. He died in 1856. One mare, Julie, foaled in 1851, and two stallions, Diligence 2d and Louis Philippe, all by Diligence, were entered among the foundation animals accepted for registry in the first volume of the American Stud Book. Ohio Importations of 1851.—In another volume the author has shown that the cattle stocks of the mid- west states were profoundly influenced by the im- PILIGENCE—IMPORTED EDWARD HARRIS OF NEW J -—FROM A PAINTING. FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 111 porting operations of the enterprising farmers of south-central Ohio carried on at intervals during a long series of years beginning in 1834. These men were mostly of Virginia extraction and never could abide inferior domestic animals. Their attention was first given to their herds and flocks, which acquired in due course a nation-wide celebrity. Their love for a good horse was proverbial, but it first expressed itself in an attachment to the English Thoroughbred or blood horse and to those wonder- fully gaited saddlers which are still the pride of all men and women of Virginia stock. Nevertheless, we have here to credit to these same public-spirited Ohioans of the old school the bringing in of the original seed from whence the great Percheron har- vest of our own times has been reaped. In short, we have now to record that the importation into Ohio in 1851 of the two French stallions Normandy and Louis Napoleon was followed by results of which their importers little dreamed, and that in the career of the one in Ohio and of the other in Illinois we have revealed the solid base upon which the subsequent popularity of the French horse of heavy draft throughout the United States really Tests. It would be interesting if we could trace the exact origin of these two successful stallions, but this is now impossible. We know that they were not bought in The Perche by the men who imported them. The importers probably never had heard the name. It is a fact, nevertheless, that at that date 112 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE The Perche was a prolific producer of horses of this type, and that, as we have already shown, the farm- ers of that province were free sellers of colts to out- side buyers.* It will never be positively known, however, whether or not these horses were of the true Percheron blood. What little is known about the breeding of Normandy is vague and of Louis Napoleon’s ancestry nothing whatever is available. We know that both were bought in the vicinity of Rouen and that Normandy was bred near that city, but. from what sort of ancestry tradition. sayeth. naught. Their importers had not penetrated as far as The Perche. Here are the known facts: © Normandy, or Pleasant Valley Bill—Hitherto it has been popularly supposed that in 1851 two stal- lions only were imported from France, the one being Louis Napoleon 281 and the other Normandy 351, or Pleasant Valley Bill, as he was well-nigh universally known during his lifetime. So far tradition has been right as to the importations, but wrong as to the number of horses. Dr. Marcus Brown, Circleville, O., really imported two stallions, so that in 1851 three entire horses came from the northern part of *In a book entitled “European Vineyards,” written more than fifty years ago, Mr. Wm. J. Flagg, speaking of the heavy horses in harness in the Bordeaux district, says: “Two farmers, whom I afterwards met while traveling in Normandy, told me the Perche country was really the home of the breed and that it was their custom to buy there six months’ colts, which they raised and broke, working them from two years old, and selling them when they got to be five or ‘six years old, the prices obtained for full-grown and well-broken animals ranging from $200 to $250. I am glad to learn they are at length bringing them to America, where a late importation sold for prices which averaged $2,500.” JOAN AND FOAL JULIA BY DILIGENCE—IMPORTED 1829 BY EDWARD HARRIS OF NEW J AN OLD PAINTING. FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 113 France to Ohio. Proof that Dr. Brown imported two ‘stallions is complete, or rather that Samuel Holman, Chester Springs, Pa., who was entrusted by Dr. Brown with the task of procuring for him a French horse, bought two with Dr. Brown’s money and took one of them for himself. Among Dr. Brown’s papers turned over in con- nection with the sale of a half-interest in ‘‘Old Bill”’ to the late T. C. Bigelow, Columbus, O., there is a letter from Samuel Holman dated at London, Eng- land, July 10, 1851, which reads: ‘‘T leave these few lines to inform you that I have used the £100 got of you for the purchase of a horse. I have bought two, one for you and one for myself. The one is a two-year-old and the other three years old. They are strong able colts. I sup- pose will weigh 1,200 to 1,400 pounds each now. The color does not please me exactly and another objec- tion I had to them was that they cut all their foals’ tails off as soon as they are foaled in this country and consequently both are short-tails. heir colors are darkish silver, black legs, manes and tails. How- ever, I concluded to risk them.’’ The remainder of the letter goes into details con- cerning shipping. Attached to this are the original French certificates of sale and identification, inter- esting mainly as descriptive of the breed to which these horses belonged, thus: ‘‘Rouen, July 1, 1851. ‘“‘T do hereby certify that the two Diligence colts purchased from me by Mr. Sam’! Holman of the United States of America were bred and raised by me and from my best brood mares. The stock is 114 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE pure and I consider them as fine as I ever sold and I doubt whether a better pair of colts can be found in all Normandy. “<7, PIMONT.”? Follows then this certificate: “Havre, July 16, 1851. ‘‘This is to certify that I shipped the two Norman colts bought by Mr. Samuel Holman of Z. Pimont of Rouen on the 8th day of July, 1851, on board the ship Scianne, Capt. Williams, consigned to R. W. Hopkins & Co., New York. I am well acquainted with M. Pimont and his stock of horses and know they are of the finest diligence stock, as he keeps no other kind on his farm. This stock of horses is held in high estimation here on account of their great bone and muscular power, quick action and durability and I consider the pair sent as a fair sam- ple of the stock. ““Y, BARBE.”’ Next comes the statement of the import agents in this wise: ‘‘New York, August 30, 1851. ‘‘We do hereby certify that the two gray horses consigned to us by Mr. Samuel Holman when re- ceived on board the packet ship Scianne, Capt. Williams, on the 12th day of August, 1851, in good condition, and delivered them according to his or- ders, one to his brother F. Holman, and the other to Doct. Brown of Ohio. ‘““R. H. HOPKINS & CO.’’ These letters readily attest the fact that two diligence stallions were imported by Dr. Brown and Samuel Holman in 1851. Further reference will be made to the Holman horse. These letters and certificates prove that Pleasant Valley Bill, or Nor- DYd GIO NV WOU NAVUG—TIIG AUTIVA INYSVE1d “ad LOGUUG FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 115 mandy, and his mate were of the ‘‘true diligence type.’’ Fortunately we can even at this late date tell, approximately at least, what the type was like from the illustration of Normandy presented here- with. This cut was made from a large and very clear daguerreotype in the possession of T. L. Bige- low, Columbus, O., son of and successor in business to the late owner of the horse, and to whom we desire to express our thanks for his aid in reaching the exact history of this importation. It will appear that Louis Napoleon and Pleasant Valley Bill were of two distinct types, though imported from the same district of France in the same summer. A Great Career.—Just past two years of age when imported, Normandy 351 was located by Dr. Brown at his home town of Circleville, O., and at first was not very popular in the stud as a country stallion. Dr. Brown has left no written statement among his papers intimating whether he intended when he started for Europe that spring to buy a stallion or not. He was an enthusiastic advocate and supporter of all improved methods of agriculture and stock: breeding, hence it is considered more than likely that he had such an importation in mind when going abroad in the spring of 1851. For years he owned the Pickaway County fair grounds at Circleville, and gave their use free of charge to the Pickaway County Agricultural Society. He once offered to donate Normandy to that organization provided it would stand him for public service at the fair grounds, but that offer was curtly declined and in 116 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 1856 Dr. Brown sold the horse to Bigelow & Marshall, who removed him to the town then called Pleasant Valley but now known as Plain City. There the stallion achieved a splendid reputation, begetting an amazingly numerous progeny and finally passing into the hands of the late Thomas Jones, father of C. M. Jones, now treasurer of the Percheron Society of America and resident on the old homestead. In his possession Normandy died in 1874 full of years and honors, having been owned by Mr. Jones just ten years. Many good stallion colts as well as fillies remained after him, and his descendants were widely disseminated. While at Plain City Normandy became variously known as ‘‘Pleasant Valley Bill,’’ ‘‘Old Bill,’’ and ‘“‘The Valley Horse,’’ the title by which he is best remembered being the first of these. Few people knew that his real name was Normandy 351. He did more than any other horse to popularize the French type in the state that reaped the benefit of his services. He was extraordinarily prolific and is known to have begotten as many as 110 colts for which the fees were paid in a single season. Of his extreme fertility the late Thomas Jones is quoted in Volume 1 of the Percheron Stud Book of America as having said: “Tt is safe to say that he averaged sixty colts a year for eighteen years and that they sold at three and four years old for an average of $200, many of them having brought $500 each, and some as much as $1,000. It was when the United States govern- ment began scouring the country for good horses | Timothy C. Bigelow | | i Timothy L.Brgelow | FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 117 during the War of the Rebellion that the seal of fame was set upon Valley Bill for all time. His get readily brought from $50 to $125 more than the common stock of the country where he stood, the general belief being that those who had Bill’s colts to sell to Uncle Sam received on an average $80 per head for them more than was paid for other varie- ties.” His get were wonderfully uniform, none of them very large, and the great number of red-roans which followed his cover has given rise to a belief quite general in some quarters that he was when young of that ruddy hue, shedding out to white at a com- paratively early age. As a matter of fact, however, in his youth he was a silvery gray with dark legs, mane, and tail and later became well-nigh snow white. Nothing need be said here descriptive of his conformation. Our illustration shows more clearly what he was like than could be told in words. He stood about 15.3 hands and weighed between 1,300 and 1,400 pounds. The Holman Horse.—Not nearly so much is known of the three-year-old gray diligence colt that accom- panied Pleasant Valley Bill on his journey from Havre to New York. Lewis E. Holman, son of Samuel Holman, the importer, Phoenixville, Pa., takes up the thread of the story from the time the two colts reached New York in 1851 in the following statement: “Gray Billy, as we called our horse, was shipped to the home of my father’s brother, Frederic Holman, to await my father’s arrival. From there he was 118 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE brought to our farm on which we still live and always have lived. The reason we do not know his age when he died is that after keeping him many years we sold him to a Mr. Bird of New Jersey. How long he lived after that we do not know. His weight was between 1,300 and 1,400 pounds. His colts were fine and he was a sure foal-getter. He was not popu- lar at first, but it was not long before he was appre- ciated, though not in our immediate neighborhood. Buyers came from New York and many places of distance to buy his colts as they were remarkably fine and far superior to the colts by ordinary horses, He was a dark silver, dappled, three years old, one year older than Valley Bill. He was perfectly gentle and for his size very active, as were all of his colts.”’ The illustration of Gray Billy is from a curious old oil painting in the Holman home near Phoenix- ville, Pa., our engraving being a facsimile reproduc- tion, without effort to correct its manifest crudities. Gray Billy is thus identified with the hitherto un- placed Harmer’s Norman, Holmes’ Norman, Hol- man’s Norman, and Duke of Normandy 172, recorded under that number without date of birth or im- portation, or other data. Louis Napoleon.—In 1851 in the course of a trip abroad three Ohio men—Erastus Martin of Wood- stock, Pearl Howard of the same place, and young James Fullington of Milford Center, a member of a family distinguished in Ohio agricultural history went from England to France in quest of Merino sheep. Somewhere in the neighborhood of Rouen Martin saw a gray stallion with which he was deeply impressed—a big one possessing the distinction of GRAY BILLY.—FROM AN OLD PAINTING., FIRST PRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 119 being kept for stud service alone. As to where he came from history is silent. This horse took Mr. Martin’s fancy, but all efforts to buy him proved futile. Not to be foiled entirely, however, he did the next best thing and bought a three-year-old full brother described at that time as ‘‘a raw, unfinished colt’’ but promising to attain good size. Mr. Martin paid $350 for the colt and on rejoining his comrades told them what he had done, express- ing his belief that such a stallion would do a good business in the part of Ohio from which they came. Besides, it would not cost much to get him home with the rest of the stock. Pearl Howard declined point blank to invest any of his money in so big a stallion, but young Fullington, who was merely trav- eling with the party on a pleasure jaunt, committed his brother Charles, then a well-known figure in Ohio stock-breeding circles, to pay for a half interest in the horse. Landed safely in the Darby Plains country of Ohio, Louis Napoleon, as this French-bred colt had been named, met with a chilly reception. The late James H. Sanders, founder of the American Per- cheron Stud Book, who was born and lived as a young man in central Ohio, has left the following statement concerning this horse: ‘Louis Napoleon was a gray three-year-old of good size, but not of the largest type, short-legged, closely ribbed, blocky, and compact, with a neck rather short and head a little too large for elegance, but withal clearly cut, about 15% hands high, and 120 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE weighing, in full flesh, about 1,600 pounds. At that time he was a dark iron-gray, but long before his death, he became perfectly white. ‘At this time the writer was living within a few miles of Messrs. Fullington and Martin, and well does he remember the jokes that were hurled at Charley Fullington for what was called his folly in bringing such a horse all the way from France. The chunky, short-legged, gray colt and his importers were the butt of every horseman in that country; but the Fullingtons believed in him firmly, and bred several mares to him in the spring of 1852. His service fee that season was put at $10 to insure, yet such was the prejudice against him that only ten mares were bred to him, and seven of this num- ber belonged to his owners. In the meantime, Mr. Erastus Martin had come to the conclusion that the horse was destined to prove a bad investment, and accordingly, he embraced an opportunity of selling his interest to Mr. Gordon, one of his neighbors. ‘*In the spring of 1853 it was thought best to try a new field with the big gray colt, and accordingly he was sent to Dayton, and his service fee was fixed at $15; but he did very little better there than he had done during the previous season in Union County... . Early in the summer of 1853, the few colts that he had got in Union County during the previous season began to show signs of that remarkable excellence that was destined soon to make the despised French horse famous throughout the entire west, and then came a demand that he should be returned to that county. Accordingly, during the next season (1854) he was again kept at Milford Center, Union County, and although his fee was placed at $15—a price hith- erto unheard of in that region—he was well patron- ized by the people who had two years before ridi- culed him.’’ LOUIS NAPOLEON.—DRAWN FROM AN OLD PHOTOGRAPH. FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 121 It is related that Howard had remarked when the purchase of a one-third interest in the colt had first been suggested to him that ‘‘when he wanted to breed his mares to a bull he would choose one with horns,’’ and that sentiment, implying that the horse was too big and clumsy, was very general at first among the owners of mares around Woodstock, Mil- ford Center, and contiguous territory. Taken to Illinois.—A. P. Cushman of DeWitt Co., UL, a trader widely known in his day, while visiting in central Ohio that fall saw for the first time ‘‘The French Horse,’’ as Louis Napoleon was then gener- ally known. Ata glance his practiced eye grasped the potentialities inherent in the big dark-gray stal- lion, then turning six years of age. To him it seemed merely a matter of sufficient size in the mares, and Tazewell, DeWitt, Logan, and other Illinois counties had many big ones sired by Oakley’s English Cart Horse Samson and his sons. So for $1,500 Mr. Cush- man acquired ‘‘The French Horse,’’ and ‘‘roaded”’ him to his new home in the Prairie State. Acquired by the Dillons.—Louis Napoleon made the season of 1855 at Waynesville, and within the next three years various undivided interests in him were traded and sold until finally in the fall of 1858 Ellis Dillon acquired a one-fourth interest in addi- tion to the half already owned by Isaiah and Levi Dillon, thus giving them a controlling interest. The Dillons, afterwards to acquire such prominence in the trade, were at that time residents of Tazewell county, and to their home Louis Napoleon was moved 122 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE and there he made the regular season of 1859. His success was not great that spring and on July 4 he was sent to the farm of Eli Hodgson in Grand Ridge township, La Salle county, to stand during the fall. These details are offered to show how lacking the horse was at first in popularity. His colts from the Samson mares had not yet begun to show their worth. Purchase of the odd one-fourth interest in the horse had been precipitated by the declaration by Cushman that he would move him to Kentucky in search of fields more easy of conquest. During the fall season of 1859 Louis Napoleon covered but seven mares, five of them the property of Mr. Hodgson. Early in the spring of 1860 the fast-whitening stal- lion was returned to the Dillon headquarters, and as his foals developed his business in the stud in- creased. By mid-summer the demand for his services had become pressing and great secrecy was main- tained regarding the date at which he was to be moved again to the Hodgson farm in La Salle. Young Martin Hodgson—still a prosperous breeder, and for many years a member of the firm of Prichard & Hodgson, now dissolved—rode the white horse home in the dead hour of the night following the celebra- tion of the national holiday. But so keen had been the scouting that when the journey was ended at a little before dawn, it is related that no less than forty-two mares were tied to the fences surrounding the Hodgson homestead awaiting their chance to be bred or booked. He had served but seven the season before. It is at this point, therefore, that we un- OAKLEY—OWNER OF SAMSON. he FIRST FRENCI ILORSES IN AMERICA 123 cover the real foundation of the popularity of the French horse of heavy draft in the western states. Louis Napoleon made several spring seasons in Tazewell county and fall seasons at the Hodgson farm in La Salle. In 1864 he was moved by the Dil- lons to Normal, in McLean county, where some two years later he became so badly infected that the operation of penotomy was resorted to in the hope of partially preserving his utility in the stud. After this, it is related, he sired three foals, dying in 1871 on the farm of B. Caldwell in Woodford county to whom the Dillons had presented him. First and last, it is believed, Louis Napoleon begot some 400 foals, not one of which was out of a purebred mare. Only the merest traces of his blood are discovered among our registered stock, a few recorded via the top- cross route descending from him. His number in the Percheron Stud Book is 281. There is no question whatever that to the excel- lence of his colts and fillies from mares of Samson (English) blood was due the high degree of popu- larity which Louis Napoleon achieved in Illinois. He did far better with them than with any others. Practically all of his male progeny were maintained entire, quite a few of them selling for $800, $1,000, and even longer prices. He bred fairly true to his own color, and in the hands of so shrewd a federa- tion as the Dillons no stone was left unturned to keep him in the limelight. Displays of his grade colts were for years features of the Illinois State and other fairs. It is doubtful if there is another region a 124 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE in the whole United States in which we could have met mares of better weight or conformation. Many of these weighed 1,400 pounds, some as much as 1,500, and a few even up to 1,600 pounds—hig, roomy, shapely, solid matrons, admirably fitted to mate with a stallion of Louis Napoleon’s size, build, and type. Various alleged portraits of this famous horse have in the past enjoyed a meretricious vogue, but all doubt as to his appearance at maturity is now defin- itely removed by the illustration herewith pre- sented, prepared from an enlargement of a small daguerreotype taken in 1852 when the horse was four years old and dapple-gray in color. In height at full maturity he stood between 15.3 and 16 hands, and his greatest weight was 1,630 pounds. Maryland Importation of 1853.—In Volume I of the Percheron Stud Book of America Col. Charles Carroll, Baltimore, Md., is credited with having im- ported the stallion Chartres 88, but no statement is made as to color or date of birth. In that volume, too, J. Howard McHenry, Pikesville, Md., is named as the importer of two mares—Lily 572 and Snow- drop 607—gray and white in order written, but with- out certainty as to age. To Snowdrop the produc- tion of two purebred colts is assigned, both being stallions and both by Duke of Normandy 172—the Gray Billy imported in the ship Scianne along with Pleasant Valley Bill. Nothing further of the his- tory of these importations of 1853 has been reached. Both of the mares died at a comparatively early age, the two stallions by Duke of Normandy 172 out FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 125 of Snowdrop being the only progeny alleged to have descended from them. Nothing more is related of the stallion Chartres and as the compiler of the stud book working indefatigably forty years ago was un- able to unearth other data, no more space need be occupied in their behalf. The bare facts, however, are interesting as showing that the home-raised stock of purebreds was slowly being augmented and as tending to fix definitely the identity of Duke of Normandy 172 and Gray Billy. Of the Maryland importations of 1853 it may then be fairly said that they left no sign so far as has been discovered up to this late day. Rollin Imported in 1856.—By the spring of 1856 the few colts left by Louis Napoleon in Ohio had begun to display their merit and Erastus Martin, who had originally purchased the gray stallion near Rouen, in company with John Gordon, also of Wood- stock, O., conceived the idea that a bay French horse would take well where the lighter color had failed of popularity. Accordingly an order for a bay stal- lion was dispatched by some of the stock buyers searching for Merino sheep in France and in due course of time the dapple-bay stallion Rollin 418 landed at Woodstock. Great preparations had been made for his reception on the ‘Gordon farm, a new stable having been built during the summer for his occupancy. This shows that a hearty welcome await- ed the newcomer and high hopes were entertained that he would prove a mighty success. Mr. Gordon had been associated in the last Ohio ownership of 126 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Louis Napoleon, when sooth to say the big gray horse had come to be looked upon more or less as ‘“‘trading stock,’’ which is well proved by the terms of the long-time deal on which he was acquired by a professional trader in an era when good horses were easily cashed. Sentiment had begun to veer, how- ever, in favor of the imported horse. Rollin was somewhat larger than Louis Napoleon, very thick at both ends and in the middle, not at all high-headed or stylish, but short-legged and drafty, and an impressive sire, a peculiar rotundity of barrel persisting in his get and descendants for genera- tions, as well as a tendency to the production of red-roans. H. Dorr Martin, a banker of Woodstock, O., and son of the late Erastus Martin, says of Rollin: ‘‘He left a lot of good colts. I remember some of them—mostly bays and browns, good blocky fellows. When the rebellion broke out we had some of his stock and they sold like hot cakes. They had good action for such large horses.’’ Despite his increased popularity, however, Rollin was not destined to remain long in the Darby Plains country. Inter-ownership trouble of some sort forced his sale and in 1859 the big bay horse left the new barn that had been built for him on a journey west to Onarga, IIl., L. Russ, later of the firm of Russ, McCourtey & Slattery of that point, having purchased him at a price recalled by Mr. Martin as $3,000. Rollin stood in Onarga and nearby towns for several seasons, doing a fine business, and in 1865 was bought by Jas. L. Owen, Mokena, IIL, as FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 127 whose property he died six years later. He was the second imported stallion in Illinois and quite a num- ber of mares by Louis Napoleon were sent from Taze- well, McLean and La Salle counties to be bred to him. His get included few grays, bays and browns persisting strongly except when the red-roan cropped out, so that his descendants could not be readily followed, except by records privately kept, among the native stock of the region where he stood for service. It is certain, though, that Rollin was a successful sire and did much to improve the farm horses of northern Illinois. Darby Plains Importation of 1857.—Along in the later ’50’s Ohio stockmen were very active in the effort to improve their sheep and cattle and in 1857 the Darby Plains Importing Co., the membership of which included stockmen in Union, Madison and Champaign counties, dispatched representatives to Europe. In this delegation were Henry Quy, Mechanicsburg, and Charles Fullington, Milford Center. After they had acquired cattle and other stock in Britain they crossed the channel to France in quest of Merino sheep and horses. Journeying together to Rouen Mr. Fullington left Mr. Guy and continued further afield after sheep. Mr. Guy relates personally that having taken up a coign of vantage in front of an inn in Rouen he sat for days watching the horses as they were driven to town from the surrounding country. Finally he saw a four-horse outfit, the leaders of which just filled his eye. After much haggling he succeeded in 128 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE buying these at $500 for the pair. The wheelers Mr. Guy describes as having weighed probably a ton apiece and entirely too big for his purpose. They were held at $500 each, or just twice as much as the smaller leaders. All were gray, but the pairs were of quite distinct types. A few days later a third stallion was bought, and also the mare Doll 540, the first ever brought directly from France west of the Alleghanies. One of the pair of leaders died on the ocean, the survivor being the famous Baker Horse 21. His shipmate was Nonesuch 346, other- wise and in his day better known as Old Bob. This was probably the last importation ever made on a sailing ship and a terribly rough voyage was en- countered. Though badly battered the two stallions and the mare after a time reached the Darby Plains alive and each won way to high renown. Doll went through many hands and proved prolific. Put up at auction by the importers, the unnamed gray leader bought right out of the harness in the streets of Rouen was purchased by Dr. Baker, from whom he took his name, for lack of a better, and from that year (1857) he passed through many own- erships but always did well. The Baker Horse was not a big one by any means, weighing about 1,500 pounds. He was of the diligence type and a re- markably fertile and impressive sire. In 1864 he was purchased by Abram Curl of Woodstock, O., and he stood there until 1867. Of the Baker Horse H. Dorr Martin writes: ‘‘He was a finely shaped horse and left some of g SQ rles Fullington | FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 129 the best draft colts of any of the early importations. They were very tough and lived to a good old age. Mr. Curl had a team of horses by the Baker Horse which I remember very well that lived to be about 25 years of age and worked every day. I personally owned a mare of this stock that raised me thirteen colts straight. Some of them sold as high as $300 and $500 apiece.’’ To Nonesuch 346, or Old Bob, is due the original popularity of the French horse in Delaware Co., O., a county that has since that time been a fender a Ohio draft horse production. At the sale held by the Darby Plains Importing Co., in 1857, ‘‘Bob’’ was bought by Peter Bland, Milford Center, one of the staunchest supporters of the type from the ear- liest days, and by him was resold to Lewis Lee of Delaware, at which place the stallion stood until the year before his death in 1875. Old Bob was about the same size and type as the Baker Horse and dur- ing his sojourn in Delaware had all he could do in the stud. Assuredly he made plain the path trodden by the breed in later times. Doll 540 was the largest of the three animals im- ported by the Darby Plains Co. in 1857. She stood 16.3 hands at the shoulder and weighed upwards of 1,700 pounds, being of a larger, more rangy. type than the two stallions that accompanied her across the ocean. She was possessed of the characteristic “Frenchy”? or ‘‘creasy’’? rump, then a marked fea- ture of the horses being brought over from France. She was rather short and droopy in her quarters, had heavy bone with some feather and in color was 130 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE gray. In the spring of 1866 Charles Fullington, who by that time had acquired her, sent her to the Thomas Jones farm at Pleasant Valley to be bred to Old Bill. Prior to that year she had produced four foals by the Baker Horse 21, those of 1858 and 1859 dying young and those of 1860 and 1862 surviving and being named respectively Doll 541 and White Rose 613. In 1866 the late Thomas Jones bought old Doll 540 and the filly at her side by the Baker Horse 21, later named Rose 604. The price for the pair was $400. In 1867 she foaled the filly Eugenia 13000 by Pleasant Valley Bill and during that sum- mer she and the foal were sold to A. Gill and K. L. Wood for $1,000. In 1869 old Doll produced the filly Josephine 1502 by the big horse Conqueror 109, a five-year-old gray of great scale imported in 1867 by Wallace, Watkins & Co., Marion, O. Shortly after this Gill & Wood dissolved their partnership, Gill retaining the old mare and Wood the filly Eugenia, which afterwards produced several foals for him. In 1870, again to the cover of Con- queror, old Doll produced the stallion Thompson 461, probably the heaviest French colt bred in the United States up to that date, but phenomenally crooked in his hind legs. Despite that fact he is said to have proved a fairly successful sire. He and Josephine, both by Conqueror 109, were consid- erably larger than the others of old Doll’s progeny, both exceeding a ton in weight. Poor old Doll did much for her various owners and for the breed at large, but Gill, who was a dour and crabbed citizen ws { Eli Hodgson. } (iy s 7 Wim Hodgson} {| M.C.Hodgson } — FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 131 with peculiar notions as to horse improvement, when she became his exclusive property bred her to a Belgian horse, after which her usefulness came to an end. The filly Rose 604 by the Baker Horse 21 was bred as a two-year-old to Pleasant Valley Bill and produced three fillies in successive years to his cover. All of these were prolific, so that the de- scendants of old Doll 540 are very numerous. Kentucky Importation of 1859.—Following the Darby Plains Importing Company’s venture of 1857, the Kentucky importation of 1859 takes chronologi- cal precedence. This consisted of a stallion named Napoleon 4th 1723 and a mare named Marie An- toinette. This importation was made by Dr. Nove, or Nave, for the Jessamine Importing Co., Nicholas- ville, Ky., and the horse was later transferred to Gen. W. C. Preston, Lexington, as whose property he died in 1878. The mare died in 1863 and here once more we find no lasting impression left upon the native equine stock. Massachusetts Importation of 1864—About the end of the sixth and opening of the seventh decades of the nineteenth century prospects in agricultural America were not such as to encourage private in- vestment of large sums in any kind of live stock; indeed it was not until 1864 that further importa- tions were attempted. In that year the Massachu- setts Agricultural Society imported the stallions Conqueror 108 and Orleans 255 and the mares Em- press 542, Lyons 574, and Normandy 587. Here again we run up against the dead wall of oblivion, 132 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the sole progeny credited to this band of five being a roan filly dropped in 1866 by Lyons to the cover of Orleans. And there their history stops. Gray Duke.—The horsemen of Ohio began anew in 1865. The shipment of that year consisted of but a single stallion—Gray Duke 1724, a gray foaled in 1863—and was made by the Galion Importing Co., of which J. M. White, Cardington, O., was the leading spirit. Mr. White was a passenger con- ductor on one of the early western railways and an enthusiastic horseman during his entire career. To his enterprise may be credited the first importation of French blood into the Galion district and the re- sumption of the business after the close of the war. He personally sent money to France for the purchase of a gray colt and then sold one-third interest in the youngster to two of his friends, the three forming the nucleus of the later prosperous Galion Import- ing Co. Eastern Imports of 1866.—Three stallions and the same number of mares were brought across the ocean in 1866, S. W. Ficklin, Charlottesville, Va., import- ing the stallions Bienvenu 37 and The Colonel 459 and the mares Constance 530 and Eugenia 802. Both of these mares proved prolific and left recorded prog- eny behind them. In the same year Dr. J. Pembroke Thom, Balti- more, Md., imported the mare Charlotte Corday 529, but later sold her to J. W. Hunt, Frankfort, Ky., where all trace of her is lost. In 1870 and 1871 she produced gray fillies to Little Corporal 274, a home- PIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 133 bred horse got by Duke of Normandy 172 (Gray Billy), imported in 1851 with Pleasant Valley Bill, out of Snowdrop 607, imported into Maryland in 1853. First Direct Importation into Illinois.—It has been popularly supposed that it was not until 1868 that horses were imported direct from France into DIh- nois, but the records show that in this year of 1866 Dr. A. G. Van Hoorebeke brought the black stallion Lucifer 285 to Monmouth, which advances the date of direct importation into the great Prairie common- wealth some two years. Indeed Dr. Van Hoorebeke is to be credited with being the pioneer importer of Illinois as he brought over Lucifer 285 in 1866, the gray .Leon 266 in 1868, the black Norma 348 in 1869, and the gray Laurent 709 in 1870. Unfortu- nately, Norma died the same year that he was im- ported. Ohio Active in 1867.—Ohio importers had it all to themselves in 1867, Brown, Bigelow & Co., of Co- lumbus, and Wallace, Watkins & Co., and Gilmore & Houser, of Marion, being the only firms recorded as having engaged in the importing business that season. Brown, Bigelow & Co. included in its mem- bership Dr. Marcus Brown, of Circleville, importer of Pleasant Valley Bill in 1851, and the late T. C. Bigelow, in his time the leading team owner in the Ohio capital and one of the foremost horsemen of his time. It was surely the irony of fate that his death should have been caused by injuries sustained in an attack made upon him by one of the stallions 134 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE he imported. It is to the courtesy of his son and successor, T. L: Bigelow, that this history is indebted for the portrait of Pleasant Valley Bill and for much authentic information gathered from his own per- sonal recollections and the papers belonging to the old firm, dating back to 1851 and including the orig- inal documents in French relating to the purchase by Mr. Holman of Old Bill and Gray Billy at Rouen in 1851. Brown, Bigelow & Co. imported in that year Na- poleon 325, Black Robert 54, and Duke of France 165. Wallace, Watkins & Co. brought Conqueror 109, a big gray horse already referred to in connec- tion with the history of old Doll 540, and Gilmore & Houser had Napoleon 2d 335, later sold to E. Dillon & Co., Normal, Ill. The two Ohio firms last men- tioned were later amalgamated into the Marion County Importing Co., which at one time was classed as handling better stallions on the average than any one in the business at the time. ‘‘Wat’’ Watkins was the brains of the coalition, but quit before the ball had been fairly set a-rolling. There is a story told of him in connection with the Illinois State Fair of 1872, which throws light on the state of live stock improvement in that era: Decatur was the place of holding the Illinois show that season and substantially all the men interested in draft horses were on hand, the count showing a total of forty-two imported and grade animals on exhibition. These were all lined up in some sort of a parade and ‘‘Wat’’ Watkins happened to be stand- FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 135 ing next W. E. Prichard, now, as then, a resident of Ottawa, Il. ‘*Prichard,’’ quoth Watkins, ‘‘look at that, forty- two head, count ’em. Tell you what; this business is going to be overdone and I’m going to stand from under before the bottom drops out of it.’? And stand from under he did, getting out of the business shortly afterwards, and though the family was right at the top of the ladder at the time, the name of Watkins is hardly remembered now in its old home location in connection with any such important position. Regarding the three stallions imported by the Co- lumbus firm in 1867 T. L. Bigelow gives the follow- ing descriptions: ‘Black Robert 54, black, weight about 1,500 pounds, of pure Norman blood, wonderful action and endurance. “Duke of France 165, bay, weight 1,750 pounds, fair success in stud at fee of $20. Sold to go to Ga- lena, Delaware Co.,O. Bay Duke (as we called him) was a beautiful Norman-French horse, fine style but not possessing the action of the pure Norman or diligence breed of horses. ‘‘Napoleon 325, dapple-gray, weight 1,650 pounds, fair success in stud only. Stood mostly at Chillicothe and in Ross Co., O. This stallion was awarded first premium at the World’s Fair held at Rouen, France, 1866, in competition with some 500 stallions. As was the custom, the owner considered him sold to the Imperial Stud and would not put a price on him on that account for export. Messrs. Brown & Bigelow, however, through the influence of a member of the court, secured a personal audience with the Emperor, 136 \ HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Napoleon III, obtaining from him an order for the horse, later paying an enormous price.’ These details supplied by Mr. Bigelow in connec- tion with the stallions included in this and other im- portations made by the firm are of great value as showing the weight of the stallions then obtainable in France and proving the existence of at least two well differentiated types at that day. The name ‘‘Norman’’ was apparently given to the diligence or quick-moving, smaller pattern of Pleasant Valley Bill, while the larger, slower, more drafty sort, to which Louis Napoleon had belonged seems to have been referred to merely as ‘‘French.”’ Up to the end of 1867 twenty stallions and eleven mares had been imported from France, practically all of them having been purchased at or near the town of Rouen. In so far as can be ascertained the diligence type was preferred and had done better with the eastern mares than the heavier horses im- ported. Louis Napoleon and Rollin, the first French stal- lions brought to Illinois, had the advantage of meet- ing larger mares than those available farther east, or indeed anywhere else. It is presumable that Duke of France, the stallion referred to by Mr. Bigelow as of ‘‘Norman-French”’ blood, was one of the heav- iest retained: in Ohio up to that time and probably about the same size as Rollin. That both these horses were bay and hailed from the same locality suggests a racial connection between them. Their ruddy coats and superior scale would suggest also 1 LeviDillon > {Lis Dillon b ¢ LsatahDillon _} =O FIRST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 137 possession of some blood distinct from the diligence type. Up to the close of 1867 only three imported stallions had been brought into Illinois and none had been located in any other state west of Ohio. GHAPTER VI. THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870. More stallions and mares were imported into the United States from France in 1868 than during all the previous seasons, the figures being 31 stallions and 8 mares. Seven of the mares were brought across the sea by the late Gen. W. T. Walters, Baltimore, Md., and the remaining one by Jeff C. Clark, Nor- mandy, Mo. ; Importers of stallions in 1868 included, besides the two already named, the Galion Importing Co., Galion, O.; Wallace, Watkins & Co. and the Marion County Importing Co., Marion, O.; Brown, Bigelow & Co., Columbus, 0.; Dwight Gay, Columbus, 0.; Fulling- ton, Phellis & Co., Irwin Station, O0.; A. G. Van Hoorebeke, Monmouth, Ill., and W. J. Edwards, Clif- ton, Ill. Territorial expansion was the order of the day and greater size seems to have been sought in France by most of the importers. Practically all the stallions were bought in the towns of Rouen, Amiens, Elboeuf, Boulogne, and Havre. The Paris dealers’ stables were also resorted to. The exact origin of the imported horses of this period will never be known, and this statement will apply with equal truth to many a good horse brought to America from France in subsequent years. It is clear that those 138 THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 139 who brought out the earlier Ohio stallions were not men who had made any special study of the business. The Perche, as such, was to them more or less a terra incognita. They knew nothing of what had been going on in that district for fifty years preceding their visits. The buyers of Louis Napoleon and other horses were not even in quest of horses. There were no stud books. No pedigrees were obtained, and none of these early buyers appears to have made any effort to seek out the real fountain head of the type that was destined to play such an important part in the development of draft horse breeding in the United States. In good time, however, this was discovered and commonly recognized. Of the Missouri importation, consisting of two stallions and one mare, no information can now be secured further than that conveyed by the records. In Illinois the case is far different, because on the importation of Suecess and French Emperor by W. J. Edwards was raised by the late Mark- Wentworth Dunham the most magnificent success ever achieved by one man in the heavy horse business. A Profitable Business.—By this time the importa- tion and sale of imported stallions had settled down to the level and dignity of an established. trade and prices ranged in this country between $2,000 and $3,500. In France prices remained on about their old scale. Among Dr. Marcus Brown’s papers is a Memorandum showing that the five stallions he bought in 1868 for Brown, Bigelow & Co., cost laid down in Columbus, O., an average of $578.68. One 140 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE of the five was a Belgian which proved so utterly un- reliable in the stud that he never succeeded in get- ting a mare with foal. In consequence he was never recorded. Another member of this importation, Black Leopard 50, had considerable Belgian blood in his veins; he was of medium stature and a fine mover. It was this horse that killed Mr. Bigelow. With the expansion of the business westward and the development of the fillies by earlier imported stallions, there arose an insistent demand in some quarters for more weight. Importers found it also to their advantage to be choice in the matter of in- dividuality when making their selections abroad. Profits were very satisfactory. Sales were quite gen- erally for cash and guarantees of reasonable sure- ness as foal-getters had not yet been exacted by pur- chasers. Service fees had reached a remunerative level and were going higher. In short the whole business had begun to take on that air of prosperity in which it.was swathed a decade later. Activity in Ohio.—In almost all of the importa- tions of 1868 one or more stallions of outstanding merit were included. For instance, in the Galion company’s lot of half-a-dozen, the largest importa- tion brought over that year, no less than three— Napoleon 733, Puelo 752, and the oddly named Pluri- ‘bustah 747—gained something more than local re- nown in the stud. While most of the imported stal- lions still ranged in weight between 1,600 and 1,700 pounds several imported that year were much heavier. PERCHERON MARES PRUDE AND SUE—IMPORTED IN 1878 BY W. T. WALTERS. THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 141 The transactions of Brown & Bigelow that season will serve to illustrate the nature of the business as earried on in that distant day. Importers of the present time will be interested in the following par- ~ ticulars: Black Leopard 50 was the dearest horse of the lot, costing 3,020 francs, or $604, in France. He was con- sidered by Mr. Bigelow the best horse he ever saw and after making many very profitable seasons: at $20 the mare he was sold at the age of sixteen for $1,000. Diligence 137 cost $364, was sold for $2,500, and stood all his life at $20. Coburg, the stallion that covered 100 mares and never got one of them with foal, cost $264 in France and brought $2,500. Two- thirds of this price was on time and the notes were returned. Dictator 134 cost $620. An offer of $3,000 -was refused for him. He made ten big seasons at $20 amare. Vigorous 486 was acquired for $204 and found a buyer at $2,200. There seems to have been no direct connection between size and price, as the two highest priced stallions in this lot, Dictator and ‘Black Leopard, were in the order written the largest -and the smallest in it. The average price paid for the five stallions abroad was $413, but as gold was at a premium they actually cost the average previ- ‘ously named. - From all accounts the three lighter stallions in -this lot, Black Leopard, Diligence and Vigorous, all weighing from 1,600 to 1,650 pounds, did quite as good business in the stud as the larger Dictator, which sealed 1,900 pounds. The heavier sorts were 142 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE yet very much in the minority, the proportion of three light to one heavy in this importation probably holding good for all the others. The figures for the Brown & Bigelow lot tell the story of the business at that time. In the importation brought over by the Watkins federation of Marion, O., was the never-to-be-forgot- ten Napoleon 2d 337, purchased that fall shortly after landing by the firm of Llewellyn & Prichard, Ottawa, IIl., which consisted of W. E. Prichard, still of that place, and his brother-in-law. Napoleon 2d was a very shapely gray horse of superb quality. He sprang into instant popularity when brought to Tli- nois. He was later commonly known as ‘‘Old Poley’’ and that sobriquet soon became familiar throughout La Salle and adjoining counties. Mares were brought, so great was his renown, over 40 miles to his court. Later his fame extended all over the state and his sudden death in 1877 deprived the budding heavy horse industry of the Prairie commonwealth of its best foal-getter. He cost $3,300. Of the Fullington-Phellis lot no less than three dis- tinguished themselves more or less as sires in cen- tral Ohio. These were Duke of Normandy 168, Prince Albert 385, otherwise known as ‘‘Jim,’’ and Prince Imperial 388, better remembered locally as ‘‘Old Charley.’’ This firm was composed of Charles Fullington, back in 1851 part owner of Louis Napo- Jeon, and Charles Phellis, one of the best known stockmen and one of the most advanced of Ohio agriculturists of his day. : es fe Fa ae SOOT PERCHERON STALLION MOROCK—IMPORTED IN 1868 BY W. T. WALTERS. THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 143 The Walters Percherons.—To Gen. W. T. Walters, Baltimore, Md., clearly belongs the credit of having been the leading importer and breeder of the Atlan- tic Coast country of the early day. In 1868 he brought across the ocean four stallions and seven mares, establishing them on his estate just outside Baltimore. It may be said fairly that the gray diligence horse of France became an obsession with him. He was a man of wealth, position and large affairs. He resided in France for a consider- able period and during his sojourn in that country became deeply impressed with the adaptability of the Percheron to American conditions. He formed a connection with one of the officials of the French government stud who assisted him in making his selections. He contended that the diligence type was suitable in every way for use before a gentleman’s carriage. He sought generally the lighter weights, and seated in his platform spring wagon or double carriage drawn by a pair of what he always called Percheron mares, driven by a colored coachman, he was a familiar figure on the Baltimore drives. Gen. Walters never overlooked an opportunity to promote public interest in his Percherons, and hav- ing ample means at his command he was in a position to go as far as he liked. He caused a translation of Du Hajjs’ history of the Percheron horse to be made and published at his own personal expense. He dis- tributed among his friends a splendid quarto volume profusely illustrated with plates of stallions and mares made from photographs by Schreiber of Phila- 144 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE delphia, then and for long years afterwards the fore- most live stock camera artist of America. The repro-. ductions herewith of plates from Gen. Walters’ pri- vately circulated book disclose at a glance the type of horse he favored. The late Dr. Ezra Stetson, Neponset, Ill., procured some of the Walters mares, and their descendants proved among the most useful horses of the early days of Percheron breeding in the middle west. Old Success Imported.—W. J. Edwards, Clifton, Ill., was a patentee and manufacturer of improved road-construction machinery, a traveler, a gentle- man, and the possessor of untiring energy. In 1868 he journeyed to Europe and when he returned to Clifton brought with him three imported stallions —a bay which was the largest of the trio, French Emperor 203, and the gray Success 452. Just where he acquired the bay and what became of that big horse diligent research has failed to reveal. These three stallions made seasons in Clifton in 1868, and that fall the two grays were purchased by the Fletcher Co., Wayne, Ill., which took its title from its first president, the late Mark Wentworth Fletcher, father of James Moore Fletcher, who some years later in connection with Oaklawn, and afterwards on his own account, became a leader in Percheron circles. Success attained great celebrity, as will be noted further on. M. W. Dunham Enters the Business.—In this Fletcher company, as one of its members, was the late Mark W. Dunham, Wayne, IIl., one of the most PERCHERON STALLION SULTAN—IMPORTED IN 1881 BY W. T. WALTERS. ite re sree PERCHERON MARE ALENE—IMPORTED IN 1866 BY W. T. WALTERS. THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 145 resourceful and far-sighted men ever identified with animal breeding in North America. Firm in the conviction that a great future lay before the French horses in the United States, Mr. Dunham bought out his colleagues in this enterprise and there and then founded the great importing and breeding enterprise which has made the names of Dunham and Oaklawn household words among the draft horse breeders of two continents. His subsequent stu- pendous success will necessarily come in for frequent reference as our story progresses. Napoleon Bonaparte.—While no very direct ac- count can be given of the events which followed the introduction by Jeff C. Clark of French blood into Missouri, further than as contained in the rec- ords, the facts seem to be clear enough. Eugenia 802, the gray mare imported by Mr. Clark that year as a four-year-old, proved prolific, though un- reliable as to the color of her progeny. Mr. Clark seems to have held on to his imported horses for some seven years, when he disposed of Eugenia to Henry V. P. Block, Aberdeen, Mo., and the stallion Napoleon Bonaparte 334 to the Pike Co., Mo., Horse Association, Louisiana, Mo. Of this gray horse it is of record that while weighing close to 1,600 pounds he was possessed of coach horse conforma- tion, style and beauty, quality and action. More- over he was quite fast at the trot. There is a tradi- tion, of sufficient moment at the time to induce the discriminating compiler to record it in Volume I of the Percheron Stud Book, that Napoleon Bonaparte 146 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE trotted a mile over the old St. Louis fair grounds track in 3.42, pulling a four-wheeled coupe contain- ing four men. Bismarck, the stable companion of this fast traveler, in 1874 became the property of Dr. Stetson of Neponset, Ill., but apparently he did not meet his views, as in the year following he passed to the same company that owned Napoleon Bonaparte. This covers quite closely the main facts which transpired in 1868, the most memorable year since the inception of the importing business. Almost as many mares were imported as had thitherto crossed the ocean—8 as compared with 11 head—and ‘the’ © number of imported stallions had been increased 150 per cent, the figures from 1839 to 1867 inclusive be- ing 20 as compared with 31 in 1868. Imported horses had penetrated as far west as Missouri and the second and third direct importations had been made into Illinois. By far the most important fea- ture of the year was the entrance of Mark W. Dun- ham into the ranks following the banner of the French horse. Unpretentious and inauspicious though that beginning may have been it marked the opening of the era during which the breed was destined to assume the dominance of the American draft horse breeding industry, with M. W. Dun- ham as its leading exponent. A Lull in 1869.—In the season following the boom of 1868 importations were greatly reduced, general commercial dullness and financial stringency being given as the causes. In 1869, too, we note the giving AND SALVATOR—IMPORTED BY W. T. WALTERS. STALLIONS TRIBUNE PERCHERON PERCHERON MARE KATE—IMPORTED IN 1886 BY W. T. WALTERS. THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 147 way of the Ohio contingent as the leader in the im- porting business, and the promise of the rise of Illinois to the proud position of prominence it was soon to assume and which it has held ever since. Not one of the previously prominent Ohio firms is named as having brought horses across the ocean in 1869, the only importer of record in that state for that season being F. D. Dunham of Cincinnati, whose’ lot consisted of two stallions which do not seem to have made any impression on the equine affairs of the state. Hume & Short of Brighton and A. G. Van Hoorebeke of Monmouth are the TIli- nois operators listed in the records. With three residents of Pennsylvania they comprise the roster of those actively engaged. The Pennsylvanians were E. W. Shippen, Meadville, who brought out three stallions, Edward Schreiber, Allentown, who brought five stallions and one mare, and John S. Parker, West Chester, who brought two stallions. The total importations for the entire year amount- ed to fifteen stallions and one mare. No mark worthy of prominent mention seems to have been left by any of these animals. Only one foal is recorded as having been produced by the mare imported that season, Eugenia 803. It was a colt, color not given, sired by Prince Imperial 748 (imported the same year) and foaled in 1876. It was in this year of 1869 that the state of Iowa received its first imported stallion. In the fall of 1868 Peter Bland, one of the earliest converts to the draft horse faith and a resident of the Darby Plains 148 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE country of Ohio, bought from Fullington, Phellis & Co. the five-year-old gray Duke of Normandy 168, locally known as John Sheridan. One year later Mr. Bland sold this stallion, which was of the dili- gence type and weighed not more than 1,600 pounds at full maturity, to A. W. Cook, Charles City, Ia., who kept him until 1874 and then sold him to Jacob Erb & Co. of Ames. Pride of Perche 382, imported by the Watkins federation of Ohio, reachéd the Towa Agricultural College this same year. John Sheridan was not long destined for his work in Story county, his death following in August of the same season in which he was taken there. Across the Continent.—The year 1870 saw the hub of the country’s draft horse importing and breeding industry pass westward to Illinois, where it has ever since remained. Kansas received its first direct importation from France in the gray stallion Napoleon 736, imported by M. J. Parrott, Leaven- worth, but fated not long to be retained in the Sun- flower state. In 1872 Napoleon was sold to W. C. Meyer, the pioneer breeder of the Pacific slope, who in that year took his second lot over the Rocky Mountains. Mr. Meyer’s first purchase, made in this year of 1870, included the stallion White Prince 496, Doll 541 (by the Baker Horse 21 out of old Doll 540, imported in 1857) and some grade mares with three crosses of imported blood in their veins. From these grade mares he was able in 1878 under the new top-cross rule to register the fillies Jane 812 and Josie 815, the former by Pride of Perche 380 and PERCHERON STALLIONS SULTAN AND VICTOR—IMPORTED AND ‘OWNED BY W. T. WALTERS. THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 149 the latter by Gen. Fleury 846, their pedigrees other- wise being the same—dam Jennie by Prince Imperial 388 (Old Charley), grandam by Normandy 351 (Pleasant Valley Bill), third dam by Nonesuch 345 (Old Bob), fourth dam by Louis Napoleon 281. White Prince 496 was the first imported horse ever taken west of the Rocky Mountains, and it will be observed that even as early as 1878 we had Ameri- can-bred horses of high breeding graded up from the native stock. White Prince was a fine individual and an extraordinarily successful sire, never a big one, weighing around 1,600 pounds, and remembered as a typical specimen of the true diligence breed in its highest estate. His get followed his own pattern closely as to both type and color. Indeed he was regarded as exactly the horse that should have'been chosen to make a start in a region where the im- provement of the native stock had not previously been attempted. Unfortunately he was poisoned in 1878, foul play in that manner removing perhaps the most impressive getter ever used on the common run of mares in the early days in that country. Good Buying for Illinois —Fullington, Thompson & Co., Irwin Station, and the Marion company still held the fort in Ohio, each firm importing three stallions in 1870. All the other importers of that year, with the exception of Mr. Parrott, already mentioned as hailing from Kansas, were residents of Illinois. They were: Hume & Short, Brighton; Russ, McCourtey & Slattery, Onarga; Westfall, Moore & Rexroat, Macomb; A. G. Van Hoorebeke, 150 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Monmouth; Jas. A. Perry, Wilmington, and last but not least, E. Dillon & Co., Normal, which had been identified with the business since the purchase of Louis Napoleon in 1858. Illinois’ delegation consist- ed of 17 out of the 24 stallions imported that season. Josephine 814, brought across by Mr. Parrott, is the only mare listed for 1870. She was disposed of the following spring to Mr. Meyer, but died before she could be shipped. Duke de Chartres Brings $4,000.— Among the stal- lions imported in 1870 were several celebrities. In the quartette brought by James A. Perry, Wilming- ton, Ill., was Duke de Chartres 150, a four-year-old gray conceded to have been the handsomest imported stallion of his day, and extraordinarily successful in the showring at the Illinois State and other fairs. He earned the further distinction of being the first imported horse to be taken to California, William Hill & Co., Petaluma, being the buyers at a price reported to have been $4,000, or the highest paid up to that date. Diligent inquiry has failed to develop information touching Duke de Chartres’ career after reaching the Golden State. Vidal 784, another stal- lion in the same importation, was later sold by Mr. Perry to the Degens of Ottawa, his acquisition mark- ing the entrance of that Illinois family into the business in which they were prominent for some years. Pride of Perche 382, a four-year-old gray imported by the Marion company in Ohio, was probably the second imported stallion taken into Iowa, having THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 151 been purchased by A. G. Howland, Otisville, the same year he was imported. He made several seasons at the Iowa Agricultural College, Ames, but like John Sheridan died in 1877. Most of the stal- lions imported by Russ, McCourtey & Slattery, Onarga, and Westfall, Moore & Rexroat, Macomb, seem to have done yeoman service in the improve- ment of the native Lllinois stocks, proving in the main long-lived, prolific, and impressive. One of the stallions imported by Westfall, Moore & Rex- roat was sold to A. V. Brookings, Macomb, IIL, marking the beginning of a connection that persisted prominently in that portion of the state for a great many years. First of the Blood in Wisconsin. Whether to Simon Rublee or to H. B. Sherman, both now mem- bers of the great silent majority, belongs the credit of having taken the first imported stallion into Wis- consin the records are not altogether clear. It is the tradition that Mr. Sherman bought a stallion in Ohio of 1870 importation, but finding him wanting in some essential particular later obtained another in ex- change for him—Pride of Perche 380. But it is cer- tain that Mr. Rublee bought Mahomet 291, imported in 1870, from the Dillons. He was one of their first lot of four head. In just which year the first im- ported horse was taken into the Badger state the records do not make clear, but the honor of blazing the trail in that commonwealth belongs to one or the other of these two men. Dillons’ Big St. Laurent.—With the importation 152 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE of four head, which marked the beginning of the Dillons’ importing career, there came certainly the weightiest stallion that up to that time had entered this country, and quite likely as big as any that has followed him. This was St. Laurent 435, a gray foaled in 1866, and said to have weighed near 2,400 pounds. He was loosely put together, and a some- what uncertain getter, but there is no question as to his mastodonic dimensions. Recapitulation.—Beginning with the Harris im- portation of 1839 and closing the first era of the im- porting business with the end of 1870, we find a total of 90 stallions and 21 mares definitely recorded as having been brought to these shores from France. It is generally believed that a few animals besides those mentioned here were actually imported within the period described, but the data concerning them and the points of their origin were too indefinite for the compiler of the stud book some forty and more years ago to recognize their claims. At the best they could be but few in number. Some of the early imported stallions of the diligence type bred re- markably true to form, and there is little room to doubt that on removal far from the point of produc- tion some of their sons with age, whitening coat, and growing success in the stud gradually assumed the dignity, by local reputation, of ‘‘imported stock.’’ If a few genuinely imported stallions were overlooked it is no more than must have been ex- pected in the circumstances, but without doubt a place was found for every animal whose history THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 153 could be traced without break or flaw. Naturally, too, there was considerable duplication of names, but that also was unavoidable. It is possible when the affairs of a stud book organization are in running order to prevent two animals being registered by the same name, but that is impossible in gathering together materials for a retrospective volume. Names under which stallions have been known for many years can not be changed for the purposes of making a more intelligible record. In reading the history of the earliest importations it is necessary, ~ then, to sense properly the number following the name when tracing the career of any given individ- ual. Of Napoleons, Dukes of Normandy, Prides of Perche, and Princes of various realms there were many and unless the stud book number is carefully noted in connection with the name confusion must ensue. Of the 90 stallions imported between 1839 and 1870, Ohio had 42, Illinois 24, Pennsylvania 10, Maryland 5, Massachusetts, Virginia, Missouri and - New Jersey 2 each, and Kansas 1. Owing to the activity of Gen. W. T. Walters, Maryland easily leads among the mares with a total of 10 out of 21, followed by Massachusetts with 3, Virginia and New Jersey with 2 each, and Pennsylvania, Kansas, Missouri and Ohio with 1 each. Starting once more with the landing of the Harris stallions and mares in New Jersey, we have the spread westward in chronological order to Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, 154 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Kansas, Iowa and Oregon. Michigan received its first blood also in 1870, when Hon. Z. T. Chandler, Lansing, bought Mark Anthony 296 from Gen. W. T. Walters, Baltimore. Oddly enough, although every stallion taken into Illinois and further west neces- sarily had to pass through Indiana there is no men- tion made of the location of any imported stallion in that state within the period of 32 years just re- viewed. Mahomet 292, a five-year-old gray stallion imported in 1868 by the Watkins confederacy in Ohio, is recorded as having made several seasons in Illinois and Indiana, but that is as close as we can come to discovering any early awakening in Indiana to a sense of the merits of these imported horses. By the close of 1870 draft horse breeding had been established in Illinois as a commercial industry on a sure and solid basis, though as yet no purebred mares had been owned within the state. Up to this time a large percentage of the male progeny of the imported stallions, especially if gray in color and descended from the Samson mares, were kept entire and used in the stud, some of these grades being high-class individuals and often really not to be dis- tinguished from the imported article. Weights as high as 1,800 and even 1,900 pounds had been achieved in this line of breeding and prices up to and beyond the $1,000-line had been paid for the best specimens. Four hundred and $500, and even $600, $700, and $800 were prices constantly quoted for young gray horses possessing the characteristic ‘‘Frenchy’’ form, even though only half-bred. Stal- THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 155 lion fees were liberal, reaching as high as $25, $35, and even to $40 and $50 in the top register. No line of live stock endeavor was so popular and at the fairs big and little the owners of French horses vied strenuously with one another in making dis- plays of the colts and fillies begotten by their stal- lions. Of course these young things were all grades. In New Jersey all trace of the early importations was gradually swept away, the mark left by Gray Billy, stallmate of Pleasant Valley Bill on the jour- ney across the ocean, being perhaps the hardest to efface, owing no doubt to the superior purity of his blood and his prepotence as a sire. Despite the so- cial and personal prominence of Gen. W. T. Walters and the care and money he lavished on his Per- cheron breeding venture, little benefit accrued to the state of Maryland. Indeed, save that in some locali- ties the weight of the native farm stock was measur- ably increased, it is questionable if the equine inter- ests of the commonwealth received any lasting bene- fit. Much the same is true, on the best authority, of the earliest importations into Virginia, and all vestiges of the Kentucky importations of 1859 have vanished completely. In Pennsylvania no doubt the war of 1861-5 swal- lowed up most of the grades old enough to go to the front, the state at that day being famed as the breeding ground where the best big horses in the Union were produced. Indubitably the heavy de- mands made on the newly improved equine pos- sessions of Pennsylvania for military purposes gave . 156 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the work of amelioration so grievous a setback that before the machinery of improvement had again been set in motion the tide of agricultural advancement and settlement was flowing westward in such over- mastering volume and strength that the ground lost could never be quite regained. Nevertheless Penn- sylvania remained for years one of the dominant factors in the American heavy horse breeding in- dustry. To a lesser extent the same is true of Ohio. In the Buckeye state perhaps the farmers’ yards were not raked quite so clean as in Pennsylvania, and though the prices offered by the agents of the War Department tempted many breeders to sell their grade mares for army uses a larger percentage re- mained after the close of hostilities with which to begin anew the making of the native-bred drafter. Old Doll 540, imported in 1857 by the Darby Plains Co., proved a tower of strength to the budding pure- bred industry, not only in her own career but also in the prolificacy of her several daughters. They gave the Ohio fanciers a start in the breeding of purebred stock and the constant supply of unrelated imported stallions from 1851 onward gave them the opportunity to put successive crosses upon the native foundation until registration under the top-cross rule of 1878 had been achieved. We find no evidence that this new rule was taken advantage of in that day by the breeders in Maryland or Virginia. Just how Indiana escaped from being infected with the desire to improve its work horses by the use of THE IMPORTING RECORD TO 1870 157 the imported blood will never be explained, but that not a single imported stallion had up to 1870 ever been taken for service within the boundaries of the state is proved beyond a doubt by the records. How such a priceless boon came to be overlooked entirely in the main line of western travel must remain an unsolved mystery. Ilinois seems to have been shaped by destiny to be the center of the American draft horse breeding industry. As already stated, the existence of the big mares carrying the blood of Samson contributed to the early success on the broad prairies of Taze- well and adjacent counties, and there is a tradition that even as early as 1835 grades of another draft breed had been used to better the work stock of that region. Moreover, Illinois with its deep rich soil and its wonderful grazing was from the very first an ideal horse-breeding ground. As early as 1820 or thereabouts the Dillons, Hodg- sons, and other well known old Illinois families had achieved fame as horse breeders in the localities back east from which they originally hailed. About that year several of these families sent scouts west with instructions to look up a new location, the repre- sentatives of the Dillons and the Hodgsons being charged specifically to locate lands where horse breeding could be made a specialty. They came on horseback and the practical judgment of these hardy pioneers is well demonstrated by their original choices of location along the Illinois River in Taze- well and La Salle counties. They brought good 158 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE horses of the Dragon and Conestoga stocks with them, and the portion of the state where they settled has ever since been within the best breeding ground for draft horses in the west. It was into Tazewell county that tradition alleges the very first stallions of draft blood brought to Ili- nois were taken about 1835. It was into that same county that Samson was imported in 1843, and it was there again that Louis Napoleon made the ‘‘hit”’ that paved the way for all that has since transpired in this great branch of American animal husbandry. GHAPTER VI. MID-WEST PIONEERS. The production of French horses in America from imported ancestry on both sides was so limited prior to 1871 as to be of little consequence. As a matter of fact only 23 animals since recorded in the Ameri- can Stud Book were foaled during the years from 1871 to 1874. More rapid headway was made after 1875, however, as a considerable number of mares had meantime been imported. Summarizing the situation, we find that 874 stallions and 152 mares were imported between 1871 and 1880, and that 104 stallions and 115 mares were bred in America during that same time. Restricted as home-breeding may seem to have been, a solid foundation had nevertheless been laid. The value of the French horses in improving the common stock of the country, already demonstrated by Louis Napoleon, French Emperor, Success, Pleas- ant Valley Bill, and numerous others, had been more than sustained by the importation and use of Apollo 14, Vidoeq 483 (732), St. Laurent 435, Nogent 738 (729), Dieppe 135, Malbranche 293, and numerous other sires of more than average merit. Actual breeding had begun in fifteen states. Last but not least, a number of firms had passed through the 159 - 160 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE pioneer stages of importing and breeding and were leading the way to rapid improvement in our draft horse stock. Leaders of the Period. Mark W. Dunhan, E. Dil- lon & Co., James A. Perry, Daniel Dunham, A. W. Cook, Virgin & Brown, Degen Bros., B. H. Campbell, James H. Sanders, R. B. Chisholm, and the Onarga Importing Company were leading figures in the trade during the period of which we speak. All but Cook and Sanders were located in Illinois. They were carrying the colors to the front in Iowa. There were, however, seventy-seven other men who are credited with importations during this time, and some excellent horses were brought over by some of the minor operators. In some cases importations were made by men who did not go abroad, but who bought their horses through accredited agents in France. The leading breeders of the early ’70’s, as shown by entries subsequently made in the American Stud Book, in order of importance were M. W. Dunham and E. Dillon & Co., both of Illinois; 8. W. Ficklin of Virginia; Thomas Jones & Son and C. M. Jones, of Ohio; W. T. Walters of Maryland; W. H. Winter and Daniel Dunham of Illinois; W. C. Myer of Ore- gon; George W. Stubblefield & Co., and Ed. Hodgson of Illinois. Thirty-two other breeders produced from one to four animals each during the years mer- tioned, and their product was distributed over the states named and ten others. Oaklawn in Front.—Mark W. Dunham was not MID-WEST PIONEERS 161 only the principal importer, but casily the leading breeder of his time, both in point of numbers and in the excellence of animals produced. Between 1872 and 1900 385 mares and 353 stallions (a total of 738 Percherons) were bred at Oaklawn, more than in any five other breeding establishments operating dur- ing the ’70’s, ’80’s and ’90’s. Aside from this, the character of the animals produced was such that Oaklawn took the premier position at the outset, and its leadership was never seriously disputed during the lifetime of its founder. Born in 1842 of New England parentage Mark W. Dunham succeeded in 1865 to the farm which his father had purchased from the government in 1833. His education was obtained in the local schools and on the farm, under the guidance of a father who was a good farmer and a raiser of livestock of more than average merit. The father died when Mark was only 23, and he at once assumed the management of the place which then comprised but about 300 acres, located near Wayne, IIl., where the buildings now stand. Mr. Dunham as a practical farmer had bred good livestock from the outset, and as has already been briefly mentioned he had entered upon his career as a horseman by becoming a member of the Fletcher Horse Co., headed by his uncle, M. W. Fletcher. ° This was the company that had bought Success and French Emperor in 1868, shortly after their im- portation by W. J. Edwards. A few years later Mr. Dunham bought Success from the company for 162 A HISTORY OF. THE PERCHERON HORSE $3,300. The excellent character of the colts sired by this stallion out of the small, nondescript mares then common in northern Illinois, and the decidedly greater value of the colts for work or sale (they brought twice as much at the same age as any other colts sired in the county) together with the fact that very few such horses were in service convinced Mr. Dunham that an excellent business opening was here presented. He lacked means, but had the confidence of his bankers, who financed his initial venture— an importation of 6 stallions in 1872. He did so well on these that he brought over 17 stallions and 4 mares in 1873, and steadily increased his importa- tions in both stallions and mares, until by the end of 1880 he had imported a total of 300 stallions and 75 mares. Home Breeding Emphasized.—From the very be- ginning Mr. Dunham encouraged the breeding of Percherons in America, as is amply attested by the fact that he brought over 75 of the 152 mares im- ported during the ’70’s. The other 77 mares were brought over by 17 different importers, the Dillons bringing 18 and Daniel Dunham 17. Mignonette 584 (1447) was the best of the mares imported at this time. She is described as ‘16% hands high, weight over 2,000 pounds in fair order, dapple-gray.’’ She was six years old when imported in 1876, was champion mare at the Centennial Expo- sition at Philadelphia that year, and was a noted winner in France prior to importation. She was retained in the stud and was considered one of the MID-WEST PIONEERS 163 best brood mares at Oaklawn. She was the dam of Nyanza 869, sold to head the stud of Henry Avery, Wakefield, Kans., in 1881. Ophelia 590, Minerva 585, Countess 537, Adelaide 519, and Midocean 583 were other mares that proved to be good producers at Oaklawn. By the end of 1880 20 stallions and 28 mares had been bred and reared by Mr. Dunham as an earnest of his belief in the production of Ameri- can-bred Percherons. Success 452, Apollo 14, and Vidocq 483 were the sires used, in order named, dur- ing this period. Some Celebrities Described.—As a matter of inter- est a detailed description of these horses is here given: Success 452, foaled in 1864 and imported in 1868, was 16 hands high; weight 1,700 pounds. He was vigorous, hardy, an easy keeper, compact and sym- metrical, with unusual elegance and attractiveness in general appearance and movement. His get were described as uniformly large-sized, compactly built, clean-limbed, stylish and active, whether from large or small mares. Apollo 14, foaled in 1868, imported in 1875, was 16% hands high, weighed 2,000 pounds, and was a dark dapple-gray. He was very symmetrical and stylish and excellent in quality. Grand champion at the Centennial in 1876, he sired but 5 purebred colts at Oaklawn before his untimely death early in 1878. Such colts as he did sire were very large, massive, and excellent in character. Vidoeq 483 (732), foaled in 1869 and imported in 164 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 1874 stood 16% hands high, weighed 1,850 pounds, and was dapple-gray in color. He was very com- pact, symmetrical and stylish, with extreme spirit and courage. He was second at the Société Hip- pique Percheron Show at Nogent in 1872, being beaten by his half-brother, Duke de Chartres 162 (721). He was sold to Leonard Johnson of Min- nesota shortly after importation, but the colts sired by him in France proved so good and were such consistent winners when imported that Mr. Dunham bought him back to head the Oaklawn stud in 1878. Here he remained in service till 1885; he was the chief stock horse until superseded by Brilliant 1271 (755). He sired 386 purebred colts, most of which were bred by Mr. Dunham and Mr. Johnson. His greatest son, Nogent 738 (729), was placed at the head of the Dillon stud in 1877. Drawing from the Fountain Head.—Mr. Dunham’s pioneer service as an importer and breeder was notable for his insistence upon purchasing only horses of true Percheron breeding and character. He was not long in locating the source of the best draft horses in France. He sought his material in the very heart of The Perche. He early determined that the Percheron combined the necessary size and quality with unusual symmetry, style, action, spirit, and courage. His earliest purchases were made from such men as M. Cajet, M. Fardouet pere, M. Dupont, M. Miard and Ernest Perriot, Sr., all located in The Perche, and all leaders in Percheron breeding. His deliberate selection of the best stallions and mares {Daniel Dunham } i Oy | {_elas. M.Fleteher =e Leonardelohnson } | MID-WEST PIONEERS 165 obtainable in France for use in his own breeding operations at Oaklawn set a high standard for other American breeders to follow; last but not least, his aggressive advertising through the agricultural press and at fairs and expositions, together with well-planned circular and catalog distribution, did more to bring Percherons to the front in these early days than any other factor. In his advertising Mr. Dunham placed emphasis on the greater value of the colts begotten by Percheron sires, and repeatedly scored by pointing out that the colts sired by his Percheron stallions were selling for twice as much at the same age as the colts sired by the common grade or mixed-bred sires then in general use. The utility value of the draft horse was his theme, whether for work or sale, and he drove this point home so aggressively that his sales of Percherons in 1875 and ’76 aggregated almost $200,000—elo- quent testimony, even at so early a date, as to the high character of his selections. The Dillons.—Ellis Dillon and his nephews, Levi and Isaiah Dillon, operating under the name of E. Dillon & Co., were first located in Tazewell, and later in McLean ee in Lllinois. The Dillons were the first family to locate in Tazewell county, and came there from Ohio in 1823. They brought with them horses larger than the average descended from English draft stock. Subsequently they had the services of old Samson, an imported English draft stallion, probably a Shire. brought over by Col. Oak- ley in 1843. They continued the use of this blood 166 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE and bred mares of more than average size at a time when most farmers were frittering away what draft stock they had by mating their mares to trotting sires. As already related, the Dillons obtained Louis Napoleon in 1857, and his phenomenal success as a sire finally led them to decide on direct importations. Four stallions were brought over in 1870, and from 1872 to 1880 importations were annually made, ex- cept in 1878. From 1872 to 1880 they imported 84 stallions and 18 mares. The breeding operations of the Dillon firm were restricted because of the limited number of mares available, but some very valuable sires were in use during this time. St. Laurent 435, their first sire, was a horse of tremendous scale; and while he was not a great breeding horse some of his get sold at long prices at early ages. Nogent 738 (729) was imported in 1877 by the Dillons, and was used by them in the late ’70’s and early ’80’s, supplementing St. Laurent 435 in the stud. He was a horse of exceptional qual- ity and merit as a sire, and while he begot only 5 purebred colts after importation to America, the colts sired by him in France, many of which were later imported, were so excellent as to stamp Nogent 733 (729) as the greatest son of Vidoeq 483 (732) and one of the ranking sires of the ’70’s. All told the Dillons bred 28 stallions and 13 mares between 1871 and 1880, most of them produced after 1876. They bred some very high-class animals, espe- cially in mares, were aggressive exhibitors in the MID-WEST PIONEERS 167 showring and good advertisers, and by reason of their prestige and influence in central Illinois in a business and political sense they exerted a strong influence on draft horse breeding. They were not particular, however, to hold strictly to Percheron type and bought many useful horses of other French derivation. They emphasized great weight, massive- ness, and ruggedness, and placed rather less impor- tance upon quality, finish, and action. They led the faction which held that all horses coming from France should be grouped as one breed, to be called “French Draft,’’ and this divergence in views later caused a split in the ranks of the men who were forwarding Percheron horse-breeding interests in “America. Ohio Breeders of the ’70’s.—While the most ag- gressive Percheron campaign was being waged in Illinois, Ohio’s breeders were not idle. Andrew Gill and Thomas Jones & Son, at Plain City, and H. L. Wood, at Piqua, bred a total of 17 Percherons during this decade. Thomas Jones was the leading breeder. His operations were really started in 1864 by the purchase of Normandy 351 (Pleasant Valley Bill) ‘from Timothy Bigelow. Doll 540 (imported) was bought in 1866 and her filly, Rose 604, foaled in 1866, was retained, though Doll and her next foal, a filly, were sold in 1867 to Gill & Woods for $1,000. From Rose 604 came three recorded fillies, foaled in 1869, 70, and ’71, all sired by Normandy 351. These four mares were subsequently bred to Ajax 5, a very good big horse, imported in 1871 by the Delaware Import- 168 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ing Co., and bought in 1874 by Jones.* By 1880 the firm had bred and reared 5 stallions and 8 mares, of more than average merit. Ajax 5 was about 17 hands high and weighed approximately a ton when in good flesh. He made a tremendous improvement in the size of the Perche- rons in Ohio, and was a very prepotent sire, both as to size and color. In the 18 years during which he was used at Pleasant Valley Stock Farm he never sired a colt that was not gray in color. Belle 522 was the best brood mare of those owned by the Jones firm at this time. She produced altogether 5 stallions and 3 mares, most of them foaled before 1880, and her descendants are to be found in all parts of Ohio. The other Ohio breeders operating during this dec- ade produced but two animals each, but they had laid the foundation for more extensive work and had, through the use of Percheron sires, made notable improvement on the common horses of their districts. The East and the Far West.—The men who stood third and fourth in number of Percherons bred dur- ing this period were S. W. Ficklin of Virginia with 13, and W. C. Myer of Oregon with 12. Both were pioneers in their respective states, and must be given *C. M. Jones, the son, then associated with his father, states that the farmers in his part of Ohio had the value of draft horses driven home to them most forcibly during the Civil War, when the descendants of Louis Napoleon, Pleasant Valley Bill, and the Baker Horse brought twice as much as common horses and were eagerly sought for by army buyers. The lesson struck home and the farm- ers gave liberal patronage to draft sires thereafter, MID-WEST PIONEERS 169 great credit for campaigns waged against odds. Farming on a large scale, which quickly forced the greater utility value of the draft horse upon the at- tention of cornbelt farmers, was not general where these men lived, and the farmers and horsemen were less numerous and less able to buy. Mr. Ficklin’s start was really made in 1866, by the importation of 2 stallions and 2 mares. One of these mares produced a filly in 1867, and from these 3 mares he produced 13 colts during the period under consideration. The stallions produced were lost to sight in the common stock of Virginia, but the fe- male line persisted and is today represented by more than 60 descendants, in the studs of T. L. White, F. B. Albert, D. T. Martin, C. H. King, D. M Cloyd, and others, all of Virginia. More than 40 of these trace through Constance 8th 8215, foaled in 1879. Mr. Ficklin’s Percheron breeding ceased in 1888. On the Pacific Coast.—In December, 1870, William C. Myer of Ashland, Ore., bought White Prince 496. His place was located in a valley tributary to the Rogue River. Here, within sight of mountain peaks and with Indian pony mares as the chief mates in his harem, that imported horse started the work of improvement. The colts were uniformly good in color, compact, well-proportioned, with style, sym- metry, and size. The progeny, even from pony mares not exceeding 800 pounds, weighed 1,200 pounds and over. Such results were exactly what the western ranchmen wanted, and as a consequence Mr. Myer established a stud by bringing out 2 more stallions 170 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE and 4 producing mares, 2 of which came from Ohio, one from Pennsylvania, and one, of Ohio breeding, from Wisconsin. The stallions were Pride of Perche 380, imported in 1874, and Gen. Fleury, imported in 1875. Both were brought over by Fullington & Co. of Ohio. Marked impetus was given to the growing popularity of the Percheron by these shipments of Mr. Myer, and he is justly credited with the most important pioneer work on the Pacific Coast. Dr. W. H. Winter.—W. H. Winter of Princeton, Daniel Dunham of Wayne, G. W. Stubblefield & Co. of Bloomington, and Eli Hodgson of Ottawa, all of Illinois, were other leaders, with 11, 10, 8, and 5 American-bred Percherons to their respective credits by the close of 1880. Dr. Winter was of English descent and came from. Pennsylvania to Princeton in 1850. He was engaged in the drug business, but was by inheritance a farmer and soon established Edgewood Farm. Here he bred Shorthorn cattle and draft horses. In 1874 he made his start in Percherons by purchasing Mal- branche 293, imported in 1873 by the Princeton Horse Co., and in 1874 he had the mares Jeanne 560 and Joan 562 imported through N. C. Buswell. The mares both proved to be good breeders and by the close of 1880 he had 3 stallions and 8 mares descend- ed from this modest foundation. Malbranche 293 is described as a large gray, about 17.1 hands high, weighing over a ton. He was a deep-bodied, wide-chested horse with two good ends and a good middle. He was considered the best sire MID-WEST PIONEERS 171 ever used at Edgewood Farm, although many of his colts were bays and sorrels—colors that were none too popular. Bernadotte 36, a bay bred by Dr. Win- ter, sired by Malbranche 293 out of Jeanne 560, was also used, supplementing his sire. Dr. Winter was a man of high character and con- sidered a very good judge of horses. He exerted a wholesome influence on horse breeding in his dis- trict, but this was largely local at the time. Dr. Ezra Stetson of Neponset, Ill., was one of his contempo- raries who bred a few horses during this early period; his operations will be dealt with later. Daniel Dunham.—Mark Dunham’s elder brother Daniel’s operations during the decade under review require but passing comment. He bred 10 alto- gether, from mares purchased at Oaklawn, using the sires which were at the head of his brother’s stud. In 1880 he imported 3 stallions and 17 mares, selected with particular view to his own Percheron breeding operations, so that his foundation was properly laid at the close of the time we are considering. Eli Hodgson.—Mr. Hodgson had used Louis Na- poleon during the early ’60’s. He owned some good grade draft horses, and in 1874 made an im- portation of 3 stallions and 1 mare. Of the stal- lions Bob Havre 57 proved most valuable. He sired but few purebred colts, for purebred mares were scarce in his time, but his get out of common grade mares were so good that he earned over $10,000 for his owner in 10 seasons and was then sold at the age of 13 for $2,500 to W. P. Corbin, Pontiac, Ill. The 172 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE mare, Pride of Paris 593, proved to be a regular producer, but she and her descendants were coarse and so lacking in both quality and symmetry that Mr. Hodgson discarded all of them after a few years. Hodgson’s operations between 1870 and 1880 served to develop great interest in draft horse breed- ing in La Salle county, and as a direct result a number of purebred studs were established there in the next decade, of which we shall have more to say anon. Stubblefield Importations—George W. Stubble- field & Co., Bloomington, Ill., made importations in 1874, ’75, and ’80, and bred altogether 8 Percherons by the close of this period. Henry Abrahams 224, imported in 1874, was the only sire of consequence used by Mr. Stubblefield during this time. He was an upstanding horse, a little over 17 hands, weighing around 1,800 pounds. He was a light gray, with fine head and neck, short back, and heavily muscled quarters. He had extra quality, good style and action. As a sire on the common mares of McLean county he proved extremely popular and did much to increase the demand for Percheron sires in that section. Percheron Breeding in Other States.—A detailed discussion of the work of the 32 other breeders who contributed to Percheron breeding during this pio- neer period is hardly necessary, for in most in- stances they were merely laying the foundations for later work, and while so doing aroused interest in draft horse breeding and convinced the average MID-WEST PIONEERS 173 farmers who came in contact with the get of Per- ., cheron stallions out of common mares of the tremen- dous value to accrue through the use of such sires. _ The missionary work done by these early breeders was such that their names are worthy of mention on the pioneers’ roll of honor, together with the number of their productions. They were: R. W. & T. T. Stubblefield, Bloom- ington, Ill., 2; Henry Avery, Wakefield, Kans., 2; C. Billborrow, Paw Paw, Mich., 1; James Dunn, Wa- seca, Minn., 3; Andrew Gill, Plain City, O., 2; Ezra Stetson, Neponset, Ill., 4; H. V. P. Block, Aberdeen, Mo., 3; C. Cameron, Brickersville, Pa., 4; J. J. Park- er, West Chester, Pa., 1; J. W. H. Reynolds, Frank- fort, Ky., 1; H. A. Babcock, Neenah, Wis., 1; A. W. Cook, Charles City, Ia., 4; Jeff C. Clark, Normandy, Mo., 2; Ed. Hodgson, Ottawa, IIl., 5; Rogy & Trim- ble, Walnut, IIL, 2; H. M. Aldrich, Orland, Ind., 1; C. W. Pierce, Boston, Mass., 1; W. W. & Al. Power, Pulaski, Ia., 1; Reuben Wright, Normal, Ill., 1; Bangs & Billborrow, Paw Paw, Mich., 1; Bangs & Co., Paw Paw, Mich., 1; Dickinson Bros., Ridgeway, Pa., 2; EH. O. Hills, Bloomingdale, Ill., 1; T. Skillman, Peta- luma, Cal., 1; Charles K. Harrison, Annandale, Md., 1; L. M. Hartley, Salem, Ia., 1; Avery & Murphy, De- troit, Mich., 1; F. J. Schreiber, Moorhead, Minn., 3; W. H. Hubbard, Evanston, Tll., 1; K. L. Wood, Piqua, O., 2; S. Murphy, Detroit, Mich., 1; Poindexter & Orr, Dillon, Mont., 1. The popularity of Percherons was materially ha- stened by the importations made by horsemen who 174 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE brought over only stallions, and whose work was purely that of dealers. While these men cannot be considered to have contributed so directly to the up- building of Percheron breeding as those who proved their faith in horse breeding by investing capital in breeding mares to be retained in their own studs, their work was nevertheless extremely valuable in that it placed numerous Percheron sires of merit in communities where draft horse improvement was be- ing earnestly sought. The uniformly good results obtained by crossing such Percheron sires on the common stock of that time created a strong demand for Percherons, made possible the tremendous expansion of the following period, and poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the pockets of American farmers through in- creased values of colts produced. Among the men of this class who were especially active prior to 1880 were James L. Perry of Wilmington, Il., A. W. Cook of Charles City, Ia., Virgin & Brown of Fairbury, Ill, Degen Bros. of Ottawa, Ill. R. B. Chisholm of Elgin, Ill., the Onarga Importing Co. and Russ, Me- Courtey & Slattery, both of Onarga, IIl., Fullington, Phellis & Co. of Irwin Station, O., the Delaware Im- porting Co. of Delaware, O., N. C. Buswell of Prince- ton, Ill, Dan McCarthy of Ames, Ia., the Marion County Importing Co. of Ohio, M. D. Covell, first of Ohio and later of Kansas, and numerous others scat- tered over more than fifteen states. These are men- tioned in the order of their importance as to number imported. MID-WEST PIONEERS 175 James H. Sanders.—Contemporaneous with the entrance of these men into the field of Percheron im- porting and breeding, the late James Harvey San- ders, founder of live stock journalism and compiler of the first Percheron Stud Book ever projected, com- menced as early as 1868 in the state of Iowa activities destined to have a far-reaching influence in the mid- dle west. Reared upon a farm in central Ohio, Mr. Sanders had accompanied some of the pioneers across the western prairies prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. Locating in Keokuk Co., Ia., he embraced the first opportunity to indulge an inborn fondness for good horses. He had personal knowledge of the superiority of the descendants of the French stallions imported into his native state over the ordinary farm stock of the western country, and in 1868 he went back to his old Ohio home and bought a four: year-old gray known as Victor Hugo, sired by imp. Count Robert, commonly known as the Baker Horse, imported by the Darby Plains Co. in 1857, and—as he tells us in an old hand bill printed after this colt was taken to Iowa—‘‘universally admitted to be the best trotter ever imported from France into that region, now 18 years old, sound and hearty, and making a fortune for his owners.’’ The dam of Vic- tor Hugo was by ‘‘Old Bill,’’ imported by Dr. Brown of Circleville in 1851—the ‘‘ Valley Horse’’ of such celebrity as has already been mentioned, ‘‘now 21 years old and so highly valued that his owner re- fuses to put a price upon him.’’ Victor Hugo’s 176 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE grandam was a mare by old Louis Napoleon, then still living at the age of 23 years, the property of the Dillons, the sum of $1,000 having been offered for him only 12 months previous by Mr. Fullington of Ohio. Thus it will be seen that this stallion was a seven- eighths-blood horse, and individually he was in every way worthy of the three splendid sires whose blood coursed in his veins. He stood about 16% hands, weighed about 1,550 pounds, and was put in service at Sigourney in the spring of 1869 at a fee of $20 to insure a mare with foal. He was fairly well patronized from the start even at that figure, and Mr. Sanders encouraged farmers to breed to the horse by offering to buy the choice of the foals to be dropped at $125 at weaning time, and the second best foal at $100. After several years of good work in the stud Victor Hugo died from a ruptured blood vessel.* He was one of the first stallions of his type taken into the state of Iowa, and his success paved the way for the profitable introduction of the valu- able imported: horses Dieppe, Diligence, and Temp- est, subsequently purchased by Mr. Sanders. Dieppe and Diligence were imported by EH. Dillon & Co. Dieppe proved one of the greatest sires of his day in the central west. Mr. Sanders paid the sum of $3,000 for Dieppe, and it proved a fine investment. *Victor Hugo was the first draft stallion the compiler of this volume ever saw, and our recollection of this fine big horse is entirely clear. He had the traditional activity of the Percheron race, easily doing five miles an hour at the walk. He was worked in heavy harness every winter, and was the pride and admiration of the entire community in which he was owned, PERCHERON STUD BOOK. FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN JAMES HARVEY SANDERS, ~ MID-WEST PIONEERS 177 This horse lived to a ripe old age, and did more for the improvement of the farm horses of Keokuk and adjoining counties than any other stallion of his time. A Campaign of Education.—Mr. Sanders was not only one of the pioneer introducers of Percheron blood west of the Mississippi River, but he set in motion educational influences that greatly facilitated the subsequent successes of the Percheron through- out the United States. He was first of all a student. In his library were the works of Charles Darwin, Herbert Spencer, Huxley, Francis Galton, and other scientists specializing on the laws governing the transmission of hereditary qualities. He read every- thing he could find in print relating to animal breed- ing. He felt the rising of the great tide of live stock improvement that swept through the mid-west states during the years immediately following the close of the Civil War. The state fairs were begin- ning to attract good exhibits. Shorthorn cattle, ‘‘Norman’’ and trotting horses, as well as ‘‘Magie’’ Swine, were seen and talked about. Nobody knew much about any of the ‘‘new’’ breeds, but many were interested and were seeking light. There was no medium of communication between those who awned or were considering the purchase of better animals to replace the native types. Little informa- tion was available. Why not a newspaper, a peri- odical devoted especially to the discussion of animal breeding and management, and the news of the busi- hess in general? With J. H. Sanders to think was to act. 178 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE In the month of May, 1869, Mr. Sanders began the publication of a 16-page monthly, which he per- sonally edited and issued at his own expense from the then primitive printing plant of the local newspaper known as the ‘‘News.’’ He was at the time engaged in banking and railway con- struction, besides trying to wake up the farmers of his state to the desirability of better blood. His pur- pose in founding the ‘‘ Western Stock Journal’’ was purely altruistic. But it met with a cordial recep- tion, and after a successful career of a few years its possibilities were so obvious that a Chicago syndicate took it over and made it the basis of the monthly magazine known as the ‘‘ National Live Stock Jour- nal,’’ Mr. Sanders assuming by request of the pub- lishers the editorship of the horse department to be conducted by mail from Iowa. Then came the great fire of 1871, the financial panic of 1873, the sweeping away of his private fortune, the enforced sale of the country place that had been the pride of his heart, removal to Chicago, and the assumption of the duties of editor-in-chief of the powerful magazine that was being builded upon his little Iowa venture as a foundation. And so it came to pass that when the western draft horse breeding interest began about 1875 to feel the first great impulses of the boom that was now impending the necessary codperation for a suc- cessful campaign of publicity and promotion in be- half of Percheron interests was assured. Mr. San- ders had the personal knowledge, the ability, and MID-WEST PIONEERS 179 the medium of communication with the public that combined to render his services invaluable at this juncture; the more so because he had the confidence of the western people, and had already proved his breadth of view by adding to his own stud in Iowa, by purchase from Hon. George Murray of Racine, Wis., at a cost of $5,000 the celebrated imported Clydesdale stallion Donald Dinnie. His sympathy with and advocacy of all the improved breeds prom- ising to be useful to the American people was a mat- ter of common knowledge.* Foundation of the Stud Book.—With the great expansion of the importing business following the entrance into it of the Dillon confederacy and M. W. Dunham the necessity for the establishment of a stud book was sensed by those most in interest. Up to that time ‘‘The General Stud Book’’ of England, wherein the pedigrees of, and other data concerning, the Thoroughbred horse were preserved, had been the sole register of the kind in existence. Neither in France nor in Britain had a similar record been *In further illustration of Mr. Sanders’ desire to work disin- terestedly for the improvement of our American draft horse stock as a whole, may be cited the following announcement appearing in the editorial columns of the “National Live Stock Journal” for December, 1876: “A Clydesdale Register.—At the urgent request of many of the leading breeders and importers of Clydesdale horses in the United States and Canada, the editor of Tum JourNAL has commenced the compilation of a Clydesdale Register, which will be published as Soon as the work can be completed. It will contain an account of the various breeds of cart or draft horses in Great Britain, the origin of the Clydesdale breed, and, so far as can be ascertained, a complete list of the imported and prominent native-bred Clydesdale horses and mares in the United States and Canada, with their pedigrees.” Only great pressure of work that accumulated shortly after- ward prevented the carrying out of this sincere intent. 180 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE founded for any of the draft breeds, though some agitation of the subject had been started in both England and Scotland in connection with the Eng- lish Cart Horse (as the Shire was then known) and the Clydesdale. ‘‘The General Stud Book’’ was be- gun as a private venture. There was no organiza- tion responsible for its arrangement, rules or publi- cation, its chief utility lying in the aid it gave the Jockey Club in keeping the British turf free from fraud and originally in the stamp of official approval it gave to the private records of breeders kept and conducted in accordance with its few and simple regulations. It was plain, however, that a different policy must be pursued with registers in which the pedigrees of drafters should be preserved. Private ownership was impossible on the face of things. A society must be formed by the breeders and import- ers for the protection and promotion of their mutual interests and the verification and registration of pedigrees. Therefore late in 1875 this proposal to establish a stud book for imported heavy French horses, their progeny and descendants took shape in the issuance of a call for a meeting of importers and breeders. In pursuance of that call, which W. E. Prichard, the only surviving member of the gathering, believes was sent out by the Dillons, a meeting was held in the old Briggs House, Chicago, in December, 1875— the very first of its kind ever convened with the same object in view. Present on that most memorable occasion were M. W. Dunham, Ellis, Levi and Isaiah MID-WEST PIONEERS 181 Dillon, James A. Perry, W. J. Edwards, James L. Owen, W. E. Prichard and J. H. Sanders, all of Ili- nois, and Simon Ruble of Wisconsin. Two sessions were held without definite result, but a few weeks later—in February, 1876—at a meeting held in the Transit House, Union Stock Yards, Chicago, with a larger number present, the ‘‘ National Association of Importers and Breeders of Norman Horses’’ was finally launched on the troubled waters of pedigree registration and breed promotion. A full report of the discussion had upon this occasion has not been handed down, but it is a matter of record that the following resolution was passed: “‘Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting the Picardy horse, the Bolougne horse, the Percheron, and the Normandy horse are essentially the same race or breed, and should be designated as the Nor- man horse.’’ This resolution was introduced by James A. Perry, Wilmington, Il., and was unanimously adopted. A constitution and by-laws were also adopted, provid- ing that ‘‘any person owning an imported or native full-blood Norman stallion or mare may become a member of this association.’? As a matter of fact, this meeting was not an altogether representative one, even for that early day. It was true that the term ‘‘Norman’’ had been in very general use in this country from the earliest importations. As a matter of fact, it had no significance at that time, nor at any other time so far as indicating a fixed breed of draft horses known as such in France was concerned, for the simple reason that no such type as 182 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE a Norman draft horse was ever known in that coun- try. Our people knew that most of the original im- portations, and many of the later ones as well, had been bought within the borders of the ancient prov- ince of Normandy. Little or nothing was known at that date as to the part which the province of Perche had really played in the production of the best horses of this stamp on the other side. There were several different types of draft horses used and bred in the Normandy district, but there was no draft horse originated and perpetuated under the name of ‘‘Nor- man”’ in that province. Naturally the early American importers were first attracted by the horses seen in the streets of the commercial centres near the coast of northern Nor- mandy, such as Rouen, and it was here that they began making their first purchases. They did not at first penetrate as far inland as The Perche. Just what proportion of Percheron blood was carried by Louis Napoleon, the Valley Horse, and others of the early celebrities can never be known, but from the prepotency which the best of these stallions after- wards demonstrated when crossed upon the native mares of the United States it is safe to assume that they were strongly bred horses, and that in all prob- ability some of them at least had their origin in the Percheron country proper. That is at this late day, however, a purely academic consideration. It is easy to understand why those who were large ly interested in these horses in 1876 should prefer to stand by a name which had become so well estab- MID-WEST PIONEERS 183 lished on this side the Atlantic, even though it were known to be a positive misnomer. It was purely a title of convenience, and this small conference of im- porters and breeders undoubtedly had in mind the idea that it mattered little as to what these horses were called in this country so long as they were of a good sort and were rendering the service for which they had been introduced. However, there were others who took a different view and who thought that it would be unwise, and in the long run unfor- tunate, if a purely American invention of this sort should be perpetuated. The more the history of the type was studied, the more convinced were those who had most regard for the facts of history, that the word ‘‘Norman’’ should ultimately be abandoned. Prominent among those who held this view at this time were M. W. Dunham, B. H. Campbell, and Mr. Sanders. They knew of course that the term ‘‘Nor- man’’ was in general use, and had indeed employed it themselves in accordance with the prevailing usage in the west. This did not prevent them, however, from undertaking to bring about a modification of the term. Long before the meeting in question had been called Mr. Sanders had been engaged in gathering authentic data concerning the earlier importations and their descendants of the pure blood, with a view towards laying the foundation for an American breeding interest. In the month of June, 1876, in an editorial published in the ‘‘National Live Stock Journal,’’ he announced that he had undertaken the 184 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE compilation of a ‘‘Norman Stud Book”’ as a private enterprise. While personally not in favor of the adoption of this name, he apparently at first deemed it best to follow the lead of those who had attended the February conference above mentioned. The work of preparing the initial volume progressed rapidly, and the book was issued from the ‘‘ National Live Stock Journal’’ press late in that year, but fortunately a second edition was soon required and in this revision Mr. Sanders, upon his own motion, decided to adopt as the title for the volume ‘‘The Percheron-Norman Stud Book.’’* He believed he was justified in so doing. He had become convinced in his own mind, and rightly enough, that the real parent stock in France was the Percheron, and upon his own initiative he adopted the hyphenated title. This was of course a compromise between historical fact abroad and American usage at home, and like all compromises was not particularly satisfactory to anybody concerned. Nevertheless, it stood for some years. The Peoria Convention of 1878.—At the original meeting at Chicago in 1876 there were but three states represented, and these by only 14 individuals. In the meantime, Volume 1 of the Percheron-Norman Stud Book had appeared—the first draft horse pedi- gree register ever issued on either side the Atlantic. On Feb. 14, 1878, another meeting of the association *Originally Vol. I of the Percheron-Norman Stud Book was bound in green covers, and though it had 145 pages as against 212 for the revised edition—bound in the familiar brown boards—it was actually little more than one-half the size of the latter book. MID-WEST PIONEERS 185 that had been formed at Chicago two years previ- ously was called, at which the attendance numbered nearly 100. Fifty of these were active members representing 8 different states and territories. At this meeting, which was presided over by Ellis Dil- lon, it was moved by Dr. Ezra Stetson that the con- stitution be amended so as to change the name of the organization to ‘‘The National Association of Im- porters and Breeders of Percheron Horses.’’ Col. B. H. Campbell, who acted as secretary of this his- toric conference, moved to amend by substituting the words ‘‘Percheron-Norman,’’ as used by Mr. Sanders in the first volume of the register. This amendment was accepted by Dr. Stetson, and after an extended discussion participated in by Mr. Dunham, Mr. San- ders, Mr. Virgin, Mr. Isaiah Dillon, and others, the motion as amended was unanimously adopted. A motion to reaffirm the action of the Chicago meeting of two years previously, wherein it was de- clared that the various types of draft horses to be found in France under different names were sub- stantially all of the same breed, provoked a spirited discussion and was finally tabled. A motion was adopted suggesting that for the future entries for the stud book showing five crosses of purebred horses on a native foundation should be accepted for reg- istry. Officers were then elected as follows: Presi- dent, Daniel Dunham, Wayne, IIl.; treasurer, T. C. Sterrett, Warrensburg, Ill.; secretary, B. H. Camp- bell, Des Moines, Ia. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted: 186 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ‘‘Resolved, That the history of the Percheron- Norman horse, published by Mr. J. H. Sanders, as an introduction to his Stud Book, is the most valu- able contribution to the literature pertaining to this matchless breed of horses which has ever been writ- ten in this country or Europe; and that for the labor and ability which he has bestowed upon his work, Mr. Sanders has placed the National Association of Importers and Owners of Percheron-Norman horses, as well as all others interested in the improvement of our horses, under great and lasting obligations to him. ‘Resolved, That while the registry of animals con- tains some errors, mostly typographical, the work, on the whole, gives evidence of much labor and care; and that, both as a history and a record, the Stud Book is worthy of the entire confidence of the public. “‘Resolved, That the Stud Book is calculated greatly to increase the popularity of the Percheron- Norman horse in this country; and that it is not only to the interest, but it is the duty of all importers and owners to aid in its circulation. ‘‘Resolved, That Mr. Sanders has not only labored conscientiously in our behalf, but in performing his task he has adhered substantially to the spirit of the covenant made between him and our Association.’’ Naturally this action was very gratifying to Mr. Sanders, who as a matter of fact had devoted many months of time, and had expended considerable money in an earnest effort to put upon its feet a public registry that should be entitled to general confidence. He announced that he would proceed at once in the preparation of a revised edition of the volume that had already been issued, for the pur- pose of correcting any errors that had crept into the MID-WEST PIONEERS 187 first edition, and also to add to the record the names of horses and mares that had in the meantime be- come available for registry. At a meeting of the board of directors held in Chicago on July 10, 1878, the following additional resolutions were adopted: ‘Resolved, That we reaffirm the resolutions passed by this Association at Peoria, in February last, en- dorsing the Stud Book prepared and published by Mr. Sanders, and respectfully request that he pro- ceed with the publication of the revised edition at his earliest convenience. ‘*Resolved, That we assure the public that Mr. Sanders has the hearty co-operation of this asso- ciation in his work, and that we denounce, as base and malicious slanders, all representations to the contrary.’’ Unfortunately, more or less feeling had grown out of these extended discussions as to the name under which these horses should be known in the United States, and at a later date the advocates of the idea that all heavy horses imported from France should be registered in one book and under one title perfected an organization and began the publication of a second stud book known as ‘‘The National French Draft Horse Register.’’ This book had the active support of the Messrs. Dillon and others among those who had been earnest and successful in promoting the interests of the French horses in the United States during the preceding years. GHAPTER VIII. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED. Before proceeding with an account of the great expansion of Percheron breeding in America which characterized the decade beginning with 1880 and closing in 1890, let us return to France, and take note of the further progress of events in the home of the breed. We have already shown by copious extracts from the national archives of France, preserved in Paris, that beginning with about 1815 the government ex- tended systematic support to the aspirations of the breeders of Percherons through the medium of offi- cial inspection of stallions offered for service, and a system of subsidies paid out of the national treasury to the owners of the approved horses, besides pur- chasing and maintaining at the government stud at Le Pin stallions regarded as specially valuable for service in connection with the work in hand. This resulted in the establishment of a type better suited to agricultural uses than the ancient trotting and diligence stock for which the district had for so long been famous. Practical Promotive Work.—A royal ordinance of Dee. 21, 1833, created in France several new govern- ment stallion depots, and reorganized some of those 188 THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 189 that had been in existence for many years previously, such as the Haras du Pin. As has already been shown, the Percheron breeding district, of which Nogent-le-Rotrou is the capital, had from the earliest periods benefited by the government’s initiative at the stud just mentioned. Every year approved stal- lions from Le Pin were located in the old barracks of St. Denis at Nogent, where now stand the town col- lege and court of justice. In the year 1836 a committee of prominent men, including most of the best farmers of this district, organized a committee for the purpose of holding exhibitions or meetings known as comices in various localities, for the purpose of awarding prizes to the best animals and incidentally of encouraging agri- culture and good farming through the continued maintenance and improvement of the Percheron breed. These comices exist at the present day, and are held in addition to the annual central show main- tained under the auspices of the Percheron Society of France. In 1836 we find that the president of the council of Nogent was the Count of Bussy, and among the members were Messrs. de Maurissure, de Chabot, Bailleau, farmer at Brunelles, Noél of La Messes- selle, Ducoeurjoly and Le Marié of Nogent. Similar councils were also established at Chartres and Chat- eaudun. Some idea of the magnitude of the horse- breeding operations in the Perche during this per- iod may be gleaned from the fact that an old pub- lication sets forth that ‘‘the district of Eure-et-Loir 190 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE delivered annually for the trade about 10,000 five- year-old stallions, selling at from $200 to $300 each.’’ On March 22, 1841, the Duke of Montmorency, speaking at a meeting of the municipal council of Chateaudun, said: ‘‘For many years stock-breed- ing societies of Switzerland and of different parts of Germany and of upper Normandy have been com- ing into the Perche to buy Percheron stallions and mares.’’ This confirms once again the claim that the Perche has been for generations recognized as the home of a distinct and valuable type. In 1844 the general council of Eure-et-Loir voted the sum of $900 to be given by the different com- mittees to the best brood mares, in addition to the sum that previously had been awarded. The many privately-owned stallions serving in the district were inspected, authorized and pensioned by the gov- ernment officials according to their merits in ac- cordance with an edict of Oct. 27, 1847. More Pre-Stud Book Records.—Resuming now our examination of the official documents in the posses- sion of the Government of France, at the point where the study was temporarily suspended in a pre- ceding chapter (page 101), let us summarize briefly certain facts of historical interest relating to the pre-stud book period. The records, from which we quote, supply the names of the leading stallioners of the Perche dur- ing the period when the breed was ‘‘modifying itself’’ in the direction of greater weight. Such men as Launay of Mauvaisiniére, Langis (Orne), Pelle- |M.Boullay Chaumard Z, LL (—N Charles René | - THE FIRST SECRETARY OF THE PERCHERON SOCIETY OF FRANCE (AT TOP) AND THE LONG-TERM HONORARY TREASURER. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 191 tier, Corbon (Orne), Benoit, Tontay, Cottereau, Guil- laumain, Dieu, Monnier, de Vasconcelles Pigeard, Marechal, Gaubert and their contemporaries con- tributed largely to progress in the direction of a draft type. Several of these were located in the Nogent district of Eure-et-Loir. Due credit should also be given to men among these earlier stallioners residing in that part of the Perche lying within the Department of Loir-et-Cher, such as the two Tardi- neaus, Ferrand and their enterprising colleagues. Some of these continued their work in this direction throughout a long series of years. However, a new school gradually succeeded them, carrying on the development of the race along similar lines, so that by the time the great American demand for still heavier horses set in the Perche was in a position through a very simple course of selection in mating to gradually evolve the ton horse of modern com- merce, and this too without undue sacrifice of that vigor, soundness and quality which for generations had been characteristic of the lighter types. Bailleau of Brunelles, near Nogent, according to the government records, appeared about 1836 with a draft horse, name not given. This stallion is de- scribed as ‘‘gris pommelé, crins blanches’’—a dap- pled gray with white mane and four white markings, and with ‘‘flesh’’ or pink spots ‘‘between the nos- trils.’’ He was a good horse, first approved in 1836. It is recorded that he served as late as 1845. In 1837 we find record of the approved horse Grand Pierre, owned by M. Geru of Echaffour, Orne. 192 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE This stallion was described as light gray, foaled in the year above mentioned, and approved by the gov- ernment inspection of Nov. 23, 1846. There is rec- ord at the haras of his having served during the seasons of 1847 and 1848. He seems to have been displaced in 1849. Another stallion of this same period, also owned by M. Geru, was called Bijou; he was a dappled gray of draft type, foaled in 1839 and approved in 1846. A third stallion of M. Geru was Jupiter, described as ‘‘white gray, dappled on thighs’’; he was foaled in 1840, approved in 1846, began to serve under official sanction in 1847, and on Feb. 1, 1851 was sold and taken out of the Depart- ment of Orne. Government records also tell us of a dappled iron-gray stallion Sultan, the property of M. Bailleau of Brunelles, that was approved and in service from 1847 to 1850. In 1844 we find the names of the two Percheron stallions Benvenuto and Democrate, both gray, in service at Nogent from the government stud at Le Pin. In 1847 there is record of 5 stallions serving in the Nogent district under a government subsidy, including a six-year-old dapple-gray owned by Count de Chamoy of Charbonniéres, a five-year-old iron- gray and a six-year-old gray, both owned by M. Ducoeurjoly, a five-year-old gray owned by M. Chou- anard of Champeau, and a five-year-old gray which was the property of M. Bailleau of Brunelles. In 1849 a commission for the examination of stal- lions outside of the agricultural comice of Nogent was composed as follows: M. De Tarragon, presi- AT AULNAYS, THE FARM OF A. BIGNON, FAMOUS FOR ITS GOOD MARES. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 193 ' -dent, M. Brissonet of Courville, M. De Poutoi, M. Etienne de Tausonville, M. Benoit, and M. Joseph Chouanard of La Touche. The statement was made by a contemporary writer that at this date ‘‘the predominant color of the Percheron breed is gray.”’ During this same year the local committee for the improvement of the Percheron breed awarded the following prizes: First, with 700 frances, to the stal- lion Collin, dapple-gray, owned by M. Ducoeurjoly; second, with 600 francs, awarded to the light-gray Brilliant, belonging to M. Viron, Chateaudun; third, with 600 francs, to Vigoureux, a light-gray horse belonging to M. Coeuret of Yévres. In 1850 the same awarding committee gave prizes to the follow- ing stallions: Papillon, a five-year-old gray belong- ing to M. Sureau of St. Germain; L’Ami, a three- year-old dapple-gray belonging to M. Chevallier of Dangeau; and LaFleur, a six-year-old gray belong- ing to M. Coueret of Yévres. M. Cheradame.— During an extended period begin- ning with 1845 there was no greater stallioner and breeder in the Perche than M. Cheradame of Ecouché (Orne). For more than 40 years he labored unceas- ingly and successfully to promote Percheron pres- tige and progress. According to M. Desiré Ducoeur- joly, to whom we are indebted for valuable informa- tion touching old-time breeding operations in the Perche, M. Cheradame bred chiefly the light-type Percherons—great trotters in their day. This inter- esting statement we have been able to confirm by ex- amination of the government records. He also main- 194 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE tained a few blooded horses and demi-sangs. His greatest work, however, was with his favorite Per- cherons. Notwithstanding the celebrity of these as fast travelers, it is important to note that while some of his approved stallions are described as ‘‘trait leger’’ (light draft), many others were distinctly designated as of ‘‘draft’’ type. It is particularly fortunate that we have been able to gather some authenticated facts concerning Cheradame’s work. While his name and fame have long been the subject of comment among later French breeders, there has been until now nothing available as to the actual material with which he worked, aside from one mere incidental reference by M. Du Hays, who in eulogizing Jean-le-Blane, of which more anon, says: ‘‘He was a Percheron, a real Percheron, like the famous Toulouse of M. Cheradame, for example.’’ This successful breeder of the olden days -first appears in the government archives as owner of Destampes, a dappled gray, described as ‘‘de car- osse’’—coach horse, probably of the post or dili- gence stamp. This stallion was foaled in 1839 and was approved for service during the seasons of 1845, 1846 and 1847. Toulouse, ‘‘The Magnificent.’’—As will presently appear, the founders of the Percheron Stud Book of France, following the lead of M. Du Hays, singled out for special mention alone among all the great stallions of the district that gave rise to the modern Percheron a horse called Jean-le-Blanc, claimed to LA ROUSTIERE—RESIDENCE OF MAURICE CHOUANARD, AND IN POSSES- SION OF THE CHOUANARD FAMILY FOR UPWARDS OF TWO CEN- TURIES. THE FAMOUS STALLION KNOWN AS OLD COCO WAS BRED ON THIS FARM. Di; Did Af Visas L tidak ars th leheL tLihthht ) 4 y a! L’ARCHE—FARM AND RESIDENCE OF EBNEST PERRIOT, JB., LA FERTE BERNARD. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 195 be a direct descendant of the erstwhile ‘‘ Arab’’ Gal- lipoly. As has just been stated, in placing Jean-le- Blane upon this pedestal Du Hays took cognizance of the existence of another ‘‘true’’ Percheron, ‘‘le fameux Toulouse de M. Cheradame, par example,’’ Except for this laconic reference nothing, so far as we have been able to ascertain, has been published concerning this horse. No attempt was made to register him in the initial volume of the Stud Book of France, for the very good reason, we suppose, that no facts concerning him, not even legends, as in the case of Jean-le-Blanc, were at hand. And yet at that very time the truth was lying all untouched in the archives of the French Government. The facts now to be presented, therefore, will prove of absorbing interest to all students of Percheron his- tory. Toulouse is first mentioned (No. 162 in the Haras register at Le Pin) in an entry dated Nov. 30, 1847, at which time he was officially approved. This entry states that he was foaled in 1839, so that it is reasonably certain that he had already seen service before being pensioned or subsidized by the govern- ment. He is described as ‘‘de trait’’ (draft), color ‘‘gris blane’’ (light gray), with ‘‘flesh spots at the end of the nose.’’ He began his service as a govern- ment-approved stallion in the spring of 1848. He served during this season 60 mares, siring 42 liv- ing foals and receiving a bonus of 200 frances. In 1849 he served 58 mares with 36 foals resulting. In 1850 he had 40 mares that produced 30 foals, and in 1851 he served 44 mares. 196 A HISTORY: OF THE PERCHERON HORSE In the space reserved for ‘‘observations’’ in this original entry no particulars as to the breeding of Toulouse are given, but in 1853 we find him men- tioned as a son of Sandy, whose breeding is not given, out of ‘‘an unknown Percheron mare.’’ His height is here given as a little over 16 hands. Farther along we find that in 1859—although he was then, it will be observed, 20 years old—he was still receiving his subsidy. Not only that, but it is particularly to be impressed at this point that whereas the custom of entering ‘‘remarks’’ con- cerning these approved stallions had been for some years discontinued we find this extraordinary spe- cial tribute to this veteran of two decades: “April 2, 1859—Toulouse est arrivé a la decrépi- tude. C’etait un magnifique étalon de trait. Bien difficile A remplacer. Je demande qu’il ne soit plus apprové en 1860.’’ That is to say: ‘‘Toulouse is getting worn out. He was a magnificent draft stallion. Very difficult to replace him. I recommend that he should not be approved for 1860.’’ Toulouse, ‘‘the magnificent,’? was now going the way of all flesh as no longer useful in the stud at the ripe old age of twenty years. Although appar- ently the greatest horse of his era in the Perche, so far as authentic records go, his very existence was scarcely a tradition as late as 1883, the date of the founding of the stud book! Truly, once again let us reiterate, French breeders were at all times more concerned in making history than in writing it. | DesireDucoeurjoly | mM i Anshert Feutllard | THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 197 Immediately underneath the splendid isolated testimonial upon the government record is this addi- tional entry: ‘‘1860—he has not gone yet; approved for 1860.’’ In spite of the inspector’s reluctant recommenda- tion of the year before the great stallion is given another year at stud! With this the record ends. To have been singled out for this almost extrava- gant commendation at a time when ‘‘remarks”’ were no longer the rule in the records is of course proof positive of the altogether exceptional character of this horse. He was 9 years old when first pensioned, and was used 13 years as an approved sire. It is probable, therefore, that this stallion served in his time as many as a thousand mares. Light-gray at an early age, old Toulouse in his later years would have been white as snow. Let us be glad of this opportunity to do tardy justice to a horse that was so honored officially in his own day and generation. It is to be regretted that we cannot do as much for Jean-le-Blane. Indeed were it not for the apparent discrepancy in their ages, one might even suggest the possibility that in Toulouse we have the real Jean-le-Blane. But as to this one may only specu- late. It is indeed to be regretted that owing to the tardy establishment of registration facilities we cannot at this date supply the links in the chain that would undoubtedly connect up many a present day Percheron horse with Toulouse, ‘‘the magnifi- cent.’’ Chocolat—Another great horse owned by M. 198 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Cheradame at a later date was called Chocolat. It appears from the records that he was ‘‘de trait’’ (of the draft type), gray, and stood about 16 hands 1% inches high. He was foaled in 1864, was approved at 6 years old, and like Toulouse was kept in service until his twentieth year, in 1884. This long period of approval in the stud is convine- ing evidence of Chocolat’s superior character and value as a sire. His pension from 1880 to 1884 in- clusive seems to have been 300 francs. Another draft stallion owned by M. Cheradame, and in use about 1860, was named Carnaval. There is also record of a Cheradame horse called Bon Es- poir, a gray foaled in 1855, and another named Double, the latter described as ‘‘trait leger’’ (light drafter), a gray standing 16 hands that served as an approved sire from 1880 to 1884 inclusive. Still another under the same ownership was Lilas, also a light drafter, gray and 15.3 hands in stature. Lilas served from 1880 to 1883 inclusive. The Ducoeurjolys.—Contemporaneous with Bail- leau and the early work of Cheradame we find Ducoeurjoly (Jacques Francois) of Coudreau, dis- trict of Nogent, beginning as an owner of approved stallions with Collin, a celebrated horse already men- tioned. Collin was a little over 16 hands high and was described as ‘‘an iron gray (gris de fer pom- melé) draft horse with two white feet, born in 1842 and approved Nov. 23, 1846.’? This horse served as an approved stallion for 4 years from 1847 to 1850 inclusive. Another horse, unnamed, LA PELLOIS—BREEDING FARM OF A. TACHEAU, NEAR LA FERTE BERNARD. . fT Z ies FARM OF M. JOS, AVELINE, DORCEAU. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 199 belonging to M. Ducoeurjoly, foaled in 1841 and approved Nov. 23, 1846, served 2 years. The Ducoeurjolys always have been highly es- teemed as good breeders and keen judges of animal form. However, they have never gone into the busi- ness so extensively as their aptitudes and knowl- edge of Percheron breeding would warrant, simply because they always have adhered to their vocation as ‘‘cultivators’’—farmers as well as_ breeders. Speculative dealing in colts has never attracted them. They have preferred to breed some of the very best, till their land and sell simply their own surplus animals. This is one of the few farms in the Perche where a good-sized flock of sheep has been profitably kept. We find several of the Ducoeurjoly horses mentioned as approved stallions in the early days and the celebrated old prize-win- ning mare Pauline (279) was their property. She was foaled in 1869 and won 12 prizes at the leading shows at different periods. The present Desiré Ducoeurjoly has attained high reputation both with mares and stallions. Pelletier. Another stallioner of importance in the ante-stud book days was Theodore Pelletier, prob- ably related to the other Pelletier mentioned in our earlier chapters. He lived at St. Julien-sur-Sarthe, Orne. This locality is a great mare country at the present date. Credited to Pelletier we find Colin, ‘‘son of Colin and out of an unnamed Percheron mare.’’ The sire Colin was. probably the Collin or Colin of Ducoeur- 200 A HISTORY ‘OF THE PERCHERON HORSE joly. This horse was described as a ‘‘draft stallion of very good model; a good breeder, an impressive sire that begets excellent post horses; many of his male colts have been exported.’’ He served from 1859 to 1862—4 years. The first 2 years his pen- sion was 300 francs, and the 2 latter years it was 400 franes. Pelletier owned another horse named Vulcain about the same period. He also had Nogent, a 16.1-hand gray that served during 1863 and 1864. ‘After the death of M. Theodore Pelletier we find a ‘‘light draft stallion, gray, 16 hands,’’ entered as the property of ‘‘Widow Pelletier,’’ St. Julien-sur- Sarthe. This horse began serving in 1880. Moisand.— About this time also we hear of Moi- sand, ‘‘Director of the Societé Hippique Percher- onne,’’ Chateaudun, Eure-et-Loire. From his town and district, a great grain-growing region, formerly came many Percheron horses, but since the inaugura- tion of the French stud book foals born in the dis- trict are not eligible for entry. Judging from the pensions awarded to M. Moisand he owned many good stallions. Mina, a black-gray, nearly 17 hands high, foaled in 1858, served from 1862 to 1868; his pension, beginning at 500 francs, was raised to 650 francs. Moisand also had Coco, 16 hands high, a black-gray that served from 1862 to 1864. Another stallion of Moisand called Priape, served during.the same period and was also a dark-gray. Moisand also had a horse called Pamphile, dappled gray, that served from 1863 to 1869, and another named Sandy, foaled 1856, that served during, 1866 and LE RURIN—NEW RESIDENCE OF A. TACHEAU, JR. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 201 1867. Still another of his approved stallions was named Porthos. Jousset and Mitau.—Beginning about 1870 we find that a certain Jousset, commune of Colimer, dis- trict of Mortagne, had several approved horses. M. Mitau of Essay, district of Alencon, had 2 ap- proved stallions during the same period. Jousset had Briliant, described as ‘‘light draft’’ and 16 hands high, that served from 1880 to 1883. Mitau was still active in the business as late as 1890, at which date he owned the approved stallion Volta. Old Records Brought to Light.—In 1851 we find trace of a six-year-old dapple-gray stallion named Henri, which was in stud around Mortagne, and others as follows: Decembis, 7 years old, in serv- ice at Iliers; Bayard, ‘‘red-gray,’’ 4 years old, at Mortagne; Chappelain, light-gray, 7 years old, at Courtalain; Mi Careme, dapple-gray, 6 years old, at Montdoubleau; Collin, dapple-gray, 8 years old at Nogent. At this same time there were also in stud at Nogent the following: Bienvenu, dapple- gray, 6 years old; Nell, dark-gray, 6 years old; Cour- ville, iron-gray, 4 years old; Laigle, dapple-gray, 4 years old; Collin, dapple-gray, 4 years old; Lliers, dapple-gray, 5 years old. In 1852 we find the names of two more govern- ment stallions in service in the district of Nogent; Chartres, dapple-gray, 7 years old, and Voniche, dapple-gray, 7 years old. In 1854 the stallions depot | of Nogent was dependent upon the stallion depot of Blois (Loir et Cher) instead of Le Pin (Orne). On 202 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the 17th of November, 1854, the council general of Eure-et-Loir voted a sum of $2,000 to be given for more shows to be held and offered premiums for best stallions and mares. The prizes for mares ranged from $80 up to $160, and a stallion could attain up to $400. The stallion show was to be held at Illiers, and the mare shows at Illiers, Courtalain and Nogent-le-Rotrou. The stallion show was held at Illiers on the 18th of November, 1855, and pre- miums were awarded as follows: First to Colin, belonging to M. Dorchéne of Nogent; second to Charbonniéres, belonging to Count of Chamoy; third to Laigle, belonging to Duke de Montmorency; fourth to General, belonging to Madame Chevallier of Dangeau. Three other stallions were given prizes: Papillon, dapple-gray, 6 years old, belonging to M. Pangoué of Cloyes; LaBelle, dapple-gray, 9 years old, belonging to M. Loride of Bonneval, and Colin, white, 15 years old, belonging to M. Penelle of Cour- talain. In 1856 the stallion depot of Blois sent to the Nogent station of stallions a horse named Bayard. In 1857 there was sent from the same depot the stal- lions Nelle and Ramon. A mare show was held at Courtalain on the 8th of June, 1857, in which 2,200 francs were given to the best brood mares. The first premium with 800 francs cash was given to Cocotte, a dapple-gray 7 years old owned by M. Roger of St. Pellerin. On the 12th of July, 1857, a big mare show was held at Nogent-le-Rotrou. It is interesting to note the names LA PubSain—raAkM OF A. CHAPIPELS. LA BOURDONNIERE, FARM OF M. THIBAULT. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 203 of the farmers who then kept the best brood mares in that district. The premiums were awarded as follows: First to Cocotte, belonging to M. Ducoeur- joly of Brunelles; second to Pelotte, belonging to Nicolas Glon of Souancé; third to L’Hermine, be- longing to Durand of Souancé; fourth to Margot, belonging to Jean Glon near Nogent; fifth to Vigour- eux, belonging to Bailleau of Illiers; sixth to Ros- alie, belonging to Guillot, La Gaudaine; seventh to Rustique, belonging to Bouillon of Nogent. A worthy gentleman, the Count de Chamoy, was keeping at this time a big stud at his farm of Char- bonniéres near Authon, about 15 miles from Nogent. He did great good in his neighborhood; he kept high- class stallions, among the most celebrated being Charbonniéres, Eure-et-Loir and Decidé. Charbon- niéres was foaled at Charbonniéres in 1851 and was out of Neel, by Dagobert, dam La Meuniére. A stallion show was held at Illiers on the 16th of November, 1857. Of 30 stallions shown 5 were given premiums and 8 were approved as follows: First premium with 1,400 franes to Sandy, belonging to M. Lahaye of Chateaudun; second to Pierrot, be- longing to Count de Chamoy; third to Colin, belong- ing to M. Dorchéne of Nogent; fourth to Charbon- niéres, belonging to Count de Chamoy; fifth to Bibi, belonging to M. Lahaye. The stallions approved were: Decidé, belonging to Count de Chamoy; Lamy, belonging to M. Maillard; Ebéne, belonging to H. de Chabot; Pierrot, belonging to Mme. Sauton; General, belonging to Mme. Chevallier; Lamy, be- 204 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE longing to M. Baret; La Poule, belonging to M. Sédillot, and La Biehe, belonging to M. Gatineau of Beaufrancois. In 1858 the imperial depot of stallions of Le Pin, to which the district of Nogent had now been joined, again sent to the station of Nogent for the 1858 stud the stallions Mortagne, Pionnier and Pausanias. On the 18th of July, 1858, a big mare show was held at Nogent-le-Rotrou, and we find the following awards: First premium with 600 franes to Robine, belong- ing to M. Ducoeurjoly of Condreceau; second pre- mium with 500 frances to Georgette, belonging to M. Ducoeurjoly of Brunelles; third premium with 500 francs to Belly, belonging to Count de Chamoy; fourth premium with 400 frances to Sophie, belong- ing to Guibert de Souanceé; fifth premium with 400 francs to La Grise, belonging to Glon de Etilleux; sixth premium to Pelotte belonging to Richardeau de Souancé; seventh premium to Belotte, belonging to Lesieur of Souancé; eighth premium to Chaton, belonging to Dordoigne of Brunelles; ninth premium to Sophie, belonging to Count de Chamoy. In the same year we find in the old records the names of these celebrated stallions: Collin, belong- ing to M. Dorchéne; Agricole, belonging to M. Enault; Sandy, belonging to M. Pelletier; Vaillant, belong to M. Lenfant, and Voltaire, belonging to M. Perpere. In May, 1858, there was a show at Alencon (Orne). In the awards we find the names of the following THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 205 stallions: Ebene, 7 years old, property of Count de Chamoy; Charbonniéres, 7 years old, property of Count de Chamoy; Couronne, 5 years old, property of Louis Chouanard of Margon; Lafleur, 3 years old, property of Desvaux of Courville; Colin, 6 years old, property of M. Dorchéne of La Gaudaine; Beau- francois, 6 years old, property of M. Gatineau, and Sandie, 4 years old, property of M. Lahaye of Cha- teaudun. In the mare class at same show were: Albertine, 4 years old, Seduisante, 6 years old, Brillante, 6 years old, and Grisette, 4 years old, all belonging to M. Joseph Chouanard of La Touche; Cocotte, 6 years old, and L’Amie, 7 years old, belonging to M. Ducoeurjoly of Brunelles; and Mina, 3 years old, owned by M. Gannier of Beaumont les Autels. Another big show was held at Alengon in 1865. M. Cheradame of Ecouché had an extra 30-month- old gray colt named Lacour by Bon Espoir. He had also Picador, a splendid gray, and Carnaval. M. Guillemin of Coudray, near Nogent, won first prize in the brood mare class. Second prize was awarded to M. Vaux of St. Quentin de Blavon (Orne). M. Miteau of Aunay les Bois was third. M. Guillemin’s mare also won the colors at the Uni- versal Exhibition of Paris (1867). In 1865 we find in old records the names of many of the breeders living at that time. In the district of Mortagne were Messrs. Guimond, Caget, Bignon, Provot, Pelletier, Chantepie, Desclos, Vallee, Olivier, Dujarrier, Vadé, Vaux, Perpere and Fromentin. In 206 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the district of Belléme were Messrs. Jamois, Cha- pelle, Segouin and Morin. In the district of Le Theil were Messrs. Bajon, Therin and Count de St. Pol. In the district of Regmalard were Messrs. Far- douet, Debray, Charpentier and Aveline. M. Simon had his stud station at :St. Lambert near Trun (Orne), and had owned the celebrated stallions Dagobert and Farmer. In 1865 also we find the following names of breeders in the Nogent district: Messrs. Adolphe Chouanard of La Touche, Le Marié, Louis Chou- anard of Champeau, Gasselin, Dorchéne, Glon, Neveu, Ducoeurjoly, Dordoigne, Vadé, Guillemin, Gaulard, Count de Bezenvah, Gannier. To finish with the old records let us mention a show which was held at Chartres from the Ist to the 9th of May, 1869. In the three-year-old class we find the names of the following stallions: In- trouvable, belonging to M. Lallouet; Beaufrancois, belonging to M. Gatineau; Cheri, belonging to M. Fardouet; Mylord, belonging to M. Moisant; Mon- arque, belonging to M. Caget; Roland, belonging to M. Moisant; Cheri, belonging to M. Caget; Coco, belonging to M. Vinault; Chouanard, belonging to M. Desclos; Coquet, belonging to M. Maillard; Paul, belonging to M. Fardouet; Jean Bart, belonging to M. Perpere; Vulcain, belonging to M. Pelletier, and Lacour, belonging to M. Cheradame. Fardouet and Caget.— While these records could be multiplied, it scarcely seems necessary to pro- long details of this character indefinitely. The point LE BOIS JOLY, FARM OF THE LATE M. FARDOUET, FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE PERCHERON SOCIETY OF FRANCE. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 207 to be established is that prior to the founding of the stud book the same persistent government-super- vised work in the interest of preserving Percheron integrity, as related in preceding chapters, was con- tinuous, even though no published pedigree record was maintained. At this point, therefore, we shall only record further the fact that two of Chera- dame’s greatest contemporaries and successors in developing Percheron character were MM. Fardouet and Caget, both of whom left a legacy of inestimable value to France and America as a result of their labors. Here again we are able to supply govern- ment data until now not appearing in published records. Michel Fardouet.—M. Fardouet’s farm of La Beu- vriére was situated in the commune of Verriéres in the department of Orne. His first approved stallion was Madere, foaled in 1862. This horse served as a pensioned stallion, and had notable place in the Per- cheron annals of his time for several reasons. In the first place, he was a big horse standing 17 hands. In the second place, he was black. And most im- portant of all, he served as a subsidized stallion in the Perche for a period of 14 years, from 1867 to 1879 inclusive. Here, therefore, is one prolific source of size and of the color that subsequently became for a time so popular in America. Another good Fardouet stallion of this era was the gray Bon Espoir, foaled in 1862. He had gov- ernment endorsement, as did also Bayard, a stallion that rendered good service during 1873 and 1874. 208 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE In 1879 M. Fardouet had Vermouth 2d, a big, good gray that served during that season 98 mares. M. Fardouet’s later breeding operations may be studied from the French and American stud books. He be- came the first president of the Percheron Society of France, and it should be borne in mind, as illus- trating the high quality of his stock, that the cele- brated stallion Vidoecq 483 (732), imported by M. W. Dunham in 1874, was for several years at the head of the stud at La Beuvriére. As to the type of the Fardouet stock it may be said that the horses were perhaps not so heavy-boned as those to be found elsewhere, but they were usually distinguished for their fine finish and good action. During his long and honorable career no man had more approved or pensioned stallions than Michel Fardouet, who was succeeded by his son Alphonse of Le Bois’ Joly, near Nogent. Celestian Caget.—Clearly one of the ranking breed- ers of his time in the Perche was M. Celestin Caget. He had two properties, one at Medavy in the Mor- tagne district of Orne and another at St. Scolasse in the district of Alencon. In 1870 Caget had 3 approved stallions, at least one of which, the famous old Selim (749), bred in Orne and foaled in 1866, was one of the best horses of his day. The official record reads: ‘‘Selim, fine draft horse, great depth of chest, good in shoulders, good loins, fine action.’? Again in 1872 Selim is referred to as ‘‘a good Percheron, well built, near the ground.’’? This horse was in service for 8 years THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 209 as a pensioned stock-getter. In 1885 M. Cajet had 6 approved stallions, including the noted Romulus, dappled gray, about 16 hands high, afterwards sold to Mr. Dunham; Vautour, light gray, 16 hands high; Cheri, dappled gray, 16 hands high; and Madere, Voltaire and Picador, all grays. In 1887 Caget had 4 stallions pensioned—Porthos, Eveillé, Cheri and ‘“Madere. Contemporaneously, in part, with the work of ‘Caget pere is that of his son, Modeste Caget. The records show that pensioned stallions were owned ‘by father and son throughout a period of full 30 years. M. DeLange of Alménéches, Orne, a son-in- law of the elder Caget, was also a stallioner of good repute. The Chouanards and La Touche.—The beautiful farm belonging to the late and much-regretted Charles Aveline, the farm of LaTouche near Nogent, has been for nearly a century the residence of the Chouanard family. M. Charles Aveline leased the farm in 1894, and bought it some years later. From the year 1820 to the year 1894 the Chouanards, at least one branch of the family, lived there. The family was numerous, and its members hold a prom- inent place in Percheron history. In fact, the name is still in evidence today, Emile Chouanard, Jules Chouanard, Charles Chouanard and Paul Chouanard still maintaining the reputation of their ancestors. To M. Paul Chouanard we acknowledge our indebt- edness for some of the interesting facts herein chronicled. 210 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE The Chouanard family originally came from the west of France, from Cholet, in the department of Maine-et-Loire. The first of the name of which we have record were cattle dealers and used to sell at the Paris cattle market, then at Poissy. This was long before the railways, and they sent their cattle by the road on foot to market. Their way was through the Perche, from Cholet to Paris, and dur- ing their numerous trips through the district they were attracted by the surroundings, and decided to settle there. We find trace of a Chouanard (Joseph René), born in 1767, who died in the Perche in 1815, at Bretoncelles, about 12 miles from Nogent, where he had afarm. He left many children, and his first two sons were the ancestors of the Chouanards of today. One of his sons, Louis Chouanard, resided at the farm of Champeau near Nogent, and was the owner of some celebrated stallions. His brother, Joseph Chouanard, was the first Chouanard to live at La Touche. He leased the farm in the year 1820, and was known as Chouanard de la Touche, as his brother Louis was known as Chouanard of Cham- peau. Joseph Chouanard was a man of strong charac- ter and good judgment. He was universally es- teemed, and was considered one of the highest au- thorities of his day on horse breeding. In fact, he was often called to judge at shows or to act as ref- eree. He probably was the greatest mare man of his time in the Perche. He had a long career, quit- ting the farm in 1863 and retiring to Nogent, where [ Maurice C houanard | [ | Charles Chouanard. | THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 211 he died in 1876. His son, Adolphe Chouanard, suc- ceeded him at La Touche in 1863. Adolphe Chouanard was a mare man also and did an extensive business, especially with the Paris trade. When the first American buyers came, Adolphe Chouanard adapted his trade to the de- mands of the importers and La Touche was sup- plied with stock of all ages to suit the demand. Adolphe Chouanard did a large business with the first American importers. At the first show held by the Percheron society at Nogent in May, 1884, he won first prize with the famous mare Degourdie (2346) and sold her for $2,300 to George E. Case of Minnesota. This was a great mare, quite white at 5 years old, with a wonderful body, great bone, and a very long arched neck. In the years 1886 and 1887 Adolphe Chouanard had more than 130 Percherons of all ages on hand, so that La Touche was one of the headquarters for the American trade, ranking in this respect with the great farms of August Tacheau, Sr., and of Colas of Beaulieu, other leaders of their time. After the panic of the early ’90’s Adolphe Chou- anard left La Touche, and in 1894 the farm changed hands, soon afterwards becoming the property of Charles Aveline. The Perriots.—The records of Percheron progress in modern days in France hold no name wholly com- parable with that of Perriot. Although this fact is largely due to the extraordinary achievements of the brothers Louis, Ernest and Albert, and Louis’ 212 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE son Edmond, their forbears were recognized as among the foremost breeders of the Perche. Per- riot pére was born in 1810, and died in 1874. At the time when the great American demand first set in prior to 1880 the three brothers, known as Perriot d’Amilly, Perriot de Chéneliére and Per- riot de Champeau, were comparatively young men, and while all were recognized as close judges of a good horse, Mark W. Dunham was wont to credit the younger brother Albert with being the shrewd- est of the three. He often put it like this: ‘‘ When- ever they went out together picking up colts it would inevitably be found when they were divided up that Albert had the best ones.’’ Be this as it may, they were a most remarkable trio, and in the great days that followed sold more high-priced horses for export than all of their contemporaries combined. Unfortunately Albert died at an early age in 1879, his decease being universally regarded as a real calamity to the district. It was from Albert that Mr. Dunham bought Africus (862), Bayard (717), Margot d’Amilly (795), Duke of Perche (740), Favora (725) and Superior (730). The elder brother Louis was born in February, 1835, on his father’s farm of Amilly, in the com- mune of Condeau, Orne, where he remained until as a young man he went to live with his grand- mother, the grandfather having died. In 1859, as a young married man, he began his long and suc- cessful career as a breeder of horses of the best Percheron type on the farm known as Champeaux, | Louis Perriot l | > Edmond Perriot “4 N, THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 213 where Edmond, so well known in connection with latter-day breeding operations in the Perche, was born. In his later years Champeaux was ceded to the son Edmond, the father removing to the adjacent property known as La Borde, where he at an ad- anced age has continued to conduct farming and breeding operations. Louis Perriot remembers well the famous stallion Vieux Chaslin, that figures so prominently in the pedigrees of many of the best horses of the founda- tion period of our modern records, and describes him as extraordinarily good in the chest, neck and head. He testifies that Vieux Chaslin’s progeny was distinguished always for quality and vigor, be- ing in great demand from all discriminating buyers. His father bought one of his best sons, Favori 1st, a gray, foaled in 1862. Vieux Chaslin was dropped in 1847 and served for a long series of years with remarkable success in the La Ferté district. He was owned by M. Vinault, one of the leading stal- lioners of his day in the Perche. Favori 1st, the stallion that brought the elder Perriot his greatest fame, was the sire of Bayard (717), that got the celebrated stallion French Mon- arch (824), bought by Mr. Dunham for America in 1880 at 5 years of age and subsequently sold to Mr. Wheelock of Moline, Ill. This horse should not be confused with one of the same name, a black bred by Tacheau and sold into Iowa about 1874. An- other noted son of Favori 1st was Favora (725), out of the mare Marie by the great Coco. Favora 214 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE was imported by Mr. Dunham. He was not only a great horse individually, but a sire of uncommon merit. He was sold at $5,000 to go to Oregon. An- other Favora, foaled in 1868 and got by French Mon- arch, was imported by the Dillons in 1880. Louis Perriot was a frequent exhibitor at the shows about the time the Percheron Stud Book of France was established, although he never entered into the competitions with the zest subsequently displayed by his enterprising son Edmond. Both were famous for their skill in fitting horses for the showyard. At the Percheron society’s show in 1887 Louis won first among two-year-old stallions with Marmont, and in 1888 he was second in the three- year-old class with Kleber, and second in two-year- olds with Dompteur. At a subsequent show he was second in three-year-olds with Bacarat. He sold largely at one time to the Dillons, and from him Mr. Dunham obtained the great Baptiste (737) and Introuvable (24146). His work must be judged not from his showyard triumphs, but rather from his exceptionally long career as a shrewd, sound, con- servative breeder. Endowed with a splendid phys- ique, great courage and determination, and un- bounded industry he is at this writing (1916) still conducting his own farm and breeding stud, al- though over 80 years of age. It should be observed that his son Edmond has been assisted and encour- aged in his breeding operations by the judgment and experience of the father. Louis Perriot is the last of the old school. It will be necessary to con- 5 sf Ye = =f | Ernest Perriotdr_, a THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 215 sult the stud book to get a list of the better-known horses and mares that he bred and raised. Ernest Perriot stands out conspicuously as the greatest constructive Percheron breeder of modern times. He was born on his father’s farm of Amilly, and began operations on his own account about the year 1870 at the farm of La Chénelliére near Nogent, where he remained until shortly before his death in 1912 at 1’Orme, also near Nogent. It is the consensus of opinion of all those who have been most familiar with Percheron breeding for the last half century that Ernest Perriot did more to develop the most desirable modern type of the Percheron than any of his contemporaries. This he did by selecting and retaining the individuals which measured up in the very best fashion to the standard sought. He wanted size with quality, and like most of those who have left the greatest impress on all of the leading im- proved varieties of domestic animals, did not hesi- tate to resort to the powerful influence of blood con- centration. One has but to recall the names of a few of the great horses bred or raised by Ernest Perriot to realize the outstanding position he has occupied since the inception of stud book records. The list would begin with the celebrated Brilliant 1899 (756), and includes such celebrities as Brilliant 1271 (755), Gilbert, Bon Espoir, Fenelon, Childe- bert, Voltaire, Briard, Marathon, Iago (768), La Ferté, Jules, Mouille, Villers, Aiglon and Brilliant 3d. Most of these famous stallions are referred to at some length in our record of American importa- tions. 216 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Ernest Perriot was one of the founders of: the Percheron Stud Book of France, and occupied at different times the chief offices of that society. He was also the recipient of honorary decorations at the hands of the French Government. From 1880 to 1892 he was confessedly the leading stallioner of the Perche. His strains of blood were in keenest demand, and he sold at higher prices than anyone else was able to obtain. For a long series of years Mr. Dunham had first option on all his best. He sold to others, but loyally held back for Mr. Dunham’s examination all his choicest specimens. Until Oak- lawn was done others had no chance at the tops. Between these two great leaders of the trade dur- ing that period there existed a close friendship, based on mutual respect and characterized by per- fect lovalty on both sides, and it is computed that during his lifetime Mr. Dunham paid Ernest Per- riot fully $350,000 for Percherons. Mr. Perriot did not make a practice of exhibiting his horses in the public competitions. He was a man of strong per- sonality, a fine intellect, and an unswerving, inflex- ible strength of character—persistent always in pursuance of his ideals, which were attained in striking degree. Edmond Perriot, son of Louis, born in 1863 at the farm of Champeaux, has been one of the great fig- ures of the Perche in recent years. He married the daughter of M. Rigot, one of the ruling Percheron powers at that date, and this alliance proved the foundation of a most successful business career. It atadiv "SaDV GHL JO TUAIOGLIBOUY—SUVIMWGL SLHDINN JO ANOH AHL SUWIL LNTIONV NI—LOIWASd GNOWGA JO Wuvd ‘“XNVAdWVHO THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 217 is said that M. Rigot owned or controlled more good Percheron mares in his day than any other dozen men in the district. Many of the best horses Mr. Dunham had from Ernest Perriot in the earlier days were from these Rigot mares. Edmond Perriot at- tained the top-most round of success, and during the Paris Exposition year, 1900, sold $100,000 worth of horses to America for cash. His reminiscences of the American trade will therefore be of interest in this connection: “‘One of my earliest recollections is that of see- ing Mark W. Dunhan, the father of the present W. S. Dunham, who comes over here to buy every year. That was long before the stud book was known here, when horses could be shipped to America without pedigree. Mr. Dunham came here for 20 years, buying from 100 to 150 head annually. He was a keen judge and only wanted the best, for which he was willing to pay a good price. His earliest competitor in buying that I recollect was Mr. Dil- lon, who was also an excellent judge of a horse, but who was getting on in years before he came out to the Perche and did not continue very long. The Ellwoods took his place and for long years the buy- ing of mares and stallions in the Perche was prac- tically monopolized by them and Mr. Dunham. From the very beginning prices have been relatively high for good breeding stock, and Mr. Dunham did not hesitate, even in the early days, to go as high as $3,000 and even $5,000 for the horse he wanted. ‘‘Gradually other importers came to swell the field, and I remember when I was about 18 or 20 years old that my father and all his neighbors in the Perche were selling all the good horses they 218 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE could raise for America. It was at this time, 1881 to 1883, that exportations to America reached to more than 2,500 head. The trade had then reached such vast proportions and become of such material importance to Percheron breeders that the Société Hippique Percheronne, or French Percheron Society, was organized on June 23, 1883, by a few breeders in Nogent and the district. Of course my father and uncle were included in the number. It had been projected since 1878. There was also a rival society, le Percheron Francais, backed by the Société des Agriculteur de France. There were many bitter quarrels between the two associations, but eventu- ally they became fused into one. “In the early ’80’s Mr. Dunham ceased to make his purchases personally, entrusting that work first to Leonard Johnson and subsequently to James M. Fletcher. The type selected by the Americans at the beginning was about the same size as the Paris omnibus horse. We used to ship about 7,000 head a year to the omnibus companies in Paris, com- posed of males unsuitable for breeding stallions; also many barren mares went to Paris, but the ma- jority were shipped to Bordeaux, Montbeliard, Havre and other large cities. The proportions of dappled gray horses in the Perche at that time was about 75 per cent, and the weight of a mature stal- lion ran around 1,700 to 1,750 pounds. ‘Tf I remember rightly it was the Ellwoods, about 1881, who first evinced a desire to buy larger horses, and they acquired the celebrated stallion Cesar, the precursor of the elephantine Percheron, as the French breeders say. Cesar weighed close on 2,200 pounds at 2 years old. Unfortunately he died in crossing the ocean. Nevertheless the fiat had gone forth for larger horses, consequent on the improved L’ ORME—RESIDENCE OF THE LATE ERNEST PERRIOT, PRINCE OF PERCHERON BREEDERS. a RN tale LA BORDE—RESIDENCE OF LOUIS PERRIOT. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 219 and heavier farm implements manufactured at that period in the United States. This gave to our breeders the opportunity to prove to the world the remarkable versatility of the Percheron horse, and friends and foes alike found that we could produce the real heavy, drafty type without sacrificing that high quality for which our product has always been famous. It was a crucial test in the history of our breed, but the breeders of the Perche rose success- fully to the occasion. “‘This new demand for a larger horse was taken up also by James B. McLaughlin, who came into prominence in the Perche after the Ellwoods had ceased to buy. Mr. McLaughlin was for years one of the most active of the American importers and at one time probably purchased as many horses as any other one importer. Indeed, a Paris or Nogent show without the presence of Mr. McLaughlin would be like Hamlet without the title character. “From 1880 to 1891 trade was very brisk with Americans in the Perche, but in 1892 it fell off and from 1894 to 1898 there were practically no exportations to the United States on account of the financial depression in that country. From the latter date up to 1905 the average annual exporta- tions of Percheron stallions was about 700 head, but in 1906 the enormous number of 1,300 stallions and 200 mares were purchased by American im- porters. One of the prominent buyers during these busy years along with J. B. McLaughlin was James M. Fletcher, who followed Leonard Johnson and bought for the firm of Dunham, Fletcher & Cole- man. Afterwards quite a small army of American importers and breeders came to scour the Perche every year, and such men as W. S. Dunham, George Crouch, J. Omer Singmaster, Bell Bros., Robert 220 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Burgess, Chas. R. Coleman, Chas. Taylor of Taylor & Jones, Judson Hayden, A. B. Holbert and others have made important purchases in the Perche. ‘‘TIn 1889 I commenced showing on my own ac- count at the Paris show, and obtained 3 prizes with 4 horses, being awarded a second prize on Margon, a three-year-old which I sold to Mr. Dillon. My greatest triumph perhaps was at Paris at the great exposition of 1900, where I got 4 first prizes, the championships and the grand championship. I have been awarded 11 championships at the provin- cial shows in France since 1894, 6 championships at Paris since 1905, and‘ 15 championships at the Percheron society’s show since 1891. ‘‘T have known some celebrated stallions that have done much for the breed. In 1899 I sold a very fine stallion Phenix to J. M. Fletcher. In 1900, Suffren, winner: of first in the two-year-old class at Paris, was bought by J. B. McLaughlin, who also acquired a splendid three-year-old Raynal, first-prize winner at the same show. He got the famous stallion Orangiste the same year. This horse obtained first prize at Nantes and Nogent as a two-year-old. That year J. M. Fletcher bought 2 fine stallions, Chambellon and Scipion, aged and three-year-old champions respectively. Champeaux, a stallion sold to Mr. Dillon as a five-year-old, was a remarkable breeder, and his progeny must be all over America. One of the finest three-year-olds I ever saw was Fusain, first at Paris and Rouen. He was bought by J. B. McLaughlin. Of course nearly all our best stock traces back to Brilliant (756), the son of Coco 2d, born in 1867 on the farm of my uncle Ernest Perriot.’’ The Perriot Percherons were distinguished usu- ally for their size, good bone, fine heads and well- MASTER AND M. TACHEAU’S YOUNGEST SON, WHO DIED IN 1902, THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 221 set necks—a heavy drafty sort standing on short legs. Towards the end of Ernest Perriot’s career it was commonly allowed that some little lack of size and constitution had begun to appear. There was apparently some falling away from the old- time outstanding excellence, and yet to this day among the strongly-bred Perriot stallions where the individual quality scarcely measures up to the older standards the blood continues to breed on with extraordinary success, producing horses of a character illustrating once more the operation of well known laws of heredity—reversion to ancestral types. The Tacheaus.—Forever famous in the annals of the Perche will stand the names of Auguste Tacheau, pére et fils. After M. Vinault the senior Tacheau was the greatest stallioner and breeder of the La Ferté Bernard region. Like Charles Ave- line and other contemporaries, he was ever active in catering to the great American demand, and in this service acquired a fortune. When Charles Aveline was still a young man the two leaders in the development of Percheron interests were Ta- cheau grand-pére and the father of Louis and Ernest Perriot. It was Tacheau pére that acquired French Monarch (734) in 1868, and used him as a stud horse in the La Ferté district, during which time—1868 to 1874 that great horse served a large number of mares and acquired a reputation as a sire of highclass stock, being then sold to America to S. S. Waterbury and A. W. Cook of Iowa. Dur- 222 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ing his active period of service in France it has been recordéd that ‘‘during the 6 years that he served mares for M. Tacheau he acquired in the district as a Stallion a reputation almost without equal, his progeny always being remarkable for their quality and their size.’’ M. Tacheau also bought from M. Sagot Coco 2d, a stallion that won many prizes, and, according to M. Pelleray and others, was the greatest sire of his day in all Perche. The name of Tacheau also will be associated with the celebrated stallion Besigue, sold to go to Dr. Hartman of Columbus, O.; the great horse died unfortunately on ship board on the Atlantic Ocean. Probably the most noted stallion America ever obtained from the Tacheau stables was Seducteur, imported in 1888 by W. L. Ellwood and afterwards the property of H. G. McMillan. It was from M. Tacheau also that Mr. Ellwood bought Baccarat, a prizewinner in France, which sold as a three-year-old to Rufus B. Kellogg of Green Bay, Wis., for $6,000. In 1883 M. W. Dunham bought 20 two-year-old colts from M. Tacheau at $20,000 for the lot. Other pre- potent sires from Tacheau’s were Bibi and Jupiter. Auguste Tacheau’s interest in Percherons was transmitted to his son, thus carrying on the tradi- tional attachment of the family to the draft horse stock that has made the Perche famous on both sides the Atlantic. Tacheau pére was always pop- ular with the American buyers of his time. He operated in a country of rich pastures, handled a [Au ustelacheau | Auguste Tacheau cr. | | r THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 223 very large number of colts, and was a frequent and successful exhibitor at Nogent, Paris and other lead- ing shows, not only with stallions but with mares as well. In 1886 he won first at Nogent in yeld mares with Queen of Perche, and first, second and third in the two-year-old stallion class on Seducteur (7057), Phenix (6983) and Fils de Voltaire (6832), also tak- ing first for best lot of stallions. M. Tacheau was one of the members of the executive committee of the Société Hippique Percheronne after its organ- ization in 1883. He died at Cannes in March, 1906. Auguste Tacheau, Jr., has more than sustained his father’s reputation and it is not too much to say that he is one of the foremost French breeders of this day and generation. Charles Paul Aveline.— Another tower of strength in the Percheron trade at the time of the establish- ment of the stud book in France was the late M. Ave- line, whose death in January, 1916, was mourned on both sides the Atlantic by all familiar with lat- ter-day Percheron history. Born in 1853, the son of a breeder and farmer of high local repute, he early made his mark as a farmer, stallioner and breeder at La Crochetiére, Verriéres, Orne, a district which ‘from time immemorial has been celebrated for rich pastures and good horses. The first reference made to M. Aveline in the gov- ernment haras records is in 1883, as the owner of a ‘17-hand, iron-gray stallion known as Brilliant. He was given a bonus of 300 frances by the government authorities in that year. Another stallion named 224 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Chéri, foaled in 1880, an iron-gray standing 18 hands high, is in the haras registry as approved for 1883, receiving the same stipend as Brilliant. It will be noted from this that three-year-old horses now began to receive official recognition. M. Aveline also had Margot, a dark-gray horse, foaled in 1878, 16.2 hands high, that was approved and served in 1883 with a pension similar to that accorded Chéri and Brilliant. During the succeeding years we find the names of the bay horse Décidé, Paul, a mouse-gray . (gris souris), Monarque, a light-gray 17 hands high, Her- cules, a black standing a little over 17 hands high, and Bon Coeur, a black 16-hand horse foaled in 1881, Sultan (362), Vulecain, Bon Courage, Dragon, Haut- bois, Fronton, Chichi, Etradegant, Etudiant and Orangiste. In his mature years M. Aveline removed to the fine estate of La Touche, near Nogent— his wife being a Chouanard—and here he maintained for a long series of years an establishment which was visited regularly, and always with keen enjoyment, by all American buyers. He was one of the found- ers of the Percheron Stud Book of France, and for 15 years prior to his death was the society’s pres- ident, a fact which illustrates well his standing in the Perche. M. Aveline visited the Trans-Mississip- pi Exposition at St. Louis, Mo., in 1904, and was decorated by the French government with the cross of Commandeur of the Merite Agricole and Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. He was a man of rare intelligence, sound business judgment, courage, tact | Charles Aveline [ THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 225 and honesty, and in his recent death contemporary Percheron breeding in France lost its leading light. He leaves a son Louis, who for some years has been active as successor to his father in the Percheron trade and who during the great war has been sta- tioned in the United States as an officer of the French military service buying horses for the armies of France. Credit Due These Pioneers.—From the foregoing it will appear that before the era of the foundation of the stud book there were men of good judgment, staunch admires of the Percheron breed, who united their efforts and created departmental and local com- mittees for the purpose of improving the breed. To these men must be paid a special tribute of grati- tude, whether they were in the government service, rich landowners of the district or only small farmers or tenants. They were not stimulated in the old days by big prices paid by importers. Some Perche- rons had been exported to different countries of Europe between 1820 and 1870, notably to Italy, Prussia, Saxony and Russia. And speaking of this period M. Paul Chouanard says: ‘‘Before the Crimean war M. Joseph Chouanard, then residing at La Touche 1854-1855, sold during some years a number of Percheron stallions and mares to a Russian general named Schweider, who used to remain for a week at La Touche at each voyage. At the Hamburg Show (Germany) in 1863 3 Percheron stallions owned by a gentleman from Saxony took prizes.’’ The American people were the first, however, to 226 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE recognize in a broad way the real merit of the breed for draft purposes in other lands. They pushed Per- cheron breeding on a large scale, and then it was that great prosperity began in the Perche. Founding of ‘the Stud Book.—The first volume of the ‘‘Stud Book Percheron, publié par la Société Hippique Percheronne, autorisée par le Gouvern- ment’’ was issued at Nogent-le-Rotrou in 1883. under the Honorary Presidency of M. le Préfet d’Eure-et- Loir, the Honorary Vice-President of M. le Sous- Préfet de Nogent-le-Rotrou, and the ex-officio patronage of M. le Maire de Nogent-le-Rotrou. This was the beginning of official registration of Perche- ron horses in the home of the breed. The charter membership included all the leading breeders of the Perche, about 125 in number, one of the most emin- ent of whom, M. Michel Fardouet, was elected to the active presidency of the association. Louis Per- riot and M. Moulin were chosen vice-presidents, and M. Boullay-Chaumard was made secretary-treasurer. A board of directors, including 17 of the best-known supporters of Percheron interests, was created, prominent among those serving in such capacity being MM. Vinault, Sagot, Miard, Launay, Auguste Tacheau, Caget, Gautier, Desiré Ducoeurjoly, Rigot, Goupil and Aveline fils. This movement had the active support of leading patrons of the breed in America, including Messrs. M. W. Dunham, J. H. Sanders, founder of the American stud book, and others. From the introduction to this initial volume of Pe annie LA CROCHETIERE, FARM OF LOUIS AVELINE. THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 227 the Stud Book of France, prepared by President Fardouet, we extract the following: “In presenting the first volume of the Percheron stud book to the public, the Société Hippique Per- cheronne is sensible of the keenest pleasure in hav- ing accomplished a work that will be of untold value to the future as well as the present breeders and owners of the Percheron race. The organization embraces in its membership nearly all of the promi- nent breeders and stallioners of the Perche, many, very many of whom have grown old themselves in the commendable work, and whose ancestors for generations have, like them, devoted their lives to developing and fostering this matchless breed, whose antiquity of origin stands first among those of the equine races of civilized nations—a breed that has been moulded to the necessities of the different periods of its existence for hundreds of years under the vivifying influences and climatic effects of the Perche, as well as by the inimitable processes of educating both males and females from the earliest age and with the most judicious care possible by the actual performance of the work they will be called upon to do during their lives, thus slowly and surely developing their physi- cal capabilities and instinctive aptitudes into hered- itary and transmissible forces, which have been exerted with such potent power in the amelioration of all races with which it has come in contact. “In feudal ages the country required a class of horses suited to an equestrian race, and the Perche supplied them. Under the empire of a higher civili- zation the peaceful pursuits of agriculture and commerce demanded horses for the post, the dili- gence, and for agricultural and draft purposes. The Perche was called upon, and she met the demand. 228 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE The introduction of steam as a power marked a new era; the building of railroads and steamships, and its adoption as a power in all the useful arts, in manufacturing, has changed all. The post and diligence are gone; the agricultural and great com- mercial marts remain to be supplied. Labor and food have become more costly, and the people, by force of necessity and the demands of economy, call for larger, stronger, but equally active horses to fill the requirements of the time. How has the Perche sustained herself under the pressure of this last and most difficult demand? The answer fills us with pride and gratification. ‘The government and all the departments of France are eager purchasers of Percheron stallions to improve and ameliorate their native breeds. Russia, Austria, Germany and Italy buy largely, both by direct government purchase and by pri- vate enterprise; even Great Britain, bound up as she is in her own egotism, is a customer of no small magnitude. With such magnificent acknowl- edgments of the value and superiority of the Per- cheron race we ought to be content; but this is not the half. The plains of South America are be- ing supplied with stock of our breeding; and lastly, that beautiful country, that great republic across the sea, whose progress is the marvel of the world, is our most enamored admirer and liberal pur- chaser—so liberal, indeed, that grave apprenhen- sions are being expressed as to our future ability to supply the rapidly increasing demand upon us for our best males and females of all ages, with- out materially deteriorating our stock. This ques- tion is one that needs the most earnest thought and energetic action of all interested in the preservation to the Perche of her pristine glory. LA TOUCHE, RESIDENCE OF THE LATE CHARLES AVELINE, LONG PRESI- DENT OF THE PERCHERON SOCIETY OF FRANCE. THE FRENCH, STORY RESUMED 229 ‘‘To preserve and perpetuate the valuable qual- ities of the Percheron race against invasion from all sources is one of the missions of this society. In order to accomplish this purpose, it becomes necessary thoroughly to investigate all elements of breeding that have contributed to the grand results we now enjoy, and by carefully classifying all ani- mals with their pedigrees, that we may see what strains of blood, which families and what orders. of union have been prolific of the greatest benefits in the past, thus establishing invaluable precedents from which more intelligently to shape our future course, and with greater degrees of certainty arrive at the desired ends. These investigations have shown us that the improvements of the past neces- sary to meet the changing demands have been accomplished by selecting animals best suited to the new requirements, and, by a judicious system of in-and-in breeding perpetuate the valuable qual- ities sought for, at the same time intensifying their hereditary powers of transmitting those qualities.’’ Meager Data at First Available—In common with all other pioneer undertakings of this char- acter, the effort to collect for the first time reliable information concerning the foundation stock was attended by many difficulties. In respect to the remote origin of the race, and indeed in respect to the work done by the preceding generation in the Perche, there was only of record M. Du Hajs’ treatise, already alluded to in preceding chapters. Valuable and interesting as was this cleverly writ- ten work, its author apparently had not the time nor the patience to search the archives of the gov- ernment touching the Percherons of pre-stud book 230 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE days, but contented himself rather with eulogizing the breed, and accepting, apparently without ques- tion, such traditions as had been handed down by writers who made no pretense of basing their statements upon anything more reliable than mere hearsay. True to their ancient habit of being more interested in the work of the moment than delving amidst dusty documents dealing with a long for- gotten past, these stud book organizers builded, as best they could, upon Du Hays and the memories of the older inhabitants of the district at the time they took up pedigree registration. Obviously little success was met with in attempt- ing to obtain actual pedigrees of the remote an- cestors of the horses found in the Perche at the date this basic volume was undertaken. Clearly, in the absence of any known written records, the practical thing to do was to make a beginning with the stock in the hands of the leading breeders of the district at the time, with such particulars as were to be had concerning the ancestry in the first and second generations. This was the course in the main pursued and in this respect the be- ginnings of Percheron registration on both sides the Atlantic differed in no wise from the circum- stances surrounding the first attempts at establish- ing public records for all our other best-known breeds of improved domestic animals. The Case of Jean-le-Blanc.—The great majority of stallions and mares entered in the first volume were animals foaled between 1878 and the date of THE FRENCH STORY RESUMED 231 issue, 1883. In a few notable instances, such as the case of the stallion recorded as Jean-le-Blane (739), an attempt was made to ground some of the contemporary pedigrees in the blood of stal- lions of good repute known to have lived in a dis- tant past, but the record ascribed to such horses has in some cases yet to be substantiated by authen- tic data. Jean-le-Blane’s existence can scarcely be a subject of doubt, but in the matter of his alleged descent from Gallipoly, in the light of our investi- gations at Paris covering the period in which he is said to have been foaled, we can only enter up the old Scotch verdict—‘‘not proven.’’? There probably was such a stallion as Jean-le-Blanc, else the name could never have been handed down with so much veneration, but no man lives today who can verify any part of his history. We have been at some pains to run down the story of this erstwhile celebrated progenitor of latter-day Percherons, but the most we can get in the Perche is from a few of the oldest breeders, who say that in their youth they remember hearing their fathers speak of such a horse. He is said to have been foaled in 1823 or 1824, but while the official records of that period, which we have al- ready presented, seem complete and circumspect in their listing of government-owned and govern- ment-approved horses, they contain no mention of Jean-le-Blane. He is said to have lived to be 25 years of ‘age and to have left a numerous progeny. Fortunately, however, at this late date the matter 232 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE is one of merely academic interest. Those who made the entry of course acted in the utmost good faith. ‘They had the tradition, and published it for what it was worth. They had no occasion for doubting its accuracy at the time. They had not the government archives before them. Criticism upon this head must therefore stop with the state- ment that those who were doing this pioneer work might have gone to Paris and searched, as we have now done, the manuscripts and records in the possession of the French Government. It is safe to say that had the Percheron breeders of France and America, who cooperated in launching this difficult enterprise in 1883, known of the mine of information then existing in Paris concerning the origin of the modern heavy draft type of Perche- ron horses, developed for the first time in this volume, they would have been quick to utilize it. The breed had a foundation history behind it which was not properly reflected by the earlier stud books. In other words, the Percheron of the ante-stud book days was a stronger-bred horse than is indi- cated by the existing foundation records. He is not the creation of the past 30 years. The pedi- grees really run back at least to the era of the first Napoleon, but the missing links cannot now be gathered up. GHAPTER IX. THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’S. An extraordinary period of expansion in Perche- ron importing and breeding in America was inaug- urated in 1881. It continued until about 1890, reach- ing its climax in 1887 and 1888. The country had recovered from the depression of the ’70’s, land was advancing fast in value, and the states west of the Missouri River were being settled rapidly. Horse- power was urgently needed for the development of these prairies and horse-breeding on large western ranches was undertaken on a commercial basis. Busi- ness conditions were favorable. The result was a rapid growth of draft horse breeding in America. Only 20 men made importations in 1880, but the number of importers increased as follows: 1881, 29; 1882, 39; 1883, 42; 1884, 42; 1885, 50. Still more were engaged in 1886, 1887 and 1888. The number of breeders increased more than tenfold. In 1880 only 45 breeders were producing Percherons in America; by 1890 the number had increased to 593. During this period of expansion 4,988 stallions and 2,066 mares were imported, and 1,920 stallions and 2,089 mares were bred in America. Distribution by States.—Tllinois was the leading state in the breeding of Percherons at this time, with 233 234 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE a total of 203 breeders. The other prominent states, with the number of breeders in order, were: Iowa 66, Ohio 55, New York 31, Minnesota 30, Michigan 28, Pennsylvania 23, Wisconsin 23, Indiana 21, Kansas 20, Missouri 18, and Nebraska 12. Breeding had been begun in 20 other states but was limited in extent. This epoch was made notable by the coming of some new men whose means and ambitions enabled them to take high rank in Percheron operations. Foremost among these was W. L. Ellwood, DeKalb, Ill., who proved the strongest competitor which M. W. Dunham encountered in his lifetime. Mark Coad of Nebraska, Hon. T. W. Palmer of Michigan, John W. Akin of New York, Fred Pabst and R. B. Kellogg of Wisconsin, Leonard Johnson, George E. Case and the Minnesota Percheron Horse Co., all of Minne- sota, also acquired prominence during this: period. Oaklawn Breeding Operations—Mark W. Dun- ham/’s breeding operations reached their climax dur- ing this period, as he reared 182 stallions and 173 mares of his own production, almost as many as his four leading contemporaries combined. His rank, however, depends less on mere numbers than on the character of colts produced. The influence of the Oaklawn Farm operations of this period has been so far-reaching that it must receive detailed con- sideration. It was Mr. Dunham’s idea from the outset to de- velop as rapidly as possible the breeding of Perche- rons in America, and he imported mares freely: in THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 235 1881 36, in 1882 43, and in 1883 108. His total im- portations of mares from 1881 to 1890 amounted to 319 head. An examination of the Oaklawn Farm in- ventory shows that he had on hand on Jan. 1, 1887, 150 mares; on July 1, 1887, 148 mares and 37 more which were out on lease; on Jan. 1, 1888, 156 mares and 39 more out on lease; on July 1, 1888, 133 mares and 66 more out on lease; on Jan. 1, 1890, 179 mares and 13 out on lease. More details could be given, but enough has been cited to show the large number of mares kept in the Oaklawn stud. In individual- ity and breeding these mares were of the highest character, as they were imported by Mr. Dunham for his own use; he sought and secured the choicest mares obtainable in France, buying freely from all of the leading breeders and mare owners of the Perche. Breeders still living who were intimately acquainted with the mares assembled at Oaklawn in this period are agreed that no stud in America, and probably none in the world, ever numbered in its ranks so many mares of the best Percheron type and breeding. The 738 Percherons bred at Oaklawn between 1872 and 1900 were produced by 287 dif- ferent dams. This fact, considered with the numbers owned at different dates, is evidence that the rate of increase was slow. The Brilliant Blood.—In 1881 Mr. Dunham im- ported Brilliant 1271 (755) and in the same year Leonard Johnson, who was acting as a buyer in France for Mr. Dunham, imported his sire, Brilliant 1899 (756). Brilliant 1899 was used but one year on 236 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE purebred mares; he then was sold into a community where he was bred only to grade mares until his death. Brilliant 1271 was placed at the head of the Oaklawn stud in 1882 and became the most famous sire ever used in America. However, his greatest descendants are the result of line-breeding his sons and grandsons on daughters and granddaughters of Brilliant 1899, so that the two together must be given the credit for the dominance of Brilliant blood in the Percheron breed. The leading showring winners of the ’80’s and early ’90’s were dominated by the Brilliant blood, but the most remarkable feature is the prepotency of the leading horses of this strain. Out of the 56 animals that won first prizes in the stallion and mare classes at the shows held by the Société Hippique Percheronne de France during the years from 1901 to 1908 all but 9 traced directly in the sire’s line to Brilliant 1271 or Brilliant 1899, or both, the chief lines of descent being through Brilliant 3d 11116 (2919), Villers 13169 (8081) and Marathon 11410 (10386). In addition to this record, which includes only first- prize animals at the most important show in France, the record of the International Live Stock Exposi- tion at Chicago offers cumulative evidence of the prepotency and value of Brilliant blood. Of the 11 different stallions that have won grand champion- ship honors in the 14 shows that have been held, all but 2 trace directly in the sire’s line to this strain, and the champions that have since become famous THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 237 as sires are line-bred in Brilliant blood to a consid- erable degree. Such overwhelming evidence of the high merit of the descendants of Brilliant 1899 and Brilliant 1271 in the showring and the stud warrants detailed consideration of these horses and of the methods used in combining their blood. The Story of Old Brilliant.—Foaled in 1867, Bril- liant 1899 was extensively used in the stud of Ernest Perriot, Sr., until 1881. His greatest son, Brilliant 1271, was foaled in 1877. Old Brilliant begot other good sires, but his greatest honors come through his daughters. Four mares sired by Brilliant 1899 were the dams of Seducteur 8850 (7057), Tripoli 11110 (20034), Marathon 11410 (10386) and Brilliant 3d 11116—four of the greatest show horses and sires of the breed. Imported to America in 1881 by Leonard Johnson the old horse was taken directly to East Castle Rock, Minn. Here he remained part of a year and sired 3 purebred colts. He was sold in 1882 to P. C. Fockler, Independence, Ia. The horse was 15 years old when Mr. Fockler bought him for $2,000, but his vigor and vitality were such that he lived to be nearly 30 years old, proving to be a sure sire until near the time of his death. During. the last few months of his life he became partially paralyzed in his hindquarters and it was necessary to call in the neighbors to help him to his feet, after which he could walk around. Rather than see the game old sire suffer Mr. Fockler had him killed. During his service in the stud at Independence Brilliant 1899 was bred only to grade mares. In- 238 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE formation obtained by the Percheron, Society of America in 1915 from Mrs. P. C. Fockler and Messrs. C. R. Kirkner, R. F. French, Becker, Myers, Leming and Stevenson, all of whom knew the horse and owned colts by him, indicates conclusively that the Percheron breed has suffered a great loss through failure to put this grand old sire at the head of a stud of purebred mares in this country. All of the parties interviewed remembered the horse well and knew him as Old Brilliant. They knew nothing of the history-making character of his blood on the Percheron breed, but they were unanimous in considering him the greatest horse ever brought to their community. Colts sired by him were sold at remarkable prices, considering the de- pression which prevailed in values in the early ’90’s. John Myers, a brother-in-law of Mr. Fockler, testi- fied that he sold a three-year-old grade filly by Bril- liant 1899 for $300 when an ordinary work horse could be bought for $60. Mr. Becker stated that he sold a three-year-old filly for $250 when values were correspondingly low. C. R. Kirkner knew of a Colo- rado man who came to Independence and bought 40 fillies sired by Brilliant; in fact, this man bought every filly he could find by the old sire, regardless of price. Mr. Myers spoke of an Idaho ranchman who came in and bought carloads of his colts, and added, ‘‘It did not make any difference what kind of a mare was bred to Old Brilliant, the offspring was always a typical Brilliant colt.”? John Steven- son, an aged horseman who patronized the old sire THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’S 239 extensively said: ‘‘ Almost everyone was disappoint- ed in the Brilliant colts when foaled, as they were too small. They never quit growing, however, and they always retained that smoothness of form which made them real beauties.’’ Mr. Ferrell, in comment- ing on the estimate in which the horse and his de- scendants were held in the community, remarked that it was quite a common thing to hear people remark at farm auctions whenever an extra good draft horse was put up for sale, ‘‘I’ll bet that horse has some of Old Brilliant’s blood in him.’’ This testimony is enough to show that the horse was a remarkable sire, both in France and in Amer- ica, and it is a calamity that so great a sire was not found by a breeder of Percherons who could have put him at the head of a purebred stud. The tes- timony of men who knew him at Independence was that he weighed a ton ‘‘in pretty good condition,”’ and such supplementary information as has been ob- tained indicates that he was about 16.3 to 17 hands in height and weighed about 1,900 pounds when in breeding flesh. He was a deep-chested, wide-breast- ed horse of unusual style, symmetry, finish and quality, and with a head whose contour and char- acter would delight any Percheron breeder living. By great good fortune a photograph of the old horse, taken when he was well over 20, has been obtained and is reproduced herewith. Brilliant 1271—Generally considered as the great- est sire ever used in improving the Percheron breed in this country and held by the majority to be the 240 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE greatest sire the breed has ever known, this Brilliant 1271 owes no small portion of his success to the fact that he was for 15 years at the head of the Oaklawn stud with access to probably the greatest group of draft mares ever assembled by one breeder. He was imported in 1881 as a four-year-old, but sired his four greatest sons before he left France. Fenelon, 2682 (38) and Voltaire 3540 (443) were foaled in 1880, and Gilbert 5154 (461) and Briard 5317 (1630) in 1882, before he left France. It is well to note in passing that the arguments of those who contend that young stallions do not beget as excellent prog- eny as mature horses find here a record in direct conflict with their theory. Fenelon and Voltaire, two remarkable show horses and sires, were begotten when Brilliant was but a two-year-old. Seducteur 8850 and Brilliant 3d 11116 were sired by Fenelon when he was but a three-year-old. There are no other horses with as great show and stud records as these in all of Brilliant’s progeny. Brilliant 1271 came to Oaklawn without any spe- cial flourish of trumpets, but was so good in all- around Percheron type and character that Mr. Dun- ham immediately put him into service with Success 452 and Vidocq 483 (732), then stud sires of proved worth. In this connection it is of interest to give the first detailed description recorded of Brilliant 1271; it appears in the Oaklawn catalog of 1882 as follows: ‘‘Black; foaled 1877; imported 1881; weight 1,850; 16 hands high. Long and very round body; extra- A REPRODUCTION OF WHAT HAS GENERALLY BEEN REGARDED AS THE MOST ARTISTIC 8 EVER MADE IN AMERICA—MR. FRANK WHITNEY’S FAMOUS PICTURE ENTITLED “‘ OUT AS A SUPPLEMENT TO ONE OF THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY ISSUES OF TUDY OF A GROUP OF PERCHERONS » AND DEPICTS THE THE THUNDER STORM,” FIRST BROUGHT THE BREEDER’S GAZETTE.” IT was MADE ON CELEBRATED STALLION BRILLIANT 1271 AND GROUP THE ORDER OF THE LATE MARK W. DUNHAM OF HIS PROGENY, THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s' 241: ordinary length of quarters,.which are broad and level; very sloping shoulders of unusual depth; neck rather short; medium throttle; fine ear; wide. be- tween the eyes; slightly Roman nose; very ‘broad breast; short legs and bone of uncommon width; good feet; immense stifle power. A horse with a combina- tion of excellencies throughout. ne Later descriptions give his weight as a little over a ton, but the testimony of men who knew him well is that he was in show shape at such weight and that he tipped the scales when in stud condition at about 1,900 pounds. A better idea of the horse can be obtained by a study of his picture, reproduced herewith. One thing is deserving of special em- phasis: Brilliant 1271 was a most impressive horse in his general bearing, and masculine character was emphasized in every line. He was a dominant, vig- orous, supermasculine stallion and no one could possible mistake his power. His colts from the first were of outstanding character, and Leonard John- son, who was at that time purchaser for Mr. Dun- ham in France, was quick to appreciate their value. As a result 30 of his get were imported to Oaklawn Farm in 1882. Brilliant 1271 had already been put into stud service at Oaklawn, but these colts sired in France and those which began to come at Oak- lawn Farm in 1883 quickly convinced Mr. Dunham that he had secured a sire of incalculable value. He immediately extended his use in the stud and from that time until his death he was made the premier stallion of the Oaklawn stud. Prepotency of Brilliant Blood.—The popularity of 242 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the Brilliant blood and its dominance in the ’80’s, ’90’s and to the present day in the Percheron breed cannot be held to have been accidental. Percherons were measured then as now by their excellence in conformation, underpinning, quality, style and action. That the vast majority of the prize-winners in all leading shows, abroad and in America, were strongly bred in this blood, is proof that such horses had the highest individual excellence. Besides, it was found that they bred on with a high degree of certainty. It was this that soon led men to value the Brilliant blood very highly, and it is because of the two essentials of sheer individual merit and great prepotency that Brilliant dominates the Per- cheron breed as much as Baron’s Pride does the Clydesdale, or Champion of England the Shorthorn. The most remarkable show horses of the ’80’s, which have since demonstrated the tremendous carrying power that spells prepotency, were Bril- liant 3d 11116, Seducteur 8850 and Marathon 11410. All three were sired by sons of Brilliant 1271 out of daughters of Brilliant 1899. The blending of the blood of Brilliant 1899 and his son, Brilliant 1271, both splendid individuals, resulted in these three which were all greater as individuals than either Brilliant, and extraordinarily prepotent. Tripoli 11110 (20034), almost as great, was bred in exactly the same way, but was by still another son of Bril- liant 1271 and out of another daughter of Brilliant 1899. Villers 13169 (8081), a fifth grandson of Bril- liant 1271 through still another son, Briard 5317, is ROSA BONHEUR’S STUDY OF BRILLIANT 1271 (IN CENTER)—CHILDEBERT ON LEFT. 1 oF THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 243 the only one of this remarkable galaxy of grandsons through which the blood of the two Brilliants has largely dominated the breed that is not out of a daughter of Brilliant 1899. He is closely allied in breeding, however, as his dam, Robine (5697), was a sister to the dam of Brilliant 1899. Three other noted prize-winners of the same period —Producteur 4280 (68), winner of first prizes both abroad and in America, La Ferté 5144 (452), a show horse of extraordinary merit, and Cheri 5079 (2423), a noted winner on both sides of the ocean—have not been nearly so noted as sires and seldom appear now in the blood of winning horses. None was line-bred to any such degree as the five previously named, and only one, La Ferté, was of Brilliant blood, he being out of a daughter of Brilliant 1899. The conclusion which must be drawn is that the accumulation of the characters which made both Brilliant 1899 and Brilliant 1271 valuable as indi- viduals and as sires, by the expedient of combining their blood through line-breeding made their de- scendants extraordinarily valuable, not only because of unusual excellence as draft horses, but because of the power to transmit that excellence which we call prepotency. Ernest Perriot, Sr., has the honor of having brought about the breeding of all five of these line-bred sires of great note, and there is no question but that he has exerted a greater influence on the Percheron breed since 1880 than any other breeder in France or America. Developments at Oaklawn.—With three of the 244 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE greatest sires of the time and a goodly band of mares in his possession Mr. Dunham had optimistic dreams of breeding and raising annually a splendid group of colts. The troubles which forever beset breeders of draft horses who try to do things in a wholesale way soon made their appearance, however. Mr. Dunham raised 31 colts foaled in 1883, but the fol- lowing spring when he had approximately 150 mares, a large proportion of them of breeding age, he raised but 13 colts. Abortion tells the story. In 1885 he reared 32 colts from 150 eligible mares, and in 1886 got but 20. Probably the mares were in too high cordition. Anyhow they did not as a rule con- ceive for the first two or three years after importa- tion and the foals produced by those that did breed were inclined to be so lacking in vitality that the mortality was extremely high. He also learned that abortion spread rapidly among mares kept in large bands; that navel ill was an ever-present source of trouble; and that idle mares after becom- ing acclimated were inclined to become so fat on rich bluegrass pasture that too high a proportion proved to be irregular breeders. Profiting, however, by these early experiences the present Oaklawn man- agement is meeting with better success along this line. However, at the time of which we write Mr. Dunham, Sr., reluctantly came to the decision that Percheron breeding would have to be done by carrying the mares in smaller groups and on a basis where their work on the farm would serve the double purpose of keeping them in better breeding THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 245 condition and reducing the cost of their keep. By 1887 he had sold many mares to men whom he had interested in Percheron breeding, and he also under- took the experiment of putting some out on lease. Results Despite Difficulties—Despite these re- verses, which eliminated all hope of profit from his Percheron breeding operations, Mr. Dunham perse- vered and made some headway from 1887 on. In 1887 he raised 57 colts, in 1888 69, in 1889 51 and in 1890 44. A disastrous experiment in feeding silage in 1890 cost him several mares and a large number of colts, leading to the conclusion that silage was dangerous, as the presence of a little mold, harm- less to cattle, was sure death to unborn foals and very dangerous to the mares. In none of these years did he succeed in rearing more than one colt for every three mares; in 1890 he had 192 mares, most of them of breeding age, yet raised only 44 colts. Not many of the colts bred at Oaklawn were ex- hibited, and consequently it has been difficult to obtain accurate information regarding them. Many of the best colts were sold as yearlings, and Mr. Dunham had unusual facilities for the selection of other show horses because of his heavy annual importations of the best obtainable in the Perche. The most satis- factory information regarding the estimate placed on the American-bred horses raised at Oaklawn is furnished by the prices paid for them. It must be remembered that purchasers going there had the opportunity of making selections from a large num- ber of high-class imported horges or from the colts 246 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE bred at Oaklawn; the fact that so many bought colts bred and raised there, at good prices, is evidence of the high character of the progeny. Through the courtesy of W. S. Dunham we have been given access to the records which include all of the original Oaklawn Farm entries in regard to sales. Many animals were sold in pairs or in groups containing three or more, and it has been necessary to eliminate these on account of inability to deter- mine the value of each. All horses sold individually for cash (no trades involved) have been listed, so far as important sires are concerned, and the cold figures give conclusive proof of the esteem in which American breeders held the colts bred and reared at Oaklawn. Prices and sires, given in order of their use, are as follows: Vidocq 483: 2 stallions sold for $1,770, an average of $885; 8 mares sold for $6,170, an average of $771; 10 head sold for $7,940, an average of $794. Brilliant 1271: 64 stallions sold for $60,275, an average of $941; 44 mares sold for $31,975, an aver- age of $726; 108 head sold for $92,250, an average of $854. Brilliant 3d 11116: 2 stallions sold for $2,100, an average of $1,050; 2 mares sold for $1,150, an aver- age of $575; 4 head sold for $3,250, an average of $812. Aiglon 13145: 14 stallions sold for $15,100, an average of $1,078; 9 mares sold for $3,850, an aver- age of $427; 23 head sold for $18,950, an average of $824, ROSA BONHEUR’S STUDIES OF VOLTAIRE, JUPITER AND CONFIDENT. THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE 780’S 247 Introuvable 16875: 19 stallions sold for $18,000, an average of $947; 7 mares sold for $2,700, an aver- age of $385; 26 head sold for $20,700, an average - of $796. Villers 13169: 9 stallions sold for $9,400, an aver- age of $1,044; 5 mares sold for $1,925, an average of $385; 14 head sold for $11,325, an average of $808. Remembering that a large proportion of these ani- mals were sold during the ’90’s, when values were greatly depressed, and that by far the greater pro- portion were sold as one-, two- and three-year-olds it will be realized at once that Mr. Dunham’s Amer- ican-bred colts were highly valued by breeders. Of the 64 stallions by Brilliant 4 were sold as weanlings, 23 as yearlings, 18 as two-year-olds, 8 as three-year- olds, and only 11 as four-year-olds or over. Of the 44 mares listed 5 went as weanlings, 16 as yearlings, 15 as two-year-olds, 1 as a three-year-old and 7 at greater ages. Great Mares of Oaklawn Stud —It is difficult to particularize as to the mares used in the Oaklawn stud at this time. Among those of unusual excel- lence we may name Janecia 2768 (1368). Her colt foaled in 1886, Brannock 5688, was sold for $1,200 as a two-year-old, and her next colt, Belidor 9520, foaled in 1888, brought $2,500 as a yearling. Both were by Brilliant 1271. She was a fairly regular breeder, producing 7 colts in 10 years, all but one of which were stallions. Individual prices on the others could not be ascertained, but her colts were all of extra good character. Constance 1478 (1425), 248 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE imported in 1881, was another extra good mare that did well for Mr. Dunham. One of her colts, Wolford 2274, foaled in 1883, was sold as a three-year-old for $1,700; another, Bancroft 3367, foaled in 1884, was sold as a four-year-old for $2,000. She too was a regular producer, raising 9 foals in 12 years, 5 of which were fillies; all her foals except the last one were by Brilliant 1271 and all were of more than average value. One of Constance’s daughters, Ri- vonia 2213, was in a group of 15 mares sold in 1885 to E. A. Hitchcock & W. B. Collier of St. Louis for $14,400. Linda 2751 (1521), imported in 1883, was another profitable mare. Her first colt, Bassanio 4339, sired by Brilliant 1271 and foaled in 1885, was sold as a two-year-old for $1,400. She continued to breed with regularity till 1898, producing 10 colts in 14 years, all above the average. Six were stal-. lions and 4 were mares. Faustine 1314 (1431) was another excellent show mare and her colts though few were good. She was about 16 hands high, weighed 1,700 pounds, and although a failure at first because she did not raise a colt from 1881 to 1884, she later produced exceptionally good ones: Barcino 4341, foaled 1885, was sold as a yearling for $1,000, and her next, Brastin 5689, foaled in 1886, brought $1,200 as a two-year-old. Both were by Brilliant 1271. She raised but 6 colts in 16 years, however, and so cannot be considered a profitable matron. Peerless 744, a medium-sized, symmetrical brood mare, raised 3 colts for Mr. Dunham and was then THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’S 249 sold to Ballachey Bros., Brantford, Ontario, and raised 8 in 10 years. Rachel 1461 (1460) was the dam of Bartholdi 3666, sired by Brilliant 1271 and sold as a two-year-old for $1,500; she was a regular producer of good ones, raising 5 by Brilliant 1271. Delora 2756 (1530) was the dam of 8 good ones, the last of which, Ali 20012, was placed at the head of Grant Caldwell’s stud at Dana, IIl., where he sired Ali 2d 30783,champion American-bred stallion at the International Live Stock Exposition in 1903. Bril- lantine 5675 (6948) was a great mare individually and raised good colts, but not many of them. Zither 2283 (Lisette 36) was another valuable brood mare. Not the least was Absala 5651 (6718), the dam of Linda 12986, foaled in 1889. Linda was the dam of 9 colts, foaled in 11 years, 1892 to 1902 inclusive, yet won championship honors at the International in 1901. One of Linda’s colts, Allegro 20046, sold as a three-year-old in 1899, when values were sub- merged almost to the point of extinction, for $1,150, and she left many others as good. Comment on other mares might be added, but as we shall come back to Oaklawn mares from time to time in considering other studs. Oaklawn Influence.—Mr. Dunham’s aggressive work as a breeder, exhibitor and advertiser of Per- cherons did more to hasten the development of Per- cheron breeding than any other factor of this period. He exhibited at the Chicago shows, sent a strong exhibit to the New Orleans Exposition in 1885, and was one of the organizers of the first show held by 250 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the Percheron Society of America in 1886.* His horses were well toward the top in all shows, his advertising was pushed in every legitimate manner, and his farm and personality appealed to men of wealth who were interested in farming. From the very nature of his operations it is hard to distin- guish between his work as an importer and as a breeder. Sales frequently carried animals of his own breeding as well as imported horses. Vidoeq 483 was champion at the Chicago show in 1881;- Brilliant 1271 was first as aged stallion and champion at the New Orleans Exposition in 1885, where he was champion over all breeds; Producteur 4280 (68) (aged heavy-weight class), Gilbert 5154 (461) (four-year-old heavy-weight class), Tudue 5156 (474) (three-year-old light-weight class), and Conde 5163 (two-year-old), were all first-prize win- ners in the great Percheron Society show in 1886 at Chicago; Ercilla 2211 (1429) (five-year-old heavy class), Bellora 2237 (1415) (four-year-old heavy class), Giara 2755 (1531) (four-year-old light class), Rose 4344 (4899) (three-year-old heavy class), and Belle 4352 (4852) (two-year-old) were all first-prize *At the Percheron Society show at Chicazo in 1883 the five-, four- and three-year-old stallion classes were divided into heavy- and light-weight groups as foilows: five-year-oids, 1,800 pounds or over, and under 1,800 pounds; four-year-olds, 1,750 pounds or over, and under 1,700 pounds; three-year-olds 1,700 pounds or ovcr, and under 1,700 pounds. Mares of same ages were also divided as follows: five-year-olds, 1,750 pounds or over, ard under 1,750 pounds; four-year-olds, 1,700 pounds or over, and under 1,700 pounds; three-year-olds, 1,600 pounds or over, and under 1,600 pounds. The result was to double the number of prizes given, and to classify the animals more exactly into the large- and medium-sized types. For convenience we refer to these merely as the heavy- and light-weight classes. THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’S 251 mares in their respective classes at the same show. Brilliant 1271 was awarded first in the class for the sweepstakes stallion with five of his get at this show. In 1887 at the horse show held in connection with the Fat Stock Show at Chicago Oaklawn won first on Pacha 6977 (4358), a three-year-old, first on Gas- tronome 7058 (8952), a two-year-old, and first on Julia 5676 (7015), a two-year-old mare, besides numerous prizes below first. Brilliant 1271 was again first in class for stallion and four of his get. In 1888 at the same show Oaklawn won first in aged stallion class on La Ferté 5144, subsequently made senior champion over all breeds, first in the three- year-old class on Dompteur 9201 (9886), and lesser prizes in various classes. In 1889 Fenelon 2682, then a seasoned sire 9 years of age, won first in the aged class, and Oaklawn also won first in the yearling class, with seconds in the three- and two-year-old stallion classes. Oaklawn also won firsts in the two mare classes on Vanity 2275, bred at Oaklawn, and Bertha 5340 (7008), the latter winning first in the class for mare with colt at side. In 1890 Oaklawn did not exhibit at the American Horse Show, but two grandsons of Brilliant 1271, Seducteur 8850 and Tripoli 11110, won the first places in the aged and three-year-old stallion classes, and another grandson, Baccarat, 11326, was second in the three- year-old class. Each was shown by a different ex- hibitor. Albatros 13062, a son of Seducteur 8850, was the first-prize two-year-old and Kirsch 2d 11837, 252 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE by Kirsch 7196 by Confident 3647 by Brilliant 1271, was first in the yearling class, so that the firsts in the yearling and two-year-old classes were both won by great-grandsons of Brilliant 1271. Every first was won by a grandson or great-grandson of Brilliant 1271, a record which was duly advertised by Mr. Dunham, as Brilliant 1271 was then in active service at the head of Oaklawn stud. Oaklawn Sales of ’80’s.—Mr. Dunham’s sales ex- tended over a wide area, and he was very influential in developing breeding interests in other states. He had invested nearly a quarter of a million dollars in Percheron mares by 1890, and while the returns were not at all commensurate he had confidence in the ultimate development of Percheron breeding in America. While his chief attention was centered on sales of stallions, he did all he could to encourage breeders in founding studs of Percherons in this country. To illustrate how widely the mares were distributed it may be noted that the 287 mares out of which Mr. Dunham bred colts between 1870 and 1900, except those retained or which died, were sold to 88 different buyers. Prominent purchasers of mares in this epoch were: Speedwell Farms, Lyn- don, Vt., whose operations are still continued; E. A. Hitchcock & W. B. Cole, St. Louis, Mo., whose studs were soon dispersed; G. W. Wilcoxen, Canton, IIL, whose good Percherons have been of inestimable value in developing draft horse interests in Fulton Co., Ill.; H. A. Babeock, Neenah, Wis., who made his money in market horse operations and bought THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 253 his Percherons with seasoned judgment; Willard & Fuller, Mapleton, Minn.; The Minnesota Percheron Horse Co., Cazenovia, Minn.; T. & J. Harper, Paw Paw, Ill.; W. J. Jordan & Son, Newbern, Va.; Par- sons & Baldwin, Watervliet, Mich.; W. H. Penny, Stronghurst, Ill., and many others. Oaklawn sold more history-making sires than any other establishment during this period. Among those which have exerted a far-reaching influence on the breed in this country were the following: Confident 3647 (397), sold to R. Nagle & Sons, Grand Ridge, Ill., as a four-year-old for $3,500. , JX Fenelon 2682 (38), sold to R. Kellogg, Green Bay, is., as a four-year-old for $3,500. He was subse- quently sold to E. A. Hitchcock of St. Louis for $6,000, and later headed the stud of Thomas W. Pal- mer, then President of the American Percheron Breeders’ Association. Gilbert 5154 (461), sold to Leonard Johnson as a four-year-old for $3,200. Briard 5317 (1630), sold to Leonard Johnson as a four-year-old for $5,000. (All of these were imported sons of Brilliant 1271). Producteur 4280 (68), sold to Brickman & Baker, Rednerville, Ontario. Other sires sold at this time that were of great value were: Bavardo 7236, sold to J. H. Smith, Milo, Ia., in 1888 as a yearling for $1,200 and used chiefly on grade mares; Bendago 11807, sold to G. S. Hanna, Bloomington, Ill., in 1890 as a yearling for $1,200, 254 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE heading this stud for a time and leaving 36 pure- bred colts; Belidor 9520, sold to F. H. Redfield, Ba- tavia, N. Y., in 1889 as a yearling for $2,500 and being used on some purebred mares, though not many; Breme 7229, sold to the Little Missouri Horse Co. in February, 1888, when about 10 months old, for $700, leaving some purebred colts, but being used chiefly on grade mares. The last four were bred at Oaklawn, and were sired by Brilliant 1271. There were numerous others of almost, if not quite, equal rank. Mr. Dunham’s Influence.—One of the leading fea- tures of Mr. Dunham’s work at this time was its effect on others. He demonstrated conclusively that Percherons paid. He proved that Percherons could be bred in America, and sold at early ages and high prices. He tested out to his own satisfaction and for the benefit of others the impracticability of un- dertaking to keep Percheron mares in large bands, idle, for the sole purpose of rearing colts. He came to the conclusion that Percheron breeding must be carried out on farms where the mares could do work enough to pay their way and where their prolificacy would be increased by reason of healthier breeding condition induced by moderate work. He advertised early and late, more freely and with better results than any horseman of his own or earlier times, and he popularized Percherons on the soundest of all platforms—‘‘their utility value on the farm, and their ability to raise the value of common horses from one-fourth to one-third by the first cross, and THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 255 to continue raising the market value by each subse- quent cross.’’ Ellwood Green.—It is doubtful whether the history of any breed furnishes a parallel to the spectacular career of W. L. Ellwood in Percherons. Backed by his father, I. L. Ellwood, a wealthy manufacturer of barbed wire, W. L. Ellwood began his operations in 1881 by importing a few Percherons. A few more were brought over in 1882, 1883, 1884 and 1885, but in 1886 he began in earnest by importing 164 stal- lions and 100 mares. His heavy importations con- tinued during the next four years. He never hesi- tated at price in his efforts to obtain the best horses the Perche possessed. The firm, consisting of W. L. Ellwood and his father, who gave little attention to the horse business, acquired about 4,000 acres of land near DeKalb, Ill. This was divided into six large, well-equipped farms, which were first oper- -ated with grade Percheron mares. These were later replaced by purebreds. Excellent sale barns and offices were built in DeKalb, and a thoroughgoing business organization was developed to handle the farm operations, and the breeding, importation and sale of Percherons. Mr. Ellwood decided at an early date that Perche- rons were the most desirable for American condi- tions. In one of his early catalogs he said: ‘‘I am sincere in my belief that it has been fully demon- strated that for individual merit, and powers of transmitting same to his progeny, the Percheron shows a purity of breeding that is unapproachable, 256 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE justifying my use of the quotation that ‘to compare him with other draft breeds is like comparing water with other elements, or gold with other metals.’ ”’ With this idea uppermost in his mind, Mr. Ellwood bought the best horses he could find, and he had the advantage of the assistance of Thomas Sloan, an ex- perienced and discriminating judge. Practically un- limited means made it possible for him to outbid the other buyers who were then competing with him in the Perche, and even Mr. Dunham was hard pressed to hold his own in the showring during the Ellwood days. All told, the Ellwoods imported about 800 Percherons, and bred during the first 10 years 65 stallions and 67 mares, or a total of 132 head by 1890. This brought them into second place in the Percheron operations of this epoch, both as import- ers and as breeders. Sires Used by Mr. Ellwood.—Some of the greatest show horses of the breed were imported and ex- hibited by Mr. Ellwood, who was quick to realize the advantage of this form of advertising. In 1886 at the first great show held by the American Per- cheron Horse Breeders’ Association he won second in the aged stallion heavy-weight class on Cheri 5079 (2423), champion at the government show at Chartres, France, in 1885; second on Phebi 5048 (329) in the four-year-old heavy-weight class; first on King of Perche 4975 (6738) in the four-year-old light-weight class; first on Extrador 4979 (6890) in the three-year-old heavy-weight class; second on Paolo 5025 (4914) in the two-year-old class. He also |LL.Ellwood | 5 ao >. | WL.Ellwood | # * THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’S 257 won second on Queen of Perche 5056 (6740) in the aged mare class for heavy-weights, this mare having won championship at the Percheron Society of France show at Nogent in June of that year. These winnings and others were enough to make Ellwood Green widely advertised, for cases are few and far between where new exhibitors break into the top ranks at the very outset to so great an extent. Cheri and Seducteur.—Cheri was the first noted horse used at Ellwood Green, and it -was most unfor- tunate that high condition inhibited his career in the stud. He sired but 17 stallions and 22 mares during his service in 1885, 1886, 1887 and 1888. He died in 1888. King of Perche 4975 (6738) was still more unfortunate; he also died in 1888 with but 9 stallions and 4 mares to his credit. The loss of these horses, probably largely due to too high condition main- tained for too long a period, was a distinct injury to Percheron interests in America. Cheri was a most remarkable horse. Foaled in 1881 and imported in 1885, he was about 17 hands in height, weighed over a ton, and was a compact, well-proportioned stallion with good style, finish and action. He was gray in color, heavy-boned, but with excellent quality, and such colts as he did get were good ones. He too was line-bred, being sired by a grandson of Coco 2d (714) out of a daughter of Coco 2d, and had his career in the stud been longer continued much bene- fit to the breed would have accrued. King of Perche was a marvelously finished show horse, but lacked in size. 258 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ~* Urbain 6805 (5680), foaled in 1883 and imported in 1887, was also used at the head of the stud, and sired 11 stallions and 13 mares. He was a rugged, big horse, very good throughout. He won first at the national show at Rennes, France, in 1887 and third in the aged stallion class at the American Horse Show, Chicago, in 1890. Rigilo 4980 (2103) was another very good horse, foaled in 1883 and imported in 1886, that proved to be a very good breeder. He was first at the Illinois State Fair in 1889 in the class for stallion and five of his get. Seducteur 8850 was probably the greatest stock horse ever used at Ellwood Green. He was first in the two-year-old class at the show of the Societe Hippique Percheronne in 1886, and was second at the same show in 1888, being beaten only by his half- brother Brilliant 3d 11116. In 1890 Seducteur won first at the American Horse Show at Chicago, and one of his colts, Albatross 13062 (30051), won first in the two-year-old class. Seducteur also won in the class for stallion and three of his get. The ex- cessively high condition in which he was kept from 1886 to 1890 later affected his breeding powers, and. he was a poor getter throughout his life. His colts, however, were so extraordinarily good that he was valued very highly and was subsequently at the head of two other purebred studs. No sire used in the west in the past 25 years stands higher than Seduc- teur in the estimation of American breeders. In- dividually he was large, standing about 17 hands high and weighing considerably over 2,100 pounds SEDUCTEUR 8850 (7087) FIRST-PRIZE TWO-YEAR-OLD, PERCHERON SOCIETY OF FRANCE SHOW IN 1886; FIRST-PRIZE AGED STALLION AND WINNER OF GET-OF-SIRE PRIZE AT CHICAGO IN 1890. THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE 80’s 259 in show condition. He was of the strong, sturdy type with extra heavy bone, and was a very massive, deep-middled, strong-backed horse, with extra good loin and a long, level croup. He stood well on his underpinning and was an up-headed, stylish horse, lacking a trifle in finish about the head and neck, but very masculine. He was used by Mr. Ellwood till about 1893, when he was sold to William Goodwin & Son of Benson, Minn. Here he was used chiefly on grade mares. The Goodwins in turn sold him to parties near Malvern, Ia., about 1896 or ’97, and here again he was used chiefly on grade mares, though he did sire three purebred colts during the two or three years he stood there. He was subse- quently found and purchased by H. G. McMillan of Lakewood Farm, Rock Rapids, Ia., and his later history will be considered in connection with that stud. Mares in Stud.—Mr. Ellwood’s operations in Per- cherons ceased about 1898, and it is impossible to obtain exact inventory figures on the number of mares owned at different periods. An analysis of the catalogs issued gives the number of mares owned at different times, and the records in the offices of the Percheron society show the number of colts raised: In 1887 he had 144 mares and recorded 16 stallion colts and 10 filly foals as bred by himself; in 1888 he had 126 mares and recorded 9 colts and 12 fillies; in 1889 he had 129 mares and recorded 18 colts and 16 fillies; in 1890 he had 94 mares and recorded 13 colts and 10 fillies. It will be noted that 260 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the percentage of foals to mares owned was approxi- mately 25 per cent. It must be remembered of course that in 1887 and 1888 many of the mares were too young to foal. In 1890 most of the mares were old enough to raise colts, but even then the percentage was very small. Part of the trouble was in the mares, for while Mr. Ellwood as a whole had a high- class lot of mares in size and in draft type, a good many of them lacked feminine character, being very massive with more draft type than brood mare pat- tern. Another trouble was in the stallions. Seduc- teur, relied upon in 1889 and later, was not sure. The acclimation troubles which often beset im- ported animals undoubtedly hindered many of the imported mares from raising colts for the first few years after importation. Queen of Perche 5056 (6740), Mr. Ellwood’s greatest mare, a winner in France and America, raised but 4 foals in 12 years— 3 fillies and 1 stallion. Part of her trouble was prob- ably due to fitting for the showring; she raised a colt imported in dam and one the next year, then quit for a time. Influence on Other Studs.—Sales were made to many of the leading breeders, and some studs were founded directly on purchases made at Elwood Green. T. L. & J. L. De Lancey, Northfield, Minn., made their start in Percheron breeding by purchas- ing a carload of mares in 1885. The Minnesota Per- cheron Horse Co., Cazenovia, Minn., also made heavy purchases from the Ellwoods. T. W. Palmer, De- troit, Mich., R. B. Kellogg of Wisconsin, The River- THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’S 261 side Ranch of North Dakota, the Risser Horse Co., Onarga, IIl., the Colverdale Stock Farm and H. P. Malone, New Vienna, O., O. L. Thisler, Chapman, Kans., Walter Green, Mapleton, N. D., Thomas Cross, Bangor, Mich., C. E. Davis, Davis Junction, Il, C. E. Sutton, Russel, Kans., Cross Bros., Durand, IIL, R. Nagle & Sons, Grand Ridge, Ill., D. H. & J. W. Snyder, Georgetown, Tex., and W. Sprole, Traer, Ia., were among the many who bought mares of the Ellwoods, and in some instances stallions as well. An analysis of the produce records of the imported mares sold shows that they were not as a whole very regular breeders, even in the hands of subsequent owners, and their influence on the breed has been much less than it should have been. Noted Sires Sold.-Seducteur was the greatest sire sold. Superieur 5752 (2188), a very good horse and good breeder, went to head the De Lancey stud. Niger 4986 (2951) and Picador 3d 5078 (4815) were good horses sold in 1887 and 1888 to head the Minnesota Percheron Horse Company stud at Caze- novia, and the company bought a carload of the best mares Ellwood had about this time. Mark M. Coad, Fremont, Neb., who also had ranches in Wyoming, bought three sires about 1887, one of which, Ture 6539 (10052), proved to be a very prepotent stallion, probably one of the best, if not the best, ever used west of the Missouri River. There were numerous others that had less opportunity, but that have done much good in local spheres. Summary of Ellwood Operations.—Great credit 262 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE must be given to the Ellwoods for the benefits aceru- ing from their work in this epoch of expansion. They were wealthy, very influential in Illinois and else- where, and exerted a tremendous influence in swing- ing popular favor more strongly toward Percherons. They had the means and the disposition to obtain the best horses that could be bought, and transferred to American shores a large percentage of the prize- winners of the French shows between 1885 and 1890. They advertised in the showring, covering not only Illinois, but all nearby states, and were liberal users of newspaper advertising. They also resorted to col- ored posters of attractive character which were wide- ly distributed. In addition to all these factors they sold their horses on a fair margin of profit and were at all times willing to take reasonable paper. They also had confidence in the ultimate development of. Percheron breeding in America, and manifested this by liberal importations of mares for their own use and sale. The result was greatly to encourage the small breeder. Everything considered, the firm de- serves a very high rank in the Percheron history of this period and the work has been of incalculable benefit to Percheron interests in America. Daniel Dunham’s Work.—Daniel Dunham of Wayne, IIL, stands third in rank among the breeders of this epoch, as he raised 50 stallions and 41 mares of his own breeding. His stud was founded on im- ported stock, some purchased from Oaklawn and some imported by himself. The majority of the mares were imported in 1880, but many others were THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 263 bred by Mr. Dunham and reserved for his own use. He had 43 mares in 1889, only 28 of which were old enough to produce colts, and a comparison of the records made by his mares shows that he had more regular-producing brood mares in proportion to total number owned than either Oaklawn or Ellwood Green farms. Probably this was due in part to the fact that he kept his best breeding females, and in part to their being maintained under farm condi- tions, where some work was required. Marquis 868 (774), a son of Superior 454 (730) out of a daughter of Coco 2d, was the leading sire used at this time. He was a gray of good type and left some very good colts. Prosper 2501 (1155), a gray imported in 1883 by Oaklawn Farm, was the next sire of consequence. He was sired by Vaillant (404) out of a daughter of Prosper (893). He was a large, massive, heavy-boned horse of very rugged type and crossed well on the daughters of Marquis 868 (774). Don Brilliant 2029 (2482), a black son of Brilliant 1899 out of a daughter of Favori Ist (711), was used a little later. He stood 16 hands high, weighed about 1,900 pounds and was imported by Daniel Dunham in 1882, with others, and sold to J. W. Morgan & Co., Tower Hill, Ill. The colts he sired were of such excellent character and so uniform that Mr. Dunham bought him back in 1890 at a long © price. He left the choicest colts of any sire used, but had a select band of mares to work on. Mares were sold by Daniel Dunham to William Holegate, Wyoming, Ill., C. P. Dewey, Toulon, IIl., 264 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE J. H. Cowlishaw, Blakeville, Ia. W. P. Buswell, Neponset, Ill., F. M. Buhr, Knittle, Ia., Tim Payne, Dunbar, Neb., D. E. Branham, Litchfield, Minn., and numerous others. Those sold near Toulon, Ill., and Wyoming, Il., were most numerous and have favor- ably influenced Percheron breeding in those sections. Stallions were sold over a wide range of territory, but few had any opportunity on purebred mares. As a consequence they have achieved no special re- nown, although they undoubtedly did much good in improving the common horses of their time. Daniel Dunham’s career, which was distinctly that of a breeder, was cut short by financial difficulties which made it necessary to sell the Percherons in 1893 at a great sacrifice. The dispersion of such a stud, which had been carefully built up by a man whose instincts were those of a creative breeder, was most unfortunate and its sale at a time when all business throughout the United States was depressed scat- tered and dissipated the stock, as other breeders were not in a position to purchase. The Dillons.—The Dillons, operating as Ellis Dil- lon & Company and later as Dillon Bros., took fourth place in number of animals bred during this period, but in point of influence they ranked close to Mark W. Dunham and W. L. Ellwood. They were aggressive importers, exhibitors and breeders, and but for their adherence in part to a rival stud book organization might have exerted more influence on Percheron af- fairs than they did. They bred and raised 39 stal- lions and 43 mares—Percherons—during this time THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 265 and were also active breeders of other draft horses. They exerted a greater direct influence dn draft horse operations in central Illinois than any other breeders of this period, and many of the leading studs in McLean, Tazewell, Livingston and La Salle ~ counties are founded wholly or in part on stock from the Dillon stud. Sires Used.—The chief sires which the Dillons used at this time were Extrador 4525 (386), imported by them in 1883, and Papillon 3559 (379), imported by Mr. Dunham. Both horses were of the rugged, massive type and bred very drafty colts. Powerful 6670 (Bayard 7519) was one of the best sires ever imported by the Dillons, but he was sold by them -in 1882 to William Hurt, Arrowsmith, Ill, and was not used in their own stud, though they subsequently ‘bought and used one of his sons, Dave P. 14366, bred by William Hurt. Favora 1542 (765), foaled in 1868 and imported in 1880 by the Dillons, was an- other horse of great note in Percheron breeding. He was about 17 hands high, weighed over a ton even after 12 years old, and was an extremely well pro- portioned, rugged, heavy-boned horse whose stock -was noted for size and draftiness. He was among ‘the winners at the World’s Exposition at Paris in 1878, and although a very aged horse for showring work took first at St. Louis in 1880. He sired but 5 colts in this country, probably because he had been used to the limit in France and then fitted to a very high condition in his ten- and twelve-year-old form for show. It is evident also that he had but slight 266 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE opportunity. The Dillons sold him to Rush Co., Ind., where he sired two purebred colts for J. T. MeMillin, the president of the company that owned the horse.* These colts were foaled in 1888 and 1889. R. B. Kellogg shipped some mares to be bred to Favora in May, 1888, and secured two colts. Fa- vora died on April 15, 1889, aged 21 years. Dillons in the Showring.—The Dillons were good advertisers and were appreciative of the value of showring exhibitions. They exhibited more gener- ally at the county and district fairs in Illinois than any other breeders of this period, and also made strong displays at the state fairs and Chicago horse shows. The extremely hot pace set by Mark W. Dunham, W. L. Ellwood, Leonard Johnson and H. A. Briggs shut the Dillons out of the prize-lists at the most important shows so far as stallions were con- cerned, but their mares won high honors in the strongest competition. Modesty G. 586 was their most noted show mare. She was first in the aged mare class at the Chicago show in 1887, and was also first for mare and two of her produce. She was not a regular breeder, and raised only 5 colts in 17 Ww. HL McMillin, Rushville, Ind., writing under date of May 12, 1915, says: “Favora 1546 was owned by a company of men at Gings, Ind., of which my father, J. T. McMillin, was the president. ... He got about 70 per cent of his mares in foal, but there were only 2 purebred mares in the county during the time he was used here. Favora was the greatest breeding horse ever used in Rush county. The mares at that time were small, ranging from ponies up, but the colts at four years weighed from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, and the shippers would buy every one they could get, even as three-year-olds. I think he was brought here in the spring of 1882. He died April 15, 1889, at 21 years. He weighed over 2,200 pounds while owned in Rush county and was the best draft horse I ever saw.” THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 267 years. Her daughters were prize-winners, however, and one, Lorilee G. 1532, was also a winner at the leading shows and proved to be a better breeder than her dam. Christiana 1586 was another splendid mare owned by the Dillons, a show and brood mare combined, and many of the best horses now in central Illinois trace to her. Allegra 4454 by Extrador 4525 (386) was her greatest daughter; bred to Powerful 6670 (7519) she produced Loretta P. 10285, an extra- ordinary brood mare. Christina P. 16608 was almost as great, and Capsheaf 16985 was one of the very good sires used in Illinois. Any one of these three would have been enough to blazon a mare’s name in history, and it is not surprising that Allegra 4454 is generally considered the greatest mare Dillons ever bred, although her record was made in the hands of William Hurt. Mark W. Coad.—Mr. Coad, a wealthy ranchman with extensive interests in Nebraska, Wyoming, and other western states, stands fifth among the leading breeders of this period. He began in 1885 by import- ing 59 mares and 18 stallions, thereby inaugurating operations on an extended scale. He subsequently made a few other purchases from other leading im- porters and became very active in Percheron affairs in the west. The extent of his operations is shown by the fact that he bred between 1885 and 1890 40 stallions and 32 mares, and still more in the next decade. Ranch and range conditions prevailed so far as the mares and growing colts were concerned, although 268 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE he did halter-break and grain-feed the stallions in- tended for sale and the horses meant for the show- ring. The proportion of colts raised to mares owned was at this time about 25 per cent, the low increase evidently being due to acclimation troubles and losses among the foals. Mr. Coad was fortunate in importing a very good sire, Henri Le Blane 4542 (2433), at the time he secured his mares. This horse did much good, but his owner obtained a much greater one in 1888 in Ture 6539, a stallion imported by W. L. Ellwood. This sire, a black with both hind pasterns and one front one white, was a son of Confident 3647 (397), he by Brilliant 1271 out of a daughter of Coco 2d. He was a large, massive horse, standing a fraction over 17 hands high and weighing over a ton. He was well-proportioned, stood well on his feet and legs, and was a clean-cut horse of excellent style and quality. As a sire, he proved to be extremely pre- potent and got big, rugged colts that weighed from 1,700 to 1,900 pounds in ordinary field condition at three years of age. His colts were symmetrical, stood well on their underpinning and were almost invariably sound and clean. He remained in service at the head of Mr. Coad’s stud for a number of years. His colts were so extremely good that James M. Fletcher bought two carloads of the stallions in 1897 and considered them extra good, both as individuals and as breeders. They finished out as big, drafty horses, most of them weighing over a ton, and sired draft colts rugged and sound. THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE ’80’s 269 Appoline 4778 (4003) was one of Mr. Coad’s best mares. She was of showyard merit and he won sec- ond on her and her two colts at the Columbian Ex- position in 1893. She was not an especially regular breeder, producing only 7 colts in 14 years, but they were good. One, Starlight 17891, foaled in 1895 and sired by Ture, was second in a strong class of two- year-old stallions at the Chicago Horse Show in No- vember, 1897. Mirza 4759 (4050) was a good brood mare. One of her daughters, Vanity Fair 16568, won third in the two-year-old filly class at the Co- lumbian. Mirza was quite prolific, raising 7 colts in 13 years, and they were above the average. Vail- lante 4787 (Loret 2453) was another mare of splen- did individuality. She was champion in 1888 and 1889 at the Nebraska State Fair and was third at the Columbian in the sweepstakes class. She was a shy breeder, however, raising but 2 colts of record, one Diana 7537, foaled in 1887, and the other, Mon- arch 16670, foaled in 1892. Bijou 4780 (307) was another clinking good mare in Mr. Coad’s stud. She was champion at the Nebraska State Fair in 1890, and was also a brood mare of more than average merit. She raised 8 colts in 10 years, 6 of them sired by Ture 6539 (10052), and they were good ones. Mr. Coad was keenly interested in his Percherons, and was a ready exhibitor at leading shows, al- though his home fair, Nebraska State, received chief attention. He was a heavy winner there in 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891 and 1892 in both mare and stallion classes on meritorious stock. He did much 270 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE to popularize Percherons in his territory and while most of the stallions he raised were sold direct to ranchmen for the improvement of range horses, he unquestionably did much good for draft horse and Percheron interests. His appreciation of a good sire led him to send some of his mares to the farm of C. 8. Dole, Crystal Lake, Ill., in 1890 where they were bred to the noted Fenelon 2682, a horse that was even then receiving recognition as a sire from constructive breeders. One of the colts which re- sulted, Malmaluke 16574, out of Lucette 4774 (3031), was later used to some extent in Mr. Coad’s stud. A. Wickstrom, Wilcox, Neb., was one of the early purchasers of mares from Mr. Coad, obtaining some in 1888. William Ernst, Graf, Neb., was another who obtained some foundation females from Mr. Coad in 1886. William Hahn, Graf, Neb., also made a slight start from this stud. Mr. Coad sold mares to Mrs. J. E. Wilson, Minneapolis, Minn., in 1887, some of which were shipped by her to Oaklawn and bred to Brilliant 1271 with good results. Everything considered, however, the chief influence of Mr. Coad’s work at this time was to popularize Perche- rons in his country, for he did not care to sell many of his mares and the vast majority of the stallions went to head bands of grade mares. The good thus accomplished is beyond calculation, for it raised the value of common stock fully 25 per cent by the first cross. GHAPTER X. OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD. Hon. Thomas W. Palmer of Detroit, United States Senator from Michigan from 1883 to 1889, was an- other of the leading breeders of this period. He was very wealthy, having been prominently identified as a stockholder or director in numerous banks, fac- tories, and lake navigation companies. He had been a leader in politics, also, and was influential in state and national affairs. An able debater and a forceful speaker, his public utterances were commended widely for their clearness and the soundness of judg- _ ment which they expressed. Mr. Palmer engaged in Percheron breeding in 1883. He gradually increased his stud until by 1890 he had bred 28 stallions and 38 mares. His foundation stock was purchased at Oaklawn Farm, but he imported 2 stallions and 7 mares on his own account in 1883. He made another importation of mares in 1886. Log Cabin Farm.—Mr. Palmer had two farms, but his Percherons were kept on the Log Cabin Farm near Detroit—land that is now in parks and golf links. The place comprised about 500 acres of good land, well adapted to farming and pasturage. The 271 272 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE log cabin, one of Mr. Palmer’s fancies from which the farm took its name, still stands in Palmer Park.” Mr. Palmer’s duties in the business and political world made it impossible for him to give much per- sonal attention to his Percherons, and most of the details fell to his partner, E. W. Cottrell, and to George T. Van Norman, manager of Log Cabin Farm. An examination of the original inventory of Log Cabin Farm, furnished through the courtesy of George N. Brady, executor of the estate, reveals the fact that approximately 90 mares of all ages were owned in the spring of 1892. Mr. Palmer had from 40 to 50 mares in the stud during the latter part of the ’80’s. The imported mares were shy breeders during the first few years and he did not raise over 10 colts per year until 1889, when there were 12. In 1890 27 were raised, and the mares bred more regu- larly from then on. Anchorite 1370 (863) was the first stallion used, being Mr. Palmer’s chief stud sire until he acquired *The following comment is from The Breeder’s Gazette of June 11, 1913: ' “Senator Palmer was famed as the owner of the Log Cabin Farm on the outskirts of Detroit, a property which had been owned by his ancestors and which he purchased and improved with lavish hand. The log cabin home on the place cost more than $20,000. It is surrounded by a large wooded tract, and near it is an artificial lake. The interior decorations and furnishings of the cabin are in keeping with its pioneer aspect, and include relics and heirlooms of early days collected for many years, It has been made to look as much as possible like the primitive homes of the pioneers, although it includes all modern conveni- ences. ‘Near this cabin the senator had a stock farm of 500 acres, with a fine herd of Jerseys and a stud of Percherons. In this rustic home the senator entertained many distinguished guests with uniqve hospitality. There was no formality, and dinner was announced with an old tin dinner horn, Senator Palmer was said to have refused an offer of a million dollars for the property.” Ezra Stetson | r OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 273 Fenelon. Anchorite was a medium-sized horse weighing around 1,750 pounds; he was very symmet- rical, stylish, and of unusual quality. Sired by Romulus 873 (785), winner of first prize in the aged stallion class at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1878, Anchorite himself was a show horse and won first in the aged class for stallions under 1,800 pounds at the Percheron society show at Chicago in 1886. He was also a sire of merit. One of his daughters, Marie Antoinette 4882, out of a granddaughter of Vidocq 483 (732), won the gold medal offered by the Percheron Society of France at this same Chicago show for the best mare of any age bred in America. He sired medium-sized, symmetrical, sound stock of great quality and style. In fact, Anchorite’s get proved just the kind of horses that were wanted in Michigan, where farmers did not take well to the large and massive type of drafters. Mr. Palmer exhibited quite extensively at the lead- ing shows. Anchorite was a consistent winner for him. Marie Antoinette, Loetitia 5198 (6495), and Rosa Bonheur 5100, imported in dam and sired by Bon Espoir (213), one of the best sons of Brilliant 1899, were his leading mares. Marie Antoinette was quite a producer and bred until she was over 20 years of age. Mr. Palmer’s influence was much greater than is indicated by the number and character of the colts he raised. His business ability, his sagacity, and his political standing all gave weight to his activities in behalf of the Percheron. He was elected first presi- 274 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE dent of the American Percheron Horse Breeders’ As- sociation, which was incorporated on Nov. 10, 1885, succeeding the voluntary association known as the Percheron Horse Breeders’ Association of America, organized in 1876 with Daniel Dunham as president. Mr. Palmer served the association in the capacity of president with great ability for more than a decade. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the breed and encouraged the American breeder in every possible way. Edgewood Farm.—Dr. Winter’s operations, already referred to, were steadily continued during this period. While the number of horses which he bred and raised was not large, they were of good type and quality, although some were not of popular colors. He had from 20 to 25 mares of all ages. He raised only 3 colts in 1882, but the number gradually increased until in 1890 he recorded 11 of his own breeding. In all he produced 39 stallions and 27 mares during this decade.. Malbranche 293 was continued in the stud, but was not much used. La Force 249, imported in 1874 by the Princeton Horse Company, and Bernadotte 36, foaled in 1875, the first Percheron ever bred by Dr. Winter, were the chief sires in the stud. Valiant 473, a good horse imported by N. C. Buswell, and Salva- tor 4293 (701), imported in 1883 by Mark W. Dun- ham, were also used to some extent. Messidor 3753 (685), imported in 1885 by Mr. Dunham, later was bought by Dr. Winter and sired a few purebred colts in his stud. In 1886 Dr. Winter sent Agnes 4727 OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 275 to Oaklawn and had her bred to Brilliant 1271. To this mating she produced in 1887 a very good colt recorded as Brilliant A. 9998 and extensively used at a later date. La Force apparently did as much good as any horse used at this time. About 16.2 hands high, he weighed around 1,800 pounds and was extremely handsome, round-bodied, and smoothly turned. He was solid black in color. Bernadotte was a compact horse, but hardly as blocky and massve as La Force. He left some excellent colts, but on account of his close relationship to most of Dr. Winter’s mares he was not available for general use. Aimee 520 was one of the best brood mares, and an unusually prolific one. She raised 14 colts in 17 years, beginning when she was 3 years of age. Two of her daughters, Olga 21851 and Prudance 21853, were also regular producers, one raising 7 and the other 8 colts in 9 years, showing that the tendency to regular reproduction is inherited in some instances at least. Aimee made her record while in Dr. Win- ter’s ownership, and her daughters made theirs while owned by John C. Baker. Florence 2403 was another good brood mare, long-lived and a regular breeder. Jeanne 560 was another of the same kind; her colts were exceptionally good, the first being Bernadotte. Julie 568, Jeanne’s second colt, was one of the doc- tor’s best brood mares, raising 11 colts in 13 years. While Edgewood Farm exhibited to some extent at local shows, not much showing was done and the larger fairs do not reveal a record of winnings by 276 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE this farm. Dr. Winter was not an aggressive adver- tiser—and confined himself strictly to farming and breeding. He bred some very good stock, but in all fairness it must be said that he was not an especially good care-taker. Much of his stock would have been better off had it seen more feed. I. L. Hoover, of Clinton, Wis., bought a number of Percherons from Edgewood Farm in the ’80’s. J. F. Campbell bought Charlotte 5320, and she proved a regular producer, raising 9 colts in the 12 years from 1889 to 1900, beginning in her three-year-old form. Jeannette 4730 went to the stud of Alexander Miller, De Voe, 8S. D. These were the chief pur- chasers during this period. John W. Akin.—John W. Akin, Scipio, N. Y., was the only prominent Percheron importer and breeder in the Empire State. At the start he bought a few at Oaklawn Farm. In 1883 he made an importa- tion of 25 stallions and 14 mares. In 1884 he brought over 28 stallions and 23 mares, and he made some other importations in 1887 and later. Most of the mares he retained and engaged in Percheron breed- ing. The results at the outset were none too encour- aging. In 1884 Mr. Akin raised 1 colt, in 1885 3, in 1886 7, in 1887 8, in 1888 8, in 1889 16, in 1890 21. From 1888 to 1890 he had about 40 mares of produc- ing age. A review of their produce records reveals few that would classify as brood mares. They were shy breeders, especially for the first few years after importation. Men familiar with the stock in the Akin stud OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 277 consider it as rather too small and too lacking in real draft character to have exerted any material influence on the breed. Mr. Akin is to be considered as a responsible breeder who did much to popularize Percherons in New York in an early day by distribut- ing horses that worked some improvement on the light native stock of the state. So far as influence on Percheron breeding in America is concerned, the operations in this stud are practically valueless. A few animals were bred during the ’90’s, but the beginning and end of this farm’s influence has already been considered, and the stud will not come up for further discussion. Minnesota Breeders.—Illinois contributed 8 of the 20 leading breeders of this epoch, but Minnesota stands second with 3 among the first 20. It is safe to say that there were more high-class Percheron breeding establishments in Minnesota in the ’80’s than in any other state except Illinois. The breeders who brought the state to the front were Leonard Johnson, The Minnesota Percheron Horse Company, and George E. Case. They stood eleventh, fifteenth, and nineteenth respectively in number of Percherons bred in America during the period under discussion and the dispersion of their studs in the ’90’s was deeply regretted. Leonard Johnson.—No finer-tempered or more honorable breeder of Percheron horses than Leonard Johnson ever lived, and there have been few who were his equals in judgment. He began about 1877 or 1878 as a buyer for Mark W. Dunham in France. 278 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE He was as honest as the day is long, modest, and courteous in his speech and manner. His personality soon acquired for him the confidence and close friendship of the leading breeders in France—M. Fardouet, Pére Caget, Ernest Perriot, Sr., the Tacheaus, and the Avelines. He was an idealist in judgment—ever looking for the perfect horse—and he never asked to see any but the best. His estimate of the real stock horses, the sires, is amply shown by the fact that he bought for Mr. Dunham many of the great sires which made Oaklawn famous. His first purchases were made in company with Mr. Dun- ham; his later operations were on his own responsi- bility. It is no reflection on Mark W. Dunham to say here that Leonard Johnson was a far better judge of breeding horses than was the master of Oaklawn. It has ever been characteristic of great leaders to surround themselves with men who are skilled be- yond themselves in certain lines, and in no one thing did Mr. Dunham show keener judgment than in his selection of trusted lieutenants, of whom Leonard Johnson was one of the first. Founding Maple Point Stud.—Mr. Johnson really began in 1874 by purchasing imp. Magnus 290, a rather massive horse for that time, weighing about 2,000 pounds. In 1875 he bought Superior 454 (730) and Vidocq 483 (732). Vidoeq was subsequently re- sold to Mr. Dunham and was used at the head of the Oaklawn stud for several years. He has already been described. Superior stood about 16.2 hands high and weighed between 1,800 and 1,900 pounds in OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 279 breeding condition. He was foaled in 1868 and im- ported in 1874. He was white at the time of his im- portation, and a symmetrical, stylish horse of great quality and finish, with extraordinary action. Asa sire he was one of the best and undoubtedly ranks as one of the greatest sons of Favori 1st (711), the foundation sire of the Favori strain. It was Mr. Johnson’s keen judgment and integrity that led to his employment by Mr. Dunham as his buyer in France. While thus engaged he from time to time selected some of the horses that especially suited his ideas, and by arrangement with Mr. Dun- ham he shipped these to Maple Point Farm. Owing to his limited means Mr. Johnson’s first selections were stallions, which were soon sold; but he also se- lected a few mares, which he retained. The first Percheron of his own breeding was foaled in 1881, and the number gradually increased until by 1890 he had raised 26 stallions and an equal number of mares. Leading Sires Used.—It is doubtful whether any stud in America ever had such a group of really great sires as was owned at Maple Point in the ’80’s. Unfortunately, Mr. Johnson did not have a large band of mares, nor did he have the means to retain his great stock horses. These stallions were sold after he had used them for a short time and many, like Brilliant 1899, went into communities in which they were lost to the breed, though they did do won- ders in improving the grade stock. Brilliant 1899, whose history has already been 280 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE -sketched, and Cheer 2017 (1404) were the two good sires obtained by Mr. Johnson in 1881. Cheer was a nice-turned, medium-sized horse weighing about 1,750, but a very good sire. Each of these sired 3 Percheron colts before being sold from Maple Point. In 1883 Mr. Johnson obtained La Grange 3065 (1334) and Baptiste 3064 (41), both clinking good horses as individuals and as sires. LaGrange was foaled in 1880 and imported in 1883. He was a winner at the leading shows in France and was the best horse which Tacheau had in ’83. He was sired by Brilliant 1271 out of a daughter of Coco 2d (714). A gray of excellent conformation, style, and quality, he was a show horse of the top kind. He left but one colt at Maple Point before he was sold to F’. J. Shoe, of Shoe, Minn., after which he was used on grade mares. Baptiste was a horse of much the same type as La Grange, and a winner abroad. He was a gray two-year-old when imported. He was sired by a son of Vidoeq 483 out of a granddaughter of Superior 454, both of which sires had been used at Maple Point. Baptiste was a compact, massive horse, standing about 16.3 hands high and weighing about a ton. He was a horse of wonderful finish. He was sold by Mr. Johnson to William Mies & Sons, of Hampton, Minn., at an early date. He left only one colt at Maple Point, but he sired 28 purebreds for Mies & Sons, 5 for Thomas Irvine, and 7 for G. S. Horton. He was used extensively on grade mares also and has contributed materially to Percheron im- provement in Minnesota. He won first in the four- OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 281 year-old class at the Minnesota State Fair in 1885 for Mr. Johnson, and was first in the aged stallion class in 1886 for William Mies & Sons. Jupiter 4301 (2243), foaled in 1882 and imported in 1885, was the next high-class sire obtained. A dark gray, about 16.3 hands high, and weighing from 1,900 to 2,000 pounds, he was massive, drafty sort with a great deal of symmetry and finish. He was distinctly in-bred, as he was begot by a son of Bril- liant 1899 out of a daughter of Brilliant 1899. He sired 4 colts for Mr. Johnson before he was sold to William & James Warden, of Frankfort, 8S. D. In the hands of the Wardens he was used on some Percheron mares, leaving 12 purebred colts, but his chief service was on grade mares. Not content with anything less than the closest possible approach to ideal Percheron type, Mr. John- son bought in 1886 two of the greatest sons of Bril- liant 1271—Briard 5317 (1630) and Gilbert 5154 (461). Briard was a rugged, big horse, which stood about 17 hands high and weighed a little over a ton. Nicely balanced, with two good ends and a middle, he was a heavy-boned and heavy-muscled horse, but lacked a little in finish. He sired some ex- cellent stock, built after his own pattern. Mr. John- son paid M. W. Dunham $5,000 for Briard and after a season’s use sold him to Hon. R. W. Daniels; of Buffalo, N. Y., for $4,500. He was used on the ranch at Kelso, N. D., owned by Daniels & Winsor. ‘He sired only 3 colts at Maple Point, but left 11 other purebreds in North Dakota. Colts sired by him in 282 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON. HORSE France were prominent winners, and he is rated as one of the three best sons of Brilliant 1271, individu- ality and the prepotency of his descendants con- sidered. Gilbert was also sired by Brilliant 1271, and every- thing considered was probably the greatest show horse the old sire ever begot. He was a winner in France and took first in the four-year-old class for stallions over 1,750 pounds at the great Percheron Society show at Chicago in 1886. He was first again in 1887 at the horse show at Chicago, and second at the same show in 1888, being beaten by La Ferté 5144 (452). Again in 1889 he was second, this time to Fenelon 2682 (38), and in 1890 he was second at the same show to Seducteur 8850 (7057). Gil- bert was not shown in 1891 or 1892, but came out in 1893, when 11 years old and after 7 years of stud service, and won third at the Columbian Exposition in the face of strong competition. No other horse of the breed has a showyard record excelling this, and it is doubtful whether any can equal it. Gilbert was about 16.2 hands high and weighed around a ton in show condition. He was a remark- ably well-balanced horse, symmetrical throughout, with great style and finish and the best of underpin- ning. He was a whirlwind in action, and remained sound and clean to the end of his days. As a sire it must be admitted frankly that he was not the best of the sons of Brilliant 1271. He got some very good animals, but his colts lacked uniform- ity in type and in color and some were very disap- OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 283 pointing. His best descendants come from the cross. of Gilbert or his sons on daughters or granddaught- ers of Briard; he furnished the quality and finish to sweeten up the Briard stock. He sired 89 colts in ‘America, most of which were bred by Leonard John- son and the subsequent owner of the stallion, Alex- ‘ander Miller. Leopold 7011 (6221), foaled in 1885 and imported as a two-year-old, was another good colt, a large, heavy-boned, rugged draft horse of good lines and a fetching way of going. He was sired by Voltaire 3540 (443), one of the three best sons of Brilliant 1271, out of a granddaughter of Favori lst. He came from Ernest Perriot and sired 7 colts of record while -at Maple Point. Tripoli 11110 (20034) was the last of the great group of sires used by Mr. Johnson during this peri- od. He was probably the best colt that Gilbert ever sired, being out of a daughter of Brilliant 1899. A black standing about 16.2 hands high and weighing around a ton in show condition, he was a winner in France and took first as a three-year-old at the Chi- cago show in 1890. He was much like Gilbert in type, but far excelled him as a sire, his colts being uniformly good in type and color. He subsequently headed the Upson Farm stud in North Dakota. A review of the sires used at Maple Point shows that Mr. Johnson’s judgment was of the best. It is doubtful whether any stud in ‘this country ever owned so many high-class sires in so short a time. ‘Certainly no establishment in America has ever 284 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE owned so many good ones in proportion to the total number in the stud. The Johnson Mares.—In his selection of mares Mr. Johnson was no less an idealist than in choosing his stallions. His means were limited so that he could not own many, but those he did have were the best he could find. All the colts which he raised during this period were out of about 18 or 20 matrons. Many were show mares, and brood mares as well. Honest Lady 2015 (2779) was one of the best. She was first at the Minnesota State Fair in 1885 and again took the honors in 1887 on mare and her prod- uce. She was a regular breeder, raising 6 colts in 7 years in the Maple Point stud, and good ones at that. Mouvette 6176 (636) was second in the two- year-old class at the Minnesota fair. She later went to the stud of R. B. Kellogg where she produced 2 colts, and then was sold to D. Wittenberg, Cedar- burg, Wis., for whom she raised two more. Sada 3060, bred by Mr. Johnson, was first in the four-year-old class at Minnesota in 1887. She did not raise many colts. Messagere 5129 (6762) was first in the three-year-old class at the same state fair show. She was an irregular breeder, but raised some good colts. Clodie 5140 (7253) was second in the two-year- old class at the same show and proved a brood mare of worth. She was the most regular breeder in the stud, except Honest Lady. Coquette 6710 (581) was first among the aged mares in 1889. She raised only 2 colts—Atlantic 11858, sired by Seducteur, and Bertine 11337, a gray mare, sired by Gilbert. Atlan- OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 285 ‘tic left no purebred progeny and Bertine had only 2 colts. Elise 9675 (12262) stood first for Maple Point at the Minnesota fair of 1889 and Gretchen 4649, bred by Rufus B. Kellogg, won second for the Johnson stable. Gretchen was a regular producer of good colts but Elise raised only 3. As a whole Mr. Johnson’s females were excep- tional brood mares, producing high-class progeny, though the percentage of colts raised was dishearten- ing. Showyard Record.—Mr. Johnson was an enthusi- astic exhibitor from the outset. He was the heaviest winner at the Minnesota State Fair at the beginning and he continued his lead despite strong competition, although T. L. & J. L. DeLancey bested him in the later ’80’s. He captured a fair share of the prizes at the leading shows of that period which were an- nually held at Chicago. It is probable that no prize ever gave him keener pleasure than winning the gold medal offered by the Société Hippique de Percher- onne in 1886 at the Percheron Society show in Chi- cago for the best stallion bred in America. At this show, the greatest held in the ’80’s, with more than 300 Percherons in the competition, Mr. Johnson won the coveted medal on Eclipse 3066, a colt of his own breeding, sired by Leman 1954 (1055) out of Selia 2012. This was a gray of good type and size, after- ward used in the stud of J. L. LaValley, McCauley- ville, Minn., where he sired some 18 purebred colts. Mr. Johnson showed many colts of his own breeding and with good results. 286 A LISTOLY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Leonard Johnson’s was the most potent influence of the ’80’s in the development of Percheron inter- ests in the northwestern states. His high character and agreeable personality made him liked by all who knew him, and his remarkable judgment of Perche- rons made his fair winnings of the utmost value as object lessons to less well-informed breeders and farmers. He would not handle inferior stock, and was always willing to pay a long price for horses which he considered ‘‘true gold.’’ Minnesota Percheron Horse Company.—Controlled by the Payne Lumber Company of the Twin Cities, the Minnesota Percheron Horse Company became one of the important Percheron establishments of the state. The stud was founded in 1886 by the pur- chase of a carload of W. L. Ellwood’s best mares. Later purchases were made from the Ellwood stud in 1888 and ’89. The firm had extensive land inter- ests at Cazenovia and was wealthy. The best were none too good, and its purchases were high-class as to individuality. Exact data as to the number of mares owned are not obtainable, but the firm owned at least 30 mares by 1888 and about 50 mares by 1890. Twenty-five stallions and 21 mares of the company’s breeding, foaled from 1887 to 1890, are on record, and none of the dams was to be classed as a regular breeder. Niger 4986 (2951) was the chief sire. He was imported in 1886 by Mr. Ellwood and was in the first lot bought by the Paynes. Picador 3d 5078 (4815), imported in 1886, was also taken to Cazen- OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 287 ovia at the same time. Niger was a black son of Picador 2d (5606) and was much like his illustrious grandsire, Picador Ist (7330), the foundation sire of the strain bearing his name. A massive, drafty horse weighing around a ton, Niger had a great deal of quality and finish. His colts were excellent and he was long at the head of the stud. The stud continued throughout the next decade in spite of hard times, but inasmuch as it was only well started by 1890 a more exhaustive consideration of its work will be taken up in another chapter. George E. Case.—At St. Peter, Minn., George E. Case, a merchant, established a Percheron stud by direct importations from France. His ranked among the first 20 breeding establishments of America by 1890. He imported 28 mares in 1883, ’84, and ’85, and some 35 stallions. Most of the mares were re- tained for his own use and by 1890 he had raised some 16 stallions and 19 mares of his own breeding. At the same time he continued his importations and was actively engaged in the sale of stallions. As a di- rector of the American Percheron Horse Breeders’ Association he was very influential in spreading the gospel of better blood for draft horse improvement in the northwest. Margot 3033 (1341) and Sandi 3803 (444) were the first two sires used by Mr. Case, but they left very few colts. Sandi was a good type, a thick and mas- sive gray with a deal of quality. He was sired by Brilliant 1271 out of a daughter of Coco 2d. Not being imported until past four years of age, he left a 288 A HISTORY OF THH PERCHERON HORSE number of good colts in France, some of which were brought over during the ’80’s by the leading im- porters of that period. Sandi was sold shortly after importation and then had access to grades only, until 1889, when he did sire one more purebred colt. Senegal 8456 (8092) was the most important sire used in the Case stud. He was a gray sired by Voltaire 3540 (443) out of a daughter of Favori 1st and proved a horse of great merit, both individually and as a sire. He was not imported until 1887 and was not used long, but his colts were good. Mr. Case won a number of prizes in 1885 at the Minnesota State Fair, but did not exhibit very ex- tensively afterward. He was not as keen a judge as Leonard Johnson or T. L. & J. L. DeLancey, and consequently was less well equipped with the mate- rial necessary for strong campaigns. His Percherons were a good useful sort, however, and being above the average in merit did much good. The gathering financial storm which wrecked so many good establishments drove Mr. Case to disperse his stud about 1892. The mares were scattered wide- ly into the hands of small farmers. There are de- scendants of this stock around St. Peter and St. Cloud in Minnesota, but for the most part they were lost to the purebred industry. Wisconsin’s Leaders.—Capt. Fred Pabst and Ru- fus B. Kellogg were Wisconsin’s representatives among the first 20 breeders of this epoch; they occu- pied tenth and twelfth places respectively in the number of Percherons bred and raised in their own OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 289 studs. Both were men of wealth and business ability, well educated and widely travelled, and their influ- ence was unquestionably large in favorably shaping Wisconsin’s sentiment toward Percherons. Wauwatosa Farm.—The Wauwatosa stud, estab- lished by Fred Pabst in 1885, was started with the stallion Burg 4444 (2241) and 29 mares imported di- rect from France. In 1886 Mr. Pabst imported 26 more mares. Other stallions were imported each year, but Burg remained at the head of the stud and his leadership was never threatened. Mr. Pabst in his first catalog, issued in 1890, gives his reasons for establishing a Percheron stud as fol- lows: “Tt is a’well-known fact that I did not go into the business of raising horses as a mere money specula- tion. I did it because I thought I could advance a great interest in our state. It is universally admitted that the majority of the best Clydesdales imported to this country have for years been brought direct to the state of Wisconsin, but many of our people pre- ferred the Percherons, and were going into neighbor- ing states to procure them, because they there found better ones than could be found at home. ‘‘T take a pride in the state in which I live and in which all my interests lie, and I determined that I would breed right here in our own state as good, or better, Percherons than could be found elsewhere, and to this purpose, I, in 1885, sent a man of expe- rience to France with instructions to buy a herd of mares, the best to be found in that country, irre- spective of prices. These mares were bought at prices that ordinary importers, who buy to sell again, could not afford to pay. They were brood mares, 290 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE whose owners were not looking for buyers and who could only be persuaded to part with them for long prices.’’ These importations gave Mr. Pabst more than 50 mares of producing age from 1886 on. He raised 17 colts in 1887, 20 in 1888, 13 in 1889, and 10 in 1890— a total of 27 stallions and 23 mares. Some trouble must have been encountered, as a review of Mr. Pabst’s records shows that he had 51 mares of pro- ducing age in 1890 and yet raised only 10 colts. In the absence of specific data it must be concluded that abortion entered the stud; a large number of his most reliable brood mares missed foaling in 1889 and 1890, as is definitely shown by the records. Burg, Vigoreux 9218 (5615), Voltaire 5316 (2221), and Prince Jerome 4445 (480) were the chief sires in service, although some 16 or 18 other horses were used to a slight extent at various times. Burg was the leading sire and remained at the head of the stud from 1885, when it was founded, until 1890. In that year he was sold to J. B. Johnson of Montford, Wis. As an individual Burg was of showyard caliber. He was a rather blocky, massive type, with excep- tionally heavy bone and a good deal of quality. He was quite well proportioned, stylish, of all-around draft qualities, and weighed overaton. He won first as a two-year-old at the annual show held by the Société Hippique de Percheronne in France in 1884. He was not shown to any great extent in America, but was first in the class for stallion and five of his OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 291 get at the Wisconsin State Fair in 1888, and won in the same class at the International Exposition at Buffalo in 1889. In many respects he was much on the type of Brilliant 1271. He was sired by Rocham- beau (1382), a half-brother to Brilliant 1271, by Bril- liant 1899. The colts sired by Burg were uniform in type, chiefly blacks and grays, and were of the massive draft pattern, although a bit more blocky and low-set than some breeders liked. Vigoreux, a massive black sired by Picador 2d, by Picador 1st, was the next sire in rank. Imported by Mr. Dunham, from whom Capt. Pabst obtained him, he was a very good sort, of the rugged, mas- sive pattern. Voltaire, a good gray of the Favori stock, and Prince Jerome, tracing to the same horse through his sire, and out of a daughter of Coco 2d, were also good stock-getters and left some good colts at Wauwatosa Stock Farm. Couronne 4440 (1908) was sufficiently good as a brood mare to cause Mr. Pabst to use 3 of her sons to some degree in the stud. They were by Burg. She produced 4 colts in 5 years, every one a stallion of merit. Favorite 4436 (4296), Coquette 4433 (4295) and Julie 4423 (4257) were other good brood mares, producers of colts that were winners at the Wiscon- sin State Fair and that sold at excellent prices. None of them was noted for the number of colts produced, however, the mares being mostly shy breeders. Rustique 5403 (2217) was the only really prolific mare in the lot. Relatively few mares were sold from this farm in the period under discussion. 292 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE The distribution of these Percherons will be con- sidered later. Kellogg Stock Farm.—Rufus B. Kellogg, Green Bay, Wis., was a wealthy banker and land-owner, a man of education and character. He, like Mr. Pabst, recognized the need of more and better breeding stock for Wisconsin farmers. He had a real interest in his horses and studied bloodlines and the results of various matings with a keen and analytical mind. His suecess would probably have been greater had he been a more competent judge, though his career was cut short by death at so early a date—Septem- ber, 1891,—that it is unfair to draw general con- clusions. He was taken away at just about the time when the results of his work were becoming suffi- ciently apparent to permit of the elimination of the unreliable breeding stock. His farm consisted of 600 acres located near Green Bay. On part of it the town of DePere now stands. The land in this section is rather rolling but affords excellent pasturage. Mr. Kellogg’s stud was founded in 1881 by the purchase of Chevalier Bayard 1279 and Zoe 840 from M. W. Dunham. He subsequently made some importations of his own. In 1882 he brought over 3 stallions and 12 mares, and in 1885 6 stallions and 9 mares. Still other importations were made at later dates. Mr. Kellogg’s inventories show that he owned in 1886 47 Percherons valued at $27,850, an average of $592 each; in 1887 68 Percherons valued at $39,150, an average of $575, and in 1890 76 Percherons valued OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 293 at $32,700, an average of $430. The lowering of the average value was due to the fact that more young horses were included in the later inventories and to the depreciation of all classes of live stock. "The low spot was reached in 1893 and 794, but the de- pression was evident in 1890. The records in the Percheron Society of America offices show that Mr. Kellogg had between 30 and 40 mares by 1890, and that he raised 24 stallions and 28 mares of his own breeding between 1883 and 1890. Many of his mares were not imported until 1887, but the mares brought over in 1882 and 1884 were his chief reliance. The Kellogg Stallions.—Chevalier Bayard was the first sire used. He left 3 fillies, but no stallions. Waterloo 2199 (733), foaled in 1870, was imported in 1882 by Mr. Kellogg. He was a noted stock horse in France and had left excellent progeny. He had been used too heavily before Mr. Kellogg obtained him, however, and so did little after importation, though he begot 2 stallions and 5 mares at the Kel- logg Farm stud. In 1883 Mr. Kellogg bought Fenelon 2682, a horse that history has stamped as one of the three greatest sons of Brilliant 1271. He had been imported that same year and because of acclimation troubles proved a non-breeder during the season, failing to settle a single mare. Mr. Kellogg already had been subjected to loss because Waterloo was not a sure breeder, and consequently he returned Fenelon to Mr. Dunham without further trial. From the first 294 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE he had given much attention to the breeding of the best horses in France and America and he was of the opinion that a sire with a known record as a getter was decidedly better than a young one. His purchase of Waterloo had been guided by this con- sideration. The age of the horse and the fact that he proved after importation to be a shy breeder troubled Mr. Kellogg. Fenelon’s failure set him back again and he was forced to look further for a sire. Brilliant’s success in Oaklawn stud caused him to look for a horse of somewhat similar breeding, and he finally purchased Narbonne 1334 (777) in 1885. This horse was foaled in 1876 and had been imported in 1881 by M. W. Dunham, who sold him to J. Barnes & Co., Shannon, Ill. Mr. Kellogg had learned that Narbonne had sired many good things in France and that many of the animals imported in 1882 and 1883 were by him. He also ascertained that Narbonne was sired by Brilliant 1899 out of a daughter of Favori Ist, and he liked the colts sired at Shannon. Ac- cordingly Narbonne was purchased as an eight-year- old in 1884. He sired 5 stallions and 3 mares for Mr. Kellogg. No information is obtainable as to his final disposition, but from the fact that he sired colts at the Kellogg Stock Farm in 1884, ’85, and ’86 it must be concluded that Narbonne, like Waterloo, had seen too much service before Mr. Kellogg se- cured him. Non Pareil 7248 (sans Pareil 6870) was imported by Mr. Kellogg in 1887. He was a gray grandson of Romulus 873 (785), the first-prize aged horse at OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 295 the Universal Exposition at Paris in 1878, and out of a granddaughter of M. Dupont’s Favori. He was used to some extent in 1887 and 1888, but did not leave many colts. Two or three other sires that do not appear to have been of any importance were used about 1888 and 1889, but in 1890 Mr. Kellogg secured the horse which practically made the repu- tation of his stud—Baccarat 11326 (18639). Baccarat was foaled in 1887. He won in France in 1889 and was imported in that year by W. L. Ellwood. He won second in the three-year-old class at the Chicago Horse Show in 1890 for Mr. Kellogg, who bought him at a price reported to have been the highest ever paid for a Percheron stallion up to that time. He proved good from the outset. He was used in 1890 and ’91 and sired 16 stallions and 8 mares of record. Mr. Kellogg’s death on Sept. 24, 1891, was exceedingly unfortunate; he was only 53 years old and was just developing his Peréheron breeding operations to a point where real progress could be made. He raised 19 colts of his own breed- ing in 1891 and 15 more in 1892. Noted Mares.—Mr. Kellogg had no inclination to act as a dealer in horses and his selections were made for his own stud. He sought mares of size, draft type and quality, and was insistent upon uniformity. Among the mares he imported were some which he had selected because of their records as brood mares in France. Bijou 4668 (4644) was one of these, She was the dam of Childebert 4283 (451), by Brilliant 1271, one of the very good horses imported in 1885, 296 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE as well as of other good ones. She produced only 2 colts for Mr. Kellogg, but they were winners. Ben Boalt 4746, her first colt for Mr. Kellogg, took honors in the leading shows in America and Fenelon 2d 7007, her second, was also of showyard character. Glorieuse 5226 (5970) was another good mare. She won second in the class for four-year-olds under 1,750 pounds at the Percheron Society show in 1886, and was a consistent brood mare, raising 5 good colts in 7 years. Mr. Kellogg also bought Lorilee G. 1532, one of the most noted show and broo mares of the Dillons. Mignonette 7264 (5729) was another good mare, and a regular producer. The mare Tontine 13129 (Bijou 21677) was valued very highly by Mr. Kellogg, although she had produced nothing prior to his death. She subsequently became a valuable brood mare. Mr. Kellogg was a progressive breeder and appre- ciated the value of showyard exhibitions from edu- cational and advertising points of view. Most of his winnings were made at the Minnesota and Wisconsin state fairs, although he showed a few at Chicago. One of his leading contemporaries says of him: ‘‘He exhibited mares of uniform kind and his ani- mals were generally commendable for draft type, symmetry, quality, and soundness. Personally Mr. ‘Kellogg was a gentleman, thoroughly reliable in word and act, and at all times courteous and honor- able. He was a breeder of the highest type and ex- erted a profound influence on Percheron affairs in his time.’’ Influence on Other Studs.—At Mr. Kellogg’s death OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 297 most of his horses went to H. F. Hagemeister, of Green Bay, who bought them from the estate about 1895 or ’96. Nicholas Schmidt, Wrightstown, Wis., bought some from Mr. Kellogg in 1890. William H. Shaw, Belvidere, Ill., was another buyer. Newton Rector, Circleville, O., made purchases from Mr. Kel- logg in 1891, and Jesse M. Stetson bought some from the estate. Fearnaught 16302, bred by Mr. Kellogg, sired by Baccarat out of Fashion 7263 (9179), went to head Mr. Stetson’s stable and sired some extra good mares, though his stallion colts were not of such a high average. This tendency on the part of sires to get better animals of one sex than of the other has often been noticed by breeders of all classes of stock. Fearnaught was distinctly a sire of mares. D. G. McKay, Chippewa Falls, Wis., was another purchaser of horses from Mr. Kellogg in 1891, and B. F. Clark, Eureka, Wis., also bought some in the same year. Thomas Wishart, DePere, Wis., and E. C. Clark, Cadott, Wis., were other buyers. Mr. Hagemeister obtained most of the animals, however, purchasing 68 head of stallions, mares and colts. He also secured Baccarat and retained him until 1906, when he was sold, still vigorous at 19 years of age. Mr. Kellogg’s work as a Percheron breeder has been far-reaching. He sought good animals, placing special emphasis on underpinning and soundness. He was one of the earliest American breeders to appreciate the value of tried sires and dams, and emphasized at all times the importance of accurate and careful breeding. His integrity, courtesy and 298 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE broad spirit in reviewing his own or his contem- poraries’ work made him one of the most construc- tive breeders of his time. Percheron interests in America suffered a very great loss in his death just when he was on the threshold of achievement. Reserve Forces in IJlinois.—Ilinois had a total of 203 breeders in the epoch under consideration and 8 out of the first 20 breeders in the United States re- sided there. The work of the leaders has already been discussed, but there were others of almost equal prominence who must be considered. E. Stetson & Sons, of Neponset, Il., with 63 head, Degen Bros., of Ottawa, Il., with 50 head, George 8. Hanna of Bloomaaeton Til, with 48 head, and E Hodgson, of Ottawa, IL, sith 40 head, all recorded as bred by the parties neuied: stood ninth, thirteenth, and eighteenth respectively among ue first 20 breed- ers of this epoch. Stetson & Sons.—Ezra Stetson, Neponset, IIl., be- came interested in Percherons at a very early date. He owned a good farm, had considerable means, and was of the opinion that farming operations could be much more efficiently accomplished if farmers had hetter horses. He was a physician of high character and integrity and his education was above the aver- age. He recognized the futility of trying to improve the common horses of the district without purebred sires of desirable type as seed stock, and with this in mind he made an importation of 3 Percherons in 1874, Two were stallions—Richard Coeur de Lion 406 and Duke de Morny 152. The mare was Em- OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF TIE PERIOD 299 press Eugenie 545, a very valuable brood matron. The nucleus formed by this importation was added to in 1882 by the purchase of 2 stallions and 6 mares at the W. T. Walters sale. The original sale sheet made out in Mr. Walters’ own handwriting is here presented: ——) 7 a Zep fuareh 22 td Sth ts Lilo 4, be Lae DLL EE Ly Ae or W.)T. WALTERS & CO. No. 68 EXCHANGE PLACE. iw Daze ile Alton. Yun arch” fijoon ie Bs ip “ aes 250 a0 y 3 i Pra Becher’ 490 20 Pa ee ogee Cason y, “ “ ee Leda 65000 * je c a i BOLE Cael % C7500 y ye i, ad [42 20 4 ” if Fe Zee % ISS 00 oo 1 eo, a An importation of 4 stallions and 5 mares was made from France in 1883. Very few mares were 300 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE purchased after this, but nearly all the females pro- duced were kept and the stud soon grew to large proportions. Mares Owned and Colts Raised—An examination of the old stud records kept by Ezra Stetson shows that 14 Percheron mares were bred in 1883. Hight of these foaled, but the Percheron Society records show that he recorded only 5 colts of his own breed- ing, so it is evident that some of the colts died or were altered before time for registration. The number of colts raised gradually increased. In 1885 5 were foaled to be recorded subsequently, in 1886 6, in 1887 6, in 1888 10, in 1889 8, and in 1890 15. Altogether Stetson & Sons raised 33 stal- lions and 30 mares of their own breeding between 1881 and 1890. Dr. Stetson bred and raised 4 Percherons prior to 1880, all out of Empress Eugenie. She raised 7 foals altogether, most of which were very good. Three of the mares were retained in the stud and proved valu-. able producers. The Stetson Sires.—Richard Coeur de Lion was the first sire used and one of the best. He was a rather large, rugged gray, a bit upstanding, but fairly well balanced. On the whole his colts were larger than most of those begot by later sires used by Dr. Stetson; the older breeders, still living, who knew him, consider that he was probably the best sire used in the first 20 years. He sired only 5 pure- bred colts for Dr. Stetson but his get out of grade mares in the country did much good. He stood in OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 301 Michigan in 1877, but afterwards returned to the Stetson stud. Duke de Morny 152, imported with the others in 1874, sired only 3 purebreds for the doctor, but he also proved a valuable getter of grade stock out of the mares in that section and his descendants are valued to this day. Torreador 1140 (1607) was the next sire used to any extent. He was in the Walters purchase of 1882 and sired 12 stallions and 7 mares in Dr. Stetson’s stud. Monarch 1128 (1606), the other stallion bought at the same time, was also used slightly. Victor 1141 (1600), imported by Mr. Wal- ters, was sold to 8S. W. Ficklin in 1882, but was pur- chased by Dr. Stetson about 1886. He was used more liberally than any other sire at that time. A gray, foaled in 1874, he was a horse of great style and quality, but upstanding and lacking in depth of rib and size of middle. Mr. Walters gives his height as 17.1 hands, but this is probably a bit too much. He was close to 17 hands, however, but too light in the barrel for modern standards. The best that can be said is that he imparted much style and quality to the Stetson stock at the expense of some of the draft attributes which were more needed. Valuable Brood Mares.—Empress Eugenie was a brood mare of more than average value. Two of her daughters were retained and one of them, Maria Louisa 835, proved to be a fairly good breeder. The best-known son of Empress Eugenie was Leroi 1743, sired by Richard Coeur de Lion. He was sold into Ohio, near Cardington, and is rated as one of the best 302 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE of the sires used in that section in the ’80’s. Flora 1119, foaled in 1880, and Zoe 1142, imported in 1881, were among the mares bought from Mr. Walters in 1882. Zoe raised a colt in 1882 but did not have another of record until 1889, after which she settled down and foaled 9. Flora did somewhat better. She produced her first colt when three years of age and foaled 4 in succession, missed 2 years, raised 8 in 8 successive years, missed a year, and then foaled 3 more in 3 years—a total of 15 between 1883 and 1900, a record that has been equaled by very few mares. The first 8 were stallions, followed by 2 fillies, 3 stal- lions, and 2 more fillies, a total of 11 stallions and 4 fillies. Her colts on the whole were good, though the later ones by Fearnaught excelled the earlier by other sires. Not much showyard work was done by the Stet- sons, but quiet, steady advertising was resorted to and a great many Percheron stallions were sold and distributed over a wide range of territory. No effort was made to sell the mares as it was desired to in- crease the stud as rapidly as possible. Dr. Stetson’s influence was not as far-reaching as that of some of his contemporaries, but it was never- theless of value. He was a man of lofty character and high ideals, and engaged in the business because he felt the necessity of making better draft blood available to American farmers. His words and acts were such as to assist in putting the business on an honorable basis. Degen Bros.—The firm of Degen Bros., Ottawa, OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 303 Ill., was quite active during the period under con- sideration. The Degens were dealers, but handled some mares and bred some good colts. They exhib- ited many horses at the leading fairs and were quite successful, but their stock appears to have been so scattered as to have been almost lost to sight. They bred 24 stallions and 19 mares during the time we are considering. These were sired by 10 different stallions, so it is evident that their breeding opera- tions were incidental. The stallion L’Ami 6239 (1649) was imported by this firm and left a few colts in their stud. He subsequently won first at the Ohio State Fair in 1888 and is now considered to have been one of the best stock horses used in Ohio. George S. Hanna.— George S. Hanna, a lawyer of Bloomington, Il., had a stud of Percherons which achieved more than a local reputation. His early stock was imported by George W. Stubblefield, who also imported several of the sires used in this stud. Mr. Hanna’s operations were on farms near Bloom- ington. He himself gave little attention to the busi- ness, and his Percheron breeding seems to Have been carried on as an incident to farming. George W. Stubblefield was one of his chief advisers and helped sell some of the surplus produced. The Hanna stud was established in 1882. The number of colts produced gradually increased until in 1887 10 colts of Mr. Hanna’s own breeding were raised. By 1890 24 stallions and a like number of mares had been raised. No records are available as 304 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE to the number of mares owned during this time, but they evidently totalled a fair number. The chief sires used were Vigoreux 3177 (403), a black, imported by Mr. Stubblefield in 1881, and Bendago 11807, bred by M. W. Dunham. Bendago was sired by Brilliant 1271 out of Julia 5676 (7015). He was not used until 1891, and was in active service for three years. King’s Europe 8258, bred by S. N. King and sired by Extrador 4525 (386) out of Jessie 6096 (1660), was another which has left a good repu- tation in central Illinois, though used but slightly in this stud. Beauty 6480 was a mare of Mr. Hanna’s breeding so well thought of that he bred her to Fenelon 2682 (38) in 1889. To this service she produced Fenelo 14118, a mare which later proved a good breeder under the ownership of F. E. Waters and Cyrus Orr. Mattie 18116 later passed into the ownership of Hanna & Co., Howard, Kans., and proved a good producer. Rosalie 18843, bred by Mr. Hanna, proved to be a good producer under the ownership of F. T. Fowler, F. H. Schrepel and Murrie Bros. None of the mares owned by Mr. Hanna was especially prolific, but a number of them produced more colts than were raised, the losses being considerable, as they are on every farm where the owner can give but slight attention to the work. Mr. Hanna closed out his Percheron interests in 1894 by sale and trade. Among the purchasers were F. T. Fowler of Illinois, F. E. Waters of Iowa, Hanna & Co., F. H. Schrepel and J. W. & J. C. Robison of OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 305 Kansas, and J. H. Mosby of Missouri. Other animals of Mr. Hanna’s breeding were scattered here and there throughout central Illinois in the hands of farmers, and much of the stock has undoubtedly been lost because of neglecting the registration. Much good has accrued through the existence of this stud, however; it aided materially in the dissemination of good Percherons, helped greatly in improving the common stock of the country and contributed towards the fast gaining popularity of the breed. E. Hodgson & Son.—Eli Hodgson, whose earlier operations have already been reviewed, took his son, M. C. Hodgson, into partnership in 1868, so that the firm was in reality Hodgson & Son from the outset. The second and last importation made by this firm was in 1881. This consisted of 5 stal- lions and 11 mares. Only one mare had been im- ported in 1874, so that the purchases in 1881 really formed the foundation of the stud. More than usual interest attaches to the Hodgson collection because of the fact that it is one of the few Percheron studs in America that has been held intact and continued by three generations in one family. Its chronology is as follows: Eli Hodgson from 1859 to 1868; Eli Hodgson & Son, M. C., from 1868 until Eli Hodgson’s death in 1890; M. C. Hodgson from 1890 until 1908, when it became what it now is, M. C. Hodgson & Sons, E. E. and E. W. The original Hodgson farm contained 480 acres in one tract, which has since been reduced to 320. It was located about 3 miles from Ottawa in one of 306 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE the richest farming sections in Illinois. General live stock farming was followed from the outset and . . the Percheron mares always had to earn their way in harness. The firm owned more than 40 mares in 1885, but only 14 or 15 of these were Percherons. Few Percheron colts were foaled at first, but 3 were raised in 1885, and the number gradually increased each year, until by 1890 21 stallions and 19 mares of their own breeding had been produced. French Victor 6088 (6125), a gray, was the great- est of the early sires used by the Hodgsons and one of the best they ever owned. He was bought as a suckling colt in France by E. Hodgson, who, with other American buyers, considered the dam Rapide (6124), by Brilliant 1899, one of the greatest Percheron mares in France. French Victor was by Philibert (760) and was consequently close akin in breeding to La Ferte 5144 (452), one of the most noted show horses and sires ever brought to this country. They were sired by the same stallion and both were out of daughters of Brilliant 1899. Hodg- son exhibited French Victor at the Illinois State Fair in 1885 and won first in the four-year-old class. French Victor was not shown to any extent subse- quently, but was freely used in the stud and was just coming into general notice as a sire when his death occurred in 1889 from colic. His daughters were considered to be among the best ever bred by the firm. Bernard 10570 and Loran B. 10567, foaled in 1886 and 1887 respectively, both sired by French Victor OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 307 out of Margot 4563 (2826), were used to some extent, but the next sire of consequence was Parfait 3d 10727 (12939). This stallion, a black, was imported by W. L. Ellwood in 1889. He was a massive draft horse and got some very good colts, but did not nick nearly so well on the daughters of French Victor as did Confident 3647 (397), owned by Nagle & Son at Grand Ridge, Ill., near Ottawa. In the judgment of good horsemen, including M. C. Hodgson himself, one of the worst errors the firm ever made was in not purchasing Confident to follow French Victor; he was a tried sire of the same line of breeding and his colts were distinctly better than those of any other sire used on the daughters of French Victor. Georgiana 10578 (6123), Lady Tacheau 10520 (6119) and Margot 4563 (2826) were some of the best brood mares in the Hodgson stud during the ’80’s. Georgiana produced to the service of French Victor the mare Georgiana 2d 15099, considered by the Hodgsons to have been the greatest mare they ever raised; she also produced other good colts. Lady Tacheau was a regular producer of good ones, the best being Lady Tacheau 2d 15100. Two of Margot’s colts were considered good enough to use in the stud. The most interesting thing about these mares, to a breeder, is the way they have bred on. Two of the greatest mares ever owned in the stud, and still living, are Hattie 2d 23757 and Lisette 2d 21574. They were foaled in 1899 and 1898 and are granddaughters of Georgiana 2d and Lady Tacheau 2d respectively; they are both by Confident; both 308 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE have been unusual brood mares. Details concerning their records will be given later. Ohio Breeders.—Although none of the breeders in Ohio bred enough colts to be included among the first 20 breeders of the United States during this period, there were a number of small breeders who bred some excellent Percherons. Jones Bros. were the leaders, and Samuel Kendeigh, M. V. Bates, E. J. Condit, C. DeLano and J. M. Carr also bred a goodly number. Jones Bros.—The firm of Jones Bros., Plain City, O., consisted of Albert and C. M. Jones, sons of Thomas Jones, whose early operations have already been discussed. The active direction of affairs rested with C. M. Jones. He had been associated in the business with his father since 1864, but bred and recorded a few animals of his own from 1878 on. In 1883 Thomas Jones discontinued operations and the horses passed to the sons. Thomas Jones bred 3, C. M. Jones 6, and Jones Bros. 31 during this period —a total of 40 Percherons from the one farm. The Jones farm, on which Percherons have been bred since 1864, in the hands of two generations, is located at the edge of Plain City. It is not large and there never were more than 10 mares of produc- ing age kept at one time. The development of this stud and its maintenance on the one farm in an unbroken line for 42 years (1864 to 1916) is particu- larly interesting and significant to other farmers who desire to breed a few good Percherons in the course of their ordinary farming operations. Much OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 309 of the time the number of producing mares was less than 10. The number of colts raised and recorded annually varied from 1 to 7. A good foundation for the stud had been laid by Thomas Jones. Rose 604 and 3 of her daughters, all by Normandy 351, had been bred to Ajax 5, and from this foundation some excellent females were produced. Between the time when Ajax dropped out and the purchase of Greluchet 11333 (21165) in 1889 the firm had no stallion of consequence; the best mares were bred to horses owned by other parties. Napoleon 328, Valor 951, Mignon 6090 (2894), Lion 273, and L’Ami 6239 (1649) were among the sires so used. Lion was one of the best of these stallions. He was owned by W. H. Case & Co. at Delaware. This horse was a gray, about 16.2 hands high and weighed between 1,800 and 1,900 pounds in breeding condi- tion. He was a well-balanced horse of drafty pat- tern, good in the underpinning and with proper action. His best son, Martell 2491, bred by the Joneses, was out of Norma 1779, a daughter of Ajax. Martell was sold as a yearling in 1883 for $500. His purchaser, J. P. Thompson, kept and used him till 1888, when he won the silver cup at the Ohio State Fair for the best Percheron stallion bred in Ohio. He was sold immediately afterward to a man near Cleveland for $2,000, but sired no purebred colts after leaving Thompson’s ownership. Mignon, commonly known as ‘‘ Mingo Chief,’’ was another good sire used in Delaware county and pat- 310 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ronized by Jones Bros. They raised 4 good colts sired by him. This sire appears to have left an unusually good lot of colts. He was a black, foaled in 1880, and imported in 1884 by J. G. Kemp. He was sold in 1888 to Charles McCurdy, who appar- ently managed to acquire several of the best sires used in Ohio at this period. Mignon was a big, thick horse of excellent proportions and good qual- ity. He was a grandson of Brilliant 1899 through Bon Espoir 1270 (753), and adds more luster to the fame of the Brilliant strain. L’Ami was owned by parties at Cardington, O. Mr. Jones sent some mares to be bred to him and among the colts obtained Austerlitz 9145. This horse was a gray, out of the mare Clio 2496. He was a high- class individual and stood for years in the vicinity of Delaware, O., where Mr. Jones sold him. He proved an extremely valuable stud horse, a getter of excellent geldings that were real market-toppers, and he got a few good purebred colts as well. The mare that is now considered the most valuable brood mare in Delaware county, Delia 65193, was sired by Austerlitz and her dam was by Martell 2491. Greluchet was the first sire of note bought by the Jones firm after the death of Ajax. He was imported by Mark W. Dunham as a yearling in 1889 and was selected by C. M. Jones immediately after his impor- tation as the best colt out of 19 yearling sons of Bril- hant 3d. He was about 16.3 hands high and weighed about 1,900 pounds in fair breeding condition. In color he was black with a small star. Greluchet was OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 311 well-balanced, with extra good feet and legs; he had a typical Percheron head, good neck and sloping shoul- ders; he was deep-bodied and massive, strong in back and loin, with a fairly level croup and heavily- muscled hindquarters. He had quality and much style and action. He was used in the Jones stud from 1890 till 1898. \ awe z 2° wz st 6 a 4 aysvion | Q4.074 | oowroK| soon | 3 oo om AW12 ee xnors 6 3 e ; > gaNVIVVTIV t y sa1HsINN 6! e ee ere A P z ie GYVAOH | nsHOUIW | HOM io iLawna | Sosxpoia }v10a>so] N OAT , Stood fourth, with 653 head recorded iver . the leading Percheron-breeding center west of the Missouri iscon- WwW 3 th 466 head, or 5.15 percent , wi during the year, 7.22 percent of the total. Nebraska eame fifth DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 479 sin, sixth, with 414, or 4.58 percent; Indiana, seventh, with 367, or 4.06 percent, and Minnesota, eighth, with 347, or 3.84 percent. The rank of the other states was as follows: Regis- Percent Regis- Percent trations oftotal trations of total South Dakota, 9th...... 336 3.72 Tennessee, 28th..........12 13 North Dakota, 10th 3.30 Maryland, 20th..... nears 22 Missouri, lith 251 2.78 New Jersey, 30th ate 09 Pennsylvania, 12th..... 211 2.33 Arizona Bist 4 08 Michigan, 13th .......... 180 1.99 Nevada press tees F Montana,14th.. oe 1.68 Delaware }sea 5 06 Oklahoma, 15th 1.48 Connecticut J“ s* : California, 16th 1.10 Massachusetts } 334 4 4 Virginia, 17th.. 1.01 Maine Ss New York, 18th 86 Vermont }satn 3 03 Idaho, 19th....... 74 New Hampshire ae Oregon, 20th.-..........8 61 Georgia A Washington, 21st. . 48 53 Kentucky | path see 2 02 crea ag * a aa North Carolina 'exas, 23d. -. 32 ie Canada, 24t » 30 +33 Nee 1] Utah, 25th... ... ++ 28 31 New Mexico }36th....... 1 -01 Wyoming, 26th.......... 5 +28 District of West Virginia, 27th..... 22 224 Columbia The tendency for the breeding of any class of live stock to become concentrated in districts where it was first introduced and where its merits are most widely known is indicated in this data. Illinois and Iowa contributed 41.86 percent of the total registra- tions recorded during the year, while more than half of the Percherons recorded were raised in the first three states—IIlinois, Iowa and Ohio. The first eight states contributed 74.97 percent of the total number of Percherons registered during the year, while all the other states combined con- tributed only 25 percent. Nevertheless, the wide dis- tribution of Percherons in the United States is shown by the fact that they were recorded during the year from 45 states, counting the District of Columbia and Canada. The number recorded 480 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE from Canada, however, was but a mere fraction of the total. Most of the Percherons in Canada are recorded in the Canadian Percheron Stud Book; the 4 q s ASHTABULA . 4 \ 6 Lucas wituiams ) FULTON 7) 7 Tray 2 GEAUGA CUYAHOGA ue DEFIANCE sanpusky |p R 1 E a TRUMBULL HENRY ‘W2.0'D 6 fi n 4 LORAIN i) 10 is PORTAGE . IRON PAULDING [——sosbhECA ee MEDINA |SUMMIT| " PUTIN. 2 te MAHONING eet HANCOCK ? 7 2 VAN WERT = 0 WYANvOT | CRAWFORD TL | WAYNE STARK initia ALLEN i) 4 oF a q pag 0 RICHLAND LY HARDIN un CARROLL MARIO MERCER] AUGLAIZE re HOLMES ‘ ; ry MoRROW 7 a? bo ens JEFFERSON J 9 \ LOGAN eae A si SHELBY 10 Onion aeCOX HARRISON « 7 DELAWARE 2 + a *, CHAMPAIGN Fie Mian * Pus te GUERNSEY Te Mont 2 4 ea erer rer: MUSKINGUM 3 CLARK ° * 16 2 - ot oF e OLE PREBLE ss o FAIRCHILD a MONROE . * [GRR ENE 3 PURRY 9 . PICKAWAY 0 MORGAN 2 2 Fayerre 5 HOCKING WASHINGTON BUTLER Jwarren| CUNTON : 5 cae ATHENS ' VINTON HAMILTON * acne ' y ? MLIGS wr Pike JALKSON \ 2 BROWN g a Bas sc1oTo GALLIA LAWRENCE Ohio had in 1916 779 members of the Percheron Society of America, The total number of Percheron horses recorded from Ohio between Mov, 1, 1915, and Oct, 31, 1916, was 747, The number appearing in each County is the number of Percheron horses recorded from that county between Nov, 1, 1915, and Oct, 31, 1916, inclusive. ones registered in the Percheron Society of America are those selected to compete for special prizes offered by the Percheron Society of America in Ca- BROWN a ae ls RAWLINS | DECATUR | NORTON | PHILLIPS | SMITH JEWELL REPUBLIC SHINE TON |, MARSHALL sae ee 3 oo 4 4 3 20 18 @ 4 ATCHISON CLOUD 4 JACKSON, SHERMAN | THomas | sHeripan | GRAHAM |pooKs| ossorN | MITCHELL 8 soa bc a CR a a E i 1 2 2% Vo ¢ JEFFFRSON § ©: Be iv ES OTTAWA ana % LL. Sot s LINCOLN \ oy, 5 A ‘ Oo aor EOGAN Gove | TREGO| ELLIS [RUSSELL : DICKINSON GEARY _| WABAUNSEE S| Jouctas [JOHNSON ' 2 i 16 9 9 7 SALINE 13 al ELLSWORTH 9 MORRIS OSAGE 4 3 s " FRANKLIN| MIAMI GREELEY | WICHITA LANE RUSH " 6 ; SCOTT NESS 4 BARTON ° * 3 23 McPHERSON | MARION A © En RICE 9 7 CHASE Ss 3 15 5 ie are anveason | LINN 4 4 Rr Ey, men |—___—— : HAMILTON | KEARNY HODGBMAN eee - HARVEY a ee eel 3 RE fe 27 LEN ON EDWARDS i 13 GREENWOOD | woopsON a sat GRAY 3 BUTLER 3 ee PRATT " 9 GR 10 SEDGWICK STANTON ae HASKELL KIOWA 8 KINGMAN 6 /-——} WILSON | NeosHo 7 6 ELK 2 18 Y € MEADE SUMNER COWLE LABETTE MORTON | STEVENS | sewarp 9 CLARK | comancHe| BARBER | HARPER ie 4 ee & 5 2 8 7 5 g Kansas had in 1916 571 members of the Percheron Society: of America, The total number of Percheron horses recorded The number appearing in each County is the number of Perch- from Kansas between Nov, 1, 1915, and Oct. 31, 1916, was 653. eron horses recorded from that County between Nov. 1, 1915, and Oct, 31, 1916, inclusive. soAIENPOUT ‘QT6E ‘TS ‘390 PUE “ATET ‘T ‘AON meeMI0q A;UNOD 4¥q} WHOIS PopI0deZ SosI0y TOLD sqoreg Jo Joqumu om} st A;MoH yowe uy Sureedds zoqumu ony, “99y SCM ‘QIGT ‘TE “3°O PUP ‘SIGL ‘E “AON Usemy0q wHSVIqeN WorZ Pepr00er q yoreg jo Jequma [v}0o} ONL eury jo 4,0100g Yor V4} Jo Sloquieul ggg HIGL UI Py BASVIGeN € 6 Fo ' S Py 1 z $ NosasvHore| TINAWd ' é warsaan) | NvTevH] syaning |morimasy ~WOoH-DLIH] xGnad § SS L gs | aovo = Qa lvHYWa! ic 6 “3 L g £ z z aNITvS SWYGY ) os Sd1aHd] § waLINow | SJAVH | aSVHD> vt 5 - Lo 30 wh u 61 €t SNINUId v 4 jauvaas qivH| OTvainad | Nosava ssvo 3 z 4 NI1OONI1 qanaa “Aduys 9 La? HIIaX € T1IVEnIN 1 2 1 \susannvs|ya SENOS ae ANN@ASHD S¥IONOg uw oO . a aaisno > PS Xo 1 asT330) vA NV901 |NOSYSHdW] won is . YINNV@ jo a ea m THROWN & S z ul @ Sas] Ss - \ f (00H | LNV¥D M19 SLLOOs aang] AS [OS | SP PBB caprava| 2107) anivig | svWoHL| 43% ¢ |e |¢ S NS, oT 3 2s, is ‘ 7 BSNAVA| Ee aouald | 2 =x aLLNaxog Le m “oy, g £ t 7 ia % z Lt10H_ | PO!) Nmous z = ° S| 9 AYYAIHD c uvaaa| XONX 2 s 7 1 samva se “a AOG VWHYdvAa0 482 DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 483 nadian shows, or those which have been recorded here to permit of their exportation to the United States, if opportunity arises. a Douctas | Baveteto = < ~ TRON z= 4 VILAS e < So BuaneTT| © FLORENCE ? SAWYER ? PRICE ONEIDA FOREST 4, Poik | BARRON RaQ 49, : ¢ LINCOLN > LANGLADE %% TAYLOR i st croix} _. CHIPPEWA bar eae y OCONTO ' MARATHON f Ne CLAR AWANO ° PleRce EAU CLAIRE is Sts nae ry PEPIN l é % ? eUFFALO > wooo porrace WAUPACA| oupAGAMIE sown $ mn 2 to 2 JACKSON és p & WINNEBAGO: WAUSHARA a ~ 2 ( apams ' < a “| # fig °° >| ronw ov tac 3 é i ?* COLUMBIA | popoE a o n ra Ss a en t DANE JEFFERSON | wauxesna | % 9 u 7 l- RACINE E LAFAYETTE | GREEN | ROCK “ 7 9 to ar KENOSHA P 10 Wisconsin had in 1916 366 members of the Percheron Society of America. The total number of Percheron horses recorded from Wisconsin between Nov. 1, 1915, and Oct. 31, 1916, was 414, The number appearing in each County is the number of Percheron horses recorded from that County between Nov, 1, 1915, and Oct, 31, 1916, inclusive. Another indication of the widespread distribution of Percheron breeding is the fact that the 9,044 reg- mm ST. JOSEPH | erxnart |‘ oe sia 2 15 LAPORTE LAKE | PORTER 5 te | MARSHALL 2 KOSCIUSKO F>— i bs jasper | puLasKr [FULTON ee ALLEN & 2 2 ee ' Pa oa z a 2 =| < 5 a .2 z a cass | 7 a™ Zo a e4 es + ‘ g 4» [ADAMS] a = 2 1 w BENTON = 35 an aa = HOWARD | GRANT $ 2 of JAY 7 CLINTON TIPTON ra < 4 ° at 2 se si [o@™s [RANDOLPH _ [HAMILTON] © 25 BOONE 29 < = po HENRY 7 WAYNE MARION | HANCOCK 4 > RUSH | =| r MORGAN & SHELBY S ! 6 © 2 FRANKLIN R oeex < 5 2 BROWN Pes SULLIVAN et ro) 5 GREENE | 3 v g JENNINGS | © JACKSON OHIO Z | LAWRENCE 2 Ro si on oar ° DAVIESS] y e ¥ 0 slo : Pas = ORANGE eS my CLARK PIKE | pusois GIBSON 2 t Indiana had in 1916 412 members of the Percheron Society of America. The total number of Percheron horses recorded from Indiana between Nov. 1, 1915, and Oct. 31, 1916, was 367, The number appearing in each County is the number of Percheron horses recorded from that County between Nov. 1, 1915, and Oct. 81, 1916, inclusive. 484 DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 485 istrations were made by 4,347 breeders, an average of only about 2 per breeder. This means that a KITTSON RED pried: MARSHALL ' BELTRAMT KOOCHICHING PENNINGTON RED LAKE POLK ST Lours ri ITASCA NORMAN 3 eS cA S S cn > < A x 2 WADA | HUBBARD Z) “ CARLTON F © OTTERTAIL wi ) < PINE Topp 5 MORRISON Grant | Douctass : 4 eee! nENTON ie srevens| POPE | STEARNS Seanouanr | sant 1%, *- 7% SWIFT he ANOKA 2 3 WRIGHT ge MEEKER " z 8 KANABEC TRAVERSE tc, Puy cHippewa, e + STBLEY ' LYON] REDwooD 8 5 NICOLLET vesyeua] RICE 9 wapasHa BROWN 2 heasecal srette | po0ce| i 4 suue canta Peastcal Tee 100068) oumsTED |S 'e, 10 9 7a, 3 Mower | FILLMORE |Houston 2» ir 9 = | MuRRay 10 ROCK) NOBLES |JACKSON| MARTIN | sanimautr | ppeeRoRN 8 2 7 " Minnesota had in 1916 397 members of the Percheron Society of America. The total number of Percheron horses recorded from Minnesota between Nov. 1, 1915, and Oct, 31, 1916, was 347, The number appearing in each County is the number of Percheron horses recorded from that County between Nov. 1, 1915, and Oct. 31, 1916, inclusive. great many breeders recorded but one animal, as many others recorded from 5 to 10 head each. In Illinois the breeding of Percherons is concen- 486 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE trated very largely. in 10 counties in the north-cen- tral part of the state, contiguous to each other. These 10 counties contributed more than 53 percent of the Percherons recorded by Illinois breeders dur- ing the year. The counties, in order of rank and with the number of horses recorded, are as follows: McLean, 186; LaSalle, 168; Iroquois, 125; Living- ston, 109; Tazewell, 109; Fulton, 87; Ford, 82; Mc- Donough, 76; Bureau, 70, and Woodford County, 62. This represents a total of 1,074 registrations from the 10 counties, out of 2,014 for the entire state. In Iowa the leading counties are more widely scat- tered. The first, second, fourth, sixth, seventh and tenth counties are all located in the southeastern part of the state, practically contiguous to each other, while the third county is in the central part of the state, the fifth is in the northeast-central por- tion, and the ninth is in the northwest corner. The first 10 counties in Iowa contributed only 33.8 per- cent of the registrations from the state. Another fact which shows how much more widely Percherons are scattered in Iowa than in Illinois is that they were recorded from 98 out of the 99 counties in Iowa during the year, but from only 81 out of the 102 counties in Illinois. The 10 leading Iowa coun! ties, with the number of registrations, are as follows: Henry, 97; Keokuk, 75; Story, 66; Jefferson, 63; Black Hawk, 63; Van Buren, 55; Johnson, 54; Page, 46; Cherokee, 43, and Lee, 37. In Ohio the 10 leading Percheron-producing coun- ties, with the number of registrations from each dur- 33 of 1% CANADA 03 of 1%_ NEW HAMPSHIRE) 36 of 1% EXAS 32 The total number of Percheron horses recorded in the Percheron Society of America between Nov. 1, 1915, and Oct. 31, 1916, inclusive was 9,044, The number appearing at the top in each State gives the percentage which the number of Perch- erons recorded as bred in that State bears to the total number recorded for the year. The number appearing at the bott in each State gives the number bred in that State and recorded during the period mentioned above, 488 \ HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ing the year are as follows: Delaware, 81; Wayne, 42; Hardin, 31; Allen, 30; Madison, 28; Miami, 26; Morrow, 26; Marion, 23; Van Wert, 19, and Williams County, 17. The first, fifth, seventh and eighth coun- ties are practically in one body in the central part of the state, but the others are scattered from the north- eastern to the western part, without any particular concentration of breeding in any one district. Dela- ware is far in the lead of all other counties in Ohio in the number of Percherons raised, but Percheron breeding is by no means so general as in Iowa, as registrations were made from only 75 of the 88 coun- ties in the state. The Percheron-breeding districts in the other lead- ing states are clearly shown by the maps accompany- ing this analysis. The significant fact is that Per- cheron breeding has expanded most rapidly in those communities where the breed has been longest known —eloquent testimony to the wearing qualities of the breed. The endurance, adaptability and money- making qualities of the Percheron have won it life- long friends wherever farmers have had an oppor- tunity to become acquainted with the sterling worth of the world’s most popular draft breed. Percherons in the South.—Touching the matter of the adaptibility of the Percheron to the conditions prevailing in the Southern States we have asked for expressions of opinion, based on observation and experience, from two well-known animal husband- men connected respectively with the Texas and ~ Georgia agricultural colleges. DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 489 The evidence of Prof. John C. Burns of College Station, Tex., is as follows: ‘‘The Percheron is decidedly the most popular draft breed in the south, though it still lacks much of being so popular as horses of the light type. A large majority of southern farmers have long practiced a system of farming, cotton raising, which permits of the use of light-weight teams, both horses and mules, -to good advantage. This accounts largely for the preference that is given to horses of the light type. Of course, prejudice also has played an important part in keeping down the popularity of draft horses, the general belief being that they can not withstand the hot climate. ‘‘T have had an opportunity to observe the Perche- ron under many different conditions in Texas. I have seen registered stallions at the head of bands of range mares; stallions restricted to the stall and pad- dock, that were being offered for public service; reg- istered mares with foals at side; weanling, year- lings, and two-year-olds in the process of develop- ment on the farm; and mares and geldings at work in the field and on the road. Wherever these animals were being given the care and attention to be expect- ed from any good horseman, they were thriving and proving satisfactory. The fact that the period of hot weather in the south is long and the heat often severe makes it even more important here than in the north that Percheron mares and geldings be worked by intelligent teamsters who are good care- takers. From the middle of September until the ~ middle of May, as a rule, no better teams could be desired, and during this period they easily excel teams of light horses and light mules in much of the work of the farm. But during the remaining four months of hot weather extreme care must be 490 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE exercised to prevent them from becoming over- heated. Nevertheless, one finds the general health of Percherons in the south equally as good as that of light horses. ‘‘More Percheron horses are needed in the south, and there are two important reasons why they are needed: ‘First, diversified farming is rapidly gaining headway. More feed crops are being raised. Such. a system of farming calls into use heavier farm im- plements and machinery, the handling of which re- requires heavier teams. ‘‘Second, the south has long given much attention to the raising of mules, animals that have proved so well adapted to the work on southern farms. The great majority of the mules, however, are the prod- ucts of light mares and are therefore themselves generally small and of the class known as cotton mules. Even in the past there has rarely been a time when large, smooth-turned mules were not in demand at good prices. while light mules have often been a drug on the market. The changing to diversi- fied farming is making the heavy mule more neces- sary and more in demand than ever and in the production of such mules Percheron blood must play an important part. By the use of good Percheron stallions excellent mule foundations can be obtained by grading up from native or Spanish mares and from mares of Saddle, Thoroughbred and Standard- bred breeding. More mares that possess size and draft conformation must be used, if large, high- priced mules, capable of doing the heavy work of the farm, are to be produced. _‘“Feeding Percheron horses in the south does not differ greatly from feeding them in other sections of the country. Oats here, as elsewhere, is one of the DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 491 best feeds that can be used. Combined with a little wheat bran oats is especially desirable for feeding during hot weather. During the winter corn may be used extensively, especialy for mature work ani- mals. Kafir, milo, and feterita make excellent feeds, but, like corn, they serve best in the ration during the cold months. Almost any of the good, clean, well-cured grass hays, such as Bermuda, Johnson grass, Sudan grass, sorghum, or prairie hay serves well as roughage. Legume hay, especially alfalfa, is also often fed as a part of the roughage with good results. ‘“‘The South needs more Percheron horses. But here let it be said that a kind vastly different from the majority that has been sold here is needed. The southern states have been a dumping ground for inferior, unsound stallions that have been driven from the northern states as a result of the opera- tion in those states of stallion license laws. The farmers of the southern states must awake to this fact, exercise better judgment in purchasing stal- lions, and, if necessary, have laws enacted for their protection. A few inferior, unsound stallions can do more damage in a short time to the progress of the breed than several good stallions can overcome in many years. Percheron horses that are typical of the breed are sound and of good conformation, qual- ity, style, and action. Such horses will pave the way for the breed’s more rapid progress and greater popularity in the south as nothing else will.’’ Prof. Milton P. Jarnagin of the Georgia State Col- lege of Agriculture says: ‘‘TIn 1906 we began shipping grade Percheron mares from the middle west to Tennessee. Up to that time there had been strenuous objection in the south to any of the draft breeds, and the first mares which 492 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE we shipped carried but a small infusion of draft blood. It was soon observed that these mares of more weight gave a better account of themselves as farm workers than the lighter mares had done. Even after the first shipment it was evident that farmers were willing to pay more money for the heavier ones than for medium-weight mares. In 1910 we shipped in a carload of high grade Percheron mares. These sold well and developed into valuable breeding and work mares. In 1911 I purchased 6 registered mares in central Illinois. They have been regular breeders and good farm workers in Tennessee. Since 1911 we have been carrying grade and purebred Percheron mares on the farm of the Georgia State College of Agriculture. These mares have also done satisfactory work and have proved regular breeders. We have demonstrated conclusively that with rea- sonable supervision the negro will make a satis- factory teamster with grade or purebred mares. ‘‘During six weeks of the hottest summer months the mules are able to do but little more work than the mares. We work our mares regularly through the entire season, but during the hottest weather they are given the lightest work and the mules the heaviest work. For the other ten and a half months of the year our mares do more work than the mules do. ‘“‘T feel positive that we will work mules in the cottonbelt permanently. However, there is a strong, growing demand for homeraised mules, and even the most skeptical farmer is willing to admit that the Percheron stallion is the best ‘grand-daddy’ a mule ever had. In other words, there is a broadening de- mand for Percheron stallions to sire mule mares. The user of mules knows that the massive, full-made, strong-boned mule is more durable and more salable : am, QO. te DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 493 than the over-refined mule with a Thoroughbred or trottingbred dam. Regardless of whether the dam ultimately is used to produce horses or mule mares, he is clamoring for brood mares showing a strong infusion of draft blood. ‘‘The complaints that have been raised against the Percheron from the southern territory have been »made as a result of inferior counterfeits being dumped into the southern states. Quality, finish and courage should be dominant features in all Perch- eron horses sent to the south. Wherever animals filling these requirements have gone they have made friends for this great breed of horses.’’ Horse Stock of the United States.—The estimates of the Department of Agriculture for Jan. 1, 1917, show 21,126,000 horses on farms in the United States, with an average valuation of $102.94, or a total val- uation of $2,174,629,000, and 4,639,000 mules with an average valuation of $118.32, or a total valuation of $548,864,000. The 1910 census, taken June 1, 1910, gives a total of 1,731,982 colts foaled in 1909, or, as we would class them, yearlings. While the estimates of the Department of Agriculture indicate that there has been some falling off in the production of horses within the past 6 years, it seems safe to assume that we are producing at least 1,500,000 foals annually which come to at least one year of age. The 1910 census also shows that of the total number of farms in the United States only 16.1 percent reported yearlings, from which we may safely conclude that only 16 percent of the farmers in the United States are producing horses. 494 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE Of the yearlings on farms in 1910, 21.5 percent were in the east-north-central section, 38.4 percent in the west-north-central and 11.1 percent in the west-south-central. That is to say, a fraction more than 70 percent of the yearlings reported by the census of 1910, which is unquestionably the most accurate source of data we have, were in these three sections. The states comprising the east- north-central section are Ohio, Indiana, Mlinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Those in the west-north- central are Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Da- kota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas, and in the west-south-central Arkansas, Louisiana, Okla- homa and Texas. Percherons the Leading Draft Type.—The most reliable estimates which we have been able to ob- tain indicate that there are probably about 150,000 purebred drafters in this country at this date. This figure includes all ages. Of this total it is estimated that approximately 90,000 are Percherons. In other words, our most reliable sources of information indicate that nearly two-thirds of the purebred draft horses in America are Percherons. The last analysis made of the stallion enrollment boards’ reports in the 10 leading horse producing states shows that 64 percent of the total number of purebred draft stallions are Percherons. The figures from other states which have since made reports on stallions in service, particularly Kansas and Indiana, increase the total percentage of Perch- eron sires, so that it is safe to say that at least 66 “ANITATLIVE FHL NO SLUVHH HSLLIYA OLNI AVM SIH DAVIK SVH NOUAHIUAd ABL—SASVHIU 1.1 INDIAN WIGRL ONIGIAIG NVKUAAG AUNAH ONV AIVGSNUT GHOT—ANWIOND NI DNIGSAUA NOUFMHIYAd AU SUNINNIOML DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 495 percent of all purebred draft stallions in use in the United States are Percherons. War Exports.—Our exports since the great Euro- pean war began aggregated for the 27 months end- ing Dec. 1st, 1916, 774,947 horses and 255,014 mules, totalling in value $216,941,912. The strongest de- mand has been for artillery and transport horses, which have brought from $35 to $60 per head more than cavalry horses. Men who have been in particu- larly close touch with the work of the inspectors declare that at least 75 percent of the artillery and transport horses have been grade Percherons. How well these horses have met the foreign demand is attested in the leading editorial of the London ‘Live Stock Journal’’ for Nov. 17, 1916, from which we quote: ‘‘In the meantime the Percheron type has made many friends in England. The breed, mostly rep- resented, it is true, by ‘grade’ horses as yet, is firmly established in the hearts and minds of the responsi- ble officers of the British army. Go where one will in army circles, he hears nothing but praise for a horse that has proved his sterling worth in artil- lery. East and west, north and south the story is the same; the half-bred Percheron has filled many wants and has proved himself a gentleman of a horse, as well as a willing and never failing worker. We shall have a further opportunity of stating how pleased army men are with the type, but for the moment our chief concern lies in stating the facts of the case in connection with the recent importa- tion of two purebred Percheron stallions and some brood mares. 496 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ‘(Tt is the intention of their owners to use these horses in producing reliable artillery horses from Shire and Clydesdale mares, but they will also breed true to type, using the several Percheron mares accompanying the stallions, and so lay the founda- tion for an English Percheron Stud Book. Let it be added that this desire to try out the Percheron in England is not an idle whim or passing fancy. It is a thorough determination, brought about as the result of sincere conviction on the part of army authorities that the half-bred Percheron fills the bill best of the many types bought for us the world over since the outbreak of the war.’’ One point clearly brought out by the developments of the trade in the past 2 years is that the United States is the only nation with a surplus of horses ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 pounds or over in weight. Attempts to purchase such horses in Canada have been made at different times since the war began, but the proportion of horses obtained was so slight in comparison with the total number examined and the cost of inspecting and purchasing them was so great that practically all purchases have been made in the United States, so far as North Amer- ica is concerned. In South America the Argentine appears to have been the only country which has exported any considerable number of horses. About 150,000 head in all have probably been exported from Buenos Aires since the war began. The cav- alry horses bought there have brought about $90 in our money, and the best artillery horses from $125 to $130. Inasmuch as the cavalry horses bought in this country have brought from $125 to $150 and | Arthur Colegrove | VI Lewis Slack ] DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 497 the artillery horses from $165 to $210, it is manifest that the Argentine has not been favorably consid- ered as a source of horses for foreign use. One reason is found in the long shipment and another in the fact that they have but a very small proportion of horses large enough for artillery work. French Embargo on Exports.—Practically no im- portations of Percherons have been made since the European war began. A few horses bought before the war broke out were brought over in the autumn of 1914, but these were not Percherons. From that time until Jan. 1, 1917, no more Percherons were imported, except 59 brought over in the spring of 1916. Almost immediately after the war began the French Government placed an absolute embargo on the exportation of horses to foreign countries. This embargo was not lifted until Jan. 1, 1916, when through the strenuous efforts of Charles Aveline, then President of the Percheron Society of France, the government did agree to release for export 200 Percheron stallions rising four years old or over. This suspension of the embargo lasted from Jan. 1 to March 1, 1916, and but 59 horses were brought out under this release order. Another order of sim- ilar character released 200 more stallions for export during December, 1916, and January and February, 1917, but these horses were required to be coming four years old or over. American Breeding Stimulated.—The elimination of imports has greatly stimulated Percheron breed- ing in this country. Importers and dealers have 498 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE been forced to purchase their stock here. They have scoured the country for good colts of both sexes and have paid higher prices than ever before. This has encouraged our breeders to spend more time and money in breeding good mares to better sires. This demand has also caused growers to feed their colts more liberally, with results which were ex- hibited in most convincing form at the 1916 Inter- national Live Stock Exposition. During the twelvemonth ended Oct. 30, 1915, reg- istrations were made by the Percheron Society. of America as follows: American-bred_ stallions, 38,795; American-bred mares, 4,542; total American-breds, 8,337. Imported stallions, 107; imported mares, 48; total imported Percherons, 155. Grand total, 8,492. During the fiscal year ended Oct. 30, 1916, reg- istrations were as follows: American-bred stallions, 4,043; American-bred mares, 4,861; total American-breds, 8,904. Imported stallions, 123; imported mares, 17; total imported Percherons, 140. Almost all of the registrations under the head of ‘‘imported’’ for 1915 were of animals imported prior to the beginning of the war, and of the 140 imported animals recorded during the fiscal year of 1916 all but 59 were imported prior to the war. The most decisive testimony regarding the effect of the war in stimulating Percheron breeding comes from the small farmer-breeders scattered throughout this country. They testify without exception that ~ GELDING MACK—TAKEN OF STEADY SERVICE DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 499 they have had a better demand for their surplus stallions and that they have sold them at earlier ages and at better prices than at any time in the last 20 years. Commercial Market for Draft Horses.—Ellsworth & McNair are known throughout the United States and abroad as extensive handlers of horses of all kinds, including many draft horses. Harry McNair, of this firm, is probably as well versed in the com- mercial demand for draft horses as any man in the world. What he has to say on this subject is of particular interest. His statement follows: “The point of orgin of most of the draft horses used in the United States is in the west, particu- larly in the states of Iowa and Illinois. The best market for the surplus draft horses is very largely in our eastern states, particularly Pennsylvania, New York and New England. It is true that many horses are used in the cities, towns and villages of the middle west and that large numbers of draft horses are sold into the northern woods for logging purposes, but the chief market for high-class draft horses is, and always has been, in the eastern part of the United States. The reason for this is not difficult to find when we consider that more than 23,000,000 people live in Pennsylvania, New York and New England and that the total valuation of the horses used in the cities, towns and villages of that section amounts to more than $135,000,000. The eastern section is densely populated and given up largely to manufacturing and commerce, necessitating unusual requirements in the way of transportation. The number of horses produced on the farms of the east is very small. The census of 1910 shows that in that year yearlings were found 500 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE on farms in the east to but a limited extent. The percentages of the total number of eastern farms on which yearling colts were found follows: Connecti- cut, 2 percent; Maine, 5.4; New Hampshire, 3.4; Rhode Island, 1.3; Vermont, 9; Massachusetts, 1.9; New York, 9.5, and Pennsylvania, 11.1. It is true that horses may have been produced on some farms that did not report yearlings in 1910, but the percentage of yearlings available in any year is a fairly accu- rate index to horse production in any particular district. The farms in the east are not producing as many horses as they need in their actual farm work, to say nothing of surplus fit-and available for city use. The thousands upon thousands of draft horses annually shipped from western farms to the eastern states are used for all kinds of transporta- tion purposes where strength and weight is needed. Ice companies, coal companies, transfer companies, manufacturing establishments, department stores, ' wholesale houses, warehouses and mills are all ex- tensive users of draft horses, and the farms of New. England also take large numbers of draft horses every spring for use in agricultural work. The lum- ber interests in this territory are also extensive and require large numbers of horses to go into the woods each fall. There are more than 100 dealers or firms located in the states mentioned which make a busi- oe of handling heavy draft horses for the eastern trade. ‘“‘From all that I have been able to learn, the demand for heavy draft horses between July 1, 1916, and Noy. 15, 1916 was probably as good as it has been at any time within the past 20 years. I feel satisfied that the prices which the dealers in the east obtained from the ultimate consumers were as high as at any time since 1900, if not higher. DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 501 ‘‘One thing which farmers generally do not fully understand and which they should at all times keep in mind is that the trade for draft horses is a sea- sonable one. Heavy draft horses are in demand mainly during the spring and fall months. During the winter there is little call for them and there is not much trading during June. The reasons underlying this seasonable condition in the trade are related to the demands of commerce. During April and May ice companies are buying heavily for their summer requirements and a great many commercial concerns which do a much heavier busi- ness in the summer than they do in the winter, such as city lumber companies, building concerns, con- tractors for excavations, and the like, are all in the market for draft horses during the latter part of March and April and the early part of May. The demand naturally falls off during June as parties needing these drafters have obtained them and the only horses bought are occasional animals to fill un- foreseen emergencies. In the latter part of July, August and during September the large coal com- panies are on the market purchasing horses for de- livery of coal during the fall and winter months; the logging companies are also in the market for heavy draft horses and some additional purchases are always made in the fall on account of an extra call for horses on contract work. These basic factors underlie the trade for draft horses, which is natur- ally strongest during the spring months and next best during the early fall months. There is no par- ticular demand for the heavy draft horses during January and February; the men who need them have already obtained them, and such purchases as are made are emergency ones to fill out teams or take care of unforeseen work. I am satisfied that if 502 \ HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE farmers generally would bear in mind the fact that the trade in draft geldings is a seasonable one, they could obtain much more for their horses than they have generally secured, by having the horses fit for sale at these particular times. ‘‘Another feature which is worthy of mention is that the eastern buyers haye been willing to pay higher prices and for this reason have obtained the better class of draft geldings. The majority of Chicago and other western buyers, when they do want big horses, are willing to take second-class ones which can be obtained somewhat cheaper, but the eastern buyers are inclined to take the best horses they ean get even at higher prices. I know of many teams that have been sold in New York, Brooklyn and Boston at prices ranging from $800 to $900 per team. “‘The number of draft horses passing through our large commercial markets during the past 2 years has not been at all representative of the actual de- mand or sales. The reason for this is that the com- mercial markets have been given up largely to the export trade, which has been almost exclusively for eavalry, artillery and transport horses. It is hkely that the draft horses would have continued to move freely through the large markets had it not been for the very extensive movement in war horses. ‘‘By reason of this the eastern buyers of heavy draft horses have within the last 18 months been avoiding the large market and going directly to the country, making their purchases from farmers or small dealers who have assembled and fed their horses for the eastern markets. *‘T am no prophet and will not undertake to make any predictions as to what will oceur in the com- mercial horse market when the war ends. I believe, DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 503 however, that exports will continue for a consider- able period, although probably not on the same ex- tensive scale. I am of the opinion, however, that we probably shall ship a somewhat better class of horses to foreign nations after the war; it is likely that they will seek the draftier type of mares weighing from 1,400 to 1,700 pounds and with evidence of draft breeding. Whether exports continue or not, however, the demand for draft horses in the United States will continue. In spite of the exten- sive use of auto-trucks, which has unquestionably curtailed the demand for heavy draft horses very materially, especially in Chicago, the need for horses in our city transportation will continue. The ex- perience of thousands of users has satisfied them that on short hauls and in construction work as it is generally conducted horses are more economical than auto trucks. ‘“‘T am satisfied that the only type of horse which it will really pay the farmer to raise in the future is the draft horse, and the better the horse the more profit will accrue to the farmer. Draft horses are more efficient in farm work than any others; they do more work, and do it more thoroughly and more cheaply. Where draft mares are kept for the farm work, as they can be wherever the farmer is a good manager and an intelligent horseman, the revenue accruing from the sale of the colts con- stitutes an annual income of no slight importance. If all the mares now in the United States which range in weight from 1,100 to 1,500 pounds could be bred to first-class draft stallions, and their daughters in turn bred to the best draft stallions, and the grand-daughters likewise, the value of the progeny in the United States would be increased at least $50 per head, whether we consider that value 504 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE in draft horses from the standpoint of efficiency in farm work or from the standpoint of their actual worth to users in our large cities or in foreign coun- tries. There is every encouragement to produce the big horses of approved draft type, conformation and quality, which will weigh 1,650 pounds and up in good working condition. I can see no encour- agement for the man who is producing the cheap or undersized horses. I fully believe that the prices on these smaller horses will drop materially after the war. ‘‘So far as I can judge, the average price which farmers in the United States have received for cavalry horses has been in the neighborhood of $115 per head. The average price for the French artil- lery horse has been around $140, and for the British artillery horse around $165 to the farmers who sold such horses. There is here a difference of from $25 to $50 per head in favor of the heavier horse and this increase in weight has in all instances been due to the use of draft blood. During this very time, however, when the heavy artillery horses were selling from our farms at an average of $165 per head, horses with one more cross of draft blood, which would weigh from 1,600 to 1,800 pounds in working condition have been bringing from $225 to $250 on the farms, and the horses with still more size and draft character have brought from $250 to $275 on the farms. I cannot see how there can be any clearer evidence of the advantage of produc- ing draft horses on the farm, or of using purebred draft stallions in increasing the value of the com- mon horses of our country.’’ Geldings at the Show.—Tremendous impetus has been given the breeding of better geldings by the exhibits made at the International Live Stock Ex- ‘GUVAMOHS 'TVAOU HSTIONA AHL NI XMAS SV ‘SONIGIGD UMNOWAVY GALVUGATAO AHL SS = sae cron ts gat abpad Bae = ogee Fates DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 505 positions by the great packing companies, breweries and other exhibitors. Without attempting to give a detailed list of the winnings, it is worth while to call attention to the fact that the Armour gelding Jim, admitted by experienced judges to have been the greatest gelding ever exhibited in America, won first and championship in the heavy gelding classes in 1903, 1905, 1906 and 1907. He has been the only gelding to achieve such an extraordinary rec- ord in the history of the entire show. All the geldings exhibited by Armour & Co. have been grade Percherons. They won the heavy four- in-hand class in 1904, 1905 and 1906, the class for heavy geldings in the treys abreast in 1904, 1905 and 1906, and the class for the sixes in 1905 and 1906. The high estimate placed on the Armour geldings is abundantly attested by the frank admission of Thomas B. Freshney, a breeder of Shires in England, who freely acknowledged in 1905 that they could turn out no such six-horse team in Eng- land, taking size, draftiness, weight and dashing action into consideration. At the International in 1907 Mr. Sparks of London, who at that time owned the best pair of Shires in England, stated that all prejudices aside he had never seen a gelding quite so good as Armour’s Jim. In 1906 Big Jim de- feated Tom, a brown gelding sent over by King Edward VII of England to uphold the honor of the Shires at the International, and in 1907 he defeated Drew, a horse that under the name of King Harry was the champion gelding of Scotland in his day 506 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE and was imported by Clydesdale enthusiasts to up- hold their colors at the International. The Percheron standard also has been ably upheld during the various shows by the exhibits sent for- ward by Swift & Co., Schwarzschild & Sulzberger, and the Pabst Brewing Co. Exhibits by all these companies were well to the front in the various shows, and the Pabst six-horse team won the high- est honors in 1904. In more recent years J. Crouch & Son have been well represented in all classes for geldings, winning the championship for single geld- ing in 1910 on Prince, the trey hitch in 1910 and 1911, and the blue ribbon on the six-horse team in 1912. It is worthy of note that while other breeds have put forward the best purebred geldings that they could find in this country or abroad, the Per- cheron honors have in all cases been won on grade Percheron geldings bred in the United States and bought on the open market as work geldings. The Armour six-horse team, champion at the In- ternational in 1906, was sent to Great Britain and exhibited at the Olympic Horse Show in 1907. The team subsequently toured Great Britain and created a sensation that has probably never been equalled in the tight little isle. , The wonderful enduring qualities of the Per- cheron also are attested by the fact that a large proportion of the geldings which won the highest honors in these shows continued in steady service until well up in years. An especially notable in- stance of this is found in the gelding Mack, pur- DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION 507 chased as a six-year-old in the spring of 1905, by Tom Donnellan, superintendant of stables for Ar- mour & Co. He was the off horse in the lead team in the famous Armour six, and was a member of the trey team that won first for Armour in 1906 and 1907; in 1914, when fifteen years of age and after 9 years of hard service on the city streets, he was selected as a high-class representative of what is desired in good Percheron geldings and used for demonstra- tion purposes on an extension train in Wisconsin during that year and the following one. In spite of his age and long service and the fact that he had not missed a single day’s work during the preced- ing 9 years, Mack weighed more than 1,800 pounds in ordinary working condition and was absolutely sound and right. This horse and others shown in the famous Percheron teams exemplified in their con- formation, set of legs, well-shaped, durable feet, clean joints, clean-cut quality and their long years of service the characteristics which have made Per- cheron geldings popular with great Packingtown firms and with the cartage companies of the large cities, where endurance is estimated at its true value. Percheron geldings won first and championship in the single gelding class 7 times out of a possible 14; won the blue ribbon on pairs under 3,500 pounds 9 times out of a possible 13; won on heavy geldings three abreast 7 times out of a possible 14; won on the light four-in-hand 7 times out of a possible 9, and won the heavy gelding six-in-hand 6 times out 508 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE of a possible 14, to say nothing of the innumerable seconds and thirds. Of this record the breed has reason to be proud, in view of the fact that it has in all instances been represented by grade Percheron geldings bought on the open market as work horses, while adherents of other breeds have scoured two continents and selected the best purebred geld- ings that could be obtained to uphold their colors. Ai oe Y PPA va - eps ae MANY ee PERCHERON MARES AT DELCHESTER FARMS, GHAPTER XIV. SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT. Under this head we have the pleasure of submit- ting the views of a number of recognized authorities in the trade. The authors believe that these state- ments will prove interesting and instructive, more especially to those who may be engaging in the busi- ness of breeding Percherons for the first time. Edmond Perriot.—Speaking of types of Perche- rons as regarded in France and by American buyers, this veteran ‘‘stallioner’’ of the Perche says: ‘“‘The Percheron types that we as breeders are interested in today may be divided into three classes—the type sought by Americans, the one bought by the government haras, and the type which the breeders in the Perche love to see. Regarding the last type, what we look for is a great deal of character and reproductive ability as shown in the head and neck and eye. We forgive some things that the American buyer would never overlook, but we demand that a good breeding stallion should have an expressive physiognomy. We like to see in a stallion a well-crested, swan-curved neck, a clean . throatlatch, a well-poised head with small, fine ears —an intelligent head above all, with a large prom- inent eye, full of brilliance and fire. The eye we regard as of very great importance. I have never yet seen a good reproductive sire that had a com- mon eye. 509 510 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE ‘The type that the government wants is a snugly- built, compact stallion, with a rather short, level back and moderately high withers, and showing a pleasing symmetry of form, with a good length of neck, sloping shoulders and rather small, neat and clean head. But perhaps the most important point for them is the action. The legs must be clean and not show too much bone, while a general lightness of foot is desired, with moderately high knee and hock action. To put it plainly, the government haras are always looking towards the problem of supplying the army with good cavalry and artillery horses, and the most of the stallions bought by them are used on French Coach mares of different types. ‘“‘The American likes a big-framed, heavy, drafty type, even if the head and neck are not quite ideal. He is looking above all for strong underpinning, and will not forgive a hock that is not perfectly straight and clean. He also likes a good length of pastern and pays considerable attention to action.’’ James M. Fletcher.—The views of one so long asso- ciated with Oaklawn’s breeding and importing oper- ations are surely worth printing: “In my opinion, a typical Percheron stallion should weigh between 1,900 and 2,100 pounds in good condition. His height will range from 16% to 174% hands. In selecting a stallion I look for an intelligent head broad between the eyes and carry- ing well-set ears, a well-cut neck set on sloping shoulders, and a short back, with the tail set neither too high nor too low. He should have a broad breast with a muscular forearm, broad quarters, a deep body with well-sprung rib, legs squarely set with clean bone, sloping pastern not too long, and a wide, deep foot. Avoid a stallion narrow between the eyes, ugly-headed, with ears set too wide, narrow in front SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT 511 or behind, short-ribbed, or with a crooked or puffy hind leg, a straight pastern, or a flat foot. ‘*A stallion should be housed in a large, roomy, well-ventilated boxstall, and given plenty of exer- cise, either in a well-enclosed yard or under saddle on the road every day. Plenty of fresh water, clean, fresh hay and sweet, clean oats and bran in sufficient quantities during breeding season to keep the horse in good condition are essential in my plan of feeding stallions. I avoid corn in any form as a feed, as well as dirty or musty hay or oats. A moderate amount of green feed is beneficial. A good stallioner will not permit his charge to become too fat or too thin, and will be sure that he does not lack exercise. A clean, well-cared-for stable with good ventilation is necessary, and there should be sufficient grooming to keep his coat in a clean, healthy condition. ‘‘In selecting a brood mare I should choose one from a producing family, weighing 1,700 to 2,100 pounds and standing 16 to 17% hands high. She should be sound and of feminine type. The mare should have a fine head with eyes well apart and well-set ears not too heavy, a slim, graceful neck well set on sloping shoulders, a large, roomy barrel, a well-sprung rib, a tail not too low, clean, sound, well-placed legs not inclined to be meaty or to carry too much hair, sloping pasterns and deep, tough hoof. The mare to be avoided is the one of mascu- line type or from a family of shy producers. They are rarely successful. A coarse, Roman head, heavy, poorly-set ears, a masculine neck, a tail set too low, a short rib, a crooked, puffy hind leg, a straight pastern and a foot that is too narrow or too flat are also very undesirable features. ‘*Brood mares not in the harness should be kept in pasture as much as possible at all seasons of the 512 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE year. The expectant mother should be given a well- ventilated, roomy boxstall and permitted to run out as much as possible. Feed clean, fresh hay, ground oats and bran, and such green feed as the season affords. Mares should be kept in healthy condition, neither too fat nor too thin. As foaling time ap- proaches a night watch should be kept. During the period of suckling the mare must be fed well on milk-producing feeds, such as dampened ground oats or bran. Keep in the pasture as much as possible. ‘‘The stallion colts should be thoroughly halter- broken at or before weaning time. After taking the colt from its mother, he should be placed in roomy, well-ventilated pens or boxstalls that adjoin clean, well-drained yards or pastures, where he may have plenty of exercise. These yards or pastures should be fenced, either with boards or closely-woven heavy wire of such weight as to discourage any disposition to get out. They should be located also on dry, well-drained ground. The stable should be kept clean. The colt must have sufficient feed to keep him in a healthy and growing condition, but not too fat. It is a mistake to permit colts to go back after weaning time through lack of feed. 3.125 Class 2.—Stallions. UNIVERS 33977 (47622). Percent Brilliant 1899 (755). .18.75 Brilliant 1271 (756). .15.625 Favori 1st (711)..... 14.84375 Coco 2d (714)....... -390625 Class 3.—Stallions. CASCADEUR 33977 (53120). Percent Coco 2d (714)....... 11.71875 Brilliant 1271 (756).. 6.25 Brilliant 1899 (755).. 6.25 Favori 1st (711)..... 5.859375 French Monarch (734) 1.5625 Class 1.—Mares. DOCILE (35823). See Table I. Class 2.—Mares. CASTILLE 34488 (47121). Percent Brilliant 1899 (755)....18.75 Favori 1st (711)....... 14.0625 Brilliant. 1271 (756)... 9.375 Coco 2d (714)......... 7.8125 Class 3.—Mares. FAISANT 41215 (46330). Percent Favori ist (711)... 6.25 Brilliant 1899 (755) 6.25 Coco 2d (714)..... 5.46875 Brilliant 1271 (756) 3.125 French Monarch (734) .73415625 Class 4.—Mares. ERMANTRUDE 41203 (51827). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756).. 4.6875 Favori 1st (711)..... .3890625 BLOODLINES IN THE SHOWRING 597 TABLE IV.—WINNERS AT THE 1904. SHOW. Class 1.—Stallions. ELECTEUR 41264 (46264). Percent Brilliant 1899 (755)...12.5 Brilliant 1271 (756)...12.5 Coco 24. C718) 5 oc ewes 6 6.25 Favori 1st (711)...... 3.90625 Class 2.—Stallions. VICTOR HUGO (52791). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756) ..20.3125 Brilliant 1899 (755) ..15.625 Favori Ist (711)..... 9.765525 Coco 2d (714)....... 6.640625 Class 3.—Stallions. CHICHI (54591). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756) ..10.4375 Brilliant 1899 (755).. 9.375 Coco 2d (714)........ 5.46875 Favori 1st (711)..... 3.515625 French Monarch (734) 1.5625 Class 1.—Mares. ROSETTE 52054 (48054). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756)..... 9.375 French Monarch (734).. 9.875 Brilliant 1899 (755)..... 6.25 Favori 1st (711)........ 6.25 Coco 2d (714)....... ee. 8.125 Class 2.—Mares. DOCILE (35823). See Table I. Class 3.—Mares. BLANCHETTE (51576). ercent Brilliant 1271 (756).. 4.6875 Coco 2d (714)....... 8.515625 Brilliant 1899 (755).. 3.125 Favori ve CTD) cx ses 1.958125 ass 4.—Mares. XERES (sd7e1). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756). .24.21875 Brilliant 1899 (755).. 7.8125 Favori 1st (711)..... 4.296875 Coco 2d (714)........ 2.384375 TABLE V.—WINNERS AT THE 1905 SHOW. Class 1.—Stallions. RAVISSANTE (46514). ercent Brilliant 1899 (755)..12.5 Brilliant 1271 (756)... 6.25 Favori ist (711)...... 5.46875 Coco 2d (714)........ Class 2.—Stallions. FLAMBART (54628). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756)....15.625 Champeaux (734)....... 6.25 Brilliant 1899 (75)...... 3.125 Favori ist (711)....... 3.125 Coco 2d (714)......... 3.125 Class 3.—Stallions. MONACO 45896 (58631). Percent Brilliant 1899 (755)... 9.375 Favori 1st (711)....... 9.375 Coco 2d (714)......... 9.375 Brilliant 1271 (756)..... 9.375 Class 1.—Mares. FOSSETTE 46039 (45225). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756)...10.9375 Favori ist (711)...... -+10.15625 Brilliant 1899 (755). 9.375 Coco 2d (714)........ 6.25 French Monarch (734) 3,125 Class 2.—Mares. PAQUERETTE (48593). ercent French Monarch (734). 6.25 Brilliant 1271 (756)... 4.6875 Brilliant 1899 (755). 3.125 Favori ist (711)...... 3.125 Coco 2d (714)......... 1.5625 Class 3.—Mares. XIMENES (55074). Percent Brilliant 1899 (755) .14.0625 Brilliant 1271 (756). 9.375 Favori 1st (711).... 6.8359375 Coco 2d (714)...... 2.384375 Class 4.—Mares. LISETTE 85118 (58368). * Percent Brilliant 1271 (756)... 4.6875 Brilliant 1899 (75)...... 6.25 Favori Ist (711)........ 6.25 598 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE TABLE VI.—WINNERS AT THE 1906 SHOW. Class 1.—Stallions. BIBI 95697 (52612). Percent Brilliant 1899 (755).. 6.25 Class 2.—Stallions. DIMITRI (58251). Percent Brilliant 1271 (756). .14.84375 Favori 1st (711)..... 12.109375 Brilliant 1899 (755)..10.9375 Coco 2d (714)....... «78125 Class 3.—Stallions. GUERIDON (64253). Percent Brilliant 1899 (755) ..15.625 Brilliant 1271 (756)..11.71875 Pavort Ist (711)... 6.640625 Coco 2d (714) .1. Be 5 oo Brutus. (34739) ..... Aiglon 13145 (8187). Scheret 8948 (15793). 1 (36577). é Artilleur 27348 (46769). eee ia NOAA ADO Mow Prizes won by American-bred Grandsires descendants Orpin 24388 te aan) Confident 3647 (397)... Mirabeau (34778) ......- 3 Napolitain 22882 Tene 3 Charlemagne 22713 (40167 . 3 Brilliant 1899 (756)...... . 2 Jupiter 4301 (2243)... 32 Sultan (4713) ........ 2 Producteur ist (7657)....... 2 Porthos 6828 (10594)......... -Parfait 3d 10727 (129389)..... 2 Baccarat 11826 (18639)....... 2 Black Diamond 26279........ 2 Myron (20690) ...e..eeeeeaee 2 Beaudole (34055) ........... 2 Diogene (41294) ...........- 2 Casino 40580 (46875).......- 2 Raphael 25047 (48488)....... 2 Olga 22736 (43283).........-- Rivoli, 33848 (46722) .i2..«s08 2 Rayon D’Or (44266)......... 2 Great-grandsires Besigue (19602) s 52 Marathon (10886) -16 Sensation 22544 . 15 Brilliant 8d (2919) 13 Brilliant 1271 (755) 123 La Grange 3065 (1334).......12 Chicago 6947 (7485).......... 9 Bienfaisant (1397) .......... 6 Monarque 5149 (2428)........ 6 Brilliant 1899 (756).......... 6 Germanicus (7825) .......... 6 Gilbert (461) ..............-.-.% 5 ) King of ne 4975 (6738).. 5 Ney (40287) 4 SULCE (STUST) wages sae en weve 4 Saint Germain 6252 (4315)... 3 Donon (87897). sacesessc as ca Malakoff 15753 (29888)....... Rochambeau (1382) Vaillant (404) Favora 1542 (765). Bayard (9495) ..... Cheri 6024 (6903).......... Fils de Jupiter 11413 (9992).. Parfait 3d 10727 (12939).... Patache (42261) .......... Charlemagne 22713 (40167 Mery (29834) Paumier (24581) ............ Victoria 24449 (42905)........ PND NY HN DY NYDN ND WH 602 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE This table shows the rank of the sires, grandsires and great-grandsires of the American-bred Perche- rons winning prizes at the International from 1900 to 1910 inclusive. Group awards are not included in this list. This calculation takes into account every sire, grandsire or great-grandsire that appeared more than once in the pedigree of an American-bred International winner during the 10 years. The number opposite each name represents the number of prizes awarded to sons or daughters, grandsons or granddaughters, or great-grandsons or great-granddaughters of the stallion in question.